Official Axe-Fx Q&A thread!

[engage757]

What AxeFX do you have? I have an Ultra, and it works just fine. I have MIDI in & out going to my PC and audio going to my Fireface. You have to select SOURCE "Axe-FX" or whatever it's called, that got me at first. If you don't the PC won't be communicating with the Axe.

E: Sometimes it'll lose sync, if that happens go to RECALL and "Refresh from Hardware" and it'll update to whatever the AxeFX is at.

I have an Ultra and a Standard. This is the Ultra.

 

[Rap Hat]

I have an Ultra and a Standard. This is the Ultra.

Alright.

To add what I said before, sometimes if I have the Axe started before I turn the PC on it won't recognize the MIDI, so I always start it after the PC is fully loaded. I've also had issues with there being a huge delay while editing on AxeEdit, but that may be due to my MidiSport 2x2, as a restart of the MidiSport fixes it.

Hope you can get it working, editing without hearing sounds tough

 

[straightshreddd]

Hey, guys. I need a little help. I was gonna post a new thread but figured I'd get better results here. I've been researching active monitors lately for the Standard I should be receiving in the mail next Monday and I'm finding it really hard to decide.

I've been looking at everything from Mackie, ElectroVoice, to Behringer. My budget is about $500 and I've read some good reviews on different models but I have no experience with PA's so I don't really know where to start.

I want great quality and versatility. I use all types of settings from squeaky clean to tight, clear high-gain but primarily the latter so I'd like them to be able to handle all applications but excell in high-gain and cleans(primarily for jazz). I realize with $500, I can't expect the best in the world but I'd like to hear intelligent suggestions from experienced Axe Fx users who know their shit. I also realize that because monitors are flat response, they will probably have no bearing on the tone? Please correct me if I'm wrong. I regularly read completely different opinions on FRFR set ups so I'm kinda stuck and would like to hear opinions and suggestions direct, feel me? So, yeah, please help me find a great quality, affordable powered monitor for my Axe Fx.

This will help me alot and I'd like to get the monitors before the Axe gets here so I can have something to play through. Thanks, guys.

 

[Mason Vickers]

I NEED HELP, AND QUICK!

I bought an Ultra and a Rockrton Midi - Mate on Ebay (In one lot) and just got in in today. Everything seemed okay, but I went to set it up with my computer for Axe-Edit, and I went to I/O to change my midi settings. I went to page over... and neither of the page buttons work. Does anyone know a way around this or why this might be happening?

 

[Weimat01]

I just got an axe FX II and have 2 questions:

1) I have a balanced 1/4 inch to XLR (male) cable that went from my audio interface into the balanced input on my monitors. At the moment i have the 1/4 inch unbalanced outputs on the axe fx plugged into the balanced xlr on my monitors. Should I buy balanced XLR to XLR cables and use the balanced output or just leave it as it is?

2) I have my computer audio coming out of the axe FX (so that it goes to my monitors), which means the axe fx is always going to be powered on when I am at the computer. Is it ok to have the axe fx running all the time, or is it at risk at overheating or wearing out or something

 

[bigswifty]

I've got an Axe-FX Ultra and I'm feeding it into a Presonus Audiobox for recording purposes using an XLR. Right now its feeding right Axe out into line 1 on the Audiobox.

Every time I rig up and jam, I notice that my Audiobox is clipping so I have to turn the headphones right off (I jam through my Mackie) to avoid damaging the headphones via clipping. Also, when I jam using the headphones, I need to lower the output of the Axe right down to avoid clipping on ANY patch.

I pretty much have all the Axe knobs at 9 oclock, and when I turn up the input for volume to jam louder, it just clips out of control.

Am I doing something wrong here, because even with all of the knobs turned off on the Audiobox, it still clips.

Pretty dodgey.. Hopefully it isn't damaging anything.

I had to ask again, since my post got buried a couple pages back

 

[Mason Vickers]

Alright.

To add what I said before, sometimes if I have the Axe started before I turn the PC on it won't recognize the MIDI, so I always start it after the PC is fully loaded. I've also had issues with there being a huge delay while editing on AxeEdit, but that may be due to my MidiSport 2x2, as a restart of the MidiSport fixes it.

Hope you can get it working, editing without hearing sounds tough

Could you define huge delay? how long exactly? I've been having a similar problem.

 

[Rap Hat]

Could you define huge delay? how long exactly? I've been having a similar problem.

There would be a 15-20 second delay between changing a patch or setting and the AFX recognizing it. Absolutely unusuable. If it's that bad for you, try turning off the Axe, turning off the MIDI interface, turning the MIDI interface back on, then turning the Axe on (in that order). Sometimes it would take doing that twice, but after that it would be back to the standard 50ms or so delay.

 

[Mason Vickers]

There would be a 15-20 second delay between changing a patch or setting and the AFX recognizing it. Absolutely unusuable. If it's that bad for you, try turning off the Axe, turning off the MIDI interface, turning the MIDI interface back on, then turning the Axe on (in that order). Sometimes it would take doing that twice, but after that it would be back to the standard 50ms or so delay.

With me, it just won't come on at all, sometimes it does. And if a patch DOES load, if I change the amp/cab/anything, it stops working completely. (as in the whole patch)

So much for getting stoked after over a year of waiting.

 

[Manhell]

Hello,

I have an axe fx that goes throught a mesa 50/50 without the deep mod,
my question is:

Should I use the power amp sims or not and should I do the deep mod on the 50/50?

hgz

 

[Tyler]

My personal opinion is to just use the deep mod. That would be your best bet when using an actual power amp with the unit

 

[Manhell]

I think you didn't understood, the deep mod is doen to the mesa boogie 50/50 power amp and not to the fractal. it was introduced after the triaxis came out

 

[Andromalia]

Use whatever sounds best. Using the poweramp sim and cabs won't damage your power amp in any way so try and see what you like. On some patches I use them, on some others not. There's no "you should do it" or "you shouldn't do it" rule.

 

[cardinal]

Yeah, definitely try it a few ways and do what you like most. I've played that setup briefly and liked it power amp sims on, cab sims off. I don't think the 50/50 had the deep mod, but it gave plenty of low end using an Orange 4x12, IMHO.

 

[Augminished]

How much do you guys mess with the power section (the bias and sag) and the pre amp plate freq? I have tried to play with them a bit and found it takes away some of the "realness" of the Axe II.

Anyone do this?

 

[HighGain510]

Hello,

I have an axe fx that goes throught a mesa 50/50 without the deep mod,
my question is:

Should I use the power amp sims or not and should I do the deep mod on the 50/50?

hgz

I asked this question to a few other long-time Fractal gents and they responded "try it with and without and see what sounds better. It also varies based on the patch." Some folks think certain amp models sound better without the power amp modeling. I'm running my rig through a VHT 2/50/2 and I'm finding I like the sound better WITH the power amp models turned on globally. It's a taste thing, but I found a lot of the amp models sounded fizzy with the power amp models turned off. Now if you're running through monitors you'll want them on for sure, that seems to be universally agreed upon in the Fractal world.

 

[kmanick]

I run mine thru a Mesa 50/50 no deep mod and I leave the power amp sims on and the cab sims off.

 

[DMONSTER]

Anybody have any tips for tightening up tones for lower tunings?

For a while i have been trying to get the BWOOW out of when i play in tunings like A standard and such. I have tried lowering the master volume, raising the damping, etc but it is difficult at times, just when i think I have a patch i like, give it a bit, and it seems the bottom end just kinda poops out and its frustrating

Im running Ibanez RG7621 w/ dimarzio d activators > Axe FX > Matrix GT800fx > Avatar 2x12 with Hellatone 60's

 

[Rook]

You want less bass before gain stage (use boost and bright on the amp thing) so maybe try using a boost like the T808MOD and turn the low freq cutoff up a bit, tone up, drive off and level to taste. Use less gain from the amp, if I want über tight I usually use Fryette D60M, boost, bright, gain about, treble just over half, mid about half, bass just over. Cab I use the 412 Metal but that doesn't really matter.

That produces a really really tight, dry sound.

 

[DMONSTER]

I almost always use a boost and I've even tried putting a filter before the amp to cut out some lows and still it just doesn't help much I'm wondering if its my guitar maybe but I have not other guitar to really compare it to