DLC86
Fractal Fanatic
I think the problem of some drives is that the controls on the axe fx behave differently than on the real pedal, it's the case of the big muff for example, where the tone control is a tilt eq which also introduces a notch in the mid frequencies, while the tone in the ax8 is the same for all the drive models and is a simple low pass filter. The gain in the model is also way higher than the pedal.
We would also need different slopes for the hi and lo cut filters inside the block to more precisely match the frequency response, and for some modela they're not set right by default (at least compared to my real pedals).
I say these things cuz I made a bit of measurements and comparisons with some pedals I own (they could be different than the ones modelled btw)
P.S.: in the preset the various scenes are for different parts of the song, lower the guitar volume knob for cleaner sounds. The cab bundled to the preset is just the stock TAF-Starfound cab with dephase applied in the axe fx
EDIT: I've realized now that I attached the wrong Big Muff block, I've deleted it and loaded the new one.. even if it will probably be useless after Cliff's last update
We would also need different slopes for the hi and lo cut filters inside the block to more precisely match the frequency response, and for some modela they're not set right by default (at least compared to my real pedals).
I say these things cuz I made a bit of measurements and comparisons with some pedals I own (they could be different than the ones modelled btw)
Here is a preset and a couple of gilmourish blocks I created based on the aforementioned measurements, they're still not 100% right but pretty accurate to my ears.I have a similar feeling as yours. I've bought the AX8 to replace all my current rig but my boss DD500 (the most important part in my pedalboard) has died a few days before a gig so yesterday I tried to program the AX8 for using with my amp (only effects) and ended up buying a replacement for my delay because I couldn't get the drives sounding anywhere near my analog pedals and I don't want to take both my analog pedals and AX8 to the gig.
My style is very different from what I see from almost everyone here: I don't play metal, djent or anything like that. I play Knopfler, Gilmour, Robben Ford, etc... and my analog rig is a brownface vibroverb with some pedals I tried to replicate yesterday:
- Buffalo FX evolution: a take in the Cornish G2 muff style pedal. It's a great pedal: balanced, gritty but clear, tight bass, etc... I tried to replicate it with both the muff and the RAT. I tried everythig: change diodes, played with the cuts, the three band EQ... nothing the Muff model just sound awful. You can make it a little better with a bit of mids and lowering a bit the bass cut but I think such a legendary model deserves a VERY better model.
- King of Tone: tried with the bluesbreaker model (in which the king of tone is based). So bright and so grainy I couldn't believe it.
In general I find that most of the drives have a lot of gain. You have to turn the gain knob in the KoT very high to make it sound like the bluesbreaker at 2 or 3 (and I remember the Marshall bluesbreaker to have less gain than the KoT). My main guitar is a strat with CS '69 pickups and have the input pad set to 12dB (for my 335 and Les Paul with antiquities).
- Wampler Plexidrive and Keeley BD-2: I tried the bluesbreaker and the two Tube Drivers. The 4 knobs sounds a bit too dark: I've played several times with the real thing and it's a bright pedal and, again, with less gain than the model. The 3 knob sounds better. But I found several of the models lacking clarity and it doesn't matter what I do that when I kick a real pedal it sounds much, much better.
On the other hands the Xotic RC and the AC (I have an AC+ and used to have a RC) seems to be very similar to the real Xotics.
I hope we could test the new clipping algorithms soon and see if things get better but I think the AX8 deserves a much better drive models. I can see myself using the AX8 with the Buffalo and either KoT or BD2 in the loop
P.S.: in the preset the various scenes are for different parts of the song, lower the guitar volume knob for cleaner sounds. The cab bundled to the preset is just the stock TAF-Starfound cab with dephase applied in the axe fx
EDIT: I've realized now that I attached the wrong Big Muff block, I've deleted it and loaded the new one.. even if it will probably be useless after Cliff's last update
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