Axe-Fx II Firmware Version 7.00 Available

Is there an easy way to tell if the bank updates took successfully, sent the sysex files with sysex librarian, but can't tell if I have the updated presets...firmware update worked...

What I used to do on my Standard before updating any banks was delete one of that bank's factory presets and make it blank. After I installed the new bank, I would check that preset. If it was no longer blank and had a preset there, I knew the bank had installed correctly.
 
Have upgraded firmware and presets...... Not sure if the presets have loaded properly. While the new amp models, Cabs, etc. are loaded with the V7 Firmware, I don't see any new presets utilizing the new amp models. Am I missing something?
 
What I used to do on my Standard before updating any banks was delete one of that bank's factory presets and make it blank. After I installed the new bank, I would check that preset. If it was no longer blank and had a preset there, I knew the bank had installed correctly.
That's a good trick. Do the last preset in the bank and you've got a decent sanity check. Bank files load serially from the first patch to the last.
 
Is there an easy way to tell if the bank updates took successfully, sent the sysex files with sysex librarian, but can't tell if I have the updated presets...firmware update worked...

If you use Axe Manage in Axe Edit and create two views you can watch it. Click on the link in my sig for an example.
 
Mystery solved! It wasn't the amp blocks, it was the cab block. The addition of the new cab IR's had shunted my own cab IR along so I was getting a different cab IR instead (a not very nice one at that). Something to look out for folks! All is well again...phew!
It looks like on most of my presets, I need to increment the user cab selection by 4 (which makes sense if the six added cabs used the two reserved slots and then shifted the user cabs by 4). On low-numbered presets the adjustment seems to be +/- one; a preset that was using user 3 seems to come up with user 2, and a preset that was using preset 8 seems to come up with user 9. It gets confusing, so I may have to revert to 6.02, restore the presets, and make some notes for the user cabs.

Has anyone got this figured out?
 
Just updated to 7. Usually, my PRS Swamp Ash Specials and Studio sound glorious on only on real Vox AC-30's and so-so on the Axe-FX II's Vox AC-30 models. Today, they sound glorious on the Axe-FX II. Thanks Cliff.
 
I just came back from my weekend gigs with my new MFC-101 and new FW 7.0... I can't belive my ears, how real my Axe Fx II sounds now..It's ubelivable...It seems to have all touch and feel of my tube amps I used to use before..and more.. with all it's flexibility,amazing effects ..And MFC-101 ...opened for me whole new world while giging :) Good job guys from Fractal !!!
Thanks
 
My patches sound different, that's for sure. I'm not sure I prefer them in 7.0 - but am exploring new parameters to me that seem to be making them better than they were - so, again, a new direction.
 
I worked with 7 all day today, and I can't say I'm completely liking the changes that were made to the default amp dynamics settings. I worked really hard getting my patches to sound just right before the latest firmaware update. So what I'm doing is keeping the amp settings from 6.2, which have very different settings in the dynamics tab especially. What I'm concerned with is in the future, it seems like all the amps in the Axe FX are going to have this really bright pick attack, which can be great, but apparently it's at the loss of some gain or saturation. But having a really sharp/crisp pick attack is not always what I'm after.

It appears I'm going to have to really learn all those settings in the dynamics page so I can tame back the pick attack when necessary. It's a shame that the firmware has to alter existing patches so drastically. I thought the amps sounded really good in 6.2.

Are these changes being made to the default amp blocks to make the amps sound more accurate to their real life counterparts?

BTW... Does anyone know if there's any problem with NOT resetting the amp block and using the patch settings from 6.2 in FW 7.0? To me, many of my patches just sound much more spot on before restting the amp block, and way too different after resetting it. So why reset it???
 
