Need direction...how to bring the amps to life

C

codyraptor

Inspired
Hey everyone....I admit I'm a newish user of the Axe 2. I've been working with it for about 4 weeks now and still can't figure out what "go to" adjustments are needed to take the blanket off of my tone. Each amp preset lacks clarity to me. I'm use to cranking a low wattage amp and using my volume knob for cleaning up...but nothing I try will give me a solid sound. The 'tone' seems like it's there..but the amp's lack the punch and clarity of an actual amp. I've read the wiki and I've downloaded a crazy amount of presets for the axe change, and nothing sounds/feels real to me. Anyone have any go to settings to sort of breath life into their presets? I'm either playing a standard Nashville Tele w/Suhr pickups or a Les Paul. My actual amp that I'm use to is a supro style circuit w/a v30..just a good straight forward classic sound.

As a side note...I'm running this straight with power amp & cab sim's on..and I'm using a buddies Behringer B215A powered speaker to get me by. I also use my ultimate ear triple drivers to compare what I'm use to hearing on stage.
 
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You sure running the AxeII into the front of the Supro amp? (No effects loop on those amps...?)
If so, make sure cab sims are off (since you are using the amps cab speaker)
Make sure power amp sims are off if going into the Supro amp, or sag on amp block is turned down all the way.

If using the behringer FRFR
Have power amp sims on and cab sims on

If using both, your preset would need an FXL block towards the end of your chain with a cab block last in the chain. The output 1 would go to the behringer monitor and you can use output 2 to the amp (leave bot power amp sims and cab sims set to on in this scenario)
 
GuitarMan86 said:
You sure running the AxeII into the front of the Supro amp? (No effects loop on those amps...?)
If so, make sure cab sims are off (since you are using the amps cab speaker)
Make sure power amp sims are off if going into the Supro amp, or sag on amp block is turned down all the way.

If using the behringer FRFR
Have power amp sims on and cab sims on

If using both, your preset would need an FXL block towards the end of your chain with a cab block last in the chain. The output 1 would go to the behringer monitor and you can use output 2 to the amp (leave bot power amp sims and cab sims set to on in this scenario)
Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion...I meant my "actual" amp is a supro style circuit. Just giving you guys an idea of what I'm use to playing through. I'm running the axe unit straight to a the powered speaker mentioned above...power amp and cab sims are all on.
 
which FW are you running? First thoughts would be kick the pick attack up to 5-10% and through an eq BEFORE the amp block to knock out any lows your not gonna need (anywhere from 120hz or below, to taste). If all of the patches seem dark to you, you could also just use the global eq to get all of them in the ballpark in one shot. That is what I used to do before I got my newer, much brighter guitar. Also look for some IRs with a little more top end, that fizzy stuff can really bring a dead patch to life.
 
For troubleshooting, keep it simple.

Start with a fresh system, everything default.

Make sure the cables between OUT1 and the speaker are okay.

Create a preset with just an amp and cab.
For ex. use the Doubleverb and the 2x12 Doubleverb Mix cab.
Like on the real amp, only adjust Drive, Bass, Mid and Treble (Bright on), and Level.
With these you should be able to get a nice bright clean tone using single coils.
No need at all to touch other controls at this point, use EQ-ing etc.
 
The quality of your monitor situation will hugely affect how "real" the amp feels. The better your monitors, the better it sounds. I also find that volume helps. Personally, I hate IEMs. Have a good set of Westones, but guitar sounds like crap through them to me compared to room or even real phones.

Others have given good advice as well.
 
The Behringer maybe.. Try another option. I`ve demoed a lot of them when i worked in a shop. Did not get good sounds out of those.

You can also try to add the Top Boost blue cab with another cab. Just to see.
 
[edit: ^^^^^^^ what he said]

codyraptor said:
Hey everyone....I admit I'm a newish user of the Axe 2. I've been working with it for about 4 weeks now and still can't figure out what "go to" adjustments are needed to take the blanket off of my tone. Each amp preset lacks clarity to me. I'm use to cranking a low wattage amp and using my volume knob for cleaning up...but nothing I try will give me a solid sound. The 'tone' seems like it's there..but the amp's lack the punch and clarity of an actual amp. I've read the wiki and I've downloaded a crazy amount of presets for the axe change, and nothing sounds/feels real to me. Anyone have any go to settings to sort of breath life into their presets? I'm either playing a standard Nashville Tele w/Suhr pickups or a Les Paul. My actual amp that I'm use to is a supro style circuit w/a v30..just a good straight forward classic sound.

