Atomic CLR not sounding great, hoping for a great PA alternative

  • I currently use the Kemper through Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Professional Studio Monitor Headphones and it sounds so good I just can't get enough. When I play live with my church, the sound that comes out of FOH and in-ear monitors is very similar to what I hear in my headphones and I love it. I bought TWO Atomic NEO CLRs and they sound NOTHING like the headphones or FOH at the church. This is disappointing. I can get amazing sound for some metal and hard rock applications, but it just doesn't have that crunchy sparkle that I love with the other methods. I've read countless forums suggesting that I alter my Kemper to make the CLR sound amazing, but I don't want to do that (making two profiles for headphones vs. CLR for each application would be tedious). If the headphones and FOH sounds are colored, I really don't care. I just want that orgasmic sound from the headphones to be present in my amplifier/monitor situation. What would you suggest? I've looked into the Bose L1 system (Both the compact and the model II), but don't want to dish out a ton of cash if it doesn't sound amazing.


    Thanks for your thoughts!

  • For me, the Mission Engineering Gemini 1-P (passive) has the most cab-like response of any FRFR I've come across.

  • Not everyone likes the CLRs, but dialing in your tone with closed-ear, sound isolating headphones isn't really fair to the CLRs or any other FRFR setup. You already have them, get the tone you like through the CLRs and try those profiles through church FOH. If you like it, buy some open ear headphones for your trinity of orgasmic sound. Would be a lot cheaper than trial and error with a bunch of different powered speakers that may or may not replicate what you want.


    If you can't get the CLRs to work, try the Yamaha DXR-10. I found the Yamaha to be boomy, almost what a closed-ear headphone would sound like, so maybe that's your solution. Many people here prefer it to the CLR

  • It's going to be impossible really to try this out as I'm guessing no one locally is going to have these in stock but I use the EAW Redline RL12's for my PA...mostly do acoustic solo/duo/trio type gigs and these things are f'ing insane. Crystal clear, very hi-fi sounding but not hyped at all... I bought a the Yamaha 10" powered speaker everyone raved about on here and liked it fine but I drag one of my EAW's out with me when I gig because it sounds so good. Now, street price is in the $1700 range per speaker so there's that. :) But, if you get a chance to try them out or are interested in a pair because you can use them to gig with...maybe it's an option.

  • It's going to be impossible really to try this out as I'm guessing no one locally is going to have these in stock but I use the EAW Redline RL12's for my PA...mostly do acoustic solo/duo/trio type gigs and these things are f'ing insane. Crystal clear, very hi-fi sounding but not hyped at all... I bought a the Yamaha 10" powered speaker everyone raved about on here and liked it fine but I drag one of my EAW's out with me when I gig because it sounds so good. Now, street price is in the $1700 range per speaker so there's that. :) But, if you get a chance to try them out or are interested in a pair because you can use them to gig with...maybe it's an option.

    Why not a Meyer UPA-1P? ;)


    I bet that EAW sounds pretty darned good.

  • No the Atomic CLR doesn't suck! I've got one and my sound is absolutely incredible.The clr is a monitor that is telling the truth about your sound,headphones are not the truth
    they are an experience.The front of house in the church is heavily coloured by the reverberance of the room.The two references you make are not good or accurate references
    the Atomic is the most likely to be telling it how it is,this is singing in the shower syndrome-but when I sing in the shower it sounds great..

  • DXR-10

    Thanks everyone. I appreciate your responses. I ordered a DXR10 and the Bose L1 Model II systems with B2 bass module. I'll A/B them all to find that ideal sound. Maybe I need to work the CLR a bit more, I just can't seem to get it to sound good across multiple styles. Like I said, great for heavy stuff, but not so good when running music through it, or playing Christian Rock stuff; even with significant tweaking.

  • Why not a Meyer UPA-1P? ;)
    I bet that EAW sounds pretty darned good.

    Heh...I wanted the UPA's...in fact that was what got me started on finding the next level speaker for my PA (was using the JBL PRX stuff at the time). I spoke at a work conference and was in this huge ballroom that seated about 500 people. I had noticed with the previous speakers how great it sounded - especially when they would play videos...the low end sounded great. As I'm standing next to the stage waiting to be introduced I'm standing right under the speaker and noticed it was a Meyer. I start looking for subs...there are none. I peek around the back and make note of the speaker model and after my session went back and talked to the sound guy and asked if they were hiding any other cabinets anywhere. He said nope...those things are insane, huh? :) So, I went back to my hotel that night and looked them up - could hardly find them and even the very used ones I could find were still $$$ each. Some killer stuff though - would love to have a pair of those for sure.

