Matrix GT800FX first impressions and question

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xpenno

Power User
So I just picked up my GT800FX yesterday from the Matrix factory. Firstly I just like to say what a pleasure it was to meet up with Andy and get a personal tour of the facility. I was there for about an hour and we talked about everything from amplification to politics. Andy is clearly a knowledgeable guy who wants to make the best products that he can for his customer. He showed me the current range as well as some cool new stuff that they have in the works which I'm sure are going to be amazing! I was great to see that they make their kit in house and I got a tour of the assembly line etc.. It's great to see a company that manufacture products in a country that seems to be doing everything it can to push business overseas, bravo!

I got back home and plugged into a cab that I made many years ago that holds a single v30 speaker, everything sounded great but the v30 is not really my cup of tea these days. I went out today and managed to pick up a S/H bargain 1936 Marshall 2x12. Got home and plugged in and I've got to say that this rig sounds really nice. I plan to swap out the speakers for some Tayden Brit 60's eventually but for the moment I'm loving the setup and can wait to try it out at rehearsal on Sunday. The power amp is a professional bit of kit, extremely well made and looks good too. It's light, for an 800w PA this thing is light! Perfect for me. The amp doesn't seem to colour the tone (as far as I can tell anyway) it has plenty of punch and clarity, it just seems to make the AxeFX louder which is what I want. It obviously early days at the moment but I'm really liking the setup so far.

One question for users going PA into traditional guitar cab, are you using cab sims or blocking EQs at all? I find that some of the amps have some really high frequencies coming through which you don't get with the actual amp. I've checked the hi cut in the amp and it's set to 7000hz but the frequencies seem higher than this. If I add a filter after the cab block and bring that down to about 10-12k (maybe even lower for recto amps etc) things sound much better. Just wondered if this was the norm. One other thought was that it could be due to the volume level, I've only tested at bedroom level so far.

Any info/experiences would be cool :)

Cheers

Spence
 
I'm using a blocking PEQ on my EVMs (Out2), set to 100 Hz. I've noticed that the sub-bass with some amp types (think Recto Orange Modern) chokes my EVms at times.
No need for high end blocking, the speaker blocks them sufficiently.
 
Thanks for the write-up, Spence! Just curious... what setup are you coming from before the Matrix/guitar cab setup?
 
Thomas-Hawk said:
Thanks for the write-up, Spence! Just curious... what setup are you coming from before the Matrix/guitar cab setup?
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No probs, I've tried a number of frfr speakers including qsc, fbt, Ltd systems and an Alto. I also play through a pair of Adam A7s in my studio. I wouldn't say for sure that I'm moving from frfr, just trying something new. First rehearsal with the matrix tomorrow so looking forward to that!

Tried shooting some IRs today as well, sounded pretty nice. I did however notice how much skill is required to properly mix a cab though!

Spence

Sent from my HTC Desire HD using Tapatalk
 
Just got back from my first rehearsal with my AxeFX II and Matrix, all I can say is wow! I mean hair on the back on my neck wow! I've never run my Axe through a traditional guitar cab before, with the band it just sounds right. The last 4 years of running FRFR were great but this is taking it to the next level for me. I was able to get good tones from the Axe via FRFR but I could never get it to fit in the mix, yeah it sounded great but it either seemed to sit back in the mix or stand out too far. I took my Marshall 1936 but the rehearsal room had an old JCM800 4x12 with the same speakers so I used that.

I had created some patches at home at very low volume thinking they would need loads of tweaking when I got there, how wrong I was. Out of 10 presets (2 clean, 2 light crunch, 2 more crunch, 2.. well you get the picture, Das Metal in preset 10) only a couple needed a little work. the amps just sound like they should. Plexi sounded awesome, Wrecker sounded awesome, USA Clean sounded awesome, new Fas 6505 sounded awesome, HBE awesome, AC30 awesome, again you get the idea.... pretty much the only tweaking required was for the JCM800, it sounded shrill and not how I remember a JCM to sound. I clicked off the bright switch and it started sounded better, I tweaked presence and treble and got pretty close to the sound I was looking for. A little more refining at home and should be sorted. Oh yeah I just remembered, New Recto Red... Awesome!

