Axe FX II - no output at inconvenient times!

captainhook

captainhook

Member
Last few gigs I have had this happen:

- In between sets, I will go back on stage, the drummer counts in and I go into a crucial guitar part and there's no signal! I look back at the axe FX, it shows output, but nothing is coming out.

- I reboot - which seems like an eternity in that context, (But not nearly as long as a Kemper reboot), then audio is back and I start playing catchup as the sweat starts to drip down my forehead.

After some messing around, I am wondering if it could be something to do with the liquid foot Pro (1st generation) that I am using it with. I have a volume block that I insert post amp, that is controlled by a volume pedal.

Anybody else experience this? Either related or unrelated to a volume block and expression pedal.

Any input would be helpful to troubleshoot this gremlin in the machine!

Thanks!

Captainhook
 
When you're next set starts, do you change to a new preset?
Do you have a Volume block in all Presets?
When you lost sound, did you tap the Volume Pedal?
Are you using both an expression pedal and a volume pedal?

I don't think you would need a reboot...
 
I don't have experience with using volume blocks or the liquid foot, but I bet that's what's causing your issue.
 
I had the same thing happen to me last week ...It turns out it was a Bad TRS Cable going to to my Boss FV500L. I just received 2 TRS cables from Best-Tronics that are made specifically for the Boss FV 500 Pedals.
 
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I posted a while back as I had the same issue, only I use an MFC. Input signal but no output. Tried everything, checked everything. Reboot was the only solution. Thought maybe it had to do with a firmware load but it wasn't. Only happens once in a great while (at the least opportune moments of coarse), but it does still happen.
 
captainhook said:
Last few gigs I have had this happen:

- In between sets, I will go back on stage, the drummer counts in and I go into a crucial guitar part and there's no signal! I look back at the axe FX, it shows output, but nothing is coming out.

- I reboot - which seems like an eternity in that context, (But not nearly as long as a Kemper reboot), then audio is back and I start playing catchup as the sweat starts to drip down my forehead.

After some messing around, I am wondering if it could be something to do with the liquid foot Pro (1st generation) that I am using it with. I have a volume block that I insert post amp, that is controlled by a volume pedal.

Anybody else experience this? Either related or unrelated to a volume block and expression pedal.

Any input would be helpful to troubleshoot this gremlin in the machine!

Thanks!

Captainhook
Click to expand...

I'd make sure you set the MFC-101 Global Expression Pedal Setting to "Pedal Position" and not "Off".

View attachment 21927
 
jimnov said:
I'd make sure you set the MFC-101 Global Expression Pedal Setting to "Pedal Position" and not "Off".
Click to expand...

This typically shouldn't matter unless different pedal CC#s are used per preset. OFF just means no data is sent at preset change, and the Axe uses the last value received, which is also the current pedal position. A beginning value like 0 would mute things, but moving the pedal should bring sound back in any case.
 
brianv4 said:
I posted a while back as I had the same issue, only I use an MFC. Input signal but no output. Tried everything, checked everything. Reboot was the only solution. Thought maybe it had to do with a firmware load but it wasn't. Only happens once in a great while (at the least opportune moments of coarse), but it does still happen.
Click to expand...

Same here.
 
any possibility of a rogue MIDI CC sending a 000 value to output 1 (and/or output 2) volume controllers? Set the AxeFx CC (receive) values of these controllers to "none" so they won't recognize any of these CC messages, to eliminate them as a possibility. For good measure, treat the input volume CC in the same manner. See if your problem still happens.

For exactly this reason, I never ever ever use these controllers in my MIDI pedal control scheme. I always only attach to parameters within a block in a preset to control volume levels. Don't know if this will help, but worth a try.

Also, FWIW, I've used MIDI pedals that acted very strange when presented with erratic over/under voltage, especially in clubs with old wiring, party boat and outdoor generatir gigs, and the only remedy was a voltage regulator (as opposed to a power conditioner).

Troubleshoot by swapping out gear (cables, MIDI pedal board, receiving processor) wherever possible to see if or where the problem is replicated.
 
I like the way you think jimfist.

I have ruled out cables, accidental hitting of volume pedals, etc.

