User Reviews of ATOMIC FRs

larbear63 said:
Sixstring said:
Took the Reactor to practice... what a big differance. Tom needs to make a floor wedge version of this.
Click to expand...
please elaborate :shock:
Click to expand...

Sorry I had to handel an issue last night and couldn't finnish.

The differance Im referring to is between the 2 8" Micro wedges I use Vrs the 1 Reactor. The lowend is what I have been missing playing through these speakers. I used it as a monitor at my feet and the sound was way better than what I am used to hearing. More complexity and definition just all around better.

I also stood it upright like a traditional backline cab and it has a very broad sweet spot. I walked around out front and you could hear much better off axis tones, two of these would be killer behind you.

The configurations I play I would prefer a floor wedge version, compact yet powerful a coaxial speaker design would be very nice as to keep things small and square... How about it Tom? do that and I'm in for two :mrgreen:
 
First day with fratomic!!! I'm really diging the smooth top end and I have turned the peq off on my main patches. I use to use EV sxa 100, not on the higher end but solid. I see why I used all that EQ, it was because I was trying to make a FR sound like a guitar amp, this is what I was missing the warmth and tube clarity is a huge improvement. Anyway more playing to do with the amp and I cant wait to try it live, will do a gig review soon.
 
Fellow Fractillians,

A quick note: I received my FRs Monday night and have spent several hours playing them. Wasn't sure what to expect initially but had high hopes. I'd been running my Axe through my Lone Star Special for the past 6 months, bypassing the preamp, and really liked the sound I was getting, even though I knew I wasn't running the Axe like it was designed. I had friends over who played through that setup who were blown away by the tones. Anyway, I plugged the FRs in Monday night and man, they didn't disappoint. The sound is very clear and open. I can feel the sound just as I could through my Boogie. And with two of them, my sound has never been so huge. I couldn't be happier. The 'amp in the room' thing is real. I'll be putting my Lone Star Special up for sale later this week; I know I'll never play it again.
 
A little background...

When I initially got my Axe, I thought I had my dream rig. Egnater M4, Randall RT250 a few pedals, the AFX and a 2x12 cab. And it did sound great but boy was it heavy and cumbersome.

I decided to scale down to the Axe and a few pedals, plugging into whatever powered monitors were around when I wasn't playing at home. In no particular order I tried: Bose L1, Fishman Solo, Mackie SRM450, JBL EON and QSC K series. At home I experimented with Event Opals, Dynaudio BM, Focal CM and Twin, M-Audio DSM, etc. Bottom line, I've been through a crapload of stuff.

Out of all of these, the QSC was the only one that sounded enough like my home monitoring system that I didn't have to tweak the global eq significantly to make it inspiring to play through.

Suffice it to say that when I got the call from Tom about the FRs, I wasn't quite ready financially and had to wait but that gave me time to read more reviews and hear a few YT clips. The ones from the Aussie distributor really made me take notice because as limited as the fidelity was on the phone recording, there was something to the sound in the room that made me smile.

Jump to last week when I got my FR.

I plugged it in and set the Axe to CopyL>R because that's how I play when I'm out. I rolled the tweeter back just a hair because I like a darker tone and my main guitar has just the slightest bit of fret buzz.

WTF!!! Even in collapsed mono at low levels it was so rich. I set up the pass through and switched to stereo, one side through my monitors and the soundstage was way bigger than through my recording monitors alone.

In the words of Oliver Twist: "Thank you sir, may I have another". I just ordered my second today.

I have a Zoom Q3 on loan so I'll post some clips shortly.
 
Fatang said:
At home I experimented with Event Opals, Dynaudio BM, Focal CM and Twin, M-Audio DSM, etc. Bottom line, I've been through a crapload of stuff.

Out of all of these, the QSC was the only one that sounded enough like my home monitoring system that I didn't have to tweak the global eq significantly to make it inspiring to play through.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the review Fatang.

Can you comment on how the Atomic FR differs from (or is similar to) the Dynaudio's or other studio monitors? I'm interested in detail, complexity, linearity, etc.

Your comment regarding to the QSC echos my own frustrations with live FRFR solutions vs studio monitors. And if some EQ is required to match these, I want it to be simple and effective. So far, the only thing I've found to be close is an old set of Tannoy dual concentric home stereo speakers. Adding some high end brought them into alignment.

Terry.
 
Tone Seeker said:
Fatang said:
At home I experimented with Event Opals, Dynaudio BM, Focal CM and Twin, M-Audio DSM, etc. Bottom line, I've been through a crapload of stuff.

Out of all of these, the QSC was the only one that sounded enough like my home monitoring system that I didn't have to tweak the global eq significantly to make it inspiring to play through.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the review Fatang.

Can you comment on how the Atomic FR differs from (or is similar to) the Dynaudio's or other studio monitors? I'm interested in detail, complexity, linearity, etc.

Your comment regarding to the QSC echos my own frustrations with live FRFR solutions vs studio monitors. And if some EQ is required to match these, I want it to be simple and effective. So far, the only thing I've found to be close is an old set of Tannoy dual concentric home stereo speakers. Adding some high end brought them into alignment.

Terry.
Click to expand...


Hey Terry, Robert here.

I don't find that the FRs give me the same kind of experience that the tweaky monitors do and for me that's a good thing. There's a plushness and envelopment of sound that is inspiring and really does give me cab in the room feel and sound. I forgot about the rack and computer and just played. With studio monitors and headphones I get really distracted by twiddling.

Likely the QSC K would be the one I used had the FR not been around. Also from the form factor perspective it's not as appealing as the FR.

Hope that helps.
 
Fatang said:
Tone Seeker said:
Fatang said:
At home I experimented with Event Opals, Dynaudio BM, Focal CM and Twin, M-Audio DSM, etc. Bottom line, I've been through a crapload of stuff.

Out of all of these, the QSC was the only one that sounded enough like my home monitoring system that I didn't have to tweak the global eq significantly to make it inspiring to play through.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the review Fatang.

Can you comment on how the Atomic FR differs from (or is similar to) the Dynaudio's or other studio monitors? I'm interested in detail, complexity, linearity, etc.

Your comment regarding to the QSC echos my own frustrations with live FRFR solutions vs studio monitors. And if some EQ is required to match these, I want it to be simple and effective. So far, the only thing I've found to be close is an old set of Tannoy dual concentric home stereo speakers. Adding some high end brought them into alignment.

Terry.
Click to expand...


Hey Terry, Robert here.

I don't find that the FRs give me the same kind of experience that the tweaky monitors do and for me that's a good thing. There's a plushness and envelopment of sound that is inspiring and really does give me cab in the room feel and sound. I forgot about the rack and computer and just played. With studio monitors and headphones I get really distracted by twiddling.

Likely the QSC K would be the one I used had the FR not been around. Also from the form factor perspective it's not as appealing as the FR.

Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reviews. I was wondering if you could comment a bit more on the FR's versus the QSC K10 for example. Were the volume levels about the same? Which has more clean headroom? It does sound like the FRs have more of the amp-in-the-room sound ... but what about compared to the QSC K's as opposed to monitors? Is the FR sound that much better -- low end, mid, highs? I'm really looking for an FR-like solution, but solid-state -- so the QSC K series look pretty good. They're very flexible for input options as well, and weigh a lot less than the FR.
 
Where are most of you setting the volume on the Atomic? I am getting quite a bit of cab buzz with anything over 11:00. I am running my patches at a moderate level (under clipping and good for direct recording) with the output knob at around 1:00 - 2:00 on the AFX. Is anyone else getting a lot of buzzing? When I have the volume backed off to 9:00 the sound is AMAZING so far. I'm still in my honeymoon phase, but I am overall, very impressed with my first impression of this box.
 
Porkchop Xpress said:
Where are most of you setting the volume on the Atomic? I am getting quite a bit of cab buzz with anything over 11:00. I am running my patches at a moderate level (under clipping and good for direct recording) with the output knob at around 1:00 - 2:00 on the AFX. Is anyone else getting a lot of buzzing? When I have the volume backed off to 9:00 the sound is AMAZING so far. I'm still in my honeymoon phase, but I am overall, very impressed with my first impression of this box.
Click to expand...

I have been running the Axe output around 9:30-10 O'clock and the Reactor at 2 O'clock, tweet at 11 O'clock. When you say "Cab Buzz" do you mean hiss? I haven't had any problems with a Buzz.

The maine problem I've had is with high gain presets, they squeal way too much. Even with the tweeter almost all the way off or highs pulled back with in the preset, Problem in doing that your left with a lifless sounding tone. This makes it very difficult to get a musical feedback but that's the only problem I have found with FR.
 
be careful with feedback where HF drivers are concerned.they blow out real quick with feedback.does the reactor have a lamp protector in the circuit for the HF driver?
 
I haven't seen a review of the Fratomics in a side-by-side comparison with the 12MAs. Is there one buried that I missed?
 
PorkChop,

If you mean flub. I have the same issue. I think it has to do with V30's (and others with that low end curve) and the 125Hz range. I have to cut this freq in order to get any substantial volume out of the FR. It may have to do with the cabs as well; maybe other V30 IR's with different mic distances would work better. Mid rangey cabs don't have this problem as much.

Some players don't like the real V30 because of this low end and a lot of amp manufacturers design their amps with V30's in mind and adjust the amp EQ accordingly. I have an Engl Thunder 50 with a V30 cab and all the thump is all midrange. I don't hear much if anything below say 1k on the real amp and my V30.

When I fire up the ENGL amp setting in the AXE/FR. There is a low end thump that just doesn't exist in the real amp (the Thunder 50 lead is darn close to the PowerBall). Amplified in the FR, this thump leads to flub. I dial it out. I'm not saying anything negative about the Axe sim either; it is spot on....just as it comes up, it needs a little EQ.

BTW. I actually bought the Thunder 50 because I loved the Axe version of the Power Ball and didn't want to leave my Axe/FR at practice (this band never got it together so it's a moot point now but..). Hey, that might be a first...buying an amp based on the Axe Sim? WTF, over!
 
MKeditor said:
I haven't seen a review of the Fratomics in a side-by-side comparison with the 12MAs. Is there one buried that I missed?
Click to expand...

I thought there was one. Maybe Hippietim did one but I don't know for sure or where its at.
 
MKeditor said:
I haven't seen a review of the Fratomics in a side-by-side comparison with the 12MAs. Is there one buried that I missed?
Click to expand...


GuitarDojo said he was going to do some A/B testing with the 12ma's and Atomics but I never saw anything on it. I really want to hear a compairison of the two.

I believe their was one other that had done it but can't remember who it was. Gasp100 Page 5, 7 post down gave a review on the Verve 12ma and how he thought it compaired
 
I finally had the chance to crank the FRs a bit and man, they sound AMAZING!! I've never had such good sound. I'm really happy with my purchase.
 
Sixstring said:
MKeditor said:
I haven't seen a review of the Fratomics in a side-by-side comparison with the 12MAs. Is there one buried that I missed?
Click to expand...


GuitarDojo said he was going to do some A/B testing with the 12ma's and Atomics but I never saw anything on it. I really want to hear a compairison of the two. I believe their was one other that had done it but can't remember who it was. Gasp100 Page 5, 7 post down gave a review on the Verve 12ma and how he thought it compaired
Click to expand...

I havent done it yet. I have been very, very ill these past few weeks and just now getting back on my feet. I'm gonna work on it. Love the Atomics. (btw I played with one 12ma for worship today)
 
MKeditor said:
I haven't seen a review of the Fratomics in a side-by-side comparison with the 12MAs. Is there one buried that I missed?
Click to expand...

I've been looking for more of those myself. I think I've seen just one, but there's got to be more people who owned a 12ma and that now owns a fratomic. :?
 
Are there people who used guitar cabs before they switched to the FRATOMICS?

Until now I was not very happy using the Axe with cheaper FR-Solutions or the older Atomics, but I love it with my closed 2x12 cab (v30 & Greenback), playing Classic Rock most of the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom