Search results for query: *

  1. James Nash

    Wish Headphone Volume Safety Feature

    Really isn't unique to headphones: a powered speaker can blast you as well. I agree it would be a nice feature to have a (defeatable) master brick wall limiter.
  2. James Nash

    Gigging/touring with the fractal unit only (without carrying any stage momitoring unit)

    I agree--I tour with just FX3 or FM3 and ears. But the IEM is key. I've tried running through all sorts of PAs and whatever keyboard amp was lying around, etc... suddenly, I've got tube amp envy :-) Once I got used to playing with IEMs, I like my stage sound BETTER than with amp cabs...
  3. James Nash

    Just ordered these ASI IEM buds with built in mics......................

    I've been using these for many years, more recently with my Axe 3. I absolutely LOVE them... great sound, and total control over stage volume. Highly recommended for any musician trying to take care of their ears (which is theoretically all of us...) :)
  4. James Nash

    Anyone go direct to FOH without a monitor?

    IF the house system sounds good and IF the engineer hasn't killed the monitors with eq, you can sound great running just Axe DI to the house. But as others have pointed out, those are huge IFs. The biggest problem is that even if the house monitors are high quality, there's a high likelihood...
  5. James Nash

    EQing for Rooms

    I agree! Now, on the other hand, it CAN work to play through the PA for a rehearsal if the system is set up fairly flat. This mostly depends on how loud things are: if you can tweak the PA eq a little to sound good playing tracks through it, your guitar will probably be ok too. But the more...
  6. James Nash

    EQing for Rooms

    And I've found this is a factor with traditional guitar amps as well: it seems like a good idea to put some of your mic'd amp in the stage wedges, to spread the sound around, but often the wedges are eq'd to be so harsh and thin, you ask for it, then ask them to take it back out once you hear...
  7. James Nash

    EQing for Rooms

    The vocal monitor eq issue is very real, as described by several others here! I've found it's all but impossible to enjoy the sound of a guitar (electric or acoustic) coming through a monitor that's been heavily eq'd to reduce vocal mic feedback. I'd suggest either bringing your own small...
  8. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Latte is sold... thanks!
  9. James Nash

    Why are so many people not relying on their ears anymore?

    It's hard to tell how a tone works until you crank it up on a real stage. Once I have presets I know sound good out in the real world, it's a good sanity check to compare anything new to them...
  10. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Still for sale--it's a beautiful speaker, I'm just not using it... best!
  11. James Nash

    FAS amps

    Interesting idea. I wonder if the FAS amps have a response that is even possible from an analog circuit ? To my ear, the FAS amps sound more perfect than the amps they're derived from. Like warts and limitations from the real amps have been removed. Whether that makes them better--or lacking...
  12. James Nash

    Which "hi-fi" (lossless) streaming service do you use?

    Qobuz and Roon is a pretty amazing combo. Qobuz streams HD masters, and Roon gives you control over the bitstream into your D/A, including a ton of resampling options. Qobuz also pays higher rates to artists than most, which I appreciate!
  13. James Nash

    Headrush 108 vs 112

    I have a XiTone wedge and an Accugroove Latte... both sound great, and I haven't heard anything else that compares. For instance, I tried a QSC 10.2, which is a nice little speaker and works just fine as a small PA. But side by side as a guitar rig with the Axe, it wasn't even close. I...
  14. James Nash

    how do you control high end when going real power amp and cabinet ?

    When we're talking about using standard speaker cabs (not FRFR or full-range drivers), it ALL comes down to the choice of speaker. I think most experienced gear nuts agree the speaker has a bigger effect on your tone than the amp or guitar. Getting a powerful clear tone that isn't harsh or...
  15. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Great active FRFR -- still for sale. Cheers!
  16. James Nash

    Does Latency Kick in

    IRs (cab sims) can also add latency. If you're using something 3rd party, worth at least trying a few factory cabs to make sure that isn't what you're hearing.
  17. James Nash

    Frustrated still with CPU limits

    Makes sense to me. I get that some folks are trying to replicate very specific tones per song. For that kind of use, having song-based presets makes a ton of sense. Personally, I find in a live situation, most modulation effects fall into similar categories. Rotary, chorus, phaser...
  18. James Nash

    Frustrated still with CPU limits

    I think it comes down to how many effects you need, and whether they can be combined as blocks. For instance, a boost and two drives can be configured as one block with three channels. If you really need a chorus, phaser, and flanger... those will use more CPU as separate blocks. I don't mean...
  19. James Nash

    Wish The ugliest and filthiest and nastiest sounding fuzzes known to man

    One suggestion is most fuzzes sound nastier boosted into a cranked power stage. Take an amp model, put the master volume on 10, and set the preamp fairly low so the sound is only lightly distorted. Then put a fuzz model in front of the amp, with its output maxed... Some amps will totally...
  20. James Nash

    Best Power Amp & Cab for Axe-Fx III

    I mostly use XiTone and AccuGroove FRFR, but have also tried traditional 1x12 guitar cabs with tube and solid state power amps. IMO, the FRFR sounds better. But the FX feels more like a "normal" guitar amp into an old standard guitar cab. Whether that's good or bad depends on preference. If...
  21. James Nash

    Axe FX III Mk 2: Six-month review

    Cool ideas. I suppose one simple solution would be restoring from backup... keep the read-only version backed up at home, and get in a habit of restoring from backup after any gig-only changes. I find the tricky thing is deciding whether to make changes permanent or not. Sometimes a tweak...
  22. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Price lowered... $1000 + shipping
  23. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Deal fell through so the AccuGroove is still for sale. Let me know if anyone's interested :-) Cheers, all!
  24. James Nash

    Why Are Guitar Players Obsessed With Vintage Gear?

    True, although I think modeler use is a unique blend. Most of the sounds we're getting with the modelers were inspired by vintage gear. Interesting point about searching for new tones vs. imitating classic tones... I agree, the 70s and 80s were largely a period of guitar tech innovation and...
  25. James Nash

    OK, What's The Real Answer When It Comes To Cables?

    As others have mentioned, the cable directly connected to passive pickups makes the biggest sonic difference. It's worth experimenting and spending a little money here. Cheers!
  26. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    As long as you're comfortable handling the customs/duties, I could ship to Canada. Not sure how Accugroove's guitar and bass FRFR models differ... sorry :-)
  27. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Cab is in 94103... just me know if you're still interested. Cheers!
  28. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Cab still avail...
  29. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Hey, James... if I didn't already have an FM3, I'd be very interested :-) The Accugroove is available if you're interested. Best!
  30. James Nash

    Problems with my new AXE-FX III: It does not sound good?

    Not sure what's going on with the zip file... I couldn't expand it. My suggestion would be play with the IR cabs. With real physical gear, changing speakers often makes more of a difference than changing amps or guitars. I experience the same with modelers: the cab model selected makes a HUGE...
  31. James Nash

    New FM3 - seems like too much low end on amps/cabs

    Interesting because I generally have the opposite reaction. The FM3 mimics the sound of a microphone on the cab, which doesn't pick up all the low end rumble generated by a cab on a typical stage. I tend to boost 100 Hz and under by a dB or two when I want move of a live cabinet effect in the...
  32. James Nash

    Noise while plugged into some outlets but not others. Compact Solutions?

    Rex and Nor make excellent points. If the hum goes away when the guitar is unplugged (or guitar volume lowered), it's not an AC problem--that noise is coming through the pickups. And most ground-loop hum can be eliminated with transformers and ground lifts. I've found there ARE rare occasions...
  33. James Nash

    Noise while plugged into some outlets but not others. Compact Solutions?

    Didn't have any testing equipment at the venue. We tried running extension cords to all the AC outlets remotely near the stage, and had the same problem with all. Never had this problem in any other venue with this rig. Such an unusual occurrence, we just moved on and forgot about it. (For...
  34. James Nash

    Noise while plugged into some outlets but not others. Compact Solutions?

