NPD, Atomic Ampli-Firebox

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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Well that's put me right off! 
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    My quest for a direct-to-PA solution continues, I've just ordered a Tech 21 Flyrig, the Brit version. 

    I've flirted with Sansamp pedals in the past and find them passable rather than excellent, but reliable and predictable over a wide volume range. 

    I have found a couple of convincing Flyrig demos in a style I can relate to, so we'll see. 

    After my exeriences over the last year I'm not falling for any more digital bullshit in the foreseeable anyway! 
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  • timbuk02timbuk02 Frets: 271
    You might like the look of these if you're off the digital based stuff? It has a 12AX7 inside.
    See Shiftline just announced plans to release a new version which will support user loadable cab IR's...
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  • HeartfeltdawnHeartfeltdawn Frets: 22096
    p90fool said:
    Well that didn't last long, today the left footswitch stopped working. It's flashing red as if it's in A/B mode, but pressing it or holding it down makes no difference. It won't switch channels or bypass the unit, despite a firmware update.

    I was intending to use it for it's first gig on Saturday, but I guess it's going to have to go back. I am REALLY pissed off, I spent another 700 quid on PA gear on the same day to make going direct easier, now I'll have to bring amps again.
    I've just returned an Amplifire 3. It arrived messed up, actually accepted a firmware update, but wouldn't work properly and output nothing more than an electronic whine. Most disappointing. 



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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    Well that's at least four failures among forum regulars, which might be a record as a purely anecdotal sample. 

    Anyway, the Flyrig 5 Brit turned up 20 minutes before last night's rehearsal and it was just plug and play. It sounded good immediately, and responded to guitar input exactly like an amp. In fact the other guitar player ordered himself one as soon as he got home last night. 

    It's first gig is at 6pm today. I'll have an amp on stage ready to go just in case, but it's an analogue joy after endless guesswork with software editors. 

    Interestingly, it doesn't have any of those unpleasant background frequencies that both @ICBM and I have noticed and disliked in Tech 21 gear in the past - the speaker sim seems very natural. 
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    Glad your sorted.   I like the amplifire but I’d be very happy with a flyrig - sounds great apart from the solo boost - if they move it to after the drive pedal or even better have a switch to choose where the boost goes and I’d use one.  
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited June 2018
    Yeah it's a shame the boost can't just be used as a post-dirt clean boost to raise the level for solos.
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    TTBZ said:
    Yeah it's a shame the boost can't just be used as a post-dirt clean boost to raise the level for solos.
    I think there are a lot of improvements and additions Tech 21 could have considered, but really you have to draw the line somewhere. 

    I guess the point is that in an emergency you could do a gig in most styles with just a guitar and the Flyrig, but as part of a more planned rig you're going to want some extra FX, a tuner, some sort of master volume control and/or boost. 

    I've just set up a pedalboard with the Flyrig, a Polytune a G10 wireless and a Zoom G3 with expression pedal. It's a very versatile setup, with dozens of FX, an XLR out and a programmable volume pedal set for 65-100%, far more useful than the usual on/off. 

    By my standards that's a big board, but it's not as big as a pair of 1x12 valve combos!
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I totally get what you’re saying about building a smallish board around the flyrig and how it could get you through a gig on its own but the bass flyrig does have a tuner and a switchable pre/post boost - add those to the guitar versions and it would awesome. 
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  • vasselmeyervasselmeyer Frets: 3664
    edited June 2018
    @p90fool I thought you only just went back to your Jet City amp after your Katana diversion? What's the reason for changing again? Weight? Stage volume? Both?

    Having recently downsized my amp setup, I'm idly considering what to do about my huge effects board.
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    @vasselmeyer I sold the Katana early this year and my "safe space" is a pair of 20w Jet City combos - I know that I can turn up anywhere, set the knobs to the numbers I've written on the top of the amps and it'll sound great every time. I use those set to one sound, a couple of pedals in the loop and a cleanish boost in the front and I can gig anywhere without ever having to walk over to my amps mid set. 

    My problem is that I also own and run the PA and my wife is the drummer, which means I need portability from everything. 

    We use an Arbiter Flats drum kit, a pair of JBL Eon ones and a small Yamaha mixer for the PA, so it seems ridiculous to fill half the car with guitar amps.

    All I need is a pedal which sounds more or less like the slightly overdriven sound I get from my combos and which responds realistically as I use the volume pot on the guitar. 

    My amps are cheap, my speakers are run of the mill Celestion and I use a 38 quid Superlux cab mic. 

    I've spent many hundreds in the last year trying to find a portable digital version of this one simple sound and despite the claims made throughout the industry about the brightest and best modellers we're not even close.  

    I know the answer is simply to buy a big van, but an average pub gig is a gruelling 5 hour shift for me involving load in and out and pretty much all the gear setting up, and I'm old and tired. 

    We do three hour sets and I'd really like to just be able to plonk the PA down, plug in the mixer and play. I'm hoping the Flyrig will be at least passable at today's gig, I'm not even taking an amp so I have to make it work! 
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  • vasselmeyervasselmeyer Frets: 3664
    Interesting. I went lightweight last year on the amp side. I got a DV Mark 50W head (about the size and weight of a hardback book) and a 2x12 neodymium cab. All my drive comes from pedals.

    Because it's a solid state amp, it doesn't need a load attached. I use a Palmer speaker simulator and feed that to the PA so I only really need the cab for stage volume.

    A decent drive pedal can clean up almost as well as a valve amp so it's a flexible arrangement for me without having to go digital. That said, I did an entire gig last month with a Zoom G3 direct to PA and only I knew the difference.
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  • CHrisP86CHrisP86 Frets: 360
    Have one of these and an alto ts210 in my basket at Andertons as a lightweight rehearsal set up. Not sure after reading this thread though!
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    I gigged the Tech 21 Fly Rig last night and it was excellent. I have two more gigs this weekend with another two different bands, I'll do a more detailed report when they're done. 
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    John_P said:
    I totally get what you’re saying about building a smallish board around the flyrig and how it could get you through a gig on its own but the bass flyrig does have a tuner and a switchable pre/post boost - add those to the guitar versions and it would awesome. 
    Ah I didn't realise that @John_P so it wouldn't be hard to implement on the guitar version too. 
    Given its current low price I wouldn't have hesitated to spend another few quid for those two features.
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  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    p90fool said:
    John_P said:
    I totally get what you’re saying about building a smallish board around the flyrig and how it could get you through a gig on its own but the bass flyrig does have a tuner and a switchable pre/post boost - add those to the guitar versions and it would awesome. 
    Ah I didn't realise that @John_P so it wouldn't be hard to implement on the guitar version too. 
    Given its current low price I wouldn't have hesitated to spend another few quid for those two features.
    Me too.    Glad it’s working out well for you.   I’d love to try again and make it work for me - perfect for dep gigs and tiny stages but so often I need higher gain and a solo boost.     
    Looking forward to hearing how you feel after a few more gigs.   
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    Interesting. The FlyRig manual says that the output will drive average headphones, is this something you’ve tried?
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    dindude said:
    Interesting. The FlyRig manual says that the output will drive average headphones, is this something you’ve tried?
    Not yet, it's arrival coincided with me depping for two other bands plus gigs with my own, so I was mightily relieved when I just plugged it into the PA and it worked. 

    I need to spend a bit of time juggling gain structures and EQ now I've heard it at gig volume, but I'll try headphones at the same time. 
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    p90fool said:
    dindude said:
    Interesting. The FlyRig manual says that the output will drive average headphones, is this something you’ve tried?
    Not yet, it's arrival coincided with me depping for two other bands plus gigs with my own, so I was mightily relieved when I just plugged it into the PA and it worked. 

    I need to spend a bit of time juggling gain structures and EQ now I've heard it at gig volume, but I'll try headphones at the same time. 
    Cheers, the manual also says that it will only come out of one ear you use a mono to stereo plug adaptor just for info. 

    Glad and it’s working out so far, I think I’m in the same camp as you in that I just can’t get digital gear to work for me, although it clearly works for a lot of others. Something about the feel and ease of use of anolog that works better for me, so interested in this one.
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  • p90foolp90fool Frets: 31368
    Bit of a breakthrough today, the tone was more than passable on the Fly Rig on Saturday's gig, but it got a little lost a couple of times in a twin guitar band and was also a little flabby-sounding on a couple of songs.

    This afternoon I dropped the Drive level on the Sansamp section until it was almost totally clean, then upped the drive on the Brit section to arrive at a similar gain level to where I started and everything just came together. It's articulate without brittleness, and it backs off into a natural sounding country tone without getting too thin. I can strum chords on the neck pickup with the volume down like it's an electro acoustic then get a Blackmore-ish lead when it's on full. 

    I'm looking forward to this weekend's gigs a lot more now.

    @dindude I only have 32 ohm headphones to hand at home, JVC and Superlux, and even with everything maxed on the Fly Rig it was too quiet. It sounded ok, but if I were practising with headphones I'd be inclined to run the Fly Rig and backing tracks or whatever into a small mixer to give you both ears and plenty of power. 
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