Friedman IR-J (Jake E Lee?)

[Shredder777]

Don't let that keep you from buying it. I use the IR-D Send to run it as a tube preamp into my Fryette Power Station or the loop of my heads and it works perfectly. You don't hear/feel any digital artifact at all using it that way.

And to be fair, what do we usually put in an effects loop anyway? Digital delays, reverbs etc so it's going to convert anyway.

Its not the conversion so much as the latency.

If he is using good current day -123db s/n converters like many other flagship products, the quality shouldn't be an issue. OTH, if he is using older/cheaper parts it may not be the case.

If I stick it in the loop of my mfx, it has 3 rounds of ADDA. So it is pushing 5-6ms total at that point and its going to have that lazy feeling like I'm playing a computer amp sim.

I was hoping to have an all analog front end, and just route the send into pedals into amp. The appeal was an all analog front end. Also that mid hump sounds great but very produced, as texhex said its very different than his other mod marshalls. If that is built in using (say) digital eq, then its really just a direct tool.

It seems to me it is best as an all in one direct stage device. I want a tube preamp pedal without any digital processing.

 

[jellodog]

It seems to me it is best as an all in one direct stage device.

Yup. That's exactly what Friedman intends this range of pedal amps to be. I've seen him talk about "going direct" with them many times already.

I want a tube preamp pedal without any digital processing.

Sounds like you might prefer the Tsakalis Mothership or the Kingsley Constable.

 

[Shredder777]

Yup. That's exactly what Friedman intends this range of pedal amps to be. I've seen him talk about "going direct" with them many times already.



Sounds like you might prefer the Tsakalis Mothership or the Kingsley Constable.

But that one doesn't have the digital back end or Friedman sound.

I'm not gigging, just making demos and learning songs in my basement. An $800 DSL100 has alot more value for me.

Seems so silly to put the conversion before the loop, which tells me he's doing some digital processing to get that produced sound. Like he needed this one to be different enough to justify.

BTW, I think the pedal sounds better than the jel20h demos I've heard. Not a fan of EL84 lunchbox amps either.

 

[Shredder777]

This guy did a pretty great demo of the IR-J.

He has *the* iconic 80s lead guitar sound there.

 

[Shredder777]

Here is a demo of the JEL50. I would say it sounds very similar to the pedal. It definitely has a chopped top.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Its not the conversion so much as the latency.

If he is using good current day -123db s/n converters like many other flagship products, the quality shouldn't be an issue. OTH, if he is using older/cheaper parts it may not be the case.

If I stick it in the loop of my mfx, it has 3 rounds of ADDA. So it is pushing 5-6ms total at that point and its going to have that lazy feeling like I'm playing a computer amp sim.

I was hoping to have an all analog front end, and just route the send into pedals into amp. The appeal was an all analog front end. Also that mid hump sounds great but very produced, as texhex said its very different than his other mod marshalls. If that is built in using (say) digital eq, then its really just a direct tool.

It seems to me it is best as an all in one direct stage device. I want a tube preamp pedal without any digital processing.

I hear you but the latency is not an issue, whatever he's using it's really good quality.
I compared the IR-D FX Send against a Synergy DS module (which is all analog), and they felt and sounded the same.

I'm an analog guy through and through, I don't use or like any digital modeling and the IR series is the first device with digital components that I felt sound/felt legitimate, either direct or as a preamp.

But you could consider the Synergy Syn1 and a module if you want to be all analogThen add something like a Two-Note Cab-M when you need IRs.

But again, I don't think that's necessary because the IR series work really well as preamps.

 

[Shredder777]

I hear you but the latency is not an issue, whatever he's using it's really good quality.
I compared the IR-D FX Send against a Synergy DS module (which is all analog), and they felt and sounded the same.

I'm an analog guy through and through, I don't use or like any digital modeling and the IR series is the first device with digital components that I felt sound/felt legitimate, either direct or as a preamp.

But you could consider the Synergy Syn1 and a module if you want to be all analogThen add something like a Two-Note Cab-M when you need IRs.

But again, I don't think that's necessary because the IR series work really well as preamps.

