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  1. S

    Best poweramp for Axe III (Goal: LOUDDDDD)

    I own a Matrix 1600, 2000 and 5000 and was using them to drive two 4x12 cabs with high wattage Eminence Delta Pros. If you use any high gain settings and use palm mutes, you will clip the 1600 and 2000 much earlier than you might think. And, you will hear it, It sounds terrible. You don't ever...
  2. S

    Cab-Lab 4 Version 1.00.02

    Hello Michael Pickens, I've tried multiple buffer settings on my 2019 MacBook Pro and it still freezes every few minutes, though it seems to take longer between freezes with lower buffer settings. There are more threads below detailing others having the same problem. It's been 2 months since you...
  3. S

    Cab-Lab 4 DynaCab mute function problem

    Update, changing the buffer setting does help prolong the times between freezing up. But when it freezes up, I lose all my settings, so I have to take photos of settings for each channel as I go. Also, I don't understand why when I save a file and name it, the file name doesn't show anywhere on...
  4. S

    Cab-Lab 4 DynaCab mute function problem

    Good to know, I'll try that setting, thanks
  5. S

    Cab-Lab 4 DynaCab mute function problem

    Good to know about the pause button functionality, I wasn't sure what it was good for, thanks!
  6. S

    Cab-Lab 4 DynaCab mute function problem

    Hello, purchased two DynaCab packs, 2x12 Double Verb and 4x12 Freed Man, Cab-Lab 4 installed. I have an Axe 3 Turbo and a MacBook Pro. However, after following the wizard setup for SW Live, the mute buttons on the individual mic channels don't seem to work after about 20 minutes. This has...
  7. S

    Health and the ravages of time

    Thanks for the information about the relationship between your cervical problems and nerve impingement. To be clear, the nerve test I'm talking about is the one with the tiny needles which are pushed into the skin to find the nerve to transmit very weak electrical current through the nerve from...
  8. S

    Health and the ravages of time

    Cliff, if you haven't had a laminectomy done to decompress the spinal cord from the stenosis, I highly recommend it. I had it done in the lumbar region and went from being unable to walk more than a few blocks without having to sit down from pain and numbness, back to normal and pain free. Very...
  9. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware 23.00 Public Beta #1

    Finally got a chance to update to 23 Beta and make comparisons of my high gain sound. New triode algo seems to make the high gain tone less grainy and less scooped. Since Dyna Cab, I switched all my presets over from the static IRs. I tried smoothing on my DC cab mics and didn't like it. On the...
  10. S

    Dyna-cab, general consensus is that they're "better" than legacy?

    I switched to DC for all my presets and prefer them now to the legacy and 3rd party IRs I had been using. I found the process of finding and blending IRs very time consuming and unreliable. I would spend hrs on a mix of IRs and discover I didn’t love it as much a few days later. I got so...
  11. S

    Looking for advice on a great all rounder FRFR for living room use.

    Very happy with my Neumann KH310A 3 ways and KH120A 2 ways. Remember, any monitor with digital input or DSP crossover adds latency on top of the Axe 3 latency. Go analog if you’re playing through the monitors more than mixing on them…
  12. S

    Ribbon cable keeps coming loose. Any good ideas on how to secure it better?

    There was a tuner glitching issue with the ribbon cable that went from the front jack to the board in the Axe 3 MK1s getting loose. I fixed it very easily by opening the top and reseating it. I’ve got the same issue with my MK2 and wondering if this is still an issue with the MK2s.
  13. S

    Ribbon cable keeps coming loose. Any good ideas on how to secure it better?

    Is the the tuner displaying the wrong note for a few seconds before reading your picked note always a symptom of a loose ribbon cable?
  14. S

    Easiest way to send bpm to drummer from axe fx

    I wish someone would make new version of the Russian Dragon that works off midi tempo and a mic input. Many people would be less annoyed and deaf from having a visual only indication of the drummer’s real time hits in relation to the tempo. Instead of fighting to balance a click in their...
  15. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.04

    Is anyone else noticing a slight increase in low mids in the Citrus RV50 and PVH 6160+? I’m having trouble dialing out this low mid resonance. I keep dialing back the gain and it doesn’t seem to help.
  16. S

    Cab packs, a few basic questions…

    Thanks Justin, it’s stereo room captures I’m after. The YA stereo room IRs included with the Axe 3 sound great. Are you planning on doing any for the Orange cabinets?
  17. S

    Cab packs, a few basic questions…

    Is the FAS site the only place to buy Ultra Res IRs?
  18. S

    Cab packs, a few basic questions…

    Thanks for the info cl!
  19. S

    Cab packs, a few basic questions…

    Hello all, I recently upgraded to the MK2 Turbo due to increased CPU, and to take advantage of Room IRs. I am interested in buying some aftermarket cab packs and have a few basic questions I’m hoping you can help me with: Is it correct to say that not all cab packs on the fractal site are Ultra...
  20. S

    Cables recommendation

    I have some BTPA 1/4” which are very nice. This guy made me some custom Mogami XLR cables for very reasonable money: https://www.rainwatersound.com/
  21. S

    What Prompted You To Buy A Fractal?

    -400+ lb rack -Recurring ground loop problems from 2 amp heads and 1 preamp as the front end, while the Axe is dead quiet everywhere it goes -My tech got too old to fix things -My friend was an early adopter of the Axe 2, toured a lot with it and raved about it -I can bring the Axe home from the...
  22. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00

    I wouldn’t call that fizz since it seems to be a phaser pedal going direct into the board? What I call fizz seems most prominent in the Axe 3 on the decay of palm mutes with a high gain sound. When I played through my rack with JCM 800’s into dummy loads, I would describe that decay sound as...
  23. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate 2 (Beta 8)

    Axe Edit was one version back, forgot to check it. Everything looks ok now, thanks!
  24. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate 2 (Beta 8)

    Refreshed multiple times, and I close Axe Edit every time I turn off the the Axe…
  25. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate 2 (Beta 8)

    Good to know, had no luck with the savage previously.
  26. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate 2 (Beta 8)

    I hate to say it, but the Energyball is still unusable to my ears. 21B8 Energyball is better than B7, but I preferred the prior firmware of that model, even if it was inaccurate before. It’s thinner and more scooped now than prior to 21B7. But, it’s no great loss because as an earlier poster...
  27. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate (Beta 7)

    That’s a big relief, I was not looking forward to redoing the 3 presets that use it! Thanks for all your hard work Cliff!
  28. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate (Beta 7)

    Anybody else use Energy Ball and find it more harsh and thin after 21 B7?
  29. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    So the factory IRs were mislabeled versions of the 3rd party? To be clear, I was speaking of the difference in the process of mixing down 4 IRs vs routing the signal through those same 4 IRs in parallel in the Cab Block…
  30. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    I’ll dive into Cab Lab again sometime, but anyone else here mix down IRs into a single IR and find it sounds different from the combination of those individual IRs as mixed by the Cab Block?
  31. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    Understood, just making sure.
  32. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    Thanks, yes I understand that is a possibility though I’m not sure how to easily mix down the IRs. I have Cab Lab and wasn’t very good at figuring it out. I had to have someone help me with it last time and the mixed down version didn’t sound the same as the individual IRs in the cab block when...
  33. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    Thanks for the tip, but I’m using more than 4 different IRs between the two cabinets, So I don’t see how I could place more than 4 IRs in a stereo cabinet, right?
  34. S

    Alignment of 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other…

    Hello all, I wanted to post this hoping to save others the trouble I went through figuring out the importance of aligning 2 mono Cab Blocks with each other when using both Cab Blocks panned hard L R. Before the Axe, in the studio I always double tracked my high gain parts through different amps...
  35. S

    Cab Block IR Phase Alignment Question?

    Thanks for pointing this out, and the principle is also applicable when using 2 mono cab blocks panned hard R and L. The 2 cab blocks need to be aligned with each other, which I found out the hard way. I’m going to post a thread about this so others do t have to figure this out the hard way that...
  36. S

