Posts by softmonaut

    What you should consider, if you want to buy a "Beast":

    You should accept that the resale can be difficult. According to general opinion, the "Beast" is the solution to all problems. If someone tries to sell such a box (like me), there must be something wrong although the box is in perfect condition. Besides, the custom design has to please. That means either keep it or accept a big loss in value.

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    I hear what you are saying. It is a difficult balance between not naming the product to avoid any offence and supplying enough relevant information to let others understand the problem fully and offer specific help.

    Thank you, dear Wheresthedug, for the understanding words.

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    A FRFR cab or speaker is made for LOUD volumes...They need to be fed some decent power to come alive.

    That would mean that an acceptable sound only sets in when my ears are bleeding? A contradiction in itself ...

    But seriously: Maybe I did not research enough to know this limitation ("sounds when loud") before. On the other side I wasn't informed about it. Therefore I assumed that I can expect a good sound even at moderate volumes. Dear lightbox, if only I had a consultant like you...


    Does that (limited sound at low volumens) apply to the other brands as well, e.g. Friedman ASM-12 or others?

    Amazing that a user thinks, he has to affirm that his BlueAmps FRFR is great. I'm sure he's happy with his FRFR and I'm happy for him, even if it's a different model. But what does this have to do with this post? Does that help to solve that specific problem? No! This is more like, "Look, there are enough users here that are happy, what you are telling is impossible." Too bad that the manufacturer supports this post.

    It is not my intention to make a product bad. Actually, I just wanted to avoid that. That's why I did not want to mention the exact model name at the beginning.

    Hi folks,


    many thanks again for your helpful suggestions!

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    ...you didn't mention the brand / model of the FRFR

    We're talking about a BlueAmps Beast 112, active, FRFR/GFR (set to FRFR), no EQ, 55-18.000 Hz (FRFR), 250W, 129 dB max. Besides the FRFR/GFR switch (which is set to FRFR) and as far as I know, there are no additional filters build in.

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    EQ is the tool you need in order to get the results that you want.

    I tried inserting an EQ at slot X and boosted 80Hz with different settings (1db to 12db). This increased the bass level but does not produced any remarkable pressure ... and with higher settings it sounded stranger and stranger.

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    If the smiley curve that you get from the stereo is what you like to hear, patch in some kind of EQ hardware (...), and make it smile

    Assuming that my sense of sound is not shifted too much, another legitimate consideration would be to buy two used speakers and a used hifi amp and install them in an empty guitar case. Legitimate, because it works for me and gives me the smiley curve. That's usually the argument you can't beat.

    Since the speakers are very old, they are very cheap to buy (about $ 200 speakers+amp). This approach isn't so far away from a solution with e.g. Matrix power amp + Marshall 1960 cabinet. The difference is, that the stereo speaker solution defines a base sound but still needs the CabSim on, which gives me the advantage to use different CabSims. The disadvantage is the loss of the stereo effect (if I really need this). This should work as a mono (or stereo) monitoring system. The PA guy could take care of MainOuts-EQing, because he gets the "uncolored" profile sound. Maybe that's the best of all worlds for me.

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    Additionally, as others mentioned, if you have a subwoofer in the stereo system...

    No subwoofer, just the two MB Quarts 280 speakers. The DENON amp allows adjusting bass, treble and loudness.

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    In all seriousness though, it's very common for guys to dial in a guitar tone that sounds great when practicing alone but is completely inappropriate in a band setting

    In my experience, the profile is usually presented in a single player situation to focus on the guitar sound. That's what triggers my purchase decision. I think that information about the context of the intended use would be helpful to decide, if the profile works best in a band context or whatever else.

    I'm aware, that there's a big difference between profiles intended to use in a band context or a solo playing situation. I'm talking about the solo playing situation here.

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    I guess Jorg would just have to develop a one track mind

    Maybe I better should keep all tracks of my mind, develop new ones and decide myself for one of them :)

    The idea that the listener should adapt to the system, rather than the system to the listener, is somehow unfamiliar to me. I have to get used to that.

    Another example: Presumably there is a guitar you like to play most, right? This is the one you would take first if you should decide spontaneously . Would you force yourself to play another because it's formally correct?


    Regards

    Jörg

    Dear Wheresthedug

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    I'm not familiar with the MB Quart 280s

    That's not surprising. The stuff is from the late 1980s! Maybe that's why it sounds so good :- )

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    ...they are famous for having an especially over powering bass response

    They are just good old hifi speakers, not having more or less bass power than other speakers. But compared to the FRFR there is just so much more bass pressure. Is it possible, that they just produce some amp in the room feeling which is missing with the FRFR?

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    but just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something

    I am grateful for your suggestions, because there could indeed be an undiscovered misunderstanding.