    This can be a frustrating problem, especially when you have what you think is a bullet-proof rig, and suddenly it hums (usually at a funky venue). I had this experience a few years ago: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/unsolvable-ground-hum-last-night.155340/#post-1849122
  35. James Nash

    Steve Vai and hand surgery

    If I understand, this was done after his right shoulder surgery, but before his left hand surgery. I'm afraid he's out of commission now for the left hand work, but I have ZERO doubt the man will come back as strong as ever. A force of nature!
  36. James Nash

    Forgot How Loud Tube Amps Are

    Good luck with your quest! I'll warn you: when you take an old amp like that and crank it into a load box, you're confronted with the reality of how brutal it is to the amp... the chassis creaks, you can smell the tolex, and you'll even hear audio coming out of the power tubes. You might love...
  37. James Nash

    (real) Precision Drive into FM3

    Good advice, pedalbuilder! Although, I'd also suggest turning the FM3 input down most or all the way, and cranking the OD pedal as much as possible without clipping. I don't know about the Precision Drive, but many OD pedals sound better with the volume opened up and are a little anemic at...
  38. James Nash

    Next big thing for Fractal

    What's important about the latency is it's VERY low. All digital modelers will have latency. With many, it's noticeable--especially computer-hosted plug-ins. I've used Amplitube live on stage, and it's always a compromise balancing buffer stability with latency. The Axe is plug and play: low...
  39. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    Of course this is important. As a player, my top priority is playing well. But what I really want is tone I like for my own benefit, and someone with great ears tweaking it from there to present to the audience. This is, again, why I think albums (including live albums) often sound better...
  40. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    Maybe we need to clarify what "chasing tone" means. If it means trying to copy someone's tone off an album, it's self-evident that means a studio creation. If it means trying to copy a tone you heard in a stadium or large venue, again that's a mic'd and processed sound. But if we're talking...
  41. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    The situation is different for the players themselves. Depending on stage setup (volume, positioning of cabinets, monitors, side fills, IEM, etc), some guitarists are accustomed to hearing mostly their amp sound in the room. That makes a FRFR system a significant adjustment, and many may not...
  42. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    Pipe organs are designed to fill rooms with sound. Guitar amps are not. Back in the 1960s, yes, guitar amps were essentially designed to be room filling PA systems. But by the 1970s it was standard practice to mic guitar amps at venues of any size. The guitar amp quickly evolved into a tone...
  43. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    The vast majority of guitar greats established their sound long before IRs were available. But my point is not about IRs, it’s about “amp in room” vs microphone. If you were lucky enough to hear EVH play a keg party in 1974, then you heard his “amp in a room.” Otherwise, you heard his tone...
  44. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    I think I might prefer the recorded sound. I think Metheny might too. This gets to the question of what motivates a player. Because players don't spend most of their time LISTENING to their tone. They spend the time USING it. For me, the "best" guitar tone is the one that inspires me to play...
  45. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    The thing is, that's not our choice. Unless you know the artist personally, you're never going to hear their "live acoustic tone" -- you're going to hear what they choose to present through microphones and processing. With a concert violinist, you can buy a ticket and hear their "live acoustic...
  46. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    I don't think electric guitar is unique in that way. There are many other examples. Take vocals, for instance. Unless we're talking about opera or choral music, the goal is not even remotely to capture a "natural tone in a room." We use microphones and processing to create a sound that is...
  47. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    I disagree about recording vs. live. For some kinds of music, yes, the goal is to capture the acoustic event accurately, and the reproduction will always be judged against the "ideal" original. But electric guitar tones are largely a studio creation. What we hear on an album is almost never...
  48. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    Curious if anyone is doing this. I've used my Fractal gear exclusively with FRFR, and usually with ear monitors. It sounds great in my ears, and the sound engineers have been happy, so all's good. But I do wonder if the stage feel might be different with a conventional cab, and whether the...
  49. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    Cool! I've seen those, but never had a chance to try. I have a Forte 3D 1x12 which is another take on the dispersal idea. It sounds great, but still a very different animal from a typical PA or FRFR cab. As others have noted, I think the biggest factor is what's comfortable/familiar. I've...
  50. James Nash

    Why are we chasing the amp in the room sound?

