Amps & Cabs: On Presenting Information

[knwlnd]

Here is your start point @icarri.

Not creating a separate thread because I have no desire to manage the process or ensuing dialogue.

Edit - The idea behind creating this when I first got an AXE-FX III was to simplify the preset creation process.

Decide on an amp, bring up the saved block(s) from the block library.

Add a cab block and search for the amp manufacturer or amp name in the cab block library, pin the window and audition a few to make a selection.

Keeps the process a bit free but within some form of guidance.

Note - No Dynacabs have been created and saved as blocks, only IR pairs.

Also - I have no intent to harm anyone’s business interests, if this is a concern please let me know and I’ll remove it.

I simply wanted to give back to the community that has given so much to me.

 

[unix-guy]

It would be fairly easy, at least in edit, to make a cab block state that follows the amp block.
Somebody would have to choose a single factory IR for each amp model and make the list. I would reuse IRs for as many amp models as possible. It would make it easier to get a quick impression of all the amp models. I am sure someone like Cooper Carter could make such a list in half a day. For many amp models it would be a complete toss-up which cab to choose, but it could be done. I mean, for Marshall tones, would you choose G12M, G12H, G12T or V30 speakers? All of these have been paired with Marshall heads on famous records. You would have to choose one of them as default, and users would miss out if they never deviate from the default choice.

Personally, I would never use such a feature. I would choose a cab that goes with a certain style of amps and then use the same IR for all those amp models. I do see the attraction of having premade choices, when you enter the vast candy store for the first time.

I always seem to forget about it... But @austinbuddy's Naked Amps preset pack is a great solution for giving people a great starting point for every amp model.

 

[Smittefar]

That is absolutely true

 

[AXEMike]

Here is your start point @icarri.

Not creating a separate thread because I have no desire to manage the process or ensuing dialogue.

Edit - The idea behind creating this when I first got an AXE-FX III was to simplify the preset creation process.

Decide on an amp, bring up the saved block(s) from the block library.

Add a cab block and search for the amp manufacturer or amp name in the cab block library, pin the window and audition a few to make a selection.

Keeps the process a bit free but within some form of guidance.

Also - I have no intent to harm anyone’s business interests, if this is a concern please let me know and I’ll remove it.

I simply wanted to give back to the community that has given so much to me.

This is pretty impressive and useful.

 

[usersnoozer]

I always seem to forget about it... But @austinbuddy's Naked Amps preset pack is a great solution for giving people a great starting point for every amp model.

This is like when Quad Cortex owners are recommended to buy a Cioks.

 

[chris]

Here is your start point @icarri.

Not creating a separate thread because I have no desire to manage the process or ensuing dialogue.

Edit - The idea behind creating this when I first got an AXE-FX III was to simplify the preset creation process.

Decide on an amp, bring up the saved block(s) from the block library.

Add a cab block and search for the amp manufacturer or amp name in the cab block library, pin the window and audition a few to make a selection.

Keeps the process a bit free but within some form of guidance.

Also - I have no intent to harm anyone’s business interests, if this is a concern please let me know and I’ll remove it.

I simply wanted to give back to the community that has given so much to me.

this is great.

makes me think that the main problem for new users is the lack of recognizable brand names on some of the Amps and almost all the cabs? if everything said "Fender Amp" and "Fender Cab for Twin" perhaps it would all be easier immediately?

it can't for legal reasons, so the tools are there for us to use, but for us to coordinate on our own.

it's like walking into a hardware store where everything is available to use, and all the tools are there, but a house isn't pre-built, you'll have to put things together yourself.

 

[Budda]

This is like when Quad Cortex owners are recommended to buy a Cioks.

Nah because qc owners have a device with a faulty power supply. Fractal has a place to improve UI. Not the same.

You never answered my comment about FAS building pro level gear.

I’ve only seen negative posts since you’ve joined.

Gonna be helpful or just complain?

 

[jephjacques]

Guy's trollin' for sure

 

[Frodebro]

Spend some time here and you'll realize that actually the loudest ones against usability improvements:

• are over 50
• don't gig
• don't record
• don't listen to music made after 2000.

This is not the crowd that should be dictating user experience for pros/semi-pros/weekend warrirors.

If being young is the only virtue you possess, well, time stands still for no one.

 

[knwlnd]

this is great.

makes me think that the main problem for new users is the lack of recognizable brand names on some of the Amps and almost all the cabs? if everything said "Fender Amp" and "Fender Cab for Twin" perhaps it would all be easier immediately?

it can't for legal reasons, so the tools are there for us to use, but for us to coordinate on our own.

it's like walking into a hardware store where everything is available to use, and all the tools are there, but a house isn't pre-built, you'll have to put things together yourself.

