Anyone switch from QSC to Matrix or Xitone etc...? Was it worth it?

Anyone switch from QSC to Matrix or Xitone etc...? Was it worth selling qsc's did the axefx become that much eaisier to dial in your go to live and recorded tones after switching brands?

Thanks
 
River town,
I would actually recommend switching to a power amp and cab, if what we discussed in your other thread is still holding true where you can't get the AxeFx to sound like your blues Jr.

Matrix power amps are great (I own one) and sound like an amp in the room as opposed to the Qsc. FRFR and power amp and cab are two different animals and I believe with your 20+ years of experience hearing guitar amps on stage, the power amp cab solution is what you're looking for
 
Even though I'm a Friedman ASM-12 guy now, I have to agree that the Xitone is great as well. To be honest, I think all of those are great options and just comes down to little things here and there. I do think some solutions lend themselves more to a particular type of music just like a guitar cab.
 
River town,
I would actually recommend switching to a power amp and cab, if what we discussed in your other thread is still holding true where you can't get the AxeFx to sound like your blues Jr.

Matrix power amps are great (I own one) and sound like an amp in the room as opposed to the Qsc. FRFR and power amp and cab are two different animals and I believe with your 20+ years of experience hearing guitar amps on stage, the power amp cab solution is what you're looking for
I must say you might be right I had great success today just running the axe through a fender mustang 3's effect return jack.
I feel im wasting so much time trying to make these qsc's work and then I just plug in to mustang and it works
 
River town,
I would actually recommend switching to a power amp and cab, if what we discussed in your other thread is still holding true where you can't get the AxeFx to sound like your blues Jr.

Matrix power amps are great (I own one) and sound like an amp in the room as opposed to the Qsc. FRFR and power amp and cab are two different animals and I believe with your 20+ years of experience hearing guitar amps on stage, the power amp cab solution is what you're looking for

Thanks for your reply curious do you use a FRFR solution or just amp cab?

I originally got the axe to work in a 3 piece where I sang and played guitar so it made sense to buy PA and run the whole band through QSC's placed behind the whole band. I got it sounding good enough but that's been around 7 firm wares back. Just dont have time to keep trying to keep the qsc's k12's up to speed and wondering if that would be fixed by selling more gear and getting other monitors.

Now I'm in a reunion band and everyone still wants to lug their monitors and amps and I just went down a worm hole of what to put behind me if I can't just put the PA there. I'm hoping the mustang 3 is gonna save the day!
 
Thanks for your reply curious do you use a FRFR solution or just amp cab?

I originally got the axe to work in a 3 piece where I sang and played guitar so it made sense to buy PA and run the whole band through QSC's placed behind the whole band. I got it sounding good enough but that's been around 7 firm wares back. Just dont have time to keep trying to keep the qsc's k12's up to speed and wondering if that would be fixed by selling more gear and getting other monitors.

Now I'm in a reunion band and everyone still wants to lug their monitors and amps and I just went down a worm hole of what to put behind me if I can't just put the PA there. I'm hoping the mustang 3 is gonna save the day!


I use pretty much every permutation of live gigging monitoring under the sun. I'm a working musician so, the gig dictates what I do use.
1) Power amp and Cab - I use a Matrix Gt800fx into Port City 2x12 cabs, either the oversize or the regular size. I use this method if I can "crank" on stage and don't have to worry about stage volume being an issue. Outdoor gigs, big stages, festivals etc.
2) Direct with a FRFR wedge - I'll use my own Qsc K10 facing up towards me either pointing away from the audience or across the stage like a sidefill if my band members need some ambient guitar. If I find out ahead of time that the venue/gig has wedges for the band to use, I leave my QSC at home. I don't personally care of the stage wedge quality. I can make most solutions work. JBL and QSC wedges are pretty standard in most places out here in the LA area.
3) Direct to FOH and I'll use In Ear Monitors. I have a small rack with a wireless and a Shure PSM 200 and just run direct and monitor myself through In ear monitors (JH audio 16 pros). The rest of the band can get guitar pumped through wedges or In Ear Monitors. This is for everything from a church gig to the bigger venues such as the LA Convention center, etc. I just control my volume from my bodypack if I need more "me"

There's many clients I've worked with in the past big and small and some just are used to a specific solution. There's absolutely nothing wrong with your ears, you just know what works for you. When I did Def Leppards rigs, the bassist Rick Savage will NOT use in ear monitors. He just likes hearing stage volume, even though the rest of the band is on IEM. That's just how it is, I wouldn't tell him otherwise.

