AF II as tube preamp replacement?

persona

Member
i have a number of high end tube preamps (sarno, matchless, soldano), but a lot of the distortion i get comes from driving my tube power amps hard.

does the AF II have selectable preamp models similar to my existing ones, which i could then use to drive the power amps? if so, how satisfied are you guys with them?
 
Set sag to zero on any of the amps in the Axe and it defeats the power amp modeling so it becomes a preamp essentially. Tons of players use the Axe into a power amp and traditional guitar cab and report they are very happy with the sounds. (They usually bypass any cab blocks in the Axe)
 
That's how I first connected the unit, into a return on my tube combo.
Indistinguishable from the preamp in the combo (JVM410C).

Rock on,

Benji
 
The Axefx sounds great as a pre. FWIW, I sold my Engl E570 and two loaded, dual-channel Egnater M4's after putting the Axe2 through it's paces. I have no regrets.
 
If someone were to use an axefx in this way, would there be any benefit from upgrading to the II or getting one instead of an ultra? From what i understand the modeling improvements in the axefx II have been mainly in the power amp sims right?
 
guittarzzan said:
The Axefx sounds great as a pre. FWIW, I sold my Engl E570 and two loaded, dual-channel Egnater M4's after putting the Axe2 through it's paces. I have no regrets.

no regrets is a good endorsement...
 
If someone were to use an axefx in this way, would there be any benefit from upgrading to the II or getting one instead of an ultra? From what i understand the modeling improvements in the axefx II have been mainly in the power amp sims right?

I'd be curious to know the answer to this as well. Are there any issues where the II software would be an improvement for its preamp modeling, over the software in the Ultra?
 
The II has a feel and sound improvement over the gen. 1 stuff. New algorithms, higher resolution impulse responses, overall a better and somewhat different beast. It's more to tweaking an actual amp and cab than with the gen 1 stuff.

By no means are the gen 1 stuff a pushover though. I currently use a standard and it works like a charm. But to get a good sound out of it, you usually have to think more as an engineer than a musician with gen 1 stuff. That's probably why I love it as I am a young engineer. I come from a modeler only world. I have compared it to amplitube, line 6, studio devil, digidesign and there is no comparison. I'm not bashing their products. They work and sound well, but when you play and you see all the options there is a very significant difference. But if you are super used to tube amps and aren't willing to compromise a little bit of feel as it is still not a tube amp or you aren't willing to learn the tools, this may not be for you. That's my opinion anyway.
 
There is a 15 day return and even if you don't like it after that period, you can sell it quite easily. I say try the 2.
 
The Ultra works great. It has killed everything i´ve compared it to.. Ending up with Axe II some day, but the Ultra does the job for now. Rarely used directly for me. Poweramp and cabs kills any other setup IMHO, of course.

If i have to lug 2 powered monitors or speakers, it will the same as 2x12 cabs anyway.
 
If someone were to use an axefx in this way, would there be any benefit from upgrading to the II or getting one instead of an ultra? From what i understand the modeling improvements in the axefx II have been mainly in the power amp sims right?

Probably not. I sold my CAE 3+SE after I got the Ultra and couldn't tell the difference. If you are doing direct recording or going to FRFR get the II otherwize you can save about a grand by going the with the Ultra.
 
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