Review/Comparison: XiTone 1x12 Wedge+Matrix GT800FX vs RCF NX12SMA

That's really cool :) I'm using an Ultra (still... I know, get a II!) with my new Matrix Q12a powered cab (used to use a GT800FX into a cab) and sounds great, the cab is outstanding, but I'm not quite getting where I want to be. Part of the reason I still haven't gotten a II is because I always used a guitar cab and I think with the Ultra, a regular cab makes it sound plenty "real", you just lose a ton of versatility. Now going FRFR, I am realizing I need a II and I've always heard that it sounded "a bit better" or whatever, but I'm hoping/guessing that with 7.0 and beyond, it's significantly better sounding. Hopefully a big part of that difference is the cab modeling and it will be VERY realistic through my Matrix powered FRFR solution when I finally make the jump to the Axe II in the next week or two.

Thanks for the review on the XiTone, as I've always been interested and have been considering on to add as an extension cab with my Matrix Q12a (btw, I wonder what speakers the Q12a uses. I assume they're not made by Matrix and maybe they're the same Eminences). Really cool to hear that the latest Axe firmware is closing the gap so much.

I started out on the Axe II but I know Tom was an Ultra user. He could probably comment more on the difference you'd hear with an Axe II through that system as opposed to your Ultra. If the firmware updates on the Axe II are any indication of the quality improvement, I'd guess you'd be pretty happy with a II.;)

I only had the Ultra for a few months before making the switch to the II, so I'm certainly not an expert here. However, also being a real cab kind of guy, I wasn't fully adopting FRFR until I shot my own IRs of my cab. That's what finally sold me on FRFR. And, of course... you can only shoot your own IRs with the Axe II, so... I'm gonna steer you toward a II. :mrgreen
 
Ok, I got to un-box a xitone single 12" with the Eminence Coax and the on board Matrix GM50.
Dropped it side by side with my RCF nx12ma. Spent an hour throwing some high volume rock guitar patches through it.

First impression....Micks best work yet. This cab is very close in tone to the to the RCF.
Which is better?....matter of opinion. I'm still forming mine, but first night with this thing and I'm very impressed.

Couple of quick points:
- line-x finish is awesome.
- footprint is smaller than I expected.
- sound is bigger than I expected.
- the 3db pad and phase switches are very useful.
- stock patches sound excellent with no tweeking.
- my patches that were dialed on RCF sound great on the xitone.
- tons of headroom....plenty of beefy low end.
- the ability to chain on another passive cab for short money is really attractive.
- so far....this thing is really impressive.

More testing to come tomorrow....
 
Awesome, BBN! Glad to see someone else confirming what tone pilgrim and I experienced.

My XiTone doesn't have the tweeter phase switch on it. If you recall, which position made it sound brighter, or possibly closer to the RCF? I'm running mine with the tweeter out of phase. I *think* I prefer it that way, but doing A/B comparisons is kinda hard without the switch. :D
 
If you recall, which position made it sound brighter, or possibly closer to the RCF? I'm running mine with the tweeter out of phase. I *think* I prefer it that way, but doing A/B comparisons is kinda hard without the switch. :D

I'll check when I get home. I flipped it a few times, so I just don't know where it ended up.

I'm going to run program music through RCF and XiTone tonight....will give some feedback on that as well.

Last night I ran at crazy high volume, and chained a second passive cab (JBL SR-X4702) using the XiTone's add on speaker output....this was awesome. First off....the JBL and the XiTone sounded very similar. (I put them in different parts of my basement and walked back and forth). Then when bringing the cabs closer to each other....YES!...huge sweet spot of massive tone.
The net result was that all of these speakers (RCF, XiTone and even the passive JBL being powered with the XiTone's Matrix amp) all sounded excellent. My patches all translated very well (and extremely similar) on all of these options. Made me very happy.
Both XiTone and RCF are outstanding options. The second speaker output on the XiTone has me thinking though....for just a couple hundred dollars more....2 cabs....wall of tone....hmmm?
 
thanks guys for the review.. the XiTone is looking more and more tempting now... still undecided on whether to go passive or active, as Tom said at least with active one has options.
 
Actually, I sold Thomas-Hawk unloaded cabs as he already had his drivers. To that end, I was not able to mod the crossover for the 3db pad lift or the phase reversal switch. Those options are standard on passive and active cabs.
 
Ok more time with the XiTone and got to run some program music.
The short story (which never ends up being short) is that comparing to the RCF is really hard....because they both sound great.
I go back and forth....and back and forth....and although they're slightly different....they both sound awesome.

