Power amp for Axe-Fx 3 / FM3 / FM9

[ElMuchoDingo]

Has anyone gotten their hands on a redsound rpa power amp. I’m really interested in the stereo version

 

[Henryk Chrostek]

Dear Fractal Tech Team,
Many of us have great tube preamps that we would love to use with Fractal. I own Marshall JMP-1 rack mounted preamp.
It does not make much sense to me to use JMP-1 with amp models in Fractal and double preamps. It would be so great to have a new block just with power amp emulation that would have choice of several tubes like EL-34, EL-84, 6L6, KT88, and 6V6.
Now with great new Dyna-Cabs in Fractal being able to go my tube preamp into Fractal FM9 where I would use just blocks for power amp, cabs, and effects would be a dream to come true.
I hope you will take under consideration to create just power amp block.
Thank you,
Henryk

 

[Frodebro]

Dear Fractal Tech Team,
Many of us have great tube preamps that we would love to use with Fractal. I own Marshall JMP-1 rack mounted preamp.
It does not make much sense to me to use JMP-1 with amp models in Fractal and double preamps. It would be so great to have a new block just with power amp emulation that would have choice of several tubes like EL-34, EL-84, 6L6, KT88, and 6V6.
Now with great new Dyna-Cabs in Fractal being able to go my tube preamp into Fractal FM9 where I would use just blocks for power amp, cabs, and effects would be a dream to come true.
I hope you will take under consideration to create just power amp block.
Thank you,
Henryk

I have a JMP-1 as well, but the models of that preamp are so good that it’s really pointless to add an external unit to do what the Fractal can already do on its own.

 

[chumbucket]

I have a JMP-1 as well, but the models of that preamp are so good that it’s really pointless to add an external unit to do what the Fractal can already do on its own.

^This. If you do an A/B test between the real JMP-1 vs the model, you'll most likely pack it back up in the box. The model will give you more control and won't be as noisy.

 

[JanHaakma]

Dear Fractal Tech Team,
Many of us have great tube preamps that we would love to use with Fractal. I own Marshall JMP-1 rack mounted preamp.
It does not make much sense to me to use JMP-1 with amp models in Fractal and double preamps. It would be so great to have a new block just with power amp emulation that would have choice of several tubes like EL-34, EL-84, 6L6, KT88, and 6V6.
Now with great new Dyna-Cabs in Fractal being able to go my tube preamp into Fractal FM9 where I would use just blocks for power amp, cabs, and effects would be a dream to come true.
I hope you will take under consideration to create just power amp block.
Thank you,
Henryk

This is exactly what I want to do with my CAE 3+SE preamp. I am wondering what to do, use a real power amp and a Suhr Reactive load and use my Fractal gear for cab sim and fx?

Or use the CAE with some amp model as a power amp. But will that sound good?

 

[GuitarChapPappa]

I don't know what the best or best option is for a power amp, but I have a Harley Benton GPA-400, which has just good adjustments and doesn't color the sound, and best of all, you don't even have to take the Axe out of the Amp model, and it has enough power and is quite ok in terms of price-quality (but this is just my opinion and I'm not speaking as a professional, but purely at a hobby level).

https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley...LCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6NywibGFuZ3VhZ2UiOjJ9&reload=1

 

[Fractivator]

Soundwise? absolutely.... but with matrix out of business, it's less of an option for me now that there is no service/support.

Case in point—sadly, my GT1000FX 2U cooked itself royally. I had been in contact with Andy (owner of Matrix). Great guy - super busy with other business and not able to really help with any repair. He agreed to help my local amp tech in New Zealand with some assistance to repair it but ended up telling them he was just too busy. I have 2 X 212 wedges I handcrafted with Celestion F12-X200's (4 drivers) so running the Axe through the Matrix and then to those full-range drivers hits the spot. I'm now shopping for something comparable to Matrix but also available and serviceable.

 

[Fractivator]

I keep seeing this pop up when people talk about matrix. I've never taken a piece of gear to get repaired by the people who made it. I've always just taken it to a local tech (if I couldn't fix it). is there something I'm missing? Like no schematics or parts being custom made so they can't be replaced?

and I'm coming to this from the world of vintage amps, 90s rack gear, and esoteric pedals. where you just had somebody fix it.

I mean... it's just a poweramp so your not expecting firmware updates or something? or to make sure the old editor works with your newer laptop (I'm looking at you FAMC). Or am I missing something? I'm not trying to be snarky. I'm legit trying to understand this fear I keep seeing as I'm thinking about picking up a Matrix.

The issue is no schematics. I'm in New Zealand and have a burnt-out GT1000FX 2U. Out of warranty, but also I made it very clear I would be paying for the repair—I just need the expertise to be able to fix it. Have had a call with Andy from Matrix—nice chat but nothing really to help. The best I could get was that he might be able to help my local amp tech with the repair. Difficulty being the circuit board is SMT, and in my case, lots of components, like resistors, with the tops blown off, so there's no way to know what was there to replace it. Understandably, Andy would not share the schematic even after my repairer offered to sign an NDA. The amp tech just replied, saying they got one or two emails back, and the upshot was he was too busy to help. So that's the end of the road, it seems, for Matrix. Anyone buying one secondhand—be warned—use it till it blows (and I'm hearing of a lot blowing lately)...sad because the Matrix line was awesome. Andy should sell the patent / schematic for someone to pick up all these repairs.

 

[Fractivator]

I don't haul it around but it's probably as heavy as a 50w tube amp head I would guess.

View attachment 153783

mmmmm....forest green tolex...beauty. I'm liking the asthetics of the model up - The CLA200. Would be a swap out fit for my 2U Matrix that's going in the parts bin. At $800 US the only worry is whether it has sufficient power output to drive 4X Celestion F12-X200's in 212 stereo.

 

[chumbucket]

mmmmm....forest green tolex...beauty. I'm liking the asthetics of the model up - The CLA200. Would be a swap out fit for my 2U Matrix that's going in the parts bin. At $800 US the only worry is whether it has sufficient power output to drive 4X Celestion F12-X200's in 212 stereo.

No problem. The CLA-100 could also probably do it fine.

 

[helloiamdustinwhite]

Case in point—sadly, my GT1000FX 2U cooked itself royally. I had been in contact with Andy (owner of Matrix). Great guy - super busy with other business and not able to really help with any repair. He agreed to help my local amp tech in New Zealand with some assistance to repair it but ended up telling them he was just too busy. I have 2 X 212 wedges I handcrafted with Celestion F12-X200's (4 drivers) so running the Axe through the Matrix and then to those full-range drivers hits the spot. I'm now shopping for something comparable to Matrix but also available and serviceable.

I'm glad that I decided against a Matrix, despite the glowing reviews, because of JUST this. I'm going to travel with a backup solid state poweramp JUST in case (which also means that by lugging it around that my tube poweramp wont break because it will ONLY break when you don't have a backup).

I do hate to hear that so many folks are having serious issues with their Matrix units and lack of schematics and parts making it a pain. I am so used to using older amps where the schematics have existed in books for decades and parts are plentiful.

 

[Fractur3d]

Hey!

I'm looking for a power amp to use with an axe FX 3... Ideally one where I don't have to turn the power amp simulation off in the amp block (as I may well be using an FM3 from now on and won't have the luxury of two amp blocks)

What is the best power amp to use that will allow me to play with power amp modelling on, and still get the "thud" from the cabinet like a tube amp? I've seen stuff about class d etc but I just wanna know what I should be using with a 4x12 or 2x12 cab

I recently read a thread on this forum about BluGuitar Amp1
I received mine today (Mercury) and it’s possibly the best amp I’ve ever used with the fm3.

Tested: Fryette lxii
Fryette ps-2a
Orange pedal baby 100
Seymour Duncan 200, 170
Crown xli800

 

[supersonic182]

I’ve chased every solution that I and some forums could dream up. I’ve tried a bunch of FRFR wedges—mostly mediocre. Tube combos as well, most notably a Spider Valve 212 I snagged for the cost of the two V30s inside. All-tube, FX return going through the preamp tubes and into the power section. There was also a Tech 21 Power Engine I modified with an F12X200—honestly one of the best feels I’ve had… until I sold it.