You're just not used to hearing your amp miked up on stage and being sent through a wedge. Thats what that sound of the AxeFX into a QSC wedge is.

Before the axe fx came along, did you like any guitar in a stage wedge? if not, then FRFR is probably not for you :)
 
I switched from a pair of QSC K10s to a pair of Matrix Q12 actives a few years ago.
The Q12's sounded better and more like a guitar amp to me.
The K10s had a harsher top end, and it was hard to dial in the right amount of bass with them.
The K10s did seem louder and to cut through better though.
 
I use pretty much every permutation of live gigging monitoring under the sun. I'm a working musician so, the gig dictates what I do use.
1) Power amp and Cab - I use a Matrix Gt800fx into Port City 2x12 cabs, either the oversize or the regular size. I use this method if I can "crank" on stage and don't have to worry about stage volume being an issue. Outdoor gigs, big stages, festivals etc.
2) Direct with a FRFR wedge - I'll use my own Qsc K10 facing up towards me either pointing away from the audience or across the stage like a sidefill if my band members need some ambient guitar. If I find out ahead of time that the venue/gig has wedges for the band to use, I leave my QSC at home. I don't personally care of the stage wedge quality. I can make most solutions work. JBL and QSC wedges are pretty standard in most places out here in the LA area.
3) Direct to FOH and I'll use In Ear Monitors. I have a small rack with a wireless and a Shure PSM 200 and just run direct and monitor myself through In ear monitors (JH audio 16 pros). The rest of the band can get guitar pumped through wedges or In Ear Monitors. This is for everything from a church gig to the bigger venues such as the LA Convention center, etc. I just control my volume from my bodypack if I need more "me"

There's many clients I've worked with in the past big and small and some just are used to a specific solution. There's absolutely nothing wrong with your ears, you just know what works for you. When I did Def Leppards rigs, the bassist Rick Savage will NOT use in ear monitors. He just likes hearing stage volume, even though the rest of the band is on IEM. That's just how it is, I wouldn't tell him otherwise.

You're just not used to hearing your amp miked up on stage and being sent through a wedge. Thats what that sound of the AxeFX into a QSC wedge is.

Before the axe fx came along, did you like any guitar in a stage wedge? if not, then FRFR is probably not for you :)

Thanks Rosh for all your help!

I have never used monitors and you are absolutely right about not being used to it.

We played a large gig at the mohegan sun 5 years back and I just went through my line 6 vetta 2x12 and another 2x12 passive and I only had the vetta on 6.

I have spent months doing my best tweaks and have learned alot...And feel ive taken the qsc k12 to the best of my ability but it needs to stop and I just need to play LOL!

I'm going to keep the best tweaked QSC presets and now just add another line with just and amp, fx loop and reverb going to output two.

I guess now I'm just going to us two fender mustang 3 amps and send the axefx 2's signal from output two to both their effect return jacks. I have changed the speakers to eminance red white and blues. I'm finding it very easy to dial in tones much like the vetta was.

I have amp modeling still turned on in case I will ever have too send the out put 1 to a PA do you have a similar patch set up? anything else I should watch out for?
 
Xitone for the win. I have a Carvin power amp, which I really like. I also have a pair of Euphonic VL110 FRFR cabinets that I sometimes use in my backline for big stages. But the Xitone 1x12 wedge is really smooth, has gorgeous FRFR response, and makes for a nice compact stage setup. I've started to use the Xitone as my go-to monitor for most gigs.
 
Thanks Rosh for all your help!

I have never used monitors and you are absolutely right about not being used to it.

We played a large gig at the mohegan sun 5 years back and I just went through my line 6 vetta 2x12 and another 2x12 passive and I only had the vetta on 6.

I have spent months doing my best tweaks and have learned alot...And feel ive taken the qsc k12 to the best of my ability but it needs to stop and I just need to play LOL!

I'm going to keep the best tweaked QSC presets and now just add another line with just and amp, fx loop and reverb going to output two.

I guess now I'm just going to us two fender mustang 3 amps and send the axefx 2's signal from output two to both their effect return jacks. I have changed the speakers to eminance red white and blues. I'm finding it very easy to dial in tones much like the vetta was.

