Simple Axe-FX question: Why do some people prefer a tube power amp and a guitar cab over the monitor speaker solution?
Depends on their ears man, some people just *prefer* that tube sound and others prefer the FRFR sound. It really goes back to the individual... and the most important question is not what other people prefer, or why, but what *you* prefer. What sounds good to your ears is what matters most, it's your money and your gear. Choose wisely!
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Are the cab simulations just not great? Or does the tube power amp let the Axe-FX cut the mix and sound like a real amp a bit more?
I think the stock cabs are pretty good starting points. Between those choices and the choices you have for EQ, etc, you've got a *lot* of ground covered. The trick is to tweak with your *ears*, not your eyes. Don't dial up a RectoNew sim and Recto2 cab on the axe and think you're done... that whatever forum x, y or z says you should dial a *real* recto to, will get you there on the AxeFX. More often than not, it won't. But there's Wikis, tutorials, the Axe forums and YT for sharing/creating patches. I use 2 QSC K10s and while some will say they're not the *best* option, I'm happy with the way they sound. To me I can get *tube* sounds and feel from stock cabs and these monitors. YMMV.
Is there anything you lose out on by using a tube poweramp? For example, does a regular guitar cab have the range to do some of the more "wacky" effects that the axe-fx is capable of?
I don't know of any *loss*, maybe others could comment... I think it's the job of the speaker/cab/monitor to reproduce frequencies, not sure how much special sauce could be *missing* from a tube power amp. To most folks, if anything, the tube amp *adds* that special sauce. But again, it's up to you to decide.
If I go to the tube power amp route, will I still have to have the volume fairly high to get good tones? I need this to work at bedroom volumes, so maybe the active Atomic FR cab is the best solution?
Hopefully someone else will field this one. My understanding is that no, you don't have to have them cranked at all, as they are adding some of their own flavor to the mix, but most of the *ooomph* is still coming from Axe and how it is dialed in. The patches will definitely sound different at low and high volumes, but to my knowledge there's no prerequisite that it be *cranked* to really shine when playing solo or jamming...
One last question, I promise! How does an powered Atomic cab compare to a QSC K series speaker (or behringer truth/etc)? They should be very similar, other than tube vs. solid, correct? Any recommendations here, considering the similar price range? Does one blow the other out of the water?
That's a whole can of worms. Despite being at similar price points, and having similar goals, I think *how* they accomplish that is what makes them very different. I don't think they'll sound similar, nor should they. I don't know which one is *better*. I use the K series and like it. Maybe I'd like the atomic cab more if I tried it... don't know until I do. Same with you, you're gonna need to get the box and pick a route and hopefully get some ideas along the way (clips, forums, etc). You might find that the Atomic is more suited to you, or might find the opposite. The plus side is that no matter which way you go, if you just buy *one* and try it out, you can get *some* of your coin back should you opt to sell it.
Good luck
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