I worked with 7 all day today, and I can't say I'm completely liking the changes that were made to the default amp dynamics settings. I worked really hard getting my patches to sound just right before the latest firmaware update. So what I'm doing is keeping the amp settings from 6.2, which have very different settings in the dynamics tab especially. What I'm concerned with is in the future, it seems like all the amps in the Axe FX are going to have this really bright pick attack, which can be great, but apparently it's at the loss of some gain or saturation. But having a really sharp/crisp pick attack is not always what I'm after.

It appears I'm going to have to really learn all those settings in the dynamics page so I can tame back the pick attack when necessary. It's a shame that the firmware has to alter existing patches so drastically. I thought the amps sounded really good in 6.2.

Are these changes being made to the default amp blocks to make the amps sound more accurate to their real life counterparts?

BTW... Does anyone know if there's any problem with NOT resetting the amp block and using the patch settings from 6.2 in FW 7.0? To me, many of my patches just sound much more spot on before restting the amp block, and way too different after resetting it. So why reset it???

You answered your own question. you have to bite down and learn all those settings in the dynamics page.Theres plenty of parameters there to change the dynamics of your
tone/ pick attack any way possible. You have more versatility but it comes with a cost of revamping your presets and a little learning. If your not happy you could go back to v6
 
Can anyone help with keeping the TM?
I am in the middle of recording an album, and got the 1st track down, and now that I upgraded, lost all my Tone Match blocks, everything sounds wrong now.
Am I going to have to make new Tone Matches, or is there a way to recover this from the previous firmware?
You can retrieve your TMs from your backups.
 
While I think all the other amp models I've tried in V7 are greatly improved, I do notice a reduction in the saturation of the brit brown, and the Master sounds better lower now for some reason, I think because the flubbiness is more audible since overall the amp detail is clearer.

Also, drive setting was max already, and increasing the input trim adds harshness rather than compression. What I'm wondering is what advanced parameter might help return some of the smoothness, if first impressions are accurate (it could also be a case of, my strings got old : ) (If no one knows, I guess I could just put a drive pedal in front). The advanced params are pretty deep and the . physics explanations are a tad over my head. An adjective like "More MILKY" in the advanced tutorialser did awhile back (greatly appreciated) would clarify things ENORMOUSLY.

--Update: just changed strings, switched IR to redwirez ubercab & the amp is no longer muddy, with my master volume 6.85 and drive at 7.3. Changed phaser to block 90 rate 9 oclock, very close eith Firmware 7 - stunning. Eddie must've used new strings a lot. It makes the difference with his style and sound. I don't think that legato stuff rings and flows with 35 hours of string use. In fact, just 8 hours may be max.
 
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I lean heavily towards following Cliff/FAS blindly.....but not without faith!

Cliff has shown that all the FW updates to be sound and with definite improvements in mind. Improvements are are subtle at times but impacts greatly. Other updates are dramatic and as a result may change the whole dang architecture such as 7.00!!

Once we get past the "Man, my presets are f*#d up!" ......and start really digging into all the forethought and work Cliff and team has done fore these updates.....we can truly appreciate what these updates achieve! A big part of the fun is exploring what the heck they did!

As for me, I'm all for enjoying and experiencing these amps/effects in the best most authentic experience possible!
FAS is 2nd to none in their commitment to provide this to their customers....and at no extra cost! Wild!

.....btw....just revert back to the previous FW if time constraints are an issue. When time permits....update again and fine tune your presets and .....Explore!
 
The advanced params are pretty deep and the . physics explanations are a tad over my head. An adjective like "More MILKY" in the advanced tutorialser did awhile back (greatly appreciated) would clarify things ENORMOUSLY.

Does such a document still exist? This would aid me greatly in attempting to dial in settings in the more advanced pages of the amp block.

I'm mainly interested in settings that will help to retain the sustain and saturation I need in the gain. A nice crisp pick attack is great, but if it's at the cost of loss of nice singing sustain and saturated tone, it's all good for nothing. Sadly, that's what I'm hearing 7.0 has appeared to do to most all of the amps.

