Axe-Fx II Firmware 18.01 Released

JeffHester said:
Which brings me to the BIG PROBLEM I see with Fractal and these updates...
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not a flame here... but this is the wrongest thing to say about THIS G3 update!
G3 redraw the models... is a change like from the Apollo rockets to the Shuttle!!!
And you MUST rethink your patches from scratch!
 
JeffHester said:
Please someone chime in on this.
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This comes up with every Firmware update.
A lot of users use such basic setups that it's no big deal to them to rebuild a handful of patches and, they think that their experience is everyone's experience.
In fact I tried extremely hard to get some guys to understand in the past, unsuccessfully I might add.
There are only a handful of us out there I guess that have hundreds of presets that took time, effort, etc. and while we want the new functionality and features, it's always the same thing.

you either miss out on new stuff, or rebuild.
 
I get your frustration. Redialing your tones can be a real chore, especially if you have a lot of them. But you can't improve the tone without changing the tone. If it weren't for all these changes, we'd still be back at firmware 1.0. The improvements and changes are part of the package, if you want to stay current with the latest tone and features. Luckily, the need for retweaking has gone way down in the last couple of years.These days, it's mostly adjustments to B/M/T and gain controls or, if you've played with the advanced parameters, moving them closer to default values.
 
I don't believe for one second Fractal's corporate DNA is "Like your tone, stop updating" nor do I think it is "rethink your patches from scratch". That's the point I am trying to get to. It's not a complaint about the latest firmware. It's more about getting Fractal to consider something...

The customers hard earned tone is as valuable as the advancements of our technology.

I know the advancements will change tone. I know how to turn knobs to get the patches to sound the way I like them regardless of what Fractal changes. What I am trying to say is... Show us where the tone was before and after and let the customer decide which works better.

It's the same mentality that was built into the tone match block. You get to see the curve. You get to choose what percentage of tone match you really want to use. This educates us.

Your right... I am a spoiled Axe Fx user. Is there any other kind?
 
I rarely have to adjust much, but then I use models of simple amps: Champ, Tweed Deluxe, Bassman, AC30, Plexi. For this update, I could just leave my settings, which are basically nominal, and it sounded better.
Except the Deluxe Tweed, which completely changed imo. Up till 18, it had mids that sat perfectly in the mix, and now it gets lost somehow. For the first time however, I can now put the tone on 10, like Neil does, without it tearing my ears off. But it does sound a lot more scooped to me. That's one I do have to work on again.

Jan
 
yek said:
And make sure that USB/DIGI Out Source is set to Output 1.
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mine was set to input after reset system parameters, what does this mean? that the signal from the computer (usb) is sent to input and not output? I can't hear the effects on the usb signal but should I just set it to output? I can't find anything about this in the I/O wiki: I/O menu on the Axe-Fx II - Axe-Fx II Wiki

it does not mention the USB/DIGI OUT SOURCE.

I'm using windows and the usb buffer size is set to 64.

USB return level: I've set it to -6. someone in here said -6 was good. I think it is.

Status in utility menu is CPU: 50% and USB at 50% (even though it says 0 on top)
 
JeffHester said:
I don't believe for one second Fractal's corporate DNA is "Like your tone, stop updating" nor do I think it is "rethink your patches from scratch". That's the point I am trying to get to. It's not a complaint about the latest firmware. It's more about getting Fractal to consider something...

The customers hard earned tone is as valuable as the advancements of our technology.

I know the advancements will change tone. I know how to turn knobs to get the patches to sound the way I like them regardless of what Fractal changes. What I am trying to say is... Show us where the tone was before and after and let the customer decide which works better.

It's the same mentality that was built into the tone match block. You get to see the curve. You get to choose what percentage of tone match you really want to use. This educates us.

Your right... I am a spoiled Axe Fx user. Is there any other kind?
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I'm not bashing, or anything, but I think you may be in a minority here. Look, I hate change, I just do, and with each new firmware I find I have to change things to get back to what I had. HOWEVER, I also find that with each new firmware, it's way easier to get back where I was before, AND when I do find what I'm looking for, it always seems to be, somehow, MORE of what I had than before. Deeper, and richer, with better texture. Like what I had before was missing something, and now it's not, and I didn't even realize it was missing till I heard the same type of character in the new firmware.

Like I said before, with this firmware, I keep discovering amps, that I never gave a second chance before, that are making it hard for me to settle, because there are just so many amps that easily get into the sweet spot for many of my songs. I've even changed some songs that I haven't changed since like, FW15, or FW16.
 
In FW18.01, I made a preset with two amps and cabs in parallel using a Badger 30 and a Subway Blues.

CPU was running somewhere between 93-95% in my XL (sorry ... not at home to check right now).

No CPU performance issues whatsoever ... none.

Sounds great with the guitar volume rolled down to 3 to 5 while using dynamic hybrid picking, hammer-ons, pull-offs, string bends, etc. Just so responsive and expressive.

Thanks so much Cliff! :encouragement:
 
This all sounds great, but I can't even download the FW to try it out yet. All I get is 404.

Did you guys go and break the server on me before I could get to it?
 
Joining in on the profound inconvenience of having the Axe-FX leap forward in capability every other time we turn it on…

(again, best Samuel Jackson voice)

“Say update again. SAY UPDATE again! And I dare you, I double dare you MF! Say update one more time.”

https://youtu.be/snW3cM1KipQ
 
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pauly said:
Thanks Chris,
so automagically ...no need to do anything.... Yes?

Pauly
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I was wondering this as well. I noticed there was ultrares cabs after the update, but wasn't sure if everything was done automatically or not. For instance, theres a folder with IRs inside the update file. Do those have to be loaded manually while the main ones are auto when you update the firmware?
 
mike86325 said:
For instance, theres a folder with IRs inside the update file. Do those have to be loaded manually while the main ones are auto when you update the firmware?
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Those IRs were/are free samples that were distributed when we were first introduced to UltraRes. They haven't changed. They were never loaded automatically, and never part of stock presets. If you loaded them once, they're still there. If you never loaded them, you'll need to if you want to use any of them.
 
JeffHester said:
What I am trying to say is... Show us where the tone was before and after and let the customer decide which works better.
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It's already there for you. Simply back up your system and update. If you like the change great. If not it's a couple of keystrokes to revert back. With Fractal Bot working like a charm it's just so easy to do. Also, there are often lots of posts here on the forum comparing firmware versions with audio and video examples. We have heard this complaint ever since the original Axe Fx Standard was released. Since then FAS has given us all the tools to transition from one firmware to another with relative ease. It's simply up to you to compare and decide what suits your needs best.
 
JeffHester said:
What about the tone consistency from update to update? Seems like at some point Fractal would address this and solve it. I mean really... we tone chase, we have the perfect tool to get that unique sound, and it's gone with an update.
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No disrespect meant, but if you've solved all your tone problems and don't like the hassle of a new update, you should roll back absolutely! By all means, there's no need for the "next best thing" if you're already in tone heaven.

JeffHester said:
I would love it, if when you ran these updates, the firmware would adjust everything so that the general sound would be close to where you had it.
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Unfortunately there's no way to have software make those kinds of judgement calls. No way around having an intelligent mind with personal preference and experience behind the knob twiddling.
 
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