After much debate.....

T

t0aj15

Power User
I decided to give FRFR a shot. I've been thinking along the lines of the Matrix CFR12 for a couple of months now but the price on that box just didn't sit well with me, especially since I wanted to go stereo. I instead ordered the Carvin TRx12n-2 package this morning. The Carvin TRx12n cab for those that don't know is almost identical to the Matrix CFR12, even using the same Celestion co-axial driver. The big difference I see in the two is that I got two Carvin cabs with two 25' speakon cables for $32 less delivered then one Matrix cab alone would have cost.

As for how they sound I'll have to wait until the middle of next week to find out.

Carvin.com : TRX12N-2 12 INCH 2-WAY 300W MONITOR PACKAGE
 
review

be interested to hear a review once you have had a chance to put them through the real world use.
 
Alainarose said:
What power amp do you plan to use to power these?

BTW I am from Michigan also, Sterling Heights.
Robert
Click to expand...
I'll be powering them with a Carvin DCM-1540L power-amp, which is a class A/B linear (FRFR) power-amp that until now I have been using to drive a pair Mesa/Boogie Thiele 1-12" cabs loaded with EVM-12L's, great speakers in their own right but I just really wanted to try a true FRFR pair to see if there's any difference and if I'll actually prefer them to the M/B cabs. If I prefer the new cabs the M/B cabs will go back to being used with my M/B Mark IV head.
 
these area only $379.00 a piece????
I had no idea they even existed.
Now I'm very intereseted in hearing a review
 
NeoSound said:
Notice the -2 in the ops message. Dunno if that makes a difference?
Click to expand...

I think the -2 in his link is because the package he purched from the Carvin site is 2 monitors.
Looking at the link, seems to be the same speaker.
 
Well i haven't responded to this thread because when I received the two cabs one was awesome and one was a crash and burn. It seems to me that it either had a bad tweeter or cross-over network, either way it was not acceptable.

So back it went to Carvin.

I will say at this point that Carvin customer service was AWESOME, fast, efficient, very friendly and had UPS pick up the bad cab the next day with confirmation & tracking info of a replacement coming the following day.

The new one is here and sounds every bit as good as it's mate.

Having used a pair of M/B 1-12" Theile EVM-12L cabs (that I REALLY like) with my Axe-Fx Ultra for the past two years I can easily say that these cabs are a HUGE bang for the buck winner. What a difference in.........clarity more than anything, and the stereo separation (which i think is largely about the higher frequencies) is dramatic.

There are some EQing changes to be made, which is to be expected because of the use of so radically different speaker cabs, but at this point these cabs are a definite improvement over the Mesa (standard guitar) cabs.

I'll add more later, but right now I want to go back and play my guitar.
 
Really interested in hearing more as I'm on the fence between these and CFR12 cabs. From what I've read they use the same Celestion driver. The main difference being the Matrix cabs are ported which I think I would prefer. And I'm sure the crossover is tuned in specifically for the GT1000 I recently bought (which is an awesome amp). I just don't know if that makes them worth twice the cost. Maybe the Carvin cabs could be ported... 8)
 
They aren't ported because they don't need to be ported. They were designed to be the correct volume for the driver used, eliminating the need for a port.
 
OK it's been nearly a week since I've been 'breaking in' these cabs (believe me they need breaking in, just like guitar speakers) and every day they sound better and better. Keep in mind that prior to this I was using primarily guitar cabs with my Axe-Fx. This FRFR thing really does make sense.

With no changes at all to my presets I'm hearing things that I always knew should be there but weren't. I have no idea why these cabs see so very little, if any appreciation, but if you give them time to break in (as most speakers need) I think you'll find dollar for dollar these cabs are really great. If I had one complaint it would be that they really do only (IMO) serve as floor monitors (duh, that's what they were designed for), and even though they do have a pole-mount cup, no matter if I put them on amp-stands or in the air their best sound is most definitely on the floor.

As these speakers break in I'm NOT hearing any high mid honk as one person posted. IMO for less than half the price of the other company that uses the same exact drivers I think you could do a lot worse while spending a lot more.
 
are these powered or passive?
I'd only need one wedge for playing at home this price is pretty sweet (especially if they sound and feel "right")
 
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