9.02 Amp Model Poll

[Ringleader]

This is pretty simular to what comes out of my cabs... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eImmcNG ... re=related
:

And this is exactly the type of organic-ness that I can't get by going direct. I'm always torn between going direct and through a real cab, if only I wasn't so addicted to that damn piezo...

 

[VegaBaby]

9.02 is simply more accurate. It isn't attempting to sound better, just more accurate. I sat down with a Deluxe Reverb and an Axe-Fx side-by-side and realized the DR was a lot brighter. I lugged out a bunch of other amps and, sure enough, they were much brighter. So I set out to figuring out why.

So I figured out why and updated the power amp models to reflect this new knowledge.

That explanation is really appreciated !

Going for more and more realism is IMHO definitely the right way to go !

 

[InsideOut]

9.02 is simply more accurate. It isn't attempting to sound better, just more accurate. I sat down with a Deluxe Reverb and an Axe-Fx side-by-side and realized the DR was a lot brighter. I lugged out a bunch of other amps and, sure enough, they were much brighter. So I set out to figuring out why.

So I figured out why and updated the power amp models to reflect this new knowledge.

That explanation is really appreciated !

Going for more and more realism is IMHO definitely the right way to go !

+1. Accuracy works for me. I'll figure out how to work with it

 

[marvinx]

I think accuracy is awesome. Someone posted a good question though. Does the increasingly accurate behavior , still respond accurately for high gain models? Probably, but i wonder.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for inaccuracies. Alot of our favorite distortion pedals and stomp boxes were inaccurate attempts to achieve tones already available in other amps. Most of them fail at that goal, but .. they sound great... so we love them.

If the old high gain power amp modeling was less accurate, but still produced equally awesome , yet different sounds, then its still a valid tonal option.

I think the best thing would to be to make its behavior available as an option. An alternate power amp model. A "thick" switch. Anything. This may not be possible though. It may just have to be one or the other. Only Cliff knows this.

If it is ill be happy with 9.02.

But if it's in any way possible to have both, I don't think there would be much downside to having that extra switch. At the bare minimum it doubles your available palette of tones. That's always a good thing.
~mx~

 

[GM Arts]

... Someone said it sounded to him like a Sonic Maximizer was put on top of everything. In a way that person wasn't too wrong with his initial impression. ...

I'm not sure if you're referring to my comment or someone else's, but that's not the way I meant what I wrote.

In my feedback on v9.01, I recalled how I had requested (before even receiving my AxeFX) an Aural Exciter effect, because it's a tool that can be used to *fake* the chimey sound and is especially good for strat quack tones. With version 9.01, that is now completely unnecessary.

So what I mean is that the new level of amp accuracy is the real deal and I don't think it sounds like v9.00 with an aural exciter (or sonic maximizer). Hope that's clear now if it wasn't before.

 

[kev]

... Someone said it sounded to him like a Sonic Maximizer was put on top of everything. In a way that person wasn't too wrong with his initial impression. ...

I'm not sure if you're referring to my comment or someone else's, but that's not the way I meant what I wrote.

In my feedback on v9.01, I recalled how I had requested (before even receiving my AxeFX) an Aural Exciter effect, because it's a tool that can be used to *fake* the chimey sound and is especially good for strat quack tones. With version 9.01, that is now completely unnecessary.

So what I mean is that the new level of amp accuracy is the real deal and I don't think it sounds like v9.00 with an aural exciter (or sonic maximizer). Hope that's clear now if it wasn't before.

I wrote that but I believe I said that it "almost" sounds like that. It was just comparing the difference between the two firmwares.

I wish Cliff would tell us a little more technically what he's dialing in but that's up to him. Having built a number of tube amps, I constantly tweaked cap and resistor values until I heard what I wanted to hear, not really trying to emulate a certain amp but just going for a balanced tone. Tightening up the lows and keeping the high end under control.

When I heard 9.0, I was instantly floored with how much better the power amp section sounded. 9.02 sounded more like an effect when comparing it to 9.0 but it might just be that it's more accurate like he said and I've just gotten too used to 9.0. I like it much better playing through my cabs than I did soloed through my studio setup. But, it did instantly sit better in the mix. Not complaining one bit. Just comparing.
I haven't fired up my tube amps since getting the axe because I love it so much. I guess I need to do a side by side to reaquaint my ears.

 

[VegaBaby]

Guys...don't be offended by my sonic maximizer reference and the way I quoted it. That impression wasn't too far off my initial experience with 9.02 (and NO, not meant in a bad way) .

 

[jhuggins]

I don't feel like we're losing the progress of 9.0 or replacing it... rather building on top of it.. making it even better, what was there still is but with more depth... completely my opinion and I may very well be wrong. I feel this update and 9.0 fixed what was missing and that is people who don't/can't tweak extensively to get results get a greater sounding representation of the original amp right out of the box with minimal tweaking and the option to tweak more in depth but very usable tones even with close to default parameters. I'm very grateful

 

[GM Arts]

Guys...don't be offended by my sonic maximizer reference and the way I quoted it. That impression wasn't too far off my initial experience with 9.02 (and NO, not meant in a bad way) .

no problem, vegaBaby - I wasn't even sure you were referring to my comment anyway.

fwiw, the exciter/maximizer effect adds a harsh edge to the top end (obviously more noticeable with clean tones) that gets quite tedious on the ears after a while. Whatever Cliff's done is crystal clear at the top end and I like it a lot - I'd hate to lose it!

