The new MATRIX GT800FX. THE amp for THE Axe-Fx

Paul,

Just came back home. Tried your patch and, must say, that is a good one. For the some bluesy sound it is perfect. I only checked the amp and the two cabs, which a copied out to a new patch.

So second impression of the GT800FX/EVM12L combo. Sheer stellar awesomenes and I am only just beginning.
- I need the cab sims ON. Cab sims Out brings a lot of fuziness from the amp blocks.
- I am still in the testing phase which ownhammers I like best with high and mid gain patches.
- The axe cab sims sound really good on this combo
- The synth patches can be very hifi when you put the high freq of a GEQ block, just before OUT2, maxed.
- Same for the cleans and acoustic.
- The balls and character in the sound is back.

For me the hunt is over. Altough the official response of the EVM goes to 6 kHz I think it goes higher (10/12 kHz EQ-d). Maybe this is due to the HF punishment I gave them. So now we have a SS-amp that comes very close to a tube amp and a speaker which is fairly flat (there is a bit of colouring) and covers more high frequencies than expected or stated.

Conclusion: this is the best combo if you want a tube like sound with balls and character AND accepts the use of the cab sims and synth sounds of your Axe-Fx with the los of only the upper higher frequencies.

Thanks to: Cliff, Sussi, Andy, Matt, Dirk, Yek, Smilefan, Octatronic, Lightningboy, PaulMapp, Tom King and Jay Mitchell. Without you this would have never been possilble! Respect!
 
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DADA said:
For me the hunt is over. Altough the official response of the EVM goes to 6 kHz I think it goes higher (10/12 kHz EQ-d). Maybe this is due to the HF punishment I gave them. So now we have a SS-amp that comes very close to a tube amp and a speaker which is fairly flat (there is a bit of colouring) and covers more high frequencies than expected or stated.

Thanks to: Cliff, Sussi, Andy, Matt, Dirk, Yek, Smilefan, Octatronic, Lightningboy, PaulMapp, Tom King and Jay Mitchell. Without you this would have never been possilble! Respect!
Click to expand...

Your experience with the broken-in/well used EVM's has been mine as well. I have noticed a distinct extension of both the highs
and lows on all four of my Classics to what sounds and feels like beyond the stated frequency response. I think the drivers are
producing down to around 50-60Hz and up into the 10kHz range despite what published specs say. If any of you old timers have
ever heard a Silverface Twin, then you know what the extreme highs sound like on a broken-in EVM. Ultra high brilliant chime, bordering
on dog hearing territory.

Glad the EVM's are working out for you DADA. I've been sold on them for well over a year.
For Axe users, once you hear them, its hard to settle for anything else.

This Forum is fantastic for sharing info. DADA brought the Matrix to light, and I posted
the first review of using EVM's with the Axe back on 6/11/10:

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/amps-cabs/26635-killer-guitar-speaker-axe.html

This Forum is a major part of what makes the Fractal experience so good.
 
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Hi,

i just received the matrix amp today! I took a day off to test the amp. Unfortunately i have sold the velocity 300 a week ago, so i can't perform a A/B comparison, but as far as i remember in comparison to the v300 the matrix is more defined and cleaner. It is a great amp and perfect for me! Thx dada.. Matt told me that the pop at start-up and fan noise has been optimized. The pop is not too bad and the fan noise is still there, but at normal volume it is not noticeable. It sounds like my standard PC. So overall a good decision for me and the red light inside the matrix is awesome :).

Cheers
PhillAnselmo
 
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PhillAnselmo said:
Hi,

i just received the matrix amp today! I took a day off to test the amp. Unfortunately i have sold the velocity 300 a week ago, so i can't perform a A/B comparison, but as far as i remember in comparison to the v300 the matrix is more defined and cleaner. It is a great amp and perfect for me! Thx dada.. Matt told me that the pop at start-up and fan noise has been optimized. The pop is not too bad and the fan noise is still there, but at normal volume it is not noticeable. It sounds like my standard PC. So overall a good decision for me and the red light inside the matrix is awesome :).

Cheers
PhillAnselmo
Click to expand...

Phil,
Thats great news. I knew it would kicked the V300 :). So you are not gonna smack me in the face? :) Have fun with it and remember to pair it up with the EVM12L' and you will forget that you play via an Axe-Fx. It was and is a great combo.

The thing about the plop and fan noise is really a joke. It was already hardly noticable. If you complain about this then it is time to get a new girlfriend, seriously.

Today I finished the basic drive, amp, cab tweaking for 10 great patches in our rehearsal shed. Next days I will finish them adding them in my grid with other blocks and optimize them for the MFC-101.

Personally the GT800FX/EVM12L combo has inspired me like a monkey in a banana farm. So much possibilties and they all taste sweet!


Greetings
 
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It's kind of funny. I'll be without my EVM cabinets for a week or so.

But the EVM type of tone has grown on me. So I'm now playing all my presets with just the Ownhammer Thiele EVM IR (TC30-#1). And I'm loving it. :)

I'll have my EVM cabinet(s) on the stage, while the separate FOH signal will have just this IR (maybe with a SM57-4 instead of the TC30).

