Matrix GT1000FX for bass?

Bodde

Fractal Fanatic
Do some bass players here have experience with using the Matrix GT1000FX for bass live?

I have a Bergantino AE 212 600watt 4 ohm cab. Maybe I want to use the Axe fx II as preamp or instead maybe my Aguilar Tone Hammer preamp or my Fishman Platinum pro Bass. Not sure what works the best. What I miss on the Axe fx II is real time control over the amp bass, mid and treble controls. That's why I am hesitating to use the Axe fx live.
 
I've actually used a Tone Hammer into the 2U GT1000FX. It works pretty well over all. I was using it with 2 8ohm 2x10 cabs stacked vertically (the SVT210AVs). I also used the Matrix with a B7K, which also worked well. I now use an AX8 with a QSC K12 live, and the Axe-Fx II is living out its retirement in my home recording area. However, in all cases, since about 2010 or so, I haven't had to at all carry a room, just get enough volume for stage. If you're playing large rooms with inadequate PA support, the 212 might not be enough. If you have good PA support though, that should be more than enough, even for large and loud stages.
 
Do some bass players here have experience with using the Matrix GT1000FX for bass live?

I have a Bergantino AE 212 600watt 4 ohm cab. Maybe I want to use the Axe fx II as preamp or instead maybe my Aguilar Tone Hammer preamp or my Fishman Platinum pro Bass. Not sure what works the best. What I miss on the Axe fx II is real time control over the amp bass, mid and treble controls. That's why I am hesitating to use the Axe fx live.

I haven't picked up a Matrix power amp yet. Its on my list of bass gear to acquire.

There is always the Rac 12 for live amp model control. I have been getting away with just tweaking the Global eq WIth bass, same as you would with guitar.
 
Thanks for the input guys!
I am not so much worried about the volume. But I was not sure if the Matrix was really suited for bass soundwise since it was designed more with guitar in mind I guess (?). But I am not sure if that matter with a power amp! This is my first power amp and I have always played with 'normal' amps and cabs so that's why I am uncertain if it works for me or not.

Yes I can use a rac12 but that means yet another extra pieces of gear. I like to keep it simple for bass. When I don't need any effects I see no reason to bring the Axe fx II for bass gigs. I can just a well use my Aguilar Tone hammer preamp or the Fishman. When some bass gigs require a lot of effects I can bring the Axe fx. Or I can place the Tonehammer in the Axe front input and play without amp and cab block and just use the fx.

Or maybe I will buy a Gallien Krueger MB200 head and leave the Matrix and the Axe fx at home. Too many options! :)
 
Hi guys,

I tried running axe fx II as preamp with my Eden 550 head which provides 750W at 2 Ohms but I am getting ground loop hum, though I have the ground switches on both units engaged. If I run my Sansamp Rpm preamp through Eden head I have no ground loop. I tried different sockets and cables and still the same. What is weird that running axe fx II with my TC 450rh D class head there's no ground loop.
Would any of you know what it could be the problem? as I really need a bit more volume for my metal band and my Eden head provides enough of it even at 4 Ohms 500W it sounds way louder than my TC Rh450. I guess that would be due to the fact that RH450 class D amp.

Would that mean that Axe fxII works only with class D heads without ground loops?
 
Power amp design has basically nothing to do with introducing a ground loop.
Power amp design also doesn't mean a whole lot when it comes to volume*... a watt is a watt, all else being equal.

* = tons of caveats there, such asTHD and how those watts are used (and measured) and so on

Anyway, I'd suggest starting your own thread on the issue with a bit more detail.
 
Bass player in my band often runs his sansamp into the spare side of my GT800FX and into a Markbass 1x15 cab and it sounds great.
 
If you're running loud, perhaps the 2U with the extra cooling may be better but generally we have a lot of bass players or guitarists who also play bass using our amps. If you're planning on running big fridge sized Ampeg cabs then the 1600 may be better but for most users the GT1000 will do fine, even an 800 I know works for some players just using a couple of cabs and don't need huge volume.
 
If you're planning on running big fridge sized Ampeg cabs then the 1600 may be better but for most users the GT1000 will do fine, even an 800 I know works for some players just using a couple of cabs and don't need huge volume.

So you think i will be fine with my Bergantino AE 212 600watt 4 ohm cab?

Would you recommend the bridged mode or is it better to just use output A for the cab? I never used bridged mode before...
 