That’s kind of why I put it together.

I’ve played guitar for a very long time and owned a lot of gear but still there was a lot I was not familiar with. I fully understand why it needs to be obscured but needing to translate things into brands and models I could identify added another step.

This approach meant I could “translate” it all once, organise it all once, then benefit from the simplicity going forward.

 

[danielworks]

Here is your start point @icarri.

Not creating a separate thread because I have no desire to manage the process or ensuing dialogue.

Edit - The idea behind creating this when I first got an AXE-FX III was to simplify the preset creation process.

Decide on an amp, bring up the saved block(s) from the block library.

Add a cab block and search for the amp manufacturer or amp name in the cab block library, pin the window and audition a few to make a selection.

Keeps the process a bit free but within some form of guidance.

Also - I have no intent to harm anyone’s business interests, if this is a concern please let me know and I’ll remove it.

I simply wanted to give back to the community that has given so much to me.

Id like to contribute to this. When was it last updated?

 

[knwlnd]

Id like to contribute to this. When was it last updated?

I think it is up to date as far as amp additions go I tend to revise it as channels are added so it should contain them all.

The naming convention is as consistent as I could get it. I guess the names/channel arrangement may be an area where it’s a bit subjective. I’ve named them based on the best information I could find.

Also taking into account when X channel of Y amp is reported to already be modelled under Z name I’ve done my best to include that in the saved block configurations.

Cabs haven’t changed and I’m pretty sure I covered all the cabs (not all combinations of IR’s but there is a representation of all cabs) so nothing do do there as far as I am aware.

 

[Dave Merrill]

I think it is up to date as far as amp additions go I tend to revise it as channels are added so it should contain them all.

The naming convention is as consistent as I could get it. I guess the names/channel arrangement may be an area where it’s a bit subjective. I’ve named them based on the best information I could find.

Also taking into account when X channel of Y amp is reported to already be modelled under Z name I’ve done my best to include that in the saved block configurations.

Cabs haven’t changed and I’m pretty sure I covered all the cabs (not all combinations of IR’s but there is a representation of all cabs) so nothing do do there as far as I am aware.

I really need to make time to check this out, thank you, quite an undertaking!

 

[RoshRoslin]

Here's something to consider.

Many of the default cabinets and speakers that have been associated with amps have also been due in part to the wattage handling and impedance of the speakers. A 100 watt marshall would never be able to go into a 1x12 blues jr cabinet, the speaker would blow up.

I've always been a fan of 25 watt greenback speakers. It just sounds like all my favorite classic records, but also as a working musician I never wanted to schlep a 4x12 to any gig when using tube amps. I tried many of the higher wattage speaker offerings with the same greenback flavor with my 100 watt tube amps in 2x12 cabs but even mic'ed or recorded they were always just a close approximation. As a result, I had to begrudgingly accept that I either had to use something "good enough". (Eventually I settled on 2x12 Scumback 65 watt M75s in a Port City Cabinet, as personally recommended by Pete Thorn to me way back). But again, still a pretty hefty load in when you factor in a head and pedalboard. If the stages were even smaller, then I had to use something like a mesa 1x12 thiele with an EVM12L. Again for the power handling, not because of the tone.

In Fractal land, you can pair any amp with any speaker that you just couldn't do in real life. This becomes the advantage when you can just choose of the tonal qualities of the speakers without having to make compromises on cabinet size, wattage or power handling.. I'm not the biggest fan of the speakers that generally come in Vox style amps. Blues and silvers just sound weird to my ears. So again, i get to pair these amps with greenbacks and green back style speakers.

Just consider that many of the "default" speakers found in amps out there aren't always paired just for the tonal choice.

 

[NY Guitarist]

...as a working musician I never wanted to schlep a 4x12 to any gig when using tube amps.

I agree. I gigged a lot on bass when I was much younger and remember the load in/out with refrigerator size amps/cabs. Not fun at all.

If the stages were even smaller, then I had to use something like a mesa 1x12 thiele with an EVM12L. Again for the power handling, not because of the tone.

When I gigged on guitar my 'portable' rig included 2 Mesa Thieles w/ EVM 12L for the same reason, power handling. They were pretty narrow so I often used one as a side fill in case I moved off axis from my backline.

