Axe-Fx II Firmware "Ares" 1.00 Public Beta

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Just finished re-dial in time for tonight's gig. True to Fractal form, everything sounds and feels better.

Didn't have to change presets much, which is nice since I use a lot of amps & presets. Overall I was tending to reduce mids just a bit, and occasionally bass. AC30TB gain was bit higher, as were a few amps but that was easily solved. Best part was being able to bring treble up and hear the highs go even more 3D without getting harsh. So nice!

Thank you Cliff for literally squeezing in one more firmware so we could get some of that Ares love...or should I say Battle Lust since Ares was the god of war RWWAAARRR!
 
  • the 'surfing' zone between clean/overdrive/distortion feels 'wider' in general; dynamic nuances in picking/using the volume control are incredibly expressive over a wider range. The amps just feel a lot more....playable....wider...responsive. This is awesome.....
  • I'm hearing, and feeling, a really sweet 'chirp' and bite, particularly in single/higher notes, that sounds like an 'explosion' of harmonics but is very sweet and drops out kinda quick...you feel like you're 'working that string' even more so...again, awesome
  • similarly, I'm hearing more dynamic, richer harmonic content all over the spectrum particularly on the note attacks, and lingering chords on gainy tones have harmonic complexity that evolves over time. Amps just sound more complex and dynamic.
  • overall Ares is a winner for me in every way, particularly how the amps 'ride that edge' of clean/overdrive/distortion and how that feels. Everything is a little more rude...snarly....meaner.
I do like Quantum 10 a lot...have no issues with it, not at all....but I found this beta to be...'inspirational' and it will be a fantastic version to retire the platform on, as well as getting glimpse of where things are going.

Thanks again Cliff and FAS....you guys rawk...

Great ear. I agree, although I can't say I can confirm all your points with any objectivity, but more liquidy harmonics and smoother and wider 'surfing zone', the richness of adding gain is more nuanced - the illusion is one of a slower forming weather system ( 'surfing zone' is the better description :)
 
I have not tried that in a while, but from memory normally items with a modifier are not adjustable... Because the value is controlled by the modifier.

That’s correct, but I meant the adjustment of the controller values (not the value of the controlled item itself), e.g. min or max values.
 
Did nobody experience this?

I think it's normal behavior and that it always was like this.
With the arrow key you set a value ("button" turns to this position) and immediately after this the modifier takes charge and sets a new value. This looks like as if the buttons jump.
 
I found another glitch with AxeEdit. When you attach a controller to gain or volume etc. you cannot adjust the values using the keyboard (the arrow keys). The values jump around like crazy. Can anyone confirm?

I'm still on 9.04. That's how it is using AxeEdit on 9.04 as well. You need to "manually" tweak in those controller values... as opposed to "data entry" by typing, arrow keys, etc. I think it's always been that way.
 
I'm still on 9.04. That's how it is using AxeEdit on 9.04 as well. You need to "manually" tweak in those controller values... as opposed to "data entry" by typing, arrow keys, etc. I think it's always been that way.

Up until Q10.01 you could use the up and down arrow keys. The keys on their own changed the values in 0.1 steps or 1 steps depending on the item the controller is attached to. When pressing shift or Strg and the respective key the step became smaller (0.01). That way you could finetune the value.
In Ares the values jump around like crazy when you arrow up or down, no matter if alone or together with shift or Strg pressed. This is definitely a bug because there is no way to adjust the value correctly using the keyboard - only by mouse.
 
Up until Q10.01 you could use the up and down arrow keys. The keys on their own changed the values in 0.1 steps or 1 steps depending on the item the controller is attached to. When pressing shift or Strg and the respective key the step became smaller (0.01). That way you could finetune the value.
In Ares the values jump around like crazy when you arrow up or down, no matter if alone or together with shift or Strg pressed. This is definitely a bug because there is no way to adjust the value correctly using the keyboard - only by mouse.
But you are describing a possible Axe Edit bug, and Axe Edit hasn't changed nor been updated for the beta FW...
 
Great ear. I agree, although I can't say I can confirm all your points with any objectivity, but more liquidy harmonics and smoother and wider 'surfing zone', the richness of adding gain is more nuanced - the illusion is one of a slower forming weather system ( 'surfing zone' is the better description :)

Thanks...! I use the terms 'surfing zone' or 'riding the wave' to describe an amp (along with the guitar volume control) that is set up perfectly on the edge of breakup/distortion, where small changes in picking/pressure/volume dance around that peak/crest/threshold and the entire system becomes extremely expressive and dynamic...in volume, tone, distortion, feel, etc. Clean to mean is a snap, and when it's all working right the amp is a pure joy to play. That is where I find a lot of inspiration and 'my voice'.

I describe a 'wider surfing zone' as one that has an even more expanded threshold and a wider overall dynamic tone/distortion/feel which allows greater and easier control of dynamics and nuances. If that zone is too narrow you go from an anemic clean-ish tone to outright clipping/distortion almost instantly, without anything in between.

That zone has always been a litmus-test of how well a modeller actually 'does it's thing' for me. A common thread between my favorite tube amps is how it goes from 'clean to mean' and how I can 'work that zone'.
 
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