Scratchy sound on this patch - same for you?

S

sl33py

Member
Hey all, loving FW19. Just got a quick question: If anyone else tries this patch, do you hear a kinda crackly scratchy noise (even clearer on the tail end of open chords). I'm using F031 for the cab (but I hear it with tons of the cabs, so I doubt that's the cause).

I'm not sure if it's by design or if there's a problem I need to sort out. I'm dubious it's supposed to sound as it does to my ears though

Here's a link to the patch:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11181535/scratchy.syx

Thanksin advance for any advice!
 
It's probably best to produce a soundclip for people to hear ..... or mention what version of AxeFX you use.

AxeFX II XL/XL+ syx files are not compatible with AxeFX II Mark 1/2 units .... so most Mark 1 / Mark 2 users will not even bother to waste time downloading and trying the preset unless they know it's compatible.
 
That's a bright patch with moderate distortion, so you get bright distortion over a relatively strong clean tone. If you don't like that, you have a ton of options. Here are some of them...


  1. Choose a cab that's not so bright.
  2. Turn down the treble.
  3. Turn off the Bright switch.
  4. Lower the Input Drive or Input Trim.
  5. Dial down the Cab block's High Cut.
  6. Lower the Master.
  7. Raise the Pwr Amp Bias.
 
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G'day Sleepy,

Yeah it was a little rough when I tried it on an XL+ - Lowering the input gain to 3.5 got rid of the distortion for my Tele.
HTH
Pauly

sl33py said:
Hey all, loving FW19. Just got a quick question: If anyone else tries this patch, do you hear a kinda crackly scratchy noise (even clearer on the tail end of open chords). I'm using F031 for the cab (but I hear it with tons of the cabs, so I doubt that's the cause).

I'm not sure if it's by design or if there's a problem I need to sort out. I'm dubious it's supposed to sound as it does to my ears though

Here's a link to the patch:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11181535/scratchy.syx

Thanksin advance for any advice!
Click to expand...
 
AH! Sorry good point: Axe FX 2 Mk 2.

Here's a clip showing the crackling: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11181535/scratchy_sound.mp3

I know it's not the cleanest amp, and it's on MV of 10, but I get this on some clean amps and other dirty-ish ones too (can't tell if it's there or not on the super high gain amps).

NB:
I've got my input level so it's well short of clipping (about 90% of max at full strum).
The clip demonstrates it on all pickup combinations (neck/bridge/hum/split) on my guitar, whereas my cube or Carvin V3M are clean using the same settings
I've got the Axe's output about half way up (can hear the crackle at 1/3 vol just as much as max)
I've checked the dB output in the parameters tab and the VU levels on my hardest strum are around 4dB (positive).
And it sounds the same through my headphones and speakers (neither of which whose amplification are cranked anywhere near enough to create this sound)

I see (from looking up the amp this model is based on) that it has no master volume, just Treble/Bass/Volume (this volume is gain AND volume, so treated as 'no master gain' I guess, since the model defaults to 10/10. So I know 10/10 is gonna be dirty (as my patch is!), but this over-riding scratchy sound really doesn't seem right to me. I'm the first to assume it's a config error, but I'm out of ideas... any suggestions?

At first I thought it was the 'spit and crackle' that I've read Cliff refer to, but the more I hear it between multiple amp models, the more I reckon it's not meant to sound like that, as there's already that 'clang and grind' in the guitar sound itself... just with this gritty annoying stuff over the top. :\

Any ideas?
 
Thanks for the reply Rex!

I thought the bright had to be on for the model to accurately represent the amp? So basically if I were to play the real gear this is representing, I'd get the same kinda scratchy sounds? If that's the case then that's a good enough answer, and I can dial it out with the options you listed. Having said that, I still get the crackle even dialing the treble and mids out completely on the amp page o_O Bringing the master below 5 does the trick though :)
 
Waaaaait a cotton-pickin' minute... I just switched to the TX Star Clean model (all default settings, everything else the same). I'm using the TV Mix #1 cab now and it's quite a dull sound overall, but still has this crackle over the top. What gives? The amp is only on 5/10
 
I did hear some scratchy noise every now and then but I thought I was imagining it. I thought it could be coming from the guitar jack (using wireless) when I moved around. It does not do it all the time but I could have sworn I heard something like that.

I'll have to play with the settings a bit and see if that takes care of it.
 
Good example.

I'm very familiar with this artifacting. Drove me nuts the first time I heard an Axe. I tried to gather some information on it due to a similar thread not too long ago....Even Ownhammer came through to say something was definitely amiss...I have no idea what it is exactly because my rig doesn't do it....my goal was to try and get some examples together and see if there were any similarities in gear/cables/power/guitars etc....but it only resulted in the things that are no doubt getting ready to happen to you. Stand by to be told that you're crazy, an idiot, that's what amps sound like and have your thread deleted...and I say that as a very happy, recovering tube junky, axe addict.
 