In Fractal land, you can pair any amp with any speaker that you just couldn't do in real life. This becomes the advantage when you can just choose of the tonal qualities of the speakers without having to make compromises on cabinet size, wattage or power handling.

Just consider that many of the "default" speakers found in amps out there aren't always paired just for the tonal choice.

^ This is important to keep in mind.

I love the Axe because, like you and many others, find the creative flexibility is astounding. When building a new patch I more often than not start with a factory preset that's 'I think' is in the ballpark and modify it from there.

But I really enjoy building a rig preset from scratch, picking each part of the chain but somehow with the cabinet type in mind as I choose the amp etc.

 

[danielworks]

I think it is up to date as far as amp additions go I tend to revise it as channels are added so it should contain them all.

The naming convention is as consistent as I could get it. I guess the names/channel arrangement may be an area where it’s a bit subjective. I’ve named them based on the best information I could find.

Also taking into account when X channel of Y amp is reported to already be modelled under Z name I’ve done my best to include that in the saved block configurations.

Cabs haven’t changed and I’m pretty sure I covered all the cabs (not all combinations of IR’s but there is a representation of all cabs) so nothing do do there as far as I am aware.

Redoing the cab list with Dynacabs, how much would it be incomplete at the moment with the current Dynacabs?

 

[200man]

Imagine if there was a library of amp/cab block pairs that you can draw upon to quickly drop an amp and cab block pair into a preset. That amp/cab pair library could be populated from the factory with some popular pairs, and you could add to it with your own favorites. This would be similar to a block library, but since it would only require a single click to drop the amp/cab block pair into the grid (including the appropriate SIC), it would be more efficient than creating amp and cab blocks, making a selection from the amp block library, then somehow searching through the cab block library for the matching cab.

It's not the highest priority usability issue in the Fractal world, but it is an area where some other modelers have a more streamlined workflow. Done right, it could potentially speed up the process of building Axe-FX presets, even for Axe-FX veterans. It might also be a more approachable way to build presets for newcomers.

Not only newcomers. I’ve been a Fender guy forever but going through different heads or combo amp heads…well I just don’t know that much about literally hundreds of amp choices.

 

[knwlnd]

Redoing the cab list with Dynacabs, how much would it be incomplete at the moment with the current Dynacabs?

Ah, good catch.

Dynacabs have not been done at all as I don’t really use them.

The few times when I have used them I felt that calling up the cab was enough for me to get the start I needed so I never made a saved block.

That may be my blind spot as I used to engineer so grabbing and placing mics is something I do without thinking. I hadn’t realised it wouldn’t be the same for others but now I think about it I may be the minority.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Here's something to consider.

Many of the default cabinets and speakers that have been associated with amps have also been due in part to the wattage handling and impedance of the speakers. A 100 watt marshall would never be able to go into a 1x12 blues jr cabinet, the speaker would blow up.

I've always been a fan of 25 watt greenback speakers. It just sounds like all my favorite classic records, but also as a working musician I never wanted to schlep a 4x12 to any gig when using tube amps. I tried many of the higher wattage speaker offerings with the same greenback flavor with my 100 watt tube amps in 2x12 cabs but even mic'ed or recorded they were always just a close approximation. As a result, I had to begrudgingly accept that I either had to use something "good enough". (Eventually I settled on 2x12 Scumback 65 watt M75s in a Port City Cabinet, as personally recommended by Pete Thorn to me way back). But again, still a pretty hefty load in when you factor in a head and pedalboard. If the stages were even smaller, then I had to use something like a mesa 1x12 thiele with an EVM12L. Again for the power handling, not because of the tone.

In Fractal land, you can pair any amp with any speaker that you just couldn't do in real life. This becomes the advantage when you can just choose of the tonal qualities of the speakers without having to make compromises on cabinet size, wattage or power handling.. I'm not the biggest fan of the speakers that generally come in Vox style amps. Blues and silvers just sound weird to my ears. So again, i get to pair these amps with greenbacks and green back style speakers.

Just consider that many of the "default" speakers found in amps out there aren't always paired just for the tonal choice.

@RoshRoslin are there any IRs out there of that "2x12 Scumback 65 watt M75s in a Port City Cabinet"?

 

[RoshRoslin]

@RoshRoslin are there any IRs out there of that "2x12 Scumback 65 watt M75s in a Port City Cabinet"?

I remember I found an IR on this forum that was pretty good and close to matching my port city cabinet. I shot some IRs of the cab years ago during the AxeFX2 days (I used this cab before I went full fractal) but alas, I can't find where that IR is anymore. Eventually sold the cabinet to a friend years ago.