Big shout out to Line 6 Powercab 212+ as an amplification solution for FM3

[Knaggster]

Was that in FRFR mode or with the speaker simulations? I've never tried the FRFR mode, I just don't get along with FRFR at all. Speaker simulations sound great to me though.

That was FRFR. I didn't care much for the speaker modes when I had the Helix so I never got around to trying them with the Fractal.

 

[jjdpro]

Just to say I always really liked the feel of the 1x12 Powercab I had, but it was running maxed out to keep up in rehearsal in a fairly loud twin guitar classic rock band.

I sold the 1x12, got the 2x12 version (which is pricey I admit), and everyone was blown away with the FM3/Powercab combination at rehearsal last night. The other guitarist is a die hard valve guy, and he just couldn't get over how good my JCM800-based preset was, with lush stereo chorus and delay, as well as just the straight up JCM800 rhythm and lead tones, which are pretty much from Austin Buddy's Live Gold presets with almost no tweaking.

I know great results are possible with FRFR, but this is the amp in the room solution that works for me, and could be good for others who for some reason don't get on with FRFR. The speaker simulations on the Powercab are amazing to my ears, and complement the stunning sound quality from the Ares modelling engine. I can't really put my finger on it, but this has worked better for me than poweramp and cabs.

I might not buy any more gear...... but then again.....

The Powercab is a FRFR solution. Or amI missing something?

 

[Dave Merrill]

The Powercab is a FRFR solution. Or amI missing something?

It's essentially a cab modeler, with several modes, one of which is FRFR. Most of the rest emulate various speakers in that cab, and I think there also a mode that's just that actual speaker with no tweeter. The Plus models also can load user IRs.

 

[jjdpro]

It's essentially a cab modeler, with several modes, one of which is FRFR. Most of the rest emulate various speakers in that cab, and I think there also a mode that's just that actual speaker with no tweeter. The Plus models also can load user IRs.

Aww.. I see. Thanks for the update

 

[Simon Godden]

The Powercab is a FRFR solution.

With FRFR, we're usually talking IRs based off close mic'd up cabs. The whole process of close micing up adds a ton more high high end dynamics which I've never really got used to EQing, but that's what your sound engineer is dealing with every time a real cab is mic'd up at a gig.

With the Powercab speaker emulation, I think they have chosen a particular physical speaker, and then applied fancy EQ to it to emulate other speakers. It does not produce a mic'd up sound.

Technically, the process by which they produce those speaker emulations may be similar or the same as how people produce close mic'd IRs, but the outcome is not one in which a mic is present.

 

[Simon Godden]

That was FRFR. I didn't care much for the speaker modes when I had the Helix so I never got around to trying them with the Fractal.

Ah shame - I love the speaker modes, and only tried the FRFR for a few minutes once. Did not like it at all, but then I have never really got on with FRFR anyway. I also have a Matrix FRFR and as I have some career break time currently, one of my missions is to learn more about EQ and get sounds I like from that.

 

[Simon Godden]

The Powercab is a FRFR solution. Or amI missing something?

I think it's also worth mentioning that with the Powercab, the nature of the design means that the speaker emulations are designed to work only with the Powercab speaker / enclosure combination. There is no such thing as genuine FRFR - every speaker and enclosure combination adds its dynamics to the sound. It's the same with any PA system for instance. Just as you can't take a CD and have it sound exactly the same across a bunch of different PAs, you can't take an IR and have it sound exactly the same on an Atomic CLR as it would sound on a Matrix FRFR or Headrush, or Friedman wedge.

That's not me saying FRFR is bad - far from it. You just need the EQ skills to get it to sound how you would like through whatever amplification solution is being used.

Personally, I enjoy the "amp in the room" sound of the Powercab that does not put mics into the mix. But that's most likely only because it's how I've been used to playing for so many years before modellers arrived, and because I have played so few gigs that require the amp to be mic'd and fed back to me through monitors. So I am just not used to it.

 

[louyseiz]

Digging this thread a year later -oh well.
Just got my own Powercab 112+ to go with my FM3, it sounds amazing as FRFR, and I wanted to push further and use the cabs functions.
I wanna make sure that I'm plugging things correctly -has someone got a pic of their cable setup or a quick drawing of what goes where?
And I need to change my FM3 presets right, but not 100% sure of all that needs to be done both on a software (the preset) and hardware (cables) level.
Thanks for your help guys

 

[Willbnd]

Digging this thread a year later -oh well.
Just got my own Powercab 112+ to go with my FM3, it sounds amazing as FRFR, and I wanted to push further and use the cabs functions.
I wanna make sure that I'm plugging things correctly -has someone got a pic of their cable setup or a quick drawing of what goes where?
And I need to change my FM3 presets right, but not 100% sure of all that needs to be done both on a software (the preset) and hardware (cables) level.
Thanks for your help guys

I know it’s a late reply and I don’t own the powercab yet but I’ve been interested in it… To use the speaker modeling in the powercab you would just turn off the cab in the FM3. I’ve read that you should send a strong signal for the powercab to work at its best. In terms of cable, I don’t see why you would wire anything differently. Just selected Speaker modeling mode on the powercab and then choose the speaker.

