Played my Axe-Fx II for the first time today...feel a bit let down

I was relegated to playing through phones for months because my Axe 2 sounded horrible through my Yamaha MSP3's no matter what I tried. I finally picked up a pair of Equator Audio D5's based on reviews from a few other Fractal users. The Axe FX 2 sounds awesome through them. For home playing they're perfect for me.
 
You're using cheap monitors. That's most likely why it sounds underwhelming. It wasn't until I got my Atomics that it felt like a blanket was lifted off my AxeFX.

Try a set of Sennheisser HD 280 headphones. They're around $100.
 
Clark Kent said:
Try running the Axe through your Peavey fx loop return. (Turn cabs off in global settings)
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Clark is right. Like all others, who state that a "guitar cab in the room sound" cannot translate the same way, like little 5" cheapo monitors, which represent furthermore the sound of a different Cab simulations (including the mic. which is also embedded in the simulation).

To find out: Axe-Fx Output -> FX LOOP return of your 6505. Create a new empty preset: Set shunts from input to output. Include Amp-Block and select the model, representing your actual counterpart the most: PV 6160 II.

In global menu: Set PowerAmp Sim to "Off" (because you use the real power Amp of your actual amp!). Now, you compare Apples to apples:


Axe-Fx PV 6160 II (Preampmodelling only) -> PowerAmp Actual Amp -> 2x12" Cab from your Combo

vs.

Actual Amp (Preamp) -> PowerAmp Actual Amp -> 2x12" Cab from your Combo


No, you can compare accurate and can judge ;)
 
I play through a matrix gt1000 and Marshall cabs , I get killer tones . This was not done overnite it takes a little time and a lot of learning. I love my axefx2 now give it some time
 
ak49climber said:
Just remember a piece of gear that costs over two grand should probably be matched with speakers that are in the same league quality wise, not $200, 5 inch speakers.
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I'll disagree with this...to a point. Because when you hear a recording of great guitar tone, chances are you're not listening to it through high dollar studio monitors. More often than not, you're listening through cheap Chinese car stereo speakers, but yet it still sounds great, right?

The deal here is factory presets. The Axe has far better than most, but you're still going to have to tweak the unit to get it to sound good. Experiment with cab and mic choice and don't forget some reverb to make it sound like it's in a space instead of a box. My tones sound great whether through decent near-fields or in my el-cheapo car speakers.
 
Drag your amp into the hall, stick a mic in front of it then compare that sound through your monitors to the AxeFX. I think you will be much happier with your purchase. Once satisfied, go out and buy a Matrix, plug that into your 2x12 and rock the shit out of it!!!
 
I don't know. I run the Axe FX II through BX5as and am extremely happy with the sounds I get.

I AM getting a new XiTone Active Wedge today and can't wait to test it out!
 
Slightly OT..

I have BX5's and while they are ok will there be a discernible quality difference if I upgrade to Equator D5's ?
 
I have the Bx8a's man and they are so far from a flat and true monitor I just about can't stand using them as nothing, and I mean nothing but super clean tones translate to a live scenario. Leveling sucks with them, eq'ing sucks with them, as a matter of fact I'm not sure why I still use them, oh yeah, money.

I did buy Beyer Dynamic DT880's headphones for tweaking on suggestions from forum users and that is a much better representation of what you can expect.

The advice of all the others is sound. Plug it into your 2x12 and treat it as a preamp to compare.
 
Karl Houseknecht said:
I'll disagree with this...to a point. Because when you hear a recording of great guitar tone, chances are you're not listening to it through high dollar studio monitors. More often than not, you're listening through cheap Chinese car stereo speakers, but yet it still sounds great, right?

The deal here is factory presets. The Axe has far better than most, but you're still going to have to tweak the unit to get it to sound good. Experiment with cab and mic choice and don't forget some reverb to make it sound like it's in a space instead of a box. My tones sound great whether through decent near-fields or in my el-cheapo car speakers.
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However you're hearing a mastered guitar track and its in the context is a full band mix most likely. So it's not the same as just plugging and playing the axe through your studio monitors. Also, even the best mixed tone off an album still doesn't sound like a cranked amp in the room.... At least not to my ears.
 
boltrecords said:
However you're hearing a mastered guitar track and its in the context is a full band mix most likely. So it's not the same as just plugging and playing the axe through your studio monitors.
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Which is why I made sure to mention that even my raw Axe tones sound good through cheap speakers. Think of all the people that have heard YouTube or SoundCloud Axe tone demos and what they listened to them with. Probably crappy PC speakers. And yet, they recognized it for good tone.

