Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 4.00 Firmware Release

Another cover band guy here, and I appreciate the fact that I can introduce Q4 models into my 50+ presets one at a time instead of all at once. I'm still not done re-dialing in my presets after the flurry of Q3 releases changed them en mass.

Thanks Cliff and the FAS team! Looking forward to playing with Q4.
 
Didn't really have a problem with Q3 but I'm really digging this update! Smoother more restrained upper mids, squishy bottom end. So far I've just removed high and low cuts that I had in the cab block and this thing sounds bigger than ever! Will probably revisit some cab blocks that I had discounted previously due to them sounding a little harsh. Bang on update, cheers Cliff!
 
Hellbat said:
I had a couple problems in the past with the manual update error when updating my firmware and it was always when I was multitaking on my computer. Since then I make sure the only thing I'm doing is updating the Axe and I've never had the issue since.
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I have also had that happening to me, and I can confirm as soon as I stopped any other heavy operation it always work ..
makes sense of course, just me being dull and so used to multitasking that I always have multiple things going on ..
:)
 
lqdsnddist said:
Are some of you guys in like 5 different cover bands at once?

Can't image how the one poster said he would need to go and manually change 512 presents, or even the guy who said he had to change 100 presets....

I have about 5 go to presets, with a few scene variations, and maybe 20-25 total presets covering a wide range of styles total. Not knocking anyone for having more, but just curious as to what the application is for needing 100+ presets
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whether it's a cover band, original band or worship stuff, i do a different preset for every song with scenes for each song section. cover band was 70-80 songs, i have about that many worship presets saved....so yeah, they add up quickly...
 
xpenno said:
Didn't really have a problem with Q3 but I'm really digging this update! Smoother more restrained upper mids, squishy bottom end. So far I've just removed high and low cuts that I had in the cab block and this thing sounds bigger than ever! Will probably revisit some cab blocks that I had discounted previously due to them sounding a little harsh. Bang on update, cheers Cliff!
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I did just that and found, in general, more usable IRs. I previously steered away from any IRs shot with an SM57 but now I can mix them in and it doesn't get as harsh.
 
Here's another way of looking at the "LATEST" situation.

Let's say you have a preset in Q 3.03. In order to hear what Q 4.0 sounds like, you have to call up the preset, select the amp block, then select the pre-amp tab and then set REVISION to latest. If you don't like it, you have to repeat that process and set REVISION back to 3.03.

On the other hand, if the preset was already in Q 4.0, you save yourself a step and just set the REVISION back to 3.03. For those of us who want the most up to date firmware on all presets, we don't have to do anything.

Seems like having Q 4.0 be the default with the option to dial back to an earlier revision, saves EVERYONE some steps.

With a limited set of presets, this is a moot point but for those folks with hundreds of presets or those who are still using Factory presets as a baseline (new users for example) and want the latest firmware on all of them, this is a big deal. If you have hundreds of presets and don't like Q 4.0 on any of them, then you can reload Q 3.03 and you're back to where you started.
 
quark said:
Here's another way of looking at the "LATEST" situation.

Let's say you have a preset in Q 3.03. In order to hear what Q 4.0 sounds like, you have to call up the preset, select the amp block, then select the pre-amp tab and then set REVISION to latest. If you don't like it, you have to repeat that process and set REVISION back to 3.03.

On the other hand, if the preset was already in Q 4.0, you save yourself a step and just set the REVISION back to 3.03. For those of us who want the most up to date firmware on all presets, we don't have to do anything.
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I 'get' what you're saying ..., except that I don't have rabbit ears .... So, in order to make a judgment I need to play the old version for a while, acclimate my ears to that tone ..., then make the change and re-listen .... Sometimes if the change is subtle, I go back and forth a number of times before I make up my mind ! Some days I set it aside and come back to it the next day .... I swear that some days my ears are just "off" :( , maybe that's related to my sinus troubles ( o.k., now that's TMI ;) ) ... !

Anyway, if the preset loads automatically in the new version then I actually have an extra step to create the scenario that I just described ....
 
R.D. said:
I swear that some days my ears are just "off" :( ,
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I feel you, dog...
Happens to me semi-regularly. Last week I fired up the two and literally every preset sounded terrible. I just could not get happy. No firmware updates, no rig changes... Barometric pressure? Stiff fingers? (nah, gotta be the gear) I don't know...

Some days, literally any gear. model. preset sounds awesome. I seem to have good tone days and bad tone days. I'm like, sonically moody.
 
Found v4 richer in harmonics and squishier at rehearsal last night as per the release notes. Had some fun flipping between v3.03 and v4 during songs to see what the differences were in the heat of battle. v4 is definitely richer, fatter and carries more sonic 'weight' in a band mix. The high end is also sweeter...great update.
 
zenaxe said:
Barometric pressure? Stiff fingers? (nah, gotta be the gear) I don't know...
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I swear the air in my old rehearsal studio was heavier or thinner on different days since my amp tones had changed so much vs the night before. I also suspected varying AC voltage and started measuring it; was surprised to see how much it varied. Or maybe it was all in my head....o_O
 
I thought the FW17 update was pretty amazing (shortly after I first got the Axe FX). The others all seemed very subtle, none did much for the feel / responsiveness. They all sound great! I think early Quantum FW's had really nice "sweet spot" power amp feel while playing, Q3.03 not so much. Seemed stiff, grainy, and brittle unless I did things with compression and EQ that mostly brought up the noise floor.

Q4 is different. It feels like playing a cranked amp (sans feedback) on headphones. I doubt my playing has cleaned up that much, but tapping is noticeably more even, but less noisy. Through monitors at volume? Can't tell the difference between this and an amp.

Thank you very much to Cliff and FAS, this is a wonderful update. I didn't expect it.

Other than an 8-string guitar, the only gear I've bought since the Axe FX is... strings. :D
 
Played at practice tonight at band volume. The drummer said I sounded awesome tonight. (Note the distinction that he didn't say I played awesome. :) )

I was getting some great controlled feedback tonight at relatively low volume and all the models I was playing through "felt" great. (5F1, BE V2, Tweed Twin. The BE cleans up so nice with guitar volume drop.)

Thanks again for the update. You keep doing what you do. :)
 
so far.. awesome.. almost immediately broke a string.

My lead tone is so rich and creamy, with such a killer pick feel.... its starting to feel like cheating...

almost
 
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