Axe FX II options and advice!

S

SolarPoweredSD

Inspired
Hey guys. I love this forum. Was hoping I could get some advice. Thanks in advance to anyone reading this and thinking about posting a reply.

I'm considering an Axe FX II. I owned a STANDARD a few years back and saw all of it's potential, but I think I quit too early. I have chronic back/neck pain and now arm issues. I'm always looking for a lightweight/portable solution. And now, with this new diagnosis in my arms, I have to cut back on lifting even more as well as other activities that strain my wrists and arms. Let me give you some background on my rig and what I'm hoping to achieve.

My band, Black Clouds, plays instrumental/post-rock kind of stuff. It's shoegazey, heavy, and dark. I have a dual mono setup. Tom Anderson Hollow Short T -->Musicman 100 watt head (38 lbs)--> Trutone custom 2x12 (32 lbs) AND Musicman 1x12 combo (~45 lbs). Our band is LOUD, and both ambient and crushing. My tones are derived thru lots of effects in a rack controlled with Voodoo Lab Stuff (~50 lbs): Strymon Timeline, Strymon Bluesky, POG, Whammy, OD, etc. I like things to be really CLEAN and loud with a touch of tube breakup which I then push only 30-40% of the time with a Fulltone Full Drive 2 or slam it with a Devi Ever Sodamesier (fuzz) for the crushing parts. I think our genre/scene lends itself to boutique pedals, ambient textures, and noise - so NOT the way most people would use an Axe FX - THOUGH I know it's versatility.

I love my sound. I have spent years and $$$$$ getting to this point. I'm not unhappy with it. What I'm unhappy about is the physical mess that I am. I'm wondering if I can get away with slim-ing down my rig ALL the way but still achieving HUGENESS in my genre. ENTER: Axe FX Standard. I ran this a few years ago through a Carvin DCM200L 1RU which I ran 200 watts mono bridged. That went into my Trutone 2x12 open back cab. Wasn't stoked on the 200 WATT SS sound and it kept cutting out. (in retrospect, I'm pretty sure I was running the power amp wrong and thus the cutting out). Anyway, I got frustrated and sold it all off.

SO, my thinking for the LIGHTEST solution now:
A) AXE II DIRECT. My issue with this is that we have this huge sound on stage and taking all cabs/amps away would be drastic. Also, there are so many variables that I'm not so sure I could be happy with the end result every show and practice. Our PA isn't great at our spot either (Gig Rac 500). Tried my POD HD500 direct, and so far not super impressed. I DO KNOW the Axe is 1000x better tho.
**BUT, I do have chronic health issues so going all the way with this direct idea is enticing.

B) AXE II, SS Power, Lightweight cabs. This is what I tried to achieve a few years back and didn't pan out so well.

FINALLY, here are my questions:
1) I felt that the Carvin was not only NOT loud enough (200 SS watts) and it just didn't push the air/give that all encompassing tube-y tone. Could have sworn it was Class D, but now I see on the Carvin site that is actually class A/B. Would getting something different and more powerful like the Matrix 800 or 1000 stuff be better or is solid-state just going to be solid-state ? I also saw that the Atomic Stereo power amp is ~29 lbs (light, but prob enough for me to justify an entire new setup).

2) What's the best method for making patches and testing sounds for DIRECT USE? I read many people buy studio monitors to tweak at home, etc. My fear is that it won't sound good at practice and I'm not going to have the time to tweak stuff at EVERY SHOW - I already have too much to deal with.

3) Any other options that I am missing to still get the sound I'm going for, but be portable/lightweight?

4) Any DC METRO/Baltimore/NOVA people have any desire to show me their Axe 2 in person??
 
axe II > matrix 1000 > pair of lightweight 8ohm cabs + midi board = light weight, flexible, crushing volume

ditch everything else, unless you have some favourite pedals you can't bear to get rid of

you can run from one output to the matrix and another output to the pa

going with FRFR speakers is also a good idea, but they will be heavier. i have a pair of RCF NX10sma's for the same reason as you - i need a lightweight, loud solution as i can't carry much these days. they're 16Kg each, so i can just about manage one in each hand over short distances, or carry one at a time easily. i also have a trolley that they can both sit on and it's a piece of cake to move them around on that. they aren't big, but they sound pristine and they're massively loud. no poweramp needed, so just the axe in a 2u case and a midi board in another - very compact and powerful stereo setup.
 
I would say get an Axe FXII, Matrix and a pair of their CFR cabs.



You could feel the sound in that room as well as hear it.

Also Power Amp but I have not personally seen one of these live.
 
The nice thing about the Axe is it sounds phenomenal direct, (FOH) or power amp/cab setup. The versatility is all there. Obviously you're wanting to go direct,direct,direct. I've ran the Axe II direct exclusively, (as many others do and can attest to), but I have been pretty "friggin'" happy with direct. I still have a couple cabs and power amp kickin' around just in case I get the urge to give'm a go. I still haven't tried PA/cabs and it's been 14-15 months since I got the "II". I highly doubt I will particularly with all the new IR's out and coming out. *Pay special mind to OwnHammer's new ones and check out the audio clips of them*.

