What is your Power amp of choice for use with the Axe FX II?

D

DionRusheGuitar

Member
Hi guys

Just got my Axe II yesterday, and am going through the "do I really need all my tube amps/pedalboard" stage that all Axe owners seem to go through at some point.

I'm looking in to getting a power amp to use with the Axe, and was just wondering what's a good one to go for? Ideally not something crazily expensive. I was looking at those Matrix amps but have heard mixed reviews.
 
I have two

my primary choice is the Matrix GT1000FX

my reserve is the Marshall 8008

both are superb
 
Like clarky, I use the Matrix GT1000FX and love it. I previously used a Mosvalve MV-962 that I got for really cheap ($120 used). The Matrix blows it away though.
 
DionRusheGuitar said:
That's the one I'm considering. Any fundamental differences between the 1U and 2U? (besides the size of course)
Click to expand...

the 2U has quieter cooling - although the 1U is actually very quiet
as a result, the 2U is marginally heavier

to be honest, if you're not in a studio environment with extremely sensitive mic's, then the 1U will be more than ok..

actually...
I think it'd be kinda unusual to be able to 'hear' a 1U cooling fan during a recording..
unless of course you play really really quiet... like so you don't wake up the pixies..
and if you do... you'd never pass the audition to Clarky's band...
I'd prefer to not be able to hear the police kicking down my front door..
so I don't have to re-take the track of course...

EDIT: and with respect to the internal lava
the 2U looks 1U cooler..
the differences pretty much end there..
 
You're probably gonna run into 75% matrix users here. Including myself. I used to use a old QSC RMX power amp and going to a matrix was like night and day in terms of clean sounding power and the weight.
 
Carvin DCM200L here :)
I think it's the lightest amp of all, 1U and less than 4lib.
Run it with a 4x12 in stereo and it's doing the job with a heavy hands drummer without a problem.
Cost 1/4 of the Matrix.
My 2nd amp is the old and trusty Mesa 2:90 which obviously has ton of power and more bite but also weight like 8 DCM200L :miserable:
 
+1 on the Matrix. I have a gt1500fxbd with a gt800fx as a backup. They sound and feel great, they are light and loud as you could ever need. Used to have a Marshall vs8008 but that didn't work for me, also tried with the big old 9100 valve power amp and that didn't work for me either. Not tried a mesa or carvin as they are either too heavy or hard to find to try out.

Spence

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 
I've actually played my Axe II out live using 3 different power amps: Mesa 20/20 tube amp, Randall RT2/50 tube amp (while my 20/20 was in the shop), and Matrix GT1000FX 1U. I actually didn't like the Matrix at first, although I hadn't done any tweaking - I just replaced the Mesa 20/20 in my rack to give it a try. But now that I've tweaked my Axe settings (albeit very minor tweaking - pretty much just the recommendations on the Matrix site), the Matrix is now my main power amp. I still love the Mesa 20/20; and while I love the Randall RT2/50 even more, it's just WAY too heavy for me to be practical. But now that I have my Axe II tweaked to my liking to compensate for it, as well as for weight reasons, I'm sticking with the Matrix.
 
Just want to add that in-between the Mosvalve-MV962 and Matrix GT1000FX, I actually purchased a Rocktron Velocity 300 and did not like it at all. Some folks like it but for me just didn't work at all. I only mention this because I think in some aspects you get what you pay for. The Matrix GT1000FX is worth the money and sounds great. It captures the feel of a tube amp and is a perfect fit for the Axe-FX II IMO.
 
Just throwing this out there and not to get in the debate here on amps - but why not forget the power amps and go direct? Do you just not like active monitors, or what to take on the expense or like an amp and cab better?

Curious as to what motivates or influences your rig choices.

Steve
 
I have a Matrix Gt800FX power amp. I get rave reviews on my live tone, every one from the sound guy to a drunk punter. It does not sound anywhere near as big as a valve power amp from a players position, but the Matrix is deceiving, step away 20ft from your rig and you can't tell the difference. If valve amps were consistant sounding the same every day, didn't chew through tubes, were light weight and slotted into a single space rack, I'd be running one for sure. But they don't so I run the Matrix.
 
So do you mic your real cab instead of using line signal?

One of the main reasons I have the Axe is so my sound stays exactly the same on every gig and I have zero mic bleed and even though I'm kicking my cab down the stage I can still rock n roll... :D
 
Nothing digital renders an EF86 in a Vox or Matchless. But it's a pain in the ass to power-up the amp waiting for the tubes to warm up and eventually hear the sizzle and "thump" from just one of eight faulty tubes.
I'm through with that. The Matrix GT1000FX are near, not there, but it's kicking-in it's tone right after a few minutes.
 
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