New Friedman IR-X preamp

[Baba]

Totally get it! I have been back and forth on selling mine. My "dream rig" was a Friedman JJ Junior with a Helix or FM9 for effects in 4CM. But I only ever play at low volumes, so when I think about that, I end up going back to the IR-X into a power amp and cab or into studio monitors.

My dream rig was the same, (JJ Jr/Helix), but now I have my dream rig, my IR-X in the loop of my Stomp XL, going into a Fender FR-12.

I only use two channels of the IR-X, the clean and dirty, both unboosted, and then throw a (HX) Timmy on top, and that’s my heavy and solo tones.

 

[FuzzyAce]

My dream rig was the same, (JJ Jr/Helix), but now I have my dream rig, my IR-X in the loop of my Stomp XL, going into a Fender FR-12.

I only use two channels of the IR-X, the clean and dirty, both unboosted, and then throw a (HX) Timmy on top, and that’s my heavy and solo tones.

That actually sounds like a fun setup.

 

[saarangnarayan]

throw a (HX) Timmy on top

The Timmy really is the secret sauce to the IR-X for me, too. Love what that pedal does to any Marshall-type amp, but it opens up the IR-X like nothing else!

 

[Baba]

The Timmy really is the secret sauce to the IR-X for me, too. Love what that pedal does to any Marshall-type amp, but it opens up the IR-X like nothing else!

It's weird, I've nerver been a pedal guy, so I never knew the magic of the Timmy, even when it was the cat's meow at TOPTM, when it first popped on the scene, but, in the last few years, I've had a need for using just dirt boxes, into clean backline amps at some places, and I stumbled onto using the Timmy to boost the OCD inside my HX devices, and I've stuck to it ever since.

It simply doesn't change the tone at all, and just adds saturation and sustain. I like it MUCH better than the boost on the IR-X itself, or even using the saturation option in the Friedman amp model in HX.

I know SD-1's and even TS808's are supposed to be the best friend of Marshalls and their derivatives, but the Timmy is MUCH better, for what I'm going for.

 

[Baba]

P.S. - I can't believe what this FR-12 sounds like, at least with the IR-X. Hands down, better than any, (as @JiveTurkey would say), "plastic turd" that I've run through, by far.

I can't believe the thickness of sound they have been able to achieve, in such a relatively small and very light enclosure. This thing sounds like a 2x12 or 4x12 guitar cabinet. I can't imagine who will put out a "better" FR system next, I mean, you'd have to beat the tone, weight, and cost, and I don't know how that will be possible.

 

[JiveTurkey]

P.S. - I can't believe what this FR-12 sounds like, at least with the IR-X. Hands down, better than any, (as @JiveTurkey would say), "plastic turd" that I've run through, by far.

I can't believe the thickness of sound they have been able to achieve, in such a relatively small and very light enclosure. This thing sounds like a 2x12 or 4x12 guitar cabinet. I can't imagine who will put out a "better" FR system next, I mean, you'd have to beat the tone, weight, and cost, and I don't know how that will be possible.

It's as good as you are going to get for the semi-niche thing it does. By far. I bet it's great with the IR-X!

 

[jellodog]

Finally! Somebody on a guitar gear forum is happy!



Thank F***!

 

[Los-D]

My dream rig was the same, (JJ Jr/Helix), but now I have my dream rig, my IR-X in the loop of my Stomp XL, going into a Fender FR-12.

I only use two channels of the IR-X, the clean and dirty, both unboosted, and then throw a (HX) Timmy on top, and that’s my heavy and solo tones.

Nice! How does it compare to the Placater on the Stomp?

 

[FuzzyAce]

Finally! Somebody on a guitar gear forum is happy!



Thank F***!

Define "happy"?

 

[Spaced Out Ace]

Define "happy"?

Troll!

 

[FuzzyAce]

Troll!

A happy troll.

 

[Baba]

Nice! How does it compare to the Placater on the Stomp?

Well, the IR-X feels more "realer"

Seriously, It depends on how you're listening to it, and I'd say the same thing with modelers vs full tube amps.

1. Through studio monitors or on a recording, with the same IR? Probably indistinguishable. See the endless A/B's that have been done for evidence.

2. Live, either through an "FRFR" device or into a conventional guitar cabinet? As much as I hate to say it, (actually, no, I don't), it feels different.

