Official Axe-Fx Q&A thread!

[Overtone]

Ouch! I didn't know they can take such a beating. Mine is going to be mostly a pre-production/practicing tool as well as outboard processing to get some unique fx on vox/keys/whatever so I think I won't be plugging/unplugging a whole lot.

But that's a good call about just using the second set of outputs. I think I got confused by the 4 cable method into thinking you typically use both at the same time if you want to have the signal going out to another piece of gear, then back in, then to the main output but I imagine it's a simple enough thing to set up the blocks so one is dry and one is wet!

 

[Andromalia]

No axedit yet ? Bored of checking the fractal site every week...

 

[IAMLORDVADER]

Fractal Audio Systems - Axe-Edit Software Editor for the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx Guitar Processor

Heres a link for 1.9, the latest version for use with V.10, seems to work but i'm to used to using the front screen after the lack of Axe-edit

 

[Andromalia]

Tried this one already, crashes a lot especially when in the cab block. :/

 

[cgraci]

Hey can someone give me some advice. I met a professional guitarist that uses two amp sims on his axe fx. Can you guys recommend two amps that would create a great sound. I tried looking it up but can't find anything. I currently use fas modern but I'm open to other amps. I'm just learning so I would appreciate any advice.

 

[cgraci]

Btw I have an axe fx ultra with matrixgt1000fx if that helps

 

[DropTheSun]

Does any of you Axe FX owners use pod hd500 as a pedalboard with Axe FX? I know that it is possible to do, but how easy is it to program to work?

I'm considering to get axe fx2 during this summer and i would like to use pod hd500 as a controller.

 

[MesaENGR412]

Ok, so I have searched and didn't really find the answer or perhaps it hasn't been asked. But, when updating the Fractal Firmware, is it ok to skip some updates to go to the newest one? My situation is I seemingly missed update FW 10.03 and just downloaded 10.05. Will the updates from the previous update be in the 10.05 download, or are they all separate and need to be installed in succession? Thanks!

-AJH

 

[flint757]

With almost anything skipping firmware updates is typically okay.

 

[MesaENGR412]

Cool. Thank you. I just wanted to make sure. New to the digital realm of gear. "Firmware updates" on my previous equipment involved new tubes or a new pedal

-AJH

 

[TheShreddinHand]

Does the length or cost of the USB cord make a difference in quality for recording? I see one's on amazon ranging from 6 to 16 feet and for as cheap as $3-$5 bucks. Seems almost too cheap to me!

 

[Shask]

Does any of you Axe FX owners use pod hd500 as a pedalboard with Axe FX? I know that it is possible to do, but how easy is it to program to work?

I'm considering to get axe fx2 during this summer and i would like to use pod hd500 as a controller.

I do. It is not too hard and there are presets out there for the HD500 to make it easier.

The only "problems" are you have to duplicate the patch on the HD500 to make the lights match if you use the top row to turn on/off effects, and everything is different per patch. What I did was make one master preset and copy it 64 times.

 

[SSK0909]

Does the length or cost of the USB cord make a difference in quality for recording? I see one's on amazon ranging from 6 to 16 feet and for as cheap as $3-$5 bucks. Seems almost too cheap to me!

Nope.

Since its a digital cable it only knows 0 and 1 which equals to signal or no signal.

But a lot of manufactureres want you to believe otherwise of course. Just look at hdmi cables

 

[Rook]

^Yeah that's not quite true.

Yes it's digital so 'it's only 0 or 1', but there are a number of effects in running cables of any great length that can degrade or interfere with digital bitstreams, bearing in mind sure it's just 1011101001011101010000100111001010 but at a rate of thousands or millions (or billions now) per second. Signal degradation and capacitances can slow the reaction time of the cable enough that digital systems can lose synchronicity or 1's and zero's can blur into one another (inter-symbol interference).

There are several people I know of who've run 10'+ USB cables and gotten weird artefacts or pops and clicks in recordings or lost synchronicity altogether which just turns the sound output into indistinguishable crap.

So actually yes it does make a difference. If your computer actually receives the signal, it'll be perfect quality, but artefacts and pops and clicks could be present most notably if the cable is too long.

My recommendation is to keep the cable as short as possible. If you have to run a longer one make sure it's decent but I mean actually decent (£10 instead of £5) not OMG GOLD PLATED TIPS THAT DO NOTHING £10000 PLEASE.

Length is by far the dominant factor, so instead of trying to balance out length with quality, just go as short as you can. Making a quality digital signal cable is easy and doesn't cost much from a manufacturer's perspective so won't cost barely anything anyway.

EDIT: This pic demonstrates what I'm talking about well, similar principles apply for a RZ (return to zero) signal as NRZ (non) such as this

 

[Watty]

Hey can someone give me some advice. I met a professional guitarist that uses two amp sims on his axe fx. Can you guys recommend two amps that would create a great sound. I tried looking it up but can't find anything. I currently use fas modern but I'm open to other amps. I'm just learning so I would appreciate any advice.

Try DL'ing Hauch's tone from AxeChange. He uses the Conford and Brit something models blended. IMO, it sounds pretty good and it's pretty easy to tweak if you play around with the drive parameters. I liked it as a starting point as it's got some inherent depth in the tone.

 

[Rook]

^That's a 2 patch, cgraci has an ultra.

 

[SnowfaLL]

welp.. with my ultra selling last friday.. I finally bit the bullet and bought the II. Never bought a piece of gear worth $2700 before (thats what shipping into Canada cost me) so hope its worthwhile.

Now need to find a good FRFR solution. I have a Matrix Q12 which I have mixed reviews on so far, but thats without a Matrix poweramp running it so maybe that is what makes the drastic difference??

 

[Seanthesheep]

Congrats on the axe fx ii man! Shipping and taxes to canada suck, yea mine ended up costing me 2650$ too

Id say uprgrade to a matrix poweramp if you want to keep a poweramp in your rack but either way I dont recommend the altos. Mine isnt loud at all and its pretty ....ing huge and heavy. Im switching back to a fender frontman 212 combo for my band and im gonna get some studio monitors for home

 

[shawnt3]

Complete dumbass question here, but I too am a new Canadian Axe FX owner and im wondering, can you connect the Axe to Aux computer speakers? Id like to use them for home playing/recording purposes and have not found a method of hooking them up yet.

Thanks!

 

[Tyler]

Complete dumbass question here, but I too am a new Canadian Axe FX owner and im wondering, can you connect the Axe to Aux computer speakers? Id like to use them for home playing/recording purposes and have not found a method of hooking them up yet.

Thanks!

you could have the aux run into a 1/4 cable and plug into the headphone jack