Speaker Impedance Curve for compact 2x12 Mesa Recto cab?

S

Snouttrout

Inspired
Is anyone using their fractal with a matrix power amp and the compact 2x12 Mesa rectifier cabs. If so, do you just use the Mesa 2x12 speaker impedance curve (which I assume is for the standard 2x12 cab), or is better to find the resonant frequency of the cabinet a different way?
 
I use my Axe Fx III with a Matrix GT1000FX through a vertical Mesa 2x12 and set my speaker impedance curve to the Mesa 2x12. For the resonance frequency I did the Leon Todd video trick where you use a synth in the Axe Fx until everything starts shaking. In Leon's case I think he used a butter knife that shook at the right resonance frequency.

Worked for me and I get great tones out of my setup.
 
I have both the 4x12 oversized recto cab and the 2x12 standard recto cab, and I have used the corresponding speaker impedance curves with great success. I DID NOT have much luck with the synth method...I'm not sure what I was doing wrong there. That's why I was curious about people who are using the compact 2x12 instead of the standard 2x12. Are they using the 2x12 speaker impedance curve or the method that Leon Todd used???
 
How loud did you have it when you were trying to match the low resonance? It needs to be quite loud to really accentuate the resonance. The room you're in makes a difference too. Room modes can mess with you some too and make things resonate in the room separate from the cab's own resonance.
 
AxefxDan25 said:
I use my Axe Fx III with a Matrix GT1000FX through a vertical Mesa 2x12 and set my speaker impedance curve to the Mesa 2x12. For the resonance frequency I did the Leon Todd video trick where you use a synth in the Axe Fx until everything starts shaking. In Leon's case I think he used a butter knife that shook at the right resonance frequency.

Worked for me and I get great tones out of my setup.
Click to expand...
Except that method is more likely to make you find the resonant frequency of your room rather than your cab.
To verify try moving the cab to a different room (different also in size) and see if the resonant frequency you find is the same as in the other room
 
I watched Leon's video last night and it definitely seems like something fun to try. I may do that this weekend and see what results I get.

What I did recently (I have a Mesa 4x12 traditional size cab) was:
  • First played my Marshall JMP-1 / Marshall 100/100 power amp into my Mesa to try and have a fresh memory of what it sounds like when dialed perfect.
  • Pulled up my JMP-1 preset in the Axe3 (which is a Tone Match using the Fractal LB-2 load box)...so should be identical to my actual rig.
  • I run that into a Crown K2 power amp, and then into the Mesa cab.
  • Looped a riff in the Axe
  • Went to the Speaker Impedance Curve setting and scrolled through every option
  • The PV6160 sounded closest....and I messed with it a bit more by increase the Low Res (amount).
  • done

A couple other small tweaks to the preset and it's perfect.

I wrote down those same Speaker Impedance Curve settings, and use the settings for a bunch of other amps in the Axe (Herbie, Angle, Cameron). And right out of the gate, they sound awesome.

Getting the SIC settings right is a game changer for me. Most times I would run my Axe 3 into a cab, I would think - meh, the low end isn't right.
Now, I can't stop trying new amps with these settings.

My only gripe - I wish I could save my SIC settings to the global settings.
At the moment, you can only use the stock cab options for global. You can't save your custom SIC as a 'preset' within the SIC list.
 
BBN said:
I watched Leon's video last night and it definitely seems like something fun to try. I may do that this weekend and see what results I get.

What I did recently (I have a Mesa 4x12 traditional size cab) was:
  • First played my Marshall JMP-1 / Marshall 100/100 power amp into my Mesa to try and have a fresh memory of what it sounds like when dialed perfect.
  • Pulled up my JMP-1 preset in the Axe3 (which is a Tone Match using the Fractal LB-2 load box)...so should be identical to my actual rig.
  • I run that into a Crown K2 power amp, and then into the Mesa cab.
  • Looped a riff in the Axe
  • Went to the Speaker Impedance Curve setting and scrolled through every option
  • The PV6160 sounded closest....and I messed with it a bit more by increase the Low Res (amount).
  • done

A couple other small tweaks to the preset and it's perfect.

I wrote down those same Speaker Impedance Curve settings, and use the settings for a bunch of other amps in the Axe (Herbie, Angle, Cameron). And right out of the gate, they sound awesome.

Getting the SIC settings right is a game changer for me. Most times I would run my Axe 3 into a cab, I would think - meh, the low end isn't right.
Now, I can't stop trying new amps with these settings.

My only gripe - I wish I could save my SIC settings to the global settings.
At the moment, you can only use the stock cab options for global. You can't save your custom SIC as a 'preset' within the SIC list.
Click to expand...
You also can't export or import it to share with others, or apply to another preset.

This is another example of how a human-readable preset file format would be beneficial to the community.
 
Today, I used the method described in Leon Todd's tutorial (I actually downloaded his preset). For my compact 2x12 recto, I got a resonant frequency of 111 hz, which was pretty close the the 108 Hz for the standard 2x12 speaker impedance curve. So I changed the resonance frequency to match my measurement. This seemed to work well! Even the 108 Hz frequency worked well. I'm getting a nice thump when play some heavy riffs.

Would you expect the resonant frequency to be slightly higher for a smaller cab (in comparison the the standard 2x12 recto cab)?

@2112 Thanks!
 
Bumping this thread. Can anyone share their Mesa 2x12 Vertical Impedence Curve? Thanks!
 
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According to the Fractal wiki, the "2x12 Recto" impedance curve is from the compact one:

43. 2x12 Recto: Mesa compact Rectifier cabinet with two 12" speakers (unknown).

Anyone know the source of that info?

Thanks.
 
TubeStack said:
According to the Fractal wiki, the "2x12 Recto" impedance curve is from the compact one:

43. 2x12 Recto: Mesa compact Rectifier cabinet with two 12" speakers (unknown).

Anyone know the source of that info?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Okay, it says at the top of the list:

The details are based on available information about the amps and cabs in Fractal Audio's possession. The information may be wrong.
 
I feel like the 2x12 TX Star SIC is perfectly matched with my Lone Star 2x12 - it sounds and feels remarkably good and tube-amp-like - but the 2x12 Recto is not matching as well with my Recto 2x12 (full size, not compact). Although it could be in my head.
 
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Reviving this thread.
Does anyone have the Speaker Impedance Curve for standard (non compact) 2x12 Mesa Recto cab?
I have no chance of trying to find it before next weekend's gigs.
 
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