Axe-Fx II Firmware Version 12.04 Public Beta

Morphosis said:
Question:
Act the SPKR page settings before 12.04beta "linear" and now with 12.04beta "non-linear"? And the amount of non-linearity can be adjusted via the new Dynamic Damping parameter? Or did i understand this wrong?
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The SPKR page settings are the same. I can't really say anything more about what is going on. This latest epiphany has taken me eight years to realize and I don't want to give competitors any hints.
 
FractalAudio said:
A scene control value of zero will now map to -100% feedback. This is likely your issue. Set the scene control value to 50%.
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Thanks, that's likely the problem, even though Yek tried to steer me in the right direction. I assumed resetting the block or creating a new one would use the correct values. You made that change in 12.03, and I never noticed any problem before now, so I must have last played those presets on 12.02. Not sure why they weren't upgraded, I'll have to check if they were global blocks. Thank you to all for your help and patience.
 
Can't wait to try this firmware out! For me, the Axe-FX II has been the perfect solution for live performance, but I've struggled with it in the studio. When I compare to reference recordings, the Axe tones have always sounded good but they've been missing a little "life" that I couldn't really describe or define. I've had no trouble getting it from a miked amp, so to date I've stuck with that in the studio.

Given the overall quality of the amp sims in the Axe-FX, I've been assuming that the problem is likely user error (some frequency response thing or mystery parameter I didn't know how to tweak), but if this update unlocks that last piece, I will be STOKED. Miking an amp is a pain in the ass--if I could capture the IRs and get the same great sound every time, and without blowing my balls off at 130 dB, I'd be in heaven.

Thanks for all the hard work, Cliff!
 
I'm sorry to say I'm not really "feeling" the new firmware yet. Using the factory presets as test material, everything sounds overly hot/distorted and scratchy. In terms of feel it's as if my strings are a lot stiffer.

Switching amp type to another type and then back again does help in taming this for me. (Even though it has been stated that amp sims shouldn't need a reset.) I do notice that amps seem to sound punchier.

I'll be spending some more time to get things to resemble what everyone else is experiencing. Night need to load the FW again?
 
FractalAudio said:
The SPKR page settings are the same. I can't really say anything more about what is going on. This latest epiphany has taken me eight years to realize and I don't want to give competitors any hints.
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One of my favorite answers ever. Don't explain anything. When Sony comes out with a new TV, they don't explain how the picture is so nice. Just use the product and appreciate its brilliance. You could hand your notes and schematics to me, and it would never get replicated. I couldn't put it together or copy it - I don't have the skills. Many of the forum members share my ignorance.

But for other watchful eyes, we have been told too much in many cases.

When I first got my AXE I used to set drive, master, volume, bass, mid, treb, presence and then pull the drop down menu for "VINTAGE, MODERN, ROCK" etc...is that still in the amp block? And can you tie in these new improvements - sag, feedback, capacitors, etc to those settings or expand on those drop down choices, so that we have "tight" "loose" etc...sort of like pre-packaged advanced settings for dummies?

Thanks
 
I upgraded last night and played briefly. Initial observation is I might be able to disengage cut on some amps now, and not high pass the speaker cabs as agressively. The mud is being handled better in the amp itself.
 
You DO have to reset the amps. Its very noticeable for me, at least.

I think there is more tweaking needed with this update. It has altered the way the AxeFx sounds quite a bit, even more then I think we realize.

The biggest thing that I'm wrapping my head around is re-evaluating the high end frequencies. Once I threw out the preconceived notion of what settings have to be, I started to enjoy the new firmware more.

This clip here is with amp settings I would never attempt before this update (treble on 10!)

FW12.4b Little Wing Solo

I STILL feel I need to clear it up with some more top-end. Lots of places for me to experiment, but this experimentation is telling me the newest beta has altered a lot of how the axefx responds and probably warrants a whole new "build patches from scratch" approach.

winger said:
I'm sorry to say I'm not really "feeling" the new firmware yet. Using the factory presets as test material, everything sounds overly hot/distorted and scratchy. In terms of feel it's as if my strings are a lot stiffer.

