Atomic CLR = Sonic bliss !!! In depth review

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Hugomack said:
Hey RB - pdup like any of us, can have his own definitions of anything (he's described FRFR as he sees it); and he does know what he's talking about especially regarding reference monitors. "Guitar FRFR" is my own way of thinking / definition, which I've described in another post, so I won't bore by repetition. Maybe a Xitone fits that description?

A high grade totally flat reference monitor might work with the Axe (I don't know), but a vocalist would hate it; those sorts of monitor have various EQ's to enhance the voice. The CLR is also DSP'd to suit its orientation, altering the flat response part. Remember the infamous Yamaha NS10; if you can get your mix to sound good through one of those, it will sound great anywhere.... But you wouldn't want to listen to music recreationally through one. I ought to put the AXe through them, but as they don't sound anything like an FOH I haven't bothered. And of course a two-way 12" monitor at four feet is never going to give you the same sound as a three-way FOH plus subs at forty... BUt that's not the point. Each to his own.

But as a lot of people have said, it boils down to personal taste. Some people - in the thread about the new Matrix NL12 speakers, use them both with and without cab sims. They're not FRFR. Out of curiosity, I built an extension cab for my ported EVM cabs, with a 1" CD and l-pad. The cross-over comes before the EVM's frequency response dip, making the overall curve reasonably flat. This allows me to use cabs sims quite acceptably ( with the just EVMs on their own, cab sims sound muddy). Maybe this is approaching my definition of my idea of "guitar FRFR" - or should I call it "guitar extended range" - or something (who cares).

But RB, your last par and its "humble opinion" comes over as a touch dictatorial. It's your thread man, and we're also reading the various other threads about the other new cabs coming out, and you've done a great job. But if pdup doesn't want to try a CLR - as the postage back would be very expensive to Denmark, why shouldn't he try to find out as much as he can on here? That's what this forum is for.
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Respectfully - I disagree.

Differing opinions are fine, but if somebody wants to participate in a meaningful manner and learn as much as he can, which is indeed what this tread and forum is about, then he should use the correct definitions, so we're all talking about the same thing.

I know I'm putting it a bit on the edge here, but would you consult your doctor and tell him you previously had a myocardial infarction reducing your hearts functional capacity to half of before the infarction. When the doctor examines you and says that he or she can see that you have high blood pressure, but that he or she can't find any signs of a previous myocardial infarction and certainly no sign of a reduced functional capacity, would you say "well you call it high blood pressure, but that's my definition of a myocardial infarction and 50% reduction in the heart function capacity" ??
Naturally you wouldn't - and there's a reason for that - if a professional definition exists you either use it as it's intended or instead you use sentences to describe what you mean. You don't just re-define what the words mean, then we could never have a meaningful exchange of knowledge.

I think I know what you mean with guitar FRFR - but for the reasons mentioned above I think it's an entirely misleading expression that can very easily lead to confusion for many people.
I much prefer that we use correct descriptions, otherwise it all get's very ambiguous and misleading for those trying to learn about these matters.
As to your question, yes I think extended range guitar cab is a much better, more concise and more descriptive term than "guitar FRFR" which is misleading.
Just so we are absolutely clear on this - I'm not in anyway saying that you or pdup mean to mislead or do anything negative - far from it.

I'm only saying two things with regards to pdup's posts
1) Please use the correct definition of FRFR as that is absolutely paramount to the essence of the discussion in this thread.
2) Since pdup who have not tried nor heard a CLR keeps telling the numerous people on this thread, who have actual hands on experience with the CLR, that what we have experienced first hand and what we are reporting in this thread is not true or incorrect, then he is either a) not really interested in finding out as much as he can on here and thus is only trolling or b) not going to find the answers he is seeking without trying a CLR for himself.
That all I going to say about this
 
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Rocket Brother said:
As to your question, yes I think extended range guitar cab is a much better, more concise and more descriptive term than "guitar FRFR" which is misleading.
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I've been rolling this around in my head all day, wondering what term would be better. I really like this. . . . "Extended Range Guitar Cab".

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but in the discussion about "Guitar FRFR" I've heard two different characteristics expressed in this and the "FRFR / amp shoot out" thread. One is that the response is truncated at some frequency (e.g. 10KHz), which means the system is no longer "full-range". At best it could be called "FR", assuming it were flat response. The other characteristic is that the system purposely colours the sound in a manner that is said to be pleasing for guitar tones. That means the system is no longer "flat-response". At best it could be called "FR", assuming it were full-range. Rather than calling your system "FR", and enduring endless questions about whether you mean "full-range" or "flat-response", can we agree on using the term "Extended Range Guitar Cab"?

In fact, I think it's really important to do this. While I personally want the most accurate, neutral, full-range, flat-response speaker I can possibly afford (i.e. "FRFR"), I can also see that an "Extended Range Guitar Cab" is a more desirable solution for others. If we have clearly defined terms that are understood and used, we will have rich and meaningful discussions about both. We'll know instantly what we're each referring to, and we can quickly get to the meat of the matter. Isn't that what everyone really wants?

