So one thing I'm finding with the Axe FX. With the same IR or real world cab, a lot of the high-gain models sound the same. I know that there is a general thought that speakers are more important than the amp towards the final tone in a lot of cases.
But this isn't really something I've picked up on that much with real amp heads - the Laney Ironheart, VH100R, the 5153, the Marshall JVM Satriani, the Diezel D-Moll, The Fryette Sig X, and the Orange Rockerverb. They all sound fairly different through the exact same cab and speakers to me. Of course I am judging on a combination of actual real world comparisons I've done (5153 versus JVM) and my memory of what some of these amps sounded like, given I don't own them anymore - for instance, the Sig X had this absolutely monstrous low-end that sounded almost like a bass amp, whereas the JVM had quite a fuzzy low-end that was not as refined. The Orange Rockerverb sounds quite dark and 'Big Muffy' when cranked hard, whereas the 5153 sounds tight all the way through it's gain stages.
Again, through the same cab+speakers; in most cases this was my ENGL 2x12 with V30's. Which is also the same cab I am using with the Axe FX.
Axe FX going into the return of my Diezel D-Moll.
So my question really is this - are high-gain sounds from modellers more susceptible to this than real amp heads, or am I just imagining it?
Comments
Unless you're able to A/B very quickly and at a matched volume you aren't going to get a fair comparison.
A tube amp needs a load, so to try Franken amping you need a load for each head (dummy, or speaker)
I would guess - given that you like tight sounds, and that's what I've heard in the Diezel I've played - that this amp has a lot of negative feedback, so it will be more of the former with this one; when you use looser amps with less NFB the speaker gets more of a say in the result.
Similarly for guitarfishbay's observation - the Blackstar almost certainly has a lot more NFB than the Rectifier, even with the Rec in a mode other than Modern. (In Modern it has none!)
NFB is not the only variable in power amp character and sensitivity to preamps and speakers either.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Although this is even true when going direct to my DAW, to some extent. But then IR's are capture with specific poweramps, so you're always going to be facing it.
In other words as close to FRFR as you can get without actually adding a tweeter and a bass port and then using software to negate their presence .
Solid state is going to be better because solid-state power amps inherently have much higher damping factors than can normally be achieved with valves. (equivalent to more NFB and lower output impedance, so the speaker is overruled more strongly.)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Oh fuck... sorry dude....