Certian amps before 7.0 such as the USA Lead 1+ felt thick and could sustain notes easily. But after 7.0, the amp has very little sustain and feels much more thin to my ears. These are MAJOR changes to the way the amp feels and sounds. What would be the easiest way to retain the characteristics of the amp in the 6.2 firmware but in 7?

BTW... Don't get me wrong, I do not plan to revert back to previous firmware and I'm not trashing 7.0. I'm just looking for advice on how to get some of the character of 6.2 (mainly the sustain and saturation) back into my patches easily in 7.0. If I could get the pick attack of 7.0 with the sustain and saturation of 6.2 = euphoria!!!
 
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Certian amps before 7.0 such as the USA Lead 1+ felt thick and could sustain notes easily.
Didn't pay as much attention to the sustain, but for me preset 13 USA Lead was one of the more awesome ones that got way better in the last firmwares. Less so today...

In fact, after the honeymoon period, I'm fairly disappointed with how most stock presets are sounding. Hopefully it's just the added bass and highs that have destabilized the sweet point of the spectrum for what I use personally. Hardly anything gives me a kick anymore, lots of magic gone (yes, I need fresh strings too; you need those every day with an Axe ;)).

But also lots of magic added of course. So I too wish the magic of 6 & 7 were combined.

Anyway, the problems only motivate me to learn tweaking, so not dissing fw7.
But when it's easier, it sure is easier... :)

I try not to whine, cause I don't use run of the mill pickups and have a lot to learn. Shortest route may be the Speaker tab...
Most presets also seem way too saturated for me. I have to use Input Trim of guitar volume for a lot of them to sound much better.
 
Didn't pay as much attention to the sustain, but for me preset 13 USA Lead was one of the more awesome ones that got way better in the last firmwares. Less so today...

In fact, after the honeymoon period, I'm fairly disappointed with how most stock presets are sounding. Hopefully it's just the added bass and highs that have destabilized the sweet point of the spectrum for what I use personally. Hardly anything gives me a kick anymore, lots of magic gone (yes, I need fresh strings too; you need those every day with an Axe ;)).

But also lots of magic added of course. So I too wish the magic of 6 & 7 were combined.

Anyway, the problems only motivate me to learn tweaking, so not dissing fw7.
But when it's easier, it sure is easier... :)

I try not to whine, cause I don't use run of the mill pickups and have a lot to learn. Shortest route may be the Speaker tab...
Most presets also seem way too saturated for me. I have to use Input Trim of guitar volume for a lot of them to sound much better.

I really hope I'm not coming off like I'm whining. I'm not. I'm hoping for some info that will help shed light on how to understand the new preamp dynamics, which should in turn help me to tweak the amp block and really know what I'm doing to get the end results I desire.

I really can't make any comments on how user presets have changed. I spent little time with them. I've come to learn that presets do very little for me.
 
personally, i'd like a little it of help transitioning from one firmware the next. they're coming quite quick at the moment and it seems just as i get my tones nailed, we get an update and it's back to the drawing board. i only get a week max to dial them all back in before the next gig, so it can be a tad stressful sometimes. if cliff was able to offer a little advice in the release notes, so we could start from a point similar to the old firmware - like "this update will generally increase the presence in your patches, so dial it down by 2 points" - it would be incredibly helpful. i love the way things have been going and 7 has definitely improved matters, but boy, it can be a bit of a slog tweaking all your patches, especially when you really have no idea how they have fundamentally changed from the last version.
 
To get 6.xx sustain, etc. turn MV up, Supply Sag down, Dyamics at 0%, Pre-amp Comp at 0%.

FWIW I find I get more sustain in 7.00.
 
I don't have much luck tweaking my presets from a major version to another.

It's faster for me to start from scratch and just keep in mind what I am going for.

I've consistently ended up with better presets and less time tweaking by starting in essence over again but with the knowledge of what order of blocks I like and what kinds of tones / feels.

Richard
 
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