Matrix = sterile for me... need a tube power amp? Help !

I bought an old Carvin t-100. If you can find one, they go for about $200-$300. It sounds fantastic.
 
Op, you're right....it has to be done right and tubes...well...tubes are a nice touch.


As musicians we're all familiar with the "if you want it done right" moments.....well...after some experimentation I've been able to nail amp in the room sounds, and I'm elbows deep in the process of trying to make that available to others.

It's been an ongoing project for several months, but we're making making headway.

I should be able to release some details available in the nearish (3-6 months) future.
 
Mesa 20 20 !
Much better then the matrix (i bought it and sell it after 15 days) and not very heavy...
I've also been using a peavey 50 50 Classic.. Very good and transparent buy heavyer then the mesa
 
Ok....Here is a question for you guys. What power amp would you have if you did not have to move your rig....basically if weight was not a consideration? Would you have kept your tubes or would you get a tube power amp?
 
I use to use a Mesa 2:90. Great amp but the Matrix GT1600FX sounds as punchy and doesn't color sound. Amp sims sound better and vary so much more now.
 
Sounds really interesting TexasChris. Are you able to elaborate any more on this project. If not, please keep us posted :)
 
I've tried: Mesa 2:90/Fryette 2502/Engl 850/100
.. but ended up with Matrix GM50.

Matrix sounds great, has a lot of headroom, transparent, light and doesn't need tube changes...
and mine is mounted back in the cab which is a very cool and practical solution
 
I have used:
Mesa Boogie 50/50 (colours the tone way too much)
and then a VHT two/fifty/two (transparent enough but weighs a ton!)

Now I use a Matrix GT1000 and it's perfect.
 
Webby said:
Sounds really interesting TexasChris. Are you able to elaborate any more on this project. If not, please keep us posted :)
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Savage1969 said:
You certainly have my complete attention. Care to elaborate?
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I can say this definitively. I can't live without amp in the room.

I have to have it...and I am not one of those guys who doesn't understand what a mic'd cab sounds like. I've mic'd more cabs and spent more time with my ears directly on axis than I care to admit. I've got 1000's of hours in studio and live. I'm a very critical listener....that said.....I've never in my life been a happier musician tonally and the response from everyone who I have been able to demo the rig for has been unanimous.

I'm very excited for the possibility to give others who are on the fence about the axe because of AITR issues the creative freedom I have. Every time I fire my rig up its nirvana. I play more guitar now than I ever have in the past.

When we finish our first 5 units and verify consistency i'll post sound clips and presets and let you guys be the judge of whether or not you like what you hear.

Till then.... :D
 
johnloux said:
Hey tone God's I need some input here. I have the AXEFX 2 and I bought a Matrix GT800FX to power it but honestly it sounds quite sterile to me. The guys at Matrix had me try a couple of things but it just muddied up the sound. I was missing the push back a tube amp gives when you crank it up. Ya know, the feeling you get when the amp seems to be playing itself and it just allows you to play better. Will I be any happier with a real tube power amp? Theoretically I am thinking yes but it seems like as soon as you turn off the power amp setting on the Fractal everything starts sounding generic. Looking at a Boogie 50/50 or the Carvin TS100. Maybe leaving the power amp setting on with a real tube power amp is the trick.
My thought is to crank the real tube power amp up all the way and keep the Fractal preamp output lower to achieve what I want.

Also just considering using the Fractal as an FX unit and running it in the ef. loop of a Carvin Legacy.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.


Peace, :)

John
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I had a Matrix GT1000FX, I felt the same... then I bought a Crown XSL2500. It's solid-state, but it stands up to my Mesa 2:Ninety, but it only weights about 10lb, and more versatile. The only downside is it's 2U, but then again so is a 2:Ninety.

The price is nice for what you get and it's built solid. It's been very reliable over the past year, and I used it with both Real Cab and FRFR setups.

XLS 2500 | Crown Audio - Professional Power Amplifiers

I recommended it to a friend... he's thrilled with his too. In fact; I believe he and his other guitar player are both using each side as independent channels. Pretty wild.
 
craiguitar said:
I have used:
Mesa Boogie 50/50 (colours the tone way too much)
and then a VHT two/fifty/two (transparent enough but weighs a ton!)

Now I use a Matrix GT1000 and it's perfect.
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For you, or anyone here that's posted about how they like the GT1000, do you have any tips or tricks on making it sound good with the Axe? I got one with my Axe II originally and didn't care for it. Now I have a second Axe II rig that I want to use with a passive 2x12 cab, and I hooked it all up and once I turn the cab blocks off, it just sounds thin and fizzy. Power amp modeling is ON, but its just really sterile sounding to me (as others have mentioned). There must be something to do to get a little more color in the sound when using the Matrix. I know its supposed to be transparent, but it seems a little too much so, almost.
 
pir8matt said:
For you, or anyone here that's posted about how they like the GT1000, do you have any tips or tricks on making it sound good with the Axe? I got one with my Axe II originally and didn't care for it. Now I have a second Axe II rig that I want to use with a passive 2x12 cab, and I hooked it all up and once I turn the cab blocks off, it just sounds thin and fizzy. Power amp modeling is ON, but its just really sterile sounding to me (as others have mentioned). There must be something to do to get a little more color in the sound when using the Matrix. I know its supposed to be transparent, but it seems a little too much so, almost.
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IMO, if you don't use a high watt speaker like an Eminence Pro Delta A then your losing a lot. That plus run power amp power full up and adjust the Axe Fx output to taste volume wise. This makes it ideal for me
 
Tremonti said:
IMO, if you don't use a high watt speaker like an Eminence Pro Delta A then your losing a lot. That plus run power amp power full up and adjust the Axe Fx output to taste volume wise. This makes it ideal for me
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I'm using a 2x12 with a G12H and a V30. I also have an alnico blue I could use but that didn't seem like a great fit.

And I kinda tried it both ways, with the output on the Axe down and power amp up, and then the other way. It doesn't seem like the Axe keeps its dynamics when its turned down (to my ears). That was kinda the other question I had, if the Matrix is SS, shouldn't you be able to just turn it down to the ground without it really affecting how things sound? Or is that more a function of the speakers needing a lot of signal to move?

Obviously I don't plan to use it at bedroom volume, that's what monitors or FRFR's are for, but I was hoping to dial tones in at something lower than ear-bleed volumes.
 
I have a matrix 1000fx used with a port city 2x12 with EV12 - I don't think it sounds sterile at all. When I play at very low volumes, like a tube amp, it does lose a lot of that feel. For me, the magic happens when that little purple signal light starts blinking. That is typically at a little lower than stage volume. But it still provides that "bounce" for me. I have the cab sims off all the time when I use my les paul. However, when I use a strat with cab sims off, it does sound thin sometimes, depending on the amp, preset, etc. So when using my strat, I would say 50% of the time I use a cab and find it really helps thicken the tone up. That being said - when starting from scratch, I find that I can thicken the tone up by spending some time tweaking and adding eq blocks etc. without a cab.:encouragement:
 
I have a Matrix800 too and for me, I felt that it did what I wanted it to do for reeeeeally hard rock tones and acoustic stuff. But the really dynamic Strat tones and solo guitar stuff it did sound kinda thin...
Two things:
- try tweaking more. The AxeFx leaves NOTHING behind when it comes to adjustable parameters, and I am absolutely convinced that you can find that "push" with power amp settings.
- try a combination of FRFR and real cab! This did the trick for me and I am in dynamic heaven. Simply increase or decrease the volumes of these two cabs until you get what ya want! Lots of gear but small price to pay for the sound of gods!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Would still like to know what amp everyone would have if they didn't have to move their Axe rig much or not at all? Would you still have gone for a Matrix amp or bought something else?
 
Randall RT 2/50
Midi controllable and can be 6L6 in one channel and EL-34 in the other
you can switch back and forth depending on what amp model tube type you need.
Unfortunately these things weigh a ton, but a friend has one and I tried it briefly and loved what I heard (and felt)
I had the Matrix 1000GT and thought I liked it until I got my Fryette 2/50/2 and could A/B it in real time.
matrix was gone after that.
 
I'd like to hear the Fryette 2/90/2 it has the KT88's :) would be cool to do the AB and that is the only true way to do it.
 
Mixman said:
Would still like to know what amp everyone would have if they didn't have to move their Axe rig much or not at all? Would you still have gone for a Matrix amp or bought something else?
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If I was completely stationary I'd be still using my Mesa 2:Ninety.
 
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