Friedman IR-J (Jake E Lee?)

[texhex]

ETA for delivery is Tuesday. I'm pretty stoked about this one. Out of all of the Friedman IR-_ pedals this one has the features that appeal to me the most. The two boosts are totally cool and the fact that it is basically a Plexi on one channel and a JCM800 with mods on the other is perfect.

 

[la szum]

I feel the same way. Kind of.

I love the "Marshall" tones I am getting now, but who doesn't
want more, or better, or different..... or even needs a why?

 

[Shredder777]

How credible when run direct to amp? Is it mostly tuned for recording, or does it also work well as a tube pre?

These look like a much better alternative than Synergy preamps, assuming they deliver the goods.

 

[texhex]

Digging it so far and I haven't even plugged it in. The build quality on this is pretty nice. Love the red PCB!

Now I just need to get it home and hook it up.

 

[texhex]

I've got a ton of Friedman and Marshall JCM800 Kemper Profiles, Tonex Captures, AXE-III models and a 2018 BE-100 and Channel 2 on the IR-J sounds totally different than all of them. It's got a prominent upper mid EQ that stands out and I mean waaay out.

I'm real-time switching between a real BE-100 on HBE mode with the S switch to the Left, Tonex Captures, Kemper Profiles and AXE BE-100 and Marshall JCM800 models all using the same IR in the AXE and turning off the IR in the IR-J and the IR-J really stands out as it's own thing, totally different than all of them.

Channel 2 on the IR-J doesn't have the sizzle that the amp, Captures, Profiles or AXE models can get and I wonder if it's from not having a power amp Presence response you can really adjust. I mean it has a Presence setting that you can click on three times but it never gets close to the amps sizzle. I've got the Treble dimed and it's not enough for me. I usually run my amps Presence at like 5 or 6 (unless it's the JVM, that's like 0-1). I guess I could run the IR-J into the Return of one of my amps, crank up the Presence and see where I land. Probably too much tinnitus...

I wish I could try the real deal JEL Amp. Somebody needs to run one of these pedals into the Return of the JEL amp and compare that.

Also, Channel 2 on the IR-J is super smooth and polished, like way smoother than the typical Friedman smooth Marshall sound.

I have to decide if I like the upper mid hump sound of the IR-J Channel 2 and the lack of what I would want in way of sizzle. This shit is such a rabbit hole. I haven't even tried Channel 1 yet.

 

[Shredder777]

From this video posted earlier, it does have a prominent mid and sounds a bit boxy. I really like it, but now that you mention it, there isn't much sizzle at all.

 

[la szum]

I've got a ton of Friedman and Marshall JCM800 Kemper Profiles, Tonex Captures, AXE-III models and a 2018 BE-100 and Channel 2 on the IR-J sounds totally different than all of them. It's got a prominent upper mid EQ that stands out and I mean waaay out.

I'm real-time switching between a real BE-100 on HBE mode with the S switch to the Left, Tonex Captures, Kemper Profiles and AXE BE-100 and Marshall JCM800 models all using the same IR in the AXE and turning off the IR in the IR-J and the IR-J really stands out as it's own thing, totally different than all of them.

Channel 2 on the IR-J doesn't have the sizzle that the amp, Captures, Profiles or AXE models can get and I wonder if it's from not having a power amp Presence response you can really adjust. I mean it has a Presence setting that you can click on three times but it never gets close to the amps sizzle. I've got the Treble dimed and it's not enough for me. I usually run my amps Presence at like 5 or 6 (unless it's the JVM, that's like 0-1). I guess I could run the IR-J into the Return of one of my amps, crank up the Presence and see where I land. Probably too much tinnitus...

I wish I could try the real deal JEL Amp. Somebody needs to run one of these pedals into the Return of the JEL amp and compare that.

Also, Channel 2 on the IR-J is super smooth and polished, like way smoother than the typical Friedman smooth Marshall sound.

I have to decide if I like the upper mid hump sound of the IR-J Channel 2 and the lack of what I would want in way of sizzle. This shit is such a rabbit hole. I haven't even tried Channel 1 yet.

