Nice review - I've been very impressed with the IRX and it does feel better (in my opinion) compared to playing my FM3. I'm now seriously thinking of making the jump to the Synergy world.
New Friedman IR-X preamp
- Thread starter saarangnarayan
- Start date
Nice review - I've been very impressed with the IRX and it does feel better (in my opinion) compared to playing my FM3. I'm now seriously thinking of making the jump to the Synergy world.
Elric
Roadie
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- 552
FWIW my PS2 is rackmount... The kit is pretty cheap and works well. :)
Elf
Roadie
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- 159
murphy brown
Groupie
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- 99
Nice little comparison, thank you for this sir.
gonzoknife
Groupie
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- 72
Late to the party but I'm in love with my IR-X. I built a pedalboard around it and it sounds great. I've been mainly using my FM9 for a while so I've been trying to recreate the IR-X in my FM9. I get close but there's a brightness and liveliness on the clean channel I can't quite get on the FM9 even with the same IRs. I'll try again with the version 7 firmware. The IR-X just works for me.
My only knock is the knobs. I dislike those types of knobs on any pedal. They get bumped really easily in transport. I'll probably replace them.
My only knock is the knobs. I dislike those types of knobs on any pedal. They get bumped really easily in transport. I'll probably replace them.
saarangnarayan
Roadie
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- 104
What model are you using on the FM9 to get said clean tones? The IR-X's channel 1 is the Friedman Plexi channel which isn't really modelled in any Fractal device, so you may want to give one of the Plexi models a go for dialling it in closer. The 2203 Low might be an interesting candidate as well.
gonzoknife
Groupie
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- 72
I tried several plexis and settled on 1987x treble for now. I don't think I tried 2203 Low so I'll give that a shot. Thanks.
murphy brown
Groupie
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- 99
It sounds like you've been experimenting with different amplifier options, specifically the Marshall Plexi models, and have settled on the 1987x treble for now. That's great to hear! The 1987x is known for its classic rock tones and vintage Marshall sound.
saarangnarayan
Roadie
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- 104
What is your favourite colour?
did you generate this response using Chat GPT?
Baba
Shredder
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- 1,150
Not sure if you saw this: https://reverb.com/item/78732780-friedman-ir-x-ir-d-knob-guard
I'm building a pedalboard around my IR-X as well. Sounds and feels awesome.
gonzoknife
Groupie
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- 72
That's clever. I'm going to think about that thing. Thanks!
Frodebro
Shredder
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- 1,235
did you generate this response using Chat GPT?
Check the posting history and draw your own conclusion…
saarangnarayan
Roadie
- Messages
- 104
Just got the chunkiest of metal tones with the IR-X using the Timmy in front of it. I was kinda struggling with the attack and clarity of the IR-X by itself and even with a TS-9 or Tumnus in front for drop-tuned heavy rhythm tones. But the Timmy is an absolute revelation!
The bass cut on the Timmy gets removes the bloatyness in the lows and low-mids that the BE channel has with anything below D on the 6th string. For anyone else struggling with drop-tined tones, using anything that has some sort of a bass-cut knob in fromt of the BE channel is the secret sauce. I’m guessing the Buxom Boost might fare well in this scenario.
Also, with the Timmy’s treble wide open (note that the knobs on the Timmy work backwards), I didn’t even have to crank the treble on the IR-X much (unlike with the TS-9) to get that string-y attack that usually 2203-style circuits have. Maybe we don’t need that IR-JEL afterall…
The bass cut on the Timmy gets removes the bloatyness in the lows and low-mids that the BE channel has with anything below D on the 6th string. For anyone else struggling with drop-tined tones, using anything that has some sort of a bass-cut knob in fromt of the BE channel is the secret sauce. I’m guessing the Buxom Boost might fare well in this scenario.
Also, with the Timmy’s treble wide open (note that the knobs on the Timmy work backwards), I didn’t even have to crank the treble on the IR-X much (unlike with the TS-9) to get that string-y attack that usually 2203-style circuits have. Maybe we don’t need that IR-JEL afterall…
JasonE
Roadie
- Messages
- 483
Just got the chunkiest of metal tones with the IR-X using the Timmy in front of it. I was kinda struggling with the attack and clarity of the IR-X by itself and even with a TS-9 or Tumnus in front for drop-tuned heavy rhythm tones. But the Timmy is an absolute revelation!
The bass cut on the Timmy gets removes the bloatyness in the lows and low-mids that the BE channel has with anything below D on the 6th string. For anyone else struggling with drop-tined tones, using anything that has some sort of a bass-cut knob in fromt of the BE channel is the secret sauce. I’m guessing the Buxom Boost might fare well in this scenario.
Also, with the Timmy’s treble wide open (note that the knobs on the Timmy work backwards), I didn’t even have to crank the treble on the IR-X much (unlike with the TS-9) to get that string-y attack that usually 2203-style circuits have. Maybe we don’t need that IR-JEL afterall…
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I don't have the IR-X, but, I did get my IR-D about a week ago. If you haven't done it yet, hook it up to your computer and check the Presence and Thump settings on each channel. You could change the thump parameter on that one channel to take some of the bass out.
Another thing that I found in the IR-D is that the stock IRs were not doing the pedal justice. I loaded some York Audio IRs that I have into it and it made a very noticeable difference in the sound of the pedal, for the better. You may want to give that a try as well.
saarangnarayan
Roadie
- Messages
- 104
I tried everything, mate. IRs were one of the first things I swapped out for my preferred ones from ML Sound Labs. But the smoothness of the BE was always a hurdle, regardless of poweramp settings or IR.
JasonE
Roadie
- Messages
- 483
I learned by buying the Friedman OD pedals that I struggled with the BE-OD and really like the Dirty Shirley. I ended up buying a Twin Sister amp a few years ago. I really like that amp. When I saw the IR-X come out, I liked the idea of the pedal a lot but knew it probably wasn't for me with the experience have had with it and the DS circuit. When I saw the leak about the IR-D, I knew I was going to buy that as soon as it came out and I did.
