What's so special about Matrix GT1000?

[plexi59]

>> giving a "looser" feel and a more open sound that we genuinely believe to be the closest a solid state amp has come to valves

I don't see how this could be, if they also promise a linear frequency response and low THD

 

[karmakarmakarma]

The GT1000 feels punchier and sounds more open and alive than the other 3 solid state power amps I own. Don't know why, but it does.

 

[LVC]

>> Matrix is designed for guitar playing

See, I don't understand what that means, exactly. I understand what this means in a tube amp (high frequency roll-off, loose negative feedback loop to get gentle compression when cranked), but not in a solid state, linear one. And they don't have any specs other than power rating, so I can't tell. Therefore, it just sounds like marketing bullshit to me.

Read post 16 -- info from their website.

It feels like a valve amp. What else can I say other than it does. The only way you are going to find out for yourself is to try it.

Like I said before, I come from the tube side of the world ... and I will say this .... one of the main reasons why I feel comfortable gigging with the Axe is the Matrix amp.

I play a lot of r&b/soul/funk and some smooth jazz when I gig. Dynamics are a big part of those genres. The Matrix amp in combination with the Q12 or the NL12 delivers the types of dynamics and tones I am used to with tube amps. With the NL12 the experience is 100% "tubular" :lol

Other than personal experience, no spec sheet or forum post will convey what it feels like to play the set up I am currently using.

I am just glad that my current set up has eliminated any need to keep hunting for Axe-FX amplification solutions.

 

[plexi59]

Maybe I'll just get both, and get rid of the one I don't like then.

 

[kisslorand]

Good choice, than you can explain us why you kept the chosen one.

 

[vAmp]

As far as the Axe goes ... I am done. My current set up (GT1000FX/NL12) is golden!

But didn't you already acquire the 2x12 as well?
I seem to remember people asking you for another iPhone demo of them, and then I lost track.

 

[LVC]

But didn't you already acquire the 2x12 as well?
I seem to remember people asking you for another iPhone demo of them, and then I lost track.

Nope

I have 2 NL12 cabs.

At some point it would be nice to get a NL2x12 if for no other reason than to have one. I really do not need it.

 

[PacoCasanovasOld]

Therefore, it just sounds like marketing bullshit to me.

just try for your self and see if it sounds like marketing bullshit for you! It doesn't for me....got a Q12a, which I like! The so called "tube feel" came from the MOSFET transfer characteristics, which where similar to valve amps. This is not bullshit - it's called physics


cheers
Paco

 

[BBN]

Nope -- no need to. I am perfectly happy with what I have. It works splendidly for me.

Thanks for confirming.
This is great context in revealing that your knowledge of SS power amps is very narrow.

 

[LVC]

Thanks for confirming.
This is great context in revealing that your knowledge of SS power amps is very narrow.

Because I stopped looking when I found something that worked for me?

I might not be from the "Pod" generation but my knowledge and experience with tube amps is very broad and as a result I knew exactly what I was looking for and found it with my current setup!:mrgreen

 

[sam]

I recall something about slower attack, but can't remember where I heard that. I would be interested to learn more about this mysterious aspect of matrix amps.

 

[supersonic]

I recall something about slower attack, but can't remember where I heard that. I would be interested to learn more about this mysterious aspect of matrix amps.

Yes I think your right, it has a type of sag as opposed to the immediacy of a typical SS amp. I have a GT800FX and although I have no idea how it is built I don't really care, it sounds great!

 

[BigD1977]

I'll be honest, I trust manufacturer claims the same way as I trust Facebooks claims of data safety, unless it is bolstered up by hard evidence and testing.

I don't really get why people going to a FRFR setup would want a valve or valve feel amp. What I mean is, the power amp stage distortion is already handled by the Axe. The cabinet feel is already simulated through IRs and the speaker resonance page does a lot for the feel of the amp in the room. Surely all that is needed is raw power with a flat frequency response and good slew rate after that?

Are we STILL caught up in tubes (and their characteristics), even when they may not be relevant on our setups?

I don't need a 1000W amp. I feed directly to the board and use onstage speakers with my Axe. Always have done. Previously I got good levels for my needs out of a Samson 200W studio amp into decent speakers, and only changed to a powered monitor setup because I wanted to save space in the rack.

Are people being led to solutions they don't need, or that are overkill?

 

[romanianreaper]

>> Matrix is designed for guitar playing

See, I don't understand what that means, exactly. I understand what this means in a tube amp (high frequency roll-off, loose negative feedback loop to get gentle compression when cranked), but not in a solid state, linear one. And they don't have any specs other than power rating, so I can't tell. Therefore, it just sounds like marketing bullshit to me.

No offense but your comments thru this entire post have seemed like you are irritated by the Matrix GT1000FX. I have played thru tube amps my entire life and when I purchased the AxeFX-II, I wanted a great, transparent amp to match with it. I have never played thru the other amps but never needed to. When I plugged into the Matrix GT1000FX, it sounded better than the Mosvalve MV-962 and Rocktron Velocity 300 that I used.

A lot of the Matrix stuff is geared toward guitar players whereas some of the other companies make P.A. equipment, power amps for DJs, etc. When I plugged into the Matrix, it made me forget I was not playing thru a tube setup. That is exactly what I wanted to accomplish. If you don't like Matrix stuff, that is certainly your choice but I normally try something out before slamming it. For example, some folks liked the Rocktron Velocity 300 with the AxeFX-II and I absolutely hated it.

 

[plexi59]

I'm not irritated, I just don't like to be fed bologna. I'm an engineer by training (EE/CS), I don't buy into marketing claims just because it says so on the manufacturer's site.

 

[plexi59]

Yes I think your right, it has a type of sag as opposed to the immediacy of a typical SS amp. I have a GT800FX and although I have no idea how it is built I don't really care, it sounds great!

Sag is basically overloaded power supply. You might be on to something with this. This could also explain why they're so light. But that would only manifest at close to max output power, so I doubt people actually ever hear this in practice.

 

[zenaxe]

No offense but your comments thru this entire post have seemed like you are irritated by the Matrix GT1000FX. I have played thru tube amps my entire life and when I purchased the AxeFX-II, I wanted a great, transparent amp to match with it. I have never played thru the other amps but never needed to. When I plugged into the Matrix GT1000FX, it sounded better than the Mosvalve MV-962 and Rocktron Velocity 300 that I used.

A lot of the Matrix stuff is geared toward guitar players whereas some of the other companies make P.A. equipment, power amps for DJs, etc. When I plugged into the Matrix, it made me forget I was not playing thru a tube setup. That is exactly what I wanted to accomplish. If you don't like Matrix stuff, that is certainly your choice but I normally try something out before slamming it. For example, some folks liked the Rocktron Velocity 300 with the AxeFX-II and I absolutely hated it.

I don't think he is irritated, I think he is getting the cognitive dissonance created by seeing through all the hype the Matrix gets here and is confused by it.

Assuming the AxeFx is as truly accurate a modeling device as it is supposed to be, then tonewise, the key requirement for the amplifier in the rig is that it simply be a high quality linear audio amplifier (in fact, given all the tone shaping capability the Axe has it can probably even overcome some limitations of the power amp frequency response ). The Matrix DOES INDEED fit into that category and is in a nice, well made, convenient (1U), package that has a lot of merit BUT some people here advocate it constantly and in doing so, use some superlatives that seem to imply that there is something special going on wrt to that particular product tonally compared to other audio amplifiers which sets off hype detectors for some.

In fact, there was a gear page thread a year back or so on the Matrix phenomenon in the AFX community and Jay Mitchell did a good job (in my mind) of pressing the case that the Matrix was a good amp but hardly "special" wrt use with the AxeFx in regards to tone/response and apparently he had even done some lab testing using one that indicated as much. So, if you can live with an amp that has a different foot print (not many quality high power 1U class AB amps), there should be a number of class AB power amps that are sufficiently linear/loud/etc that would be highly suitable for use with an AxeFX.

IMHO.

 

[BigD1977]

I don't think he is irritated, I think he is getting the cognitive dissonance created by seeing through all the hype the Matrix gets here and is confused by it.

Assuming the AxeFx is as truly accurate a modeling device as it is supposed to be, then tonewise, the key requirement for the amplifier in the rig is that it simply be a high quality linear audio amplifier (in fact, given all the tone shaping capability the Axe has it can probably even overcome some limitations of the power amp frequency response ). The Matrix DOES INDEED fit into that category and is in a nice, well made, convenient (1U), package that has a lot of merit BUT some people here advocate it constantly and in doing so, use some superlatives that seem to imply that there is something special going on wrt to that particular product tonally compared to other audio amplifiers which sets off hype detectors for some.

In fact, there was a gear page thread a year back or so on the Matrix phenomenon in the AFX community and Jay Mitchell did a good job (in my mind) of pressing the case that the Matrix was a good amp but hardly "special" wrt use with the AxeFx in regards to tone/response and apparently he had even done some lab testing using one that indicated as much. So, if you can live with an amp that has a different foot print (not many quality high power 1U class AB amps), there should be a number of class AB power amps that are sufficiently linear/loud/etc that would be highly suitable for use with an AxeFX.

IMHO.

You sir, are another voice of reason in here.

Reading all about the Matrix from posters is understandable. Quoting from their website sent my hype detector into the red. LOL!

You're last paragraph confirmed what I thought, although I'll read it at source before I shout it from the rooftops.... internet scepticism, you see!

 

[BigD1977]

...A lot of the Matrix stuff is geared toward guitar players...

How, though? I'd like to see the reasoning behind it. I'm not saying it's wrong to say that, I'm just saying that I would like to see some proof or at least testing before I would say the same thing myself, you know?

 

[LVC]

You sir, are another voice of reason in here.

Reading all about the Matrix from posters is understandable. Quoting from their website sent my hype detector into the red. LOL!

You're last paragraph confirmed what I thought, although I'll read it at source before I shout it from the rooftops.... internet scepticism, you see!

Join the club --

Every time I see a CLR post about "what you put in is what you get out" or Jay Mitchell quoted as the definitive authority on all things Axe-FX related my bullshit meter red lines as well.