Retro-Channel First Impressions

elchampion

elchampion

Inspired
My Journey with the Axe Fx has been going on for about 3 years, first with the Ultra and now the II. Amplifying it has been an expensive trip. The first was the HPR 122i's, the Verve 12m's, and then the Matrix GT800FX. I've gone back and forth with FRFR and guitar cabs and both have their advantages but I still felt something missing. After I saw Lance's recent video of his Retro Channel Stereo Power amp I knew that was the tone I've been searching for. The even bigger plus for me was that he lived in Austin!

I called him up, invited me over to his home and gave me a personalized demo. Everything I heard in his YouTube video was there but as you would assume way more pronounced and detailed! I love how you can dial in some tube grit by turning the volume knob just a tad without having to go into the Axe and tweak. I mean you can already have it in your patch but this just adds just a little bit more sizzle and it responds very well to dynamics! I was blown away.

Compared to the Matrix GT800FX its heavier at 15 pounds and bigger. It doesn't have the Neutric combo(1/4 XLR) adapters, speakon or a bridge mode (which in my case doesn't matter), and its a bit more expensive. One of the things that I loved about it too was that if anything happened to the Axe live I could just plug into the Left input of the RC and it responds like a tube amp! Really coo being that its solid statel!! If you watch his video he demostrates that.

My first show with it will be this Friday so I'm excited to see how it sounds with the band! So far I'm really happy with it and look forward to really spending more time mixing the 2 together. Its probably not for everyone if 7 extra lbs and lack of Speakon/1/4 XLR jacks matter to you. Looking forward to read Scott's review which will be more detailed and better written than mine I'm sure.

I'll add my thoughts after my gig on Friday!

ed
 
Good to hear you are digging it.
What are you running it into.
I just got one to try out.
Saturday will be the day at the studio for rockin the Retro.
I look forward to hearing how it worked out at your gig.
Chris
 
I'm running it thru a ported 1x12 ev 12L. I need another speaker cable to use my other 1x12. Dunno if it's the combination of v7.0 and the retro but it sounds awesome!! Can't wait for tomorrow!
 
It is awesome and I think you'll love it at your gig because it sounds better the louder you go. The Retro is the perfect partner for the Axe and the combination just sounds and feels great.

I got the first unit out and, as I posted previously, Lance is going to be very busy with these once people hear how good they are. Real quality bit of kit.

I hope you enjoy your gig as much as I think you will.
 
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MNG said:
It is awesome and I think you'll love it at your gig because it sounds better the louder you go.
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Sounds like exactly what I DON'T want.

I've been there, and what I want is consistent tone, not volume dependent tone.

I also simply don't get the point of spending all that money on an Axe 2, so I can have controlled tone, pre-programmed and patched up how I want it, and then have "added grit" from the amp based on some settings of the knobs on the front ... again, exactly what I don't want ... it may become relevant if Fractal start shipping a small monkey that sits on top and leans over to give the knobs a tweak at the appropriate moment in the set, but until then, I'll just put in the extra effort to get my patches sounding right out of the Axe.
 
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Like I said its not for everyone. Plus you don't have turn up loud for it to sound good. I was playing thru it last night while my kid was in the next room asleep and it sounded awesome. I scrolled all different type of patches and didn't need to adjust anything on the amp once I tweaked the knobs where I liked them. Ymmv, the great thing is that the axe has many great options available now then before, and the retro is one of them!
 
I'm going to be down to Austin in November the 4th - 9th. Let me know If I can come by so you can do a demo for me. I am really interested in this amp. I am a FRFR guy but there will definitely be an occasion where this would come in handy with a 2x12. You always need options.
 
@scottburrow- you coming in for F1? Sure send me a pm when it gets close, or email Lance Keltner, the owner of Retro Channel, is a really cool guy and will be able to answer any questions and even sell you one. His video demos piqued my interest but hearing it in person sold me! So far I'm loving it!
 
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CrazyTrainer said:
Sounds like exactly what I DON'T want.

I've been there, and what I want is consistent tone, not volume dependent tone.

I also simply don't get the point of spending all that money on an Axe 2, so I can have controlled tone, pre-programmed and patched up how I want it, and then have "added grit" from the amp based on some settings of the knobs on the front ... again, exactly what I don't want ... it may become relevant if Fractal start shipping a small monkey that sits on top and leans over to give the knobs a tweak at the appropriate moment in the set, but until then, I'll just put in the extra effort to get my patches sounding right out of the Axe.
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Let me address this.
First of all I know that when I program my AXE at home through full range speakers that often I miss a few things.

