nater
Experienced
A quick summary of my journey with the AXE....
2 years ago, acquired AXE II and paired it with my VHT 2502 Power amp (firmware 4 maybe?). Couldn't really get the warmth I was used to, and decided to embrace FRFR. Been happily going direct since (mostly RCF monitors and/or whatever monitors the soundguy is using). Also, I wanted to utilize all the poweramp modeling and cab modeling so I could dial in the perfect AC30 sound, or the perfect Marshall stack. However, I still struggled with missing that "amp in room" sound when jamming/rehearsal etc. So, I acquired a Matrix GT1000 for use with my guitar cabs (2x12 Scumbacks, 1x12 V30's). It's closer to the amp in the room sound, but still not 100% satisfying for that warm tube tone I was used to prior to the AXE. BUT, in a nutshell, still some of the best and most versatile tones I've ever had.
This weekend, I realized, I've never tried my AXE through the effects loop of my Bogner Shiva (el34's). I simply set up a patch with a couple amp sims (some Fenders, an HBE, a Bogner Red), power amp modeling off (SAG to 0), into the loop return on my Shiva and into my 2x12. HOLY SHNIKES!!! There it is, all the warmth and punch, and dynamics, with very very little tweaking at all, and best of all "amp in the room". I tried some SRV licks with my strat, bam! Some classic rock with my Les Paul! Bam. Some old skool Metallica riffs, Bam! Damn, it sounded good. I was thinking back 2 years ago, why didn't my VHT2502 sound this good?? Maybe it's just me?? Maybe it's just the fickle nature of tone seekers constantly fiddling with our tones.
Sorry for the history, but here's the purpose of my post....
Instead of trying to nail every amp/poweramp/cab combination for my coverband songs (mainstream/classic/pop rock stuff), I'm looking to simplify and get a few great amp tones. I will still need the functionality of the AXE and all effects and scenes etc. but, here's my thought on routing... Because I still want to send a direct signal to FOH for gigs.
Guitar > AXE front panel Input > (patch contains compressor, drives, preamps (AMP blocks w/P.A. off), effects > FXL block via Output 2) > Bogner Shiva loop return > Speaker output into load box > one signal into guitar cabinet, and the line-out signal from load box back into AXE Input 2 (returning a line level signal into the AXE via the FXL block) > CAB block > Output 1 > Direct to FOH.
This will allow me to get my backline/amp in the room sound for gigs/practice etc., but still use the Axe CAB modeling for FOH. The only downside to my direct signal will be the power amp modeling will only be a line level signal of my Bogner's el34's. But, based on what I heard this weekend, I think I'm okay giving up some of the amp versatility for more consistency and the power amp punch of real tubes.
Has anyone tried this set up? Any pitfalls I should be aware of? Am I crazy?
Also, when disabling the PA sims in the AMP block, does this render a lot of the parameters useless? I noticed the Master Volume still had impact to the signal, but I couldn't tell if it was just making it louder, or if it was shaping the tone....
sorry for the long post, but I'm more excited about what I heard this weekend, than I have been in a while... (thanks to Cliff, the bar is getting set higher and higher...)
2 years ago, acquired AXE II and paired it with my VHT 2502 Power amp (firmware 4 maybe?). Couldn't really get the warmth I was used to, and decided to embrace FRFR. Been happily going direct since (mostly RCF monitors and/or whatever monitors the soundguy is using). Also, I wanted to utilize all the poweramp modeling and cab modeling so I could dial in the perfect AC30 sound, or the perfect Marshall stack. However, I still struggled with missing that "amp in room" sound when jamming/rehearsal etc. So, I acquired a Matrix GT1000 for use with my guitar cabs (2x12 Scumbacks, 1x12 V30's). It's closer to the amp in the room sound, but still not 100% satisfying for that warm tube tone I was used to prior to the AXE. BUT, in a nutshell, still some of the best and most versatile tones I've ever had.
This weekend, I realized, I've never tried my AXE through the effects loop of my Bogner Shiva (el34's). I simply set up a patch with a couple amp sims (some Fenders, an HBE, a Bogner Red), power amp modeling off (SAG to 0), into the loop return on my Shiva and into my 2x12. HOLY SHNIKES!!! There it is, all the warmth and punch, and dynamics, with very very little tweaking at all, and best of all "amp in the room". I tried some SRV licks with my strat, bam! Some classic rock with my Les Paul! Bam. Some old skool Metallica riffs, Bam! Damn, it sounded good. I was thinking back 2 years ago, why didn't my VHT2502 sound this good?? Maybe it's just me?? Maybe it's just the fickle nature of tone seekers constantly fiddling with our tones.
Sorry for the history, but here's the purpose of my post....
Instead of trying to nail every amp/poweramp/cab combination for my coverband songs (mainstream/classic/pop rock stuff), I'm looking to simplify and get a few great amp tones. I will still need the functionality of the AXE and all effects and scenes etc. but, here's my thought on routing... Because I still want to send a direct signal to FOH for gigs.
Guitar > AXE front panel Input > (patch contains compressor, drives, preamps (AMP blocks w/P.A. off), effects > FXL block via Output 2) > Bogner Shiva loop return > Speaker output into load box > one signal into guitar cabinet, and the line-out signal from load box back into AXE Input 2 (returning a line level signal into the AXE via the FXL block) > CAB block > Output 1 > Direct to FOH.
This will allow me to get my backline/amp in the room sound for gigs/practice etc., but still use the Axe CAB modeling for FOH. The only downside to my direct signal will be the power amp modeling will only be a line level signal of my Bogner's el34's. But, based on what I heard this weekend, I think I'm okay giving up some of the amp versatility for more consistency and the power amp punch of real tubes.
Has anyone tried this set up? Any pitfalls I should be aware of? Am I crazy?
Also, when disabling the PA sims in the AMP block, does this render a lot of the parameters useless? I noticed the Master Volume still had impact to the signal, but I couldn't tell if it was just making it louder, or if it was shaping the tone....
sorry for the long post, but I'm more excited about what I heard this weekend, than I have been in a while... (thanks to Cliff, the bar is getting set higher and higher...)