I've had my eye on the synergy too, but I am going in a pedalboard direction. I'm looking over my options but this pedal seems to have the gain staging and touch sensititivity I like. The eq can probably handled by whatever else is on my board.

I was amps before 2020, then I've been playing direct the past five years which makes recording so much easier, and am looking to go back in the other direction. But not completely back if you know what I mean.

Pedal preamp makes alot of sense.

 

[Shredder777]

Almost bought an IR-X last night. Then I see that there are 100 used ones for sale. What is going on with these? Is there a technical bug/issue? Or did everyone just capture it with their ToneX and sell it?

 

[Mongillo19]

Almost bought an IR-X last night. Then I see that there are 100 used ones for sale. What is going on with these? Is there a technical bug/issue? Or did everyone just capture it with their ToneX and sell it?

I wouldn't use that as a metric. In comparison there are 68 used Tone X at GC and only 5 IRX

 

[JiveTurkey]

Welcome to gear-whoring, 2024.

 

[Shredder777]

I'm kinda an idiot. I don't really need a new toy to distract me during the holidays.

Against my better judgement, I ordered an open box IR-X for $350 otd. Video below compares the IRX to the IRJ. They sound like similar circuits, but the IRX has a fuller bottom a bit more gain, more modern. The IRJ looks cooler and has better boost section. The IRX is yesterday's news but it was cheap.

I realized the reason I don't play my tube amp is because it is about 6 feet away from where I sit at my computer and there isn't any reasonable way to get it closer. I'm putting together a tabletop pedalboard that I can adjust from my desk.

Honestly, both the IRX and IRJ sound very similar through the same IR. The IRX has a bit more bottom. They can probably be dialed to be virtually identical. But I really like the white/red so much better.

 

[rocknrollshakeup]

I'm kinda an idiot. I don't really need a new toy to distract me during the holidays.

Against my better judgement, I ordered an open box IR-X for $350 otd. Video below compares the IRX to the IRJ. They sound like similar circuits, but the IRX has a fuller bottom a bit more gain, more modern. The IRJ looks cooler and has better boost section. The IRX is yesterday's news but it was cheap.

I realized the reason I don't play my tube amp is because it is about 6 feet away from where I sit at my computer and there isn't any reasonable way to get it closer. I'm putting together a tabletop pedalboard that I can adjust from my desk.

Honestly, both the IRX and IRJ sound very similar through the same IR. The IRX has a bit more bottom. They can probably be dialed to be virtually identical. But I really like the white/red so much better.

That’s a good deal/purchase you got.

I think that the IRX is still hard to beat as it seems you can dial it in to sound like the others, or at least very close, but also seems to have a bit more tonal/dynamic range in reserve.

I have put a Para EQ in my IRX’s loop for extra tonal flexibility which makes it sort of the ultimate IR-unit in my mind.
I’ve tended to bump the low mids for extra fatness especially on Ch1.

Anyway I’m very happy with the IR-X and I love that Friedman made the IR line, as it’s such an elegant, tone full solution.

 

[Shredder777]

Anyway I’m very happy with the IR-X and I love that Friedman made the IR line, as it’s such an elegant, tone full solution.

I'm looking for an excuse to buy another one to have next to it. It seems like he has pretty much covered the range of his amps. It would be great if some other builders started to adopt this format; it is much better than Synergy for my purposes.

 

[rocknrollshakeup]

I'm looking for an excuse to buy another one to have next to it. It seems like he has pretty much covered the range of his amps. It would be great if some other builders started to adopt this format; it is much better than Synergy for my purposes.

I totally get it .. I still get a few pangs of GAS to also get an IR-D, just because … but I think I’m going to hold out for the Steve Stevens model! I hope it’ll come out in the not to distant future.
Yeah I love that format.

 

[texhex]

Shameless bump... Emporium IR-J price drop to $450.

 

[saarangnarayan]

Almost bought an IR-X last night. Then I see that there are 100 used ones for sale. What is going on with these? Is there a technical bug/issue? Or did everyone just capture it with their ToneX and sell it?

There’s no technical issue. I think it’s a case of “gateway drug” GAS. Folks are buying them to get some of that Friedman sound without the moolah. Some are realising they really like it to spend more and get an amp, some are realising they’re just not that into the Friedman thing.