Conundrum - 'Hep me, hep me!'

plyall

plyall

Power User
Folks -

First, go have a listen to this to put you in the mood :razz The Guy, The Deer, The Dog, And The Bambulance. Hysterically funny - YouTube - CAUTION: Very strong language for those that are sensitive!

So - in effect, I need a 'Bambulance'. I have been following all of the speaker discussions on the forum, and had recently decided to buy a pair of the RCF NX12's. I called Mike Pyle and was ready to pull the trigger, and my speakers were to ship today. I have just completed moving my studio from upstairs to the basement, fixed the last ground loop, and sat down to play guitar. Usually I run output 2 of the Axe FX II into two Tech 21 PE-60 powered speakers (12" & 60 watts). This is what I'm used to, and I do like the sound.

I figured the next step up was to get some true FRFR speakers and really take the rig over the top. Well, during my sit-down session with the guitar, Then I had an anti-piphany... I ran the Axe FX II (in analog via an RME Fireface 800) out to my Event BAS20/20 studio monitors (with a sub as well). I really didn't care for the tone! It seemed somewhat shrill and thinner that when I ran through the Tech 21 PE-60's! The PE-60's have a meaty, chewy sound (and I usually use a compressor to help) - much like a good 100% tube rig. Now, I write a number of my own patches, so I figured it was my own fault - I hadn't properly set the patches up for FRFR. Even though I'm not a treble freak (never more than 6, and usually with a punchy midrange added), so as an easy fix, I turned down some of the high frequencies in the Output 1 global EQ. That didn't fix it. Darn. Then I tried some factory default patches. They were not as bad, but still a bit thinner than I had been used to.

Now I fear that if I proceed with the RCF's, I'll get this brighter/thinner sound again, just even more accurately.

I know that some will say 'use what sounds good to you', and there is wisdom in that statement. The problem is that I have never heard the RCF's, so I really can't compare them with my Tech 21 PE-60's. I need you folks that have taken a similar path, or that have just made the jump to the RCF's to counsel me on their experiences and preferences. I know that Mike Pyle is also on the forum, and I told him that I'd be asking for the collective wisdom of the group here.

Another possibility is to head completely the other direction, and pickup a Matrix 800/1000 for use with my Marshall 1960a (GT75's). I don't need the volume really - I no longer play live. I'm just looking for a great amp tone to record with. I do know that many/most of you are already doing this very successfully with the Axe-FX II directly via USB.

In summary - should I stick with what I have? Should I go with the RCF's because they really are 'better'? Or, should I go get a Matrix power amp to use with my Marshall cab.

Please 'hep' me - I don't want to have to take the 'bambulance' ;^}

Thanks a million for the help!

Pete
 
I'm pretty sure that the RCF NX 12-SMA systems will be more sonically accurate that the PE-60s. I say this as a PE-60 owner (2 of em), so I'm familiar with how they sound.

If you've tailored your Axe-Fx presets to sound good with PE-60s, then they are almost certainly not going to sound good through a more accurate system. You'll need to retweak your presets for the RCFs, and probably also for the Event 20/20s.

Dozens of other forum users are getting killer tones out of FRFR units like the RCFs. You can, too!
 
it doesn't matter what your speakers at home sound like, it matters what the audience hears - so it ultimately matters what the FOH speakers sound like. to battle this, i use speakers that are as close to the "average" FOH speaker/mixer/mix setup. my choice is the QSC K10. generally, when my axe sounds good with those, it sounds good at the FOH.

what guitarists have been fighting for years (and probably not even thinking about it) is you spend all your money and time on making your marshall 4x12 sound good. then you go to the gig, a sound guy puts any ol' mic on it any ol' place, and runs it through his mixer and makes it sound like HE wants it to. i knew sound guys who turned up the bass eq on bass guitars and turned up the treble on electric guitars just because "bass is all about the low end and guitar is all about the highs."

with the axe, i KNOW what it should sound like through a FOH system and i can more easily work with the sound guy to produce that sound.
 
Thanks for the support guys! I guess I have gotten so used to the PE-60's that anything else sounds 'off'. I tried playing a couple of physical amps last night to reset my ear calibration (or go deafer!), and then went to the Axe-FX II. I think it sounded better than the previous night, but I'm still not quite 'getting there'. I did find one screw up - my DI (external box) was leaking into the mix because of an interface setting, and that naturally makes things sound odd. I'm going to do another extended session in the studio tonight and listen until my ears bleed trying to get this sorted out.

I did load FW 7.00 last night as well, so that's another variable - I probably should have held off, but some of the preview tones sounded SOOOOO good, I couldn't help it. One of the things I noted is what another poster made mention of: flabby bass. I see that the recommendations are to turn down gain/master/bass and turn up the presence. Has anyone else noted this, or is this simply a matter of playing 6.02 presets in a 7.00 environment.

A general apology goes out for those who've downloaded my presets in the past - I think since they were largely made on the PE-60's, they probably translated very poorly on other rigs. I'll make sure that future presets are done with reference speakers.

Pete
 
It's all about cab sims. To me, the biggest difference in tone comes from the cabs. Find your grail and you'll be set.
 
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