Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 4.00 Firmware Release

Thank you Cliff and Staff!! I just went through 180 + presets and compared each one, love the option!! And Q4 sounds amazing, I find I get more crunchy mids and a more open sound overall!! Just amazing how you can continue to improve on something that already sounds as good or better than the real amps!!! Kudos!! Flav!
 
For anyone who had the "Preamp Tube Type" parameter changed from the default type (12ax7A) on the Amp block's Advanced page in any of your patches prior to updating, you should check to see if that is still the case. All of my patches that had the tube type altered, reverted back to the default type after I loaded 4.00. This happened with both Amp's 1 & 2, X & Y.

After updating, I usually check every parameter of the Amp block in my main patches from a saved list I made, but forgot to do that this time. I had been noticing that, while I did prefer the Amp block set to "Latest" vs "3.xx", there was a certain sweetness missing from the tone that was there before updating the FW. It wasn't until tonight that I was on the Amp block's Advanced page and saw that the 12ax7A tube type was selected. As soon as I switched the tube types back to how I had them with FW 3.03, that sweetness returned and now I like 4.00 even more than I did. :)

Just to clarify, I'm talking about the "Preamp Tube Type" parameter on the Advanced page of the Amp block, not the "(power) Tube Type" parameter on the Power page (that remained unchanged).
 
For anyone who had the "Preamp Tube Type" parameter changed from the default type (12ax7A) on the Amp block's Advanced page in any of your patches prior to updating, you should check to see if that is still the case. All of my patches that had the tube type altered, reverted back to the default type after I loaded 4.00. This happened with both Amp's 1 & 2, X & Y.

After updating, I usually check every parameter of the Amp block in my main patches from a saved list I made, but forgot to do that this time. I had been noticing that, while I did prefer the Amp block set to "Latest" vs "3.xx", there was a certain sweetness missing from the tone that was there before updating the FW. It wasn't until tonight that I was on the Amp block's Advanced page and saw that the 12ax7A tube type was selected. As soon as I switched the tube types back to how I had them with FW 3.03, that sweetness returned and now I like 4.00 even more than I did. :)

Just to clarify, I'm talking about the "Preamp Tube Type" parameter on the Advanced page of the Amp block, not the "(power) Tube Type" parameter on the Power page (that remained unchanged).

Cool. What preamp tube setting do you prefer for that sweeter sound than the 12ax7A?
 
Cool. What preamp tube setting do you prefer for that sweeter sound than the 12ax7A?


My main high gain tone is a dual amp patch, with both amps being the new USA IIC++ model. They are setup exactly the same, except for the tube types. Amp 1 uses the 6L6 power tube model (default) & the 12ax7B preamp. Amp 2 uses the 6V6 power tube model & the 7025 preamp.

I like the 6V6 power tube model because it's very focused and midrangy sounding and blends well with the 6L6 model in Amp 1. As for the preamp models, the 12ax7B seems to have a bit more bottom end & punch than the "A", while the 7025 is a bit more focused and seems to have more of an upper mids emphasis, which to me sounds sweeter. They also seem to blend well, complementing & balancing each other out.

This is just what I hear. To someone else, they may not sound anything like what I described.


I also have a single amp version of this patch, which uses the default 6L6 power tube model & the 12ax7B preamp.


Edit - In case I didn't make it clear, both Amp blocks are always active in my dual amp patch. They blend together to make a single tone. One isn't for rhythm, and the other for lead, or anything like that.
 
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Thanks FAS.

I'm using generally lower gain patches, and even there you can definitely feel a difference. Particularly the bottom end is a little bit tighter and more pronounced, and the lack of harshness on the top end makes the whole thing sound a lot less bright. Someone posted, "creamier", and I'd have to agree with that. I'm going to have to go back to my Shiva patch and take a really good listen, because "creamy" is how I would have described the physical Shiva amp, and I bet this firmware takes it closer than ever.

I've been tweaking my patches, mostly taking out a little bass and adding in some treble and presence to brighten them up a little.
 
Problem with Quantum 4.0.
Hi all, just read a lot of very satisfied reactions about Q4 and that's great to see. Hate to spoil the party, but I've had some problems. First time after a lot of successful and problem-free updates in the past, so that was a surprise ... and so I wonder ... am I the only one? And what could be wrong here? Did I miss something?
I have an Axe II, from one of the first production series that were sent to Europe. Installed Q4 for Axe II, using the latest Bot and all steps as usual. Upgraded to the latest Axe Edit. Problem: my presets were not shown in the display of the Axe anymore and Axe Edit reported I had to upgrade to Q3.01 or higher (which I obviously had just done).
Re-installed Q4. Same problem. Returned to Q3.01 ... problem gone.

Any advice is very welcome, because I'd like to stay up to date with FW updates.

Thx, all the best, Rob
 
Well fw4.0 sounds great, as have all the other FW's to date. I got my Axe around Fw6 or 7 and I don't recall the unit sounding anything but amazing...

I will say, that depending on the amp, and my ears, its not as simple as just changing the modeling version and having the ideal amp tone. I've found, again for my ears, that I've had to make a few slight EQ tweaks, change power amp hardness, tube type etc to get what I consider my ideal tone with regards to feel, tightness, cut etc. I've found that fw4.0 can take away a little harshness, grit, that to me sometimes sounds pretty good and "realistic", as I'm used to hearing some amps I've owned.

The feel difference is pretty subtle but going back and forth I think there is a touch more dynamics and tighter response with fw4.0, not huge, but when you get back to say fw 2.01 or something, its there. I perceive a little more immediate attack when I hit the strings.

Overall a great update, but one that I think will require a few tweaks, at least on the amps I've done so far. Once dialed in though, hot damn, does this black box ever nail the tone/feel of a cranked 100watt amp, but at any volume level...

You know that tone when your at a big gig, at soundcheck, and your able to have your amp running wide open, through say a favorite 1970 large check cab loaded with GB's, and the venue's got some pretty great acoustics because it used to be an old concert hall, and you grab your LP, hit an A chord and roll the volume up and it just roars and the sound fills the whole venue with this powerful "this is rock n' roll" tone" and the chord just rings and rings with that Marshally "kerrang" overtone, and as the notes die out into feedback you play a quick lead lick and the notes feel like that are just exploding off the fretboard, and there is this immediacy to the playing, that direct feel of fingers, guitar to amp, basically acting all as one, just like driving a vintage sports car, the shifter linkage, the steering, the gas, its all mechanical and direct, your driving a machine, your not pressing a gas pedal with a throttle-by-wire setup running your inputs into a traction control computer which is dividing the output to the 4 wheels, your simply stomping a pedal, opening a butterfly on the carb and dumping fuel into the engine which explodes and moves you forward....that type of feeling

Cool thing is that I'm in my den, playing through the Axe, and a CLR, at a pretty low volume, and yet I"m still getting that exact experience

Great unit
 
Problem with Quantum 4.0.
Hi all, just read a lot of very satisfied reactions about Q4 and that's great to see. Hate to spoil the party, but I've had some problems. First time after a lot of successful and problem-free updates in the past, so that was a surprise ... and so I wonder ... am I the only one? And what could be wrong here? Did I miss something?
I have an Axe II, from one of the first production series that were sent to Europe. Installed Q4 for Axe II, using the latest Bot and all steps as usual. Upgraded to the latest Axe Edit. Problem: my presets were not shown in the display of the Axe anymore and Axe Edit reported I had to upgrade to Q3.01 or higher (which I obviously had just done).
Re-installed Q4. Same problem. Returned to Q3.01 ... problem gone.

Any advice is very welcome, because I'd like to stay up to date with FW updates.

Thx, all the best, Rob

Hi CheapEdge,

Sorry I have to ask this question, but are you 100% sure that you are importing the correct file for QFW4.00? It can happen to anyone that they accidentally downloaded the wrong FW for a different model, or even accidentally rename an old FW update to FW when downloading.

Best way to be perfectly sure is to download the update again and save it in a brand new folder on your computer, then try updating again.

Don't take this the wrong way, it's a suggestion as it happens to a lot of us! My reason for suggesting it is because not many people have reported what you have got, and it has been installed quite a few times by various forum users.

Cheers!
 
Just installed this. Haven't had time to play yet, working. But I did spend a couple of mins setting my handful of presets to use Latest modelling in preamp. Weirdly I found that most had automatically taken Latest and picking presets at random from the factory banks I found that they had all taken latest. Not complaining but weren't they supposed to default to 3.x?
 
Hi CheapEdge,

Sorry I have to ask this question, but are you 100% sure that you are importing the correct file for QFW4.00? It can happen to anyone that they accidentally downloaded the wrong FW for a different model, or even accidentally rename an old FW update to FW when downloading.

Best way to be perfectly sure is to download the update again and save it in a brand new folder on your computer, then try updating again.

Don't take this the wrong way, it's a suggestion as it happens to a lot of us! My reason for suggesting it is because not many people have reported what you have got, and it has been installed quite a few times by various forum users.

Cheers!
Thx! Good tip, I will try and let you know. Is indeed possibly the cause. I downloaded twice and made very sure I got the right file, but maybe the original file did not get replaced when downloading the second time.
 
