Has anybody here tried an Axe Fx with an open back speaker cabinet?

Max Haze

Max Haze

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I have been wanting to try out to use my Axe Fx II and my Matrix GT1000FX with an open back speaker cabinet and try out Fender and Vox sounds. I wondered if you will get the same feeling like playing an 2x12 combo then?
 
Max Haze said:
I have been wanting to try out to use my Axe Fx II and my Matrix GT1000FX with an open back speaker cabinet and try out Fender and Vox sounds. I wondered if you will get the same feeling like playing an 2x12 combo then?
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I have but it was a while ago, pre Quantum.

I used a Crown XTi power amp and a Mojotone open back 2x12 loaded with Weber California Ceramics.

Sounded and felt great.

I've also used it with a closed back Marshall 2x12 and the same power amp. Also great results.

Power amp modeling was on cabinet modeling was bypassed via the FX Loop block in my presets.
 
I use a Flextone XL II for a stage monitor in large venues. I run output 2 into the effects return of the Flextone. I get very good results, but should qualify my answer in that I am just using it for a stage monitor, not trying to fill the room. The Flextone is a 100w amp with 2x12 Cellestion speakers.
 
I have 2 1x12 open back cabinets and run it in stereo sometimes - sounds great. Agree with other posts that high gain does not sound so great with it. Generally I use my PC 2x12 since I generally like a tighter sound. However it is nice to have the option of using open back as well...
 
Agree with the above comments. Clean to low-gain stuff will sound great. Mid-gain and up, not so much ;-)
 
I use my Axe with a Fryette Power Station into a Mojo Select 2x12 cab. It has a convertible back but I leave it open all the time. Sounds great, though I don't ever use really 'high gain'. I think you just EQ the patch to what you want to hear though. I use an open back cab as it works a lot better on smaller stages.
 
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I do this all the time with one or two 1x12 open back cabs using a Matrix GT800FX power amp. It is an awesome setup. I don't use high gain though.
 
Are you meaning an FRFR cabinet or a standard guitar cab?

I used my custom finger-jointed pine open back 2x12 with a Matrix and my Axe Fx. Worked great for me... Of course you lose the option of cab modeling.
 
Open back cabs are typically not used for high gain because they do not have tightly controlled and finely tuned low and low mid frequency response. The other side of the coin is that they are often preferred for clean tones because the open back setup can give more "body" and "amp in the room" tone and bloom from spreading the sound around from both the front and back of the cab.
 
I have the active Xitone 10" open back and tested it against my active closed back 12" Dynacord wedge. Both FRFR. With the Xitone the amp in the room feel that I searched for is finally there. It behaves more like the classic guitar amp (especially when you switch off the tweeter which is possible with the Xitone). The Dynacord on the other hand gives me that direct and full punch a metal player would like, but it feels slightly boxy as if the tone is caught in the cabinet (You will notice this only when ab-ing with the open back cab). The opposite is true with the open back Xitone. For Acoustic guitar I like both of them - maybe the Dynacord sounds more familiar and reminds me of other acoustic amps that I used before. On the other hand the more open sound makes a nice change when using an open back cab. For voices I prefer the closed back Dynacord because of the extra punch. But for electric guitar - which is the standard need - I do prefer the open back Xitone cab by far as I play from clean to mid OD. And it is definitely good enough for acoustic guitar - one cab for two needs, more than fine with me.
 
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That's one way to do it. I had a Laney VC50 that I took out of the combo case and made it into an amp top instead.

I love to run the Axe Fx in stereo. It fills up the room even if the speakers are in a 2x12 cabinet...
 
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