Matrix GT800FX versatility ?

B

Barrios

Member
I have been thinking of buying a Matrix GT 800FX second-hand. I know that Matrix amplifiers are being advertised particularly for their compatibility with digital modellers, but I wonder whether they also produce good results with traditional preamps ? Anyone with experience on this ? Your answers would be appreciated...
 
With a Marshall JMP-1 into traditional cabs as compared to using a Mesa 50/50 - I'm saying no - absolutely no contest, the Mesa wins easily.

Different story when the Axe is the 'preamp' tho .... you can use the full features in the Axe including cab blocks if you use a FR cab and the Matrix.
 
maxdown said:
With a Marshall JMP-1 into traditional cabs as compared to using a Mesa 50/50 - I'm saying no - absolutely no contest, the Mesa wins easily.

Different story when the Axe is the 'preamp' tho .... you can use the full features in the Axe including cab blocks if you use a FR cab and the Matrix.
Click to expand...

Thanks. So, Matrix is not that versatile (and perhaps it should not be...).
Are you using it with traditional cabs ? In your experience, can the Axe with the Matrix match the JMP-1 with the Mesa 50/50 ?
 
The nice thing about buying second hand is that if you find a decent deal you can try out the amp without worrying about losing too much, if any, money. I would suggest getting a nice tube amp as well as the Matrix and shoot them out yourself. Ultimately, a lot of things can be said on a forum, but it's up to your ears in the end.
 
Barrios said:
Thanks. So, Matrix is not that versatile (and perhaps it should not be...).
Are you using it with traditional cabs ? In your experience, can the Axe with the Matrix match the JMP-1 with the Mesa 50/50 ?
Click to expand...
The Matrix is a Flat Response (or pretty damn near flat) Full Range solid state amp - it just faithfully amplifies whats sent into it. A tube power amp has natural tube compression and break up and colours the sound to varying degrees - especially when whacked up loud.

As for versatility - well I think the Matrix is as versatile as it needs to be - it's a good loud light SS amp

Yes I'm using the Axe/Matrix with traditional cabs for now - but want to try using FR cab(s) so I can get a stage sound very close to what goes to FOH.

Can the Axe/Matrix match the JMP-1/Mesa? Hell yeah and more ... a lot more. All those amps and speaker cabs at the click of a switch, no need for external FX, the I/O routing possibilities. I used only 2 types out of the 4 'amps' in the JMP-1 (Clean 1 and OD1) - so it was a 2 trick box really. The Axe has more tricks than Penn and Teller and the best little whorehouse in Texas.

When I use the Mesa/Trad Cabs (2 x EVM12Ls in open back) with the Axe I find it sounds best with power amp sims off in the Axe amp blocks - so basically I'm losing the poweramp stage of the modelled amp and swapping it for the Mesa 50/50. It sounds good - but it's not what it's supposed to sound like .... which irks me.

As MotherSea has said .... it's down to your own ears in the end. But best I can say safely now is that the Matrix GT amps can do your job with the Axe into both traditional and FR cabs.
 
maxdown said:
But best I can say safely now is that the Matrix GT amps can do your job with the Axe into both traditional and FR cabs.
Click to expand...


Sure, the Matrix amps do sound stellar with the Axe. But the OP is talking about using it with other more traditional guitar preamps. I can't say I've tried this.



If you want the best of both worlds, maybe try the Retro Channel power amp?
 
Last edited:
Bit pricey for this side of the pond (whereas the Matrix is not so bad for us) - leaves a bit in the kitty to throw towards an FR monitoring solution
 
maxdown said:
With a Marshall JMP-1 into traditional cabs as compared to using a Mesa 50/50 - I'm saying no - absolutely no contest, the Mesa wins easily.

Different story when the Axe is the 'preamp' tho .... you can use the full features in the Axe including cab blocks if you use a FR cab and the Matrix.
Click to expand...


On the other hand ... 4 fingers and a thumb!

No .. wait

On the other hand, I saw a guy running a Marshall 1W amp, the JMP1H I think it is, into a GT1000 and Marshall 4x12, and it sounded bang on to my ears. Apparently sounded good to his too, as he was gigging (in Cardiff) with it.

I guess in the end it all depends on how much of your tone is coming from the pre-amp and how much from the power stage. I would say the GT1000 has every chance of keeping the tone of that big valve head.
 
MotherSea said:
Sure, the Matrix amps do sound stellar with the Axe. But the OP is talking about using it with other more traditional guitar preamps. I can't say I've tried this.
Click to expand...
Which is why I was saying about the JMP-1 in that post you quoted me from and post before as well .... I have the JMP-1 and have tried it. I'm not saying the Matrix makes it sound totally unrecognisabe as a guitar - just saying that the Mesa sounds a whole lot better with it - due to the colour it adds and frequencies it squishes up.

I played with the JMP-1/Mesa 50/50 rig for about 10 years - prob averaging 60 or 70 gigs a year so I'm horribly biased on what I think the JMP-1 sounds best with I guess too :) But I tried Marshall power amps and a few others - the Mesa with it's 6L6s suited it best for me.