Just installed this. Haven't had time to play yet, working. But I did spend a couple of mins setting my handful of presets to use Latest modelling in preamp. Weirdly I found that most had automatically taken Latest and picking presets at random from the factory banks I found that they had all taken latest. Not complaining but weren't they supposed to default to 3.x?

The factory presets where you haven't changed anything bevor are automaticly now the "Latest". By the way here is somewhere a thread with the Fractool where can now since today change all presets at once to the latest or whatever fw you want it to be.

Edit: check here: http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threa...the-ultimate-fractal-device-multitool.112538/
 
I've been tweaking my patches, mostly taking out a little bass and adding in some treble and presence to brighten them up a little.

Yea that's all I've done with existing presets with v4 as well. Will play with some advanced parameters next rehearsal to make them a bit more 'attacky' but right off the bat v4 sounded and felt great, particularly edge of breakup tones and using NMV amps vs v3.
 
I´ve played the first gig with 4.0 final on saturday.
First at home I thought it would be no big change and switched to latest preamp version at all presets - wihout rehearing every preset
. At the gig (In-Ear Vision Ears) everything sounded very good to me, seems like cuted above 4khz and bass frequences?
Tone is more thick, more real than at 3.03, no sharpness also with single coils.

Makes a lot of fun to play - no matter which amp (vox, Marshall, Savage) ...Very good update - courious about the secrect sauce which Cliff has baked in....
 
Well fw4.0 sounds great, as have all the other FW's to date. I got my Axe around Fw6 or 7 and I don't recall the unit sounding anything but amazing...

I will say, that depending on the amp, and my ears, its not as simple as just changing the modeling version and having the ideal amp tone. I've found, again for my ears, that I've had to make a few slight EQ tweaks, change power amp hardness, tube type etc to get what I consider my ideal tone with regards to feel, tightness, cut etc. I've found that fw4.0 can take away a little harshness, grit, that to me sometimes sounds pretty good and "realistic", as I'm used to hearing some amps I've owned.

The feel difference is pretty subtle but going back and forth I think there is a touch more dynamics and tighter response with fw4.0, not huge, but when you get back to say fw 2.01 or something, its there. I perceive a little more immediate attack when I hit the strings.

Overall a great update, but one that I think will require a few tweaks, at least on the amps I've done so far. Once dialed in though, hot damn, does this black box ever nail the tone/feel of a cranked 100watt amp, but at any volume level...

You know that tone when your at a big gig, at soundcheck, and your able to have your amp running wide open, through say a favorite 1970 large check cab loaded with GB's, and the venue's got some pretty great acoustics because it used to be an old concert hall, and you grab your LP, hit an A chord and roll the volume up and it just roars and the sound fills the whole venue with this powerful "this is rock n' roll" tone" and the chord just rings and rings with that Marshally "kerrang" overtone, and as the notes die out into feedback you play a quick lead lick and the notes feel like that are just exploding off the fretboard, and there is this immediacy to the playing, that direct feel of fingers, guitar to amp, basically acting all as one, just like driving a vintage sports car, the shifter linkage, the steering, the gas, its all mechanical and direct, your driving a machine, your not pressing a gas pedal with a throttle-by-wire setup running your inputs into a traction control computer which is dividing the output to the 4 wheels, your simply stomping a pedal, opening a butterfly on the carb and dumping fuel into the engine which explodes and moves you forward....that type of feeling

Cool thing is that I'm in my den, playing through the Axe, and a CLR, at a pretty low volume, and yet I"m still getting that exact experience

Great unit
You get the award for most entertaining description of QFW 4.0! Hands down, the best!
 
Hey Cliff - just an idea for the next major FW version - do the "quantum" thing with the tubes. There's a few already, but how about adding more popular preamp tube models? See https://www.tubesandmore.com/tech_corner/12ax7_comparison_of_current_made_tubes

You could do the same with the power amp tube collection as well.

Just a suggestion to broaden the flavors we can go for within a single amp model (as if we didn't have enough already!). :)
 
Hey Cliff - just an idea for the next major FW version - do the "quantum" thing with the tubes. There's a few already, but how about adding more popular preamp tube models? See https://www.tubesandmore.com/tech_corner/12ax7_comparison_of_current_made_tubes

You could do the same with the power amp tube collection as well.

Just a suggestion to broaden the flavors we can go for within a single amp model (as if we didn't have enough already!). :)
Interesting read, but I wonder really how much of a difference there really would be. Have you heard any examples?
 
I've played around with a few different 12AX7s, but just cheap mainstream stuff. Never bought a NOS tube or anything one would consider pricey.
 
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