FRFR speakers of choice for live application

cragginshred

cragginshred

Fractal Fanatic
This question is for those using frfr in live settings. What are the preferred ones being used? I have a passive Atomic wedge that sounds muddy with everything and distorts when pushed, thus I keep going back to my cabs which rock for many tones but it seems 95% of the tones being shared and created here are for frfr so I feel like I am missing some of the potential the II has.
 
I'm guessing the atomics don't have the sheer, raw power that I think you are looking for and you need something with more grunt.

I've used FBT Verve 12a's and been very happy. I know a lot of other folks are using QSC K12s. Both are 1000w RMS.
 
You may want to check out this thread: RCF NX12-SMA

It seems to me that this is where FRFR really starts to get interesting. My Verve 12Ma was in transit when an earlier thread covered some of the sonic shortcomings it has--which would have been nice to know a few days earlier. :roll Coming from an RCF ART 310a the 12Ma was definitely an upgrade, but compared to my relatively cheap studio monitors it does have some shortcomings.

My progression has been from guitar cab to the 310a to the 12Ma to studio monitors. At first I really couldn't get used to the sound of studio monitors, but I guess my ears have improved along with my presets. The Axe II may have something to do with this as well.
 
I'm still using the FBT Verve 12ma with great results. I also have an 8ma that I leave at Church to use there.

I had the same problem with the Active Atomics. I like the FBT's a lot better than the Atomics.
 
cragginshred said:
Hawk, I am using the Matrix GT 800
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Definitely shouldn't have any issues with the Matrix trying to drive the Atomics.

I have the EV Live-X ELX112Ps. They sound really good at "home" levels, but I've never played them at gig or practice levels. I've cranked them up a few times when the family was out, and it sounded to me like they would hold their own in a band setting, but you never know for sure unless it's been tried.

I'm hoping to use them in a band setting within the next few months, if things work out. If that happens, I'll let you know how they do.
 
I've been using the JBL PRX512Ms for a couple of years now and love them. I'm using one as a monitor for me, and 2 more for FOH. We play mostly medium-sized bars/restaurants and these with a good sub (or two) work great.
 
Good info guys, I will look into some of the suggestions. Hawk it's a tone thing with the passive atomic wedge not a drive issue. It just sound muddy with the Ultra or the II thus I never use it.
 
cragginshred said:
Good info guys, I will look into some of the suggestions. Hawk it's a tone thing with the passive atomic wedge not a drive issue. It just sound muddy with the Ultra or the II thus I never use it.
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Then you could use the global EQ to adjust what you are feeding the Atomic, or put a 31-band EQ inline somewhere. And being FRFR, it could be that what you hear thru the Atomic is what you patches actually sound like - ?? and that thru the your other cab, you are getting EQ compensation ??
 
I think it could be a patch or EQ problem.

Or the Atomic tweeter is off or not working.

With the Ultra and II it is easy for me to dial in presence / treble and dial out low mids galore; pretty much on anything with a tweeter. Including a bargain basement Kustom powered wedge.

Richard
 
The EV SxA250 is really great and with the AxeFxII some of my presets are starting to blur the line that I could distinguish between playing through the EV SxA250 and through a power amp and guitar cab. I was just doing an A/B comparison of playing the AxeII through the effects return of a Badger 30 into a 2x12 of greenbacks and then alternating it through the EV and a slight roll off of the tone knob on the guitar is all it takes now to make my #1 Plexi preset sound VERY VERY close to identical through either.

At very low bedroom volumes the greenbacks sound more natural in the upper frequencies but at anything above "quiet" volume the EV balances out it's highs and mids and lows very nicely and sounds very guitar cab-like. At anything approaching band volume it is really sweet sounding letting the AxeFx cab sims create the cab sound in a very realistic voice.

Regardless of if you try the EV for yourself what this proved to me was with a good FRFR the AxeFXII has made it possible to go FRFR with very few limitations. The only thing it lacks in that regard is doing the 1x12 Tweed Deluxe open back pine combo sound. I haven't quite been able to replicate that experience yet but that particular "sound" is so dependent of that little box resonating 'in the room' that maybe it just won't be possible for a sealed FRFR box to deliver...for that one it may always have to be more of a mic'ed cab sound than cab-in-the-room.
 
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With one band I use IEM's.
But in the other band, I play with another guitarist.
He has a Laney stack.
I'm using two Atomics and have no problem keeping up with him and he likes to play loud ;-)
One thing I've tried is to stack the Atomics and play mono.
It seems that the stacking creates a coupling between the 12" woofers and this should in theory inrease the low end.
So I've been thinking about adding a passive can to both the active ones.

The tweeter in the Atomics seems to come in at a very low point.
So it's crucial that it's dialled in correctly.
Also, I have replaced the knobs on the Atomics with guitar knobs with numbers.
This makes it easier to set and remember the settings for volume and tweeter.
 
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