 

[JTI]

I love L6. The Stomp is great.

The Powercab, OTOH; is terrible. Speaker modeling sounds nothing like the real speakers in real cabinet. Of course; there is the "out" that they are in a custom cabinet so obviously a V30 in the PC cab will sound drastically different than a V30 in a standard 112. There is also the boatload of overcomplicated in all the wrong ways "are you in low cut mode with tweeter bypassed while the levels are just on orange?" nonsense. A turd is a turd. Hard pass.

 

[Willbnd]

I love L6. The Stomp is great.

The Powercab, OTOH; is terrible. Speaker modeling sounds nothing like the real speakers in real cabinet. Of course; there is the "out" that they are in a custom cabinet so obviously a V30 in the PC cab will sound drastically different than a V30 in a standard 112. There is also the boatload of overcomplicated in all the wrong ways "are you in low cut mode with tweeter bypassed while the levels are just on orange?" nonsense. A turd is a turd. Hard pass.

Yeah from what I’ve heard the speaker modeling is bad and sounds like there is a blanket over the speaker but I was still interested in it to run it flat in the LF flat mode using IRs from the FM3. What do you think of that? That way there is no tweeter engaged and the IR hopefully would give some EQ to the speaker.

 

[JTI]

Yeah from what I’ve heard the speaker modeling is bad and sounds like there is a blanket over the speaker but I was still interested in it to run it flat in the LF flat mode using IRs from the FM3. What do you think of that? That way there is no tweeter engaged and the IR hopefully would give some EQ to the speaker.

Ehh; I think it's almost worse this way. The promise of such a device in theory is AMAZING. But having to go "oh it sucks; guess I'll just use it in FRFR mode (when it isn't even FRFR) is just super disappointing to me. I would go Kemper Kabinet/Kones and speaker imprints all day long over the powercab if you are really interested in pursuing this type of device.

This all being said; if you found one cheap and are OK with the compromises; you could certainly do worse.

 

[Willbnd]

Ehh; I think it's almost worse this way. The promise of such a device in theory is AMAZING. But having to go "oh it sucks; guess I'll just use it in FRFR mode (when it isn't even FRFR) is just super disappointing to me. I would go Kemper Kabinet/Kones and speaker imprints all day long over the powercab if you are really interested in pursuing this type of device.

This all being said; if you found one cheap and are OK with the compromises; you could certainly do worse.

Interesting , I would buy the Kemper Kabinet in an instant if it worked with the FM3 but from my understanding the speaker imprints wouldn’t work…

 

[JTI]

Interesting , I would buy the Kemper Kabinet in an instant if it worked with the FM3 but from my understanding the speaker imprints wouldn’t work…

There are people that have said they got them to play nice together but that was not my experience at all. I had IRs of the imprints and futzed with the FM with it but ehh.

 

[Willbnd]

There are people that have said they got them to play nice together but that was not my experience at all. I had IRs of the imprints and futzed with the FM with it but ehh.

Yeah that leaves me with my studio monitors I guess… or I have to invest in a fryette power amp and cab. Or just hope that fractal comes out with a solution similar to the powercab/kabinet.

 

[TubeStack]

Or just hope that fractal comes out with a solution similar to the powercab/kabinet.

I would LOVE this.

 

[rog]

Eh, my PC+ 112 sounds great in FRFR or with IR's. I don't use the speaker modeling much, but I don't hate it.

I'm still waiting for my FM9 to arrive in Australia, so I'm still using my Helix and HX Stomp - the fact that I can load IR's is great with the Stomp, it frees up a block that I can do something else with.

Unless it sounds drastically different with the FM9, I don't think I'll feel any need to replace it.

 

[Willbnd]

Eh, my PC+ 112 sounds great in FRFR or with IR's. I don't use the speaker modeling much, but I don't hate it.

I'm still waiting for my FM9 to arrive in Australia, so I'm still using my Helix and HX Stomp - the fact that I can load IR's is great with the Stomp, it frees up a block that I can do something else with.

Unless it sounds drastically different with the FM9, I don't think I'll feel any need to replace it.

Good to hear, have you tried the LF Flat mode with IRs? It gets rid of the tweeter and uses only the guitar speaker with a flat EQ. Sounds promising and I've read good things about the powercab in this mode on other forums even when they didn't fancy the speaker simulations.

 

[rog]

Good to hear, have you tried the LF Flat mode with IRs? It gets rid of the tweeter and uses only the guitar speaker with a flat EQ. Sounds promising and I've read good things about the powercab in this mode on other forums even when they didn't fancy the speaker simulations.

I have not, but have been meaning to since seeing a John Cordy video where he recommended that.