Another Axefx vs Amps thread

The whole point of the thread was to give appreciation to what a great job Cliff has done thus far. But yeah I also included my opinion of the differences. Only Cliff knows if we can or cannot close the gap.

And now I'm accusing you of not reading. For fuck sake man wear your glasses. :D

Suggest you re-read your own OP. If 15 people took a different meaning from what you may have intended, then that's a pretty good indicator of where the actual problem is. Also, you seem to be on some sort of passive-aggressive yo-yo ride. Just sayin...
 
My first thought after reading the initial post was to try different IRs, they are absolutely crucial in replicating any tone in the Axe. I've been on the Fractal train since 2015 and still have a few tube amps, none of which have been played since moving from the AX8 to the Axe-Fx III. The only difference for me has been playing an amp with a cab vs the Axe III with monitors. Tonally, there is no difference. Amp response, there is no difference. Feel, there is no difference. Air movement or filling the room with sound, there is a difference.

I realize that AITR is not part of the discussion here since you used a load box for the comparison. As Cliff pointed out, this changes the baseline of the test. Have you tried the Axe III in the effects loop of an amp going into the load box? It would be interesting to hear your thoughts after performing this test.

With all of the parameters in the Axe III, in combination with different IRs, it is very possible to 'close the gap' yourself should you desire to delve into the advanced parameters deeper.

I've said it before, I am very particular about my tone and will use whatever gives me what I need to achieve the tones I need. If an amp and pedalboard performed 'better' than the Axe III I would use it, hands down no question. The Axe Fx III provides everything I want or need without any compromise.
Sorry I missed this post. Will defiantly give it a go for sure!
 
re clarity - fwiw - I re-read the OP a few times, and didn't get it till after another's comment ("So you are using an amp through a load box with headphones and comparing the same Axe models through the same headphones?") was confirmed.
 
Let me state my whole signal chain. I am using the AxeFx Rear input and out 3 & 4 into the load box. Then the speaker cable of course into the load box, which then goes into the front of the amps input. So the Axe is used for EVERYTHING cause that's how I seen and read someone else do it.

I recently made another signal chain inside AE to connect the Axe amp block so I could do a quick comparison and tweak easier.
 
Let me state my whole signal chain. I am using the AxeFx Rear input and out 3 & 4 into the load box. Then the speaker cable of course into the load box, which then goes into the front of the amps input. So the Axe is used for EVERYTHING cause that's how I seen and read someone else do it.

I recently made another signal chain inside AE to connect the Axe amp block so I could do a quick comparison and tweak easier.
Absolutely nothing about this makes any sense to me.

Normally this is how you would connect things:
  1. Guitar -> Axe-Fx front input (IN1).
  2. Axe-Fx out 3 or 4 left set to mono with "copy IN1 enabled" -> Amp input. Provides the guitar signal from IN1 to your amp front input.
  3. Amp speaker output -> speaker cable -> loadbox "amp in".
  4. Loadbox line out (mono or stereo) -> Axe-Fx IN2.
Then your preset would have something like this:

IN1 - Amp1 - Cab1 - OUT1
IN2 - Cab1 - OUT1

Now you could use scenes to toggle if you use IN1 -> virtual amp or IN2 for the signal through the real amp. Just disable IN2 in scene 1 and disable IN1 and Amp1 in scene 2.
 
You also need to make sure your Speaker Impedance Curve matches that of the load box.

I regularly do exactly what you are doing. Literally hundreds of times a year as this is part of how I model amps. I use an LB-2 load box and a real speaker in an isolation room. Hidden in the Axe-Fx is analysis software that I use to measure the amps when connected this way. I also do blind A/B tests using a footswitch. When I switch between the real amp and the Axe-Fx I hear differences as the frequency response will NEVER be identical unless you do a Tone Match due to component tolerances/drift/line voltage fluctuations/phase of the moon/etc. If I do a Tone Match it's very difficult to ascertain which is which.
 
You also need to make sure your Speaker Impedance Curve matches that of the load box.

I regularly do exactly what you are doing. Literally hundreds of times a year as this is part of how I model amps. I use an LB-2 load box and a real speaker in an isolation room. Hidden in the Axe-Fx is analysis software that I use to measure the amps when connected this way. I also do blind A/B tests using a footswitch. When I switch between the real amp and the Axe-Fx I hear differences as the frequency response will NEVER be identical unless you do a Tone Match due to component tolerances/drift/line voltage fluctuations/phase of the moon/etc. If I do a Tone Match it's very difficult to ascertain which is which.
Thank you Cliff! Got it. So off to tone match. I know my original post didn't convey my message properly but seriously hell of a job with what you are doing man. It was an eye opener for sure.
 
I'm open to read and listen to others experiences most are live or FRFR. I've done this as well and you can't hear as huge of a difference. What I been talking about all along is isolated.
Can you post a sample of one of your real amps in isolation? I'd be happy to try and match it.
 
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