Axe FX 2 through cabs w/ speaker sims on?

K

krcassid

Inspired
Hi Guys:

I know I've seen this subject tossed about a lot over the years but, after 8 years of being a relatively satisfied FRFR user (last 4 thru RCF NX12s), I am getting the bug to try the power amp/ cab thing. Thing is: I love my Axe but I still love my amps and believe that there is some mojo there that I can't get out of my FRFR setup (but I'm entirely willing to accept that this is a result of my own inadequacies).

So, here's the question: Now that we have all these great UR IRs (I own most), is there a cab/ speaker combo that will work in a way that I can still gain some of the advantage of using the IRs? I'd be running stereo thru a Mesa 2:90, power amp sims off. I understand that running simulated guitar speakers thru guitar speakers is an inherent compromise. But, I'm thinking of trying something like EV12Ls. I think that that some people (Yek?) used to use the EVs and I've used them over the years with Mesa gear. Anybody going this way these days with speaker sims on? My standard 2 X 12s are Alnico Gold/ G12H Creambacks. I love this combo with a number of amps but I figure these will be too colored to use cab sims with. Before I go out and drop a $grand on EVs, is anybody using this setup (sims on) effectively? If so, with what speakers?

Thx for your input!
 
Instead of a win-win, sounds like a lose-lose

If you want to use a guitar cab, put the speakers in there that give you the tone your after and that you most love. If you want to have a wide range of IR's giving you a vast range of cab models, then use FRFR.

Sounds to me like all you'd accomplish doing what you suggested is having an overly colored system that isn't going to reproduce your IR's very well, and its also likely not going to be your ideal sounding cabinet, as you won't be using something you enjoy like Creambacks.

You'd be missing the main advantage of both systems in an attempt to get a little benefit from each.

Why not just add on a guitar cab to your current rig ? Then you can have a real 2x12 with Creambacks or whatever, get the "amp in room" tone etc, and still keep your FRFR which you can use with other IR's for tones that your 2x12 cab doesn't sound right with, like small combo amp IR's etc.
 
Yes I still use EVLs.
But not with cab sims on. I tried it with cabs on for a while but I didn't like it.
 
I have two Fractal rigs: one FRFR and Rack Amp->Guitar Cab. I have found rare occasions when a cab emulated tone will sound good through the real cab but it tends to be only when I am running at low volume and the real cab is not pushing hard. As volume goes up, it seems to turn to crap because the cascading cabs frequency response is almost always too extreme in one respect or another. I don't think I have any actual presets setup for the Cab rig that use a cab.

My cab runs Celestion G12T100s.

So, personally, my perspective is that you either run FRFR with Cab sims or you run a real cab with no sims and specific presets for your cab.

After years of messing around with both types, I do not even bother trying to futz with it... the AFX already gives you about eighty billion knobs to twist, I certainly do not need yet another variable to dink around with. :D I'd much rather put a PEQ in front of the output and mold the cab's response that way than trying to find one magic IR that feeds "just so" into it.
 
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