    Cut through the mix: something I do not understand

    I can’t remember exactly how I set mine because I haven’t been using it lately. Leon Todd has good tutorial on it here:
  37. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    Thanks for all the info and civil tone, I understand the basic principles you mentioned. I have never been under the impression amplifier audio signal somehow travels through the AC cable. So my guess as to why the AP AC cable made the JCM800 sound better is that the AP hollow oval geometry...
  38. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    No, he went and got a bunch of free stuff from a more expensive company by using the name of the producer we work with.
  39. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    You don’t have to have perfect hearing to notice sonic differences. Discerning differences in the way two different things sound is not a contest to see who is superior. I have an idea of how I want things to sound and try everything I can to get there. The audiophile biz is full of hype, but...
  40. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    Yes, and we all make cost benefit analysis comparisons everyday, some on the fly, some after gathering info. I heard enough of a difference with the AC cable that I asked my engineer, he was also surprised he could hear a difference and agreed it improved the sound of the amp. The cable did not...
  41. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    Audiophiles are often obnoxious geeks who love hyperbole, that doesn’t mean they aren’t hearing some actual difference between things.
  42. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    Understood, but all I’m saying is I hear a difference in the cables I have from them, and the ideas behind them make sense to me. I didn’t say everything the company claims has been completely validated. I just posted the basic information on the ideas behind their design and that they claim...
  43. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    I didn’t spend $200, I have the cheaper one, and I’m aware of the marketing angle. They have a patent on their hollow oval wire design, I can hear a difference and the principles outlined in the patent make sense to me. Dig it or not...
  44. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    Congratulations on reacting, now how about a contribution?
  45. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    It’s not magic just a basic improvement. I heard it and so did my engineer, who is booked all the time and doesn’t need my money bad enough to ‘yes’ me. Here’s a review which details the company’s resources and determination to achieve measurable performance improvements...
  46. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    I’ve heard differing opinions on this, I figured the Analysis Plus is not that expensive and at least made better than a $10 one. There are multiple factors in how a wire conducts any type of signal. I’m trying to put together a new monitor system which uses 2 Neumann 750 subs and need to...
  47. S

    Too Obsessive About USB Choices?

    If they have a return policy, try it and see. I’m a fan of Analysis Plus guitar cables, they patented their oval geometry conductor design. I certainly hear a difference between their cables and Whirlwind. I tried their lowest price purple AC cable with my JCM800 and noticed wider frequency...
  48. S

    Cut through the mix: something I do not understand

    Don’t forget about multiband compression for the lows/low mids of the guitar. It can help the guitar get out of the way of toms, kick drum resonance and the bass. This is especially useful with extended rage guitars, 7+ strings. I always start out with the fullest tone I can, then apply...
  49. S

    PIckup direct wired to jack = too hot for Axe input?

    Thanks for the info, but is the pickup output impedance likely within the range of the automatic input impedance detector? Not sure anyone can answer that except Cliff?
  50. S

    PIckup direct wired to jack = too hot for Axe input?

    Hello, I recently had my bridge pickup wired directly to my output, bypassing the volume and tone pots. I prefer the sound of it, but the direct output of my 7 string DiMarzio humbucker is apparently hot enough I cannot go above 1.2% on the Axe Input 1 Instrument level control in the I/O menu...
  51. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    I had a JCM800 2x12 combo, they were great, I’m pretty sure I saw NG playing them in videos. Always liked his tone, that’s why I noticed it was the same amp I had…
  52. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    Thanks for the explanation of the name being after the Thiele/Small parameters design principle. I had forgotten the origin of the cabinet name. Interesting how EV was one of the first to publish their Thiele/Small specs and how that made it easier for people to build their own enclosures...
  53. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    The SRO’s are my tech’s favorite speaker of all time for fidelity and volume. I’ve never had a chance to hear them…
  54. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    That was the original stock speaker that cab was designed for? In past I have seen them loaded with a 90w Celestions and Altecs, but I was never sure exactly which speaker the 1x12 Thiele cabinet was designed for.
  55. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    Yes, the original 200w versions sounded better than the 300w, at least for guitar.
  56. S

    Why not much love for the EVM12L?

    IIRC, EV developed the 12Ls as mid range drivers for PAs. They were designed for minimum coloration and high power handling, which was great for those of us who had racks with digital signal processing after our preamps and needed more clean reproduction. They certainly handled low end better...
  57. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    In an instrumental band with a 7 string going into two 4x12 8 ohm cabinets, it was not hard to do on a palm mute. It’s also important to remember that as guitar players, we are used to our tube guitar amps clipping and we like the sound of it. I don’t think most guitar players realize how often...
  58. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    Clipping basically means the point you are causing the amplifier to distort the waveform of the incoming signal measured against the waveform going out to the speaker, to a significant degree. There are different kinds of power amp distortion, some more gradual and audible than others. With a...
  59. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    I’ve never used the Matrix 1000, so I don’t know exactly how their indicator lights work. But if there is no red LED I guess it is just a signal indicator for those models. I have used Mesa 2/90’s, Hafler 500’s and 3 Matrix models. The Mesa is a tube amp so it clips softly without ugly...
  60. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    I have spoken to Andrew the head engineer of the company multiple times, and he confirmed the red led on the 1600 and 2000 is a clip light. It is not a pre clip warning light and you do not want to see it because it indicates you are hitting the top of an ugly square wave. I could hear it and...
  61. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 19.06