TexasChris said:
....but it only resulted in the things that are no doubt getting ready to happen to you. Stand by to be told that you're crazy, an idiot, that's what amps sound like and have your thread deleted...and I say that as a very happy, recovering tube junky, axe addict.
Click to expand...

Yup. This is what I call fizz. Use that term in the search blank and you'll find that you aren't the only one who is struggling to get more control over it. From what I gathered from other threads, this is an aspect of tone that Cliff thinks is important to sounding good, like an authentic amp.

Chris, it surprises me that you don't have it on your rig. But if there are some of us who have it and some who don't, that would sure explain the "you're an idiot and imagining things" threads.
 
sl33py,

I hear it in your recording.
And I dl your patch, i play and i hear it on my device too.
But you know what? i knew i would...

I suggest you try factory preset 279 (new country).
My axe has really distinctive "scratch" with it and since it's a factory preset that everyone owns, it makes it easier to compare units.
Here's what mine sounds like:
https://soundcloud.com/ozanerkal/axe-fw1807-279-283-rec01

Now, going rather under the name "fizz", this is an old issue here, but a search in the forum would return less results than real, as some very popular threads regarding it have been deleted...

I have the impression that: Some devices have it and some don't
(I thought maybe only XL's had it but yours is MKII)
Anyway, this issue needs a first hand explanation/resolution but so far it never happened.
 
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Fret buzz. I remember one day spending hours thinking there was a bug in the amp modeling or a flaw in the hardware. Eventually I tried a different guitar and the noise was gone. I finally figured out that it was caused by the strings (G string in this case) buzzing against the next fret. This creates high frequency "hash" which sounds like fizz, especially as the note decays. It's much more noticeable when using FRFR because of the extended frequency response.
 
greiswig said:
Chris, it surprises me that you don't have it on your rig. But if there are some of us who have it and some who don't, that would sure explain the "you're an idiot and imagining things" threads.
Click to expand...

Nope, no herpe-fizzplex 9 here. :D Suffice it to say I'm running my Axe through gear that no one else has. Mine sounds absolutely delicious as a result. I have to do hardly anything in the tweaking dept to get mindblowing tone...and if anything...I'm adding high's (which seems to be the counter trend) . At this point really can't say much more but I am working on a way to share the love.

However, the first time I heard an axe I was powerfully underwhelmed by the matrix/CLR combo and was driven damn near batshit with the artifacting/fizz. I wish I would have had the sense to capture it while I had access to the unit. It presented identically to Sleepy's example except we were using a heavy patch, and just doing palm muted single strikes and randomly there would be this "ZZZZzzCRracklezzzZZZzzzz" in the decay.

I'm not saying it couldn't be fret buzz, or that it's not a contributing factor in some cases but I play my guitars stupid low, I level and dress my frets, then take it down lower.....they buzz....I deal with it because it helps me play better (not the speediest guy out there so any leg up helps)....and I don't have it in any way shape or form....but it could be the frequency response of what I'm using. Who knows. I hope sleepy runs the action test and posts another clip.
 
FractalAudio said:
Fret buzz. I remember one day spending hours thinking there was a bug in the amp modeling or a flaw in the hardware. Eventually I tried a different guitar and the noise was gone. I finally figured out that it was caused by the strings (G string in this case) buzzing against the next fret. This creates high frequency "hash" which sounds like fizz, especially as the note decays. It's much more noticeable when using FRFR because of the extended frequency response.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look at this. It's possible, I suppose, but I don't hear it when playing through an amp, and I would expect the IRs to take off most of the extended frequency response since that is part of their purpose. I also tend to knock back the HF in the cab block at around 7-8kHz, which should do something similar if not more than running through a regular guitar cab.

I'll try it.
 
Hey Cliff, thanks for the input!

Do you mean that some buzz off the fret(s) is carrying through to the amp modelling algorithm and resulting in the sound? Or that it's physically coming from the guitar? And are you saying the same amp/setup in real life would exhibit the same crackle from the fret buzz? If I play through any other amp (ss/tube/software), I don't hear it, either mechanically from the guitar or sonically from the speaker(s). With the axe, it's definitely coming from the speakers because it's so clearly audible that I can turn down the guitar low enough to hear fret buzz etc (and I don't), but the crackle is still easily heard.

I just tried another guitar which has no fret buzz and same deal...
 
I tried your patch on my XL+ & I get no scratchy sound like I hear in your clip. Mine sounds good with no unwanted artifacts at all.....

I used to get that type of unpleasant overtones when I had my Axe-Fx Mark II on earlier firmware
 
greiswig said:
I'll have a look at this. It's possible, I suppose, but I don't hear it when playing through an amp, and I would expect the IRs to take off most of the extended frequency response since that is part of their purpose. I also tend to knock back the HF in the cab block at around 7-8kHz, which should do something similar if not more than running through a regular guitar cab.

I'll try it.
Click to expand...

Surely you could test this more easily by using a different guitar?
 
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