FRFR / Amp In Room? Alternative to CLR

brianv4

brianv4

Fractal Fanatic
I've been using an Atomic CLR with my AxeFx from the beginning and I am very happy with it's sound and performance. But I'm always chasing. So I tried the Friedman FRFR, too heavy and colored my sound. Just because of design features I'm not interested in Matrix FRFR. I'd love to check out Mission Engineering, just haven't had the opportunity. There's also a lot of discussion/debate regarding amp in the room.

So with that said, I started using a XiTone MBritt cab live with the open back FRFR setting and all I can say is wow! It filled the stage like an open back combo and projected evenly out front, no dead spots on stage. The sound was incredible and this little sucker is LOUD! I did add a para EQ on the output as I thought the cab was a bit bright and also slightly cut some extreme low end (the open back really adds a nice fullness).

So on my AxeIII I have output 1 with EQ to the CLR and output 2 has minor EQ tweaks to the XiTone and works well across all my presets. I don't want to get into a technical debate on "amp in the room" but I'll tell you this, if you're looking to go FRFR and haven't been thrilled, give this thing a shot. My CLR now lives in the studio and the XiTone is in the garage waiting for the next gig tomorrow.

PS, I'm not affiliated with XiTone in any way. I just know there are players on the forum still searching for an FRFR system that does a great job at making it feel like your playing a real amp.
 
Thanks for the advice here!

My first impulse was to ask for a video comparison, but IMO a camera/mic combo will never cover what you hear in the room.

But you have given me something to think about. Which I sort of hate you for (or my bank account does...)

R
 
brianv4 said:
I've been using an Atomic CLR with my AxeFx from the beginning and I am very happy with it's sound and performance. But I'm always chasing. So I tried the Friedman FRFR, too heavy and colored my sound. Just because of design features I'm not interested in Matrix FRFR. I'd love to check out Mission Engineering, just haven't had the opportunity. There's also a lot of discussion/debate regarding amp in the room.

So with that said, I started using a XiTone MBritt cab live with the open back FRFR setting and all I can say is wow! It filled the stage like an open back combo and projected evenly out front, no dead spots on stage. The sound was incredible and this little sucker is LOUD! I did add a para EQ on the output as I thought the cab was a bit bright and also slightly cut some extreme low end (the open back really adds a nice fullness).

So on my AxeIII I have output 1 with EQ to the CLR and output 2 has minor EQ tweaks to the XiTone and works well across all my presets. I don't want to get into a technical debate on "amp in the room" but I'll tell you this, if you're looking to go FRFR and haven't been thrilled, give this thing a shot. My CLR now lives in the studio and the XiTone is in the garage waiting for the next gig tomorrow.

PS, I'm not affiliated with XiTone in any way. I just know there are players on the forum still searching for an FRFR system that does a great job at making it feel like your playing a real amp.
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Could you please try removing the back panel of the CLR and comparing the results to the XiTone MBritt open back? Similar?

Shouldn't hurt the CLR at all. Would appreciate it since you have both to compare!
 
yeky83 said:
Could you please try removing the back panel of the CLR and comparing the results to the XiTone MBritt open back? Similar?

Shouldn't hurt the CLR at all. Would appreciate it since you have both to compare!
Click to expand...

There is no back panel on the CLR, the only thing that can be removed from the back of the CLR is the amp module, and my guess is that the CLR don't sound good without it :)
 
I wish there was sth like a passive Xitone M.Britt cab... I'd be using SD Power Stage for all the configs, eg traditional cabs and fr cabs, so another power amp would be redundant... But I suppose the Dayton PA plus crossover network plus Celestion plus anything inside there - are inseparable parts, together providing the overall quality of the M.Britt cab.
 
Rocket Brother said:
There is no back panel on the CLR, the only thing that can be removed from the back of the CLR is the amp module, and my guess is that the CLR don't sound good without it :)
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On the CLR wedge, there's a big "bottom" panel that can be removed, and if you lay the CLR on one of its sides, it'd effectively be a "back" panel.

And if you remove it and use it like that, it's basically an "open back FRFR" like the XiTone MBritt. Just wondering how effective the CLR is for the open back sound compared to the purpose built open back XiTone MBritt. My guess is that an open back is an open back, so the CLR will do the open back thing just as well. But I haven't tried the MBritt so I don't know.