... and you have your trial period with the Axe II as well, to decipher and discern for yourself. So we can all tell you how simply amazing it is bit you still will have to decide that for yourself in the end. The hands on dynamics are superb and IMHO have vastly improved since... That was one thing that had bothered me somewhat about the Ultra when I had it.

If you suffer from GAS... "WELCOME TO THE FRACTAL FAM!!" :D ... (don't mean to be presumptuous... ummm... yes I do... :razz
 
Last edited:
@Simeon - Thanks for the suggestions! Do you use the RCF's most of the time live? They are a bit pricey, but 31 lbs each and no power amp - that's a pretty portable setup. Forgive my inexperience with FRFR, but would you run those concurrently with direct out to the PA or would you mic them?

Also, your ambient guitar jams are sweet! That's the kind of sound I get out of my rig now. Basically create textures over HUGE bass and drums. If you are interested, check out my band: blackcloudsdc.bandcamp.com
 
@stratamania - Thanks. I've seen that video - the sounds DO sound pretty good. I was definitely considering Matrix stuff. Never heard of the Power Amp - it sounds REALLY cool. The video sounds great. I will have to check even more into this . . .
 
@swass - There are options - you are absolutely right. I was just putting the feelers out to see what may be the lightest, yet still powerful options out there (I wish they were cheaper options!). I do have GAS pretty bad, but I'm trying to weigh all my options and test whatever I can as I don't have the $ right this very moment. Good point on the trial period. Only issue is only having the Gigrac 500 PA (which probably isn't the best way to test it). Also, I don't have any power amps or other FRFR gear to test it. I guess if I plugged it into my not great PA and it sounded pretty good then it can only get better! My fear is it will just sound muddy muffled like the POD HD500 did...

@stratamania - Agreed. I just wanted to get all the possibilities in my head a little straighter.
 
SolarPoweredSD said:
@swass - I do have GAS pretty bad, but I'm trying to weigh all my options and test whatever I can as I don't have the $ right this very moment. Good point on the trial period. Only issue is only having the Gigrac 500 PA (which probably isn't the best way to test it). Also, I don't have any power amps or other FRFR gear to test it. I guess if I plugged it into my not great PA and it sounded pretty good then it can only get better! My fear is it will just sound muddy muffled like the POD HD500 did...
Click to expand...

You may want to inquire and possibly keep rental as an option for something of compact, better quality, (popular powered wedges for tha Axe?) during your trial period... or take the Axe to the music store to start shopping around for FOH, FRFR options and setups. Just trying to tip you over the edge. :razz
 
If you get interested in RCF (and why wouldn't you;-), check with Mike Pyle (audiopyle on forum I think) as he'll get you a great deal. Like Simeon, I have 2 RCF NX10s and love them. I don't begin to push them volume-wise, but I love the combination of sound quality and portability. The recommendation for in-ears and direct to PA would be cheaper though. Those RCFs, particularly the NX12s would likely blow whatever you're using with the Gigrack out of the water.
 
MikeyB59 said:
If you get interested in RCF (and why wouldn't you;-), check with Mike Pyle (audiopyle on forum I think) as he'll get you a great deal. Like Simeon, I have 2 RCF NX10s and love them. I don't begin to push them volume-wise, but I love the combination of sound quality and portability. The recommendation for in-ears and direct to PA would be cheaper though. Those RCFs, particularly the NX12s would likely blow whatever you're using with the Gigrack out of the water.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah - I mean I use cheap Behringer PA wedges with the GigRac for iPod samples and Keyboard DI at practice. We don't have vocals (our last band did) but we use PA just for the keyboard and iPod - it's not an ideal setup for the Axe. I'm also still wondering though . . . If I were to get something powered like the RCF's, can I mic that at a show or do I go direct and use those as just monitors??? Again forgive my FRFR inexperience !!!

Concerned on price for a FRFR rig - but concerned about Solidstate power in a more traditional setup (I've never liked anything solid-state when it gets cranked up - that Carvin I had with my Axe FX Standard def didn't cut it).

@swass - I don't need much tilting hahaha! But, renting some powered speakers would be a good way to test. Worst case scenario I waste a few bucks and like a week of my time.
 
@SolarPoweredSD I would not be concerned about an Axe FX II sounding similar to a HD500 through FRFR. The variable isn't the FRFR its the device going into it. I had an HD500, whilst on the waiting list for the Axe FXII they are night and day in my opinion. The HD500 at its pricepoint does what it does but it is a different beast to the Axe FXII.
 
SolarPoweredSD said:
@Simeon - Thanks for the suggestions! Do you use the RCF's most of the time live? They are a bit pricey, but 31 lbs each and no power amp - that's a pretty portable setup. Forgive my inexperience with FRFR, but would you run those concurrently with direct out to the PA or would you mic them?
Click to expand...

hello mate, yes the RCF's are my only amplification, so i use them for everything. i normally have them on the floor behind me pointing slightly across the stage, so they're like a monitor/backline. you could put them on their ends, if you need more horizontal dispersion, or on crates, or on poles. they're easily loud enough for any application. no need to mic them up, as you have two pairs of outputs on the axe - one pair goes to the wedges and the other pair goes straight to the desk. you have independent master GEQ's on each output pair, so you can adjust if needed. i leave the eq going to the wedges flat and the eq going to desk has a bit of top and bottom removed.

the advantages of using a full range setup are as follows...

1) same patches used for wedges / PA / recording, so simple to set up
2) the wide frequency response is great, especially if you extend the range of the guitar with pitch shifting etc and you venture down into the bass range. effects placed after the cab block are "studio" quality and completely uncoloured, because there's no rolloff above 8k like there is with a conventional guitar cab
3) the rcf's have incredible definition, clarity and headroom - very useful if you're creating dense, effect heavy sounds and/or looping
4) buy a couple of pole mounts and a little mixer and you also have a pretty tidy PA for parties/small gigs!
5) you can play keyboards through them
6) < s t e r e o > :)

listening to your stuff now - sounds great!
 
My Axe FX 2, and Monster Pro 2500 power conditioner, in my 4U Roadrunner rack feels heavy as all hell haha. Definitely weighs more than one of my K12's in the bag.
 
Wow, guys thanks so much for the helpful responses. I actually have a clue now! I think the best possible solution for me assuming I dig the sound - is to run a FRFR rig into 2 LIGHTWEIGHT powered speakers.

I've learned a lot in 24 hours - by reading this forum and watching a lot of videos. It seems that by using the PA wedges as a backline - you still have sound behind you for small clubs, you can still go direct, and have the means to tweak the patches to get fairly close to the FOH sound when you show up to a venue.

Now, the issue is just letting go of the traditional approach to guitar amps. I mean, it seems that in theory - running the Axe thru FRFR setup would yield the clearest result and still maintaining a great tube tone at extremely high volumes. The problem with tube amps is they sound great cranked to a degree (in my opinion at least). In my band, 70% of the time I try to create pristine soundscapes with delays and reverb. When I crank my amp past that 50/60% mark it severely impacts the tone of those effects. Because I have to crank it to compete with huge drums and fuzzed out massive bass, I guess my sound isn't as ideal as I would want it (something I have noticed for while). I mean it sounds great, but not completely ideal.

With the FRFR Axe setup I can, in theory, get closer to that ideal clean (and slightly pushed tone) with a bunch of effects without it getting muddy. And at the same time I will have achieved the most LIGHTWEIGHT RIG - which is the whole reason I'm looking into this in the FIRST PLACE!!!

@stratamania - I wasn't trying to necessarily compare the POD with the Axe. I just seeing if I could get a useable sound out of it by going direct to my Gigrac 500 and crappy Behringer PA speakers that we use for Keyboards and ipod at practice. Alas, I could not get a useable sound. I figured I would somehow make myself more confident that if I could get a useable sound with that - then there would be no question the Axe FX II would work for me. But you are absolutely right, it's apples and oranges.

@simeon - Glad you dig the jams! I am definitely feeling like that setup is the way to go at this point (assuming I can figure out a way to fund it!). The RCF stuff is out of my price range. I think the best option would be to get the Axe and go to a music store and just A/B loudspeakers.

Here's my list of ones to eventually try in person (watched videos and read up a little on some of them already):
RCF NX12 or 10s
EV ELX 112p
QSC K10
Mackie SRM 350v2

Any other suggestions on speakers or other thoughts in general?
 
I swear by the The AF2, Matrix GT800FX and two CFR12s. Here's me holding a CFR12, using one finger in each hand: They are only 29lbs each!

254587_472848149405287_240774490_n.jpg


I've only done one recording of the AF2, GT800FX, and CFR 2s with a Yamaha Pocketrax W24. I wanted to see how brittle I could get. Make you own call.



I have more demos to follow.
 
I suffer from chronic pain i have a bad back bad arthritis throughout my body fibromialga im disabled im 50 and i live in md. I have a rack full of bradshaw gear i use multiple heads and pedalboards. Its hard enough for me to just play. Carrying all that equipment about kills me i dont even want to play after moving all that equipment. It was eather quit playing music witch is my passion and without it i would probably Not be here. or i get some lighter equipment i play 80's hard rock heavy metal and modern rock so i love my tone. i bought a AxeFxll a Matrix gt1000fx a ferman power conditioner and a line6 g90 wireless it sounds great and i ware ear plugs i can use a 2×12, 2-2×12's or 2 -4×12's it sounds great to me and there's always running it through the PA.
Gary
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom