AX8 and XL: different input gain

lp59

lp59

Experienced
When exporting a preset from my XL to AX8 I noticed that the AX8 was not as loud as the XL, especially on clean sounds. Looking at the input meters on both units I saw that with my strat I barely tickle the green In1 led on the AX8 but the orange led (higher level) on the XL. I have to turn up input trim on AX8 to have the same gain than the XL.

Did you notice a difference in input level on AX8 and Axe-FX XL? In the I/O menu of the AX8 In1 is set on 0.0dB (max) and on the XL I'm on 100% (max I can get).

I could maybe have a faulty unit, and would be glad if people having both units can confirm this.
 
lp59 said:
In the I/O menu of the AX8 In1 is set on 0.0dB (max) and on the XL I'm on 100% (max I can get).
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these are basically the same values, so i don't think anything is wrong.

regardless, Input settings are only a signal-to-noise ratio and not actual volume.
 
Hi Chris, but I notice less gain when exporting XL preset on the AX8. I can compensate rolling up input trim, but I would like to know if everybody using both units experience the same difference in input gain, to know if my AX8 has a problem.
 
I've read and tried Yek's method for exporting XL presets to AX8 and he didn't talk about this difference in input gain, leading me to a problem with my AX8. Hopping not.
 
lp59 said:
I've read and tried Yek's method for exporting XL presets to AX8 and he didn't talk about this difference in input gain, leading me to a problem with my AX8. Hopping not.
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that's because input gain has nothing to do with presets. input gain has nothing to do with how presets sound.

you have your AX8 Input gain maxed out. you have your Axe-Fx II Input gain maxed out. that means they aren't "different input gain." but again, that still has nothing to do with how loud a preset is.

change the LEVEL in the amp block on the AX8 to whatever it needs to be for volume. the number in the AX8 for Amp Level won't match that of the Axe because they are on a different scale.
 
IIRC, Ax8 and XL have different input stages. As far as I understand, the XL has some sort impedance optimization going on that is not present in Ax8.

Therefore, it makes sense, if the sounds do not translate exactly 1:1.
 
I'll make the same answer as posted in an another thread, sorry for doubling this post:

I adjusted all parameters and verified one by one, but I still have differences, if I imported say a crunch sound, it sound much cleaner in my AX8, just like if I had turned the volume of my guitar down. It's not a volume output problem, I can adjust these with the output main pots, but rather an input problem. Crunch sounds gets cleaner, and distorted sounds have less gain. Did somebody experience the same behaviour? I can understand that the input stages of both units are different, but I would like to know if this is normal, or if I have to further investigate my AX8.
 
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