MF10 - nasale, dobro-like, fixed phaser touch

AxelF

Member
Reading all the positive comments on the MF10, I‘m wondering if there are specific tweaks necessary to get a pleasant sound with the MF10? My MF10 always sounds much more nasale, dobro-like than my other boxes (Headrush 198, EV ZXA1, RCF MKII 422). I‘ve tested through a lot of IRs using the Double Verb for clean and the Friedman BE V1 for crunch/gain (default settings, just amp+cab in the preset). XLR Out 1 or 2, mono left, tried all the audio settings (stereo, copy l->r, sum l+r, phase normal/invert).
 
Sorry for slow reply @AxeIF, I hadn't noticed your post.

Not sure if you returned the MF10 yet, but I have a stereo pair arriving tomorrow, so hopefully I can comment very soon.

My comparison will be with a Greenboy Fearless F115 powered by Matrix GT1000FX (which I believe to be about the flattest sounding full range speaker setup I own), a pair of RCF ART 732-A Mk 4 (not that flat, mildly scooped mids, and very enhanced low bass make them sound "brassy"), and I always cross check against a pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50x because although they enhance the bass a bit, they are a good representation of what the high volume sound might be like.

Failing all that, I have an Adam A5X/Sub8 setup in a well-treated listening room to compare with, but I'm not expecting full "audiophile" quality from the MF10s. I just want them to sound like some good live guitar amps, with some stereo imaging, and enough power to play along with an acoustic drum kit played pretty hard.

MF10s are not cheap. I think I paid less for the RCF pair including nice stands, but I am sincerely hoping the MF10s work much better for guitar than the RCFs. Ultimately the Fearless F115 would be the perfect solution, except it's designed as a bass cab. This means that the mid-driver is really too low in power handling for guitar, so its voice coil fails too easily at high volume, while the 15" bass-driver never gets to do so much work. I sincerely hope the MF10s are at least in the ball park for tone, because your post has worried me.

If it doesn't work out for me, I'll be thinking about a pair of Fearless F112 or F110. Long lead times I should think, and by no means the cheapest way around the issue (especially if you don't have a nice flat sounding power amp to drive them with). So I'm really hoping my experience is very different from yours. I'll let you know.

Liam
 
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Hi Liam,
I've scheduled the return for next week but currently still have the box.
The effect of the MF10 is that it intensifies IRs that are already a bit nasale/boxy. I only can guess that the coaxial speaker and/or the design of the MF10 emphase this nasale effect. Additionally, this kind of light fixed-phaser-like touch on top just irritates me when playing (most notable when playing from the bottom strings up to the top strings). Apart from that, the MF10 has pleasantly tight basses and non-harsh highs.

I'll try next the DV Mark Powered Cab 112/60.
I've had good good results with a class d power amp like the Mooer Baby Bomb and a normal half open guitar cab (e.g. with a Celestion Creamback). Sounds very close to the MF10 but not boxy (and I leave the power amp and cab simulation ON at the FM9).
 
Hi AxeIF,

I intended to get the new MF10s set up in 10 minutes and then spend 10 minutes playing with them this evening. Set up was more like 5 minutes, and then I spent 30 minutes comparing them directly with the Fearless F115 at relatively high volumes (my ears are ringing a little now).

I am really impressed with the MF10s, and definitely don't hear any of the nasal or Dobro-like tones you talk about. Of course they don't have the open top end of the F115, or the same FRFR qualities, but the the Fearless is a big cab, maybe with an "over-engineered" crossover, and full acoustic separation of the 3 drivers within the cab. So it is not only remarkably flat, but preserves phase relationships in a remarkable way across all frequencies.

I am very happy to say that the MF10s compare favourably with the F115 rig, with the main noticeable difference being the relative "sparkle" of very clean or "glassy" tones. For those, the F115 comes across as very open sounding, and the MF10s are not boxy, but definitely attenuate the top end a little. They more than compensate for this by punching very hard, and very faithfully, in the mid range. While I was experimenting with some aggressive fuzz tones with a "chopping" tremolo and flanger quite loud, I suddenly remembered how I last blew a mid-driver in the F115, but the MF10s were still blasting loud and proud, without once lighting the clipping diodes at similar volume.