There's a lot of this thought about how you need top shelf sound reproduction to fully appreciate the sound of the Axe or any other modeler. I don't buy it. Most everyone that goes direct won't be playing through top end PA gear or ultra hi fidelity FRFR setups. You'll play it through whatever crappy PA and monitors are provided for you. And at home, it sounds wonderful through my measly KRK's. Also sounds great through cheap Mackie monitors at church and in my band. Or even through the sound system in my wife's minivan. Or through the crappy speakers in my 13 year old beat up dad-mobile. I'm talking raw tones here. So while they might be a great product, you don't need Atomic CLR's to make the unit sound great. Who, besides a few Axe users, has those at their disposal?
 
The factory presets are not as raw as an amp to me. So when one puts the axe and an amp side by side he might be not be that pleased with the results at first. There's still some tweaking needed to get them more raw and more direct.
Anybody knows any factory preset that is kind of 'in the face', so the OP could have a good starting point?
 
Karl Houseknecht said:
I'll disagree with this...to a point. Because when you hear a recording of great guitar tone, chances are you're not listening to it through high dollar studio monitors. More often than not, you're listening through cheap Chinese car stereo speakers, but yet it still sounds great, right?

The deal here is factory presets. The Axe has far better than most, but you're still going to have to tweak the unit to get it to sound good. Experiment with cab and mic choice and don't forget some reverb to make it sound like it's in a space instead of a box. My tones sound great whether through decent near-fields or in my el-cheapo car speakers.
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Think it's more about reference. If the op was comparing a recorded Peavey tone through the cheap speajers he wouldn't notice anything lacking.

I hate when people with crappy monitors/laptop speakers etc. think they have "exceptional ears" and they can hear if a tone is good or bad. That's so wrong.
 
Hey Guys, I plugged my 100-watt Hand Wired Guytron head into a 4" speaker with a speaker cabinet that was the size of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Then I plugged a 100-watt Marshall head into (4) 4x12 cabinets that were specially wired to keep the ohms from dipping too low for the rating on the back of the amp.

The Guytron lacked punch and fullness.

What am I doing wrong?
 
Aint a modeller on the market with great out of the box tone... there are too many dynamics. From your guitar, to your pickups, playing technique, etc.

Keep at it and eventually you'll find tone that makes you happy.

Don't even need to throw down a ton of money for expensive speakers, you should still be able to achieve what you're after with what you have. (although, new speakers will always help ;))
 
This morning before work I tried running the Axe to the FX loop on my Peavey. Aside from the crazy amount of feedback I was getting from the amp (didn't have my HUSH plugged in though), the tone was MUCH fuller. It sounded like a tube amp :) I guess I was expecting the sound to be richer out of the BX5s based on reviews I've read, and ultimately felt underwhelmed. What are some good active speakers that won't break the bank? Would it be better to go with one great speaker and run mono, or say go with a pair of Equator D5s? Also, does anyone know of any good custom tones for V10 that I could look into? It seems that a lot of people aren't too impressed by the presets. Thanks again!
 
I think everyone should be plugging their Axe FX directly into a sound system and taking full advantage of the cabinet simulation, and the isolation / elimination of mic bleed from other sound sources in a live environment. That said, if you are not playing with a sound system, and you need to project your tone from your backline, you could slave your 5150 power amp and turn off the Axe FX power sim and cabinet sim in the Global settings, and then easily re-engage it system wide for home recording or for headphone jamming quietly. There are plenty of threads about splitting the output so left has cabinet sim and right does not, so you can send your left output to the mixer, and use the right output to feed an amp onstage to use as your monitor. There are so many options. Unfortunately, some of those options are very costly. That is why my preference is to use the Axe cabinets and send an XLR to the sound system. Then I can use in-ear monitors, or I can drive a Marshall AVT275 slaved as a power amp through the stereo FX return on the back of the amp. It's not perfect, but it let's me feel like I'm moving air, and I feel the cabinet vibrating. Of course, that means I'm sending an Axe FX signal with amp and cabinet simulation into a Marshall sealed 2x12 combo, but again, it just gives me a security blanket and stage volume. The real tone from my rig is a direct XLR stereo feed to the sound system. Marshall AVT's are not expensive, and that little amp, although solid state, sounds very convincing as a stand alone amp, I must say.
 
Ok, here a file for you. FRFR use only, have no clue what it sounds like over a guitarcab.

Something direct that works with the band, headphones, small mons, big mons....always the same unforgiving thing...not that much gain, but hard enough. Try amps 1x/1y/2x/2y.
 

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