Pretty Sure I'm Doing Something Wrong: Axe FX II w/ 4x12

[The Raven]

Hello Fractal Forum peeps,

Let me preface this by saying that i apologize that roughly 99% of the things I post have something to do with me screwing something up or not understanding something. Now to the matter at hand: I'm pretty sure I have something setup incorrectly and pretty much have ever since i got my Matrix GT1000. Apparently no matter how "idiot proof" something is, someone (me in this case) will still find someway to not use it properly. I currently run my Axe FX II through my Matrix and into a Mesa 4x12 Oversized Recto cabinet (the 280w version with 70w V30s). I connect the Axe FX to the Matrix via xlr for Output 1 using two Mogami Gold Cables, run the Matrix in Bridged mode and connect to my cab using a Monster speaker cable (the Performer 500 cable I think). I've seen countless videos and heard dozens of sound clips of people with a similar setup and every one sounds pretty awesome, tubey, and overall desirable. For me, some of the amps (mostly mid to high gain) sound thin, fizzy, tinny, sterile, or like they have a filter of some sort engaged. For example, the JVM models sound pretty dark and kinda thin coming out of this cabinet, almost like its coming from another room, and i can barely hear a difference as i sweep through the presence control, which is strange since that is not the sound i think of when it comes to Marshal. This doesn't seem to be the case whenever i run through my studio monitors with cabs engaged, so I'm starting to feel like i'm screwing something up with my setup with the Matrix and Mesa.

If there is anyone that is using the Axe FX II through a matrix and a cab (with V30s or any other speakers) and you can give me a few pointers, I would appreciate it. I know the Axe FX is awesome and that I am the one screwing something up somewhere, I would just like to know where so i can get the most out of this little box of awesomeness.

 

[chris]

You are using 2 XLR cables?

 

[GiRa]

IIRC if you run the amp in bridge mode you are summing and phase inverting the channels. So use only one XLR and triple check the manual.

 

[stratamania]

If its running in bridge mode, input B of the Matrix is disabled as it is running in mono mode. Use only input A and adjust output settings of the Axe FX to feed a Mono signal to the Matrix.

 

[The Raven]

So i'm not supposed to have something connected to both the left and right output in bridged mode, but what if i ran the cab in stereo?

 

[Jeries]

why are you using it mono? why are you using bridged?

i never used a matrix but i downloaded the manual

you're using a stereo power amp- use it as stereo- i know a recto cab has stereo capabilities

anyway- Axe fx- output Left into input A
Axe fx output Right into input B (or whatever i dont' care)
have it set to STEREO

run a speaker cable from A out on the matrix into the recto cab
and B out of the matrix to the recto cab

so 2 cables from axe into matrix
2 speaker cables from matrix into a recto cab

make sure you have poweramp simulation ON
and speaker simulation OFF
and then continue to rock the hell out with damn good tone.

if you want to run it mono- then you have the wrong tools for the job

 

[Rex]

So i'm not supposed to have something connected to both the left and right output in bridged mode, but what if i ran the cab in stereo?

There's no point running your cab in stereo if you're feeding it with a bridged (mono) signal.

 

[chris]

Bridge from "bridge mode" means to join the 2 amps (left and right) into one for more power. So it's a mono signal in and out.