Switching amp type to another type and then back again does help in taming this for me. (Even though it has been stated that amp sims shouldn't need a reset.) I do notice that amps seem to sound punchier.

I'll be spending some more time to get things to resemble what everyone else is experiencing. Night need to load the FW again?
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BBN said:
Good to hear Nick, because that Jsx sounded fat as hell when we tried it at your place.
I'm in cancun, so won't be able to touch 12.4 until Sunday.
enjoy the snow today buddy.... :)
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Cancun? nice
I've been skiing so bring on the snow :)
 
Morphosis said:
I really believe, that this "dimensional issue or whatever it is" is the main reason, why some people prefer real guitar cabs over FRFR solutions.
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After playing with the new beta firmware for less then five minutes last night that is the exact same thought I had as well; I've never had my FRFR rig sound so 'enveloping' and indeed it certainly sounded, and felt, much more like how a real cab would excite the room IMO for whatever reason. I said to myself the "amp in the room guys" are going to love this update; and would seem like that whatever is now going on under the hood has brought a new life to the overall sonic experience of FRFR. Cliff has definitely figured something out and came to a new realization regarding 'dimensionality' that is translating into tangible, amazing sonic results.
 
OK. This is a first for me.

I always record a few clips (clean, crunch, lead) when an update comes along, and then do a before/after comparison. Although some have been subtle, I can't remember NOT hearing a difference in the past.

Last night I followed my normal process, and listened to the clips. Hmmmmm. Not sure I hear a difference. I downgraded, re-recorded one of the clips, and upgraded again. Same result. If there's a difference it's very subtle. However, "subtle" does not describe the feedback I'm reading about in this thread . . . quite the opposite in fact. These are clips made using the new Carr for cleans and the Marshall 50W for crunch and lead tones.

I'm going to repeat this process tomorrow night using a different guitar and a different set of patches. In the meantime, have I missed something that will make me do a palm-slap? :stupid:

The update was confirmed in both cases on the Axe-FX front panel after running. I also checked the version number later in the Utility menu. I monitor through a great set of custom in-ears.

Morphosis said:
So, what i`ve done first was a A/B comparison 12.03 vs. 12.04beta: Recorded a track with 12.03 (processed & DI unprocessed via USB), made the FW update to 12.04beta, reset the Amp Block , change the settings to what it was before (Friedman BE, Master to 7,5, Lo res to 9) and reamp the DI Signal. A/B that via headphones. The differences I hear where very subtle to me, did not hear any "dimensional" differences, just a bit tighter low end. So i asekd myself: What did the guys all hear? Almost Placebo?
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Morphosis, have you sorted out why your first test only revealed subtle differences? I noticed you were really happy with your later tests.

Terry.
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
I upgraded last night and played briefly. Initial observation is I might be able to disengage cut on some amps now, and not high pass the speaker cabs as agressively. The mud is being handled better in the amp itself.
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I noticed this as well, I was able to turn off the low cut on several of my patches without turning down the compression .....big plus there :)
 
Updated last night... played my guitar via headphones and it felt as if my fingers were playing plastic strings with the amount of bounce I was hearing. Not sure if that even makes sense to me... can't wait to play this live.
 
This is just an observation. Many people say the Factory Pre Sets are not that great. I'm no expert, but I tend to agree. Why doesn't the FA Team rework the factory pre sets so they sound better, or work better with the latest upgrades, or software version.

Also, we have so many guys on here who are excellent patch builders, why don't you let some people take the existing Axe-FX II pre set patches and tweak them so they sound much better, then let us download them with the next update.

Or, take some of the Best Patches user's have created and add them to the stock pre set patches. I know this thing requires lots of tweaking, but I am sure many people want to be able to turn the knob and have some great pre set patches without having to spend hours tweaking everything.

Just an observation/suggestion.


Thanks Again Cliff for the Update! It is HARD for me to hear exactly what the new firmware does to the sound. It would be nice to post a patch with previous firmware 12.X and then have the NEW Latest Firmware's same patch so we can hear what exactly the difference is. I wonder if the new firmware was secretly loaded on your AFX-II, how many would even know it was changed?

Again, I am Thankful for the free updates and appreciate them.
 
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