CLR active wedge - too bassy?

adew

adew

Inspired
I'm struggling with overpowering bass with my presets running through CLR active wedges, and wonder whether I would be better off using them in FF position (ie on poles), or whether my AxeFX preset-making skills are crap. Given the overwhelmingly positive opinions on CLRs, I suspect the latter.

I have two CLRs, FWIW, in wedge position with the back panel switch set to "tilt". In terms of presets, I'm using Herbert 2+ with ML's cab pack 7 alloys. Amp block settings are default, with Presence around 4.5 compared to default of 3.5, and Low Cut "on". BMT are at default. I can post a preset later, but initially I would just like to get feedback from other CLRs users on bass response and how they find it when dialling in their presets. Do you find you are using more radical eq for cutting the bass with CLRs than with other FRFR solutions you may have tried?

Thanks!
 
I've dialed in my presets with two CLR's on poles in the FF mode and as wedges in the Tilt mode.

I don't get exaggerated bass in either mode.

My room is a treated room though.
 
Thanks. Indeed, could be a room issue. I'm going to try them in FF mode next time I'm at my rehearsal space and will report back.
 
The CLR spits out what it receives.

In the cab block use the low cut.

In the amp reduce the three EQ sliders furthest to left.

Reduce the bass in the amp.

Fwiw I use the FF position even though I only tilt my cabs. To me it results in the best sound.
 
luke said:
The CLR spits out what it receives.

In the cab block use the low cut.

In the amp reduce the three EQ sliders furthest to left.

Reduce the bass in the amp.
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Sure, I do some of this already. However, that always raises a little niggle in my mind which is this: if the amp modelling is accurate (which I have no reason to query), and latest generation Ultrares IRs are accurate, why do I have to make such drastic eq-ing of the bottom end? I don't have to do this with those actual amp models that I have owned previously or still do so.


luke said:
Fwiw I use the FF position even though I only tilt my cabs. To me it results in the best sound.
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Interesting. Doesn't that add back bottom end to compensate for reduced coupling of FF, and do the opposite of your amp block graphic eq adjustments? How does it sound FOH (assuming you're running direct)? Thanks.
 
If you use the default amp block speaker page settings for low freq resonance, and I don't change these, then you are not comparing apples to apples with the real world rig counterpart.

This could affect why you might need to cut bass somewhere to match a real amp rig.

I personally don't care what settings I change as long as I can develop a workflow that is simple to remember and gives me the results I'm looking for, i.e. it sounds good :)

I'm all about making as little tweaks as possible. But EQ changes I am not shy about. Those are repeatable for my brain :)
 
I always run them in the FF setting, whether on the floor or mounted on poles. As mentioned, the placement of your CLRs and room acoustics will affect things greatly. Use high pass in the cab block to trim back the low end first and then go from there..
 
barhrecords said:
If you use the default amp block speaker page settings for low freq resonance, and I don't change these, then you are not comparing apples to apples with the real world rig counterpart.
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Good point. There was quite a bit of discussion about this in a recent thread, although that seemed to conclude that the differences would not be that great.

barhrecords said:
I personally don't care what settings I change as long as I can develop a workflow that is simple to remember and gives me the results I'm looking for, i.e. it sounds good :)
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Absolutely! However, I think you understand the point I was making that, ideally, accurate modelling combined with good quality IRs should end up with an accurate tonal representation of a guitar amp and well-miked guitar cab. I'm not complaining, BTW, just philosophising over this modelling malarkey. If I need to be more aggressive with my eq-ing, so be it! :)

I'm sure the room is playing a big part here and I'm going to set them up on poles at next rehearsal to see if that's the case.
 
they are very flat, putting out what they get, so I've never had a trouble with any exaggerated freqs. use mine in tilt mode, tilted off the floor a bit. i have the reg cab, not the wedge.
 
I'd recommend you use the selector setting that matches the way you are using them (tilt, FF, backline) and run some KNOWN prerecorded program source through the CLR and take not of how it sounds. If it sound unusually bass heavy with a professionally mastered recording run through it, then the room itself may be the culprit and you may need to adjust those selector settings, or adjust global EQ on the AxeFx. But also confirm that the tweeter is in fact working properly (cymbals and "sheen" in the mix).

If the CLRs sound like they have an expected amount of bass response with prerecorded source material, then the culprit is your presets being too bassy, and you need to rework them. You may also want to drag your CLR and rig to another location and do the same tests to confirm whatever suspicions you might have about your primary tone tweaking environment. It matters...a LOT. JMHO.
 
great advice @ jimfist

I use the recommended modes too. If JM designed it to work that way, that's the way I'm going to use it.

Also, professional tracks that you know and trust are great advice too. I do that whenever I have an issue and also when I run FOH sound.
 
I had a similar experience. I actually liked this issue at first because of my role in that particular group I was in. DropD tuning and aggressive tones.. However when I used it w my acoustic or with the neck pickup in my strat I simply could dial out the "whooof!" of this cab. I ended up EQing out okay but I ended up with a sound that was hard to manage w drums and percussion.
I believe now that it is a great company with a great product. The low weight and overall flatness of sound was awesome, but then I tried a XiTone wedge. It took about 10 minutes for me to seek out Mick and ask for a 212 cab. My XiTone is a heavy sumbit*h but it does everything without the unnecessary low end EQing.

There are so many factors when working with a guitar sound. The room, cab, amp type, strings, pickups, etc... I've been able to adjust a troublesome component in about 15 ways with my Axefx so for me it's simply a matter of going from one facet to another until I get what I need. For me it was the cab swap that made things easier...

My 2c! Good luck!!

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adew said:
I'm struggling with overpowering bass with my presets running through CLR active wedges, and wonder whether I would be better off using them in FF position (ie on poles), or whether my AxeFX preset-making skills are crap. Given the overwhelmingly positive opinions on CLRs, I suspect the latter.

I have two CLRs, FWIW, in wedge position with the back panel switch set to "tilt". In terms of presets, I'm using Herbert 2+ with ML's cab pack 7 alloys. Amp block settings are default, with Presence around 4.5 compared to default of 3.5, and Low Cut "on". BMT are at default. I can post a preset later, but initially I would just like to get feedback from other CLRs users on bass response and how they find it when dialling in their presets. Do you find you are using more radical eq for cutting the bass with CLRs than with other FRFR solutions you may have tried?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Have you flipped the SUB switch on the CLR? I believe it's a crossover for using them with a sub and gets rid of the extended bass.
 
I'm a CLR NEO active wedge user as well and can relate to your issue. One thing I do realize is that when I play live and have the clr turned up, the sound is excellent and not bass heavy at all compared to playing in my untreated room. So I don't really worry about it too much since it sounds perfect during gigs


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I thought that too, but the answers is easy, put music in your CLR, you'll see is not bassy, with CLR you need start from zero in your presets and you will be the most happy Fractal user, sorry about grammar, english is not my main language.
 
Finally got some quality time with my CLRs at band volume this evening, and spent a couple of hours listening to pre-recorded stuff and my presets. Yes, I think there is some room effect going on, as mounting them on stands and flicking the eq switch to FF vastly reduced the boominess I was experiencing. Still needed to cut some 63Hz in the Amp EQ page, but overall I was happier with the sound. However, I think my preset-dialling skills are not that good, so still plenty of work to be done - though I can't blame the CLRs. :)
 
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