It's all become more simple, more direct, more real and more "solid", all at the same time. IMHO.
 
My Matrix arrives tomorrow, and the TT cab specs have been sorted out with Dirk, (really nice guy) EVM12L, ports tuned at 55 Hz, "Marshall Black" finish with matching 3U rack..it's totally gonna suck waiting for the Ax2 before i can try it all!!

Hopefully this is it for me..if i am not happy with this then it's a Mesa Lonestar & Ax for effects..but i REALLY hope that wont happy!!
 
Mark,

Waiting till the 2 comes out. Are you mad?

Buy a box of chocolates. PM PaulMapp for a meeting in Belfast. Paul still has his Axe and he is interested in the EVM's. Have fun and release the acquisition stress of your new combo. That is what I would do.

Just a thought
 
yek said:
It's kind of funny. I'll be without my EVM cabinets for a week or so.

But the EVM type of tone has grown on me. So I'm now playing all my presets with just the Ownhammer Thiele EVM IR (TC30-#1). And I'm loving it. :)

I'll have my EVM cabinet(s) on the stage, while the separate FOH signal will have just this IR (maybe with a SM57-4 instead of the TC30).

It's all become more simple, more direct, more real and more "solid", all at the same time. IMHO.
Click to expand...

I presume that your speaker are being swapped for the 8 ohm version?

The way you use these EVM's without the cab sims is different how ohers use it with cab sims on. This is in a way a compliment for these speakers because they can use anyway you want. And iindeed these speakers makes your sound more direct, more real and more "solid". BUT to achieve this you need the GT800FX.

Greetings
 
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BAD NEWS: after receiving the matrix there is no reason to look at the amp & cab section of this forum anymore. I'm really sad ;-). So my suggestion is keep the power amp you have and keep on reading.

I just meant that my search is over :). Had a rehearsal yesterday and I'm very happy with the amps sound and WEIGHT! So i don't think there is any reason to change the poweramp in the near future and watch out for any other amp suggestions.

Cheers
PhillAnselmo
 
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One point for the Matrix, the sound definition is much better than with my previous VHT, i really noticed that i was pushing too much the master volume and killing the personality of the amps sim. You can clearly hear each eq adjustements, witch was not as noticable with the VHT.
 
dimebug said:
One point for the Matrix, the sound definition is much better than with my previous VHT, i really noticed that i was pushing too much the master volume and killing the personality of the amps sim. You can clearly hear each eq adjustements, witch was not as noticable with the VHT.
Click to expand...

Agreed, for me the transparancy of the thing compared to my Peavey 50/50 is a huge leap forward. It lets the sims show through a lot more and shows up the amp tweaks a lot better.
 
PhillAnselmo said:
BAD NEWS: after receiving the matrix there is no reason to look at the amp & cab section of this forum anymore. I'm really sad ;-). So my suggestion is keep the power amp you have and keep on reading.

Cheers
PhillAnselmo
Click to expand...

Give us some feedback of your opinion

Greetings
 
PhillAnselmo said:
I just meant that my search is over :). Had a rehearsal yesterday and I'm very happy with the amps sound and WEIGHT! So i don't think there is any reason to change the poweramp in the near future and watch out for any other amp suggestions.

Cheers
PhillAnselmo
Click to expand...

It took me a couple of reads through as well to figure out what you were getting at!! lol It's a good feeling when you find a piece of the jigsaw!!
 
Not just for the Axe FX

Bit off topic with regards the Axe but may be of interest to those with backup systems etc.

So yesterday I was a little bored, so I thought I'd try something different.

I have an old Boss GT5 which used to be my main FX unit back in the day (until it was replaced by a G-System) but now it's just used for when I teach, for whatever student to run through into the old Atomic 112-18 I also have. It sounds OK but no great shakes.

So I thought I'd try running into the Matrix and my Beyma loaded FRFR cab. I've run the GT5 into a PA before and frankly it sounded absolute sh*te so I wasn't expecting anything better but was pleasantly surprised at the results.

Used an SLO patch and it took no time at all to get a great sound coming out through the Matrix. A little fizzy perhaps but a little EQ dialled that out. Mid gains although not the GT5's strongest suit sounded better than normal and cleans sounded excellent. Even drive pedals placed in front of amps worked well. All the sounds were crystal clear, maybe a still a touch digital but easily the best I've heard it sound.

Really suprised at the result.

Now don't get me wrong, the sound with the GT5 was missing a big part of the Axe's power amp sims, so the "amp feel" that the Axe has wasn't there but it was a passable sound and had a good amount of balls to it courtesy of the Matrix, Certainly enough to cut through in a band situation and good enough for a "rehearsal rig". And bear in mind that this is a fairly ancient piece of gear so I'm sure the newer modelling units would be even better.

So chalk another sonic victory up to the Matrix! :D
 
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I have some more

Also suited for amplification of bass modellers.
Also suited for stereo amplification at home. Your music never sounded better :razz

Chalk this one too, will ya? :D
 
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