dumb question - dt 25 1x12 cab

[the_bees_knees22]

Hi!

So just wondering.  Is the dt-25 cab similar to an frfr?  Just curious since the DT's have cab modelling built in.  or is it more like a regular guitar cab that your just throwing a cab model on top of?

Anyway, dumb question.  But I'm curious.

[the_bees_knees22]

oh wait. does the cab sim only get applied to the cab sim out and not the out going to the cab? (the manual doesn't really seem to say.  I may have missed it though when I skimmed it)

[Fenderflame28]

Hi Bees.

 

An FRFR (full range, flat response) is basically like a hifi speaker - the full audio range (40Hz ish to 20kHz) and a flat frequency response (imagine a graphic equaliser with all the frequency bands set at the centre).

 

The line 6 DT cab is a guitar cab (typically 100 Hz to 18kHz - don't know the actual spec but others here might). Crucially though guitar cabs are never flat response. The speaker and cabinet will be biased towards mids to emphasise the guitar frequencies. This is why when you try playing a acoustic guitar through a guitar cab it normally sounds horrible. Play the acoustic through a PA (basically a FRFR system) it sounds great.

 

The DT amps don't have cab modelling, they have a pre-amp (digital), power amp (valve) and a cab. On the rear of the cab the XLR out is a 'cab- simulated' line out. This means it's a 'one-size-fits-all' output you can send to a PA and it is voiced so it will sound similar to the DT's own cab.

 

Hope this helps.

[the_bees_knees22]

ok yeah that makes sense!

I just kept reading posts here and there about turning the cab modelling off on the DT when paired with a helix and that made me wonder, but seems like that was just for the xlr out.

like here:
http://rome2.github.io/dtedit/

you see the cab model parms. 

[the_bees_knees22]

Actually, another dumb question.  

Would it be more beneficial to go  guitar> helix>  FX loop send to DT guitar in> DT out to Helix FX loop return>  Helix cab sim> to an FRFR    (If one wanted to make use of both the DT topologies and the Helix cab sims or IR's)

or maybe guitar>helix fx loop send> DT floop return,> DT OUT> helix fx loop return> helix OUT

Or something like that. etc..  I'd have to play with the signal chain

[the_bees_knees22]

I guess it's more  Guitar> Helix L6 link> DT OUT>  Helix FX loop return>  helix cab sim> helix out to an FRFR  (and have the DT hooked up to a load box )

[Fenderflame28]

I think the last one you said makes most sense. It really depends what you are trying to achieve. If you are playing live, I'm not sure that you will hear a lot of cab model difference in the mix with a band. Recorded, yes you will. 

 

Line 6 make the power cab (FRFR) for this purpose. You could get rid of the DT and just go guitar > helix > power cab to get the most out of cab modelling.

[the_bees_knees22]

Yeah I'm mostly wondering if the DT adds that much more to the helix in both situations for recording & live situations vs an FRFR setup, and how I would best recreate the live sound when recording direct...  Or if it's like 10% just better than a power cab/FRFR setup.  I've never tested a power cab or another FRFR so I can't compare.   If the DT is just a tad better than an FRFR then I feel like maybe I should just sell it, and simplify my setup.

I also have an orange ppc2x12 cab too that I love, and I could use with the helix/DT.  Then just use an orange 2x12 IR in a separate signal chain for recording or going to the house.  hmmm.... Or I could use my marshall and go direct into the fx loop since it's a higher wattage than the DT. ...more...power! lol

I'm short a few cables to try all this out since I tossed some stuff after moving lol