Thinking about an Eleven Rack. Looking for advice.

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RocknRolla81

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Hi I'm new here. First, my current rig is a Peavey 6505+ head and 412 with a TC Electronics Gmajor in the effects loop. I only use the Gmajor for light delay and reverb on my lead tone. Out front I only have a Hardwire tuner and a Crybaby Wah. I primarily play a 2010 Les Paul Traditional and a 2005 American Deluxe mahogany strat. Despite the amp I've chosen, I don't play metal. With this current setup I get very pleasing hard rock tones and excellent lead. I love my rig and the very idea of changing is stressing me out. The problem is, as you can imagine, this amp is very loud. While I enjoy disturbing the peace as much as anyone, I'm constantly at odds with the sound guys at the venues I play and this thing is a bitch to haul around. I want to downsize my rig but not my tone.

I had my mind made up that I was going to buy a used Mesa Roadster combo until the Eleven Rack caught my eye. I have absolutely no experience with modelers and I've always avoided them in favor of real tubes. After much research, I'm convinced that the Eleven Rack is a wonderful and powerful studio recording tool. I have not, however, been able to find much information regarding its use in a live setup. I understand the options of running it directly into the board and using monitors and all that. It seems like it works great but knowing myself the way I do, I know I need an amp behind me.

I guess my goal is to have a few preset tones created for each of my guitars and an easy to setup/breakdown/haul rig. I take pride in my sound. Its not for everyone, but its the way I like it. Its just too loud and too big.

My thoughts at this point are to run an Eleven Rack into a power amp and use an Avatar Signature 212 with Hellatone 60s. The recording aspect of the Eleven Rack and ProTools is really just a bonus for me, although I will definitely use it.

Please share your thoughts about this. If its a bad idea tell me and why. Also, if someone could explain how much or how little power amp I would need I would appreciate it.
 
It's going to be said by several others here, but I'll say it first. :D

Looks like a Kemper is perfect for you. This is exactly what it was designed for. Since you like the tone you already have, you can profile it to use it live. It comes in 2 flavors, lunchbox and rackmount style. And then each of those can be either powered or unpowered. Get powered if you want to run it through a real guitar speaker cab. Get unpowered if you only want to go direct to the board, and use a FRFR (full range flat response) speaker to monitor with. Since you're trying to downsize I'd go unpowered.

The other option people here will bring up is the AxeFX 2. If you didn't feel so positively towards your current setup, I'd advise you consider that as well. The built-in effects are phenomenal and it's highly integrated and tweakable from a PC.

But since you love your current tone, this sounds like Kemper territory. Good luck! :thumbsup:
 
I played an Eleven Rack at SA, and thought it sounded quite good. I went with the Kemper Profiler, and a Matrix 2u GT1000 FX power amp. I uploaded some new profiles today... Friedman 'Dirty Shirley', Dumble HRM, Deizel 'Schmidt', and an AC15 HW. If you know anyone who has a Kemper, definitely check-it-out before you commit.
 
Thanks guys! I wasn't aware that the Kemper came in a rackmount. I'll definitely check it out. I looked at the Axe FX II first but its just too expensive since I'm not even sure that I'll like modeling.
 
AXE FX or Kemper. Guitar center used has been having a few axe fx roll through. Both have excellent customer support. I own an axe fx II and couldnt be happier. I would stay away from the eleven rack. Although they sound ok digidesign has pretty much abandoned that product.
 
RocknRolla81":3ck1ioq8 said:
Its just too loud and too big.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your current rig is a keeper :)

Seriously, I understand your problem. Have you tried sidewash? The amp is at your side instead of behind you. You could be fairly loud while letting the PA do all the work. The direct sound from the cab may sound better to the rest of the band,too. Getting them more "in the groove".

As far as too big, if your fit enough to move it, ask for help. Ask for it all the time. Don't get injured moving gear.

Lastly, I like the 11 rack for recording. Never played it as a live amp.

I have heard AxeFx as a live guitar rig and thought it sounded good. When I played it for a few minutes, it didn't feel right to me. Whatever works for you. Don't know till you try.
 
Tubortski has a point... I have always felt digital modelers have a weird sound to them. To me, even if you are standing in front of the cabinet, it sounds as if you're playing from 50 feet away? The Kemper has a much more 'direct' feel, and does an excellent job at emulating tube bias and power sag. The Axe II is still at the top of my list of new gear to get... Maybe use the Kemper for dry tones, and an Axe II for effects?

I don't think I will ever sell my Cornford/JMJ-30 rigs, but... :scared:
 
I'm not a Kemper or Axe owner, so I can't really comment on how great or horrible of an idea it would be to get either. But I have had a similar problem in that my 100 watt head was just too loud. I tried playing with half power and master volume settings and it just wasn't manageable. And I loved the way my amp sounded when I opened it up.

I ended up just getting a Hotplate and 150 watt Carvin power amp. Sounds great to my ears. Maybe consider re-amping and looking into an attenuator with some kind of power amp? Based on what I've read, people using the Axe tend to like the Matrix Amplification power amps.

Re-amping is probably way more cost effective and lets you use what you currently have.

Just food for thought. Even if you don't keep your amp head, you can still buy a Kemper/Axe/Eleven Rack anyway, and use the power amp with your existing cab...
 
1. Buy a used 11 rack for $300-$400.
2. Sell your Gmajor and use the 11 rack in it's place.
3. Run the 11 rack in the 4CM. That way you can run output one into your 6505 for stage sound and output two straight to the board for a perfect band mix.
 
A Two-Notes Torpedo may also be an option, but that's just adding more gear to an already cumbersome rig. Get a Kemper or Axe II , then place your amps into 'storage mode' until you decide what's best for you.
 
I've had an 11 Rack
I've had a Kemper
I have a Two-Notes Torpedo Live

If you like your current amp sound and are happy with it, then get the Two-Notes and be done with it.
If you want to venture into the modelling/profile territory, then get the Kemper. It's a lot more than a used 11R but at the same time, it does so much more and sounds very good. You may even end up getting rid of your current rig with all that is available in a Kemper.
 
I really appreciate all this. Thank you so much. Its like a tone support group.
 
I had an Eleven Rack and now have a 1101. To me and my use the 1101 is the better unit of the two. It's got 2 things going for it the 11R doesn't do: 1) seamless program change and 2) you can go direct to FOH from the XLR outs and have the cab sims on and to your power amp from the line outs without the cab sims. Pair it with a good power amp (I'm using the Rocktron Velocity 300 1U, amazing piece of gear for the money!!!) and you're well set.
 
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