Axe-Fx III Firmware 25.00 Release

[Steven Persson]

Interesting to read some insight into the power amp approaches; I always tended to look at it as once the headroom meter hit 0, that was typically the 'sweet spot'... but of course, if it sounds good, then it is good.

Same here, or just below it. Along with what @State of Epicicity stated the power amp are also a sort of a treble control (or fizz if you want to call it that way). The Rectos are cool both ways in that regard. Two really different sounds depending what suits the situation.

 

[Rogerthat]

Maybe I'm going deaf, but after this release I don't notice any difference when switching between Dynamic 1 and Dynamic 2 in the dynacabs. I tested on multiple cabs and there doesn't seem to be different between the two. In the past releases I found the SM57 to sound quite different than the sm7. The condenser and ribbon sound the same to me in previous releases.

 

[Home Skillet]

Thank you Cliff and team for this update. I am LOVING the Class-A 30W Brilliant amp! The best way I can describe it is boldness with clarity. Also, the kill dry feature is one of those things that make my preset workflow easier to adjust the wet mix, thank you!

 

[Daveporter33765]

Sounds mighty. Thanks, Cliff!

Here's an ODS-100 based patch I strapped together to celebrate, for anyone interested.
http://axechange.fractalaudio.com/detail.php?preset=10930

Brett, thank you another fantastic patch. Scene 5 sounds especially good!

 

[IronSean]

Interesting to read some insight into the power amp approaches; I always tended to look at it as once the headroom meter hit 0, that was typically the 'sweet spot'... but of course, if it sounds good, then it is good.

It's very situational.

For modern high gain amps where the preamp does most of the heavy lifting for tone and distortion adding too much power amp distortion can make them fall apart. Having none at all though can sometimes be a little to bright and together. That's where the sweet spot gives you fine control over how much the power amp is layering onto the main sound.

But some amps are built with more usable master volume ranges. The SLO for example works very well at both high and low master settings and it's like another sound shaping control on that amp. Older designs that needed the Phase Inverter or power tubes to add distortion (like classic Marshall or Fender designs) you're intentionally trying to get the power section above the headroom limit to generate the tone.

 

[skydog]

On my JCM800 2203 the power amp (phase inverter, etc.) start to distort slightly above 1 on the Master which is loud in the room, that's with modern (consistent) Alpha Log potentiometers.
Master at 1 is my starting point on all MV amp models with all modelers.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you are writing, but (on the actual amp) with the preamp turned down, and the Master turned up, and you guitar volume low, it can sound quite nicely clean - lo or hi input.

 

[siin82]

I did not install the beta so just tried this firmware for the first time. I've been using the gate in the input block on easy mode and find that the gate block is no longer needed (IMO). Is that a new thing to this firmware or have I just missed something that was always there?

 

[Budda]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding what you are writing, but (on the actual amp) with the preamp turned down, and the Master turned up, and you guitar volume low, it can sound quite nicely clean - lo or hi input.

Gets nicely clean with the guitar volume up too my clean tone was a 2203 preamp at 1.5 master at 8 into a 412. Sounded great - drive pedal for drive.

 

[AlGrenadine]

I did not install the beta so just tried this firmware for the first time. I've been using the gate in the input block on easy mode and find that the gate block is no longer needed (IMO). Is that a new thing to this firmware or have I just missed something that was always there?

Yes it's new
See the release notes

 

[MSS]

What do you all think of the high gain amps? The Fenders sound glorious but my ears want the master bias turned down a bit for high gain like the recto red. The beauty here is I can do just that!

 

[CodePoet]

Regarding Kill Dry: For parallel effects, I have been using Mix @ 100% and using Input Gain to add the effect via expression pedal. So the preferred setup now, would be to enable Kill Dry, set the Input Gain to 100% and attach the pedal to the Mix control?

 

[monk]

Fm9 user here. Real excited to try the new AC30 when it gets ported. If I may suggest, consider adding a vintage “normal” as well.

 

[maxc]

I know but data has to be validated.

This model was missing until now. Great to have the entire AC-30 HW modeled now.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/...Vox_AC30_Hand-Wired.2C_possibly_2007_model.29

I thought that the old "Class-A 30W TB" model was supposed to be AC-30 top boost with tone controls, "hot" switch disabled. Looking at them now, the set of authentic controls and all default parameter values on other pages appear to be identical between the new Class-A 30W Brilliant model and Class-A 30W TB. Is there some distinction I'm overlooking?

 

[yek]

I don't what the models are named now. If they are still named the same, I can see the cause for confusion. The "TB" model is the "Cool" (regular) mode of the HW amp. That equals the specifics of the Brilliant model, unless the new Brilliant model is a model of another amp: AC30 Top Boost without the Cool/Hot switch. I don't know...

The TB model is the AC30HW amp in "Cool" (regular) mode.

I assume that the new Brilliant model (predecessor to TopBoost) is based on the Brilliant channel of an older AC30.

That would mean that the Class-A models now represent two different Vox amps.

Only Cliff can tell.

 

[mglemley]

I don't what the models are named now. If they are still named the same, I can see the cause for confusion. The "TB" model is the "Cool" (regular) mode. That equals the specifics of the Brilliant model, unless the new Brilliant model is a model of another amp: AC30 Top Boost without the Cool/Hot switch. I don't know...

To me, the new model sounds exactly like this channel (TB, not HW):

 

[monk]

The current Ac30 models before FW25 are all based on a modern (now discontinued) 2010-2023 handwired model. This new AC30 brilliant is from a vintage amp it seems. There is no brilliant channel on a modern handwired.

Brilliant does not always mean top boost. Brilliant in the 60s was a channel brighter than the normal. People who added top boost to their amps and the brilliant channel became the top boost. By the mid 60s, a pre-installed Top Boost circuit from the factory meant no more brilliant circuit. But it was still called and labeled Brilliant even if it was a top boost channel.

I don’t have a MK3, I have an FM9. But if you see treble and bass controls on the authentic page, it’s a Top boost - brilliant channel.

A non top boost AC30 from the 60s lacks treble and bass controls. The top boost circuit adds extra gain and gives those EQ controls

 

[Triaxis75]

Been playing the Bostonian preset against Led Zep all morning. What a great feel.

Waiting for someone to say this amp hasn't been affected so I can crawl back in my cave lol.

 

[blastbeatdown]

This update sounds great. I’ll leave the descriptions to someone smarter than me.. but it sounds better. I recorded some tracks before and after updating so I could A/B them. Somehow smoother yet also more aggressive?? Thanks Fractal

 

[peteri]

Absolutely blown away by the new Vox - for me, the best class A model by a long way - so dynamic!

 

[monk]

I’m have a few questions about the AC30 model for cliff:

1) Is it based on a amp with top boost add on or top boost in the control panel?

2) if it’s a top boost add-on amp, was it a treble, bass or normal spec.

A vintage amp with top boost tone controls in the control panel is a normal circuit from the factory. But if it’s originally a non-tb amp, it could be any of the 3 specs.