Now I’m on an Orange Pedal Baby (Class AB). Fine, but mythologized as the fix for folks wanting their Axe-FX to just be a tube amp. When the Fryette PS was mentioned, I thought, OMFG—that’s got to be THE ONE. I haven’t gotten it because I’m still remembering every purchase of monitoring disappointment.

With the Pedal Baby, I find myself staring at my cab and thinking, what’s missing? Some models sound cool, sure—but not the ones I actually want to play, which I sold thinking I’d converted. Palm mutes feel wrong: static-y, fizzy like muffcabbage. I know the real amps didn’t do that. EQ helps, but the effort isn’t fun, and I feel I’m straying further from the genuine amp and the simplicity of it. Some say they’re happy, but hey—some are happy with a busted Frontman 10G... You never know what their standard is.

When I have to be a church mouse (thanks, girlfriend), my $20 Amazon IEMs sound and feel cool. My studio monitors do too—mic’d-amp vibe, even if they’re bassy. That tells me these tools shine only when used as intended: amp model → virtual cab → FRFR/monitors.

Most of us didn’t grow up playing through control-room monitors—We dreamed of standing in front of a full stack and getting our cheeks blasted through the wall when we rage like Marty McFly. Nobody has ever said the right way to jam is to put your amp in another room, mic it, and go sit elsewhere to listen, but this is what we ended up with to this day. It feels like the glaring catch-22 of these amazing devices to me.

With modelers into regular cabs, it's a never ending: Set SS + Cab? EQ? Does the amp model into this power amp even interact with the cab the same as an amp? Is the speaker impedance helping, hurting, doesn't matter? I just don’t know. It seems like I’m hearing the sound, but the speaker’s not the instrument it was with the amp playing it.

Fractal’s modeling is incredible—only a clown would claim otherwise—but something’s always missing when it goes into a guitar cab. It sounds amazing sometimes—but the speaker isn’t being “played,” not like even a cheap amp would.

To come full circle... I am the guy who can plug into a Frontman 10G and feel it, even if I hate the tone. Axe-FX III? Love the sound—but through a cab, the visceral thing is elusive. The magic you get through a good FRFR just doesn’t translate. I know I’m not alone in that. I envy anyone who truly believes Axe-FX into a power amp and cab is indistinguishable from the real deal. I cannot relate, and it’s not for lack of time spent that one of the voices in my head says was wasted.

If you're not chasing whatever I'm chasing, you'll probably be happy with any number of the suggestions here. Some people are.

 

[Fractur3d]

I’ve chased every solution that I and some forums could dream up. I’ve tried a bunch of FRFR wedges—mostly mediocre. Tube combos as well, most notably a Spider Valve 212 I snagged for the cost of the two V30s inside. All-tube, FX return going through the preamp tubes and into the power section. There was also a Tech 21 Power Engine I modified with an F12X200—honestly one of the best feels I’ve had… until I sold it.

Now I’m on an Orange Pedal Baby (Class AB). Fine, but mythologized as the fix for folks wanting their Axe-FX to just be a tube amp. When the Fryette PS was mentioned, I thought, OMFG—that’s got to be THE ONE. I haven’t gotten it because I’m still remembering every purchase of monitoring disappointment.

With the Pedal Baby, I find myself staring at my cab and thinking, what’s missing? Some models sound cool, sure—but not the ones I actually want to play, which I sold thinking I’d converted. Palm mutes feel wrong: static-y, fizzy like muffcabbage. I know the real amps didn’t do that. EQ helps, but the effort isn’t fun, and I feel I’m straying further from the genuine amp and the simplicity of it. Some say they’re happy, but hey—some are happy with a busted Frontman 10G... You never know what their standard is.

When I have to be a church mouse (thanks, girlfriend), my $20 Amazon IEMs sound and feel cool. My studio monitors do too—mic’d-amp vibe, even if they’re bassy. That tells me these tools shine only when used as intended: amp model → virtual cab → FRFR/monitors.

Most of us didn’t grow up playing through control-room monitors—We dreamed of standing in front of a full stack and getting our cheeks blasted through the wall when we rage like Marty McFly. Nobody has ever said the right way to jam is to put your amp in another room, mic it, and go sit elsewhere to listen, but this is what we ended up with to this day. It feels like the glaring catch-22 of these amazing devices to me.

