Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 1.00 Public Beta

Are people seriously hearing a difference in the clips here? I've listened multiple times in a well-treated room on nice studio monitors and I cannot really say that one sounds better than the other. Based on the comments posted, I was expecting a night and day difference. Again, this is just based on the clips I'm hearing as I haven't updated yet. Maybe it's more of a "feel" thing so hopefully I'll chub up a little more once I get to install it next week. But damn, you guys must have some golden ears!

I can quite clearly hear a difference on headphones, but only because I'm really listening for it. It's easier to A/B if you jump between the FW19 and Quantum sections of the clip at the appropriate places in the waveform, so you can compare single-tracked VS single, and double VS double.

Does Quantum sound better in this clip to me? IMO - yes, but not a huge thing. It sounds like more of a subtle EQ change than anything.

Can't wait to try it for myself, sadly I won't have time til the weekend.
 
I'd do this myself if I only had time... maybe someone could record us a clip like so:

1). Record a 5 second unprocessed guitar riff in looper, or DAW.
2). Play loop through a selection of different amp models on FW19 and record 5 second amp clips.
3). Update to Quantum and repeat with the same loop, amps. No other changes.
4). Use DAW to arrange all these mini clips into one long clip so that it A/Bs one amp at a time.

(amp1 FW19 > amp1 Quantum ::::: amp2 FW19 > amp2 Quantum ::::: amp3 FW19... amp3 Quantum ::::: and so on..............................)

Just a handful of popular amps ranging from clean to hi gain would suffice :)
 
So I loaded up the new firmware. Horrid horrid sound. Then I noticed, something odd has occurred with my Cab block. My cab block was stored in global blocks and still is. I realise there are now more IR slots than before on the XL, but each preset now brings up a different cab IR, or combinations of cab IR's. I tried re-saving the cab block, which should then apply it to all presets, but it doesn't. Is this a bug?
 
I don't hear any appreciable difference in the clips. Lousy example. Download and install it and all will be evident.

i feel like sound clip comparisons are worthless for this one. it's about feel and perception WHILE you play. this causes you to play differently, so a recorded Dry or loop sent through 19 vs Q1 won't tell as much as simply installing it and playing.

everything feels more immediate. this affects your playing in a good way. the bass frequencies squish very nicely and almost feels like the speaker is compressing as opposed to "clipping compression." palm muting on high gain is more sponge-like, and again more immediate. my pick feels like it's gliding through the strings instead of getting stuck along the way (that's tough to describe). cleans are chimey, spanky, punchy, but not necessarily EQ-wise. it's just clearer, more immediate. i can hear the "knock" of the cabinet. all those tiny harmonics and "noises" of just moving my hand around sound natural and adds to the overall feel - this is a good thing! harmonics jump out and are easy to use and control.

it really is just more and better. don't waste time over analyzing this one guys, install it, put HBE amp stock and Factory Cab 59 (TV cab by ML) and play a big G chord.
 
+1!

i feel like sound clip comparisons are worthless for this one. it's about feel and perception WHILE you play. this causes you to play differently, so a recorded Dry or loop sent through 19 vs Q1 won't tell as much as simply installing it and playing.

everything feels more immediate. this affects your playing in a good way. the bass frequencies squish very nicely and almost feels like the speaker is compressing as opposed to "clipping compression." palm muting on high gain is more sponge-like, and again more immediate. my pick feels like it's gliding through the strings instead of getting stuck along the way (that's tough to describe). cleans are chimey, spanky, punchy, but not necessarily EQ-wise. it's just clearer, more immediate. i can hear the "knock" of the cabinet. all those tiny harmonics and "noises" of just moving my hand around sound natural and adds to the overall feel - this is a good thing! harmonics jump out and are easy to use and control.

it really is just more and better. don't waste time over analyzing this one guys, install it, put HBE amp stock and Factory Cab 59 (TV cab by ML) and play a big G chord.
 
So I loaded up the new firmware. Horrid horrid sound. Then I noticed, something odd has occurred with my Cab block. My cab block was stored in global blocks and still is. I realise there are now more IR slots than before on the XL, but each preset now brings up a different cab IR, or combinations of cab IR's. I tried re-saving the cab block, which should then apply it to all presets, but it doesn't. Is this a bug?

It's because of the added new factory cabs.
You'll need to re-select the user cabs.
 
