Axefx Ultra after 2 hours of plugging in...

[Matt_B]

It sounds like this device is not for someone who likes to just plug in and play.

It's not necessarily straight-up plug-n-play but if one is familiar with processors and modelers, it's not that daunting, at least until you start deep into advanced Amp block parameters.

I could see wasting years tweaking the settings.

Yeah, some folks get tweak happy because that behavior is inherent in their personality to begin and there is so many things in the Axe-FX. On other other hand, if you know how to get "your" sound and be happy, you'll be fine. Fortunately for me, I fall in to the later.

[emperor_black]

Yeah, I could see myself tweaking for days on end. I had horrible experience with the Boss GT-8. Countless hours wasted. I can't help it. I'm always trying to see how I can make the tone better.

BTW, either Matt or Robert, could one of you guys post a clip of Bogner uberschall sounds the Axe-fx can make? That's going to be my next big investment if I get a good tax-refund. I found two videos on YTube but both are not with good audio.

[roodyrocker]

Its actually not true that if you're not into deep tweaking the Axe Fx isn't for you. I have not heavily edited anything in mine although I'm sure there are tons of great tones to find by doing that. I have taken a few of the factory presets and just adjusted a few of the major parameters like verd, delay, etc... a bit and I have about 8-10 good useable patches out of that which took me minutes to do. I've used these patches to play out live with and they include pristine clean to heavy Mesa Boogie sounds. I've never even looked at any of the advanced parameter screens, just some basic stuff.
emperor-black, as far as the Uberschall goes I've never really heard a good clip of it on youtube. The sound there always seems to come out muffly and overly dark. Plus many people posting Ubers on there just seem to put up sloppy nu-metal type sounds that are irritating. The best clips I've heard of it are actually on Bogner's website. My favorite clip there is the one with Jack Frost playing it. My Uber live sounds much better than the youtube clips I've seen so far.

[Chad]

Just today, I was reading an article on premier guitar about selecting speakers. In that he talks about the frequencies a distorted speaker produces. I wonder if the axefx can reproduce such minute yet significant details? I'm thinking FSFS monitors wont be able to distort the way traditional guitar speakers do?

this would also explain why at lower volumes the mojo is lost...


How does a speaker distort?
When a speaker distorts, it produces two types of frequencies. The first type is harmonic distortion: this is heard as additional tones which are multiples of the original note played. For example, if the original sound produces 100Hz, you would also get 200Hz, 400Hz and so on, even though these tones are not part of the original sound. The second type is non-harmonic distortion, also known as odd harmonic distortion, and often referred to as a buzz or a rattle in the sound. For example, if the original sound produces 100Hz, the odd harmonic distortion would produce frequencies of 300Hz, 500 Hz, and 700Hz, etc.

When setting your tone, there are a series of specs you need to consider, starting with your guitar and amplifier. The signal from a guitar pickup is mostly all midrange and is not rich in harmonics, with practically nothing coming through above 4000Hz. The sixth string “E” tuned to pitch comes through at about 80Hz, two full octaves above the 20Hz low frequency our ears can pick-up. The standard 4-string bass has a range one octave below the guitar, with the low E at about 40Hz.

The way typical guitar amplifier circuits, such as Marshalls and Fenders, are designed also affects how the speakers will respond. The most obvious difference is that the Marshall circuits let more signal pass through, and the tone controls offer less frequency range. The higher signal means that the preamp tube stage can overdrive the output tube stage more. Additionally, the Marshall circuits have a slight dip in the midrange section, almost an octave higher than Fender amps, metering in around 700Hz. A Fender’s midrange dip is around 400Hz, while the bass response on both amplifiers meter in around 10Hz. Fender’s tone controls allow for a higher midrange frequency to pass with the treble response, meaning more dynamic range for that sparkling, tight sound they’re famous for.

Read the entire article here

As Matt mentioned, the Cab block in the AxeFx has a Drive parameter that simulates speaker distortion. So the FRFR speaker wouldn't actually be distorting, but it would be emulating that sound.

Also, look up "Impulse Response" (IR) on the internet. The AxeFx has a bunch of built-in cab simulations (IRs), but it also has 10 User slots available.....and there are TONS of IRs out there....freebies, and ones you can pay for. Bottom line: you can emulate pretty much anything you set your mind to.