With modelers into regular cabs, it's a never ending: Set SS + Cab? EQ? Does the amp model into this power amp even interact with the cab the same as an amp? Is the speaker impedance helping, hurting, doesn't matter? I just don’t know. It seems like I’m hearing the sound, but the speaker’s not the instrument it was with the amp playing it.

Fractal’s modeling is incredible—only a clown would claim otherwise—but something’s always missing when it goes into a guitar cab. It sounds amazing sometimes—but the speaker isn’t being “played,” not like even a cheap amp would.

To come full circle... I am the guy who can plug into a Frontman 10G and feel it, even if I hate the tone. Axe-FX III? Love the sound—but through a cab, the visceral thing is elusive. The magic you get through a good FRFR just doesn’t translate. I know I’m not alone in that. I envy anyone who truly believes Axe-FX into a power amp and cab is indistinguishable from the real deal. I cannot relate, and it’s not for lack of time spent that one of the voices in my head says was wasted.

If you're not chasing whatever I'm chasing, you'll probably be happy with any number of the suggestions here. Some people are.

Try a BluGuitar Amp1 if you can.
Using the power amp section with the fm3 is amazing.
2x12 Avatar Forte - 1 hellatone 30 and 1 hellatone 60
Thumping and squealing, definitely pushing some air. Really surprised me.

 

[secondwindow]

Try a BluGuitar Amp1 if you can.
Using the power amp section with the fm3 is amazing.
2x12 Avatar Forte - 1 hellatone 30 and 1 hellatone 60
Thumping and squealing, definitely pushing some air. Really surprised me.

Are you simply running the FM3 into the effects return of the Amp1?

 

[rushfan]

I still have my Matrix Stereo Power Amp, 2 x Matrix CFR12’s, and also a Matrix Elements 10” powered speaker. I haven’t been using any of them for about 5 or 6 years since I went to in-ear monitors. I tested them recently and all was working fine. I just hope they last!

I have my Red Sound Elis.8’s that I recently used for an outdoor show, and they kept up just fine with the other guitarist’s full EVH stack, and were so much lighter!

 

[Fractur3d]

Are you simply running the FM3 into the effects return of the Amp1?

4cm
Allows me to choose a pathway.
I can incorporate the entire gain structure of the amp1 or I can just use the power amp power section.
The feel is like playing through a tube amp power stage.
Most presets work because omitting the send2 allows for the use of the power section with routing through the amp1.
Works wonderfully.
Versatility is satisfying.

 

[secondwindow]

4cm
Allows me to choose a pathway.
I can incorporate the entire gain structure of the amp1 or I can just use the power amp power section.
The feel is like playing through a tube amp power stage.
Most presets work because omitting the send2 allows for the use of the power section with routing through the amp1.
Works wonderfully.
Versatility is satisfying.

Sounds cool, thanks! I'm researching power amp/cab and powered FRFR options, so I'll look into the Amp1 some more.

 

[mtb]

I own and have owned a number of different power amps. I run my AxeIII into a Marshall 4x12. This power amp beats everything else that I've tried (in my opinion).
https://avantonepro.com/en/products/cla-100

I have been interested in this power amp since you posted it. I finally got one a month or so ago and I absolutely love it. It is my favorite power amp out of all of the ones I have tried so far (SD PS200, Orange Pedal Baby, Fryette LX-II). Having stereo is a must for me, so this is perfect. No fan, no heat (LX-II). Now I would like to try the CLA-200

 

[radbroman]

I mostly play my FM9 through headphones, and have been considering a bunch of different options for when I want to get up and move around while playing. This would just be for fun/home use, I don't play gigs or do much recording. I do miss having an amp for these occasions, and the power amp + cab option is intriguing because I'd prefer not to have to use IRs like with monitors or FRFR. I mostly play high gain models (Peavey and EVH 5150s, JVM) but would like to get a good clean tone as well if possible. Would a 2x12 cab with a V30 and G12H-75 Creamback be a good solution? There are so many speaker options, it's almost paralyzing.