Firstly, this is a personal review and I have no affiliation with any of the manufacturers mentioned.
As a recent convert to the world of AXE FX, and owner of an Axe FX 2, choosing an amplifier was always going to be a difficult choice.
A bit about me... I have been playing electric guitar for over 25 years, have gigged since I was 14yrs old, and have grown up worshiping the valve and all the fine nuances that are provided by a sweet amplifier. The way it reacts to your inputs, the musically interactive experience when it heats up, the harmonics and dynamics. I have owned everything from Marshalls, Mesa’s (amp heads and full rack rigs), VHT’s (amp heads and rack set-ups), Bognor’s and other known names.
It took a lot to convert me to the AXE FX, having been one of the one’s that cited it’s lack of bottles as a dynamic limitation. With the AXE FX 2 – and Version 10 firmware – I was converted. It is that good.
But somehow a big part of me still wanted to know that the amplification stage was going to be valve driven. I couldn’t conceive that a solid state amplifier could provide what I needed, and to be honest I was somewhat uncooperative in being converted. I have tried solid state amplification sections and always found them to be sterile, lacking warmth, and seriously struggling when it came to dynamic inputs and musicality. Without being too much of a snob I saw them as a cheap alternative to the real thing. Because of this Matrix wasn’t on my radar to start with. I continued with big heavy valve amps and cabinets.
Then I started to read a few reviews and thought I had better check out the new GT1000FX myself before definitively writing it off.
Boy oh boy was I wrong with my preconceived bias.
You know how if you are playing a few sets and you don’t quite find the perfect sound until the second set once your amp warms through and starts singing? That is simply not the case with the Matrix. It sounds hot from the moment you turn it on. Ever wondered why your AXE FX 2 doesn’t quite sound as you thought should – or remember from personal experience - with the amplifier simulation switched on? Not quite feeling what others do on the forums when they rave about the authenticity of the presets? With the GT1000FX that isn’t an issue. It is completely faithful – and I have experience of the originals. I can get the big heavy thundering chords in addition to faithfully dynamic cleans. To be honest the Matrix has proven to be the ideal compliment to the AXE 2. I finally feel completely converted and settled, and whilst I still love the look of a big old amp set-up (cosmetically) I now have an authentic selection of boutique amps instantly available at a push of a button. With a few tweaks to the AXE I can completely alter the power amp dynamics to a point I felt I never could when using it with boutique valve power amps.
Do you get the same dynamic inputs as a top line valve power amp when you roll off the volume and pick gently and then whack in a big chord? YES! Can I get the same sound EVERY single time I switch on my set-up? Instantly? CHECK. Powerful enough? HELL YEAH! You won’t struggle to be heard that’s for sure.
Another nice touch is the lighting inside the Matrix that glows a heart warming orange in homage, no doubt, to those used to seeing glowing bottles.
Rock music is my first love, although I have played everything from that to Acid Jazz and Wedding sets over the years. Versatility is important to me. But the sound I get, and the way I react to it as a musician, is even more important.
The AXE FX 2 is a quite superb bit of kit, as many have alluded to – including the top professionals. It is surreally good. But to not take advantage of everything it offers by using a power amp that colours the sound it represents is, to a point, akin to only getting half way to heaven.
If you, like me, have your doubts please don’t. This is the real deal.
Oh, and it’s a fair bit lighter too and is quiet as a mouse!
A big thank you to Matt Button at Matrix and Sussi at G66 for their fantastic service and knowledge in their respective fields. Matt, in particular was stellar in convincing me that Matrix were the way to go – and the reasons why so many of today’s stars are heaping them with so much praise.
