Who has gone FRFR and prefers the sound?

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Inspired
I'm increasing finding myself only playing through my Axe FX II -> EV ELX 112P setup, and actually preferring it to a live amp. I'm not gigging at the moment and living in a Chicago apartment, I simply cannot get to the right volume with my PWE Event Horizon to truly enjoy it. To be honest, I've actually considered selling the darn thing for a while now since I almost exclusively play through my FRFR rig, with the exception of my little Swart Atomic Jr... sometimes simplicity wins out ;)

Anyone else here go to FRFR and not miss the "amp in the room" sound at all? I honestly don't and with how far the firmware has come, I feel like my current setup gives me all the amp in the room feel I could ask for.
 
I think AxeFX into FRFR vs. AxeFX in guitar cab vs. real amp are all slightly different variations on a theme, each with their own pros and cons. IMHO, if you can't make good music with all of them, it's not the gear that's in question.
 
I tried FRFR many times from the Axe Fx ultra through Axe Fx 2 and although the IR's are sounding better, I still prefer using my 4 x 12 cabs or 2 x 12. I'm sure people will call me a dinosaur, but I prefer the sound of several 12" speakers moving air. I use a Matrix GT1000fx or a Mesa Boogie 2 90 which I prefer over the Matrix because it sounds brighter and fuller to my ears. The sound is huge! I'm sure the time will come when I'll have to use FRFR just because of convinience and the new UltraRes IR's sound better than ever. I've been experimenting mixing the UltraRes IR's with CabLab 2 and I'm very impressed with the results!
 
I also used my Axe 2 and Standard through an EV ELX 112P or my old school Atomic 18watt. Love it both ways. I have not had a gig yet that makes me want to go back to a tube amp.
 
I've been mainly direct since the 90's. I'm use to the technic's involved. Been thru a lot of evolutions from a rockman xpr rack mount pre, Marshall jmp1, rocktron prophesy, vox tonelab to name a few. All frfr setups. 2+ years now with the axe. Don't miss an actual guitar amp. Still love when I have an opportunity to use a great amp but (never say never) I don't plan on changing back. I love the axe direct to frfr. Especially when I get to hear it thru an awesome FOH system - sounds much better than a mic'd amp (IMO). Gotta use what inspires you, if you're digging it - rock on and don't worry about what you're using....make music !
 
Combination of FRFR on stage, and direct to the mains, ever since I bought the Ultra, and so it remains with the II. I still love a good amp, but I get too much from the Axe Fx II to swap back. For me, FRFR gets the finished sound I want. It's a personal thing, though, and some will like power amps and guitar cabs better. The beauty of this unit is that you can, indeed, have it your way.
 
I also use my Axe FXII FRFR through 2 EV ELX 112p's. Been playing this way the last 6 months and although I still have all my amps and cabinets I'm sticking to the FRFR setup for now.
 
Its kind of all one and the same, because anytime you record your guitar and play it back, your basically getting the FRFR sound, regardless of cab sim or mic'd real cab. Same for pretty much anyone who goes to a show and listens to your performance, they are again hearing it through a FRFR system, even if its playing back a mic'd cab.

The sound of a real cab, as we hear it, "amp in room" tone, really doesn't translate to much. Its all well and good, but whats the point really if you can't share that sound with listeners at home, or in the crowd ?
 
almost a year now I've been FRFR and it just gets better and better as I tweak and dial in each preset to perfection. I was 100 watt tube amps for 25 years, never again.
 
Ive been FR/FR for a couple of years now. I still have my tube amps but I dont use them much. The worst part is when my drummer gets into the set and bashes his kit so hard he takes upa most of the highs with his cymbals...flippin drummers. :D
 
I tend to favor FRFR even though I have a Matrix GT1000FX and a Mesa 4X12. I'd probably use that setup more, except I keep cranking it to the point of blowing fuses on the isolation transformer that I plug everything into. I've reached a point now where when I want "amp in the room", I just plug into my JCM 800 and get all the "amp in the room" I want. :encouragement: But I'm finding myself needing that less and less because the tones from FRFR are just so awesome.
 
It took me a year to get used to and get my head around using the cab sims with an FR monitor. It's been FR for 5 years now and I haven't looked back, I don't miss a cab or the directional headaches they bring.
 
For on stage monitoring I prefer FRFR (stereo is best).

I stick to traditional speakers when playing smaller venues without a FOH system, using the cabinet to fill the room.
 
When I bought my AxeFX Ultra in 2010 I moved from traditional tube guitar amps (1x12 combos) to AxeFX - > FRFR powered monitor altogether. This wasn't a difficult transition for me as I'd grown accustomed over the years to hearing myself (my amps speaker mic'd) play through monitors and headphones. I've not once reconsidered this decision. I kept one tube combo amp but I can count on one hand the number of times I have turned it on since the day the Ultra arrived some 4 years ago. The amp is now up for sale as I'm now certain that I will never use it again. The AxeFX II / CLR rig just works better for me than amps ever did.
 
I've been going FRFR for over a year. We play in pubs, some of them quite small, and it allows us to set the overall volume to fit the venue. On Saturday we were asked to turn down halfway through the first set because the police were visiting a private party further up the street. It took one second to move the FOH slider, whilst leaving the monitors and the on-stage mix unchanged.


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I've been using my Axe through my marshall 4x12 as well as my monitors. I really wanted the FRFR set up to maximise the most out of the Axe but could never get used to the sound through the speakers I had tried. I only just last week received my FRFR 2x12 from Matrix and its the best of both worlds for me. Highly recommend checking it out! I get the best from the Axe using the FRFR speakers as well as the "in the room" sound with the cab. I couldn't be happier. I doubt I'll ever by a tube head again with this set up!
 
"last week received my FRFR 2x12 from Matrix"

MickBoy … if you are refering to the Matrix NL212 … my understanding is that this is not FRFR … I could be wrong.
 
I'm really glad the Fractal products work fantastically in either context, TBH. I can easily switch between a 2x12 Power amp Rig, and powered monitors/direct recording setups with ease, and I have mind crushingly good tone in either context. Why compromise? LOL.
 
zenaxe said:
I'm really glad the Fractal products work fantastically in either context, TBH. I can easily switch between a 2x12 Power amp Rig, and powered monitors/direct recording setups with ease, and I have mind crushingly good tone in either context. Why compromise? LOL.
Click to expand...

This weekend I used both. GT1000FX + 2x12 behind me, and 2 CLRs in front of me. Bliss! :)
 
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