    It is interesting to me that with 19.06 I am able to get rid of the drive block I was using in front of the Energyball model. I was using the Micro Boost drive at low gain as a third stage to mimic my modded 3 gain stage JCM800. Now I no longer need for the extra gain structure or as much tone...
  62. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    Crown power amps, those with transformers, had a sound I could recognize and did not like. They always sounded harsh with a midrange honk, not flattering. Maybe their SMPS amps are better.
  63. S

    Matrix GT1600FX

    Hello sidsin, when considering how big a Matrix amp you want/need, it’s important to consider the impedance you will be running the amp at. Which of course is determined by the cabinet impedance. You only get the maximum output at 4ohms, so if your cabinet is 8 you will get just over half the...
  64. S

    Favorite Drive pedal with High Gain Amp

    Micro Boost, HV Clip shape, low drive setting, level 10, other settings stock. In front of amps that sound good with high drive, low MV settings. HV Clip shape seems to help create a smooth, rounder overdrive…
  65. S

    Axe fx for downtuned bass G#

    Kalium/Circle K make a subwoofer and processor which supposedly can do flat response way down: https://kaliummusic.com/subwoofers/ They also make 40” scale basses and strings. I’ve spoken to the owner Skip many times, he’s very knowledgeable. Haven’t heard the sub but he’s very enthusiastic...
  66. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Release Version 17.01 Release

    My high gain presets sound a bit darker and have less gain with 17.1 “Improved accuracy of Master Volume in Amp block for low settings.” So if I had my FAS Modern MV set at 3 in 17.1 beta, what would the corresponding new equivalent value be, roughly? “Improved accuracy of Drive block Drive...
  67. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Release Version 17.01 Release Candidate

    Thanks for the info, but in case I wasn’t clear, I’m using a 2 amp preset panned hard R L. It’s basically dual mono. There is no mono room mic alongside the stereo signal, the two L R amp paths are discrete and do not get summed at any point. Non FullRes Legacy IRs sound fine panned fully to...
  68. S

    Axe-Fx Firmware Release Version 17.01 Release Candidate

    Anybody have advice for using the FullRes room IRs with a 2 amp hard L R signal path? I tried using just the R side of one of the FullRes IRs with my FAS Modern and the Legacy Recto Mix cab paired with it, which is panned hard R. It didn’t sound that great. So some questions: Does it make sense...
  69. S

    JCM800 2203x halfstack vs AXE FIII w/poweramp and cab

    What exact gain settings and IR do you use with the Brit 800 Mod? I can’t get anything like my Harry Kolbe modded JCM800 2204 out of the Axe, but it’s a very peculiar mod…
  70. S

    Axe III Upgrade

    Was tracking my Axe 3 AES into ProTools today no latency, sounds great. I also mic’d up my modded 50w JCM800 which blew an output tube in the first 15 minutes. Wish it was modeled in the Axe, tubes are an expensive PITA!
  71. S

    Axe III Upgrade

    Cliff explained that at the time the Axe 3 was ready for market it had the most available NV memory. Then bigger NV memory hardware became available and the MK 2 was born. Digital technology is constantly evolving which can make things obsolete in a matter of months. I’m just glad the Axe is so...
  72. S

    AITR

    Have you rigged up a true stereo IR up in a DAW signal path with the Axe or other modeler? If so was a dual mono comparison of the same IR possible?
  73. S

    AITR

    I will say this, the clips that Cliff posted did have some of the elusive AITR real cabinet high end splatter/glare that I can’t seem to get with the Axe through studio monitors or my Matrix SS amp…
  74. S

    AITR

    Ha! Makes sense…
  75. S

    AITR

    Yes, baked in effects almost always make mixing harder. Did you like the real room IR sound through a PA?
  76. S

    AITR

    Hello doctor, do you have any experience using long “real room” IRs with the Axe through a PA?
  77. S

    AITR

    Any chance of a year end sale on the 3 MK2?
  78. S

    Solid state rectifier vs tube rectifier?

