Matrix & Axe Out2 set ups

Beyond

Beyond

Member
How are you guys setting up your amp and out2. I had to have the gt1000 attenuator half way to barely be heard at jam. We jam loud but not that loud.
I think there should be way more power than what there was at that setting.

Running typical patch to FOH which is fine no issues. Fx loop block before cab ir and reverb. The fx loop block is at 0db and gets sent to matrix gt1000. Amp is on parallel to feed both channels (only 1 used at this time), then out ch A to mesa 4x12 at 8 ohms.
The only thing in the parallel out before the fx loop block is an eq to tweek the real cab...but it's on bypass for now.

As I type this thinking of things I should of tried like ch B of the amp...lol. I will have to see next jam as that's where the cab is only brought the racks home..to tweak the gate issue.

Thanks again guys!
 
I have a GT1000FX and send output 2 to my Mesa 2x12. I leave the Matrix ch A vol on about half and turn overall volume up using output 2 knob on the Axe FX. Gets pretty damn loud. Like....I can feel that in my chest loud. If you are using fairly customized patches, try loading up a stock patch. Move the cabinet to the very end and add an FX loop block in parallel. Don't adjust any levels. See if it's still too quiet with your normal output knob settings (both Axe FX and Matrix).
 
Beyond said:
How are you guys setting up your amp and out2. I had to have the gt1000 attenuator half way to barely be heard at jam. We jam loud but not that loud.
I think there should be way more power than what there was at that setting.

Running typical patch to FOH which is fine no issues. Fx loop block before cab ir and reverb. The fx loop block is at 0db and gets sent to matrix gt1000. Amp is on parallel to feed both channels (only 1 used at this time), then out ch A to mesa 4x12 at 8 ohms.
The only thing in the parallel out before the fx loop block is an eq to tweek the real cab...but it's on bypass for now.

As I type this thinking of things I should of tried like ch B of the amp...lol. I will have to see next jam as that's where the cab is only brought the racks home..to tweak the gate issue.

Thanks again guys!
Click to expand...
You didn't want to turn the knob on the amp up more for more volume?
 
Amp channel is 325w at 8 ohms. I know I should not compare to a tube amp but aren't watts still just watts. I didn't want to blow the cab if something all of a sudden kicked in and had a huge volume jump.

When I used my 2 channel triple recto fx loop in the volume was monsterous at about 9-10 o'clock.
 
So what would be better then...cranking the amp at 8 ohms or bridging and lowering the attenuation.
 
Beyond said:
So what would be better then...cranking the amp at 8 ohms or bridging and lowering the attenuation.
Click to expand...
curious why are you lowering attenuation at all? i'm not sure what's better, but typically you don't want any part of the amp running without a load.
 
In the matrix manual it states as a digital amp you do not have to load it down. So I'm only using one side for one cab.

As for lowering attenuation my thoughts were to limit the amp channel for a safety to not blow the cab....not sure if this is a good approach so I'm posting to see how others are using or for recommendations. This place is excellent for supporting everyone!
 
Beyond said:
In the matrix manual it states as a digital amp you do not have to load it down. So I'm only using one side for one cab.

As for lowering attenuation my thoughts were to limit the amp channel for a safety to not blow the cab....not sure if this is a good approach so I'm posting to see how others are using or for recommendations. This place is excellent for supporting everyone!
Click to expand...
Regardless if volume comes from the amp or from the Axe through the attenuated amp, "too much volume to blow a cab" is the same either way. So if your cab can't handle it, it's not because the amp attenuation wasn't low enough.
 
With my AxeFX/GT1000FX rig (which I run as dual mono - or stereo depending on your take of what it's called) I have the AxeFX output knob set to about 12 noon (for very loud) - and the Matrix front attens have been up as far as 4 o'clock positions - but I thought it was painfully loud and wound them back a bit - so it's down to yourself just how much you want.

Yes you can of course open up the Matrix fully - but I found it made the output knob on the AxeFX become quite dramatic in volume control - like just a little adjustment on the fly can go from not quite loud enough to 'ouch' pretty quick.

I run the outputs from the AxeFX to the Matrix pretty hot - so the front end of the Matrix gets a good starting signal to begin with .... and things can only get louder from there on.

