Atomic CLR vs FR212 vs Xitone? First post!!

Georgy

Georgy

Inspired
G'day from Australia! :encouragement:

Guys, apologies if this is a repeat thread.. I've scoured through Fractal Forum over the last few days trying to find a realistic, and dare I say credible comparison between the above-mentioned cabs. Before I get stuck into the questions, here's my gear:

Axe FX ii,
Matrix Poweramp GT1500
Matrix NL212 cab,
Atomic CLR (I am looking to replace this with either the Matrix FR212 or a Xitone...)

I also want to acknowledge that everything is subjective; what my ears like might be different to what your ears like; it's all in the eye of the beholder. I get all this :) Also, I'm more of a hi-gain player, but also love the not-so-heavy stuff as well

I've got the NL as my 'real' or 'natural' guitar cab, which I'm reasonably happy with. (By reasonable, I mean I still need to tweak some settings a bit more here and there because on some presets, it sounds like a blanket has been thrown over it, so any suggestions as far that goes, I'm all ears guys!!)

I've had the CLR for a couple months and I'm starting to struggle to get a sound that I like out of it. It sounded really good and really clear but I think I'm not bonding with it anymore. Maybe my subconscious can't handle seeing a wedge as a speaker and rather my eyes are dictating a 'real cab look'............ but then, the sound isn't quite there either?? So I'm stuck between either going for the Matrix FR212 or a Xitone 2x12 (the one that you can 'dial in the amount of FRFR' you want). However, I have never heard in the flesh either the FR212 or a Xitone. If anyone can shed any light on these two guys, that would be AWESOME. The YouTube clips aren't really anything extraordinary to go by, but they do shed a little light.

What do I want to achieve? I want to get away from that 'spikey', trebley sound of the CLR, as well as the 'woofiness' that it has, even though it has some amazing clarity. Some might say, dial it out, play around with your settings, EQ etc, tilt it, use it as a backline cab etc, but my ears are telling me that the CLR won't achieve what my ears want or expect to hear. I ALSO understand that it's silly to compare the CLR to the NL because they are two completely different entities in their own; they can't replicate each other. I get, and accept that. I do want to achieve FRFR, but perhaps not with the CLR, preferably with a passive 2x12 type scenario.

NOTE, don't worry, I know an FRFR speaker is somewhat supposed to have some of those attributes that I acknowledged above, but ideally, if I could find a cab, preferably a 2x12, that can get me a sound somewhere between my NL and the CLR, I reckon I'd be a happy camper!!! That has lead me to either the FR212 or a Xitone 2x12.

I've been told that the FR212 will so sound no different from the CLR, only bigger because it's got 2 speakers as opposed to the one.. I hear some of you guys commenting on how much you love your Xitone..

I'm stuck guys.... a little help please?!

George
 
The CLR has a range much wider than a guitar cab. People always assume the amp model and the IR will shave the top and bottom off for them, and they do primarily, but the overtones remain. A guitar cabinet is incapable of producing the overtones down to 20hz or above 10khz, so while a real amp produces them, you've never experienced them due to cab limitations.

Your best friend to deal with these issues is the high and low cuts in the cab block. Cut the bottom between 80-100 and the top from 7,000-12,000.
 
I've given up on the whole FRFR thing. I tried 3 different solutions (CLR, Mackie DLM12 and XiTone 2x12 Cab) and none of them sounded like a natural guitar tone to me. The XiTone actually has a switch that allows you to switch it into a guitar-cab voicing that sounds really good and natural(with cab sims off on Axe) but the other 2 have that bassy, trebly sound and no amount of EQ(that I was able to figure out anyway) is able to make it sound like a natural tube amp, although cleans did sound good through all 3 in FRFR. I decided that a solid state power amp/4x12 guitar cab is what I'm sticking with. The nice thing is that the Axe sounds great when recording direct into a DAW with cab sims enabled. Now if I can just figure out how to have 2 signal paths, one going out of the Axe to my power amp/cab with no cab sim and one going to my DAW via USB WITH cab sims. Need to go through the manual again to figure this out.
 
Georgy said:
So I'm stuck between either going for the Matrix FR212 or a Xitone 2x12 (the one that you can 'dial in the amount of FRFR' you want).

George
Click to expand...

Small correction.... my cabs do not have the ability to dial in a specific amount of FRFR vs. non-FRFR. It's a switch that lets you bypass the FRFR components all together so it's more an all or nothing type deal.

My apologies for the confusion.
 
G'day :)

Just a quick note that you Aussies might like ... we are about to release new packaging on the FR212 to get the shipping cost down. I know, it's only a cardboard box and some bits of foam, but we do know the cost of shipping can be a factor and the FR212 has been an issue with you guys down under :)
 
admgloval said:
I've given up on the whole FRFR thing. I tried 3 different solutions (CLR, Mackie DLM12 and XiTone 2x12 Cab) and none of them sounded like a natural guitar tone to me. The XiTone actually has a switch that allows you to switch it into a guitar-cab voicing that sounds really good and natural(with cab sims off on Axe) but the other 2 have that bassy, trebly sound and no amount of EQ(that I was able to figure out anyway) is able to make it sound like a natural tube amp, although cleans did sound good through all 3 in FRFR. I decided that a solid state power amp/4x12 guitar cab is what I'm sticking with. The nice thing is that the Axe sounds great when recording direct into a DAW with cab sims enabled. Now if I can just figure out how to have 2 signal paths, one going out of the Axe to my power amp/cab with no cab sim and one going to my DAW via USB WITH cab sims. Need to go through the manual again to figure this out.
Click to expand...

Hi, I just red it now, I don't know if you found the answer to your problem but is an easy solve.

If you add in your chain the "fxloop" item, everything before it would be sent to "output 2" while the complete chain would still go out on "output 1" and usb. So just add fxloop before the cab simulation and connect your SS amp to output 2, and your DAW to usb (or any frfr sistem to your output1). I hope to be clear.

Anyone who tried fr212 can give me his opinion vs clr, xitone, or q12? I'm going to buy it but i can't try them and this things are expensive!
 
I must say it surprises me to read posts along the lines of ... "FRFR is no good because it sounds too bassy / thin / bright / whatever. The Axe-FX has so many tone shaping tools there's really no excuse for not sorting out the tone balance before posting. For me, I compensate for the close-mic'd IRs with a mid boost and some hi & low cut. That works for me, but everyone needs to dial in what they want and expect to hear. Anyway, that's me 2c worth :)
 
I went from an Evh 5153 head into a Mesa OS 4x12 to a Matrix Fr212. I sold both the amp and cab about a week later. The matrix kicks ass dude. I cut at 80-100 and 7000-8000 in my cab block and really its all about finding the right IR. The matrix sounds awesome has PLENTY of low end also. It gets stupid loud and is a great replacement for a cab behind you. I'm looking into a CLR myself but i definetely am not selling my Fr212. I think a CLR in front facing me and the FR212 behind me will be an awesome rig!
 
dieghe1984 said:
Hi, I just red it now, I don't know if you found the answer to your problem but is an easy solve.

If you add in your chain the "fxloop" item, everything before it would be sent to "output 2" while the complete chain would still go out on "output 1" and usb. So just add fxloop before the cab simulation and connect your SS amp to output 2, and your DAW to usb (or any frfr sistem to your output1). I hope to be clear.

Anyone who tried fr212 can give me his opinion vs clr, xitone, or q12? I'm going to buy it but i can't try them and this things are expensive!
Click to expand...

Yeah, after reading the manual(RTFM!), I figured out how to do it. I actually ended up getting a pair of Presonus Eris E8 studio monitors. At first I didn't care much for the way they sounded either but I think I have actually started adapting to the way full range speakers sound now after playing through these for awhile. I kind of wonder if an FRFR speaker like CLR or XiTone would sound good to me now.
 
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