So I think in fairness, the MF10s are not quite a "true" FRFR speaker in the same way as Fearless F115, but I like them. I have mainly used closed back 4x12 cabinets for most of my guitar-playing life, and they imitate that sound and feel very well, and of course with the advantage of not "beaming" treble down a narrow line that focuses more than 20 feet in front of the cabinet. And I think they are going to be loud enough for most stages that I play on, but we'll see over the coming years!

I didn't spend very long comparing the MF10s to the RCF 732s, partly because the MF10s are immediately more "guitar oriented" in tone, and partly because I cannot remember if I should have been using Output 3 of the Axe FX III. I went with default Output 3 to the MF10s, but as a copy of Output 1, and it sounded quiet, dark and kind of miserable. I was a little worried that the MF10s might be truly terrible sounding speakers, so I borrowed Output 2 from the RCFs. Problem solved! I'll look into where I went wrong with using Output 3; maybe it's intended for 4CM or something.

After reading your comments I kept the packaging for the MF10s just in case I needed to send them back. I think it will more likely be in the cardboard recycling next time they collect.

I wonder if your one might be faulty in some way? My first impressions are of incredibly capable speakers, giving great response across a range of amp and effects settings, and definitely preserving the "feel" in a similar way to other good-sounding monitoring solutions in direct comparison. I have yet to play them alongside a loud acoustic drum kit, but I'm pretty confident they will keep up admirably. The low mids are so far absolutely "sh1t-kicking", with surprisingly deep lows for 10" speakers, even when pushed.

Liam
 
I too got the MF10‘s just recently.
Had 2 rehearsals with them and very pleased with, not boxy at all
And the presets I created with my CLR‘s translated very well.
All I can say is they feel and sound very natural guitar amp/cab like especially when they get loud, no harsh highs, tight and for me very important, not stiff something I had occasionally with the clr‘s
Either yours are faulty or something in your signal path is not right (cocked wah wah??)
Cheers
 
Hi Liam,
thanks for the report on your impressions. My MF10 has no defect (checked with support from G66 who got the same result with the amp and cab I was using). It's clearly a matter of the IRs I've been testing. Take a preset (FM9 #s) with just amp (#115 Double Verb Vibrato, default settings) and cab (#637 Factory 1, 1 x 15" Vibrato Verb 421A), Strat with middle+bridge pickups. This sounds quite unpleasant and boxy.
The solution is to just not use this IR and only those IRs that sound good with the MF10. I know. It just bugs me that the sounds are just better, less boxy, nasale through headphones and other FRFRs cabs I've been comparing. But I will use the days until return pickup for more testing. Maybe I'll get more used to the MF10 sound character.
 
I had the original version of MF10 (the mono amped pre G66 directly from Redsound). I agree it sounds a bit boxy at low volumes. When driven at band level it sounded awesome and really easily cut in the bandmix.
 
I went with default Output 3 to the MF10s, but as a copy of Output 1, and it sounded quiet, dark and kind of miserable. I was a little worried that the MF10s might be truly terrible sounding speakers, so I borrowed Output 2 from the RCFs. Problem solved! I'll look into where I went wrong with using Output 3; maybe it's intended for 4CM or something.
Look carefully at the wording …

CE1BDD92-DA28-452B-BF30-0C56D0A9C4AE.jpeg
Using the global settings Output 3 copies from “Input 1”, not “Output 1” but Output 2 can copy from Output 1.

Without using the global settings you can tap the layout just prior to Out 1, or add a cable from Out 1, to Out 3 in the grid to force Out 3 to have the same sound.
 
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Look carefully at the wording …
In fairness, and without looking into too much detail, I'd figured it was user error and found a solution without opening the manual. But good to understand how I'd basically failed to RTFM (or for that matter the screen in front of me) properly!

Liam
 
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