My FRFR shootout

  • Got to test out all four of these at the same time. I invited all SF Bay Area Kemper-ers to come but only one showed up! Maybe he will give his opinions as well. I can try to answer any questions, but everything is packed up and ready to ship out so I won't be plugging them in anymore. The Matrix I bought used so if anyone is interested in buying it, PM me.


    Atomic CLR Neo Mk II
    Yamaha DXR10
    Matrix FR12
    Mission Gemini GM1-BT


    Right down to it, the Atomic is the undisputed champion in my eyes...er...ears. Sounds so crisp from whisper quiet to knock you over decibel levels. It does everything well from vintage Fender Twin to double triple quadruple rectifier chuga chuga. I mostly use quality studio monitors to refine my profiles and I find I need to change very little when playing through the Atomic. The only question is if it is worth more than double the price of some of the others?


    The Yamaha can certainly shine just as well as the Atomic with a few tweakings or switching the DSP settings on the rear. Under low volumes it really has a tendency to sound boomy. Offset that by switching the DSP to the monitor setting and the boominess is gone, but you still have to tweak a bit if you dial in your profiles using studio monitors like I do. And it is LOUD. The DXR10 is definitely the best bang for the buck, but I'm keeping the Atomic.


    The Matrix FR12 is the one I wanted to like the most. The weight of this thing, or should I say, lack thereof is amazing. My 6 year old could probably carry it and roadie for me. But, it really sounded thin at low volumes. You really need to turn it up to get the lows and mids to where they need to be and it actually does come close to the clarity you get from the Atomic. The Matrix has 3 DSP settings but the effect is negligible to my ears and didn't compensate enough for my low volume issues. If I were a regular giggin' kinda guy, I could see myself using this exclusively at rehearsals and gigs for the weight and convenience alone. But, for a bedroom poser like me, it just wouldn't get much use.


    The Gemini is the one I am having the hardest time parting with. Like the Matrix, it is pretty anemic at low volumes but sounds better and better as the volume goes up. The Gemini has one advantage, a dial where you can lessen the high frequency driver, which helps a bit at bedroom levels. Or, completely turn it off and just use the 12” EV speaker (and turn off cab IRs). What I like most about the Gemini is that it absolutely feels like a real cab when you turn it up. It does change the sound though, but just like a real cab, it's in a good way. You get warmth and richness from the real birch that you don't get from other FRFRs. The reason I'm not keeping it because, like the Matrix, I just won't be using it at the levels needed. But, wow, this really sounded like a real cab when cranked. If you're having trouble liking FRFR, try this one.

  • Hi All,
    I was the other bay area tester. It was great of OP to set up all the gear and let me have the opportunity to try these all out. I only played with them for a half hour or so, but I agree with everything the OP said.


    I will add that although I thought the Atomic sounded the best to me as well (it was a little crisper and punchy-er on the high end than the Yamaha), but I would probably still go with the DXR10 over it. The DXR footprint is just so much nicer, and in my opinion the price difference was not worth the small edge out in tone. I will also add that I thought the Yamy had the most even dispersion pattern of the bunch. OP had it in the wedge position on the ground and I kid you not, it sounded the same even up to 45 deg off to either side, and only when you got way off to the sides did the treble fall off a little. Either the Matrix or the Gemini had a very narrow sound stage and rolled off quickly starting about 20 deg off axis (OP might remember which one this was). Also the Gemini was quite large (if size if a discriminator for anyone) 52 lbs, 2 feet across and about 20 inches tall. Also both the Gemini and Matrix were a little hissy while the Atomic and DXR were very quiet when the guitar was muted. The tiny hiss was insignificant at loud volume though, and might only bother you if you tried to play them in a quieter environment. Thanks again OP for the opportunity to try all of these.

  • Any chance that a video was taken? Would have been an incredible opportunity to do so.


    This is about the ultimate FRFR shootout so it might even be the first occurrence of them in the same room. Would love to hear the results for myself, not that I doubt anyone's sincerity or expertise.

  • Thanks you guys. Sounds like a great demo exercise and I have to concur with your findings. But like ElDoca I kept the CLR and returned 3 other cabs. I could just here the differences in cabs that much better. DXR10 was definitely my 2nd choice though

  • Nice review thanks.
    I started out nearly 3 years ago with the CLR. Last year I got the DXR10 and that is now my gigging amp.
    Sound is good and much easier to transport.
    The CLR stays in the rehearsal room.

  • This does actually surprise me. But I guess it does go to show that everyone hears things differently. Having purchased a DXR10 a few months ago, to me it sounded boxy, especially when I brought it to rehearsals. Bought a second one and hoping to fix the problem but it almost made it worse. I had many people respond saying it was the placement of the DXR10. I then went out and purchased a Matrix FR12, it definitely does not have the boxy sound placed in the same position (or any position for that matter) and sounds really good in rehearsal.


    I know it's my ears because the DXR10's get a lot of praise, and from fussier people than I. Proof that we all hear things differently. Now having said all this, I'd still like to try the Atomic but my pocket book needs to take a rest ;(

  • but my pocket book needs to take a rest

    My CLR will be up for sale soon ;)


    You are right, it is pricey. I got a good deal on an almost unused DXR10 that prompted me to try it. The sound definitely was different. I wouldn't say "boxy" but it almost sounded a little more guitar-amp-like than the CLR (which sounded stellar, don't get me wrong).


    After listening to/watching Ingolf's reviews of the DXR10 I was convinced that I could live with the difference and so far so good. I play everything from blues, to surf to rockabilly through it (no metal) and get good audience feedback when I use it without a FOH feed.


    To me, the convenience of carting it around made a huge contribution to the decision.


    The biggest drawback of the DXR10 though it its shape. The KPA sat nicely on top of my CLR cab....but not the DXR.

  • This does actually surprise me. But I guess it does go to show that everyone hears things differently. Having purchased a DXR10 a few months ago, to me it sounded boxy, especially when I brought it to rehearsals. Bought a second one and hoping to fix the problem but it almost made it worse. I had many people respond saying it was the placement of the DXR10. I then went out and purchased a Matrix FR12, it definitely does not have the boxy sound placed in the same position (or any position for that matter) and sounds really good in rehearsal.


    I know it's my ears because the DXR10's get a lot of praise, and from fussier people than I. Proof that we all hear things differently. Now having said all this, I'd still like to try the Atomic but my pocket book needs to take a rest

    I guess I am in the same boat - I purchased two DXR10s a while back and I ended up selling them because I too found they sounded boxy. Also to me, one thing I found missing was the usual punchy midrange we all look for (at least I do) in a good guitar cab.


    I am now contemplating the purchase of a CLR, but then again, I wonder if I'll end up selling it after trying it. ;(

  • I guess I am in the same boat - I purchased two DXR10s a while back and I ended up selling them because I too found they sounded boxy. Also to me, one thing I found missing was the usual punchy midrange we all look for (at least I do) in a good guitar cab.
    I am now contemplating the purchase of a CLR, but then again, I wonder if I'll end up selling it after trying it. ;(

    If you're looking for the sound and feel of a real cab, I think you will be disappointed in the CLR. Think of it as a big studio monitor but with better projection. The Gemini might be a better fit, but like I said in my review, I needed to really turn it up to get the cab effect going. The big stores stock them and don't have a problem taking returns if you don't like it, not much of a risk.

  • thanks for the reviews, guys. Any experience with Tech 21 active cabs? I find the Atomic too expensive (and I don't live in the US), and the Yamaha may be my first choice bearing in mind I use Emes studio monitors to try and customize rigs, so a transparent and rather flat amplification will avoid further tweaking more often than a more standard guitar cab, but I do like the cab shapes of the Tech or the Atomic much more than the PA monitor shape of the Yamaha. You know, the old visual feeling of having a combo or a head on a cab close.

    Never too old for rock'n'roll

  • thanks for the reviews, guys. Any experience with Tech 21 active cabs? I find the Atomic too expensive (and I don't live in the US), and the Yamaha may be my first choice bearing in mind I use Emes studio monitors to try and customize rigs, so a transparent and rather flat amplification will avoid further tweaking more often than a more standard guitar cab, but I do like the cab shapes of the Tech or the Atomic much more than the PA monitor shape of the Yamaha. You know, the old visual feeling of having a combo or a head on a cab close.

    Tech 21 cabs contain a Celestion 70/80 speaker and this colour your sound like any cab equipped with this speaker.
    They certainly aren't FRFR, and you need to switch off cabs in the Profiler.

  • I'd be happy if someone could compare Xitone stuff


    I myself chose the RS-LG12, an artisanal italian cab highly recommended by the great Gianfranco missed on this forum as he was impressed when hearing it. I'm now seeing they also make a passive cab which could have been enough for me as I have a powerhead. great product but I cannot compare to other solutions


    go check red sound products

  • The DXR sounds indeed "boxy" when playing on a silent stage.But it is great for all kinds of "doing loud rock"-stuff..my beloved TopJimi-vintage marshalls sound great with it as do rectifier-style lead sounds etc.I still have problems to get used to it when I use creamy Vox-style-profiles with it at low volumes.


    Actually for more "silent stages" (like playing only with an singer with his acoustic) where I need a more "brillant" & "more defined" sound I still think about to get me a more HiFiish kind of Monitor like the EV-ZLX-12Ps.