Axe-Fx II Firmware "Ares" 1.00 Public Beta

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Just updated to the Ares beta... WOW! I have handfuls of favorite presets and they have really taken a shine to Ares! Super-MEGA-Thanks to all at Fractal for making this happen! I have been absolutely floored by the quality of the XL+ since Day 1 of my purchase and this firmware beta just takes it over the top! I don't know how you continue to improve on perfection, but you always do... This is the best music-related money I have ever spent. Mr. Chase, thanks for everything you and your team do for the music community!

A huge By-Name shout out to the team!! Ed Dame, Michael Pickens, Ryan Buckley, Todd Mizenko, Ron Collins, Dave Benshemer and Matt Picone. Thanks for the fantastic giftbox of smoking tones! I have a deep appreciation for all of the magic that you collectively have put into my own XL+ and the after-care that came with it. Word-of-mouth about what you do and how you do it is what draws us to your creation. I've seen plenty of Fractal ads over the years, but the personal testimonial of a single AX8 owner is what pushed me to make the purchase. I told MY story to a friend and he surprised me weeks later with an e-mailed pic of his just-arrived Axe III. You have made something so incredibly special and it is a gift to all who have one or hear it on their favorite albums. Again, thanks for everything! Bravo! *standing ovation*
 
One thing I’ve noticed in the beta is that when I retrieve an effect from another patch, I removes all the bypassed effects in the current preset (the effect becomes active again)
 
Edit: like some others I get no sound with the Porta-bass for some reason and it causes axe edit to crash after a minute and the axe XL to freeze when i try to switch to another amp.


Me too. No sound with the Porta-bass.
 
I found another glitch with AxeEdit. When you attach a controller to gain or volume etc. you cannot adjust the values using the keyboard (the arrow keys). The values jump around like crazy. Can anyone confirm?
 
Hi Cliff. I have done a lot of TM of bass amps in the past. And i used the SV bass model. But since we got a new re-worked SV bass model,none of my old presets sound any good (it`s too loud as well)
So i wonder if you could keep the old model as well in the final FW ??

I love the new model ! But i `need`the old one as well
Could this be done ?
 
Hi Cliff, I agree with Seed, the new one is fine but the old one too, could you keep the 2 SV amps please?
 
Hi Cliff. I have done a lot of TM of bass amps in the past. And i used the SV bass model. But since we got a new re-worked SV bass model,none of my old presets sound any good (it`s too loud as well)
So i wonder if you could keep the old model as well in the final FW ??

I love the new model ! But i `need`the old one as well
Could this be done ?
There is a wish for this already from @austinbuddy.
 
+1 keep the old SV bass along with the new one. Like SEED. I love the new one's but I have bass patches with TM's in them which get thrown off with the change and extreme difference in volume.

Thanks!
 
I just got my used FXII unit. First thing I did was update the firmware to Ares (thanks Fractal, you're doing god's work!). Second thing I did was restore all of the presets to factory default, since the previous owner had a bunch of random stuff on there. Now I wonder what kind of effect that had on the firmware update since it looks like some preset tweaking/changing has been going on with the new firmware. Should I re-install the firmware update again?
 
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I just got my used FXII unit. First thing I did was update the firmware to Ares (thanks Fractal!). Second thing I did was restore all of the presets to factory default, since the previous owner had a bunch of random stuff on there. Now I wonder what kind of effect that had on the firmware update since it looks like some preset tweaking/changing has been going on with the new firmware. Should I re-install the firmware update again?
It isn't necessary. The presets are separate from the firmware.
 
This was an unexpected surprise indeed, and a very welcome one. Thanks, once again, Cliff for your efforts and going the extra mile. While putting in this kind of effort doesn't translate directly into $$$ the good-will generated by doing so, as well as demonstrating that FAS stands behind their products to the end, will pay off in so many intangible, beneficial ways.

I fired up the II, loaded this beta, reset the amps on my main presets/tones, and had a jam....

My immediate impressions were:
  • the low end is much tighter, more controllable, and easier to dial in; it punches and is super tight riffing on the low E string. Me very much like...especially on lower gain/overdriven amps and tones
  • all amps sound more 'focused'....more coherent...tighter, more harmonic detail, particularly in the high mids/top end. A bit hard to quantify but they sound simply richer, more detailed overall, and it all 'hangs together better' and feels faster.
  • the 'surfing' zone between clean/overdrive/distortion feels 'wider' in general; dynamic nuances in picking/using the volume control are incredibly expressive over a wider range. The amps just feel a lot more....playable....wider...responsive. This is awesome.....
  • I'm hearing, and feeling, a really sweet 'chirp' and bite, particularly in single/higher notes, that sounds like an 'explosion' of harmonics but is very sweet and drops out kinda quick...you feel like you're 'working that string' even more so...again, awesome
  • similarly, I'm hearing more dynamic, richer harmonic content all over the spectrum particularly on the note attacks, and lingering chords on gainy tones have harmonic complexity that evolves over time. Amps just sound more complex and dynamic.
  • overall Ares is a winner for me in every way, particularly how the amps 'ride that edge' of clean/overdrive/distortion and how that feels. Everything is a little more rude...snarly....meaner.
I do like Quantum 10 a lot...have no issues with it, not at all....but I found this beta to be...'inspirational' and it will be a fantastic version to retire the platform on, as well as getting glimpse of where things are going.

Thanks again Cliff and FAS....you guys rawk...
 
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