Just A/B'd a DXR10 'vs' CLR Active ..... a couple of quick comments / thoughts ..

    Hi all


    I use my KPA with a Matrix SS [ VB800 ] and my real 2 x12 Celestion closed back cab [Cab OFF] and it sounds great.


    Up until recently I had only tried a DXR10 [ friends unit - Alex ] and an EZ112P - both sounded good.


    The DXR10 owner [ Alex ] just got a non-NEO CLR Active Wedge ..... so over I went as I had not tried one in person :) :) :)


    In short, this is what I did/found:-


    - I pulled up around 7 - 8 presets, turned Cab ON and away I went
    - Used an AB pedal to switch between the two
    - set output level to [ as close as I could ] the same perceived level for each
    - did my "testing" at LOUD stage volume
    - DXR10 sounds very good
    - CLR sounds very good
    - CLR sounds " more hi fi " and a bit "scooped" in the mids
    - DXR10 has noticeably thicker mids
    - neither is better than the other as they each have their own sound.


    So ...... putting aside ( a ) their relative price difference ( b) relative value and ( c ) price not being an issue, which would I buy if I decided to ?


    I cant really explain it, but for some reason I kept going back to the DXR10.


    Whilst the DXR10 didn't sound quite as " flat/full range " or " hi fi ", the DXR10 had a lot "thicker" "gruntier" "thuddier" mid range.


    With Cabs ON [ and no DSP ] the DXR10 sounded like a real-cab behind me ..... the CLR was equally great .....but sounded ... dare I say it .... too refined ..... like listening to your guitar in the control room in a good recording studio.


    Are my ears deceiving me, or have others found the same sort of thing ?


    Ben

    Edited once, last by benifin ().

    I found the same during my little comparison DXR 10 vs. CLR.
    Yes, the CLR is more 'hifi' in the sense that it is more neutral which is a very desirable thing when dialing in rigs for general use (FOH, monitors, etc). And it has a lot more clarity that the DXR cannot achieve. So in direct comparison I think it's clear that the CLR is better sounding.
    That said, rigs I have dialed in through my CLR's translate very well to the DXR without use of the output EQ.
    And on 'busy' stages the midrange of the DXR which I perceive 'more dense in the sense of more mid - heavy' can actually be a good thing.
    My typical live scenario is that I bring the DXR 90% of the time due to its smaller footprint and because it sounds great on its own.


    Quote from Ingolf

    I found the same during my little comparison DXR 10 vs. CLR.
    Yes, the CLR is more 'hifi' in the sense that it is more neutral which is a very desirable thing when dialing in rigs for general use (FOH, monitors, etc). And it has a lot more clarity that the DXR cannot achieve. So in direct comparison I think it's clear that the CLR is better sounding.
    That said, rigs I have dialed in through my CLR's translate very well to the DXR without use of the output EQ.
    And on 'busy' stages the midrange of the DXR which I perceive 'more dense in the sense of more mid - heavy' can actually be a good thing.
    My typical live scenario is that I bring the DXR 90% of the time due to its smaller footprint and because it sounds great on its own.


    These are excellent findings, gentlemen. Perhaps I can stop evaluating the CLR and opt for the DXR10 when I actually get down to shopping for a backline. The idea of a more mid-heavy sound appeals to me, being a metal guy where often the bass sound overwhelms everything else in a band situation.

    Hey Ingolf


    I had your 2 [ excellent ] videos in mind when I went over :) ....thanks again !!


    Actually, more mid-dense is a much better way to put it ....... I agree too that in absolute terms, the CLR definelty did sound better on its own, ......... but once we starting AB'ing with some [ very loud ] live drums and bass and another guitar [ all classic rock, hard rock stuff ] to my real surprise, the CLR actually got a bit lost in the sound .... the DXR mid-dense'ness cut through much much better ..... like a real cab.


    Like I said, bothexcellent products ..... I just "expected" / "thought" that based on all the reviews and comments and videos that the CLR would wipe the DXR away ...... yet when used as a "real cab" with Cab's ON, I would the DXR every time even if they were the same price .... but of course, other peoples ears may hear things 180 degree the opposite ....

    Quote from RolandGuitar

    How would you compare the sound between the Matrix/Celestion combination vs. the active speaker?
    Roland


    I would say that the Matrix + Real 2 x 12 Celestion is still probably optimal but only as longas you are using a proper and good sounding Direct-Post-Power-Amp-Pre-Speaker-Impedance-Effect-Compensated-For Profile with Cab OFF .......ie ...... a proper 3.0.1 merged profile.


    But ....... a [ good sounding ] full merged profile with Cabs ON is a special thing to ....... Vox sounds like a Vox ...... Fender like a Fender ...... Marshall like Marshall etc.......


    Please don't get me wrong .... both the DXR and the CLR sound great and there is no way you will go wrong with either ....... for my purposes ...... ie: using an FRFR to get live, loud real-rock dirty guitars sounds behind me on stage as my "real " rig, the DXR was just [ to my ears ] better ....

    I found pretty much the same thing comparing the EV ZLX's to the DXRs. I eventually went with Mission Gemini passives (for that cab look as well) with a Matrix power amp and found the mids even more prominent, kind of boomy with high gain in some situations. This week I go searching out frequencies that are bugging me, I've been dropping mids and bass in the output EQ at shows as a temporary fix until I get to spend more time with them. Will let you guys know what I find.

    [/quote]


    Quote from Ingolf

    These are excellent findings, gentlemen. Perhaps I can stop evaluating the CLR and opt for the DXR10 when I actually get down to shopping for a backline. The idea of a more mid-heavy sound appeals to me, being a metal guy where often the bass sound overwhelms everything else in a band situation.


    Yeah .... the CLR also definelty had more "lows" too .... no doubt a 12" vs "10" thing ........ a bit "floppier" low end ......again, to my ears and my preferences [ classic and hard rock, dirty guitars etc.... ] guitar lives in the mids and low mids ,,,,,,, whenever in doubt, less bass / bottom end on the guitar is always better than too much .......I'lll leave the lows to the bass players:)