I have amp modeling still turned on in case I will ever have too send the out put 1 to a PA do you have a similar patch set up? anything else I should watch out for?


This is a rundown of how I use the rig. It's a little outdated as I've tweaked my tones for Quantum and the AX8 etc. But it should give you an idea



When I run a Cab + Power amp or run into the effects loop of an amp (In a backline situation). I still send Output 1 to the PA/SoundMan/FOH so I get my "direct tone" to the audience as well.

I split off using the FX Loop block to output 2.
Output 1 goes to the PA.

The audience hears my "studio" tone and I hear my "Amp and Cab tone" on stage.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, first you need to decide if FRFR is for you. If you do, I went from a QSC K10 to an Atomic CLR. HUGE difference. I could never go back to a prosumer powered PA cab like a QSC, JBL, Mackie etc. Tried and owned them all before the CLR. Worlds apart to my ears. I use it for my vocal monitor wedge and run the Axe into the other side of it (it has a built in two channel mixer) so I have direct control without going through the band's mixer. At my other gig I use it just to monitor the Axe since I don't do vocals in that venue. Couldn't be happier. BTW we use the CLR's for the tops on our FOH rig too. They blew the QSC K's we had away in quality, clarity and flatness. Two different worlds.
 
This is a rundown of how I use the rig. It's a little outdated as I've tweaked my tones for Quantum and the AX8 etc. But it should give you an idea



When I run a Cab + Power amp or run into the effects loop of an amp (In a backline situation). I still send Output 1 to the PA/SoundMan/FOH so I get my "direct tone" to the audience as well.

I split off using the FX Loop block to output 2.
Output 1 goes to the PA.

The audience here's my "studio" tone and I hear my "Amp and Cab tone" on stage.

Thanks looking forward to checking this out in the morning.
 
Yeah, first you need to decide if FRFR is for you. If you do, I went from a QSC K10 to an Atomic CLR. HUGE difference. I could never go back to a prosumer powered PA cab like a QSC, JBL, Mackie etc. Tried and owned them all before the CLR. Worlds apart to my ears. I use it for my vocal monitor wedge and run the Axe into the other side of it (it has a built in two channel mixer) so I have direct control without going through the band's mixer. At my other gig I use it just to monitor the Axe since I don't do vocals in that venue. Couldn't be happier. BTW we use the CLR's for the tops on our FOH rig too. They blew the QSC K's we had away in quality, clarity and flatness. Two different worlds.
I was suspecting that was going to be the case so rather than feeding the rabbit hole any further and putting yet again more cash out for more gear I'm going stereo amp cap and putting the time into playing and the cash into the guitar collection.

Thanks Guys
 
This is a rundown of how I use the rig. It's a little outdated as I've tweaked my tones for Quantum and the AX8 etc. But it should give you an idea



When I run a Cab + Power amp or run into the effects loop of an amp (In a backline situation). I still send Output 1 to the PA/SoundMan/FOH so I get my "direct tone" to the audience as well.

I split off using the FX Loop block to output 2.
Output 1 goes to the PA.

The audience hears my "studio" tone and I hear my "Amp and Cab tone" on stage.


Hi Rosh Thanks for video very informative.

What I don't under stand in your chain is did you just find the shiva clean worked for your cabs AND all the frfr PA's you come across at gigs?

I feel not having been able to dial a tone in with my QSC's what ever I send to FOH will be a crap shoot depending on what they have?

Do you have a quantum version of your shiva preset and a copy of the 57/121 mix ir I can try on my rig? Thanks
 
Last edited:
I did the opposite. LOL

from high end highly recommended powered FRFR monitors, to powered amp/cab solution back to tube amps and now because the band decided to go full FOH on all shows I went back to Axe-Fx last year -- . Since our PA is all QSC based (TouchMix 16 Board, K12s, K10s) -- I have a QSC k10 at home for practice/patch creation and use one a as monitor for gigs.

The number one thing you need to get used to if you are a gigging musician (who plays at least 1 gig per month) ----- is listening to you guitar in a monitor in front of you as part of a mix. Once you get past that -- then everything else becomes easier.

I make/tweak all my patches on QSC K10 at home. I have the advantage of traveling with my own PA -- however...