    I agree! This is something I've always struggled with live--tone is great in one place, not in another. I'm much happier with a sound that's less directional!
  51. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Anyone looking for a great Christmas present ? :)
  52. James Nash

    Best FRFR for FM3 (Poll inside)

    The good news is the Axe has plenty of eq to handle things like this. I could have set up a patch with a few parametric notches to tame the SRM450 on stage, while sending a flat signal out to the FOH. But it's definitely easier all around when you trust your stage monitor :)
  53. James Nash

    Best FRFR for FM3 (Poll inside)

    I did a few gigs with an SRM450 (v1) when I first got my Axe III. It sounded good enough to convince me the Axe was a keeper. But I had to tone the presence down in my presets--the Mackie sounded harsh in comparison to good studio monitors. Once I got serious about FRFR, I tried Xitone and...
  54. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    $1100 plus shipping. Cheers!
  55. James Nash

    Anyone only use one IR?

    I'm a one IR guy as well. The way I view the Axe is: it's a substitute for amps and cabs and pedals. Different players use all sorts of rigs, and I don't see any need for changing my approach just because I'm all digital. If I were someone who generally had a large pedalboard and multiple amps...
  56. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Just noticed Accugroove now has a testimonial from Cliff :-) "I was shocked at how good they sound! They sound like really high-end stereo speakers. No "glare" you get from speakers with horn tweeters!" Cliff Chase founder of Fractal Audio (AxeFx)
  57. James Nash

    Travel with AXE FX III

    Go with your gut, but my IMHO, life is short: use the best gear you can afford and enjoy every moment :)
  58. James Nash

    Travel with AXE FX III

    If you can put your rack on the backseat without fear of it falling or getting knocked around, that does give it some protection from road vibration... I generally put fragile gear in the backseat instead of the trunk.
  59. James Nash

    Fan running all the time

    Same. In a 23C room, my fan stays off if CPU is low. My main preset is about 60% CPU, and the FM3 will run for over an hour before the fan comes on.
  60. James Nash

    Fan running all the time

    Mine is the original non headphone as well.
  61. James Nash

    Fan running all the time

    I'm seeing the same behavior: temperature rises to 34 C fairly quickly, and runs for a while with no fan. After an hour or so, it hits 35 C, the fan comes on, and never turns off. The temperature does not drop significantly with the fan on (it never drops to 31 C). This is indoors, room temp...
  62. James Nash

    Fan running all the time

    What version are you running ? I got my FM3 in early May, and was running whatever was current at the time. The fan would come on for a few seconds at startup, then never come on again. At some point after some beta upgrades, I was experiencing the behavior you describe: fan coming on and...
  63. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    I will ship anywhere in US for $1200. Please PM me if interested. Cheers!
  64. James Nash

    Too many amps for meaningful differences?

    To my ears, it varies model to model. For instance, I agree there are so many Fender clean models that I haven't even taken the time to compare them carefully--I can get a good sound out of almost any of them. But the Marshall Plexi models are pretty different, not to mention very different...
  65. James Nash

    Allan Holdsworth Leads sound so liquid, right?

    Cem, I respect your quest here. As you point out, most of the players we all admire devoted significant time to choosing, refining, customizing, etc. their gear. Our heroes may always sound great to us, but clearly THEY are not always happy with the tones they're getting, and for many of them...
  66. James Nash

    New amp models

    I'm never going to turn down more amp models, but I haven't even tried all the ones in there now. I'm probably not alone on that :)
  67. James Nash

    Accugroove?

    I have an active Latte for sale on the forum if you're interested. It sounds great, I just find myself mostly using wedges instead of straight cabs. Cheers!
  68. James Nash

    More immediacy?

    Exactly! My reaction to the new impedance curves was not immediate love. I felt like I was gaining something, but also losing something. The more I got used to them, the more I liked them. I think the sound is simply more realistic, but it took a bit for me to get used to the feel difference.
  69. James Nash

    More immediacy?

    Speaker impedance curves may play a role here. The newer curves sound more organic and detailed to me, but I can see how the difference might be perceived as less immediacy. Might be worth dialing in the same impedance curve as you're using on the II.
  70. James Nash

    When you miss the UPS driver by ten minutes and have to wait another day for your AxeFx3

    Longest 24 hours of your life. Good luck, mate!
  71. James Nash

    Huge difference between FR/FR and PA

    I find running line level to the house PA is generally asking for trouble. Sure, if the engineer is on the ball, he/she will check the level before, say, immediately sending it to the monitor wedges at 120dB, but...
  72. James Nash

    VAI hears 1/1000th of a second latency in Modeling (No Way cheap shot)

    I'm 100% with you there, yek. I figure as long as Vai can physically play stuff I cannot, I really have no business arguing with what he says he feels with his gear. Now, in this case, I do think he's making one statement that IS suspect: criticizing modeling for latency, then acknowledging he...
  73. James Nash

    VAI hears 1/1000th of a second latency in Modeling (No Way cheap shot)

    Absolutely. EJ uses Fuzz Faces which many pedal designers recognize are highly dependent on power source. I totally agree no one should make bogus claims to sell products. But batteries affecting foot pedals and a few ms of latency being detectable... I don't think these are bogus claims...
  74. James Nash

    VAI hears 1/1000th of a second latency in Modeling (No Way cheap shot)

    I don't think it's crazy to hear a few ms of delay. Especially when we're talking about adding that delay to whatever delay already exists, either naturally or otherwise. I've noticed this playing through digital hardware: run through one fx box, and you get maybe 2ms of delay. Add a second...
  75. James Nash

    NAMM 2020

    I'll be there as an artist ambassador for Santa Cruz Guitar Company -- Hall E, Booth 2406. Love to meet up at some point, or maybe I'll see you in the booth checking out all the nice SCGC acoustics :-)
  76. James Nash

    Would you dislike a 4U Axe-Fx 4?

    +1 on sacrificing screen size for more portability. Axe-Edit is awesome, and I could deal with a tiny screen for occasional gig tweaks.
  77. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    I'd take $1100 for a local sale. Cheers!
  78. James Nash

    FS AccuGroove Latte powered FRFR cabinet, $1000--SOLD

    Accugroove Latte powered FRFR guitar amplifier. Excellent condition, very lightly used in nonsmoking home studio. Sounds spectacular, smooth and clear. I hate to sell it, but need to free up the space and funds. Wedge format FRFR works better for me, but for a more traditional guitar cab...
  79. James Nash

    What is the next big modelling nut to crack?

    I agree, lorandkiss. That 2016 video is impressive, but the difference I hear between the II and the amps is similar to what I hear in comparison videos between the II and the III: more clarity and brilliance in the treble. Would we have heard that difference in 2016... ha... now, there's a...
  80. James Nash

    FM3 as FC-3 foot controller

    Yeah, I get it. Just suggesting it would be a great feature (hence the "wish" category) :-)
  81. James Nash

    FM3 as FC-3 foot controller

    I agree that would be an awesome option! For some gigs, I'd fly with my Axe III and the FM3 only (instead of FC6) -- trading 3 footswitches for a backup rig, just in case.
  82. James Nash

    Volume knob cleanup with treble bleed (PRS)

    I fine-tune my guitars with treble bleeds, but I've never gotten it perfect, certainly not for all amps and pedals I use. With most tube amps and analog pedals, I find the tone gets slightly too dark as I turn down the guitar volume. Then there are the exceptions like the Barber pedals (which...
  83. James Nash