So @brianv4, please! ;)
If you need reassurance that it's OK to do:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...lifire-wishlist.1547608/page-49#post-22812543
 
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electronpirate said:
Thanks for the advice here!

My first impulse was to ask for a video comparison, but IMO a camera/mic combo will never cover what you hear in the room.

But you have given me something to think about. Which I sort of hate you for (or my bank account does...)

R
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I was thinking about a video too but like you said, it won't capture the depth. I should also mention, other than a little extra lo and hi cut, there is a mid freq that almost has a cocked wah effect on the plexi's. Not sure it's the XiTone, maybe just the IR I'm using. I'll experiment a bit more but I do really like it... a lot.
 
yeky83 said:
On the CLR wedge, there's a big "bottom" panel that can be removed, and if you lay the CLR on one of its sides, it'd effectively be a "back" panel.

And if you remove it and use it like that, it's basically an "open back FRFR" like the XiTone MBritt. Just wondering how effective the CLR is for the open back sound compared to the purpose built open back XiTone MBritt. My guess is that an open back is an open back, so the CLR will do the open back thing just as well. But I haven't tried the MBritt so I don't know.

So @brianv4, please! ;)
If you need reassurance that it's OK to do:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...lifire-wishlist.1547608/page-49#post-22812543
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I can think of several reason's it won't have the results you're looking for but most importantly, the CLR's DSP is different and isn't tuned to be open whereas the MBRitt is. Also, that bottom panel is a lot larger than the back panel of the MBritt, especially considering the CLR is smaller. I think the CLR wedge works best as a wedge for me to monitor myself.
 
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Here's the thing for me. The CLR rocks as a monitor but if I have to rely on just my stage volume, it needs to go thru the PA, the MBritt doesn't. Next week I'm playing 2 outdoor festivals, I'll let you know how it goes.

@electronpirate BTW, the CLR & MBritt sound amazing together! ;-)
 
Not to knock the MBrit or Xitone, but I think, based on every open back combo I’ve owned over the years, that you’ll find it a lot less stage filling at an outdoor gig. Take away back walls and a ceiling and even the loudest of amps suddenly is lacking for volume, just physics, pure and simple.
 
brianv4 said:
I can think of several reason's it won't have the results you're looking for but most importantly, the CLR's DSP is different and isn't tuned to be open whereas the MBRitt is.
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I don't think it'll matter so much, is my hypothesis. That's why I would appreciate if you could test and compare out the two. A regular guitar cab doesn't have a DSP tuning for an open back cab, an open back cab is an open back cab, it's not too complicated. I don't think the MBritt would do anything drastically different or complicated for the open back setting, it perhaps increases the bottom end to make up for losing the sealed cab is my guess.
Also, that bottom panel is a lot larger than the back panel of the MBritt, especially considering the CLR is smaller.
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Size of the back panel shouldn't matter too much, changes the tone and directivity of the open back end a bit but either case should pass as open back cabs. Open back guitar cabs come in many different sizes of open panel, they all pass as open back cabs. And again, it doesn't hurt the CLR to try.
I think the CLR wedge works best as a wedge for me to monitor myself.
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Of course, it wouldn't be practical to get out the screw driver for the CLR. I just wonder what the comparison would be like. If you have any time and curiosity at all in the future, I'd appreciate your take in comparison ;)
 
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lqdsnddist said:
Not to knock the MBrit or Xitone, but I think, based on every open back combo I’ve owned over the years, that you’ll find it a lot less stage filling at an outdoor gig. Take away back walls and a ceiling and even the loudest of amps suddenly is lacking for volume, just physics, pure and simple.
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I agree. The nice thing is I can pop it back on if I don't like it open ;-)
 
Ghost_of_Cain said:
I wish there was sth like a passive Xitone M.Britt cab... I'd be using SD Power Stage for all the configs, eg traditional cabs and fr cabs, so another power amp would be redundant... But I suppose the Dayton PA plus crossover network plus Celestion plus anything inside there - are inseparable parts, together providing the overall quality of the M.Britt cab.
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I believe the thing that makes it an "MBritt" model is how setting #2 is programmed (EQ'd) to suit Michael Britt.

But if you're so inclined: https://xitonecabs.com/custom-orders/
 
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