Terry.
 
Tone Seeker said:
I've been rolling this around in my head all day, wondering what term would be better. I really like this. . . . "Extended Range Guitar Cab".

Correct me if I'm wrong guys, but in the discussion about "Guitar FRFR" I've heard two different characteristics expressed in this and the "FRFR / amp shoot out" thread. One is that the response is truncated at some frequency (e.g. 10KHz), which means the system is no longer "full-range". At best it could be called "FR", assuming it were flat response. The other characteristic is that the system purposely colours the sound in a manner that is said to be pleasing for guitar tones. That means the system is no longer "flat-response". At best it could be called "FR", assuming it were full-range. Rather than calling your system "FR", and enduring endless questions about whether you mean "full-range" or "flat-response", can we agree on using the term "Extended Range Guitar Cab"?

In fact, I think it's really important to do this. While I personally want the most accurate, neutral, full-range, flat-response speaker I can possibly afford (i.e. "FRFR"), I can also see that an "Extended Range Guitar Cab" is a more desirable solution for others. If we have clearly defined terms that are understood and used, we will have rich and meaningful discussions about both. We'll know instantly what we're each referring to, and we can quickly get to the meat of the matter. Isn't that what everyone really wants?

Terry.
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This - My point exactly
 
it definitely had the "widest" range out of the 3 we tested. it seemingly let everything through that was there.
I can see how this would "throw someone off" and how others would love it.
 
kmanick said:
it definitely had the "widest" range out of the 3 we tested. it seemingly let everything through that was there.
I can see how this would "throw someone off" and how others would love it.
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Better to have and not need than need and not have, right? I would assume that, if one wanted to, they could EQ a CLR to sound pretty much like a lesser monitor, or even a guitar cab if they really wanted to. I also assume that one could not do the reverse.
 
flyingfadr said:
My wife is going to have a myocardial infarction when she sees the credit card bill... Shih.... ;-)
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Same here-I'm a soon to be owner of a CLR-So I've been trying to come up with an answer for my wife when see the bill-Maybe Atomic could change their Credit Card Header to something like-Atomic Mortgage Company Inc. or Atomic Power & Electric Co-lol

Also Mr King can you make my new CLR look like it is 3 yrs old? not new-So when she ask' is that new-No honey I've had that speaker for yrs.-lol
 
Echophilia said:
Same here-I'm a soon to be owner of a CLR-So I've been trying to come up with an answer for my wife when see the bill-Maybe Atomic could change their Credit Card Header to something like-Atomic Mortgage Company Inc. or Atomic Power & Electric Co-lol

Also Mr King can you make my new CLR look like it is 3 yrs old? not new-So when she ask' is that new-No honey I've had that speaker for yrs.-lol
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Just put a Lamp on it... she'll NEVER know ! ;-)
 
By the way, am I the only one who pronounces it "fur-fur?" It needs a pronouncable name. Spelling it out is just too cumbersome. :)
 
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axel said:
Better to have and not need than need and not have, right? I would assume that, if one wanted to, they could EQ a CLR to sound pretty much like a lesser monitor, or even a guitar cab if they really wanted to. I also assume that one could not do the reverse.
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I agree and that's exactly the reason to go for FRFR - with the right speaker IR it will absolutely sound like a guitar cab.
 
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Echophilia said:
Same here-I'm a soon to be owner of a CLR-So I've been trying to come up with an answer for my wife when see the bill-Maybe Atomic could change their Credit Card Header to something like-Atomic Mortgage Company Inc. or Atomic Power & Electric Co-lol

Also Mr King can you make my new CLR look like it is 3 yrs old? not new-So when she ask' is that new-No honey I've had that speaker for yrs.-lol
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Atomic Amps introducing the all new "reliced for spouse approval"-edition CLR :)))))

Or - You can just send the CLR to me first as several of my band mates wants them - let them use your CLRs the rest of the year, and we can return them looking 3 years old no problem :)
As long as you pay shipping both ways, we'll provide the aging service free of charge.
We have stage roadies very skilled in making new shiny things looking old in a couple of months :)

That said my CLRs look exactly like the day I recieved them from Tom as I told everybody that they were loaner units and had to be handled as such - the upside to this is that they have gotten used to handling the CLRs with care
 
Rex said:
FRFR is a goal. No speaker acheives it perfectly.

Quasi-FRFR is a goal, too. Full-range and flat enough to work with IRs, but flavored to favor guitar.
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Isn't this what we actually need? (Not reference monitors...)
 
Hugomack said:
Isn't this what we actually need? (Not reference monitors...)
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Speaking for myself, no that's not what I need.

I'd much rather have a reference monitor so I know that what I'm hearing through my monitor is also what the audience hear through the FOH or what's being recorded in the studio.

Reference quality monitoring is the absolute goal for me.

As Axel said above - it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
 
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