Axe-Fx III Firmware Version 9.01

Pardon this question but when you say "simulate the acoustic reinforcement of a loud amp coupling into the guitar and enhancing the output signal", I am not sure what that means. Does that mean when you're standing next to a loud amplifier and the sound from the speakers is being picked up by the pickups on the guitar and "enhancing" the sound? If so, is that enhancement necessarily a desirable thing to have? If I have been playing with IEM monitors or a small monitor on stage that is not very loud and I am happy with my tone, I'm assuming I should not use this new feature. Of course, I can experiment and add it to taste but I'm just trying to figure if and how I would use this. Thanks all.
 
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curious said:
Pardon this question but when you say "simulate the acoustic reinforcement of a loud amp coupling into the guitar and enhancing the output signal", I am not sure what that means. Does that mean when you're standing next to a loud amplifier and the sound from the speakers is being picked up by the pickups on the guitar and "enhancing" the sound? If so, is that enhancement necessarily a desirable thing to have? If I have been playing with IEM monitors or a small monitor on stage that is not very loud and I am happy with my tone, I'm assuming I should not use this new feature. Of course, I can experiment and add it to taste but I'm just trying to figure if and how I would use this. Thanks all.
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yup.
 
curious said:
Pardon this question but when you say "simulate the acoustic reinforcement of a loud amp coupling into the guitar and enhancing the output signal", I am not sure what that means. Does that mean when you're standing next to a loud amplifier and the sound from the speakers is being picked up by the pickups on the guitar and "enhancing" the sound? If so, is that enhancement necessarily a desirable thing to have? If I have been playing with IEM monitors or a small monitor on stage that is not very loud and I am happy with my tone, I'm assuming I should not use this new feature. Of course, I can experiment and add it to taste but I'm just trying to figure if and how I would use this. Thanks all.
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Read this & it’ll give ya the physics & mathematics of what is actually going on. Very cool info to read:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/the-modelers-dont-clean-up-with-the-volume-knob-myth.154557/
 
yyz67 said:
Quote from the first page of this thread:
Added “Gain Enhancer” mode to Amp block Output Compressor. This mode can be used to simulate the acoustic reinforcement of a loud amp coupling into the guitar and enhancing the output signal.
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I read the release notes but I just hear more gain and was wondering if maybe Cliff could clarify the difference in gain and enhancer gain with technical and nontechnical terms that might sink in and give me understanding to decide if I want to use this new feature or not.
 
REDD said:
I read the release notes but I just hear more gain and was wondering if maybe Cliff could clarify the difference in gain and enhancer gain with technical and nontechnical terms that might sink in and give me understanding to decide if I want to use this new feature or not.
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Don’t mean to be rude, but surely it’s a matter of try it and if you like it you’re in?

For me it’s massively improved the feel of my 4x12 stack and SRV style sounds. The rest still playing with.

It’s only one knob to try I can recommend the suggestion someone else suggested of putting the control to an expression pedal so you can play and fade it in
 
I am still trying to figure out the output feedback vs gain enhanced output compression. In that org thread I think the initial chat was about the feedback mode (before gain enhance came along). I have played with all of these but would rather read to understand each difference and recommended use.
 
REDD said:
How does the gain enhancer differ from just turning up the amp gain?
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Hi Redd,

It feels different. Like playing through a loud amp. It makes clean amps like Fenders and Vox sound really great also. Sounds great with the Plexis. I set it where it didn't really add any noticeable gain, but added punchy compression, like playing through a stack loud, or playing through a Vox AC30 loud, but clean. It really sounds great to me on everything I've tried it with.
 
peteri said:
Don’t mean to be rude, but surely it’s a matter of try it and if you like it you’re in?

For me it’s massively improved the feel of my 4x12 stack and SRV style sounds. The rest still playing with.

It’s only one knob to try I can recommend the suggestion someone else suggested of putting the control to an expression pedal so you can play and fade it in
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I did try it and as I stated, it just sounds like a little more gain to me. It could be that I'm already heavily gained with the Angl amp block. I don't think it's something I will use but we'll see. I play Metal and don't use amps like the ac amps or SRV.
 
Daveis said:
Gain enhancer new form of envelope controlled compressor?
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If I understand to some degree, it's not the input envelope but related to amp output reinserted somewhere into the virtual amp circuit so a different effect.
 
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Finally got home from Dirty Jersey late last night. Loaded 9.01 after work and tried it out on a couple of my favorite presets. Sounds good at low settings (1-2) for a bit more of that 'juiced up and playing loud' feel and 'bloom' than was there before. Was fun on the IIC+ at 4-6. Chugga-chugga! Will have to live with it a bit before tweaking amp settings, as I spent all evening next to the engine of an Airbus 320 yesterday, and everything sounds a bit soft and bassy today....
 
a very nice feature to easily tweak "amp biting" I find, for the perceived punch & agressiveness
 
Commitments yesterday meant 36 hours off.

Cranked it up today, and still enjoying it - revisited every preset again and re-tweaked the setting, still absolutely loving it and doubt I'll ever not use this - but now the excitement is over, I find most of my values have halved for a more natural feel.

Really does sound incredible, dialling in some grunt/punch and taming the treble a little. It's also led me to rediscovering the speaker drive parameter, which works very nicely in conjunction I find (turning the gain enhancement down until I feel the punch, but the treble isn't too flattened - then add a bit more 'thump' with the speaker compression).

It's also interesting that I've ended up with quite different values starting from a high-point and turning down, as opposed to starting at zero and turning up - ears/people are funny things!
 
Finally installed this update and WOW!!! Talk about FUN!!!! I've NEVER had this much playing in a LONG time!!!! That gain enhancer totally makes you get the feel of an amp right next to you, blooming all those notes and making them sing!!!

Thank you Cliff for you never ending search for absolute perfection! You could have stopped with the Ultra and it would STILL be the best on the planet, yet you go light years ahead, beyond even yourself!

Tre success is when you've left even yourself in the dust for 2nd and 3rd place!! Damned fine sir!!
 
REDD said:
I did try it and as I stated, it just sounds like a little more gain to me. It could be that I'm already heavily gained with the Angl amp block. I don't think it's something I will use but we'll see. I play Metal and don't use amps like the ac amps or SRV.
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probably safe to assume that if you're playing with an insane amount of gain to begin with you won't feel it as much. This is more for those that rely on the dynamics of loud amp with cleaner to mid gain tones, which is what many new to modelers struggle with. Even something like a loud JCM benefits from acoustic reinforcement, but a gained out Engl is probably just going to be a mess with even more.

That being said, since most bands play with less gain than you'd think...so maybe compare a channel with it off and the gain where you usually play then try it on with decreased gain and see if you like it.

Either way, it won't be for everyone.
 
Setting the out compression to 2 drops my volume somewhat. So I'm assuming make it up with the level knob?
Also finding input dymanics to be very useful. It adds a note push that definitely adds something.
 
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