Are you using Ultra/Standard in 2021?

Chris Hurley

Power User
Who all is still/again using an Ultra or Standard in 2021?

I picked up an Ultra yesterday just to go down memory lane. I had several back in the day and upgraded as one tends to do. I only had a few minutes with it last night after driving 6 hours to get it but the initial response...

... Wow! This thing sounds killer!!

It immediately sounded great with no fuss. Its not even firmware 11- its 10.x

I'll now be trying to figure out all the tricks I've forgotten for getting the most bang out of this guy. I'm planning to use it with my tube amp rig if possible- certainly for time based effects but perhaps in front of the amp if I can get it to be quiet enough.



Who is still rolling with the original models?
 
I've just come to this UK concert where Alex Machacek was playing with the Axe-FX Ultra. Great tone!



Missing John Wetton
 
Bought mine 2 months back with an MFC for 4CM use as an effects unit.
How is it working for you in 4CM? I'm having some challenges with noise that I'd like to overcome: hiss and hum.

The Axe-FX III has a couple of tricks to help with humbuster outputs and the boost/pad feature. I've sort of replicated boost/pad by cranking the preset level as much as I can without clipping and then using a volume pedal between the fractal and the tube amp turn bring that back down (along with noise). That helps with the hiss but there is still some hum that maybe could be fixed with a certain cabling approach.
 
How is it working for you in 4CM? I'm having some challenges with noise that I'd like to overcome: hiss and hum.

The Axe-FX III has a couple of tricks to help with humbuster outputs and the boost/pad feature. I've sort of replicated boost/pad by cranking the preset level as much as I can without clipping and then using a volume pedal between the fractal and the tube amp turn bring that back down (along with noise). That helps with the hiss but there is still some hum that maybe could be fixed with a certain cabling approach.

It was pretty quiet for me, although I made up a set of humbuster cables anyway just to reduce the potential for any issues.
 
I still have my ULT RA and used it for effects in a LIVE rig with a Friedman amp for a bit.
I‘ve also used it with a power amp and “real“ cab, which worked great too.
It’s been a while now, since I’ve been using my Axe III straight to FOH these days.

The Axe III is just the most amazing piece of gear…it’s hard to use anything else.
 
I still have my ULT RA and used it for effects in a LIVE rig with a Friedman amp for a bit.
I‘ve also used it with a power amp and “real“ cab, which worked great too.
It’s been a while now, since I’ve been using my Axe III straight to FOH these days.

The Axe III is just the most amazing piece of gear…it’s hard to use anything else.

Would you believe I've been using the Ultra instead of the Axe-FX III? Mostly because I got a great deal on the Ultra and just wanted to experience how much had changed. I'm amazed at how good it sounds as a replacement for a tube preamp into a tube poweramp.

I agree that the Axe-FX III is amazing and does everything.
 
Would you believe I've been using the Ultra instead of the Axe-FX III? Mostly because I got a great deal on the Ultra and just wanted to experience how much had changed. I'm amazed at how good it sounds as a replacement for a tube preamp into a tube poweramp.

I agree that the Axe-FX III is amazing and does everything.

For sure, still a great unit.
For me at the moment, the Axe III and the FC's are the easiest way to travel with an AMAZING sounding and HUGELY versatile set-up. I can fly if need be, through it in the trailer, or whatever and get the most amazing results.

In the end, use what works. I was using an AX8 for a couple years, GREAT sound and super easy. Yet with the release of the Axe III, I am super happy with the results and with the newest Cygnus release.

Fractal RULEZ 🤘
 
still using the 1st generation..for some reason i found the new generation of fractal (II and III) to be way more polished that the sound made with the standard/ultra....vintage is better, even in digital lol
 
I'm still using mine in 4cm. Since I bought the Suhr Reactive Load to use with Egnater Mod50, I don't GAS for amp modeling so no need to upgrade the Ultra. The effects are stellar! Just wish there were scenes but I can get by.
 
I use mine with an RM50 a good bit. The Ultra has some preamp models that can work in 4CM if you need a little something extra and don't want to swap a module, plus you can push and pull every which way in 4cm. Do you have any trouble with hum or buzz? I found that one of those little hum eliminator transformer boxes made a big difference in nose for me.
 
Just yesterday I started using my Ultra at home for recording songideas. Carrying my case with the II to rehearsals and back is too enerving. And I have to say: The sound is really quite good! The right IR is important + a bit of EQ, e.g. for lowpass etc.

For real recordings I use the II, of course.
 
Just yesterday I sold my Ultra. I’ve loaned it out a few times to people who wanted to try a high end modeller. I think the buyer is going to use it as a rack effects unit.
 
I use mine with an RM50 a good bit. The Ultra has some preamp models that can work in 4CM if you need a little something extra and don't want to swap a module, plus you can push and pull every which way in 4cm. Do you have any trouble with hum or buzz? I found that one of those little hum eliminator transformer boxes made a big difference in nose for me.
I might check into one of those boxes. The noise usually isn't that bad for me, Maybe I'm just use to it. LOL! There are times when the hum seems more present.

So when you are in 4cm, how do you add the preamp models of the Axe? If I run the amp block(poweramp sim off) in front of the effects loop block in my preset chain, doesn't that feed into the input of my Mod50?
 
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