1. I over or under effect everything based on what I am hearing through my studio monitors as apposed to my live rig with guitar cabs.
2. I sometimes don't have the thing pushing as much as I want it to. I under or overestimate the amount of gain, top end, etc that I will need on a bandstand as apposed to though studio monitors or at bedroom levels.

The reason we put a separate volume knob on each channel in addition to the master volume is to give the end user some choices.
You can play linear and be as loud as you like, or you can add a little power amp push, a bit more sparkle with the Presence control and fine tube your cabs a bit with the resonance control.

Sure,
If you are playing through full range cabinets in the same room day after day then you may just want to use a pair or powered full range cabs, or any small PA amp through full range cabs.

If you are playing in different rooms, with an actual drummer onstage, and you like guitar cabinets we have a good solution.

I for one do not want to depend upon a sound man to tweak my tone from room to room. I would rather hear what I want to hear on stage because I have been around the block enough to know what the mic will hear and translate to the guy out front.

Example:
Experience Hendrix Tour Austin:
D. Zappa had a Fractal going direct to the PA, monitoring through wedges. He was onstage with Eric Johnson playing through an actual Marshall and 4-12 cab.
D got buried in the mix, and it was clear that the tone was not working for him.
Had he had guitar cabs, and a Retro Channel Power amp he could have reached back, tweaked the input gain, the presence, etc. and probably in a second or two had the tone that he originally thought he had programmed to go head to head with EJ.
I'm sure the sound was great but when put in context onstage it vanished.

The other reason is that people using tube pres with our power amp have more control and options.

We do not plan on including a monkey... Although I really like Monkeys and wish that we could.
The bite liability would be too much for our insurance company to cover.
 
elchampion said:
@scottburrow- you coming in for F1? Sure send me a pm when it gets close or Lance Keltner, the owner of Retro Channel is a really cool guy and would be able to answer any questions and sell even sell you one. His video demos piqued my interest but hearing it in person sold me! So far I'm loving it!
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Whats F1? I'm going down to see my sister in law, she used to be in austin and is now in Buda. We tried to come in earlier and go to the ACL festival, but they sold out to fast. Actually I had the opportunity, but was too slow.
 
scottburrow said:
Whats F1? I'm going down to see my sister in law, she used to be in austin and is now in Buda. We tried to come in earlier and go to the ACL festival, but they sold out to fast. Actually I had the opportunity, but was too slow.
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Tickets are easy to find on craigslist, tho it might cost you but you never know. Its too crazy for me so I avoid it, tho I wouldn't mind seeing Crazy Horse and the Chillis.

F1 or Formula One Racing is building a track here and the first race is in November. Supposivley its the only one in America and its a big deal over in Europe. I live right by it and Traffic is going to suck for me that week because the infustracture isn't set up yet around the track. There's a lot of excitement over it, we'll see how it pans out!
 
elchampion said:
Tickets are easy to find on craigslist, tho it might cost you but you never know. Its too crazy for me so I avoid it, tho I wouldn't mind seeing Crazy Horse and the Chillis.

F1 or Formula One Racing is building a track here and the first race is in November. Supposivley its the only one in America and its a big deal over in Europe. I live right by it and Traffic is going to suck for me that week because the infustracture isn't set up yet around the track. There's a lot of excitement over it, we'll see how it pans out!
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Well that's exciting. I'm not much of a car guy, but I do remember when I lived in Tempe AZ during the super bowl, man it was a mad house that week.
 
lancekeltner said:
We do not plan on including a monkey... Although I really like Monkeys and wish that we could.
The bite liability would be too much for our insurance company to cover.
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If I signed a waiver, could you give me a price on adding a monkey?


Are there every any TX Amp shows? (Dallas area)
I head down there for work quite a bit, and I would plan a trip around it if there was one.
 
I know Austin has had an amp show in the past, but dunno when then next is planned. The guitar show happens during SXSW.

Dallas has a huge guitar show, I'm sure google will have more info.
 
elchampion said:
I know Austin has had an amp show in the past, but dunno when then next is planned. The guitar show happens during SXSW.

Dallas has a huge guitar show, I'm sure google will have more info.
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Yeah, been to the guitar show.....was excellent.
 
The show went great but ran into some humming issues. Called up Lance, he checked it out and it turned out it was my silly p-rails set to single coil/p90 and also not configuring my input gate in the axe to combat the hum. Duh! Anyway thanks Lance for replying to my email quickly and putting up with my silliness! Anyway the Retro-channel works great for me!
 
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