Axe_FX II Rigs, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Digital Modelling.

guitarfishbay

paulmapp8306 said:

As for switch times,  On patch changes, I can move from my patch button to my amp select button and press it and the change now happens.  I cant move quick enough to beat the switch time (EDIT - I can beat it but have to move blinking quickly, and only when Im sitting with my foot hovering over the two buttons, and only if the patch Im using is below the X/Y button so ther is no horizontal movement needed).  The X/Y change seems almost seamless to me.  The is a VERY slight gap but its milli seconds.  Its as quick if not quicker than most/all real amp channel changes Ive encountered. Its slightly faster than the change time on my Fender Machete.

Thanks for posting.  Looking forward to giving this new FW a go.

Did you feel the sound of your patches changed much with FW20, I'm assuming you went from 19?

paulmapp8306

Anybody using a RAC12 controller?

Seriously considering one.  Two reasons - firstly my data wheel is getting flaky (which I kind of expected after my old Standard did the same with age - should really consider an XL with the optical encoder).  Secondly having a "real amp" like front pannel plus options in other pages as well appeals.

Its a shallow unit, meaning It will fit ion my 4U rack, If I mount my L6 G90 wireless receiver in the rear rails behind the RAC 12 (which isnt a problem).

For those who dont know, its a 12 knob midi controller (Rack mount) with an LED display.  Each knob is rotary and can be assigned to 99% of parameters in the AFX (not just those that can be assigned to an IA on the MFC).  Each knob is also a push push.  You can assign switch options to single and double press - and also press and hold.  There are 12 pages of config for each knob, that can be access'd directly (if you locate say page 2 to button 2's double press - page 3 to button 3s double press etc) or via a rotory (that scrolls through the pages) if set up to a knob.

Ive had a quick think how Id use it, and I could have the following set up (main control first, the single press in brackets).  Double presses on knobs 1-12 will access page 1-12.  Press and holds will be assigned to RAC12 functions only.

Default (Page 1):

Gain(Boost), Bass(Cut), Mid (Fat), Trebble (bright switch), Prescence, Depth, Master, Level, IP Trim, Overdrive (for amps that have it), Sag and Bright (as in the rotory on amp page 1, not the switch that is already assigned).

Page 2:

Crunch, Dynamics, Tube Type, Neg Feedback, Dynamic Presence (same knob as Presence), Dynamic Depth (same knob as Depth), XF Match, Level (always level on each page), Characture Freq, Characture Ammount, Sat Type, Sat Drive.

Page 3:

the first 8 knobs will be assigned to the 8 sliders in the AMPs EQ block.

Page 4:

This will be the mix levels for the following FX,

Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotory, Tremolo, Compressor, Drive1 and Drive 2

Page 5 will be levels for the same FX.  I might swop page 4 and 5 over, but it doesnt matter their instantly accessible.

From that I will have most of the parameter I use to fine tune a patch available by default, and pretty much everything else I need to tune live on the fly with a simple double press of the relevant page button.

I may well use other pages for more in depth stuff like grid changes etc - but I generally use them rarely, and only ion initial set-up. 

 http://fxunits.com/

Thoughts?

guitarfishbay

They look great on paper.

Zoom in on the main stock photo though and is it just me or are the knobs worn?

I know you can replace knobs but it seems an odd choice to not have replaced those for the promo shot.

Other than that I like the idea and do wish the Axe was 3U so you could fit dedicated amp controls on to the main unit.  I do use the ABCD knobs a lot while dialing things in, but they aren't permanently wired to the amp block so you still need to navigate the layout first.

paulmapp8306

I think the wear is just reflection.  The knobs seem to be shiney, and a little conical.  The other shot with the Marshall style knobs doesnt look bad.  

Ultimately you could put any knobs you like on.  Metal "Mesa" ones for instance.

paulmapp8306

guitarfishbay said:

paulmapp8306 said:

As for switch times,  On patch changes, I can move from my patch button to my amp select button and press it and the change now happens.  I cant move quick enough to beat the switch time (EDIT - I can beat it but have to move blinking quickly, and only when Im sitting with my foot hovering over the two buttons, and only if the patch Im using is below the X/Y button so ther is no horizontal movement needed).  The X/Y change seems almost seamless to me.  The is a VERY slight gap but its milli seconds.  Its as quick if not quicker than most/all real amp channel changes Ive encountered. Its slightly faster than the change time on my Fender Machete.

Thanks for posting.  Looking forward to giving this new FW a go.

Did you feel the sound of your patches changed much with FW20, I'm assuming you went from 19?

Yeh - from 19.

difficult to say - Ive only had a quick spin and not at high volumes.  Seems a little more gritty, with a slightly smoother top end on just breaking and crunch tones.  Cleans dont seem to have changes, and nor does the high gain stuff.  

That said, Im not a high gain player really, so I might be missing the nuances there.  It might also be amp model dependent as to how much it shows.  My Fender style blues crunches and Cameron/Plexi Rock tones seem a little more pleasing though.

paulmapp8306

guitarfishbay said:

They look great on paper.

Zoom in on the main stock photo though and is it just me or are the knobs worn?

I know you can replace knobs but it seems an odd choice to not have replaced those for the promo shot.

Other than that I like the idea and do wish the Axe was 3U so you could fit dedicated amp controls on to the main unit.  I do use the ABCD knobs a lot while dialing things in, but they aren't permanently wired to the amp block so you still need to navigate the layout first.

You can download the edit software, and play with the configurations of each button/knob and page.  That way you can see if the parameter you want access to are available, and if you can make a config that suits your needs before you buy the unit.

The only think I would have liked thats not available is the Global Reverb and FX level.  That would have been handy as I change those a lot dependant on volume and location.  

