Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: dumfuxx on February 25, 2005, 08:59:55 PM

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: dumfuxx on February 25, 2005, 08:59:55 PM

I bought an f2b off of ebay to start building my rack system.  Will it compare tonally with an f1x?  should I have bought that instead?  
 
Epic 5
f2b
peavy stereo power amp (temporary)
hartke 410xl cab
custom made 4x8 subwoofer cab (JL car audio speakers in custom designed box)
 
I just discovered that the f2b does not have a crossover and i got worried.

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: 0vid on February 26, 2005, 04:04:36 AM

buy a cheap cross over then....
the FIX crossover is very good and has a wide range. But if you are using rubber surround woofers, you might want to get the cross over as low as the 4X 10 can go, say 75Hz. Too high a crossover point (your car audio subs don't really go abbove 250hz anyway) and the rubber surround speakers have to do more work and may not return as quickly after excursions - this often results in an audible lag. This is particularly crucial if you are looking to play percussive styles, e.g. slap bass, or if you are looking to get a growly sound.

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: David Houck on February 26, 2005, 04:40:43 AM

I don't have an F-2B, but I think the answer is that the circuitry is the same and that therefore tonally they are the same.

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: edwin on February 26, 2005, 11:33:30 AM

They are actually quite different in that the F2B is an all tube signal path and the F1X uses the tube as a buffer for the input and for the FX loop return. The rest of the gain is all solid state. They have a similar tone control setup. I find that the sounds are different, both really good, but different. As far as which one you want to use, well, I say hold out for both and then use the one that works the best for each situation. There is no better.
 
 
HTH!
Edwin

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: haddimudd on February 26, 2005, 01:01:23 PM

On a side note I could mention a person who had played tons of different Alembic gear in his life and he once told me (in his opinion) the F-2b sounds much better. Of course this is a very personal view. Personally, I swapped my F-2b for an F1-x recently because I hardly ever used the two channels and I liked the idea about the DI and the crossover.
 
The F2b is a great amp. Be proud, not worried.

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: dnburgess on February 26, 2005, 01:19:29 PM

Edwin, thanks for that - its the clearest statement of the difference in signal paths that I've read - although on rereading the material on the web site it is all there. (And I've been telling customers the signal paths were the same - d'oh.)
 
david b.

Title: F2b vs f1x
Post by: David Houck on February 27, 2005, 05:34:27 AM

Thanks Edwin!  Like David, I've been assuming they were the same.  And I too went back and reread the web site info.  So, I've learned something new today!