FRFR tests at AXE-FEST WEST 2012

the EAW's really sound like guitar cabs on the video to me... any idea what model #... please don't jump on me for evaluating via the video, but the RCF, JBL's, Matrix and EAW's all sound great... the EAW's sounding least like an FRFR... tough decision based on the video... thanks so much for posting this!!
 
The EAWs had a great projection. Standing across the room you could always tell when he kicked them on. As far as using for floor monitors in front of you any of them would work for me. IF I needed mains though I would want the EAWs. Much clearer it seemed as well. You could hear the 3 dimension thing guys talk about so much quite clearly.
 
MesaGuitarGuy said:
FWIW, I think I saw the Matrix on the performance stage.
Click to expand...

I was underwhelmed by the Matrix speakers. They seemed to lack the clarity of other products. I agree with a comment I heard, they seemed to "schmeer" the midrange.

The RCF Art-310A's held up surprisingly well even though they are much cheaper.

The RCF Nx10 sounded great. It is also very small and light.
 
lscottk said:
I was underwhelmed by the Matrix speakers. They seemed to lack the clarity of other products. I agree with a comment I heard, they seemed to "schmeer" the midrange.

The RCF Art-310A's held up surprisingly well even though they are much cheaper.

The RCF Nx10 sounded great. It is also very small and light.
Click to expand...


This is exactly what I want to hear.
Opinions of folks that get to hear each of these options side by side, same room, same patch, same guitar.
IMO, it's the only real way to hear the +/- of each of these FRFR options.

Keep the info coming!
 
kmanick said:
did Mick make it out there? any Xitone offerings to sample?
Click to expand...

Sadly no.. I did not make it out! I wish I would have been able to! By the time I found out about event, it was too late for me to try to get gear there.... if there is an East Coast event, we'll have to try to get there....

As for the EAW's... I am very fortunate to get to jam and test with EAW's on a weekly basis and they are amazing cabs. I have access to 4 or 5 LA212's that are used as monitors.

In my experience with them, the most notable thing is the bottom... there is a fullness to it without it being tubby or flabby... it's still tight. I think the ones we have are using B&C drivers. They have used RCF in the past too I believe. I am not sure what they are using now or with thier newest models.

Thanks,

Mick
 
luke said:
http://www.eaw.com/info/EAW/Loudspeaker_Product_Info/Current_Loudspeakers/MW12/MW12_SpecSheet.pdf

Not sure if that's the one but they provide lots of data on pg 3
Click to expand...

I don't think that's the one. Doesn't look like the microwedge form factor.
I think it has to be one of their older product lines, it doesn't look like anything on their site.
The one question I have (other than the obvious - what is the model number?) is.....does it have a 15" driver? The EAW and Alto 'look' to be 15" speakers. But from a quick video clip, it's really hard to tell.
So hopefully someone can chime in with some details.

It's also really hard to make an opinion based on a video camera audio (as Merlin pointed out)......so I would love to just hear more opinions on what folks though of all the FRFR options....?
 
MicFarlow said:
Sadly no.. I did not make it out! I wish I would have been able to! By the time I found out about event, it was too late for me to try to get gear there.... if there is an East Coast event, we'll have to try to get there....

As for the EAW's... I am very fortunate to get to jam and test with EAW's on a weekly basis and they are amazing cabs. I have access to 4 or 5 LA212's that are used as monitors.

In my experience with them, the most notable thing is the bottom... there is a fullness to it without it being tubby or flabby... it's still tight. I think the ones we have are using B&C drivers. They have used RCF in the past too I believe. I am not sure what they are using now or with thier newest models.

Thanks,

Mick
Click to expand...

As far as I know the big EAW uses the same B&C drivers as D&B use in their 15" monitors, I don't know the pricing on the big EAW, but I do know D&B come in around the £9K/pair ($15,000) ... a very uncheap option.

I would expect the B&C' 15" drivers to really make their presence felt over any 10" or 12" cab, simply on the surface area of the cone .. thats going to move a lot more air than a 10" ... its around 2.5x the surface area ... so yeah, I'm sure they sound very good, but you need to keep one eye on the price tag i guess.
 
EAW was purchased by Loud Technologies...so their product line has been much expanded and some of it is not so hot even though it has the EAW badge on it. They would have
been considered a botique brand back in the day and became a massive touring standard. BTW, alot of their original designs centered around RCF drivers!
 
Based solely on what is heard on this recorded video clip, the JBL's IMHO sounded far better than all of of them. It might be the angle they were pointing the camera. But I thought they really brought out the mids in a very complementary and non harsh way. I actually thought the sound was coming out of the pair of 4X12 standing to the side at first. If I had to choose a pair of FRFR's based on this video - JBL IMHO would be it...
 