You just talked me out of trying it. Thanks. I think.

 

[dcburn]

But what about the Katana knockoff logo

Oh, its not the KISS drum logo from the Crazy Nights tour?

 

[texhex]

I should just learn to ignore the GAS.

I'm out of town the rest of the week but when I get back the IR-J is going up for sale. It's great for what it is, it's just not for me.

The damn AXE makes it's hard to justify anything else, unless it's the real amp and maybe even not then depending on how hard I want hold onto my wallet.

 

[JiveTurkey]

The damn AXE makes it's hard to justify anything else, unless it's the real amp and maybe even not then depending on how hard I want hold onto my wallet.

Good lord ALLLLLLL of this x 1000. Amps are awesome and amps are best. But if it's just a case of going to your jam room and playing and non-lethal volumes through a set of good monitors; um...the III is unbeatable. I'm sitting managing Mark and JVM GAS for like the bazillionth month and each time I fire up the III; it's just close enough to say screw it and stay where I am *






*For now until some other amp comes out that my susceptible to marketing idiot brain latches on to

 

[Mongillo19]

I should just learn to ignore the GAS.

I'm out of town the rest of the week but when I get back the IR-J is going up for sale. It's great for what it is, it's just not for me.

The damn AXE makes it's hard to justify anything else, unless it's the real amp and maybe even not then depending on how hard I want hold onto my wallet.

Save that $$$ for some guitars

 

[la szum]

I should just learn to ignore the GAS.

I'm out of town the rest of the week but when I get back the IR-J is going up for sale. It's great for what it is, it's just not for me.

The damn AXE makes it's hard to justify anything else, unless it's the real amp and maybe even not then depending on how hard I want hold onto my wallet.

I hear ya! And thanks for taking the leap for some of us. It talked me off the ledge.

 

[Elric]

Channel 2 on the IR-J doesn't have the sizzle that the amp, Captures, Profiles or AXE models can get and I wonder if it's from not having a power amp Presence response you can really adjust. I mean it has a Presence setting that you can click on three times but it never gets close to the amps sizzle. I've got the Treble dimed and it's not enough for me.

The IR-J does not have the Saturation switch. This may be what you are noticing.

 

[Elric]

I got one of these recently... It is nowhere near as aggressive as an HBE amp and it is not quite as 'kerrangy' as an actual 800.

It can get a variety of sounds but it is not super impressive A/B'd against a bunch of other stuff. The Plexi side is really a clean channel and is fine/good but unlike an actual plexi, I don't think too many people are going to use this for 80s metal heavy tones or anything...

The 800 channel is like an unmodded 800 in terms of gain which is expected; the gain switch adds a little more girth/crunch which is cool. The 800 channel does seem tweaked vs an 800 tonally (i.e. the kerrang thing) but I'm not sure it is an improvement.

The built-in tube screamer: well, it's a tube screamer; I guess. It's not like I don't have four analog drives in front of it. The SD-1 is better.

This take is based on hooking it directly to KSR PA50 w/ EL34s and a Cab... so it has nothing to do w/ power amp sim.

Strongly considering returning it. It is pretty cool and I guess certain people may be into it vs Friedman's other stuff and I can see the practicality of it as a device for some applications with the compact footprint and all it can do. It's a really well thought out product (for someone else).

I had to slake my curiosity being a big fan of 80s tones; but it does not feel like a keeper for me at the price given all my oher options. If it were a Syn module I'd probably just keep it. :)

I'd probably be more into the IR-X but I already have that base covered many times over with my Synergy rig.

 

[la szum]

 

[Mongillo19]

I hear ya! And thanks for taking the leap for some of us. It talked me off the ledge.

You were going to buy a Friedman?

 

[la szum]

Until others helped me come to my senses.

 

[JiveTurkey]

You were going to buy a Friedman?

 

[la szum]

I have a Lovepedal Purple Plexi, Vintage Modern, and a Bogner Blue for
my pedalboard setup. And the mostly "Meh" feedback from others are
helping me realize I probably won't be getting what I want out of the
IR-J.

That said, things that freeze over can also thaw.... so who knows.

 

[la szum]