Whether that is latency or something else, I don't know, I just know that my HX devices are a little "harder to play" than the IR-X is.

When I was trying to sell the IR-X, one of the reasons was that the Placater, (especially with the Friedman IR that I downloaded from the IR-X), was so close, the only difference was how it felt.

Having said that, here's the bonus: since they are damn near indistinguishable, sonically, if something happens to the IR-X on a gig, all I'd have to do is switch presets, and I'd have damn near the same tones.

 

[Baba]

Finally! Somebody on a guitar gear forum is happy!



Thank F***!

Define "happy"?

Aren't we all happy, at least during the honeymoon phase?

I'm a perfectionist, so, honestly, I'm not sure ANYTHING will ever be "perfect", for me. And by anything, I mean anything in LIFE, lol. It's a prison for sure. Caveats are always abound.

I will say, I can't think of any other rig that would sound the way this one does, with as much flexibility as it has, in a "Mono small pedalboard/28 lbs huge sounding and loud AF "FRFR"" format, besides a JJ Jr combo and this same pedalboard, lol.

 

[Jarick]

The IR-X tone is really close to most modelers I’ve tried. But I’ve found it to have more of a big warm compressed sound, it doesn’t thin out as much with the guitar volume rolled down. Also the clean channel of the IRX is unique, maybe more like a JTM45 than a Friedman clean channel or BE CC channel.

 

[synthpenguin]

Pretty interested in these again since the update, if it makes a big difference. The power amp modeling aspect always seemed like the weak point with these.

I don’t know much about the Friedman amps these are based on… would the IR-D get into 1959 territory, or is it more of a JTM thing?

 

[jellodog]

Pretty interested in these again since the update, if it makes a big difference. The power amp modeling aspect always seemed like the weak point with these.

I don’t know much about the Friedman amps these are based on… would the IR-D get into 1959 territory, or is it more of a JTM thing?

I agree, the power amp sim could have been better and this update has also reignited my interest now Dave has addressed that.

The IR-D tone is based on a modded JTM45 circuit and so it's the slightly more vintage sounding of the two tube preamp pedals.

I daresay you could dial it in to get close to a 1959 sort of tone, based on Henning Pauly's demo where he puts it up against a Marshall SV20H and tries to EQ it to sound similar.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I agree, the power amp sim could have been better and this update has also reignited my interest.

The IR-D tone is based on a modded JTM45 circuit and so it's the slightly more vintage sounding of the two tube preamp pedals.

I daresay you could dial it in to get close to a 1959 sort of tone, based on Henning Pauly's demo where he puts it up against a Marshall SV20H and tries to EQ it to sound similar.

I've been looking at that IR-D. Clips sound really good!

 

[Frodebro]

P.S. - I can't believe what this FR-12 sounds like, at least with the IR-X. Hands down, better than any, (as @JiveTurkey would say), "plastic turd" that I've run through, by far.

I can't believe the thickness of sound they have been able to achieve, in such a relatively small and very light enclosure. This thing sounds like a 2x12 or 4x12 guitar cabinet. I can't imagine who will put out a "better" FR system next, I mean, you'd have to beat the tone, weight, and cost, and I don't know how that will be possible.

I’m running two of them with an FM9, and I agree that they are the best monitoring solution for digital to date. I’ve run the gamut from studio monitors, power amp and traditional cab, QSC K10s, and Powercab Pluses. The FR12s stand at the top of the mountain., Well, except for a Marshall 9100 pushing a pair of 1960s, but that is anything but a portable rig.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I’m running two of them with an FM9, and I agree that they are the best monitoring solution for digital to date. I’ve run the gamut from studio monitors, power amp and traditional cab, QSC K10s, and Powercab Pluses. The FR12s stand at the top of the mountain., Well, except for a Marshall 9100 pushing a pair of 1960s, but that is anything but a portable rig.

Did you do the preamp upgrade or run them stock? Good either way but that preamp definitely cleans things up a bit and the ability to be flat are way more sensible settings is great.

 

[Frodebro]

Did you do the preamp upgrade or run them stock? Good either way but that preamp definitely cleans things up a bit and the ability to be flat are way more sensible settings is great.

They’re stock, but new enough that they have Fender’s “fixed” preamps. They sound good enough that I never really entertained ordering the better preamps. That’s money better spent on something impulsive and completely unnecessary.