Active Speakers for Helix/Kemper/Axefx ETC .........WHICH ????

Wazmeister

I'm still the most un-natural convert to modelling and digital...

But man, that DXR of mine (on clean settings granted for the moment) is as good a sounding speaker as Ive ever encountered. It is 'kin incredible.

I thought "man, this sounds a bit plastic, trebly, harsh" when I first plugged it in. Then, lowered the volume of the DXR, slightly (SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY SLIGHTLY- quarter of a turn on ANY tweak of the Kemper) adjusted the vol and treble and mids of the Kemper.

Then, plugged in the REAL Rambler - man, that sounded harsh too !!

FUCK ME, IT'S MY EARS - NOT THE AMP !!!!

Then, had a break, and the Yammy suddenly was filling the room with incredible sounds...

Ill have a look at my settings and send post them here.

Jonathanthomas83

^ definitely, @Dominic ;;;;!

Ah, just remembered...and this is worth noting. IR's are captured using traditional studio methods, the mic is often very close (0.5 - 1" away from the speaker)...so you cannot possibly expect an IR to sound like what you hear when you're standing a few feet away from your regular cabinet that's on the floor and quite a distance away from your ear. 

That's what IR's do, they only sound like what a microphone hears, not what you hear. So, to go some way toward making it feel more like an amp in a room (I hate that expression, move with the times, an amp in the room is a sound guys pain in the ass) is to  (as has been mentioned) trim the low end and cut some highs. A microphone 'hears' everything with more bass and more treble when it's so close to the speaker. Trimming these parameters will also mimic what producers do at mixing stage, too. Treat it as a really good education in how to make music and how frequencies work.

Dominic

Wazmeister said:

I'm still the most un-natural convert to modelling and digital..

Then, plugged in the REAL Rambler - man, that sounded harsh too !!

FUCK ME, IT'S MY EARS - NOT THE AMP !!!!

Had EXACTLY the same experience plugging in Rambler next to Helix  -it sounded terribly bright and Harsh
 It really is a trick of the ears !

imalrightjack

Thanks, all.  This forum has been my emotional support group this last week 

@Wazmeister - please do post your settings - thanks!

Wazmeister

@imalrightjack - right, here we go mate.

Kemper

Profile: CARR Rambler Clean 4 (author is VaiSactchAtrucci)
Cabinet switched OFF
Browser mode

DXR10

Mono
XLR cable - Kemper to DXR
-10 DB on the level
MIC/LINE switched to 'LINE'

All switched to 'off'

Now, Rambler and Kemper are both going thru the Big Sky for Stereo comparison.

Rambler speaker is the Elsinore.

Conclusion: very little to choose between the two sounds.

imalrightjack

@Wazmeister - cabinet off?  Doesn't that sound harsh and nasty? EDIT: I expected it to.  It doesn't...

Do you are you going from jack to XLR, via the Kemper's Monitor output?

PS - do you stack the Kemper on top of the cab?

Thank you!

Dominic

@Wazmeister ;
Is your conclusion about the Rambler and Kemper only relating to Big Sky or in General ?
if you (the ultimate Ramblin' Man ) can't tell the difference then I doubt anybody but Steve Carr will .

Wazmeister

XLR to XLR

Cab on AND off works fine

It doesn't sound EXACTLY like the Rambler, but I reckon very few would notice the difference !!

You see, the exercise isn't to sound EXACTLY the same, as you have so many different variables.

The fact thats it so close is amazing enough.

Try it mate

Wazmeister

XLR from 'MAIN OUTPUT' on the Kemper

imalrightjack

Wazmeister said:

XLR to XLR

To main output, @Wazmeister ?

imalrightjack

@Wazmeister - such impeccable timing!  Does it make any difference to the sound?

And does anybody know how I can A/B the Yamaha against my cab?

Wazmeister

Crap, messy photo time

http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/Warren3333/IMG_0792.jpg

imalrightjack

Wows-a-plenty @Wazmeister ;

Jonathanthomas83

Wazmeister said:

It doesn't sound EXACTLY like the Rambler, but I reckon very few would notice the difference !!

You see, the exercise isn't to sound EXACTLY the same, as you have so many different variables.

The fact thats it so close is amazing enough.

Ah, if only others could grasp this. So close, indeed!

John_A

I started out trying to make my helix sound like my JTM45, it doesn't sound exactly like it, it sounds better

Jonathanthomas83

John_A said:

I started out trying to make my helix sound like my JTM45, it doesn't sound exactly like it, it sounds better

This is the case I've found with the amps I've had in the past, can dial in the tones and more often than not, they sound "better", for many, many reasons that are pointless rehashing. 

Jonathanthomas83

Sorry for the follow up post, but I'm genuinely gobsmacked by the new gear...I've just been jamming along with Slash for the past half hour and I've never been able to get as close to his tone as I've got with the Axe FX...spent tens of thousands on gear in the past and a bloody 2u rack unit that cost me less than £2000 has got me there within a fortnight of trying! With minimal fuss! Absolute bliss! 

Dominic

...........And they all lived happily ever after 

imalrightjack

Jonathanthomas83 said:

Sorry for the follow up post, but I'm genuinely gobsmacked by the new gear...I've just been jamming along with Slash for the past half hour and I've never been able to get as close to his tone as I've got with the Axe FX...spent tens of thousands on gear in the past and a bloody 2u rack unit that cost me less than £2000 has got me there within a fortnight of trying! With minimal fuss! Absolute bliss! 

@Jonathanthomas83 - that's great to read!  Do you use similar profiles to Kemper on Axe FX?

Jonathanthomas83

@imalrightjack it's a different concept with the Kemper, that profiles a specific amp...like a snapshot of a bunch of parameters at a certain moment in time. The Axe FX takes a more traditional approach and models an amplifier and its circuit (more intricately and thoroughly than I expected), allowing the user to build the tone from the ground up. However, yes, I'm sure there are similar amps being modelled in the Axe as there are profiles available for the Kemper. And of course, the same IRs could be used.