  • I use one pretty heavy patch on a tune that I do with an artist here in town - kind of a plexi thing, feedback, etc... and the speaker handles it really well. It handles everything really well so far - from super clean Princeton kind of stuff to the plexi thing I referred to. Even better, it's a killer PA...best sounding speaker I've ever used for the acoustic gig I do...get comments all the time on how good the speakers sound - very articulate, punchy, great definition...does a great job of separating vocals and instruments...super happy with them.

  • Use the EQ in the Output section to get the CLR's to sound right, at gig volume and save it. Do that first and then set up an EQ to get your headphones to sound as similar as possible. I have one set up for my headphones and a bunch for shows. I have Output EQ's saved for different venues and different FRFR setups I use depending on show size.


    You really can't tweak tones with headphones on, it never translates the same to a PA.

  • Use the EQ in the Output section to get the CLR's to sound right, at gig volume and save it.
    ...
    I have Output EQ's saved for different venues and different FRFR setups I use depending on show size.

    Would be interesting to hear some examples how you tweak, i use clr pair in many different configurations depending on the gig (size) and have the outout eq always flat and will only finetune some space fx if needed.

  • in this case i really recommend trying the AltoSxm112 or if you want more power the Nova Lion series of speakers... i also LOVED the alto ts 115

  • Would be interesting to hear some examples how you tweak, i use clr pair in many different configurations depending on the gig (size) and have the outout eq always flat and will only finetune some space fx if needed.

    I don't own a CLR. I use a Mission Gemini with a Matrix GT800FX flat. When I use my headphones (lower end Audio Technica's) or my EV ZLX12P's I pretty much just add bottom end and drop some highs and presence.

  • Heh...I wanted the UPA's...in fact that was what got me started on finding the next level speaker for my PA (was using the JBL PRX stuff at the time). I spoke at a work conference and was in this huge ballroom that seated about 500 people. I had noticed with the previous speakers how great it sounded - especially when they would play videos...the low end sounded great. As I'm standing next to the stage waiting to be introduced I'm standing right under the speaker and noticed it was a Meyer. I start looking for subs...there are none. I peek around the back and make note of the speaker model and after my session went back and talked to the sound guy and asked if they were hiding any other cabinets anywhere. He said nope...those things are insane, huh? :) So, I went back to my hotel that night and looked them up - could hardly find them and even the very used ones I could find were still $$$ each. Some killer stuff though - would love to have a pair of those for sure.

    Similar story here ....


    Was watching a concert in Cancun with my wife (Lifehouse and Train) on the beach. Sound was incredible. I looked at the speakers and found the "Meyer" brand. Looked them up just like you and decided that multiple boxes at $4500 each were not likely to convince my wife that one of the kids doesn't get to go to college ;)


    Best sounding boxes I have ever heard though.


    For those who haven't tried them, I think the DSR112 also provides quite the punch. It is a little more pricy than the DXR10's that are beloved here, but they have more output and clarity to my ears (not that the DXR10 is a bad speaker in any way).


    As for the discussion on what is real and what is not, headphones are simply another speaker system. If you can get a good sound in your headphones, it is possible to get that same sound from a speaker system if it is equalized properly.


    Note, that some cheaper speaker systems will require a significant reduction in output in order to accurately cover the frequency range. Better speaker systems should not have any problems.


    I have one eq for my headphones, and another eq for my FOH. I am hoping for an eq library in a future version of the kemper firmware so I can save and name them ;)

  • Thanks everyone. I appreciate your responses. I ordered a DXR10 and the Bose L1 Model II systems with B2 bass module. I'll A/B them all to find that ideal sound. Maybe I need to work the CLR a bit more, I just can't seem to get it to sound good across multiple styles. Like I said, great for heavy stuff, but not so good when running music through it, or playing Christian Rock stuff; even with significant tweaking.

    I own a Bose L1 Model II as well, with one B1 sub. I thought I would run the Kemper through it, and did for a couple gigs with a pretty hard rock cover band. It certainly was very present, almost a little too "hi-fi ". I have experimented with running the KPA through that, into my trusty old 1960a (cabs off) and, what I'm currently doing is running it into my Roland KC-500. I keep the KC eq flat, plenty of power and I like the full bodied sound from the 15" speaker.


    All that said, I am planning to integrate the KPA with the Bose for my solo acoustic gigs, I've just been dragging my feet.

  • I have just the opposite problem. I LOVE the sounds I'm getting with the profiler through the CLR. Direct to FOH sound is not great... even worse in my IEMs. I don't know if the house main EQ is jacked up or optimized for speech (it's a church) but something is definitely off.