(the long story)
Some observations on what is different:
- The mid and high mid on the XiTone is more pleasing (in comparison, the RCF sounds a tad bit hi-fi....and I did drop down the 16k fader and bump the mids on the global eq.)
- The low end on the RCF is more plush (but both have plenty of low end for med-high gain rock tones...*note - I generally dial in too much low end)
- These two differences we most apparent with program music. With just my Axe...not too drastic because I dial out low end and high end that I don't need.

I 'could' use the global eq to dial these wedges to sound almost identical with my Axe patches...but it really isn't even necessary. Patches that sound good on one, also sound good on the other. They're not different enough so that patches wouldn't translate. (which was great because it gave me more time to just play...and not tweak.)


Thomas - to answer your earlier question, I flipped the phase switch to the position where 'down' is near the grill.....Mick will have to chime in and tell us if that is in or out of phase because I can't remember now. I also had the tweeter flipped in the same position, which means there is no pad.

Two things I really like about Mick's wedge. The options to play around with the tweeter phase and db pad are very cool/useful.
And my favorite feature is the ability to add a second passive speaker! Why doesn't any other company do this!! (probably because they'd sell less amps)
Going head to head....back and forth...with the XiTone vs. the RCF is just hard....they both sound excellent. But you chain in a second passive speaker and holy crap your rig sounds monstrous! I know....it's kind of obvious...two speakers vs one speaker isn't a fair comparison....but what I'm getting at is "value for your money".

Looking at the options:
1) The XiTone at $900 vs. the RCF at (let's say) $1150.....not too much difference, and they're both great.
2) A XiTone active AND passive at somewhere around $1360 vs. the one RCF at $1150 is no contest. For the extra $200, your rig took a big step up in girth (of course, if you really have a need for it).
3) Two RCF's (which is now Stereo) would be $2300 vs. Two XiTones (one active, one passive) at $1360 (which is Mono)....for me this would be fine because I don't run a stereo PA...so stereo patches are unnecessary. So for me, it isn't worth the extra $900+.
4) (but if you definitely want Stereo) Two RCF's at $2300 vs. Two XiTone actives at $1800 - would save $500....and of course you still have the option you could add two more passive cabs and have a rig that would leave you deaf.

So RCF vs. XiTone would just come down to personal preference. Both are excellent.
I own the RCF and Mick let me audition the XiTone...so I'm still pondering what my move is going to be....

If anyone has specific questions...throw them out (or PM me if you have a lot of them).
 
Actually, I sold Thomas-Hawk unloaded cabs as he already had his drivers. To that end, I was not able to mod the crossover for the 3db pad lift or the phase reversal switch. Those options are standard on passive and active cabs.

Yeah, I purchased the Eminence Beta 12LTA, and the Beta 12CX/ASD-1001/crossover on my own, thinking I would give each one a try in my semi-open back Avatar guitar cab. Totally didn't work, either speaker. Sounded like poop. Those speakers were meant to be in tuned enclosures for sure. That's actually what got me talking to Mick in the first place. I'm not good at woodworking, and didn't have the right tools anyway to try to build my own cabs. Enter XiTone. :D
 
...Then when bringing the cabs closer to each other....YES!...huge sweet spot of massive tone....

BBN... about how far apart were the cabs when you hit the sweet spot? Just wondering, because... for distorted tones, I prefer just one wedge. When I run two, it muddies it up too much for me. For clean tones, I like running both wedges, or I can do with just one too. And, how big was the room you were cranking these up in?
 
BBN... about how far apart were the cabs when you hit the sweet spot? Just wondering, because... for distorted tones, I prefer just one wedge. When I run two, it muddies it up too much for me. For clean tones, I like running both wedges, or I can do with just one too. And, how big was the room you were cranking these up in?

I would say 3-4 feet was as far away as I could get them and still hear them both equally (while standing in between, the approximate distance I would expect to be, when on a stage.
When closer than that, they still sounded great together...but sounded more like one big cab.
I like to run a wedge behind me, and some Axe in my front wedge as well...so I'm already comfortable with finding the right place to stand when I'm in between two cabs.

I was in my basement when I cranked these up. The side I was on was about 500 square feet.
The wife came down and asked me to turn down (which isn't uncommon), but two cabs can get REALLY loud.
 
The wife came down and asked me to turn down (which isn't uncommon), but two cabs can get REALLY loud.
the story of my life :(
so what about feel? do they feel similar? is one more responsive thatn the other?
I use the RCF and that was initially my big complaint about going FRFR from using real cabs and a power amp, but I've found that I can fine tune the Transformer match/Pick attack/sag controls "per patch" when needed to get a "juicier feel" out of the RCF
did you notice any significant difference in this area between the 2? (It kills me that I can't get over there tonight to try this thing first hand)
if you still have it on Sunday I'd love to zip up and try it
 
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