Next brand/model of speakers above Atomic CLR's?

HwyStar

HwyStar

Inspired
Like others here on the forum, I have been waiting to get my Atomic CLR's (stereo) for about six months and I understand they are excellent for the price they are sold at. If you just can't wait any longer and need excellent FRFR speakers then what would be the next brand/model of speaker that is better than the CLR's?

EAW: JF29NT's or is there something in between Atomic and EAW...

I have been stuck playing my Axe through a pair of Mackie SRM450 version 1s and I know they are throwing my presets off. I may have to result to playing through headphones to get a more accurate sound than these mid-range boom boxes or will play through my Yamaha HS8s.

Thanks for your insights!

PS: Cliff or Matt: If you want to add your 2 cents that would be great. The EAW 59NT's (used at Axe-Fest) have been replaced (JF59NT) so it is a new ball game there at EAW.
 
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Depends on what you want ...

If you are looking for a simple way to get great pro tones out of the Axe-FX on stage and at home with your guitar, then based on personal experience I would go with matrix amps and cabs.

If you want a jack of all trades monitor .. I am sure there are plenty of options out there.
 
HwyStar said:
Like others here on the forum, I have been waiting to get my Atomic CLR's (stereo) for about six months and I understand they are excellent for the price they are sold at. If you just can't wait any longer and need excellent FRFR speakers then what would be the next brand/model of speaker that is better than the CLR's?

EAW: JF29NT's or is there something in between Atomic and EAW...

I have been stuck playing my Axe through a pair of Mackie SRM450 version 1s and I know they are throwing my presets off. I may have to result to playing through headphones to get a more accurate sound than these mid-range boom boxes or will play through my Yamaha HS8s.

Thanks for your insights!

PS: Cliff or Matt: If you want to add your 2 cents that would be great. The EAW 59NT's (used at Axe-Fest) have been replaced (JF59NT) so it is a new ball game there at EAW.
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Not sure if that will help. I've been playing through cheap KRK Rokit "8 while waiting for CLRs. I tried going back to headphones (Sony Studio Monitor headphones) last night (at the request of my dear wife ;) ) and prefer my tones through the KRK's (I sure hope this doesn't mean that my actual preset tones suck!).
 
L-Acoustics may have something in between. Or RCF TT-Series. I'm not sure whether they're really better than the CLR though.
 
Take your axe Fx to Guitar Center and play through the Line 6 L3t or L2T I have the L3t and it is wonderful and heavy duty. Plug into the mixer panel set your output volume of the Axe FX around 12 oclock, set the mixer panel on the L3T gain at 1 oclock run the eq flat flip the switch above the gain to dual mono set the speaker on Monitor mode and then turn up the master volume on the back panel. I know it sounds like a lot of things to do but it is very versatile like the Axe FX I have not heard the Matrix or Atomic amps but I can not imagine anything sounding better than this. I am including a patch that set the frequencies for use with the L3T to take out the rumble and shrill. Remember on your patches to set the Cab model frequencies to 85 - 5000 hz Anything lower on guitar amp models will cause an unwanted muddy rumble.View attachment Stone in Love L6 L3T.syx
 
You'll have to step way up the price ladder to best what the CLR offers in my experience - you have to get into the $2000+ ea range to push them. Nothing their size either; you have to go bigger, heavier and in most cases use at least bi-amp/tri-amp to do better.

I honestly believe that they created something very special with the CLR at a price point that is very hard to match.

Strongly IMHO; but the proof is in the pudding. And it's really good pudding. ;)
 
WoW! Thanks for all of the help and great suggestions guys! Much appreciated.

Tom of Atomic notified me that the inbounds are hitting; of the CLR speakers and it's an "any day now" situation before I get my invite to buy the speakers. The smart guy would wait just a few more days and get the speakers. It has been a long wait but it is just a few more days. Maybe Santa will stop by with them!

Thanks for the pointers on the Line 6 speakers Keith. I have not heard them yet and I will check them out at my store. The freq settings will be reviewed in your patch file so I understand how you are compensating your Axe for the Line 6 speakers.

Thanks again!
 
I ordered mine today. Went on wait list around first week of August. Saw email at 3 PM, placed order and they shipped at 5PM.
 
Scott Peterson said:
You'll have to step way up the price ladder to best what the CLR offers in my experience - you have to get into the $2000+ ea range to push them. Nothing their size either; you have to go bigger, heavier and in most cases use at least bi-amp/tri-amp to do better.

I honestly believe that they created something very special with the CLR at a price point that is very hard to match.

Strongly IMHO; but the proof is in the pudding. And it's really good pudding. ;)
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Scott,
I ordered two Active CLRs today. I play at a church for approximately 300 and in a band at smaller to medium venues. We have a very nice new state of the art sound system at church. Our sound team are not professionals but do a pretty good job. I am wondering about the best application for the CLRs. Do you use both in stereo as a backline, or with one or two facing you as stage monitors, in combination with the house PA?
 
Rocketcity,
I'm not Scott but I have 3 CLRs that I've been on 80+ shows now ranging from coffee house size to a few big festival stages - I've tried all positions for the CLRs extensively (back line, free field and wedge) and like them all - I use what the situation calls for, but I clearly prefer to use the CLRs as wedge stage monitors in front of me.
Depending on the type of gig I'll use a mono / stereo or wet-dry-wet configuration.
Hope this helps
 
We'll actually if you think about it guitar speakers have around 80-5000+ hz frequency and the cabinet models that come in the axe fx are all 20-20 so if you really want the correct response and sound of a real guitar speaker cutting the lows and the highs make sense
. just saying it made a world of difference
 
keithguitarfan said:
We'll actually if you think about it guitar speakers have around 80-5000+ hz frequency and the cabinet models that come in the axe fx are all 20-20 so if you really want the correct response and sound of a real guitar speaker cutting the lows and the highs make sense
Click to expand...

Theoretically, this is addressed during the capture and creation of the IR.

Terry.
 
I think because IRs are a mic'd tone (almost always close mic'd) they don't portray the sound of standing near a guitar cab in all its glory. Cutting highs and lows can help tame that shrill close mic tone and emphasize more of the mids that you would hear standing near a cab.

I'm sure recording engineers apply lots of eq to the recorded mic'd tones that they use on albums, this is no different.
 
On the other hand having to heavily eq a FR speaker to make it sound decent is not necessarily a lot of fun. You want that speaker to be a reference if you need your tones to translate to FOH systems etc.
 
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