Official Axe-Fx Q&A thread!

[lewis]

I would assume this has been answered several times, but is there a new SS.org favorite for a powered PA speaker for the Axe-FX? I bought an Alto 112/115 (it's been so long I forgot which one it was) and it finally died. It worked well for me, and I'm considering just buying another. Wanted to see if there's a new fan favorite I should look into.

the modified Headrush version is better imo! So I would suggest that. They also just released a brand new 2000 watt 8 inch compact version that will literally fit in a suitcase

 

[mnemonic]

Those of you with II’s that haven’t yet downloaded the final firmware, I recommend it.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-ii-ares-rev-1-02-firmware-release.149075/

Includes the cathode follower improvements (amongst other things) that were done recently for the III.

There’s a lot of hype (as there always is for anything new on the axe FX forum), but I have to say, this does sound like one of those big updates, I’m really digging the tones.

For a long time I’ve had trouble with the Recto models, not sounding as good as my real Recto and not being able to balance tightness, clarity, and punch as easily as other models. But I just made a patch with the Recto 2 Org Mdrn and it’s pretty great, A/B-ing against my other patches and it’s holding its own.

 

[LeviathanKiller]

Those of you with II’s that haven’t yet downloaded the final firmware, I recommend it.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-ii-ares-rev-1-02-firmware-release.149075/

Includes the cathode follower improvements (amongst other things) that were done recently for the III.

There’s a lot of hype (as there always is for anything new on the axe FX forum), but I have to say, this does sound like one of those big updates, I’m really digging the tones.

For a long time I’ve had trouble with the Recto models, not sounding as good as my real Recto and not being able to balance tightness, clarity, and punch as easily as other models. But I just made a patch with the Recto 2 Org Mdrn and it’s pretty great, A/B-ing against my other patches and it’s holding its own.

I've found the Recto models much more usable now too

 

[MSS]

I've found the Recto models much more usable now too

Recto red is my go to.

 

[Lax]

I've been re-discovering the recto red and it's been more fun and actual playing than the hours I usually spend tweaking the mk2c++
Ares rocks

 

[Shask]

Those of you with II’s that haven’t yet downloaded the final firmware, I recommend it.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-ii-ares-rev-1-02-firmware-release.149075/

Includes the cathode follower improvements (amongst other things) that were done recently for the III.

There’s a lot of hype (as there always is for anything new on the axe FX forum), but I have to say, this does sound like one of those big updates, I’m really digging the tones.

For a long time I’ve had trouble with the Recto models, not sounding as good as my real Recto and not being able to balance tightness, clarity, and punch as easily as other models. But I just made a patch with the Recto 2 Org Mdrn and it’s pretty great, A/B-ing against my other patches and it’s holding its own.

I am really curious, but I keep waiting as they keep finding bugs. It seems like most people say this really does sound better than it ever has.

 

[broangiel]

I am really curious, but I keep waiting as they keep finding bugs. It seems like most people say this really does sound better than it ever has.

I think the relatively large influx of bugs over the past few firmwares were related to the Cathode Follower overhaul. A lot of the old values baked into the models were incompatible with the new algorithms or something to that effect.

FAS raced through 5.00 and 5.01 to squash bugs. I think we’re solid with 5.02. I haven’t heard anything major, at least.

 

[Shask]

I think the relatively large influx of bugs over the past few firmwares were related to the Cathode Follower overhaul. A lot of the old values baked into the models were incompatible with the new algorithms or something to that effect.

FAS raced through 5.00 and 5.01 to squash bugs. I think we’re solid with 5.02. I haven’t heard anything major, at least.

We are talking about the Axe-FX II updates, which are suppose to be the "Final Updates" for the Axe-FX II, and include some of the modeling from the III. They have had several random bugs, like Bass amps not working, and today apparently Axe-Edit is deleting presets.

 

[mnemonic]

We are talking about the Axe-FX II updates, which are suppose to be the "Final Updates" for the Axe-FX II, and include some of the modeling from the III. They have had several random bugs, like Bass amps not working, and today apparently Axe-Edit is deleting presets.

Yeah, axe edit killed my new recto preset

I’m sticking to the front panel now to be safe.

The last couple firmwares are probably the most bugs I’ve ever seen from fractal. That being said, there’s only been like four.

I think the deleted presets thing is an axe edit bug, since it only happened when I upgraded to the latest version.