 

[VegaBaby]

Guys...don't be offended by my sonic maximizer reference and the way I quoted it. That impression wasn't too far off my initial experience with 9.02 (and NO, not meant in a bad way) .

no problem, vegaBaby - I wasn't even sure you were referring to my comment anyway.

fwiw, the exciter/maximizer effect adds a harsh edge to the top end (obviously more noticeable with clean tones) that gets quite tedious on the ears after a while. Whatever Cliff's done is crystal clear at the top end and I like it a lot - I'd hate to lose it!

Cool !

And yes, the topend is suuuuper sweet and round.

 

[stevorc321]

9.02 is simply more accurate. It isn't attempting to sound better, just more accurate. I sat down with a Deluxe Reverb and an Axe-Fx side-by-side and realized the DR was a lot brighter. I lugged out a bunch of other amps and, sure enough, they were much brighter. So I set out to figuring out why.

So I figured out why and updated the power amp models to reflect this new knowledge.

Thanks Cliff - the Fenders are now an absolute joy. Not just the sweeter top end, but that bouncy, snappy feel as well.

 

[electronpirate]

Reading all these posts. I'll sort of reiterate what I've said in so many words which might help.

EVERYTHING AMP and CAB needs to be rethought. I have been a HUGE proponent of 'plug and play', and been roundly shelled for 'you need to learn and tweak as this is not something for rookies'. A valid point, but while I appreciate that sentiment, I have always been on the side of the GUITARIST, who doesn't want to have to spend 3 days on the advanced parameters to get the tone. This update IMO has ENDED that argument for me. With minimal tweaking of each amp, I'm THERE.

I think that the work people have put in before this update has people a bit chapped. All the hard work, all the tweaking is out the window. The upside is that you: 1. Have more gain than you know what to do with and 2. Can flip over to a Hiwatt when necessary and have it dialed in without the 'take a break guys, I need to twist some knobs'.

I think this will all die down once everyone has time to work on the new poweramp sim.

IMO, YMMV, etc.

Ron

 

[FractalAudio]

I wish Cliff would tell us a little more technically what he's dialing in but that's up to him.

I'm sure the competitors watch this forum so I have to keep certain things close to the vest, as they say.

 

[Bantam Menace]

I got my AF on version 6...didn't really like it until 7 came out. I really liked the 'recto new' on that version. It didn't sound much like a Rectifier but I liked it a lot and did a bunch of gigs with that amp as my main tone. Well 8 comes out. All of a sudden 'recto new' sounds like a Rectifier...and I hated it. Took me a while to find a different 'amp' to use but I ended up with better tones because of it.

I think the same thing will happen for me with 9...I'm all for accuracy.

 

[marvinx]

I wish Cliff would tell us a little more technically what he's dialing in but that's up to him.

I'm sure the competitors watch this forum so I have to keep certain things close to the vest, as they say.

yeah i was real close to asking... "hey cliff? so gee wiz what is it you found that the power amps were lacking?"

Then... i thought about it.

If i want to know ... i'd bet line6 does too .
~mx~

 

[unscarred]

diggin' the 9.02 amp models here!good stuff!

 

[squealie]

I only upgraded today.

My first thought: 'everything turned bright as hell'.

But, it's the 'good' bright. Musical. And many of my old patches had lots of Jape trying to regain CUT and CLARITY.... I'm thinking that this will remove much of that tweaking.

It's been said before...but I think of this 'bright' as in a bright color. You can lighten a color by slapping white over it, but it never gets brighter, just lighter. These colors are brighter.

I like.

 

[senseix]

I voted 1, I enjoy the whole update. I play from blues, to metal, and find that when I dialed in my old presets, that they sounded just as good if not better. The clean sounds were in every case better for me, and so I'm very pleased!!!!!

 

[axel]

I find that, overall, things sound better. I spent hours tweaking my Plexi1 patch with 9.0, and when I loaded 9.02 and "reset" the Plexi1 model in my patch, it was very close to what I had spent hours working at. The Fender models sound much more realistic to me also. I do, however agree with those that say there is too much treble overall. The first thing I do is start reducing presence, treble... I fnally wised up and started turning the treble down on my power amp.

 

[Robboman]

Don't rush and vote for 9.0 after listening to 9.02 with presets made for an older OS.

Get in there and build up a few new sounds from scratch... I did and then voted for 9.02 across the board!

This advice was made for me . I voted #2 this morning, but I just changed my vote to #1, 9.02 for everything. I needed to dig in further, which I did today. I was already getting great tones across the board but just to be sure I flashed back to 9.0 and ran through some former presets.

I'm digging it!