Axe-Fx Firmware Version 21.00 Release Candidate (Beta 7)

Status
Not open for further replies.
Had to pop in to give some well-deserved praise for this firmware. I was testing stuff today and wanted to compare the new beta (with an IR) to a real amp through a live-mic'd cab (no load box and no IR). It's switching between the two in real time using my amp switcher and the subtle differences are on par with trying to make two amps sound the same. I'm sure a couple minor tweaks would get it even closer, but it's just nitpicking at this point. I won't even say which is which.



Great job Cliff and the Fractal team!
 
York Audio said:
Had to pop in to give some well-deserved praise for this firmware. I was testing stuff today and wanted to compare the new beta (with an IR) to a real amp through a live-mic'd cab (no load box and no IR). It's switching between the two in real time using my amp switcher and the subtle differences are on par with trying to make two amps sound the same. I'm sure a couple minor tweaks would get it even closer, but it's just nitpicking at this point. I won't even say which is which.



Great job Cliff and the Fractal team!
Click to expand...

Wow that is close , one is brighter slightly that’s about the only thing I hear but man gain structure and overall tone is spot on
It basically sounds to me like the same amp and you moved the mic
 
York Audio said:
Had to pop in to give some well-deserved praise for this firmware. I was testing stuff today and wanted to compare the new beta (with an IR) to a real amp through a live-mic'd cab (no load box and no IR). It's switching between the two in real time using my amp switcher and the subtle differences are on par with trying to make two amps sound the same. I'm sure a couple minor tweaks would get it even closer, but it's just nitpicking at this point. I won't even say which is which.



Great job Cliff and the Fractal team!
Click to expand...


Wow!
 
My name is mud said:
Real amp / axe fx / axe fx / real amp ?

Listening with the phone in my ear 😅🙃
Hard to tell on this one yep 👍🏻
Click to expand...
Nope, but that’s a good guess. :)

Randalljax said:
Wow that is close , one is brighter slightly that’s about the only thing I hear but man gain structure and overall tone is spot on
It basically sounds to me like the same amp and you moved the mic
Click to expand...
Yeah, it was surprising how close it was with only using basic amp controls, changing the impedance curve to an appropriate cab, and bumping up Speaker Thump a hair. The Presence taper on the model is different than what’s on the amp, so that part is a bit of a trial and error guessing game, and probably what’s making that slight difference in the top end that could probably be tweaked a little to get it even closer. It was in the ballpark, so I didn’t go nuts with incremental adjustments. They both sound like an SLO to me.

It’s gonna be fun trying this with some other amps as well.
 
My name is mud said:
Wow, it's really close. Dare I say... I kind of lean towards the Axe.
Click to expand...
I do to as mentioned above one has more bite (the amp) the other a bit more growl , in isolation I like the Axe a bit more but as mentioned a few tweaks could probably yield identical results

I will say this I am not usually impressed w blind tests and I always see posters complaining that the tester used a load box and IR .
If I am understanding this signal chain we are listening to the real SLO no load box no iR vs Fractal direct matched SIC and IR
That’s damn impressive

Sorry Mud I misquoted you
First day w new iPhone
 
I was about to post when Mr York made the reveal so I scrapped it and instead made a coffee whilst I contemplated. I know my tonal preferences but... if I preferred the amp could I tweak further in the Fractal to get even closer? I'm sure I could get really forensic. If I preferred the Fractal, could I tweak the amp further to match it? Don't know. When either are processed into a mix I think it becomes irrelevant and as for amp in the room the differences could be myriad acoustic influences. I remember when modellers just gave a synthetic flavour of a real amp's tonal characteristics...
 
Fjelltronen said:
if I preferred the amp could I tweak further in the Fractal to get even closer? […] If I preferred the Fractal, could I tweak the amp further to match it?
Click to expand...
If you prefer the amp's sound, the Fractal model has so many parameters you can adjust that you can basically mod the model however you want until it's even better than the real amp, but the opposite is often not possible or practical with the real amp.
 
Randalljax said:
I do to as mentioned above one has more bite (the amp) the other a bit more growl , in isolation I like the Axe a bit more but as mentioned a few tweaks could probably yield identical results

I will say this I am not usually impressed w blind tests and I always see posters complaining that the tester used a load box and IR .
If I am understanding this signal chain we are listening to the real SLO no load box no iR vs Fractal direct matched SIC and IR
That’s damn impressive

Sorry Mud I misquoted you
First day w new iPhone
Click to expand...
Yup, pretty much. The amp is a Soldano Avenger 100 (single channel amp that’s just the lead channel of the SLO) going straight into a Mesa Traditional 4x12. I used a single 57 on the cab and made the IR. I made a new preset with just an amp block using the Solo 100 Lead model and listened to the Recto 4x12 impedance curves and picked one that sounded like a good fit.

Give the knobs a little tweaky tweaky while A/B’ing the cranked amp in the cab room to the Axe with an IR and that’s it. The bleed from the live amp probably skewed how I set the Axe, but it’s close enough without getting too nerdy about it.

Fjelltronen said:
I was about to post when Mr York made the reveal so I scrapped it and instead made a coffee whilst I contemplated. I know my tonal preferences but... if I preferred the amp could I tweak further in the Fractal to get even closer? I'm sure I could get really forensic. If I preferred the Fractal, could I tweak the amp further to match it? Don't know. When either are processed into a mix I think it becomes irrelevant and as for amp in the room the differences could be myriad acoustic influences. I remember when modellers just gave a synthetic flavour of a real amp's tonal characteristics...
Click to expand...
In this case, I’d say VERY minor adjustments to the Presence and/or Master Volume knobs could make one sound more like the other. Those can be two of the most important tone-shaping controls in an amp or a model.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
If you prefer the amp's sound, the Fractal model has so many parameters you can adjust that you can basically mod the model however you want until it's even better than the real amp, but the opposite is often not possible or practical with the real amp.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. It is funny because when I got my Fx3 I didn't care at all about this level of authenticity. I just wanted the flexibility of the foot switch and the ability to make 'generic' tones I like, say a doom metal tone. Whilst that is still the case I have kind of got the bug of replicating specific album tones I love and the thrill of nailing them with this awesome product.
 
Last edited:
York Audio said:
Yup, pretty much. The amp is a Soldano Avenger 100 (single channel amp that’s just the lead channel of the SLO) going straight into a Mesa Traditional 4x12. I used a single 57 on the cab and made the IR. I made a new preset with just an amp block using the Solo 100 Lead model and listened to the Recto 4x12 impedance curves and picked one that sounded like a good fit.

Give the knobs a little tweaky tweaky while A/B’ing the cranked amp in the cab room to the Axe with an IR and that’s it. The bleed from the live amp probably skewed how I set the Axe, but it’s close enough without getting too nerdy about it.


In this case, I’d say VERY minor adjustments to the Presence and/or Master Volume knobs could make one sound more like the other. Those can be two of the most important tone-shaping controls in an amp or a model.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about juggling Presence, Hi cut and maybe add a little Proximity. I would say there is more that one way to skin a cat but mine is perched on my shoulder as I type.
 
AlGrenadine said:
"Improved dynamic frequency response accuracy. This yields more “crunch” and less “fizz” with high gain tones, especially for detuned styles."
Was there in beta 7?
Click to expand...
Ah didn’t see this ! But a guy seems to have a trouble with beta 8 with amp names so… I will maybe wait beta 9 if it’s confirmed

Edit : it seems it is just a non refresh after update
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom