Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 1.00 Firmware Release

are people really having issue with statements regarding Quantum without even trying it yet?

If that is referring to my post right before it - no, I don't. I have not said anything about Quantum yet, at least about the "functioning version". I also have no issue with somebody saying that a certain firmware meant a "drastic improvement" - as I wrote, I felt with FW12 and FW18 a big improvement. But every single time? How bad must it have been then 10 or 15 FW updates before? And it wasn't bad then.
 
How bad must it have been then 10 or 15 FW updates before? And it wasn't bad then.

I don't understand how people get from "this one is better" to "the last one was bad."

What if I told you... The new firmware can be "better" than the last one, and the previous ones can yet still remain "very good" as well.

I would not be ashamed to play on the firmware I started with (I don't remember which it was) but I prefer this one.

It's like a Corvette. The newest Stingray model is pretty damn nice, and has many improvements over the previous year, but I'd still take a 65' Stingray in a heartbeat, even with its lesser components, because it's still very good.


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I've found pretty much every firmware release has brought tangible improvements, especially in the feel and the sense of 'connection' and response you can feel in your hands. I think that's mainly due to that I don't bury my tones in gobs of distortion (particularly preamp distortion), use non master volume amps (where hitting the power amp hard vs softly reveals a lot of distortion color and note bloom/dynamics as it recovers, etc), and am always tuning presets at gig volume (you're not going to hear and feel a lot of difference with headphones/bedroom levels). It's like you can feel the AFX becoming more alive and the tones/distortion character more complex with each release. I'll never apologize for being enthusiastic when new versions of firmware knock me out.

I agree with the above posts too...my Ultra had great tones, as did my AFX II with v1.0x firmware.
 
So I was never a big fan of the Rectos before. I mean, they were ok, nothing wrong with them, but I could pull a better sound out of one of the VH4's, Triptik, HBE, etc., so the Rectos really just got no love from me.

Q1 Rectos are monsters in the best possible way.

Funny thing, I've been using the Uber for my lead tones for several FW (since, like, FW13 or something). After installing Q1, I hated my Uber lead tones. I tried a handful of other models and ended up getting some really cool stuff out of the Herbert ch3 model. But it still wasn't quite there.

I ended up going back to the Uber, doing a couple of my "go-to" advanced param mods (including a new one a bud turned me on to), and - get this - actually dialing in the Uber the way I would the real thing (presence acts like mids, mids acts like a Q/sweep, kill the bass, find the money spot for MV that still gives you depth, blah blah). The Uber is once again my main lead model. Mean, punchy, no ice pick highs, sustain for days, and is an improvement - maybe not drastically, but noticeably - over my previous Uber lead tones.

I can't say how much of the end result when comparing FW is placebo or not. I definitely did some new things to dial in this particular tone, but the bottom line is that when compared side by side with the best I could do previously, this one wins in my book. I call that "better."
 
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I've only gone back and nuked everything and started from scratch once I believe....maybe twice. I know that one was probably because I wanted to blow out my IR's and start with a structured system and the other was back when Cliff changed all the parameters to match the actual amps and then released a whole new set of presets. That just seemed like a good start over point. So that was probably like v5-ish or something. Since then it's just been "it sounds better" and a few tweaks and stuff here and there to taste.
 
Wow, just used Quantum for the first time last night at a corporate event outside in San Diego. With one CLR, Contemporary jazz/funk stuff...even the band leader who is a sax player was blown away, my Fender Robben Ford was just singing all night...thanks FAS.
 
Wow, just used Quantum for the first time last night at a corporate event outside in San Diego. With one CLR, Contemporary jazz/funk stuff...even the band leader who is a sax player was blown away, my Fender Robben Ford was just singing all night...thanks FAS.

How are the frets holding up? I had one but the frets wore out really fast and it was never the same after a refret. Loved it before that.
 
How are the frets holding up? I had one but the frets wore out really fast and it was never the same after a refret. Loved it before that.

Hey Cliff, frets have been good on it. Had a fret dress a year or so ago. Haven't had to refret yet as it hasn't been my main guitar. Mine is a Japanese, blonde spruce top, plays like butter, love the neck on it. Used Doubleverb for my cleans and the Carol Ann OD for my overdrive and it was killin..
 
I think you guys are misunderstanding me. I don't say FW has not gotten better every time, and also not that it was bad in the past. I was already blown away by my Axe II when I received it with FW5 (but upgraded quite immediatly to FW6). It's about what people define as a "drastic change". We did not have 15 DRASTIC changes since FW6. From Cubase's Amp Simulator (the old one, not the VST Amp Rack which is not even that bad) to a Pod HD is a DRASTIC change. From Pod HD to Axe Fx II is again a DRASTIC change. From FW 16 to 17 is NOT. It is a change, it is an improvement, but not drastic. FW12 and 18, the were big I would say. But not all FW updates were like that. Some were just minor improvements, nothing drastic. I hope I express myself in an understandable way, I am not here for complaining or picking a fight.
 
Personally I consider Quantum the biggest improvement from previous firmware than any other release. The day I first got it working I was so shocked at how good it sounded I jumped out my chair. I then crafted an email to Matt with the title "I did it!!!". I'm sure he'll be happy to verify.
 
When I played live this past weekend, the interaction between guitar volume knob, me and the Axe was one of my best yet.
 
G'day Cliff,

Yes I remember you letting us know of an epiphany before the release... When I read that I sensed your excitement, and knew something good was coming... And it's bloody good.
Thanks as always.

Pauly


Personally I consider Quantum the biggest improvement from previous firmware than any other release. The day I first got it working I was so shocked at how good it sounded I jumped out my chair. I then crafted an email to Matt with the title "I did it!!!". I'm sure he'll be happy to verify.
 
When I first got my AxeFX rig and brought it to a rehearsal, my bandmates were blown away by the tone. Mind you, my previous rig was a Boogie Lonestar with a big pedalboard full of expensive boutique boxes. Everyone in my band has good ears, and everyone was very complimentary about the sound. The next weekend I did my first gig with the AxeFX, and our FOH engineer told me after soundcheck "...that AxeFX sounds incredible... I had no idea modeling had come so far". Our FOH engineer is a seasoned pro who is also a studio engineer. After the gig he told me "that is the very best guitar tone I've ever had at the mixing board". Fairly high praise from a rock and roll curmudgeon! This was back when I had FW14.

I have updated my AxeFX when new firmware is released, usually lagging a few weeks behind the curve (I like to wait until I have a day between shows to re-tweak presets if necessary). So it isn't like my bandmates or sound engineer haven't been exposed to the steady improvements in the firmware versions. I just gigged with the Quantum firmware, and our FOH guy noticed immediately that something was different. He listened to my tone during soundcheck through his reference headphones and said "I tell you... I can SMELL the tubes in those models. It's like a sonic hologram".

We have talked about what is different in this release, and in truth, I think we'd be better served by performing an interpretive dance. I can't fit it into conventional terms like "more real"... the Quantum firmware has additional dimensionality that makes the AxeFX more of what I fell in love with on that wonderful day when I unboxed it. Placebo effect? Emperor's new clothes? Call it what you like. Something in this firmware is different for me, and I like it.
 
I don't remember how many firmware updates ago it was (I want to say around FW13?) but there was a disconnect from fingers to Axe-FX that completely changed after that update. Like Cliff mentioned, Quantum is another great update. Almost every update has added an extra "oomph" that wasn't there before. Doesn't mean the other ones were bad, just cool how it progressed.
 
Personally I consider Quantum the biggest improvement from previous firmware than any other release. The day I first got it working I was so shocked at how good it sounded I jumped out my chair. I then crafted an email to Matt with the title "I did it!!!". I'm sure he'll be happy to verify.
Been a FAS customer since the ULTRA and 'YES', 'CLIFF DID IT'! THERE IS NO DOUBT QUANTUM IS WAY BEYOND ANYTHING BEFORE!
 
I've updated every time a new firmware is released since I think 9. Sounded great then and it sounds and feels even better now. Quantum has brought dynamics to another level it is more responsive and as cliche as it sounds "more" authentic. I know a lot of people would agree with me and a lot of people might disagree with me, but things don't ever change dramatically...I mean it definitely does change a little but never worth having to re-do a preset and start over. Usually any tweaking I've ever had to do is just myself changing an amp sim that I might feel sounds better or even a cab. IMO I think many people either over exaggerate themselves to having to turn the EQ up a little or down a little and they just want to nit pick and make a big stink about things that may or may not exist. The Axe just like your guitar, or any other gear you may or may not have is just a tool...a TOOL for making music. People need to stop "tone chasing" and tweaking like crazy and just play. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this firmware it sounds great, I personally play better and feel better playing with it. No it's not a placebo effect, and no I'm not a fanboy...I just enjoy playing my guitar with my Axe Fx and performing for people.

That being said Cliff honestly this is a large jump IMO in the modeling world. Thank you FAS for putting the time and energy into the Axe, it has truly changed how I play and associate myself as a guitar player.

For those of you who always complain about things being wrong and crying about things...get out of the advance tab of the amp, cab, etc. The Axe is literally plug and play.
 
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