The rig delivered everything from crystal clean, dirty vintage drive, crank'd modded plexi through to tight, chunky modern rock and metal.

Will probably still run direct to PA with cab sims on for front of house, might even try and shoot some IRs with the cab to get the "real" mic'd sound of my rig :)

To use Scott's terminology, I think I've reached the light at the end of the rabbit hole. Can't wait for the next rehearsal.

Spence
 
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Great stuff, Spence! Man, now I'm all fired up! I've got a GT800FX on the way, and I can't wait 'til it gets here! I've got a Mesa Recto 4x12 that I'll be running it into, as well as my Avatar open back 2x12 (probably not at the same time... but, hey, now that I think about it, why the heck not?!?!). :mrgreen

Just curious... did the JCM800 4x12 have Vintage 30s in it?
 
@Thomas - I think you will like it - the matrix thru a guitar cab gives you that 'feel' you might have been missing with other power amps ;)
The best thing is that it sounds just as good with a real cab as it does with FRFR, so you can use either depending on your mood, and you'll be happy - I do it all the time! :p
 
xpenno said:
I had a look at the cones and they looked like G12T-75s from the size of the dustcap. I didn't remove the back of it :)

Spence
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Ooohh!! :p *dribbles* me likes g12s in all their variations! :D IR capture pretty please? :mrgreen:
 
xpenno said:
Will probably still run direct to PA with cab sims on for front of house, might even try and shoot some IRs with the cab to get the "real" mic'd sound of my rig :)
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Great to read. Power amp + guitar cab really does add a lot to the in-the-room experience.
 
I would just like to add my tuppence worth ref. Matrix GT800 FX.

Firstly a massive thankyou to Matt at Mattrix. Matt you were more than helpfull in answering all the quiestions I had, regarding connecting it in stereo to my 1960 cab. Although I have not used it in a full band rehearsal yet, my first impressions are that it has more than enough power than I will ever need, does not colour the sound and it sounds the Muts Nuts. I'm using it with my Ultra and Marshall cab and I just need to do a bit more tweaking with the patches.

Funny how things change. I originally only purchased the Ultra for home recording, but soon realised the potential in using for live use. I have always been a valve head and currently use the Marshall JVM's but it looks like these could be up for sale very soon. Good news for me as I have to find the dosh for the Axe-fxII in a bout 3 months time when my wait should be up.

Anyone who's a bit unsure about buying this model amp. Don't be.. It's a quality built amp. Sounds great and Matrix as a company are one on the most helpful I've ever dealt with. 8)8)
 
Questions on the side for MatrixAmp or anyone...:

1) Volume knobs were not put on evenly (one notch between them, it seems) Can I pull one off and refit? (seems a tight fit, don't wanna weaken any solder spots)
2) Why aren't the screws on top flat? It seems to me I can not easily fit a unit on top of it. If you use all play between 2 units, I guess it might go, but still a weird choice?
 
+1 for the screws not being flat - I put a layer of card between the matrix and the axe (above it) to avoid the requisite dings and scratches of the screws.

The volumes knob covers can just pop off tho - I've switched mine a couple times
 
I have a 1/2 U blank above my Matrix, with the AFX2 below it (using the rubber feet to provide a gap) and another 1/2U blank under the AFX. Consequently Ive never even noticed the screws wernt flush. Im surprised they didnt do that TBH.
 
It's quite an annoyance tbh...I've swapped it in and out of a couple rack rigs and it almost always scratches or dings something, and snags when you're putting it in and out of the rack. Sometimes I have to slacken the screws of the units it above it to get the headroom to clear it and rack it in. Sounds amazing EVERYTIME, no doubt about that, but I'd advise matrix STRONGLY to get flat screws. I was looking for some in the local hardware, but didn't get em yet, but they shouldn't be too hard to get.
 
jon said:
flat screws. I was looking for some in the local hardware, but didn't get em yet, but they shouldn't be too hard to get.
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Might still not work? Some of these screws need quite some room inside the plate which you have to make, possibly deeper than the top plate alone.
 
Plus the cover screw-holes need to be beveled to accommodate flat screws. Didn't think about that.
 
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