Official Axe-Fx Q&A thread!
- Thread starter JohnIce
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- amp audio axe axe fx axe fx 2 axe fx axe-fx axe fx ii axe-fx 2 axefx axefx 2 blocks btbam crown djent dustie waring fractal gear guitar isp mackie hd 1531 matrix amplification mesa mfc-101 midi amplifier switching midi controller misha mansoor peavey 6505 plus pedal chain prog qsc qsc k12 qsc k153 rig strymon
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SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
don't get me wrong, I hate EMGs for real amps and *CABINETS* but using the Axe-FX and FRFR, thats a whole different bag of worms. Yes, I messed with the input level of my passives multiple times, still was unhappy with the tone.
Its a tough choice, cause If I do switch to all EMGs, Im basically stuck with this setup cause if I go back to real cabinets, I dislike EMGs. Oh well, I don't see myself going back to cabinets anytime soon. I am keeping the set of BKP Mother Milks in my new strat thats coming in a few weeks though, something about EMGs in strats is wrong (even if Gilmour does it). Good thing I dont play anything heavy on that.
Its a tough choice, cause If I do switch to all EMGs, Im basically stuck with this setup cause if I go back to real cabinets, I dislike EMGs. Oh well, I don't see myself going back to cabinets anytime soon. I am keeping the set of BKP Mother Milks in my new strat thats coming in a few weeks though, something about EMGs in strats is wrong (even if Gilmour does it). Good thing I dont play anything heavy on that.
I've always philosophised that the Axe should ideally see the most neutral pickups possible due to the massive range of sounds within. Unless you go for a particular tonal quality on EVERY patch you make (e.g. BKP BRAINkiller high mid spike), you will end up EQ'ing this out of every patch that you don't want it in. With a neutral pickup, I think you could probably add a similar effect in when needed, but otherwise retain a flat response.
Of course, I have struggled to find pickups that are truly flat, so I just went with a set of the new EMG 57/66 which I hope to receive by the end of the month. They sound pretty balanced from most reviews, but I have yet to hear them. Perhaps I'll post some stems when I get them.
Of course, I have struggled to find pickups that are truly flat, so I just went with a set of the new EMG 57/66 which I hope to receive by the end of the month. They sound pretty balanced from most reviews, but I have yet to hear them. Perhaps I'll post some stems when I get them.
SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
Yea. The DC727 I have right now has Painkillers, and I definitely feel that. Its not bad though, but the EMG's just work more for me.
Shask
Well-Known Member
I dont notice them being good or bad, but I can definitely tell the patches with EMGs dont normally have a dominant sound. I mainly use a Crunchlab and an EMG 707, and the Crunchlab always gives the Axe a super exaggerated mid spike, where the EMG sounds more neutral.
SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
Yeah thats what I've been struggling with; my two "main" guitars right now have a BKP Painkiller 7 set, and a Dimarzio Crunchlab/LF set lol.. Going to the EMG's neutral-ness after that, is quite different.
If you actually want flat pickups, you want some Lace Alumitones, however there's more to an EQ than straight boost and cut at different frequencies. They're reactive so there's phase to think about, different pickups don't feel or sound different just because of the peak and even if something's flat (lowQ) there will also be a phase/frequency variation.
FireInside
.Buried.Breathing.
I recently got my Axe-FX II also
After having a HD500 and Axe-FX Standard, I would say you really don't need to tweak the II. I basically just throw up an amp model, put an OD in front of it, and that is about it for basic tones. Anything else is because I am trying to find something specific...
Just wondering...are you using FRFR or power amp and cab? I have similar results with my Ultra through a Velocity 300 and Mesa Oversize cab. I do a bit of tweaking but not as much as I would have expected.
Shask
Well-Known Member
Kind of both. I run output 1 into some M-Audio monitors, and I will play that sometimes with cab models. I run output 2 into a poweramp and guitar cabs, and I play that with no cab models. I kind of flip back and forth depending on my mood.
I never tweaked my Standard NEARLY as much as my HD500, and now I tweak the II even less. I am probably not as neurotic OCD as some people, but to me it basically sounds good on about everything normal settings.