 

[broangiel]

We are talking about the Axe-FX II updates, which are suppose to be the "Final Updates" for the Axe-FX II, and include some of the modeling from the III. They have had several random bugs, like Bass amps not working, and today apparently Axe-Edit is deleting presets.

Oops my bad. I saw the mention of Ares and forgot they adopted that for the II as well.

 

[lewis]

no AX8 yet?

 

[lewstherin006]

I saw someone on facebook saying they couldnt easily find what all the difference were between all the axe fx units, so I decided to compile all the info into one place. I go over all the units, differences, and even put a TLDW link in the description.

 

[lewis]

any word on the new firmware for AX8 yet>?

 

[Guitarjon]

The newest firmwares on the III kick ass!
Made a demo with the Herbie amp models and my Baritone EC.
Snuck in my Digitech Freqout for the feedback effects though...

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I also notice on Reverb some guy selling Fractal products like crazy for over the actual retail price. The funny thing is it sells.

Am I missing something here. How is this guy able to overcharge on Fractal products and get people to buy it.

Some people are impatient idiots. If I were greedy I'd do the same thing and sell one. lol

 

[mnemonic]

What midi controllers do you all use?

I recently realised I can control scenes from the front panel with the ‘a’ quick control knob, so I made a patch with a few scenes and it’s pretty cool.

I’ve also been reading up more on midi, how cc and pc messages work with the axe FX, etc.

Now I want a controller where I can toggle between a few scenes, and also have some buttons to turn on/off individual effects. So far as I can tell, that means I would need a controller that can send CC messages with a defined ‘value’ (for the scene changes) and regular cc messages for toggling individual effects on and off (whose cc number would then have to match the effect under the ‘midi’ tab in the axe FX.)

I think the fcb1010 can do this but it’s giant. Cheap though.

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I've been using the FC-12. I waited for the official controller to be released.

 

[Shask]

What midi controllers do you all use?

I recently realised I can control scenes from the front panel with the ‘a’ quick control knob, so I made a patch with a few scenes and it’s pretty cool.

I’ve also been reading up more on midi, how cc and pc messages work with the axe FX, etc.

Now I want a controller where I can toggle between a few scenes, and also have some buttons to turn on/off individual effects. So far as I can tell, that means I would need a controller that can send CC messages with a defined ‘value’ (for the scene changes) and regular cc messages for toggling individual effects on and off (whose cc number would then have to match the effect under the ‘midi’ tab in the axe FX.)

I think the fcb1010 can do this but it’s giant. Cheap though.

I have a FCB1010 I use with mine. I have it set up so the top 4 buttons are 4 presets, and the bottom 5 are 5 scenes in each of those presets. The top right button is a tap tempo. The left pedal is wah, and the right pedal is delay/reverb mix. It is huge, but it works well, and does everything.

 

[mnemonic]

I have a FCB1010 I use with mine. I have it set up so the top 4 buttons are 4 presets, and the bottom 5 are 5 scenes in each of those presets. The top right button is a tap tempo. The left pedal is wah, and the right pedal is delay/reverb mix. It is huge, but it works well, and does everything.

That sounds like a good way to do it.

After messing with scenes, I think a lot can be accomplished in one preset. Basically you could have up to 4 amps, using amp 1 and amp 2, as well as the X and Y states for each amp block.

I still use a pedalboard in front of the axe FX with some boost pedals that I use from time to time, so I think I would have it set up with a few presets on the top, then scenes (maybe 1, 2, and 3) then at least one pedal to toggle on/off the filter block which I use as an eq boost in front of the amp on most of my patches. It’s nice to be able to flip it off and then use my real overdrives without getting into menus.

 

[mnemonic]

So scenes are pretty cool. Working with scenes has also made me try out some dual amp patches too, since I realised I can toggle stuff on and off and toggle x/y state per scene.

So now in one patch I have scene 1 as my recto patch in mono, then scene 2 is that same Recto model panned hard left with the Rockerverb model panned hard right, and scene 3 is the Recto model left with the Fryette d60 model panned right.

Pretty fun to add some different texture. I never bothered with dual amps in the past, mainly since they were more trouble than they were worth when I ran a single mono cab (phase issues). But since I’m running a stereo power amp and two cabs, there are no problems with phase.

The rockerverb model doesn’t impress me much by itself, but it adds some real cool grindy, chunky mids to a fat Recto tone.