    Resistive Load (imp #55)

    This is what I've done for my favorite patches: set param to "NO," load my patch--it sounds the same as it always has. Now, copy to another amp block, play with the impedance curves, and it's easy to A/B back with the original.
  84. James Nash

    Resistive Load (imp #55)

    I keep seeing talk of "pre-11 curves"--to be clear (if I understand) there really isn't anything hidden or mysterious going on here. No legacy curves have been lost: pre-11 there was just a flat resistive load plus whatever resonance values were dialed in. In v11, with the global param to NO...
  85. James Nash

    Resistive Load (imp #55)

    I believe the curve is different because the resonance settings are different. The latest firmware will remember your old preset settings, but only until you change "speaker imp. curve" -- after you change it, you'll need to reload your preset to get back your old settings.
  86. James Nash

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Version 11.00 Public Beta

    Unless I misunderstood, the process I described is what Cliff explained in post #414 ?
  87. James Nash

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Version 11.00 Public Beta

    If I understand, those who want to preserve a version 10 tone can: 1) Write down the resonance info from the Speaker page 2) Select the null cabinet 3) Plug in the old resonance values If that's the case, I vote for the automatic update. With my primary stage tones, I'd probably be a little...
  88. James Nash

    Axe-Fx III Firmware Version 11.00 Public Beta

    There's clearly a lot of confusion out there created by the new feature, but I'll just chime in and say the results sound great to me! It's going to take some time to play with the various cab options, but I thought several I tried were immediately better than the old impedance curve. There...
  89. James Nash

    Help me keep my new Axe-Fx III

    I agree no substitute for trying speakers. Best is if you can borrow or rent and try at rehearsal or gigs. In my experience, a great DI sound from the Axe translates very differently through different full-range speakers, especially at higher volumes. For instance, I started with a Mackie...
  90. James Nash

    Unsolvable ground hum last night

    Thanks for the tip, Roland! Did you find out any details about what was wrong ? I'm guessing significant voltage on the safety ground, maybe ?
  91. James Nash

    Unsolvable ground hum last night

    Let me start by saying I think my Axe FX III was not the root of my problem. Nevertheless, I had the frustrating experience of a normally bulletproof rig failing to function at soundcheck time... I set up my Axe III and AccuGroove Latte, and it sounded great on stage as always. No problem...
  92. James Nash

    I had a Sobering Experience Last Night

    I hear you, William. I've had good luck using XiTone and AccuGroove monitors. The few times, I've heard back recordings of my rig next to a traditional guitar cab, my tone was always clearer. I liked it, but I can see how one man's "clear" might be another man's "thin." I know there are...
  93. James Nash

    I had a Sobering Experience Last Night

    My experience has been the difference is primarily cabinet vs. IR and FRFR. To my ears, the sound onstage from a traditional guitar amp usually has something wrong with it... often it's boomy or muddy, depending on the stage, back wall, etc. A good FOH engineer mic's it up, put on a little eq...
  94. James Nash

    Output 1 at Mic Signal Level?

    https://www.radialeng.com/product/jdi-stereo
  95. James Nash

    Output 1 at Mic Signal Level?

    I find running through a nice transformer-based DI box knocks the level down to about what FOH expects from an amp mic, with the added benefit of solving potential ground loop/buzz issues before they happen.
  96. James Nash

    Assignable USB Computer Input sources

    +1 It would be amazing (and maybe not too confusing) if each USB Computer Input pair could select between the 4 grid OUT blocks and the 4 inputs. The primary limitation I run up against is that I need two pairs of XLR outputs for stage use (OUT 1 to FOH, OUT 2 to stage FRFR cabs). Since both...
  97. James Nash

    Cab Settings Poll High Cut

    I seldom use a LPF on a real mic'd cabinet, and tend to do the same within the Axe. I can see needing Hi Cut for an IR I didn't like, but generally I look for one that doesn't need filters. YMMV
Back
Top Bottom