I will say that my comment about not being happy with EMG tones from my Axe was referring to the distortion sounds.. I actually really liked the cleans I was getting with them. But with the high-gain patches the tones were either too saturated or not saturated enough. Couldn't get the happy medium I've been able to get with my guitars with Crunchlab/Liquifire combo and JB/Jazz combo.
olli576
Active Member
Hey guys i've been playing with the mackie 1531 for a while with the axefx (about 1month) and just recently i played along side it with a real amp/cab and instantly noticed how much more mids the real amp had, aswell as a lot louder.
I put my ear up against the grill and found the top tweeter then as i went down it was basically no sound until i got to the sub, the 6" horn (middle speaker) should be fairly noticeable/present with mids shouldn't it? instead of just a distance sound which mayeswell just be the tweeter from a low point
would this mean the middle speaker just isn't connected right or has a faulty wire? i'm going to take the grill off soon and get a closer look/listen but i just wanna see if anyone else has had this issue for a better direction to go in.
Please help! your responses are much appreciated.
I put my ear up against the grill and found the top tweeter then as i went down it was basically no sound until i got to the sub, the 6" horn (middle speaker) should be fairly noticeable/present with mids shouldn't it? instead of just a distance sound which mayeswell just be the tweeter from a low point
would this mean the middle speaker just isn't connected right or has a faulty wire? i'm going to take the grill off soon and get a closer look/listen but i just wanna see if anyone else has had this issue for a better direction to go in.
Please help! your responses are much appreciated.
I've no doubt you understand the technical side of things more than I do, all I have on the subject is what I've tried in the past. I've pretty much given up on my theories, so now I'm back to trawling the pickup world to try and find something I like!
On a different note, I finally got my response from Fractal USA regarding the heat issue. Didn't exactly get the answer that I wanted ("this is normal") but they did say that the Axe II runs much hotter than the Ultra, which I remember to only get slightly warm. I suppose that's something though
SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
I've no doubt you understand the technical side of things more than I do, all I have on the subject is what I've tried in the past. I've pretty much given up on my theories, so now I'm back to trawling the pickup world to try and find something I like!
On a different note, I finally got my response from Fractal USA regarding the heat issue. Didn't exactly get the answer that I wanted ("this is normal") but they did say that the Axe II runs much hotter than the Ultra, which I remember to only get slightly warm. I suppose that's something though
So there wont be any issues with damage for running hot? I didnt notice it before reading your post but yesterday my axe was super hot, while I was dialing in from the front panel (tonematching) - I dunno if its always like that though, yesterday was an abnormally hot day here.
The weather has been quite hot where I am recently. Like I've mentioned, it doesn't get too hot to touch, but warm enough to make your hand instantly sweat if you rest it on the chassis over the screen. Neither Fractal nor G66 seem to be worried, so I'll have to trust them. If not, at least I've got a full 2 years warranty period ahead of me and an Ultra for backup
DropTheSun
Well-Known Member
Stephen Carpenter from Deftones is a great dude!
Fractal Audio Systems - Stef Carpenter Deftones Artist Preset Pack Released
Fractal Audio Systems - Stef Carpenter Deftones Artist Preset Pack Released
Lorcan Ward
7slinger
^That is really cool of him!!
Poltergeist
Well-Known Member
I don't even have an Axe Fx II and I'm excited about Stephen Carpenter uploading his KNY presets...Can non-owners of an Axe-Fx still download Axe-Edit and view presets within the community?
Sean1242
Very Left Handed
@Poltergeist : You can.
Winspear
Winspear/Noisemother
Is anyone using a tube poweramp into passive frfr or does that kind of defeat the point of frfr (I.e. wanting to hear only the axe fx with its cab sim and any poweramp modelling)
Cab sim into tube amp would be a bad idea, you wouldn't wanna drive a phase inverter tube with a signal with next to no high end compared to the un-cabbed signal.
Tube-> guitar cab
SS/FRFR amp->FRFR Cab IMO
Tube-> guitar cab
SS/FRFR amp->FRFR Cab IMO