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    That would seem to back up the assumption that the Quarts are far from neutral

    That's what I'm saying. The whole hi-fi system colors the sound. But not as strong as a guitar cab. Therefore I need the CabSim turned on. This altogether is really sweet -> called a influenced expectation from now on :-)))

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    the Quart speakers are probably the issue giving a false sense of expectation

    If you used the Quarts to assess the demo this may have influenced your expectations.

    That's the point. What are influenced expectations and how do they compare to what the Kemper delivers at the end of the day? I really have to think about this...

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    Did they [the high quality commercial profiles] sound like the demo with the Quarts?

    With the Quarts it sounded much more like the demo, yes (but not perfect like the demo does). The FRFR was far away from beeing close. Well that comparison is unfair, because I heard the demo with the Quarts, too (as you mentioned)

    Hi guys,


    thanks for your answers!

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    Is it possible your expectations of the FRFR sound are unrealistic?

    Well, maybe yes. That's the question I'm after.

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    1. Which speakers are you using?

    2. Where are they positioned in your room?

    3. Where is it positioned in your room?

    1. 2xMB Quart 280, DENON PMA-520 Power amp
    2. Triangled constellation, about 5m away, 5m distance between the speakers
    3. About 4m away, same vertical position as the stereo speakers. I've tried a position on the floor as well.
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    When using the stereo speakers you send the signal from the Kemper Main Outs and have the Cab section of the profile turned on

    The cab section is turned on on both paths:

    1. Kemper -> MainOuts (stereo) + CabSim -> DENEON PMA-420 -> 2x MB Quart 280
    2. Kemper -> MonitorOut + CabSim -> FRFR
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    Presumably you have tried the cab at higher volumes just to rule that out.

    Yes, I have, but thanks for the thought...

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    You also mentioned that you have tried the DT880 headphones. Do they sound more like the stereo speakers or the FRFR?

    The headphones sound more like the FRFR. I think, that could be expected as the stereo system is less neutral than the headphones/FRFR.


    Thanks again!

    Jörg

    Hi everybody,


    I recently bought a powered FRFR box in the expectation that it would play the sounds of the recently purchased professional profiles:!: accordingly authentic.

    The result was unfortunately disappointing. The box does not sound as fat as expected, and the profiles do not sound as advertised. Now the reason for buying the FRFR box was that I played the Kemper at home on a stereo system (stereo on the Main-Outs + CabSim), which of course additionally colors. I wanted to correct that formally and leave the sound shaping to the Kemper alone. Unfortunately :-), the sound with the stereo is so good! I did not manage (using the monitor EQ) to get the FRFR box even close. The FRFR box is equipped with a Class-D power amp and a 12 "+ tweeter, but it does not nearly reproduce the bass of the stereo system (maybe I'm unfair comparing these two systems?).


    What I have tried so far:

    • Disabled all effects -> Set basic sound
    • Changed settings in the amp section (Definition, Clarity, Pure cabinet, etc., Vol is neutral at 0.0db)
    • Tried different cabs on a profile (yes, CabSim on the monitor is on!)
    • Used a Headset (DT 880 Pro)

    Remarks:

    • The FRFR box is relatively loud. Therefore, the level at the monitor output is set to low values (<-20db ?) to be able to play at home, too.
    • The sounds I prefer are usually distorted. I do like the bought profiles the way they were advertised. These sounds in the videos are indeed to my taste.

    Is there a mistake in my thinking, that a single sound advertised in a comparable situation (solo playing) should sound on my system as close as possible?


    Ladies and gentlemen, I kindly ask for your advice and/or your opinion :)


    Best regards

    Jörg


    :!: As long as it is not clear whether the problem lies with me, I will not name the specific products to not blame the manufacturers unnecessarily. In any case, these products have a very good reputation here. That's why I bought them.

    Hallo Leute,


    also wie ist denn nun das optimale Vorgehen, wenn folgende Konstellation besteht:


    1. Basesound in einem separaten Rig

    2. Leadsound in einem separaten Rig

    3. Beide basieren auf demselben Amp


    Ich möchte nun alle Controller- Parameter des Leadsounds in den "Morphslot" des Basesounds kopieren, da ja morphen zwischen 1. und 2. als separate Rigs nicht möglich ist. D.h. Kopieren Slot für Slot, Stack Sektion, ... ist angesagt? Ist das so richtig? Ein "Copy all to..." gibt es demnach nicht?


    Dank und Gruß

    Jörg

    It did not quite work for me. First, I hear the slightly quieter attack of the strings, then the volume decreases to then swell again. However, the effect should hide the attack and blend in the already vibrating string.

    Any ideas what I could have been done wrong?

    Regards

    Hi folks,


    does your "Autoswell" compare to what EVH does when he plays "Cathedral" or am I wrong?


    PS:

    EVH plays hammer ons while vol is turned down. After hitting the string, he turns the vol up and blends in the tone.