Last edited:
lscottk said:
I was underwhelmed by the Matrix speakers. They seemed to lack the clarity of other products. I agree with a comment I heard, they seemed to "schmeer" the midrange.

The RCF Art-310A's held up surprisingly well even though they are much cheaper.

The RCF Nx10 sounded great. It is also very small and light.
Click to expand...

I liked my 310a's much better than my original Mackie 450s. I like the NX10 a ton. It's not the best at full backline (though in spaces where I can point one up/across and one out it works well), but for me to hear myself, it's pretty dreamy. I did a gig last night playing guitar in a zydeco band, something I've done a lot over the years. When I was using amps on this kind of gig, I used my original Fender BF Deluxe Reverb the most. Set the way I like it, the amp is loud enough to piss off the accordion player who hires me. Last night I used the model of that amp through one NX10 all night long and it was dreamy. The model has the lack of bass that makes it fit perfect in the rhythm slot and it thickens nicely when hit hard, but still has the clarity I want. Then it sings and snarls when hit with a drive pedal. All those qualities came through the RCF at levels that didn't piss anyone else off, but put a smile on my face all night long.

I'm loving my Axe II and NX10's more than ever. Something better may come along, but to my ears, I'm getting the best, most versatile and most overall satisfying sounds I've ever gotten out of this combination.
 
Hey guys. The EAW's were mine. They're NT59's - 15" LF and horn, 1500W (Bi-amp 1000W LF/500W HF). Don't know what brand drivers are used. These may be the current version, but I'm not sure. The model number is changed but similar, and I haven't compared specs: EAW: JF59NT.

Yes, they are big. Yes, they are heavy. Yes, they really sound good. They're a lot of fun to play through - especially when I get the opportunity to hook them both up. (I usually only use one due to stage size.)

They do seem to have an extremely flat and uncolored response. I've read several reviews that laud them for this. They have EAW's Gunness Focusing, which is usually a part of their outboard processing products but built into these.

I bought mine used. They had been sitting in a garage for a couple of years and the price was very good - still expensive and a stretch for me, but too cool an opportunity to pass up.

BTW, one of the reasons they were so loud is because they don't have trim/level controls so they couldn't be balanced with the other solutions. They don't have a power switch either. It's clear they were meant for permanent installations. But these are very minor inconveniences.

I'm really sorry I couldn't stay for the actual shootout, but it was good hearing the EAW's in the context of the other solutions. I had been especially curious about the RCF's.

I'll add my thanks to those that coordinated the show, to Fractal for supporting it, to Matrix and Tone Merchants, and to all those who played and/or presented. It was fun and well worth attending.

EDIT: Found this: http://www.eaw.com/products/NT59.html. They show up on ebay from time to time.
 
Last edited:
Swedish Chef said:
Based solely on what is heard on this recorded video clip, the JBL's IMHO sounded far better than all of of them. It might be the angle they were pointing the camera. But I thought they really brought out the mids in a very complementary and non harsh way. I actually thought the sound was coming out of the pair of 4X12 standing to the side at first. If I had to choose a pair of FRFR's based on this video - JBL IMHO would be it...
Click to expand...

I agree. (and not just because I use those exact JBLs live)

Guitar players get "tricked" into good tones whenever something adds bass to their tone. This is a problem in almost any aspect of guitar gear from pedals and amps to speakers. The real frequency that matters is the midrange and the JBL line in gereral, at lest IMO, has the absolute sweetest sounding midrange of any speaker line. Its clear, punchy, and musical.

Bass frequencies can sound really nice and make your tone warm, but you get onto a loud stage and your sound will evaporate right in front of you which then forces you to tweak your patches until it sounds OK on stage, but piss poor FOH.
 
Swedish Chef said:
Based solely on what is heard on this recorded video clip, the JBL's IMHO sounded far better than all of of them. It might be the angle they were pointing the camera. But I thought they really brought out the mids in a very complementary and non harsh way. I actually thought the sound was coming out of the pair of 4X12 standing to the side at first. If I had to choose a pair of FRFR's based on this video - JBL IMHO would be it...
Click to expand...

Hearing the demo on Sunday, I didn't get to hear the eaws, but I heard the they sounded great. The two standouts for me were the jbl/carvin combo, and the refs. The 10in Rcf was a surprise, it sounded really good, even beside the Rcf 12s.

not to belittle the jbl/carvin(it sounded amazing), keep in mind that the factory preset were tweaked through that setup (that is cliff's setup); so it has a slight advantage in that regard. I think most agreed that with some tweaking each one could have been made to sound more similar.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom