Matrix power amps, any experience?

professorben · January 2017

@digitalscream has raved about their speaker cabs, but anyone tried the power amps, specifically the GT800fx???

cheers.

BGG · January 2017

Only ever hear great reports on them.

monquixote · January 2017

Moved to the right section.

My concern with Matrix is that everyone I talk to seems to say. "Matrix are great, they were brilliant about fixing mine when it broke".

professorben · January 2017

monquixote said:

Moved to the right section.

My concern with Matrix is that everyone I talk to seems to say. "Matrix are great, they were brilliant about fixing mine when it broke".

apologies, the £ sign was obscured by wine.

professorben · January 2017

monquixote said:

Moved to the right section.

My concern with Matrix is that everyone I talk to seems to say. "Matrix are great, they were brilliant about fixing mine when it broke".

Hmmmm so reliability issues?

Jetfire · January 2017

Ive had one and it didnt play nicely in my set up. I had a TC electronics G major, Laney IRT studio and a GT800 (I think it was). Used to go into protect mode all the time. However, it was fine without the G major. I gigged with it for a while but got shot of it as I just didnt get on with it sound wise. I couldnt say what it as precisely but it sounded a little .... fake?

drwiddly · January 2017

I have a GT1000FX that I got a few years ago. I've had no reliability issues at all. It's very powerful with loads of headroom but I still prefer a valve power amp with my Axe FX or Kemper. Good as the Matrix is, it doesn't have the punch or the bloom of a valve power section. Just my opinion though.

Si_ · January 2017

+1

No reliability problems with mine (I've had a few), but thought they were "too stale", which may sound strange given that's what people want. Opted for a 1u Valve Power amp instead (Marshall EL84 one).

sweepy · January 2017

I use a Marshall 20/20 with my Axe-Fx with a pair of Yamaha CBR12's, works perfectly and is certainly loud enough

guitarfishbay · January 2017

I have the 1u GT1000FX. The fan is fairly noisy for low level playing but that's about it. It doesn't have the same thump as a valve amp but with the low frequency resonance control on the Axe FX 2 dialled to your cab you can get close enough. When I had a HD500x I wasn't as happy with the low end (it just was in the wrong place for the cab and also less dynamic). I guess you need a preamp that can put out a decent low end to begin with as the Matrix isn't going to add anything not already there.

It is good at sounding tight but warmer/looser sounds are better and more natural with a valve power amp.

professorben · January 2017

So a Mesa preamp dialled for thrash levels of gain are gonna sound huge??
I reckon the GT800fx might be the way to go, if I do jump on the Kemper/Helix/HeadRush wagon I'm sorted too.

digitalscream · January 2017

What I really want is for them to bring the GM50 module back - basically half a GT800FX in a module you can install into your cab to make it a powered cab. For some reason, they only sold them in packs of 5 (which is rather expensive).

Dopesick · January 2017

I believe Scott Hull of Pig Destroyer/ANb/various others uses the GT1000FX. He uses the Amptweaker Tight Metal Pro as a preamp and his guitar tone is fucking monstrous. Not really any tube sag going on but high levels of beef.

drwiddly · January 2017

sweepy said:

I use a Marshall 20/20 with my Axe-Fx with a pair of Yamaha CBR12's, works perfectly and is certainly loud enough

+1 on that! When I used one with my Axe Fx, I turned it up to about half with the AF output on about 10 o'clock. It sounded massive but far too loud for use with a loud band. Who knew?

They do run hot though and the fan exhausts to the side (bit weird for a rack amp!) I ended up drilling a few holes in my rack case next to the vent to prevent overheating.

digitalscream · January 2017

drwiddly said:

sweepy said:

I use a Marshall 20/20 with my Axe-Fx with a pair of Yamaha CBR12's, works perfectly and is certainly loud enough

+1 on that! When I used one with my Axe Fx, I turned it up to about half with the AF output on about 10 o'clock. It sounded massive but far too loud for use with a loud band. Who knew?

They do run hot though and the fan exhausts to the side (bit weird for a rack amp!) I ended up drilling a few holes in my rack case next to the vent to prevent overheating.

I believe mine had the vents front and back.

One of the best sounds I ever had was with my Eleven Rack and a Marshall 20/20. I just don't understand why they included the Deep switch, because everything sounds awesome with it on and shit with it off.

p90fool · January 2017

monquixote said:

My concern with Matrix is that everyone I talk to seems to say. "Matrix are great, they were brilliant about fixing mine when it broke".

I wish I'd known at the time their factory was fairly close to me, I'd have thrown it in their skip instead of my wheelie bin.

fretmeister · January 2017

Can the Marshall 20/20 run in mono?

Si_ · January 2017

No, Stereo only.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Matrix power amps, any experience?

Comments