There's no obvious way to determine just how hot the output is from the AxeFX other than the output clip light lighting up when you're getting too close for comfort. If your sparkling clean tone sounds distorted on the Matrix then it would be too hot - but I find my Matrix's inputs are comfortable with even a signal set to deliberately flickering output clip lights in tests.

What I generally do is use the AxeFX Utility VU meters and make my normal 'rhythm' levels in presets hit the zero mark - I then have solos/boosted signal done by adding about 3.5 dB via a filter block in my presets - the odd one as much as 5 dB. This then of course shows up on the VU meters as going into the pluses beyond the 0dB mark when the solo boost is engaged but that is just a theoretical 'zero' and not actually linked to the output clip metering - so there's still a good bit of headroom left before the output clip light starts to flicker.
 
Was testing my setup for the first time Sunday. I have outputs 2 echo outputs 1. Running in stereo the matrix wide open and setting volume from output 2 knob to kidney punching power. FRFR speakers cab sims on, no loop.
 
I wonder if there is a tonal or durability difference on whether you use the matrix knob or the axe FX knob as the volume control.
I keep my axe FX out 2 at max, and use the Matrix knob as a volume control. Is that what I should be doing?
Matrix knob at about ~30 percent, is loud enough for playing with the band... And that's only one of the two channels.
 
Keep the power amp inputs maxed.
They aren't "output" controls.
A power amp's output is always at maximum.

Control your level from the Axe's Out 2 knob.
If it's not loud enough it's because you've under-leveled your preset.

Don't worry about blowing your guitar speaker based on the discrepancy between it's power rating and the amp's power rating.
Speakers blow when they receive a clipped signal from the power amp.
You'd have to be playing ridiculously loud to drive the Matrix into clipping.
Your ears would fry before the speaker does.

Even w/o clipping the Matrix, if you played really loud for an extended period of time, you might fry a low wattage-rated speaker, I suppose.
But if you're playing that loud, you should buy more speakers anyway.
[None of this applies if you're using an EVM-12L.
Good luck frying one of them.]

I'm not an expert but this is what experts have told me over the years.
 
joegold said:
They aren't "output" controls. A power amp's output is always at maximum.
Click to expand...

+1

The level knob on a Matrix is in fact an attenuator.

When you keep the level knob on a Matrix at 12 o'clock, you're definitively holding back on its potential. It gets so much louder in its 3rd quarter, between 12 and 3 o'clock!

And even though it probably shouldn't be matter, the Matrix sounds better to me when turned up to 2 or 3 o'clock with low output on Axe-Fx, versus the Axe-Fx turned up high with a lower level on the Matrix.
 
Ya agree, will keep the amp at max and control via out2 knob. Not sure about patch not having the volume as they are louder than the presets...but yes amp block levels are still approx -12dB so that would contribute to a chunk of the volume loss.
Like you said cab should take it cause recto head pumped the volume...so pushing the matrix to get about same ear volume would be fine as nothing is clipping.
Thanks guys!
 
Beyond said:
Ya agree, will keep the amp at max and control via out2 knob. Not sure about patch not having the volume as they are louder than the presets...but yes amp block levels are still approx -12dB so that would contribute to a chunk of the volume loss.
Like you said cab should take it cause recto head pumped the volume...so pushing the matrix to get about same ear volume would be fine as nothing is clipping.
Thanks guys!
Click to expand...

You need to balance the levels of your presets such that your clean presets are as loud as possible w/o clipping the digi outputs.
Match the apparent loudness of your gainier presets (by ear or by using the built-in Level meters in the Utility menu) so that their levels are as close as possible to that of your clean presets, unless you want a boost when kicking in the gainier presets.

FWIW
On my system, with a hyper-clean Double Verb instance, the Amp Block's Level parameter ends up being around 0dB.
And my Mesa-based overdrive presets end up with the Amp Block's level at around -10dB.
Of course everybody's norms will be different based on many factors.
 
Beyond said:
but yes amp block levels are still approx -12dB so that would contribute to a chunk of the volume loss.
Click to expand...
The actual number of the Level in the Amp block is not important at all! This value will change spending on Gain/Drive and other settings. The Level is meant to balance all of it so the resulting number is not important. It could be -30 or it could be +5 and you might hear the same resulting volume depending on other settings. Use the horizontal VU meter to balance your preset.
 
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