Anyone mic their SS PA and Cab?

Dirty145

Inspired
Just curious if most tend to feed FOH a line out with cab block and IRs and use the PA and cab for stage monitoring, or instead, have a mic thrown on the cab like a traditional amp.
 
I've done most gigs with a Matrix Poweramp and a real cab. Got it miced with a sm57. This is because of lighter (both in weight and number of cases to bring) traveling, and the fact that I'm used to having a cab on stage. When I can afford good in ears I will probably switch to XLR out.

The trick with the axe and cabinets is to use the global out EQ to tidy up different cabs. Played at a gig pretty far from home and got some random beat up Lany cab to work with. Fixed the frequency response in 5 minutes using this trick. I use a patch pr song, but still got no issues to report with that setup. (Other than me hitting the wrong buttons and stuff like that in the heat of the moment😂)

Soon my other band will start gigging æ, and the plan is to go direct to foh, and use iem on stage. Have set up so I could use an active monitor as well. (Just in case something goes wrong and we need a solution)

Have to say this is the most versatile guitar rig I've had in all possible ways, and the best sound. Great gear!
 
Always line out to FOH. I never mic up a cab that’s already blasting the sound of an IR with the mic “baked in”.
There isn’t an IR in play here, because there isn’t a cab block. I’m referencing using the Axe through a SS power amp and cab.
 
I’ve used both and the direct to FOH is by far the best option if it’s available. Last gig I did of that type the sound man mics up my FRFR to compare the sound and ended up removing the mic because the sound was miles better direct
I’m not mic’ing an FRFR. I’m talking about a guitar cabinet that doesn’t have a speaker sim. There is no cab block.
 
You could do it of course, but I think the ability to run direct with an IR is one of the best things about using a digital modeler. I liken it to using a kick drum trigger and sampler rather than trusting the sound guy to mic and EQ the kick perfectly. This is a popular technique for modern metal bands that want the double bass to cut through and be featured prominently. From one gig to the next you don’t know how your cab will be miced up, and sometimes you’re stuck using a backline cab. At least going direct to FOH you know the sound you spent hours and days meticulously dialing in is, for the most part, intact.
 
Additionally, some of the best live guitar tones I’ve ever heard were Axe Fx straight to FOH. It is crystal clear and mix ready.
 
I’ve used the Axe II, a SS power amp and Mesa 1x12 cabs, no IRs and a SM57 gigging for years. I like having a real cab behind me on stage with the band... it punch’s thru more. Works great.
For home use and recording I use the Axe III, using the York Audio IRs, plus I have a pair of Atomic CLRs. That works great too in a different way, and offers the most in tone shaping.
 
I use power amp and FRFR, and run a line out (or 2) to the desk for FOH reinforcement.

But in your position, if I got a gig with spare channels on the desk, I'd be tempted to throw an SM57 in front of the cab as well. Then I'd ask the engineer to swap between the 2 and see what seemed to sound best. I would definitely put a cab IR inline with the output being used for FOH, as some amp models sound pretty poor without the sweetening effect of an IR.

Liam
 
You certainly can do this. It's not necessary, but you can.

The best reason to do so would be a sound engineer that just can't cope with using a direct out for a guitar.
Some old school engineers will not accept anything other than 'micing your cab'. So in that case, it may cause you less headache to let him/her do that.
But using an IR on a different output to FOH using an XLR is a better solution than to mic your cab.
You can dial that IR output exactly the way you want....you don't have the ability to do that at every gig when throwing a mic in front of it.

True story - I have seen a sound engineer INSIST on putting mic in front of an FRFR speaker rather than take a line from the Axe.
People are dumb sometimes. Do what you can to work around it.
 
You certainly can do this. It's not necessary, but you can.

The best reason to do so would be a sound engineer that just can't cope with using a direct out for a guitar.
Some old school engineers will not accept anything other than 'micing your cab'. So in that case, it may cause you less headache to let him/her do that.
But using an IR on a different output to FOH using an XLR is a better solution than to mic your cab.
You can dial that IR output exactly the way you want....you don't have the ability to do that at every gig when throwing a mic in front of it.

True story - I have seen a sound engineer INSIST on putting mic in front of an FRFR speaker rather than take a line from the Axe.
People are dumb sometimes. Do what you can to work around it.
Just wondering, a mic on an frfr with IRs, does that sound good? I'm not sure I'd want to be in that position. This is a heads up for anytime house sound or an unfamiliar pa/guru is provided. I've had most sound guys look puzzled when I say a mic my cab( when using tube head) and ask I dont use a di. Considering I use a live cab and a PA for stage if that happens I guess I'm ok, but, I do have frfr cabs I would maybe consider sometimes
 
Just wondering, a mic on an frfr with IRs, does that sound good? I'm not sure I'd want to be in that position. This is a heads up for anytime house sound or an unfamiliar pa/guru is provided. I've had most sound guys look puzzled when I say a mic my cab( when using tube head) and ask I dont use a di. Considering I use a live cab and a PA for stage if that happens I guess I'm ok, but, I do have frfr cabs I would maybe consider sometimes
Well, I don't think it's necessary, if you use an frfr speaker, you most scertaintly use an ir. If you use a conventional ir cab, you already have the sound of the mic baked in. But of course, if you are on the search for nasty tones and such, one may find it appealing? Or what do I know, maybe you get the fastest most brutal sound ever? Hmm. But I don't think so. The frfr solution are mainly made for monitoring purposes and micing it would logically degrade the sound you have worked to get.


I would highly recommend going direct in this case and use the frfr for monitoring. As i hughly doubt the results of micing an already miced cab would do any good.
 
Well, I don't think it's necessary, if you use an frfr speaker, you most scertaintly use an ir. If you use a conventional ir cab, you already have the sound of the mic baked in. But of course, if you are on the search for nasty tones and such, one may find it appealing? Or what do I know, maybe you get the fastest most brutal sound ever? Hmm. But I don't think so. The frfr solution are mainly made for monitoring purposes and micing it would logically degrade the sound you have worked to get.


I would highly recommend going direct in this case and use the frfr for monitoring. As i hughly doubt the results of micing an already miced cab would do any good.
So all that you said was " not a good idea to mic a frfr cab, and in my case it would be a powered frfr cab. thanks
 
Just wondering, a mic on an frfr with IRs, does that sound good?
I'll be honest and say - I don't know.
When this happened, I was so frustrated with the engineer, I didn't walk out front to see how it sounded.
Maybe it sounded fine, but adding the color of another mic could only make it sound further from how it was intended to sound in FOH.
 
I'll be honest and say - I don't know.
When this happened, I was so frustrated with the engineer, I didn't walk out front to see how it sounded.
Maybe it sounded fine, but adding the color of another mic could only make it sound further from how it was intended to sound in FOH.
I understand, that is really odd, like it's a big deal to unhook the mic from the XLR he has ran for the guitar cab and insert it into the back of the axe3. Like really. Perhaps he was afraid your output from the axe would be able to be controlled by you might adjust the volume , which is dumb. Most guitar players may turn up their stage volume but the FOH is usually not a worry, perhaps hes not that experienced.
 
Means to me loosing versatility, freedom, not using the technology provided…for what? i can not come up with any reason regardless i think of different situations (rehearsal, bars, small clubs to biggest festival stages).

I think i had only 1-2 time an engineer insist micing up the cabinet on stage. One time in a smallish venue/bar-club: engineer did not know the tech behind and put a mic infront of my cab and i told him clearly no go….my gig, my rig, i decide, he is there to help! He said he just wants to try and compare….than he heard the line out and gave up right away and said “ok no mic needed.”

add on: Only situation popped up in my mind where you might need this…you have the craziest presets with highest CPU usage and you have to have them like that and there is no way for you to add a cab block in your presets and you can not afford a 2nd fractal unit or an outboard IR loader.
 
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I've done it in the past, especially on gigs/festival dates with quick changeovers. The reason being is if the FOH engineer is using a microphone mounted on a small stand, unplugging that cable and plugging into your AxeFX will change the signal from mic level to line level which could be a very big surprise for the FOH engineer.

Also, if they don't have a way to patch you into the snake quickly and gain stage it, your better option is to just move the mic in front of the cabinet.

I generally prefer to send the FOH signal from the AxeFX with Cab sims to have ultimate control of the sound, but there are situations, like the aforementioned where micing the cab works.
 
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