Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 2.04 Firmware Release

[chris]

Trivia time: anybody know the first top 40 hit containing a guitar solo played through a Rockman?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx6w3j7cWa0

 

[∞Fractals]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx6w3j7cWa0

When I was 16, I had a job at a large outdoor music venue in Chicago. When he was there, in the green room was his mirrored-sequined short-waisted jacket hanging on the rack. Now, what I didn't really appreciate being a dumb-assed kid was that me, at 6'2" wasn't gonna really fit into his jacket (being such a tiny guy), but I tried anyways and bbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrripppppppp... went the armpit/sleeve stitching.

I quickly hung it up and ran out. Saw his show the next night and he wore it for half the song after the break - the copacabana tune ... funny bit of trivia (to me at least)

Also, on load in, he had a white Yamaha piano with a little black (with white lettering) "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker on the side facing the audience. Being smart-assed kids we made some joke about it that the roadies overheard. They cussed at us, but then about an hour later the sticker was gone.

When he practiced, no staff at the venue could watch; even the guards protecting the sight-line had to turn their backs while he practiced. This was late 1970s.

 

[jesussaddle]

Trivia time: anybody know the first top 40 hit containing a guitar solo played through a Rockman?

Wow, that's not an easy one on Google. Fortunately someone answered it already; otherwise I would be clueless.

 

[pima1234]

I just thought we were being Rick Rolled. Close enough...

 

[randombastage]

I would think it would be a Boston song since he had lots of hits and was probably using it before he ever marketed it.

 

[soheil]

Was on vacation last week and came back last night. Updating now. Thanks Cliff

 

[don_joe]

It is just me or with every passing firmware it gets more difficult to make the Axe sounds bad??? Fractal never ceases to amaze me...

Ditto. I'm still stuck on 2.02. and I'm finally playing instead of tweaking. The only reason to upgrade would be the Friedman but it might even wait for some of the next FWs.

 

[blackmoreguitar]

Ditto. I'm still stuck on 2.02. and I'm finally playing instead of tweaking. The only reason to upgrade would be the Friedman but it might even wait for some of the next FWs.

I'm on the latest firmware but have been pretty much stuck on the Plexi 1970 for about the last month. I have recently acquired a lovely Strat and it just sounds wonderful. Truly great. Sounds pretty great with a Les Paul as well. Cuts with the band too.......

 

[Gregmang]

Been away for two weeks and feeling a little stupid..


"2.00, 2.01 and 2.02. In the Global menu the “Default Modeling Version” selects
which version of modeling to use when choosing a new amp model and when
recalling presets made with previous firmware versions. Choices are “Latest”
“Q2.01” and “Q2.00”. In the Amp block the “Modeling Version” selects the
version to use which can be used to override the default value. Note that
changing the Modeling Version in the Amp block will load appropriate default
values for the Preamp Hardness, Preamp Bias and Harmonics parameters thereby
overriding any changes that may have been made to those parameters. In simple
terms: if you want the sound of 2.02 set the Modeling Version to Latest, for
2.01 use Q2.01 and for 2.00 use Q2.00"


I found the "Default Modeling Version" in Global easy enough but where is "Modeling Version" in the Amp block ? I admit I use Axe Edit exclusively but I've updated that to the latest as well and don't see it there. Is it only accessible via front panel ?


Thanks in advance !



Never mind ! Found it !!!

 

[lano2]

Too much bass now in general on the whole unit ?

 

[RDH]

Too much bass now in general on the whole unit ?

Personally I don't experience this. It depends greatly on the ir's you use , and what monitors you used, as well as the room you're in. An untreated room can multiply bass by a large amount. Some ir's are bass heavy, there are multiple ways to lower the bass just about anywhere in the chain you desire! I would start with the room , the audition ir's, then tune the low with EQ. Different venues will sound completely different. I use global EQ to correct this if needed.

 

[ben ifin]

Personally I don't experience this. It depends greatly on the ir's you use , and what monitors you used, as well as the room you're in. An untreated room can multiply bass by a large amount. Some ir's are bass heavy, there are multiple ways to lower the bass just about anywhere in the chain you desire! I would start with the room , the audition ir's, then tune the low with EQ. Different venues will sound completely different. I use global EQ to correct this if needed.

^^^ This is the key.

There has never been, and never will be, an amp or modeller or any other such device that when used in an uncontrolled acoustic environment [ ie: anywhere other than a perfectly designed and built anechoic chamber ] where location specific final / global eq is not needed.

Best sound / electric guitar advice I ever got => get your guitar and efx and amp => set it up at home / somewhere where you can turn it up to real / actual live-gig level => stand at live-gig distance from your speakers like you would at a gig => tweak your sounds to your liking ...... then when you set up at a real-gig fine tune your eq / global eq to adjust for the acoustic space you are in

Ben

 

[mongoose_eyeball]

Wow, that's not an easy one on Google. Fortunately someone answered it already; otherwise I would be clueless.