There is no reason why it shouldn't be playing. I see level registering on the Fractal, but it's like you say Jimfist - it's like there is a rogue midi CC sending to output 1.

I have just set that to none and I'll report back if I can make it happen again. (It has happened the last few studio sessions and gigs), so if nothing happens over the next week, that just might solve it!

Thanks.

Captainhook
 
Hey, I'm having this same thing happen too. I have an XL (15b) and a Mark III MFC (3.04.. ya, I got it 2 days ago.) Never had this problem until I got the MFC. Before I had a Ground Control Pro, and this never happened. It has been making me crazy, as I have to turn off my AXE, and then restart and my sound is back.

Here is what I have discovered for my issue.

For some reason the MFC has overridden my expression pedal settings and set EXP1 to OUT 1 Volume. The patch I'm using has EXP1 programmed for Delay feedback, but it is not functioning for that. Only for Volume. Anyway... the normal position is "Toe Up" which would equal volume off. When I first select a preset, it's not seeing the pedal and sound is normal. If step on the delay IA switch... Blammo. Silence.:shock

What the cuss? Turn it back off. Nada. press every button... nothing. Check my signals... lighting up... Confused. :nightmare: Then remembered seeing in the manual about the default setting for EXP1 being for volume... stepped on the pedal... hello... there's my sound.

Somehow there is some crossing of my delay block and the OUT1 Volume. Haven't quite figured this part out yet. I know the OP is using a different controller, and has ruled out volume pedal... but I find it hard to believe that these issues are completely unrelated. I would think it's likely to be some common bug here. I'm working on this right now. If I come up with anything... I'll be posting again.
 
Hey Jimfist... just re-read your post.

I think what your describing sounds close to home...

I checked Out1 Volume on the control page. It was set to control #11, so I changed it to none. That put a stop to my delay IA causing silence (so far). But... doesn't really explain why it was happening to start with...
 
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on the I/O menu --> CTRL page lists all of the items that respond to MIDI control, Input Volume, Out1 Volume and Out2 Volume being the first three. You can spin the value dial to set any CC# received by the AxeFx from 1-127, Pedal, or None, for any of these items. Setting to None will effectively not allow that item to "see" any MIDI control data. Just make sure that you don't have, for example, Out1 Volume, set so it yields no level in its most recent state before changing its CTRL to "none". Follow?
 
I had my volume dip at practice the other day... i was using my wah controller, and it was acting like a volume pedal... but dipped, and then just came back. first time it's done that.
 
Thanks Jim. I do. I actually found it a few minutes before you answered and edited my post. (Your quick to answer by the way... thanks!)

I think I have found the total issue... and it's looking like user error. My patches have 2 expression pedals set up Pedal 1 = EXP1, Pedal 2 = EXP 2... but the MFC defaults Pedal 1 to CC#11, and Pedal 2 to EXP 1. Ya... that confused me. I didn't have my pedals assigned correctly on the MFC. Since I had calibrated them, and had them set up inthe AXE, I didn't realize I had to set them up to specific CC#'s in the MFC. Now I have done that, and things seem to be working they way they should. I'll have to see if the volume dropout happens again... but I'm guessing it's not going to.

Learning curve... it ain't small.
 
no problem. I had the same head scratching with this issue when I got my Ultra years ago, using a stock, un-edited FCB1010 MIDI pedal.
 
I may have made a discovery on this issue. Quite frequently I would turn on my Axe II, tune my guitar and go to play - no sound. I would then cycle the power and everything would work. It occurred to me that this seems to happen when I tune before cycling my expression pedal (which is used to control my Output Volume). Since I made that discovery, I now cycle my expression pedal up and down before going into Tune mode, and it hasn't failed yet.
 
I recently got a new MFC as mine died during an update. I plugged it in, played for a few minutes, and the exact same thing happened to me. I had 4 expression pedals attached (but hadn't done anything to assign them yet), but stomping them didn't get sound back. Re-bootet, checked the expressions (none worked, as noe we assigned) played for a few minutes, and the same thing happend. I then went in at programmed the express pedals how i like them (XP1-4 = cc16-19), and haven't had the problem since...
 
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