Starfighter
Experienced
This is intended for the less experienced/new Axe FX-user. I know this is a can of worms, but it´s been a never-ending debate as long as I have been on the forum - and I know a lot of people new to the Axe FX have difficulties choosing among all the different options of amplifying and presenting the sound the Axe FX produces. Also, we have bedroom players (like myself - I rarely gig, so that´s the first disclaimer in this post), studio guitarists and gigging guitarists here, playing all sorts of music styles. Each with different needs and preferences. So the second disclaimer is: It´s not really possible to provide general advice which will suit everyone. So I won´t. I will however give my two cents, based on my experience with the Axe FX and different types of amplification. (To avoid flaming, I will not mention the relevant brand names.)
First, a bit about my relevant background: I got my Axe FX 2 in early 2013, after using a Boss GT10 and a Peavey Valveking tube amp. After reading up on the forum and reading reviews and youtubing till my eyes bled, I went for an FRFR 1x12 monitor. It made me happy, although I felt it was maybe a bit lacking in depth and "feel". So, after more reading, I went for two other FRFR monitors, and felt an improvement. The move from mono to stereo also made a big difference. Been happy with that setup for a long time. Using the FRFR monitors for volume, a couple of studio monitors for when wifey is home - and headphones when she is asleep. I play a lot to backing tracks, so FRFR is really useful for that.
But still, you keep reading the forums - and you hear about this "amp in the room"-thing. I decided to try a flat power amp and real guitar cabs, so I recently got a set. I run this in addition to my FRFR rig, so my routing is like this:
Whole effects chain including CAB block -> Axe FX digital out -> Focusrite Saffire Pro40 audio interface -> FRFR monitors in stereo
Effects chain minus CAB block to FXL block -> Axe FX output 2 -> flat power amp -> two 212 guitar cabs in stereo, but stacked on top of each other
So. Does this "amp in a room"-thing make any difference? Yes, in my case it most certainly does. There was more punch, more feel and the sound felt more "organic". I tried using only one 212 cab - so it would be comparing two 12" speakers with two 12" speakers, not four. Same thing. Ok, so now I try running both the FRFR monitors and the cabs at the same time. Wow. The lovely stereo image provided by my FRFR speakers, with that stack of real guitar cabs in the middle providing punch and feel. The best of two worlds! I finally feel my Axe FX is given total justice.
(There´s a lot of information about eq´ing your FRFR monitors to make them sound more amp-in-the-room. I have tried it, and it is somewhat effective. However, again - FRFR amplification is supposed to give you the sound of the cab your IR represents through a microphone.)
So is my advice on FRFR vs cabs "get them both"? Well if you can... No. I was very happy with my FRFR setup, and I would be very happy with a amp+cab setup as well. The key here is realising the differences between FRFR (full range flat response) and power amp + guitar cabs. I will try to list the differences, I am sure people will chime in - as this forum is filled with lots of helpful people with a lot more knowledge and experience than me:
FRFR:
Flat power amp + guitar cabs:
Ok - that´s a start. Hopefully, the knowledgable Fractalites on the forum will chime in here with more and better information. But please guys, let´s keep this thread informational and on topic. We have enough other threads were we can wage the FRFR vs cab war
First, a bit about my relevant background: I got my Axe FX 2 in early 2013, after using a Boss GT10 and a Peavey Valveking tube amp. After reading up on the forum and reading reviews and youtubing till my eyes bled, I went for an FRFR 1x12 monitor. It made me happy, although I felt it was maybe a bit lacking in depth and "feel". So, after more reading, I went for two other FRFR monitors, and felt an improvement. The move from mono to stereo also made a big difference. Been happy with that setup for a long time. Using the FRFR monitors for volume, a couple of studio monitors for when wifey is home - and headphones when she is asleep. I play a lot to backing tracks, so FRFR is really useful for that.
But still, you keep reading the forums - and you hear about this "amp in the room"-thing. I decided to try a flat power amp and real guitar cabs, so I recently got a set. I run this in addition to my FRFR rig, so my routing is like this:
Whole effects chain including CAB block -> Axe FX digital out -> Focusrite Saffire Pro40 audio interface -> FRFR monitors in stereo
Effects chain minus CAB block to FXL block -> Axe FX output 2 -> flat power amp -> two 212 guitar cabs in stereo, but stacked on top of each other
So. Does this "amp in a room"-thing make any difference? Yes, in my case it most certainly does. There was more punch, more feel and the sound felt more "organic". I tried using only one 212 cab - so it would be comparing two 12" speakers with two 12" speakers, not four. Same thing. Ok, so now I try running both the FRFR monitors and the cabs at the same time. Wow. The lovely stereo image provided by my FRFR speakers, with that stack of real guitar cabs in the middle providing punch and feel. The best of two worlds! I finally feel my Axe FX is given total justice.
(There´s a lot of information about eq´ing your FRFR monitors to make them sound more amp-in-the-room. I have tried it, and it is somewhat effective. However, again - FRFR amplification is supposed to give you the sound of the cab your IR represents through a microphone.)
So is my advice on FRFR vs cabs "get them both"? Well if you can... No. I was very happy with my FRFR setup, and I would be very happy with a amp+cab setup as well. The key here is realising the differences between FRFR (full range flat response) and power amp + guitar cabs. I will try to list the differences, I am sure people will chime in - as this forum is filled with lots of helpful people with a lot more knowledge and experience than me:
FRFR:
- Full range flat response: The amplification will (ideally) not color the signals fed into it. Makes it possible to utilize the powerful CAB block in the Axe FX. Different IRs will hugely affect your sound.
- Gives you the sound you would get from the real cab your IR is shot from, if it were mic´ed up and fed into your amplification
- As such, very useful for gigging guitarists in venues using a PA - plug straight from the Axe FX into the PA/mixer - done.
- As a guitarist, you might miss the sound and push from a real guitar cab - you are not used to hearing the sound of your mic´ed up cab.
- However, that is what your audience will hear - hearing your guitar the way your audience hears it might be an advantage
Flat power amp + guitar cabs:
- The sound you are used to hearing when playing real amps and cabs.
- For smaller venues with no PA (pubs, etc.) - maybe this will do?
- Will give a different sound than FRFR amplification (I like it, for me it feels more punchy and organic - for you, it might not be so)
- There have been some that have used IRs with real cabs and liked it, but in general - you will not be able to use the CAB block and the countless IRs available
- You will have to mic your cab if playing live at a venue with a PA. Or, you could still create your presets with cab blocks and run direct - but be sure to test those presets with some kind of FRFR amplification first, so you know what that preset will sound like for the audience. You might consider shooting an IR of your own cabs.
Ok - that´s a start. Hopefully, the knowledgable Fractalites on the forum will chime in here with more and better information. But please guys, let´s keep this thread informational and on topic. We have enough other threads were we can wage the FRFR vs cab war