Ah, yes, he answered it, but not correctly. The answer is "Maniac" by Michael Sembello, from the movie "Flashdance." I was working in a studio in Los Angeles when Flashdance came out, and I remember the buzz about it.

 

[Black Bitch]

I found the "Default Modeling Version" in Global easy enough but where is "Modeling Version" in the Amp block ? I admit I use Axe Edit exclusively but I've updated that to the latest as well and don't see it there. Is it only accessible via front panel ?

It's an one of the amp block pages - I dont know which one, as I'm not on the axe. But you'll find it on the right side of the page and it's a little knob, just like the Sat-switch where you can choose "authentic" or "Ideal" ....

 

[marshall2553]

Too much bass now in general on the whole unit ?

I don't know about the whole unit, but I'm hearing the same thing on certain models. I have a real Friedman Smallbox and to me the model has something weird going on in the lower frequencies.

I'm running my AX8 into a flat SS power amp with cab modeling off and power amp modeling on into the same Friedman cab as the Smallbox. With tone, gain and master set to similar values as the real amp the low end of the model is boomy in a weird way that becomes very noticeable as you increase volume. I can compensate somewhat by reducing depth or negative feedback. Reducing bass doesn't help much.

Same thing with the Dirty Shirley model and the real thing, though maybe not as bad. Other models that I use don't have this problem (plexis, Camerons, Fenders), not that I have the real thing to compare those to. Since I'm on an AX8 and sold my AxeFX II last year I don't know if this is something new or not.

 

[jlynnb1]

I don't know about the whole unit, but I'm hearing the same thing on certain models. I have a real Friedman Smallbox and to me the model has something weird going on in the lower frequencies.

I'm running my AX8 into a flat SS power amp with cab modeling off and power amp modeling on into the same Friedman cab as the Smallbox. With tone, gain and master set to similar values as the real amp the low end of the model is boomy in a weird way that becomes very noticeable as you increase volume. I can compensate somewhat by reducing depth or negative feedback. Reducing bass doesn't help much.

Same thing with the Dirty Shirley model and the real thing, though maybe not as bad. Other models that I use don't have this problem (plexis, Camerons, Fenders), not that I have the real thing to compare those to. Since I'm on an AX8 and sold my AxeFX II last year I don't know if this is something new or not.

if you're running into a real cab you may need to tweak the speaker resonance

 

[RDH]

Ah, yes, he answered it, but not correctly. The answer is "Maniac" by Michael Sembello, from the movie "Flashdance." I was working in a studio in Los Angeles when Flashdance came out, and I remember the buzz about it.

Arrgg ! I was gonna say that, but I thought it would have to be a Boston song!

 

[R.D.]

I don't know about the whole unit, but I'm hearing the same thing on certain models. I have a real Friedman Smallbox and to me the model has something weird going on in the lower frequencies.

I'm running my AX8 into a flat SS power amp with cab modeling off and power amp modeling on into the same Friedman cab as the Smallbox. With tone, gain and master set to similar values as the real amp the low end of the model is boomy in a weird way that becomes very noticeable as you increase volume. I can compensate somewhat by reducing depth or negative feedback. Reducing bass doesn't help much.

Same thing with the Dirty Shirley model and the real thing, though maybe not as bad. Other models that I use don't have this problem (plexis, Camerons, Fenders), not that I have the real thing to compare those to. Since I'm on an AX8 and sold my AxeFX II last year I don't know if this is something new or not.

Also, Cliff mentioned something about the way that the Friedman BE & HBE were designed that the bass was exaggerated and one way to tame it was to reduce the negative feedback ....

I don't think he automatically "lumped" the Smallbox and Dirty Shirley into that statement, but they're all Friedman amps, so maybe they are similar ?

I didn't have time to look for Cliff's specific post, but it shouldn't be too hard to find !

GOOD LUCK !

 

[R.D.]

Found it:

Posted by: FractalAudio on 1/31/2016 @ 9:59 am

If you want more clarity in the low-mids from the BE/HBE …, reduce the Negative Feedback ….

Friedman’s designs are a bit odd in that he takes the feedback off the speaker jack rather than off a transformer tap. The mating cab for a BE/HBE is 16 ohms, which means lots of feedback. But if you connect the amp to an 8 ohm load, there is about 30% less feedback. The amp will sound tighter and clearer in the low-mids.​

 

[marshall2553]

Found it:

Posted by: FractalAudio on 1/31/2016 @ 9:59 am

If you want more clarity in the low-mids from the BE/HBE …, reduce the Negative Feedback ….

Friedman’s designs are a bit odd in that he takes the feedback off the speaker jack rather than off a transformer tap. The mating cab for a BE/HBE is 16 ohms, which means lots of feedback. But if you connect the amp to an 8 ohm load, there is about 30% less feedback. The amp will sound tighter and clearer in the low-mids.​

Yes, I've seen that post and have tried lowering negative feedback as I stated in my OP. Still sounds boomy and muddy compared to the real thing. I'll tinker with speaker resonance a bit and see if that helps.