Axe-Fx III 16.00 Beta 4 "Cygnus" Firmware - Public Beta

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Is it just me or does many of the Friedman amp sims now have way less gain on tap and less thump? Had the previous firmware BE model to exactly match my real BE100 deluxe and now not so much. I find now that I have to max the gain and push the front end harder with a boost to get the same tone as before. Also notice I have to really lower the presence/treble.

Doesn't seem right. Check other things. Is Power Amp Modeling turned on?
 
Love this Beta! My favorite model is the 5153 blue. That model never sounded so good. Can't wait to hear the 5153 red once it was fixed. I noticed the 5153 blue has a different input eq(low cut) than in FW15.01.
Other big improvements for me are the Euro models, Splawns and the Atomicas.
 
Had an absolute blast this afternoon going back to the 80’s. Set about dialling up a nice hair metal preset and decided to with the 800 Mod for a change after reading someone’s recommendation in here. Oh my word. Glorious is a word that keeps getting used in this thread, and justifiably so.
Paired it with York Audio Greenback IRs, a good old TS808 and bit of chorus and BOOM! There in about 2 minutes of tweaking and a new favourite.

While I was back in the 80’s I thought I’d attempt an early EVHish type preset from scratch, something I’ve not done before. Tried the Brit Brown with same IRs, dimed the BMT and upped the gain and master and, again, well on the way there in 2 minutes.

With either one of these presets I just can’t stop smiling playing them with a super strat type guitar, just absolutely glorious bucketloads of that bark, honk and scream that I love about Marshalls.
 
Anyone find luck with the Swart/Nuclear amp? I see to have an AST and am having a hard time finding the magic that was in that amp. Will keep playing around...
The Nuclear Tone has been my go to amp for quite awhile. I don't have the 'real thing' to compare with but I'm extremely happy with the tones I get with this model. Here's a couple of presets made with FW 15.01, haven't updated them to Cygnus. While I've messed around with Cygnus, I'm waiting for the final release before updating any of my presets.

I use a WGS Retro 30 mix in the IR blend, it seems to balance everything out for me. The thread with the free IR is found here- https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/wgs-retro-30-free-ir.128249/
 

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The Nuclear Tone has been my go to amp for quite awhile. I don't have the 'real thing' to compare with but I'm extremely happy with the tones I get with this model. Here's a couple of presets made with FW 15.01, haven't updated them to Cygnus. While I've messed around with Cygnus, I'm waiting for the final release before updating any of my presets.

I use a WGS Retro 30 mix in the IR blend, it seems to balance everything out for me. The thread with the free IR is found here- https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/wgs-retro-30-free-ir.128249/

I did a bunch of tracking with a Telecaster and the Nuclear Tone last night. LOVE it !
 
I have an 8am call and I'm still up playing the dang Badger 18 with a shimmer drive in front of it. Literally the fattest, juiciest tone I've EVER HAD.

If I owned an amp that just made this one sound I'd never sell it and play it every day. I just keep switching between my EJ and Luke3 with the vol turned down to 8. This firmware totally rewards lower output pickups to my ears. Just like a real quality amp.

The string attack is so clear while the bottom is HUGE and fat. Hallelujah I've seen the light! Cliff I'm not sure what you're doing but so far it's working for my ears!

Check this out folks - Axechange link
THIS^ sounds so exciting!! Can I ask what your FRFR or other power amp/speaker solution is that is making you this happy with Cygnus? I’m loving my CLR and my Friedman ASM and ASC, but if there is something better, I gotta know. Thanks!
 
THIS^ sounds so exciting!! Can I ask what your FRFR or other power amp/speaker solution is that is making you this happy with Cygnus? I’m loving my CLR and my Friedman ASM and ASC, but if there is something better, I gotta know. Thanks!

I play through a pair of Mackie MR8 Mk3s. Not really high end at all but a pretty decent sound for the money!
 
I know this is sort of wrong, but I just spent an hour with the Brit800 Mod, rolling down my guitar volume using a P90 neck pickup and getting super juicy John Mayer/Hendrix styles tones from it. Hot Damn this is good. Only parameters I changed on the amp block was raising the gain to 5.24 and reducing the master to 2.98 (by ear of course, these are just the numbers I ended up with)
 
I know this is sort of wrong, but I just spent an hour with the Brit800 Mod, rolling down my guitar volume using a P90 neck pickup and getting super juicy John Mayer/Hendrix styles tones from it. Hot Damn this is good. Only parameters I changed on the amp block was raising the gain to 5.24 and reducing the master to 2.98 (by ear of course, these are just the numbers I ended up with)
This is exactly the reason I love this amp. You can get this with it, or you can set it to sound completely different, but whatever setting you choose, it tends to sound completely awesome. Wow, this is the most eloquent thing I've ever written...
 
I just pulled the trigger and went to the beta. Yeah that's something else. High gain feels much tigher now

I was wondering, how does one determine these software calculations are more "correct"? Are there some equations that come out better or does it simply sound more alike?

How does one measure that?
 
I just pulled the trigger and went to the beta. Yeah that's something else. High gain feels much tigher now

I was wondering, how does one determine these software calculations are more "correct"? Are there some equations that come out better or does it simply sound more alike?

How does one measure that?
It’s like the spy world with a price-

if they tell you, they must make you deaf ! ; )
 
I just pulled the trigger and went to the beta. Yeah that's something else. High gain feels much tigher now

I was wondering, how does one determine these software calculations are more "correct"? Are there some equations that come out better or does it simply sound more alike?

How does one measure that?
To measure that you have to be inside Cliff’s Genius Brain dude!
 
Is it just me or does many of the Friedman amp sims now have way less gain on tap and less thump? Had the previous firmware BE model to exactly match my real BE100 deluxe and now not so much. I find now that I have to max the gain and push the front end harder with a boost to get the same tone as before. Also notice I have to really lower the presence/treble.

Note that the Friedman amps are now based on the 2018 model exclusively, the older model with less high end/more low end is gone. So that could be part of what you're experiencing.

I was wondering, how does one determine these software calculations are more "correct"? Are there some equations that come out better or does it simply sound more alike?

How does one measure that?

I don't know exactly what Cliff does to measure, but for both individual components and real amps you can send the same DI or test waveform through both the algorithm and the real component/amp and then mathematically compare the resulting waveform. A really simple example you can do with your DAW would be to send the same DI through one amp on one track, another amp on a second track, then reverse the phase of one and any signal that isn't cancelled out is the difference.
 
I’ve learned to trust Cliff’s ears. I believe he has stated that his listening is continuously developing and improving.

Pair that with innovative and clever ways to model nonlinear analog circuits with digital technology; mo’ betta!
 
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