Whoa! A little recalibration time (Atomic FR content)

[Gasp100]

I'm working from home today and my Atomic FR just arrived. I should preface that I've been down the AxeFX + Atomic FR route once before and sold the Atomic FR because I figured it was overkill for home useage and ~$800 is a lot to spend on FRFR. Anywho... I was WRONG. Having a second go round I am completely floored. My patches sound really, really rich full woody chimey and fat right out of the gate. Such a difference than the Adam A5's -- I love my A5's and for lower volume / sonic footprint and of course recording/nearfield monitoring of mixes they will still kick ass. But, this rig IS 40+ amps at my feet... seriously. I found a nice step (used for aerobics ~5" high) and the Atomic FR sits on it at a perfect level for monitoring. Whether I'm dead on and about 5-10' back or sitting to the side of it off center at my workstation it sounds amazing. I cranked it to 12 o'clock on the dial and my Output 1 setting is at 12 o'clock and it's really kicking ass... loud but not the least bit harsh. The only issue is the verb is a little heavy for me in most patches, so I'm TURNING OFF the verb for some base patches and it sounds great (the true sign of an excellent amp imho is getting 3D quality with no verb required).
One thing that is strange (but is HUGE for me personally) is that switching the Red Wirez out with stock cabs that match (for example BF amp with "Black 1x12", Vox AC30 with "Blues 2x12") is sounding BETTER than the Red Wirez to my ears. Also, I'm removing the compression up front and PEQ at the end of the signal chain and the patches are coming to life! So, right now my BF signal chain is:
RAT -> Blackface -> Black 1x12 and it sounds fab!
The patch that is really shining like this is my clean Vox tone:
Top Boost -> Blues 2x12... THAT's IT!!!
This is really cool. I have copied everything in different slots so I have the full signal chain stuff available for A/B and for direct recording. But I think with some more time tweaking on the Atomic FR my recordings might end up sounding better. Very happy, this rig is killer. YMMV.

 

[Butterfly]

I'm working from home today and my Atomic FR just arrived. I should preface that I've been down the AxeFX + Atomic FR route once before and sold the Atomic FR because I figured it was overkill for home useage and ~$800 is a lot to spend on FRFR. Anywho... I was WRONG. Having a second go round I am completely floored. My patches sound really, really rich full woody chimey and fat right out of the gate. Such a difference than the Adam A5's -- I love my A5's and for lower volume / sonic footprint and of course recording/nearfield monitoring of mixes they will still kick ass. But, this rig IS 40+ amps at my feet... seriously. I found a nice step (used for aerobics ~5" high) and the Atomic FR sits on it at a perfect level for monitoring. Whether I'm dead on and about 5-10' back or sitting to the side of it off center at my workstation it sounds amazing. I cranked it to 12 o'clock on the dial and my Output 1 setting is at 12 o'clock and it's really kicking ass... loud but not the least bit harsh. The only issue is the verb is a little heavy for me in most patches, so I'm TURNING OFF the verb for some base patches and it sounds great (the true sign of an excellent amp imho is getting 3D quality with no verb required).
One thing that is strange (but is HUGE for me personally) is that switching the Red Wirez out with stock cabs that match (for example BF amp with "Black 1x12", Vox AC30 with "Blues 2x12") is sounding BETTER than the Red Wirez to my ears. Also, I'm removing the compression up front and PEQ at the end of the signal chain and the patches are coming to life! So, right now my BF signal chain is:
RAT -> Blackface -> Black 1x12 and it sounds fab!
The patch that is really shining like this is my clean Vox tone:
Top Boost -> Blues 2x12... THAT's IT!!!
This is really cool. I have copied everything in different slots so I have the full signal chain stuff available for A/B and for direct recording. But I think with some more time tweaking on the Atomic FR my recordings might end up sounding better. Very happy, this rig is killer. YMMV.

I may have complemented your set up before, but If i haven't, I'll do so now. This is just what I am going for.

I am glad to hear the Atomics deliver.

 

[soundbee]

curious... Doesn't going w/ something like the Atomic kind of get you back into "amp" mode vs. going direct to a PA type setup?

Or if you were playing live with this setup, use the Atomic in front of you like a "personal monitor"?

 

[Gasp100]

The Atomic is pretty cool in that it also has an XLR out which you can send to the board so the signal is the same throughout. Although it's shaped like a traditional guitar cab, it's really an FRFR system with a 12" drive and a 4" horn. I purchased this because I am trying to replicate a 'real amp scenario' both at home and when (if) I jam/gig. I have always preferred a "backline" so I would consider this rig as a standard backline configuration, but at the same time you can run another out direct to FOH (or use the XLR out on the Atomic to FOH as well as get a monitor mix as normal from the house gear). Quite frankly when I was gigging, we rarely played clubs that even had monitors lol! It was usually PA for vocals and kick drum only, everything else was loud assed amps.

 

[Gasp100]

I should add that I'm testing a Mesa Mark IV patch (standard 4x12 30 watt cab) and it sounds incredible. The bass response and the fact that the bass "holds together" so well with this thing is very impressive. It's tight and really well defined and absolute best thing is NO cabinet buzz and NO tube rattle!
Another great thing is that if I drop the Output 1 volume really, really, really low so I'm barely getting signal out of the Atomic FR it STILL retains a pleasing experience; some thump, some air, some crunch -- this did not work the same through the Adam A5's. At very low volumes things would start to fizz out and I'd have to move over the headphones.
This thing excels at home for sure, definitely not overkill imho.