Problems with my new AXE-FX III: It does not sound good?

Maybe with these EQ values even better.

Listen to the difference.
Tried this for gits and shiggles (using the full 10 band corrective measurements from the website) - just sounds weird.

Also, my issues with the headphone corrective EQ concept is that program material, or other people's Axe FX recordings etc., all sound fine through my headphones and do not exhibit drastic differences when compared to my CLRs or other monitors. It is only my guitar playing through the Axe FX, or the playback of a recording thereof.

Fully appreciate that that might be illogical, but it has been my experience.
 
That zip file doesn't work. I have Sony XM3's, XM4's, Blue Mo-Fis, Beyerdynamics. The XM3's are good headphones, so I doubt it is that. They're just scooped a bit in the midrange like most non "flat" consumer headphones. I would wager this is a guitar pickup/input level/old firmware preset issue. But a sound recording would help.

I had a look on axechange, what is the name of the preset? That user has many. I noticed they were all version 1 firmware as well which is very old now.
 
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Question
In the mix with music or just alone?
Current FW is on the device?
Input impedance and imput gain is set correctly?

Because in the mix it can happen that frequencies of the music and the guitar overlap and it by phase shifts.
This can lead to frequencies being cancelled out.
Then the guitar does not sound good in the mix.
 
I never really play with headphones, but just tried with my HD650's and it sounds pretty killer.

Yeah, I love mine. Like I say, even better with Cygnus!


Maybe with these EQ values even better.

Listen to the difference.

Tried this for gits and shiggles (using the full 10 band corrective measurements from the website) - just sounds weird.

Also, my issues with the headphone corrective EQ concept is that program material, or other people's Axe FX recordings etc., all sound fine through my headphones and do not exhibit drastic differences when compared to my CLRs or other monitors. It is only my guitar playing through the Axe FX, or the playback of a recording thereof.

Fully appreciate that that might be illogical, but it has been my experience.

I've tried those EQ's with every pair of headphones I've had and didn't think it improved things at all, probably worse to be honest. Not needed with the Sennheisers, in my opinion.
 
Pretty sure the issue is the Sony WH1000XM3. Look at them on the Sony website, all kinds of frequency manipulation in it;s sense engine, adaptive sound tech, noise cancelling etc.

BUT, OP needs to, imho, try some other cans, and a pair of powered monitors at a minimum. I suppose it is possible his unit has a bad headphone amp.
 
For whatever reason, I can't get that Zip file to turn into audio. From what you've described and the video you posted, here's my 2 cents:

1. The tone in that video is mostly technique. The fundamental character of the notes would still be there if he was unplugged.

2. Second biggest contributor to that tone is the guitar, which encompasses a myriad of factors, such as the pickups, how the pickups are set, how the guitar is set up, the wood, tone controls, etc etc. The guitars you have are very different so it won't sound that close. It is also possible that pickup height, type, or even having the tone too high could be contributing to that sound you aren't liking.

3. "the pick attacks sound very plasticky..."
I have a friend who plays acoustic at church. He doesn't have his own acoustic guitar so he borrows from whoever is able to bring their guitar for him. No matter which one he plays, the pick sounds squeaky. I've tried handing him one of my picks and it still sounds squeaky. Those guitars don't have that squeak when anyone else plays them.
I can't say for certain, but I suspect that some of what you're hearing could be technique. Maybe the way you hold the pick, the angle, the wrist... plucking a note and making it sound good is neither simple nor easy (starting out, anyways; with enough practice it becomes automatic). A good way to test would be to have someone else who doesn't have that problem play on your rig and see if that same sound is still there. If it is technique, don't feel bad: I went a phase where I tried to use gear settings to get a tone that came from technique. Spend time working on your technique and you'll eventually get there. :)
 
When people have these issues I wish I could teleport to their location and hear what they're experiencing.

My Beyer DT880s sound excellent with the AF3. Very impressed.
Certainly more satisfying/entertaining to play through an FRFR system, but I can't complain about the headphone experience with this unit.
Those Sonys aren't cheap, but I can't attest to their pairing with the AxeFX. Especially if they're tuned for modern pop or hip hop.

When you have those HP speakers so close to your ears, it may not be the best idea to use presets tuned for monitors and floor systems.
They can emphasize detail that might otherwise be minimal. That can be good or bad.

Try building your own preset. Start from scratch, check out some amp/IR combos and see if you can get it more to your liking.
I don't know what FW you're on, but I would stick to 15.01 while you tweak. At least until the public release of the new FW.
 
Since forever it’s impossible to me to play guitar through headphones, and even more with modelers . The high gains sound very aggressive, your ears feel tired very quickly... in clean sounds it’s nice but in dist😟 , my new high gain presets sounds synthetic with my headphone (shure srh840) . I don’t think that the headphone himself is bad, when I listen to music with it it’s very nice . And when I play the same presets with real studio monitors its “good”. Maybe we hear too much the details with headphones don’t know

I had the same problem until I decided to break the bank and buy the Audeze LCD-2. That was about 9 years ago, and I don't regret the decision.

I've owned the most popular and recommended phones, and none of them pairs the LCD-2. What I hear through them translates faithfully to the studio monitors and to the PA
 
Start with a sound you know and understand. I’d start simple, think 1960s or 1970s. Learn the unit basics before getting caught up in endless options which can lead to paralysis. .
 
I have DT770s and Slate VSX, neither of which I would want to rely on full time even though they sound nice for short periods. This thread has made me exceedingly grateful for my monitors and real amp and cab.
 
I'd spend some time getting to know the basics of the unit with simple presets before diving right into other peoples patches, they generally always need tweaking to fit your equipment so the more you know about the blocks and how to use them the better. Sometimes when playing quietly with headphones I can still hear the acoustic sound of the pick on the strings which can be annoying also. Finding an IR you enjoy is huge, too!
 
I usually have a modified version of my presets for headphone jamming with a bit more reverb and using the enhancer block. I find I like headphone sounds to have more of a stereo effect while when I'm running through my Powercab its mono outside delays/reverbs. To Cliff's point, different headphones could be the key. I switched to Blue MoFi and aside from them shipping me a set with shredded ear cups, they sound pretty damn good.

I don't know if you've ever played in a studio with set of cans on while your cab is sitting in another room mic'd up but yeah.....headphones can def be a different vibe with a real amp as well.
 
I'd spend some time getting to know the basics of the unit with simple presets before diving right into other peoples patches, they generally always need tweaking to fit your equipment so the more you know about the blocks and how to use them the better. Sometimes when playing quietly with headphones I can still hear the acoustic sound of the pick on the strings which can be annoying also. Finding an IR you enjoy is huge, too!
👍
Spend more time with the unit, build your own basic presets, and buy better headphones or use good studio monitors. I would highlight these as the crucial answers.
 
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how can you know what is a “good headphone”? when you buy a studio reference one, with flat response, who works perfectly with everything but not the axe ? maybe a compressor can add some warmness and global confort to the listening ... in the end, I just dont play with headphone anymore and life's better :)
 
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Also need to check how you plug the headphones!

Usually such general purpose headphones can have 1/8" (3.5 mm) TRRS (audio + mic) jack. Axe headphone output is 1/4" TRS (audio only). If you use a simple TRS->TRS adapter then you are going to have huge sound artifacts from stereo image summation/cancellation.
The right way is to either use TRS->TRRS adapter, or to use the cable which already has 1/4" TRS jack.
 
I've been expecting this purchase since many years ago but finally I got my AXE-FX III. The problem is that I am really struggling with making it sound as I was expecting and I'm frustrated.

I'm just using my headphones for playing (Sony WH1000XM3 with cable). They are not full-range headphones but I'm used to practice with them with other devices and I'm hearing many youtube videos with AXE-FX III recordings with the same headphones that does not sound at all like the sound I have . I'll purchase in the future studio monitors and probably other headphones though.

I've been reading the manual and I've been searching other users in the forum with similar issues but I don't get anything. I've reset all the settings even if it is new, the Power Amp Modeling is ON , the Cabinet Modeling is ACTIVE and I've checked my guitars are not clipping. I've tried different factory presets but there's always something there that I do not like and I see a huge difference with other recordings. I really don't know how to describe the sounds, one thing I'm noticing is that the pick attacks sound very plasticky. I've tried with different picks, playing softly and with my fingers, and of course if I use the neck pickups the sound is rounder and smoother, but it is generally there.


I'm not sure if it is just me, that I've been without playing a lot of time for an injury, or that my guitars are not the best for the sound I'm expecting. I have two guitars, an Ibanez RG3550MZ which maybe doesn't have the most versatile sound and an Epiphone Sheraton II for playing jazz. As an example, I was trying to get a sound for playing Eric Johnson, so I downloaded the preset made by the user Camilo Velandia and I've recorded with the Chorus scene just a phrase with both guitars in different pickups. But I really don't listen the same sounds it can be heard in his video (




Can somebody help me to find out if there's something wrong with my Axe? I really don't know if I'm just crazy, deaf and/or I need to purchase other guitars for liking the sound.

Thank you!

Edit: I'm trying to put a link with my mp3 recording but it does not allow me, where should I upload it? In the meantime I've attached a .zip. I'm comparing the sound with the 1:37 on the video I put.

Given:
  • the same preset
  • the same headphones you listen to Camilo recording
I say the problems are:
  • different guitars
  • different hands & player

Everyone has to tweak the preset to his own feel/needs.
 
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