Anyone ever used a tube amp as a preamp with your Axe FX3 (with a separate stereo power amp??

[BDubs]

Hi all. New here but a big fan of the Axe FX3 already! So my goal is to use this thing live with a simple and clean setup (wireless/AXE FX3/stereo out to FOH and also a stereo power amp to 2 onstage cabinets.

my question is this… does anyone set there’s up to be able to have amp sounds inside the Fractal, but ALSO have the option to switch to the front end of a real tube amp head in the chain? i realize this isn’t a widely talked about option and the videos on YouTube are scarce, because mostly there are only vids of how to use the fractal in an amp FX loop, so that you are using the real amp as a “power amp”. When i want to do the opposite.

I know you prob need to have a load box to dummy load the speaker out on the amp head. I just haven’t ever done it and i want to make sure i dont rob the real amp of its tone or character.

Anyone want to share there setups for this? Greatly appreciate it!!

BDub

 

[OrganicZed]

Yes. What you are asking about can be easily accomplished using the Axe-FX with the four cable setup. When you want to use the amp models of of the Axe-FX you can simply route the signal so that it bypasses the preamp section of your amplifier (signal only going into the amp's effects return jack) and then when you want to use the full amp sound you can route the signal to the front input of the amplifier. If you are intending to use amp with the connected speaker cabinet then you don't need anything else.

If you happen to have a load box for you amp then this opens up additional possibilities.

 

[sprint]

If you mean incorporating both an external amp's pre + power section with load box into Axfx, yes - I do this in my home music room - chain is more or less like this:

• Guitar > AxfxIn1,
• > Pre Fx Blocks in Axfx.
• AxfxLoopOut > ExtAmpIn,
• ExtAmpSpkrOut > LoadboxIn
• LoadboxLineOut > AxfxLoopIn,
• > Cab Block after fx loop in Axfx (unless using loadbox built in cab sim(s)).
• > Post Fx Blocks in Axfx.
• AxfxOut1 > Stereo Power Amp with a separate set of cabs or Monitoring.

Make sure, you don't inadvertantly take the speaker out of the load box to Axfx as this could cause damage. I have the loadbox turned all the way down in this config so that the speaker connected to the loadbox is silent (my stereo power amp in this config connects to a separate set of cabs). Leaving the load box turned up to connected speaker yields a dry sound / the "D" of a WDW if desired, when combined with the separate set of cabs connects to my stereo power amp driven by Axfx output1.

 

[bnwpro]

In this preset, Out 3 > External Amp > Load Box after Amp > Input 2. The Multiplexer allows me to choose the External Amp path or the Internal Amp Block path. Both go to a common Cab Block and on to the Outs 1 & 2.

Also, I/O 4 goes to an external pedal board. The top Multiplexer allows me to choose External or Internal pedals.

The External Amp will be dry but the signal at Outs 1 & 2 will be Dry/Wet. You could remove the Dry signal after the Cab Block if you wanted a true Wet/Dry/Wet. On stage, I prefer having the Amp behind me and the combined Dry/Wet in from of me in stereo (Out 2).

FOH gets a second tap off of my External Amp, through a Palmer, and also Out 1 L/R so it's up to them to combine the signals.


When you turn on the Load on your Load Box you can A/B the tone of your Internal/External Amps. This has shown me that the Internal Amp models get really close to what my External Amp is putting out. At FOH it's negligible imo but I still like having the real amp behind me (not a fan of in-ears).

 

[Tonedeaf]

I recently got a Carvin Steve Vai VLD1 preamp which is the front end of a Legacy amp in a (big) pedal form. I run it straight into the FM3 with the Amp Block bypassed. If I want the Amp block instead, I just bypass the Carvin, and turn on the Amp Block. Don't know if it's because I'm in the honeymoon stage but the VLD1 is currently my favorite "model". BTW, I tried running into an amp/loadbox and creating an FX loop, but I prefer it straight in. It sounded too woofy the other way.

 

[BDubs]

In this preset, Out 3 > External Amp > Load Box after Amp > Input 2. The Multiplexer allows me to choose the External Amp path or the Internal Amp Block path. Both go to a common Cab Block and on to the Outs 1 & 2.

Also, I/O 4 goes to an external pedal board. The top Multiplexer allows me to choose External or Internal pedals.

The External Amp will be dry but the signal at Outs 1 & 2 will be Dry/Wet. You could remove the Dry signal after the Cab Block if you wanted a true Wet/Dry/Wet. On stage, I prefer having the Amp behind me and the combined Dry/Wet in from of me in stereo (Out 2).