Hi Guys,

Good timing for me to see and join this thread. I received my GT1000fx last night, spent most of the evening trying it out with my Axefx2. I used my Fender Jazz 5 into a Bergantino 212 HDN series cab.

After about 3 hours of experimenting I will say that I am much happier with the tighter lows. Its chalk and cheese for me from using it through FRFR speaker ( Which I never liked at all). But there is just something still missing for me in the core sound. When I A/B with my Orange 500 Terror head it is much cleaner than the orange, but just didn't have enough 'amp' in the sound for me. Its almost like its just a really really good clean DI sound coming out the cab. One that I would get on stage through some high end monitors. The only other way I can describe it is that its got a very guitar sound to it.

I tried all 4 bass models in the unit, I then went on to try running another pre in the loop and some other mad scientist blending things, but I just couldn't get the sound I wanted.

Are there any other settings in the amp block that I should be trying to tweak to get a bit more warmth and grunt? Should I try running a Cab as well, with cab sims on?

Any suggestions would be really appreciated.
 
Did you try the tube pre model? Or the fas bass amp? No cab block.
Did you try another separate bass preamp in the Matrix (without the Axe fx)?

Still figuring this out myself. What sounds the best for live use:
a) Axe fx in Matrix to real bass cab
b) Another bass preamp in Matrix to real bass cab
c) real bass amp to real bass cab
 
"Warmth" and "grunt" are somewhat ambigious.
For warmth, I'd probably suggest cutting EQ above 4kHz or so, and maybe adding a slight bit around 150Hz or so.
Grunt? I dunno what you mean... note attack, just mids? For more attack, I'd look around 900-2kHz. For mids, 500Hz-900Hz or so.
 
Just before I reply to the suggestions, I will say that I have had some success with the Depth switch. Default this was on 0, putting it on about 4-5 has definitely improved things quite a bit. But I m still left wanting more, and still not satisfied with an A/B with my Orange terror amp.

Bodde, the only one I haven't tried there is the Tube pre, I will give that a shot this evening, thanks for that suggestion.

Hi Selta, I tried everything that you have suggested eq wise. For me it still sounds like very minimal pre- amp coloring. It just still sounds like a very clean sound through the Cab, very little extra polish or punch ( I know more subjective words). The best way to describe it is that it sounds much more like an active DI straight into PA system.
 
Well, no offense, then you're doing something majorly wrong. The SVT model is pretty close to an SVT-CL I've directly A/B'd it to (but pretty different than a real, vintage SVT I had). The Bass 400 wasn't far off from a 400+ I have easy access to and often use as well. Nothing clean about either of those when you have the master volume up and dial in a bit of gain. If you have tried those models and played around with them a good amount and paid attention to your gain staging, I'd suggest doing a factory reset (after backing up), as it sounds like something is really wrong.
 
Hi Selta, thanks for the help on this. Just out of interest how do you generally run your gear, FRFR or Power amp to cab?

Good suggestion, I might try a factory reset in a day or two as you have suggested if things don't change.
 
Depends on the band/gig.
If we're running IEMs, then, that's that, nothing on stage.
Most gigs, I'm running to a QSC K12, which is a great powered PA speaker. Don't think it qualifies as FRFR (but, keep in mind, I'm pretty critical of everything called "FRFR", as none of it really is either of those things).
Some gigs, I'm running a QSC PLX1804 (power amp) to an AudioKinesis ThunderChild cab. This setup is seeing less and less play time though.

For rehearsal, AX8 to on of: an Eden WT800 into an SWR 4x10, an Ampeg SVT4 Pro into an Ampeg 8x10, or a GK 400RB into whatever random cab I grab :p.
 
Well, no offense, then you're doing something majorly wrong. The SVT model is pretty close to an SVT-CL I've directly A/B'd it to (but pretty different than a real, vintage SVT I had). The Bass 400 wasn't far off from a 400+ I have easy access to and often use as well. .

Any chance that you post a simple preset that you made with both these amp models? The Bass 400 didn't do it for me. I would like to hear how other users use it.
 
Any chance that you post a simple preset that you made with both these amp models? The Bass 400 didn't do it for me. I would like to hear how other users use it.
Sure. I'll probably have the real deal in the studio in the next couple of weeks, too. I don't think I kept any of those other presets I've made - this was last year and earlier. But it's not terribly difficult. I'll do something this weekend, we'll be setting up for drum tracking so I'll have bits of downtime to conjure something up.
 
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