Last week I went to a rehearsal studio in NJ (Starz Studios if any is familiar with them). Typically I just bring my guitar and a Zendrive and use one of their amps (Deville/Twin) - this time I brought my Axe-FX XL+ and laptop. Reason was we were going to work on a couple of new tunes for the first time and I actually created/tweaked a patch for one tune and adjusted another to work on the others.

I asked the tech at Starz to set me up on a Channel on the board for AXE with effects off and EQ flat.

Let me put it this way --- these guys freaked out at how damn good the AXE/patches sounded. I actually did zero adjusting to the patches if you can believe that (just a little tweak on overall patch levels).

I have no idea what PA equipment they use at Starz (it was the large room at the end of the hall) but it sounded incredible.

Moral of the story -- a well made patch on a QscK10/12 should translate very well to other good/pro quality PA systems.

Anyone switch from QSC to Matrix or Xitone etc...? Was it worth selling qsc's did the axefx become that much eaisier to dial in your go to live and recorded tones after switching brands?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
There are many options, and no single one is 'the best'…it's more of what sounds good to you and the application/venue you're designing for your situation. I have tried quite a few configurations myself, including QSC, XiTone, RCF, CLR, Matrix, and 4CM to a Marshall amp+cab, to a small combo. Over time, I've narrowed it down to a few 'rules of thumb' and condensed my gear down to a few options. First, if you're playing through a PA, it does not matter how much 'rig' you have on-stage; your guitar sound will be exactly as played through the PA speaker, so best to create and tweak it through the closest speaker type….ie, if your band uses QSC tops, fine tune your patches through it. I've even gone to a rehearsal studio just so that I could play through a specific model. Second, what you hear on stage is not what the audience hears. Yes, it might give you inspiration or 'vibe', but if your sound sucks in FOH, no matter how good it feels on-stage, the audience won't hear it. Thus, once I configure and adjust my patches for FOH, my on-stage advice is keep-it-simple and avoid tons of equipment and weight…use the house monitors or in-ear monitors, or bring a small FRFR (XiTone, K10) or what I've been using lately, a Power Engine…it's small, reasonably priced, gives a decent vibe, and as added benefit, it works great in the rehearsal room. I'm now the first to load-and-go, and I don't have to 'break my back'.

Last night I did an Acoustic Trio, where I play various parts including all the leads. My first gig with the AX8. Ran direct to FOH and used the Power Engine for a touch of stage ambience. Hardly anything for me to carry and/or pack-up, and the sound was fantastic.
 
I did the opposite. LOL

from high end highly recommended powered FRFR monitors, to powered amp/cab solution back to tube amps and now because the band decided to go full FOH on all shows I went back to Axe-Fx last year -- . Since our PA is all QSC based (TouchMix 16 Board, K12s, K10s) -- I have a QSC k10 at home for practice/patch creation and use one a as monitor for gigs.

The number one thing you need to get used to if you are a gigging musician (who plays at least 1 gig per month) ----- is listening to you guitar in a monitor in front of you as part of a mix. Once you get past that -- then everything else becomes easier.

I make/tweak all my patches on QSC K10 at home. I have the advantage of traveling with my own PA -- however...

Last week I went to a rehearsal studio in NJ (Starz Studios if any is familiar with them). Typically I just bring my guitar and a Zendrive and use one of their amps (Deville/Twin) - this time I brought my Axe-FX XL+ and laptop. Reason was we were going to work on a couple of new tunes for the first time and I actually created/tweaked a patch for one tune and adjusted another to work on the others.

I asked the tech at Starz to set me up on a Channel on the board for AXE with effects off and EQ flat.

Let me put it this way --- these guys freaked out at how damn good the AXE/patches sounded. I actually did zero adjusting to the patches if you can believe that (just a little tweak on overall patch levels).

I have no idea what PA equipment they use at Starz (it was the large room at the end of the hall) but it sounded incredible.

Moral of the story -- a well made patch on a QscK10/12 should translate very well to other good/pro quality PA systems.

HI Thanks for that...when I had a three piece we went out with my axe, touchmix and two k12's and a sub and electronic kit thats it and it did sound very good.
But I felt dialing in just took longer than needed that was around firmware 1.7 here I am now with quantum and its here we go again time I just want to play and stop the madness lol.

You are right about getting used to it I'm just a amp in room guy! i'm gonna now do the amp cab route for awhile. I wish there was away to just eq k12 to better sound like a guitar cab something a little more than high low filters.
 
Back
Top Bottom