As a side note...I'm running this straight with power amp & cab sim's on..and I'm using a buddies Behringer B215A powered speaker to get me by. I also use my ultimate ear triple drivers to compare what I'm use to hearing on stage.
Click to expand...

There is no magic bullet, and you can download the presets made by others until the cows come home and it will be pure luck if you stumble upon something that suits your ear, experiences, technique, and gear that you're using. Neither of the monitoring options you are using are good ways to listen to the AxeFx via a Full Range system, especially if you're expecting that "real amp" experience. If that's all you can use, then your best bet is to just start over with an amp block and cab block (take your best guess as to what models and IRs those might be) and go from there. But what you are looking for may be completely futile, since the Behringer stuff (I know...I own the 12" version of the same series and I only use it for non-critical applications) is not likely to get you there. Unfortunately, you'll have to up the ante and get your hands on something worthy of the task (read the Amps & Cabs section of the forum for a wide variety of choices and info), that stands a chance of getting you what you're looking for. JMHO

On the other hand, are there any users here on the forum that have gotten results they are happy with using the Behringer stuff? If so, please do chime in and see if you can help. The AxeFxII is a fairly sophisticated piece of quality gear. Asking it to shine by using a speaker system that is not in its league in terms of quality is barking up the wrong tree IMO. You can get a live-able sound, perhaps, but IMO, NOTHING is going to blow you away sonically going through a Behringer B215A. Sorry.

Good luck!
 
FractalAudio said:
Using the cheapest monitors in the world with a $2200 processor is not advisable.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the great feedback! I know the unit is capable...it's me that can't seem to figure it out...which is frustrating. I've even ran it straight to foh and sat at the sound board so I could hear it through the mains. I know my temporary monitor isn't the best solution, but it should sound amazing through a large PA right?
 
codyraptor said:
Thanks for the great feedback! I know the unit is capable...it's me that can't seem to figure it out...which is frustrating. I've even ran it straight to foh and sat at the sound board so I could hear it through the mains. I know my temporary monitor isn't the best solution, but it should sound amazing through a large PA right?
Click to expand...

Large and good is not equal.
 
A large but crappy PA will still sound crappy, but generally yes, even with a poor monitoring solution you should get quite a decent tone out of your unit and your in-ears should give you a decent sound, at least.
 
Something seems off.

I would:

1. Load the system clean .sysx file.
2. Utility -> System Reset

Then try a simple amp -> cab preset.

I've used an el cheapo wedge, Kustom, and it definitely did not have the blanket effect at all. Just dropping in the Plexi Treble and TV mix cab and touching absolutely nothing gives an authentic Marshall tone albeit nothing like my CLR's but certainly not a blanket sound.

Richard
 
It does sound amazing through large PA as I'm sure you've heard evidence of via clips posted here. I'd take a decent pair of phones over in-ears or those Behringer monitors. I've been through a bunch of different monitoring situations. Original Mackie 824s, original SRM450s, Tech21 Power Engine 60, various power amp plus cabinet solutions (which can be great and are probably the cheapest route if you like the amp and cab you're using and don't care about all the versatility of cab switching), RCF 310a, Atomic tube "frfr", RCF NX12, RCF NX10s and now CLR. Also a bunch of good to great phones, ATM50, Audeze lcd-2 and several others. I could get at least decent tones through all of them, but the RCF NX series and now the CLR were the only ones (and the Audeze phones, though phones are still not as satisfying as monitors to me) where almost every style and every guitar I play can be made to sound great really quickly.

I'm not trying to make this a CLR commercial (though I could) as there are many solutions that people are happy with

With the CLR I just got, it blew my mind how fast I was creating great sounding patches the first hour I had it because it was producing clearly and evenly what was coming out of the Axe, so the Axe could be freed to do its thing without having to account for the anomalies of the monitoring.

I don't know why your tones aren't great, but as noted by several people, what you use to monitor with is huge. My guess is that if you had time with the large PA, you could probably have worked your way to some great tones, but unless the PA was quite good and totally eq'd for the room, the PA might be just as flawed as the Behringers for a neutral listening environment.
 
I think you should be able to get workable tones out of the behringer. They get a bad rap. Run an ipod through it or cd player and listen to music, something you are familiar with... to much of something? then you might have to compensate when you make your tones.
 
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