FOH gets a second tap off of my External Amp, through a Palmer, and also Out 1 L/R so it's up to them to combine the signals.


When you turn on the Load on your Load Box you can A/B the tone of your Internal/External Amps. This has shown me that the Internal Amp models get really close to what my External Amp is putting out. At FOH it's negligible imo but I still like having the real amp behind me (not a fan of in-ears).

View attachment 125678

THANKS FOR ALL THE REPLIES! This is all great knowledge that will help me with the setup!!

bdubs

 

[Troy187]

Hi all. New here but a big fan of the Axe FX3 already! So my goal is to use this thing live with a simple and clean setup (wireless/AXE FX3/stereo out to FOH and also a stereo power amp to 2 onstage cabinets.

my question is this… does anyone set there’s up to be able to have amp sounds inside the Fractal, but ALSO have the option to switch to the front end of a real tube amp head in the chain? i realize this isn’t a widely talked about option and the videos on YouTube are scarce, because mostly there are only vids of how to use the fractal in an amp FX loop, so that you are using the real amp as a “power amp”. When i want to do the opposite.

I know you prob need to have a load box to dummy load the speaker out on the amp head. I just haven’t ever done it and i want to make sure i dont rob the real amp of its tone or character.

Anyone want to share there setups for this? Greatly appreciate it!!

BDub

Yes, I run mine through the effects loop using the 4 cable method. I’ve just recently bought mine. I’m still working with my tones

 

[Morlock]

Hey Guys.. I just bought a EVH 5150 EL34 & it sounds great going from the AxFx to the FX Return of EVH Amp. Much better than the Synergy 50/50 which had the 6L6's. Defiantly smoother top end where the 50/50 sounded shrill as hell! Question: I do realize that I'm bypassing the Preamp section of that amp. And I do realize that I can have all of that amp juice plugging strait into the front of the amp but haven't read about this next question: Can I plug strait into the "Front" of the EVH 5150 & still use an "Amp Block' on the AxFx? I would like to experiment but all I can find is the (4 cable method). Not showing how to use both. The real amp power section + preamp + amp block on the Axfx. Basically 2 preamp sections. Just don't want to blow anything up! Thanks so much!!

 

[bnwpro]

Hey Guys.. I just bought a EVH 5150 EL34 & it sounds great going from the AxFx to the FX Return of EVH Amp. Much better than the Synergy 50/50 which had the 6L6's. Defiantly smoother top end where the 50/50 sounded shrill as hell! Question: I do realize that I'm bypassing the Preamp section of that amp. And I do realize that I can have all of that amp juice plugging strait into the front of the amp but haven't read about this next question: Can I plug strait into the "Front" of the EVH 5150 & still use an "Amp Block' on the AxFx? I would like to experiment but all I can find is the (4 cable method). Not showing how to use both. The real amp power section + preamp + amp block on the Axfx. Basically 2 preamp sections. Just don't want to blow anything up! Thanks so much!!

If you read up a few posts I describe exactly how I do this, along with a picture of the blocks layout.

With the config, everything prior to the Out 3 block is sent to the Input of the external Amp. Once back to the AxeFX via Input 2 you have the option of using the External Amp as preamp, the Fractal as Preamp or a combination of both if you were to replace the Multiplexer on row 4 with a Mixer block.

 

[Leise]

Hey Guys.. I just bought a EVH 5150 EL34 & it sounds great going from the AxFx to the FX Return of EVH Amp. Much better than the Synergy 50/50 which had the 6L6's. Defiantly smoother top end where the 50/50 sounded shrill as hell!

I think you used the synergy wrong oder your presets need some adjustments.
I use the syn 50/50 and don`t had the problems you telling about.
I also used some heads like VH4 oder Be50 Deluxe like you to the return of the amps.Every amp had his own litle thing going on but all sounden great. Also the Syn 50/50

 

[Morlock]

Thank you both. I'm new to Ax Edit so please excuse my ignorance. Spanish guitar guy crossing back over to electric. @ bnwpro: I did look at the pic before & it was above my head so I'm looking for video's to understand routing better. But in my pic with no 4 cable method. Just set & forget. Out 4 is going into the FX Return of my external Amp. I'm not using any Return or Send. It is defiantly affecting the signal but now I'm feeling that this is not the proper way? I'm just switching presets for Cleans, ect. & using the tube amp for harmonic warmth. Of course I want to move on to the 4 cable method so I can switch between the external full amp & pre amp section. Still learning.