[emperor_black]

Cool! They seem to also have a Atomic Reactor FS to go with the AFX. Decent price too...but they're backlogged by 45 days.

http://www.fractalaudio.com/products-at-reactor.html

[Matt_B]

...and there are TONS of IRs out there....freebies

Heh, I managed to download a little over 500 free IRs a while ago and I didn't even have to try hard to find them. There are quite a few people from the Axe-FX boards who are rolling their own. From what I have read, it doesn't seem that difficult to do.

[MOSHWITZ]

Heh, I managed to download a little over 500 free IRs a while ago and I didn't even have to try hard to find them. There are quite a few people from the Axe-FX boards who are rolling their own. From what I have read, it doesn't seem that difficult to do.

+1,,I have about 1000 myself, and its great, if you got a general ballpark tone,, and you want a different take on it, just change a cab and its like having a whole 'nother amp. whats cool is you can set up 2 cab blocks, each with a stero cab setting and load 4 different cabs in there and either mix vol and pan(+ the other parameters) to taste or you can set it up with a C.C. and have 4 cabs to switch through.

When I get some cash to spend, I'm gonna buy the big box set from Redwirez,,,,I just cant take it anymore, after hearing some of the mixed IR that are floating around I got to have me some of those

MOSHON
DAVE

[MOSHWITZ]

=

BTW, either Matt or Robert, could one of you guys post a clip of Bogner uberschall sounds the Axe-fx can make? That's going to be my next big investment if I get a good tax-refund. I found two videos on YTube but both are not with good audio.

If you can give me a reference track of an Ubershall that you like I can try to whip up something,,cant promise it will be great or anything but I'll take a stabb at it when I get a chance

MOSHON
DAVE

[emperor_black]

If you can give me a reference track of an Ubershall that you like I can try to whip up something,,cant promise it will be great or anything but I'll take a stabb at it when I get a chance

MOSHON
DAVE

Cool. Wasn't Godsmack's Awake album recorded with a Bogner Uberschall? his present gear shows only Diezel amps. Any of those riffs would be awesome!

[Matt_B]

if you got a general ballpark tone,, and you want a different take on it, just change a cab and its like having a whole 'nother amp.

That's what I've been doing lately myself. It's a lot quicker than messing with EQ and it can radically change the sound.

[kmanick]

I recently spent some time playing thru one of these andI've got to say iIwas very impressed. at some point I may ditch my tube amps and just
pickup one of these for myself.
I'm not gigging anymore and to be able to get the sounds out of this thing
that you can at basically any volume you want is really appealing to me.

Recording is tons easier with this thing that an real tube amp as well.
I'm going to have to spend some more time with one as parting with my Mesa Mark IV........................................that's going to be a tough one for me to do. I chased that amp for about 3 years before I found the one I've got now.

[jgcable]

I recently spent some time playing thru one of these andI've got to say iIwas very impressed. at some point I may ditch my tube amps and just
pickup one of these for myself.
I'm not gigging anymore and to be able to get the sounds out of this thing
that you can at basically any volume you want is really appealing to me.

Recording is tons easier with this thing that an real tube amp as well.
I'm going to have to spend some more time with one as parting with my Mesa Mark IV........................................that's going to be a tough one for me to do. I chased that amp for about 3 years before I found the one I've got now.

I think that its probably the perfect rig for the non-gigging guitar player.
Maybe I'll get one too when I ever stop playing live. By then I could probably pick one up for around $300.00

[roodyrocker]

Thats the thing about the Axe FX, its the right thing for the home musician, recording musician, and gigging musician! It suitable for just about anything you can think of
I still love my tube amps and have not ditched them after getting my Axe Fx but thats cause I have GAS real bad

[Matt_B]

I think that its probably the perfect rig for the non-gigging guitar player.

Heh, tell that to the guitar players that do gig with it.

[Radiohead]

I saw Dweezl when he was in TO opening for Dream Theater this summer. He was using the AxeFX. He sounded incredible. To be honest, I thought Dweezl had better sound (and played better) then JP. His sound was warm and organic.