Is FRFR the future for us? Anyone Using Matrix Gear with an Axe FX II?

[coreypla]

OP here. Fat and sassy after eating my body weight in eggs and red meat. (does anyone on this forum like that stuff as well? or bourbon too?)


To the matter at hand:
Just so that I am clear, I do record and play a lot through my Yamaha HS5 speakers. Is that 'like' a FRFR setup? A few of you had mentioned studio monitors and I was wondering if that is what you were getting at. I should have clarified but I was talking about a FRFR cabinet (like a 212 or something of the like). If it's really no different than playing through my Yammy's then let me know ASAP!

My cabinet is garbage.....I promise you it's not my only cabinet. I bought it as a throwaway cab to leave in a jam space with some guys that I don't jam with anymore. I don't have a hundo to burn....but I felt like I wouldn't miss the $100 cabinet if something crazy happened.....ya never know.

I also have an old 80's Randall Snakeskin Half Stack. I have no clue what is in the 4x12 Cabinet but it looks amazing! I also have a Custom Built Cabinet from a company called electric amp at electricamp.com. It's very nice looking as well and has Eminence Man O War Speakers in it. I wanted V30's but was young and got persuaded to the MOW for metal by the company. I also have a Carvin 2X12 with the GT12 speakers in it. I just use the POS Marshall Cabinet for convenience.

Ultimately there has been a lot for me to consider here.....and I think I was just successfully talked out of buying a FRFR cabinet. For some reason, I thought it was going to be this ear shattering result that would make me drool and cringe in ecstasy every time I looked at my Axe-FX FRFR setup. But a lot of you kind folk seem to be claiming that a Power Amp through a traditional Speaker Cab is, indeed, the way to go.

Any final thoughts from either side? Still kind of giving this one last consideration nudge.

 

[coreypla]

@Milipitas Monster....

I see that cat tree in the corner. Let's get some pictures of that feline friend and co-shredder!

OP, I too am strictly bedroom minus the recording. Maybe my "rig logic" can help you out in some way. For my illustration, just substitute your fractal for my Kemper. First pic then signal chain:

Rig one: Kemper--->studio monitors. I am experimenting in stereo and learning midi.
Rig two: Kemper--->Fryette PS2--->Mesa cab or Front of amp pedals--->K--->PS2--->cab
Rig three: front of amp--->line in PS2, effects loop pedals--->PS2 effects loop---> cab
My "Luddite" Rig! No tweaking or thinking necessary!!

Many things are possible with the PS2. Hope this helps you or anyone else.
Good luck!

 

[coreypla]

What cabinet are we talking about here? Sounds a lot like my setup:

Axe-FX Body Spray -> Matrix SS Power Amp -> crap cab on purpose because lazy


I have been thinking about grabbing a Legacy Cabinet with V30's in it ...last I checked it was cheaper than the speakers themselves....but that's not the case anymore.....why would Carvin increase the price now?

I have both setups (and a tube rig) but:

AxeFx->Power Amp->Cab

Is the one that rules them all (prefer it over the tube amps, too). I do use a solid state power amp with the Axe's power amp modeling but the cab is the real deal. Thanks.

 

[coreypla]

I do feel kind of like an idiot with all these IR's that I can't use in my setup though.......it's such a cool capability to have when all I do is shut it off while jamming!

Power amp > cab.
Saves you having to deal with 'cab simulation' and those endless swathes of ir's when all you just wanna do is jam.
Hell even for home recording i'd prefer to mic something up than go silent/direct, you gotta be listening to your tone over monitors anyway so have it no louder than that (and use a di/reamp box if you don't want to pick up string noise when you're playing in the room).

 

[coreypla]

I like this analogy a lot. I wouldn't mind the options...but I don't know if I could fully appreciate them all or get much use out of it besides occasionally!!

If Frequency is color palette, FRFR is like having one of those big boxes of crayons with all the weird names and guitar speakers are like having one of the small boxes with the basic colors and a few oddballs. Obviously, if all you ever need is black, white, brown, and red, there's no need for the big box, but if you like using burnt orange, chartreuse, or robin's egg blue, even occasionally, they're not in the small box. It's all personal preference, ultimately.

 

[Milpitas Monster]

Salami...Salami...Bologna.





Lol@ 2008 pedalboard. I miss the Ibby puzzle🤔

 

[budda]

To answer the thread title at face value, there are always going to be people who run traditional rigs, people who use new technology to run traditional rigs (oh I see you have a mark IV sim into a PPC412 sim boosted with a TS808? ) and then there's going to be the handful of people who actually do something different with modern tech.

I have no issue with the kemper or fractal camps - they do what they do well. I just happen to go for a sound that an early 80's JCM800 2203 does really well.

 

[Shask]

OP here. Fat and sassy after eating my body weight in eggs and red meat. (does anyone on this forum like that stuff as well? or bourbon too?)


To the matter at hand:
Just so that I am clear, I do record and play a lot through my Yamaha HS5 speakers. Is that 'like' a FRFR setup? A few of you had mentioned studio monitors and I was wondering if that is what you were getting at. I should have clarified but I was talking about a FRFR cabinet (like a 212 or something of the like). If it's really no different than playing through my Yammy's then let me know ASAP!

My cabinet is garbage.....I promise you it's not my only cabinet. I bought it as a throwaway cab to leave in a jam space with some guys that I don't jam with anymore. I don't have a hundo to burn....but I felt like I wouldn't miss the $100 cabinet if something crazy happened.....ya never know.

I also have an old 80's Randall Snakeskin Half Stack. I have no clue what is in the 4x12 Cabinet but it looks amazing! I also have a Custom Built Cabinet from a company called electric amp at electricamp.com. It's very nice looking as well and has Eminence Man O War Speakers in it. I wanted V30's but was young and got persuaded to the MOW for metal by the company. I also have a Carvin 2X12 with the GT12 speakers in it. I just use the POS Marshall Cabinet for convenience.

Ultimately there has been a lot for me to consider here.....and I think I was just successfully talked out of buying a FRFR cabinet. For some reason, I thought it was going to be this ear shattering result that would make me drool and cringe in ecstasy every time I looked at my Axe-FX FRFR setup. But a lot of you kind folk seem to be claiming that a Power Amp through a traditional Speaker Cab is, indeed, the way to go.

Any final thoughts from either side? Still kind of giving this one last consideration nudge.

Yes, using studio monitors are basically a FRFR setup. A "FRFR Setup" is basically the same thing, but in a larger, more durable package you can drag around.

A lot of this just depends on what you like to hear. A FRFR setup basically sounds like a recording of an amp. A traditional setup sounds like the amp in the room. If you Google "FRFR vs amp in the room", you can research until your eyes bleed. I have noticed that most guys who love FRFR love to switch sounds. They want the sound of a Marshall 412 stack, then the sound of a Vox 212 combo, then the sound of a 110 Fender combo, etc.... many of the poweramp/cab guys are only going after a few sounds like they would with a traditional amp.

I have also noticed that a lot of younger people grew up on digital modelers, and playing through their computer/iPad with headphones. The FRFR sound is more what they are used to hearing. Older people, like me, tend to prefer the traditional setup because we grew up playing actual amps in our bedrooms because computers where not really around yet.

 

[coreypla]

Milpitas Monster

looks like we are rocking very similar setups!


photo sharing


photo sharing


photo sharing


photo sharing

 

[Milpitas Monster]

Your cumley kitty has excellent taste in people! Ragdolls rule!!

It seems you have everything you need. You are already going into studios and you can use your Randall half stack.
Tubes or SS? Effects loop?

 

[coreypla]

Ragdolls are great. I doubt mine will get as fluffy as Salami.
He must be a male I'm guessing?

Me and the Mrs. have two Ragdolls and a shelter tabby. I
really think that Ragdolls are the quintessential cat.....sweet, loving, walking throw pillows.

I wish I had a better picture of the Randall. It's an all tube set-up, one of the earlier models. I think it's a Randall RG100ES



I also have a Peavey XXX Tube head (the first version with the mudflap girls)
and one of the new Backstar heads the ID series with TVP, which is Solid State.

Overall, I really like using the Fractal unit. I'm sure the Kemper is the star of bedroom setup for you. I have heard amazing things about those.

I don't go into studios at all as a bedroom player. I just use my laptop and record my own pieces to the best of my limited ability.
It's not perfect, but it's something. I play everything except for drums....that's where the MIDI comes in.

I refinished a few guitars last year and did a video showing them off. Got some pretty good shots of the cats too:

Your cumley kitty has excellent taste in people! Ragdolls rule!!

It seems you have everything you need. You are already going into studios and you can use your Randall half stack.
Tubes or SS? Effects loop?

 

[Milpitas Monster]

Haha...his name is Yoshi. The salami reference is from Popeye. I meant studio monitors.

I dig your refinishes especially the Jem and the JPM. Is the board on the Jem scalloped?
I also dig the tones you are getting. You have a great space there to jam and record with your kitties!

P.S. I dunno if you have space for a full size FrFR setup

 

[coreypla]

I do remember that reference....but I forgot where it was from!

The JEM is some RG7420 with an RG7620 neck on it that I bought off of this site very cheap. I really wanted the pickups out of the guitar, but then the seller mentioned he was selling the whole kitten-caboodle for next to nothing. I couldn't resist. The seller (or some previous owner) had scalloped the board all the way, every fret. And had also routed a very convincing monkey grip.

I think everyone here talked me out of FRFR for the next five years or so. Maybe once I upgrade from apartment to home-ownership I can think about getting some bigger gear slices. Maybe then there will even be an Axe-FX 4 and some new developments in sound/FRFR setups.

Here's to the future!

Haha...his name is Yoshi. The salami reference is from Popeye. I meant studio monitors.

I dig your refinishes especially the Jem and the JPM. Is the board on the Jem scalloped?
I also dig the tones you are getting. You have a great space there to jam and record with your kitties!

P.S. I dunno if you have space for a full size FrFR setup