matrix vs mesa 2:100 review

Probably should add that this Vid that Steve did is almost 2 years old now... What version firmware was the Axe II on at that time? I would have to say that some if not most of the gaps in the tonal differences have closed considerably. The fact does still remain that the output impedance with a SS amp is different when compared to the tube amp when using the guitar cab.
 
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Trainwreck1446 said:
I play the Matrix GT1000FX with drop tuned guitars, and 7 strings playing mostly progressive metal, and it is absolutely brutal, sounds perfect. Wouldn't trade it for a tube amp, ever.
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There's no way I would gig with a heavy power amp either without roadie. Before this modeling boom you either had a tube amp or a solid state amp and "the good ones" were the ones with tubes in them. (Except for Roland JC120.) I don't think much has changed as far as power amps go. Tube feel comes from tubes and SS feels different. Doesn't mean that SS sucks or anything. It's just that most people prefer tubes and once you go tube... you rarely go back.

And I'm sure the Matrix power amp works just as well for dropped tunings as it does for regular tunings. These older guys just throw the phrase "better for metal or lower tunings" when they try to out-smart you or don't quite understand why metal tones are a good measure of how good their setup is. The simple fact is that metal tones require a lot more because they use the full spectrum because of more harmonics and drive. Therefore I suggest everyone to test their setup with full on metal gain even though you don't play metal. If it sounds good when playing metal it'll sound good playing what ever country or hippity hop genre you like playing.

And just so everyone knows where I'm coming from, I haven't been in a metal band in over 5 years now.
 
Although the Fryette video is intriguing, there is a mix of the subjective with the objective in the presentation, that has to be untangled - It's a mix of science and dogma. :geek
The video was also produced before the latest AXeII firmware developments.
The part starting at 9:07 is a bit mystifying... The stuff about playing dynamics.
What's that he says about SS compressing playing dynamics? Do SS power amplifiers compress your signal? Do tube power amplifiers expand your signal?

Anyway, I question some of the things in the video, but I will check out the LXII if i get a chance, so thanks for the clip. :encouragement:
 
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sprint said:
It would be nice to have <snip> some similar information about how the Axe Input is engineered to simulate pickup / tube interaction ("special sauce"?). We don't need the fine detail (which could not be revealed anyway without risk to proprietary designs), but enough of an overview of what's going on to understand well what we have.
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FWIW. . . .

The Axe guitar input "special sauce" is all about minimizing noise, as far as I know. I've never read anything about the secret sauce simulating pickup / tube interaction.

. . . and now back to your regular programming. ;-)

Terry.
 
Tone Seeker said:
FWIW. . . .

The Axe guitar input "special sauce" is all about minimizing noise, as far as I know. I've never read anything about the secret sauce simulating pickup / tube interaction.

. . . and now back to your regular programming. ;-)

Terry.
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Thanks - It's related to my point in that we're not sure exactly what, if any modelling exists in the front input to mimic the interaction between pickups and tube amp input stage. Steve Fryette suggests that modellers are modelling this to some extent (see 17:52 in the video where he states "most modelling preamps have some way to modulate the input stage to change the pickup loading, the pick attack ...). If this exists in the AxeFx (maybe the pick attack parameter is centred here) results may be sketchy by "doubling" this functionality with a valvulator (similar to having power amp sim on while using a real tube power amp). Would be useful to know a bit more.
 
There is no "Placebo" effect. Different power amps will sound different with the SAME patch. The Fryette video proves that. HOWEVER, in that video, Fryette makes the argument that tube power amps sound and feel better because different speaker impedance affects resonant frequencies, and different damping factors affects the feel. BOTH of those parameters can be easily adjusted in the AXEFX. I would like to submit to the jury of my internet peers, that if you like the low damping factor of a tube amp, and you like the greater "thump" and "sparkle" of a tube amp, then make a different patch that has those parameters tweaked for the power amp that you are using, and then a/b those. I have found that the differences can be made insignificant, in both tone AND feel with a patch designed for the specific power amp being used. Furthermore, with my Matrix vs. my mesa, I was able to improve my tone over my Mesa by having greater freedom to tweak those settings to a greater level than I was able to with my Mesa.
 
I tweaked like hell......never got there, close but never there.
Maybe now with FW 13 I could get closer, but I think I would come to the same conclusion as before.
 
This is an interesting thread. I have been playing an ultra for 2 years and I like it, however I have ditched the rcf 310a in favor of a mosvalve and thiele cab. I like the feel much better. I am not at all interested in coping any certian amp tone. I just want tone.

I have been cosidering moving to a mesa 5050 with 2 thiele cabs. Again I am not worried about the mesa coloring my tone I just want some more feel.
The matrix seems nice. How would the matchwith the ultra? I have been thinking that im my case a tube power amp would be better becouse I dont care about matching a certian tone.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk
 
Heres my opinion, the Matrix is loud and can be louder if not as loud as the Mesa, its all in your output volume of your preamp setup, the Matrix responds to input volume, the louder you set it the louder the amp gets. Also dialing in the correct patches on your preamp to mimic tube sag, etc will make it just as warm and sound tight. Took some time but Its sounds way better then when I first plugged it in. Also with the Mesa you have that annoying bottom end "woompf" that comes in and distorts your sound, I had to dial back the resonance on the Mesa amp to get this to equalize and not sound so bad like speakers distorting. Most Mesa rectifiers do this. I currently use both in my rack, Matrix and Mesa each for a backup. I'm running stereo two Marshall vintage 4x12 cabs.
 
Whatever floats your boats, dudes.

I feel like there's so much BS flying in this post that at this point it's just stupid. The axe sounds like a tube amp direct, but ss amps don't? Tubes have the power and headroom and better distortion? Matrix isn't loud enough?

I definitely don't care enough about the gear somebody else uses to try to convince a guy who says he's a tube snob right at the beginning of his statement to be anything else. And I don't understand why anybody would try.

Guys, it's only rock and roll. Nobody but you cares at all. It's not like Becky is going to be at your show thinking "man this band would have been so much better if the guy was using real tubes" or "I wonder why he isn't using the axe fx 2 power amp modeling....It's so authentic..."

Lulz all around, gents.
 
Speculum Speculorum said:
Whatever floats your boats, dudes.

I feel like there's so much BS flying in this post that at this point it's just stupid. The axe sounds like a tube amp direct, but ss amps don't? Tubes have the power and headroom and better distortion? Matrix isn't loud enough?

I definitely don't care enough about the gear somebody else uses to try to convince a guy who says he's a tube snob right at the beginning of his statement to be anything else. And I don't understand why anybody would try.

Guys, it's only rock and roll. Nobody but you cares at all. It's not like Becky is going to be at your show thinking "man this band would have been so much better if the guy was using real tubes" or "I wonder why he isn't using the axe fx 2 power amp modeling....It's so authentic..."

Lulz all around, gents.
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I second all of that in a big big way. I have had both Martrix and tube power amps and I like them both for different reasons. Use what works for you and don't worry about it. Like Speculum said, no one at the show cares but you... certainly not Becky... :)
 
yek said:
Old thread resurrection ...
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I believe that it's called recycling. Reduce, reuse, revenge - or something like that. :p

In seriousness. I use a Matrix GT1500FX-BD into a Marshall1960B and it is more than loud enough, which apparently according to the drummer is too loud. FFS!!!
 
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