1:1 - Let`s talk A/B testing actual Amps to their Axe-Fx II Counterparts

Dolf Koch is a character all right.

His amps are indeed unique and opinions on them vary wildly. I'm not too fond of the ones I tried, although I used to play with a guy that had a Multitone that sounded pretty good on clean and rhythm. He never used the lead tone.
Hook amps are very good I've heard, but aren't they mostly Marshall clones? They look like that...

I've got on the of the first runs of Koch Multitones with a Koch 2x12 extension cab and am really reluctant to sell it. However, needs must (as I need to somehow pay for the Axe-FX).....and nobody will buy it! It has one of the best drive channels I've ever used and a fabulous reverb. Really versatile and amp and heads turn wherever I've played it. One of the finest constructed amps (even though I've had to replace the footswitch jack and cable to a better one).
 
It would take extra work to measure the speaker impedance data as well as shoot the IR, but it would be cool if there were preset choices in the AMP block SPKR page to load up the measured impedance data of various cabs.

Similar to choosing a mic in the CAB block.

The presets would change the SKPR page parameters based on the measured cabs. All independent of the CAB block.
 
From the late 80's into the early 90's I "slaved" out of my Marshall into an 800 watt stereo power amp and then into 2- 4x12 cabs. It sounded great but it didn't sound like running straight out of the Marshall into a cab.

Some things never change: Use a different power amp and your tone changes.
 
I'm a total tone freak. I can't play unless my equipment sounds and behaves exactly the way I want it to. But this thread and the OP's goal is a major willy-waving exercise. Some people get so caught up in the gear because they want to be involved in music in some way but suck at actually making it, so even when the equipment is damn-near perfect they'll start another escapade trying to solve some ridiculous, trivial and usually nonexistent problem to try and "further" themselves.

Being a fusspot about these minute details is only warranted if it's actually going to be productive, i.e., if you're very musical, or if you're an engineer.
 
if you're very musical, or if you're an engineer.

replace your "or" with "and".....

It's the same cr@p I heard back in my Clair Bros. days - some of the engineers I worked with told me that guitarists were just stupid f*cks, not knowing that they were talking to a guitar player. :lol
 
I did this test hundreds of times with my Marshall JVM410 head , Marshall 9200 (5881) and Rocktron Velocity 300 (1u) power amps and the same cabs (marshall 1912 or 1960a).

Axe FX II (power amp sim OFF) into the 9200 has the same dynamic like the Velocity
but with more High frequencies (but it can be balanced with Axe Equalizer).

Marshall JVM has two return input : power amp in and Fx loop return.
Axe in the Jvm power amp input sounds like the Velocity but running Axe
into the JVM FX loop return the sound becomes wonderful (punch and warm) !!!!!!!
Harmonics come to life!!!

This is copied from the Jvm Manual:

11. POWER AMP INSERT / SERIAL LOOP
This is a passive loop connected right before the
master controls. It is a line level loop so it is
recommended to only use high headroom
devices to avoid signal degradation. Plugging
only into the return jack allows the use of the
JVM’s power section overriding the preamp.


The JVM POWER AMP INSERT puts the signal directly to the JVM power amp,
instead JVM Fx loop goes through the JVM preamp.

So the signal into the JVM FX loop is compressed and equalized from the JVM tube preamp?
Maybe the same thing happens with your Koch Studiotone?

Cliff, if so, it would be nice to have this option also in the Axe.
A kind of tube fx loop emulator to use with flat power amps !!!!
So we could choose in the Amp Block between Power amp sim ON/OFF and FX loop return ON/OFF.
 
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So we could choose in the Amp Block between Power amp sim ON/OFF and FX loop return ON/OFF.

What??? :lol

What you're really asking for is a power amp amp block only with no preamp circuit activated ;) - As said before, I think the idea has potential especially for 4CM players who still love to work with their desired (tube) preamp, but with a FRFR system to use the benefits of the AxeFx II power amp simulation. It should be posted in the wishlist - you can use my words if you want! They belong 100% yours....

all the best
Paco
 
What??? :lol

What you're really asking for is a power amp amp block only with no preamp circuit activated ;) - As said before, I think the idea has potential especially for 4CM players who still love to work with their desired (tube) preamp, but with a FRFR system to use the benefits of the AxeFx II power amp simulation. It should be posted in the wishlist - you can use my words if you want! They belong 100% yours....

all the best
Paco

No no!!! :lol , this is another new request !!! The Tube Fx loop return simulator option should be used with SS or Tube Power amps that have a more flat sound.
Sometimes Axe Power amp sim adds too much color.
I could also use another Amp Block with Tube Pre and Sag off to compress the sound, but also this adds too much color.
 
I don't get this at all.
You want a flat power amp sim, going into a real power amp, also flat ...
Like a preamp going straight into a mixer....
 
I don't get this at all.
You want a flat power amp sim, going into a real power amp, also flat ...
Like a preamp going straight into a mixer....

:lol

I just want to understand what happens to the sound through my JVM fx loop return !!!

It's a kind of magic
magic magic magic magic
Ha ha ha it's magic !!!!!!
 
Funny, I tried plugging the Axe into my JVM 410 loop (with my 4x12 cab) and it was far from magic.
Didn't spend a lot time tweaking but it seemed like there was alot of work to be done to get a decent sound.
 
Parallel loop

The Axe-Fx II has a processing and AD/DA conversion lag totaling about 1.5 milliseconds. That's going to give you enough bad phasing issues in a parallel loop to make it unusable. Plug the Axe into a serial loop or set your parallel loop's mix to 100% and start from there to get usable sound.
 
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