Starting to really like FRFR with Atomic CLR

[Tremonti]

Still haven't completely checked the yes box with FFFR just yet...but almost there. I think I may be in the market in near future with a powered 2x12 cabinet from Xitone. Miss the look of back line 2x12 that my rack can sit on. Has to be powered 2x12 though with stereo option and mono. Believe Mic could make that happen and seems like a cool dude.

 

[bradlake]

Still haven't completely checked the yes box with it just yet...but almost there. I think I may be in the market in near future with a powered 2x12 cabinet from Xitone. Miss the lock of back line 2x12 that my rack can sit on. Has to be powered 2x12 though with stereo option and mono. Believe Mic could make that happen and seems like a cool dude.

Do it

 

[REDD]

Took me a while but after I listened to my rig mic'd it convinced me. the FRFR sound was so much better. I would rather have the audience hear direct front of house than my 4x12's mic'd.

 

[ScottyB]

It took me awhile to get used to them, but once I was able to compare home and live use, it all started clicking for me.

btw - I now use two sets of presets, one set that is tweaked for home use by myself for practicing (fuller, well rounded tone) and one set that is tweaked for live use with the band to fit in the mix.

 

[Tremonti]

Well after much tweaking the past week....I decided that FFFR isn't for me. While I know it is valid for most I just couldn't gel with it. Things were too ice picky or flubby. I bought 3rd party IR's and tweaked, but when put in mains it was just not what I thought I would hear. Going back to my Matrix GT1600FX and Genz Benz cabinet. I don't have the patience to tweak more than the 20 plus hours I did. I have been a long time Fractal user and know how to use it better than a lot, but I just like my cab too much to switch it out. Limiting, yes...but suits me.

 

[levipeto]

Well after much tweaking the past week....I decided that FFFR isn't for me. While I know it is valid for most I just couldn't gel with it. Things were too ice picky or flubby. I bought 3rd party IR's and tweaked, but when put in mains it was just not what I thought I would hear. Going back to my Matrix GT1600FX and Genz Benz cabinet. I don't have the patience to tweak more than the 20 plus hours I did. I have been a long time Fractal user and know how to use it better than a lot, but I just like my cab too much to switch it out. Limiting, yes...but suits me.

Yepp, whatever blow your float!

 

[GM Arts]

Seems to me a lot of folks don't gel with FRFR because they expect GUITAR > AMP > CAB IR > FRFR should sound like a guitar amp. The reality is that IRs give an accurate representation of the cab & mic characteristics, but they still need a LOT of tone balance correction.

Just like the sound guy does at the desk when (s)he gets the same signal from a real amp/cab/mic: cut bass, cut highs and boost mids. A LOT IMHO.

I'm thrilled with my CLR, but without the tone correction it sounds awful, as I'd expect it to.

 

[Tremonti]

Seems to me a lot of folks don't gel with FRFR because they expect GUITAR > AMP > CAB IR > FRFR should sound like a guitar amp. The reality is that IRs give an accurate representation of the cab & mic characteristics, but they still need a LOT of tone balance correction.

Just like the sound guy does at the desk when (s)he gets the same signal from a real amp/cab/mic: cut bass, cut highs and boost mids. A LOT IMHO.

I'm thrilled with my CLR, but without the tone correction it sounds awful, as I'd expect it to.

We had a sound guy tweaking pa and he is known in area for being great. I couldn't get my sound right. I didn't expect an amp in room sound but I didn't jive with what I was able to accomplish. I think I'm just going to Mic the rig and call it a day. Works for me and easy.

 

[LZRBeam]

We had a sound guy tweaking pa and he is known in area for being great. I couldn't get my sound right. I didn't expect an amp in room sound but I didn't jive with what I was able to accomplish. I think I'm just going to Mic the rig and call it a day. Works for me and easy.

Man.....I feel your pain. I've been using a 2x12 cab for years, and just recently went full FRFR. I started by setting up our PA cab tops in the basement and auditioned IR's until I found something that was really close. In the past, I always tweeked the AXE while using using my 2x12. This time, I tweeked the AXE while listening to the PA mains. I then added an EQ block before the Effects loop block to balance out my 2x12. I went back and forth a thousand times comparing the two until the basic frequency response was really close. I've now done two gigs without my 2x12 cab, and I don't think I'm going back. The last venue had a brand new house PA, and both the mains and monitors were powered QSC cabs. I think it was one of our best nights, in part because the sound quality was so good, but also because my tone was inspiring. I had used my 2x12 in this small venue on previous gigs, and I always felt bad for the people in the first row of tables in front of my cab.

 

[Tremonti]

I actually went into rehearsal with the thought that I was liking the CLR and FFFR. But once all the presets I had spent many hours crafting on the CLR were pumped exclusively through the PA...I hated the sound. Even doing high and low cuts didn't help. Regardless if user error or not...I can't spend this much time on tweaking 60 patches for a live show. Is what it is and know a lot of your love FFFR and do it amazingly well.

 

[jimfist]

Seems to me a lot of folks don't gel with FRFR because they expect GUITAR > AMP > CAB IR > FRFR should sound like a guitar amp. The reality is that IRs give an accurate representation of the cab & mic characteristics, but they still need a LOT of tone balance correction.

Just like the sound guy does at the desk when (s)he gets the same signal from a real amp/cab/mic: cut bass, cut highs and boost mids. A LOT IMHO.

I'm thrilled with my CLR, but without the tone correction it sounds awful, as I'd expect it to.

I've found much more happiness and enthusiasm re: modeling via FRFR speaker amongst musicians who also double as FOH and studio engineers and mixers. I think it's the perspective of knowing what a mic'd up cabinet sounds like through a PA or quality studio monitors which helps to get over the hurdle. And when you apply this mixing perspective and knowledge to modelers, you can craft tones from the get-go that you understand will translate in a mix. Often, these tones amplified via FRFR (stage monitors) do not resemble the "feel" of the real-world counterpart amp and cabinet entities. If that is what you're aiming for, you'll likely struggle, even with the AxeFx and a high end FR speaker system.

Thankfully, the AxeFx allows you the option of disabling cab sims so that you can interface with a more traditional guitar cabinet-based stage rig if you prefer.