Potential Buyer/New Rig/Engl

R

rifftrauma

New Member
Hi,

New to the forum and interested in getting some feedback on a rig I might be building (depending on what I find out here). I'm extremely interested in purchasing both an Axe Fx Ultra and the midi foot controller. I was wondering if anyone used either the Engl 100w stereo power amp or the Engl E840 2x50w power amps in conjunction with an Axe-Fx ultra and if so the result? I was interested in a VHT or Marshall EL34 power amps but both the models were discontinued and I've only heard great things about Engl. Currently the rig I'm looking at building goes something like this.

Furman PS-8R II power conditioner, Fractal Axe-Fx Ultra, Engl 50w or 100w power amp, into an Orange PPC412-C with 4 vintage 30s. I plan on housing the unit in a road ready case. My guitars consist of a Suhr S3, Caparison custom and a modified RG550 re-issue. If anyone has a similar build I would be interested in their opinion, or any other options? Once again this is the first time I've delved into rack gear and know basically only what I've researched. I do a lot of recording, but the rig I have now is a one trick pony and I'm trying to move to a more versatile setup. Once again any feedback would be much appreciated.
 
Have you considered FRFR? You can then take advantage of ALL of the amp and cab sims in the Axe, and Redwirez/Ownhammer IR's (there's slots for 10 user IR's in the Axe) if you so desired...
With the Axe, the configuration possibilities are endless, and you are not amp/cab bound any longer.
Think outside the box.. you do not have to have your proposed config, but it is ONE choice.
 
Sounds like a very nice rig to me. I use an Axe into an Atomic MB-50 into a Port City OS 2x12 cab. I am looking to go up to a Fryette 2/90/2 soon for a little more power ( hard hitting drummer and loud bass player in my band ). I tried FRFR and it was not for me at all. Tweaked it for quite a while and was never happy. For me, adding the cab sims, really made things more difficult as far as tweaking goes.
 
I am a big proponent of FRFR myself, but it is clearly not for everyone. For many it is just easier to turn off the power amp and cab sims and plug into a tube amp and guitar cab. No fuss no muss. Sure, you are throwing away half of the unit's functionality (and the half that makes buying an Axe-FX worthwhile in the first place, IMO) by doing this, but at least you know what you'll get sound-wise (mostly) and you will have reduced the number of parameters that you have to deal with (and become proficient with) considerably. What the Axe-FX becomes, in this case, is a rather expensive pre-amp and effects pedal processor. But this use case sure seems popular. Makes one wonder why Cliff doesn't sell a version--the Axe-FX Lite, if you will--with the power amp and cab sims eliminated since there seems to be quite a sizeable market for a unit that is only ever going to be hooked up to a conventional tube amp and guitar cab.
 
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