CrazyTrainer said:
On the other hand, I saw a guy running a Marshall 1W amp, the JMP1H I think it is, into a GT1000 and Marshall 4x12, and it sounded bang on to my ears. Apparently sounded good to his too, as he was gigging (in Cardiff) with it.

I guess in the end it all depends on how much of your tone is coming from the pre-amp and how much from the power stage. I would say the GT1000 has every chance of keeping the tone of that big valve head.
Click to expand...
The JMP1H as I see it is a different beast to the JMP-1. The JMP1H has a wee power amp stage using proper power amp tubes which output at a low enough signal level to use with a second power amp - ie not your average preamp - more along the lines of the Axe which has both pre and power amp stages modelled.

The JMP-1 is a bit too fizzy and brittle sounding to me without a bit of help from some hot tubes. Can't comment on other makes of preamp tho.
 
Jeez .... in the context of the Original Poster's request ... does this mean you've tried the Matrix with a traditional preamp? If so, which one? I've given my opinion on the JMP-1 with it as compared to a Mesa 50/50 so could you elaborate a little to give us all the info on your experience?
 
There are people running stomp boxes directly into the Matrix Power amps, and also using traditional pres. i say a post somewhere - where the pre was a Custom Audio 3+ SE and the result was (apparently) great.

Ultimately it depends on the structure. If the Pre is designed to be partnered with a pushed power amp, then the Matrix isnt the best solution. if the Pre generates most of the sound/tone itself then the Matrix is a perfect partner.


Here you go:

Photos of Matrix Amplification | Facebook
 
From what I've experienced so far, if you want to take full advantage of the Axe FX2 power amp modeling, you should avoid any tube base power amp in your signal chain. I have both an Atomic active cabinet and a Matrix Gt800FX. Believe me, they sound absolutely different feeding the Axe fx2. With the Atomic, I was always struggling with the ridiculous over amount of unpleasing highs in my tone. I was setting the tweater in the neutral position and power amp sim in the Axe was on. Obviously, the Atomic is far from being a neutral amp, and there was nothing wrong with it since I had 2 of them and both sounds the same. Then, I bought the Matrix. I run the output of the Matrix to the external amp input of the Atomic to bypass it's internal amp, but I still can benefit from it's neutral speaker and cab for the Axe FX2 cab simulations. And guess what?? WWWOOOOWWWWW!!! A whole different story here with the Matrix. I now hear the Axe fx, not the Axe fx going thru a colored poweramp. The Atomic might be a good option for those who bypass the power amp modeling of the Axe ( What's the point?). But if like me, you want to benefit from all the magic inside the box, then the Matrix is one hell of an option. It's really transparent. No, there are no tubes inside and that's a good thing because the Axe fx is so much sounding and feeling like a tube amp, that pairing it with a tube amp is like plugging the output of a Marshall Plexi in the input of a Mesa tube poweramp!!! Poweramps, whether tube or solidstate, shoud not color your tone, it's suppose to amplify your preamp without changing the tonal character, unless that's what you are after. But you can't go wrong with the Matrix!!
 
The Matrix reproduces whatever you put into it MUCH LOUDER - or unlike my AC30, much quieter too!.

The heading to this thread asks about the Matrix's versatility.

My GT800FX doubles as my studio monitor amp, providing an excellent, flat, uncoloured response at all volumes up to 'ludicrously loud'. I also use it as a stage bass amp - processed by the Axe into two hideously heavy 2x12 cabs loaded with E120Es. I'm now considering buying their new three channel GT1500 for WDW, and keeping the GT800 in the studio.
 
dupere11497 said:
Poweramps, whether tube or solidstate, shoud not color your tone, it's suppose to amplify your preamp without changing the tonal character, unless that's what you are after.
Click to expand...
I agree with your post, except for the above ... it's a bit too broad a statement. Preamp and power amp matching is the basic tone of any head/combo. For Example: A Vox AC30 pre fed into a Marshall/Mesa/Fender etc Power amp stage would change the whole character of the combo.

In terms of using the Axe as a 'processor' rather than a true preamp (ie sag off) then yes - solid state should do the business and open up the ability to use the full functionality of the Axe - which seems a good enough reason to use the Matrix for me. Small, light, (slightly bass/high enhanced 'secret sauce' to suit guitar amplification?) and powerful.

It's getting the right cab to go with it now thats causing me concern - I've tried it with a trad cab with 2 x EVM12s (up loud) and it seems nearly there (no cab block) - but I think cab blocks add the final flourish to the tone and that means a FR cab to hear it or 'react' to it when playing - which sounds a bit pretentious coming from a weekend plonker such as I, but you know what I mean .....

With the Mesa 50/50 and poweramp off in the Axe and the EVs - good stuff happens pretty quickly even if it robs the Axe of a lot of it's functionality and modeled amp accuracy, so that's my live rig bail out path if a FR cab doesn't ring my bell. A captured IR/TM of the amp/speaker or a close sounding commercial IR would do for a cab in the FOH feed I'm sure.

Just my personal opinion based on the gear I have available, what I'm prepared to spend and my ears and all that sort of thing ....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom