Tested out some FRFR/active speakers with a Helix today

Bridgehouse

Sporky said:

Drew_TNBD said:

Yeah, trouser flap is a big thing for me.

There's no replacement for displacement.

Tell me about it. The port on my bass cab makes my falsies chatter of their own free will..

Jonathanthomas83

@TimmyO I'm looking at the specs for a CLR and it says its about 500g heavier than the DXR10, does that sound correct? I always imagined they were heavy. 

Im getting tempted by the CLR as it's a got a lower power output than the Yamaha and may be better at bedroom volume, what do you think? Feel like I'm battling the DXRs a bit.

Beexter

I've got no problem with the DXR10 at bedroom volume - it's absolutely fine.The multiple inputs mean I can jam along with whatever I want.

Worked well at ear-ringing level for band rehearsal too. 

Compact, reasonably light, what's not to like? 

Jonathanthomas83

@Beexter what are you setting the volume on the rear side at? I guess I have mine set too high and thats leaving very little play in my Axe master volume control...the slightest movement on that and it's blaring.

Cabicular

Drew_TNBD said:

So honestly guys....

Modeller + powered monitor ... versus amp + traditional 4x12 cab....

Which sounds better? Personally I struggle to believe that a powered monitor running impulses will sound as good as a 4x12 cab with v30's in it. But I have zero experience to base that on, so it's entirely prejudice! Although even @clarky prefers 4x12 cabs as I recall!

Anyone playing my kind of music with this stuff? IE: Metal or hard-rock...

Until a few weeks ago I would have said 4x12s and be gone with anyone who thinks otherwise
Then I got forced into a situation where I couldn't bring cabs or poweramp and had to go PA only
it wasnt terrible in fact I quite liked it
next gig I tired it again with a bit more Eq and tweaking
and I liked it more
next couple of gigs I tuned the monitor mixes more and it sounded great onstage
took a wander with the wireless and it sounded even better out front in stereo
Long story short ... Im a believer 

Bridgehouse

If Barefaced ever made guitar cabs you lot wouldn't know what to do with yourselves

RandallFlagg

Beexter said:

I've got no problem with the DXR10 at bedroom volume - it's absolutely fine.The multiple inputs mean I can jam along with whatever I want.

Worked well at ear-ringing level for band rehearsal too. 

Compact, reasonably light, what's not to like? 

I tried a DXR10 with my Helix for a few days and returned it, I have previously had a CLR with and AxeFX II in 2015 and sold that and the AxeFX as well.

The problem I had is that they just sound too hi fi, I tried so hard and wanted to like it so much as I love the idea of FRFR, but try as I might I just could not get that fat woody mid range sound that you get from a good valve amp and guitar speaker.

I love the Helix for direct recording and through my nearfields but I also love having a valve amp and plugging the Helix into it and using it for effects only.

Best of both worlds.

TimmyO

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@TimmyO I'm looking at the specs for a CLR and it says its about 500g heavier than the DXR10, does that sound correct? I always imagined they were heavy. 

Im getting tempted by the CLR as it's a got a lower power output than the Yamaha and may be better at bedroom volume, what do you think? Feel like I'm battling the DXRs a bit.

re the weight, I think the figure on the Atomic website is wrong - in the MANUAL (also on the Atomic website) it says 45lb, as it does on the Andertons listing - and that would chime with how it felt moving them around - that the Yamaha was about 5kg lighter. 

The CLR is good - and it looks a fair bit cooler than a PA-style cab. 

guitarpolo

I think the new v2 CLRs, with the Neo-magnet speaker, are lighter....I've got a feeling the 45 lb is for the v1. Not 100% though.

Beexter

Jonathanthomas83 said:

@Beexter what are you setting the volume on the rear side at? I guess I have mine set too high and thats leaving very little play in my Axe master volume control...the slightest movement on that and it's blaring.

@Jonathanthomas83 I'm plugging into the XLR input on the back and running the volume on the Yamaha at 12 o'clock ( there's a detent on the knob at this position) 

TimmyO

I didn't have any trouble controlling volume in either direction on either unit - had both input gains on the units at noon and they were v close in volume and controllable from the Helix volume knob 

guitarfishbay

You can also use other volume controls for fine control, like the level in the amp models.

There is a view on the unit that gives you the percentages of the output knobs so you can go back to the same at a later date. I think it might be in IO but I can't check right now

bluechargeboy

Excuse me I'm having a bit of a revelation here. My band (in which I play acoustic guitar) needs a new monitor. We had an EV something-or-other that we killed. So I could get us a new monitor, which could then be compatible with a fancy modelling device such as Helix for home use? So I could use it as a monitor onstage, and then pretend I have Triple Rectifiers and Deluxe Reverbs and whatnot at home?

And then if I end up joining a band playing electric guitar with modeller, I can either go through the PA or through the EV EXL112 or whatever? Are these FRFR/monitor speakers usable in lieu of an amp and keep up with a drummer if you are doing small gig with a vocal-only PA etc?

Sorry for all the questions but I only just realised that FRFR was jargon for an active monitor.

Jonathanthomas83

Thanks guys, I'll have a look. I will say that the master volume taper on the Helix is a LOT better than it is on my Axe FX II XL, don't know if it's any better on the other Axe FX models. So maybe that's where I'm struggling.

guitarfishbay

I don't understand why you'd be messing with the master so much? At home when I was using a poweramp and speakers I set the master, left it, did everything else from the patches. You've got fine control of the level by fractions of decibels on the blocks.

guitarfishbay

Now I'm using digital and my interface has been set to the same volume for weeks. I use my Axe FX in my Logic X projects and use the channel volume controls.

Bridgehouse

bluechargeboy said:

Excuse me I'm having a bit of a revelation here. My band (in which I play acoustic guitar) needs a new monitor. We had an EV something-or-other that we killed. So I could get us a new monitor, which could then be compatible with a fancy modelling device such as Helix for home use? So I could use it as a monitor onstage, and then pretend I have Triple Rectifiers and Deluxe Reverbs and whatnot at home?

And then if I end up joining a band playing electric guitar with modeller, I can either go through the PA or through the EV EXL112 or whatever? Are these FRFR/monitor speakers usable in lieu of an amp and keep up with a drummer if you are doing small gig with a vocal-only PA etc?

Sorry for all the questions but I only just realised that FRFR was jargon for an active monitor.

Not all FRFR active monitors are created equally. You can use any active monitor with a modeller - but it's best to find one that gets the best out of your modeller rather than assuming any old active FRFR will sound great for guitar duty..

guitarfishbay

@Jonathanthomas83 there's a global gain slider on the Global EQ page IIRC too if you're finding the main knob too fiddly and don't want to use the levels within the patch.

I'd set it so 0 is the max you'd want and drop it down to what you need, then you'd have some leeway. I'm not at my Axe now but IIRC it allows some fine control and should work for what you want

Jonathanthomas83

guitarfishbay said:

I don't understand why you'd be messing with the master so much? At home when I was using a poweramp and speakers I set the master, left it, did everything else from the patches. You've got fine control of the level by fractions of decibels on the blocks.

Thank you so much for all your help mate, I really appreciate it. This is mainly just me being new to it all really...for years I've used master volume on the amp to get levels correct, I just need to learn to use amp level's as you say. :-)

guitarfishbay

Jonathanthomas83 said:

guitarfishbay said:

I don't understand why you'd be messing with the master so much? At home when I was using a poweramp and speakers I set the master, left it, did everything else from the patches. You've got fine control of the level by fractions of decibels on the blocks.

Thank you so much for all your help mate, I really appreciate it. This is mainly just me being new to it all really...for years I've used master volume on the amp to get levels correct, I just need to learn to use amp level's as you say. :-)

There's a lot of ways to do things so I guess you just need to find what works for you.

At least you're getting sound now lol