Active CLR or Passive with Matrix, your thoughts?

t0aj15 said:
Ditto, plus the fact that I don't feel on-board amps are the best quality in all cases.
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Agree, especially if the price difference is $250. Does that mean the passive is too expensive? Or is the amp in the active full of compromise? If the sound is equal which way would you want to go?
 
BenLevy said:
Agree, especially if the price difference is $250. Does that mean the passive is too expensive? Or is the amp in the active full of compromise?
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The only way to truly know is to take these for a test drive. However, an interesting exercise is to ask yourself how credible Jay Mitchell is as a speaker / amp designer, and how likely is he to associate himself with a product that's second rate.

Terry.
 
quark said:
But here I'm leaning towards wedge since it seems like it can do everything the cab can do and then some ( built in tilt position, vertical position, pole mount, protective metal grill - just doesn't have the nice metal corners that the cabs do - maybe you can retro-fit them).
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Metal corners aren't anything more than aesthetics. Have a look at the wedge shots on Atomic FB and you'll see they have rubber feet on one of the sides - smart thinking - as you can prop it up a la Dweezil style, which is akin to an actual cab in many ways.

V.
 
Tom King said:
How about neither? The Active versions are an incredible value at their price. If raising the price will make you value them more, I'll certainly consider it.
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:lol

Please, don't.

Tom, if a person was starting from square one, would there be any advantage, tonewise, in active vs. passive/amp (or visa versa)?
 
axel said:
:lol

Please, don't.

Tom, if a person was starting from square one, would there be any advantage, tonewise, in active vs. passive/amp (or visa versa)?
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I think in what Tom's shared with me, the advantages to the Actives are it's all in one, baby!! And a simpler signal chain. Benefits to Passives? Well, if you already splashed for a Matrix or a Fryette or what not, save the quid man, and go for non-powered.

This is what I'm getting from Sir King in his intermittent but greatly appreciated dialogues with me. They're equally as responsive and ranging in their sonic spectrum - but one's got onboard jam, the other needs it. I personally dig the simpler chain, on-board tweaks that the Actives are offering. And again, I have a choice to buy either, and with what I've got, I'm going 2 x Actives.

Thanks Tom!!
Mo
 
I'd go Active for sure!But for me talk is cheap, I'm a show me the money kind of guy, and Allways interested in a better alternative, Started out with a Standard ,Randall power amp and THD 2x12 then went FR.I've owned the FBT ,,Atomic wedge,and currently RCF12ma all of which are very good monitors . The RCF works best for me in live applications ,but not so pleased to just play through it alone. I've been seriously considering the matrix active ( seeing and hearing some very positive stuff about it) , but need to see how this CLR turns out first. So far I've only heard claims of it's greatness,and no audio samples &etc to back it up! Don't even see it on the site yet! If they are close to their claims it's what I need! So Show me the stuff and I'll jump on a couple of them!
 
I have a GT1000FX, but I'm on the list for an active CLR. I'll use my GT1000FX if I want to check out passive FRFR solutions or if I want to hook up a traditional guitar cab.
 
Im surprised no one's mentioned this but the matrix amps have some tweaking done on the damping, if im not mistaking, that make them have a more tube like response than other high quality poweramps. Maybe Jays done something similar. If not, Id vote for the Matrix, which i bet you could install in a passive, for a more natural playing feel.
 
Lapo said:
Im surprised no one's mentioned this but the matrix amps have some tweaking done on the damping, if im not mistaking, that make them have a more tube like response than other high quality poweramps. Maybe Jays done something similar. If not, Id vote for the Matrix, which i bet you could install in a passive, for a more natural playing feel.
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And at the same time....it's just my opinion, BUT the Axe-Fx has already taken that into account and has all of those parameters built into the firmware. Personally I'd rather have a TRUE FRFR amp which leaves all the adjustments where they should be.........in the Axe-Fx and not some arbitrary preset factor such as what the amp builder 'thinks' may be right. After all his idea of tube sound may be totally wrong, and at the same time what if I don't want a 'tube power amp' sound, As I said earlier those factors are better left to the firmware of the Axe-Fx.
 
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t0aj15 said:
And at the same time....it's just my opinion, BUT the Axe-Fx has already taken that into account and has all of those parameters built into the firmware. Personally I'd rather have a TRUE FRFR amp which leaves all the adjustments where they should be.........in the Axe-Fx and not some arbitrary preset factor such as what the amp builder 'thinks' may be right. After all his idea of tube sound may be totally wrong, and at the same time what if I don't want a 'tube power amp' sound, As I said earlier those factors are better left to the firmware of the Axe-Fx.
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Theoretically that sounds good, but so far the Atomic 50/50(not counting the new Fryette) has been the best sounding neutral power amp in all comparisons involved. And the Matrix is a big step in that direction. The Matrix is true FRFR, it seems more a difference of the damping which is generally different in a tube and solid state amp.In a short time well be hearing comparisons between the active clr and passive/matrix anyway. I look forward to it.
 
In an active cab the electric coupling between poweramp and transducer is optimal. This is certainly an advantage... generally speaking. OTOH, if the external amp is much better than the internal one, this advantage might weight by far less.
If I were to spend a fixed budget, I'd go for an active system. Furthermore, being components equal, an active cab is probably going to cost less because of its packaging.

But other elements come in the game, for example if you plan to use the amp with other cabs (for example guitar cabs); it also depends on how much one is willing to experiment and how often he is under GAS attacks! LOL
 
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