Just got my Axe II and is does not sound right

Maybe your unit has the front input or one of the outputs wired out of phase? Not likely it would have got past Fractal QC like that, but it's possible. Would explain it sounding muddy... and would be a relatively easy fix.
 
joetdc said:
I will try the cables. BTW I have version 5.06 that came with it.
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I got mine 2 weeks ago and it had 5.06 on it. I did not think it sounded right, so I updated to 5.07 after 2 days.

To me, it sounds much better with 5.07, hopefully this will fix your issue.

Also, are you listening through headphones or something else?
 
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Hi Joetec
Is it a new unit? Because you mentioned firmware 5.06, while the newest firmware is 5.07. Btw, I've got mine too today (FW 5.07) and just played the first preset for halve an hour or so and I'm impressed . If you are in amp edit mode press the x/y buttons and see what happens.
I would suggest to update the firmware and go from there
good luck hope you can sort it out

Cheers
 
joetdc said:
Cab and amp settings are turned on. I just pulled it out of the box. Hooked up my speakers and plugged my guitar in the front input. I did not touch any settings except for changing the presets. It should sound good just like that. I also find it very strange that the first two presets (000, 001) are for bass. Quite strange for a GUITAR processor. The main knob seems over responsive too. If I just flick it I'm 30 presets from where I was. This sucks I hope there is nothing wrong with the unit. Pick harmonics are almost impossible to get, distortions is crap. No way this is right. Something is up.
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Could be something in the configuration, but as noted the Fender Bassman amps are pretty much the Holy Grail for guitarists.
Take it easy- it will all be good and if there is an issue FAS will take care of you.
 
If you have headphones, plug them in and see if it still sounds the same through them. That will help narrow it down.
 
joetdc said:
I also find it very strange that the first two presets (000, 001) are for bass. Quite strange for a GUITAR processor..
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This kind of sais it all.

Just how much of the manual, the WIKI, and this forum have you read in preparation for this unit? This is a very advanced piece of work, if you don't understand it, you'll post endlessly about things that are well documented. We're here to help, but you HAVE to learn a bit before you start 85 threads about how to adjust your output volume.

I'm not trying to knock on you, but you do have some research to do.

Ron
 
electronpirate said:
This kind of sais it all.

Just how much of the manual, the WIKI, and this forum have you read in preparation for this unit? This is a very advanced piece of work, if you don't understand it, you'll post endlessly about things that are well documented. We're here to help, but you HAVE to learn a bit before you start 85 threads about how to adjust your output volume.


Ron
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Curious to see how things work out...

I sympathize with the OP. It seems to me that he's tried all of the obvious things to troubleshoot, as well as the suggested fixes already, and nothing seems to be working.

As a potential Axe 2 buyer, are you suggesting that I--and any other future customer-- read the manual cover to cover, as well as the WIKI, and certain forum threads (stickies, presumably) before the box arrives? If that's what it takes to get things up and running, I guess I had better start reading now. lol

Then again, I do have a day job to tend to, a kid to feed, etc. etc.
 
If you already have an Ultra then you should know how to build a basic preset. Do that and forget about the built in presets. Load the latest firmware and try building a preset with that as well.

There is probably nothing wrong with your unit. You just spent some good $ on the update to your Ultra and you expect it to blow you away. It apparently hasn't. Relax and learn your new expensive toy. 15 days should be more than enough, plus you may even get to try out 6.0 within that time.
 
This is weird. Can you record what it sounds like? Even with a phone or something just to hear it would be great.

There may be something wrong with the unit but we can't tell with the way you are describing it do far.

Instrument cable to the front and xlr to my speaker and it sounded great to me on day 1 so I'm not sure what's going on.
 
@joetdc
I'm with you on this thread. I've had the Axe2 for 6 months now and still wondering if my unit is defective. I did not have an Ultra before to compare but I have plenty of preamps and amps (JMP1, Rockmaster, Ada MP1, Triaxis and several amps and cabinets). I started few threads bringing this into forum members attention. So I have been through all steps to try and see what was wrong. To me, the unit sounds like it is out of phase somehow, the sound is not pleasant to the ears, it still gives me headaches when used for more than 20 minutes and yes, the factory presets seem unusable. As soon as I switch to using my preamps, the sound becomes fuller, balanced in frequencies, it warms up the room so to speak and I can play for hours. When I switch back to the Axe, the sound is scooped, muddy and unpleasant, disturbing.
That being said, I tweaked my unit to hell until I got some sounds that I could record. Here is an example:

I used a Jeff Beck signature strat and the clean sound and the first drive sound are both on the neck pickup
Let me know if you need the presets, I will send it to you to try and see if your unit sounds the same. I know the presets don't translate well from one unit to another (because of different guitars plugged in) but in this case we're talking neck pickup on a strat so what can go wrong?

If you search my threads, you will see that we're both experiencing something similar with our units.
I am using Adam A7X monitors, I have changed the cables over and over but here's a thing:

GIVEN THE SAME GUITAR AND TWO AXE2 UNITS, ON THE SAME PRESET THE UNITS MUST SOUND THE SAME WHEN RECORDED VIA USB REGRDLESS OF WHAT THEY MAY SOUND THROUGH MONITORS, HEADPHONES OR OTHER SOUND SYSTEMS.

One member said earlier in this thread that the unit output may be wired wrong, out of phase. I don't think this would influence the recorded sound through USB. But yes, my unit sounds like it is out of phase somehow. And it sounds the same when I listen the recorded wav file through my computer speakers. But if I listen to a clip from youtube, it sounds way better...

Edit the Amp block and change input trim to 4 instead of 1. You will see the units wakes up a bit. Do this for preset number 80 (Pride and Joy).
Let us know what you think.

Adrian
 
Joe You mentioned that you have FW 5.06 right?
Have you checked in Axe Manage what version banks do you have?

I definitely suggest:
Upgrade to FW 5.07
DO a system reset
Download from Fractal site the FW 5 banks and install them.
Check once more if you're setting your input right (Wiki Wiki Wiki)

If it won't sound good then I don't know.
 
Active pickups on your guitar? If yes, check battery. Also check every cable being used to connect your guitar, axe and speakers.
 
After upgrading to 5.07, try headphones, then get an empty patch and put just amp and cab block. Select something suitable and see how you go.
If it sounds bad still Try using input on the back ( make appropriate changes) this will rule out a problem with the front input
 
Thanks Jshirkey, I'm glad someone sympathizes with me. I read the manual cover to cover and tried all the obvious things before posting. I even searched the forum but sometimes that is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I appreciate all the tweaking advice but that's not it. I tried almost every preset. They all lacked "punch" for lack of a better word. I have turned up the gain to 10 on many presets. I'm sorry but I don't know how to record and post but if you think that will help I will be glad to do it. There is no way every preset sounds like this out of the box. I will update the firmware but I doubt that's it.
If you want to know what it sounds like, take an Ultra front input and turn down to 1/2 and crank up the output. That's what it sounds like.
 
As was said before, you should set the input to left (front) only, or else the signal will be cut by 6dB.
Do you get the red input lights if you strum hard? If not, you should continue to look for something that reduces you input signal (stereo input, damaged cable, damaged input connector etc.)

Contrary to other people's opinion, I think the AxeII is kids play to set up (at least with headphones).
Got mine 2 weeks ago and sounds great from the first minute, with >10 guitars so far. No tweaking necessary.
 
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joetdc said:
If you want to know what it sounds like, take an Ultra front input and turn down to 1/2 and crank up the output. That's what it sounds like.
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Well, that's kinda what happens if your input is set to L+R sum....as I mentioned earlier. Voltage from your pickups is cut in half, -6dB. Set it to L only. You never responded to whether you checked that input parameter or not. Input trim on the II and the older units is very different, you can't use it as gain on the II...as I understand you could on the older units.
 
Trazan said:
Well, that's kinda what happens if your input is set to L+R sum....as I mentioned earlier. Voltage from your pickups is cut in half, -6dB. Set it to L only. You never responded to whether you checked that input parameter or not. Input trim on the II and the older units is very different, you can't use it as gain on the II...as I understand you could on the older units.
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+1

trazan is correct here, in that there have been a number of suggestions given, yet the OP has not continued to fill us in with much detail as to what he's tried different (if anything), whether he has switched guitars, guitar cables, MIDI pedal being used, tried a different monitoring source (headphones or other), nor disclosed what he is listening on currently for FRFR amp/speakers (are these cheap $100 home studio monitors or something more pro-level?).

joetdc, do you have alternate equipment available with which to test your AxeFx? If so, here is another suggestion: record a guitar track using some kind of preamp, direct, totally dry (not using the AxeFx), by any method you have at your disposal. Then, assuming this is a pure analog process, run this recorded dry track into the REAR input L of your AxeFx (make sure that your input I/O is set up properly to accept Rear L input). It may not be a perfect way to test things, but it should help you determine if the AxeFx is working properly (at least from the rear input), and it also should allow you to adjust the INPUT gain (assuming you have an analog mixing board sending the recorded source to the AxeFx) to your satisfaction in order to eliminate your concerns that there isn't enough source going into the AxeFx. You can also compare this "dry original" track running through the AxeFx with GLOBAL BYPASS engaged to see if it is TONALLY being altered, and as a means to compare/adjust input gain.


Where are you located? Remote area? or are you near any major city? If so, there may be AxeFx users in your neighborhood who have the time to give you a little personal assistance - or - you may even want to try bringing the AxeFx to a local music store in order to audition the axefx on different powered monitors, and with a selection of different guitars. I'm sure that if you do this during a "down" time at a music store, they'll be happy to indulge you and check out your cool new toy, that they've probably heard of but never gotten their hands on. Just throwing ideas out for you to consider.

I feel ya, but sometimes this stuff happens. You gotta roll with it until you have enough info to make a sound conclusion.
 
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