Clarky

I'm on 20 beta now…

not tried any of the new stuff yet tho

AndyJP

Hi all,

Have a listen to this guys live tone. What do you think of it? His rig surprised me a bit. A qsc k12 for backline.

https://soundcloud.com/garycain/shiloh-live-at-burns-howff

Here's his post on the forum.....

http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-recordings/101600-axe-ii-just-kills-blues-tones.html

AndyJP

Here's another https://m.soundcloud.com/garycain/catfish-live

guitarfishbay

Just had a go on 20... seems nice.  I actually prefer the old JMP1 model so I'm glad they kept it, I've recently started messing around with it and it is quite cool.

FW 20 does respond a little differently to palm mutes, a little less flub maybe, even though the feel is a little bouncier.  Really hard to properly gauge low end feel until you're playing pretty loud though.

I think it sounds marginally louder than 19?  Though I almost always feel that way when I update - but tbh it takes so long to load the FW that I've forgotten how loud it was when I stopped playing.

guitarfishbay

So seems new FW numbering scheme? Quantum beta 1 http://forum.fractalaudio.com/axe-fx-ii-discussion/103735-axe-fx-ii-quantum-rev-1-00-public-beta.html

paulmapp8306

Saw this.

I may hold off for a short while. It could mean playing a lot with presets, so I want my rac12 in place first(as my data wheel investing Ropey) and that will be a week or two.

guitarfishbay

I couldn't sleep last night so stayed up watching the Twitch feed for a while.  I see Chris uploaded it here, I didn't watch it all, it is 2 hours long but I think he explores a bunch of stuff, I stopped watching not long after the AC30 I think. 

The Engl amp model sounded pretty awesome for low end palm mutes - it is at 11:55

When you turn the input drive to 10 it changes the value to 'melt faces'... lol.

The Recto 2 model Red Modern has too much gain in this beta, it did sound crap again with volume on 4 (it really needs to be 2 or less, nothing changed there) but it sounded way OTT on the Twitch feed.  Cliff confirmed it is off and has too much gain at the minute.

So no idea what he has actually changed that warrants it being called Quantum, most people seem to be talking about feel improvements.

guitarfishbay

This is quite cool.  Lots of reverb, but you can still hear how it is reacting to the pick attack.

First amp is Shiver clean and distortion amp is CA Tucana, delay and deep space reverb for ambience

paulmapp8306

Not that much has changed - I gave in and downloaded.  I didnt have to do too much to my patches bar some volume leveling.

I can definitely hear the "hair" when the guitar volumes are dialed down - also on the note trails.  I didnt really know what the term meant to be honest - but now I hear it I know ....  For those like me, its the crackle and little "spits" you get when on the edge of breakup where, and the guitar string modulates the "vales"  response bounce's between just distorting and just not.  Its very subtle but very cool and lifelike.  My Machete does this -but Ive had lesser valve amps that haven't very well (you know, the ones that go from clean to fully saturated with only a small increase in input signal).

The cleans "appear" to have a slightly more pushed midrange (not more mids in an EQ sense, but the feeling of them being more present?) , a less flubby bass and smoother top end.  Again its subtle and could be a "pseudo effect"  (as you cant really A/B the firmware directly).

High gain tones - cant really tell you I dont use them much - but Im enjoying the.

All my playing is with amp/cab - not FRFR so that may change things as well.

Clarky

I'm on Quantum 1.00 beta1 now

I'm not sure noticing much tone wise, although there does seem to be 'something' but I can't put my finger on it

but it really feels slick and smooth.. and seems to allow ever so slightly gentler gating on the hi-gain tones..

liking this a lot.. for the feel if nothing else..

guitarfishbay

Yes I don't feel a big change in amp EQ or anything but it feels very nice to play. Hard to A/B feel as a FW update takes a few minutes so you forget.. The only patch I noticed maybe sounding different was my double verb clean, it seemed to sound thicker (in a nice way). I like it.

paulmapp8306

And my Rac12 is ordered, and will ship tomorrow.

Its a lot of money, to not be adding any actual extra stuff, but the functionality "on the fly" at giggs ets - and the fact I have pretty much instant access on dedicated controllers for the stuff I use most is probably worth it.

My Rack is now crowded - I have 5u worth of units in a 4 U rack........

I have rear rack rails, so from top to bottom, in the front Matrix Power amp, AFX2, Rac12.  In the rear - top 1U is a power strip screwed into the roof of the rack, and a blanking plate covering it.  Next down is a homemade patch bay - with sockets for Ethercon power in, Power amp outs (Ch 1 and Ch2), Midi out (in is used for the Rac 12) MFC, USB, FX Send and return, Main XLR outs (for desk/PC) Left and Right.  3rd "U" is unfilled and with no blanking plate.  This gives acces to most of the AFX 2 rear connections should I need.  The botton "U" is where my Line 6 G90 Relay receiver now resides (the Rac 12 and G90 are both rather shallow units so fit back to back with no issues).   OK I cant see the LED's - but frankly I didnt really use them - only to check the Transmitter was on (quicker than looking at the pack, but mainly just the lazy way) or to check battery status (again lazy - thats also on the transmitter).  Antennas can be placed down (90 deg or 45 deg) horizontal, or up at a 45 deg angle.  

Its rather compact... but works fine.  Might even get some pics when its all in place.

guitarfishbay

Bugs' Quantum demo with aluminium tele -

AndyJP

Just picked up on the Quantum Release.  Christ G3 didn't last long did it?

Read through the fractal thread regarding the release,  The fractal release notes were absolute gash, but guess it's still at beta stage.   From what I can make out the big difference is about the feel yeah?

Anyone know if all the amp models have been "quantum-ed"?