Axe-Fx II Firmware Version 12.04 Public Beta

joegold said:
Understood.
Thanks for the reply.

The new firmware sounds good to me, but it always sounds good.
I'm not noticing the new Nirvana feel in my presets much though.
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You'll definitely know when you get there. The feel hits you like a shotgun.

*ducks*
 
Had a chance to update and tweak a little at the band location this evening. First thing I did was copy my main preset to an adjacent block and I went exploring from there.

I reset my 5153 red amp block and the immediately it sounded huge. Much low end thump. Not muddy...but lots of thump (using FRFR setup). I had to dial that back a little (depth) and was digging what I was hearing. Just enough for chunky palm mutes but not so the low end was ringing out. My bass player was commenting that it sounded "hot." Being that I reset the amp block it's hard to tell what exactly was giving him this impression.

Due to how I run my scenes I keep the gain on the 5153 extremely low to the point of a small amount of breakup (usually around .85 or so). I then run a drive block in front that juices the volume (drive set to 0). I set this back to my way and it was still "hot" to him. I dug around a little more and started changing the power tube types. As Cliff mentioned prior the changes from one tube type to the next was ever so subtle. But changing it to a few different versions yielded some decent results indeed. The "hotness" that he was referring to was the high end that was more pronounced now. Not ice pick at all....but pronounced. Some power tubes it seemed more present than others.

Overall I am happy with this update (as I am with all of them). I look forward to having more time to check out some other amp models soon and see how they fare now.
One note I found is that my custom cab was reset for some reason after the update (or perhaps it was after the amp reset??). The cabs were all still there...just it was changed to factory 01. Strange.

Thanks for the work and time put in to the firmware updates.
Joe
 
Features and new goodies aside, I feel like 12.02 was huge sounding, on 12.03 some of the high altitude shimmer was lost, and on 12.04b that shimmer is back with some stank on it. Having no trouble finding dozens of factory presets benefitting from the beta.
 
I might add that my clean sounds are pretty stellar now. I had to back down some of the low end...but once I got that situated it's been great.
 
J-Beard said:
...

I reset my 5153 red amp block and the immediately it sounded huge. Much low end thump. Not muddy...but lots of thump (using FRFR setup). I had to dial that back a little (depth) and was digging what I was hearing. Just enough for chunky palm mutes but not so the low end was ringing out. My bass player was commenting that it sounded "hot." Being that I reset the amp block it's hard to tell what exactly was giving him this impression.

,,,
Click to expand...

:eek: uh, are we supposed to manually reset the amp blocks (or anything else) with 12b04?
 
FWIW, the more I play this version, the more I consider that Fractal has either:

-Hit the 'magic bullet' with the Low Res stuff
-Done something else that we are not aware of yet (to be revealed kind of thing.)

'Cause I can't think of anything else these days but to get my nubian @ss to my guitar room and move some air. Holy snikey.

-R
 
Is turning up the MV and low res parameter recommended for live use or is that more of a "ohhh yeahhh!" thing when playing alone?

I'm asking this because I really want to apply it to all of my presets, but I'm afraid it will probably not sound so well in a band mix?
 
A band mix have never benefitet from the big "OOHHHH YEAHHH!!" from the guitar corner, has it? ;)
 
electronpirate said:
No, because it will update everything involved (FX, drives, etc.)
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I don't think so. I believe it's the same functionality as on the Standard/Ultra. From that manual:

"This function allows you to update all presets to the latest protocol. The Axe-Fx can read presets stored in either the current version or one version prior. When a preset is saved it is saved in the latest protocol. If you’ve just updated the firmware to a major revision you can convert all your presets to the latest protocol by using this function."

This means that it won't change parameter values (except in the scenario described in the release notes).
 
Quick note regarding 12.04b: "Ideal Tetrode" plus Preamp Sag Off brings my ODS Lead 3 magic back on lower MV settings! Perfect! :D - With the 5881/6L6 and Preamp Sag on, I can use the sound on higher MV settings too - makes it ROAR!!! Wow.....

brings back the smile on my face now....

Much thanks Cliff! And "special" thanks were on the way.... ;)

Cheers
Paco
 
I hadn't been on the forum for a week or so and just noticed this thread last night. What a pleasant surprise to see another update so soon after the last - and with further improvement to the amp modeling no less! I read a page or two of this thread and then set about updating my AxeII to 12.04b. It was pretty late (12:30am) so it was headphones only (Beyerdynamic DT880's) last night following the update. This morning I spent some time playing at a reasonable volume through my desktop nearfield (KRK Rokit5's - hardly flat but fun to play through!) and then at a rather loud volume through a powered CLR wedge. Differences / improvements were apparent through all three, and the louder the better. I'll skip the usual hyperbole and just say that I feel that this is, IMO, a significant step forward. I've little to add to what has already been posted here. The improvements I perceive have already been well described by others.

Thank you Cliff for yet another amazing update to an already amazing product. Your efforts are definitely appreciated. :)
 
Cliff, I have a request for a 5881 power tube...in the 6L6 family....suppose to have tapered highs according to Mesa Boogie....
Thanks Cliff and FAS for all the hard work...
 
Wow, this update is amazing! I tried playing with a whole bunch of amps I hadn't loved previously, and added every one to my favourites list! You can't go wrong, just an amp with stock settings and a suitable cab sounds awesome, it's all so much easier to dial in... Thanks Cliff and team!!
 
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I rehearsed last night through a CLR wedge with my regular clean USA clean 1/Super reverb preset that Ive used for 1 1/2 year!

A suggestion for all you non-believers!

You better try to switch between Global modelling version 11/12!
Yes there is a dB increase when switching to fw12 Global modelling version but the 11 version is still trapped inside the monitor even with the output level increased!

Then maybe you realise how far Cliff has taken us with this BETA firmware (12.04)!

Cliff......I LOVE YOU! ps don't tell my wife...or yours! :shock

Ps I increased the Low Res and yes with 12.04 that "thesoundistrappedinsidethemonitor" feeling is gone!

Before I really had to crank the output level to fill the room, but it is no longer needed!
AMAZING!
 
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This update is amazing, blows my mind!
I was struggling to chase that amp-in-the-room feeling with my CLRs.
I tried a bunch of IRs and thought "yeah now sound is great!". But when I turned on my Cab (2xEVM2L) I suddenly realized the CLRs sounded like a monitor
I actually was considering selling the CLRs.

... but when I tried this update and did what Cliff wrote:
5. To really hear and feel the effects turn up the MV and LF Res. Don't be afraid to turn LF Res close to 10. In fact some Celestion and Eminence speakers are equivalent to about 8-9 on the LF Res. This will increase the interaction between the power tubes and the speaker load.
6. Also, to "really" hear and feel it, crank it up LOUD.
... BAAM!

What a massive sound. When cranked it feels like a full stack and the monitor feeling is gone.
(Now it's time for the Cab to retire)
 
Just to be sure. Is it now recommended to turn MV and LF res up when using High gain amps like Dual recto and 5153? At the moment my high gain amp MV is between 2,5-4 depending the amp.
 
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