    Good question, I imagine it depends on the particular amp design. I had the rectifier tube in my Seymour Duncan convertible amp replaced with an SS circuit and thought it tightened up the low end and gave the top a bit more detail. it would be interesting if tube rectified amps in the Axe could...
  79. S

    Got a newsletter from an amplifier manufacturer today... Clearly they haven't tried Cygnus! Lol!

    Very interesting info Cliff, do you have any interest in making those ratios adjustable? Or correcting them if a particular amp model could be sonically improved with a better balance of odd and even harmonics? It might also be cool to be able to increase the volume of the harmonics relative to...
  80. S

    Marshalls sound bad

    Thanks for the clarification, I thought that might be what you meant, meaning it’s a circuit with a capacitor, not a different special volume pot.
  81. S

    Marshalls sound bad

    What do you mean “without a treble bleed on the volume knob”? Is that some unique purpose volume pot?
  82. S

    “CabLab 3 cannot be opened” apple message

    Thanks!
  83. S

    AES I/O

    You mean, upsampling? If so I don’t see any mention of it in the manual.
  84. S

    AES I/O

    I double checked the Bricasti M7 and Axe manuals, the M7 should clock to the Axe’s 48k with the Axe word clock set to “internal”. But the M7 is seeing 96k, so no sound. When I change the Axe word clock to “SPIDF/AES IN (no clock)” the M7 says “unlocked”, so I know they are connected through AES...
  85. S

    “CabLab 3 cannot be opened” apple message

    Updated to newest stand alone version from fractal store and got this: Anybody else get this? What do I do? Thanks in advance for any help!
  86. S

    AES I/O

    I can’t use my Bricasti M7 because it won’t clock to the Axe 3 at 48k. I know the Bricasti is capable of operating at 48K, but for some reason the sample rate is not selectable on the M7 and it won’t work off the Axe word clock. Anyone have any ideas how I could make them work? I had no problem...
  87. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Yes, but even at 21% verb mix I can hear a difference in between my 2 mono L R verbs and a single verb block, especially with the L R side choruses in front of the amps. The stereo image of two discrete signal paths is preserved this way and sounds richer and more detailed. I’m going to try and...
  88. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Didn’t mean to quote you above, I know it went up but I guess it hardly matters why, I just have to reduce cpu one way or another…
  89. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

  90. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Here it is, was around 85% before 16.04, might have to go back to 16.02 to recreate the difference. I think the change happened between .03 and .04, but I’m not totally sure…
  91. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Thanks again for checking Cliff, I will post it later tonight. I was on the verge of overloading CPU at 85% before 16.04. I am have everything on high resolution,2 verb blocks, 2 amps, 4 IRs per amp. So I guess it’s not surprising, just wish I hadn’t tipped over the edge!
  92. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    My CPU went up almost 10%, has anyone else ever seen that kind of increase from a firmware update? And, does this mean firmware updates are close to maxing out CPU?
  93. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Thanks for the tip, I will check. The CPU increase seems to be across all my two amp presets, which is most of my presets…
  94. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Thanks for checking, has a firmware update ever increased cpu before?
  95. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    Aside from the crackling, to be clear, am I the only one experiencing an increase in CPU for the same presets in this firmware 16.04 vs 16.03?
  96. S

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.04

    While I very much enjoy the new firmware, my preset CPU has increased by about 7-8 % and now I have crackling. Am I the only one experiencing this?
  97. S

    Ideas for auto-pan?

    My H3000SE with Mod Factory had a filter pan which was a triggered wah pan, one of the coolest effects ever. Tried to replicate it on the axe with no success…:-(
  98. S

    Everything you've always wanted to know about: Resetting an Amp

    Thanks Missed the part about having to save on the soft/amp type reset, thanks!
  99. S

    Everything you've always wanted to know about: Resetting an Amp

    Hello Yek, thanks very much for all of this info. I read everything and believe I understand it, however I have a question which I don’t see covered here: If I execute any type of reset on one of my presets after a firmware update, are those new values automatically saved by resetting, or do I...
  100. S

    Is it possible to combine multiple IRs into one IR?

    The tone matching process for amps has multiple possible methods which produce slightly different results. Is there only one way to tone match an IR?
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