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i feel like sound clip comparisons are worthless for this one. it's about feel and perception WHILE you play. this causes you to play differently, so a recorded Dry or loop sent through 19 vs Q1 won't tell as much as simply installing it and playing.

everything feels more immediate. this affects your playing in a good way. the bass frequencies squish very nicely and almost feels like the speaker is compressing as opposed to "clipping compression." palm muting on high gain is more sponge-like, and again more immediate. my pick feels like it's gliding through the strings instead of getting stuck along the way (that's tough to describe). cleans are chimey, spanky, punchy, but not necessarily EQ-wise. it's just clearer, more immediate. i can hear the "knock" of the cabinet. all those tiny harmonics and "noises" of just moving my hand around sound natural and adds to the overall feel - this is a good thing! harmonics jump out and are easy to use and control.

it really is just more and better. don't waste time over analyzing this one guys, install it, put HBE amp stock and Factory Cab 59 (TV cab by ML) and play a big G chord.

Thanks Chris. I will take your word for it. I like to wait for the release versions of FW. So will be sticking with 19 which is damn fine in its on right ;)
 
hi all

at first thanks for the awesome work done along the whole year by Cliff & the team.
love this Release as I loved the previous !

seems more meaty, a litll emore gain, clear low, etc. as others stated, I agree.
Just a remark: seems the BMT pots are less efficient/drastic as the previous were ? correct or not ? you feel the same ?
 
Just had my first hour with FW one. Wow. I was already happy, but there is a dynamic responsiveness to it now that is amazing. It's ALIVE. Seems a little less gainy on my presets which was fine as I could gain them up easily. I'm clean to medium gain mostly and in that world everything was just better. Amp drive without pedals was awesome. I finally got some Dumble sounds that I really loved. Then I hit saturation and OMG. Really, every which way I went with the FW sounded awesome and gave me more of what I love about amp tones.

I was wondering how it could get better before this FW, but clearly Cliff came up with a very distinct answer. It already sounded fabulous and now it sounds even more so and the feel is fantastic.


Thanks for making great better.
 
It's because of the added new factory cabs.
You'll need to re-select the user cabs.

Well It's not that simple...I don't know what the hell has happened, but I tried re-assigning the global cab block, and I had to do it per-preset (Never thought it worked like that!). Then, my cab IR pretty much disappeared volume-wise. It's hardly audible. So something is really wrong. I think I'm going back to the previous firmware until this can be resolved.
 
Well It's not that simple...I don't know what the hell has happened, but I tried re-assigning the global cab block, and I had to do it per-preset (Never thought it worked like that!). Then, my cab IR pretty much disappeared volume-wise. It's hardly audible. So something is really wrong. I think I'm going back to the previous firmware until this can be resolved.

You DID install Beta software BTW.

And you people are making it very tough to be at work.
 
You DID install Beta software BTW.

And you people are making it very tough to be at work.

Beta..yes. It's important for us users (as testers) to point out any issues we find, they might be bugs etc. Anyway, I just reloaded my IR, orverwritten the existing one, and phew! it's okay. So, I'm guessing my IR (which I saved in slot 1) didn't somehow save correctly after the firmware update.
 
I'm not a huge fan of this sort of comments but this time I have no chance. I have to do it.
WOOOOHOOOOO !! ..
I'm mean really. This is such a huge improvement, at least imo.
I was at point of rethinking my setup and bringing a real amp back but now .. great!
It feels way better under your fingers. Couldn't tweak a good Recto sound in the past. Maybe because that's not what I'm used use. I'm a Marshall guy. But a few minutes ago, I took one those amps and combined it with the ML Mesa SM57 "factory" cab, made a few little EQ and Drive adjustments and it worked really well.
It's all about the feeling. Hard to describe. Go, try it!
 
Difficult to put words on it but it sounds (way) better. More clarity, notes really pop up with a lot of dynamics. When you roll off the guitar volume, for me there is a huge difference in sound and feel compared tp previous FW. Have just played with plexis, jcm 800 ... now it's difficult to stop and try another amp :)
I was with the FW19 so I also tried de dephase and it's a very nice add.
The Axe has become incredible... Thanks FAS and Cliff :)
 
I don't hear any appreciable difference in the clips. Lousy example. Download and install it and all will be evident.

Glad to know you agree with those of us who haven't been able to hear any difference either, but are you going to explain to us what's changed? We're already 14 pages into this thread. What should we be listening for?
 
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