Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 6.02 Public Beta

[hedua]

Thanks Cliff ... we have to propose for the Nobel Prize

 

[AlGrenadine]

I can understand high gain players not liking what the speaker drive does... compress etc . But for me a fan of Vox's & Ritchy Blackmore in particular it's just incredible. I'm nailing his tones with this now, something that was elusive in the past. When speakers are really pushed and amps work hard there's a lot of compression going on and single lines gets thicker so to speak. I'd go so far as saying that a lot of recorded tones I try to copy these days actually sound better than the record just because the Axe is so damn good and versatile . Cliff is a genius. Hats off to Fractal audio!!!

Absolutely, not for higain modern players... or set under 1.0

 

[simeon]

so i'm a little confused between speaker drive in the amp block and motor drive in the cab block. i usually set motor drive between 1 and 2, but i've never touched the speaker drive at all. if the public release has speaker drive set to default values for each amp, is it worth setting motor drive back to zero...will there be too much compression with both set to non zero values?

 

[Hubi]

Sounds like a damaged Speaker I´m not shure if i will use it for live sounds:


First with Speaker Overdrive on 0, then Speaker Overdrive is on 5 after the half of the track.

Plexi 50 W High 1
CabIR Ma CB 71 Sp B SM57 M1

G&L F100 30th Anniversary

 

[DLC86]

it should definitely keep a range where it's possible to get an "about to blow up" speaker. if you keep in mind that guitarists in the 60s cut their speakers to produce "distortion" it certainly is welcome to mimic that without actually destroying a vintage Greenback . even with the previous Speaker Drive, it was best to keep it low if you just wanted a little drive...

I hadn't looked at it this way so maybe it's fine as it is. I pointed that out just because I noticed that in some of my presets I had it set at 5 without undesirable effects, while with the new algo I had to turn it below 2. But probably the sound is just too different to make this kind of comparisons

 

[trueresource]

Axe-Fx II Quantum Firmware Release Notes

*******************************************************************************

6.02

Improved speaker overdrive modeling in Amp block. New algorithm captures the “throaty” sound of an overdriven speaker along with the gentle compression. The “Spkr Drv” (Speaker Drive) parameter has been moved to the Spkr tab on the Amp menu. NOTE: If you are using Speaker Drive in existing presets you should audition these presets and adjust the parameter as necessary as the sound and behavior of the algorithm is considerably different than before. NOTE: This change affects all modeling versions as the algorithm is outside the archived modeling functions. I.e. if you change the Modeling Version parameter you will NOT get the old speaker overdrive algorithm.

Improved Drive model frequency response accuracy for models based on op-amp architectures. Models now behave with near-perfect accuracy even when Drive control is set to extreme values.

Updated “BB PRE” Drive model.

Fixed “PI FUZZ” output level too low. The Drive and Level tapers have also been changed so any presets using this model should be auditioned and adjusted accordingly.

Fixed wrong capacitor value in “Esoteric ACB” Drive model. Any presets using this model should be auditioned and the model deselected and reselected to reset the internal parameters.

Currently, due to your excellence, my presets are perfect. you guys rock. maybe it's my imagination, but I had a sonic improvement with Q6.01. can't wait to try Q6.02. thanks for your dedication.

 

[Hubi]

I can understand high gain players not liking what the speaker drive does... compress etc . But for me a fan of Vox's & Ritchy Blackmore in particular it's just incredible. I'm nailing his tones with this now, something that was elusive in the past. When speakers are really pushed and amps work hard there's a lot of compression going on and single lines gets thicker so to speak. I'd go so far as saying that a lot of recorded tones I try to copy these days actually sound better than the record just because the Axe is so damn good and versatile . Cliff is a genius. Hats off to Fractal audio!!!

I´m interested in these sounds - cause I can´t imagine to get a "better" Overdrive with the Speaker Overdrive. The Plexis got a lot of gain when they are pushed hard. Can you make a short recording to show the way you use this parameter?

 

[Pwrmac7600]

I was actually just playing with Speaker Drive the other day, and found that it caused a speaker farting if turned up past about 2.
Out of curiosity, should this parameter be linked to the master volume? meaning, you would get very little speaker drive effect on an amp with the master on 2, but you would most likely get a lot of speaker drive effect with a dimed amp. So should it link with the master volume, the louder the master goes, the more this effect is induced?

 

[Pwrmac7600]

I´m interested in these sounds - cause I can´t imagine to get a "better" Overdrive with the Speaker Overdrive. The Plexis got a lot of gain when they are pushed hard. Can you make a short recording to show the way you use this parameter?

It really just adds the effect of what the speakers go through when you run a dimed amp through it. Difference being you can add the effect in without actually diming the amp through it. Have you ever cranked your stereo and heard that grindy sound that starts to come from speakers when they have way to much volume going through them? That's what it does, but it can be controlled with this parameter, for just a little grind and compression to all out speakers about to come of the basket.

 

[Stringmanipulator]

Tack så jättemycket

 

[yek]

I´m not shure if i will use it for live sounds

Speaker Overdrive is on 5 after the half of the track

OP: "Somewhere between 1.00 and 2.00 is sweet spot."

 

[Approaching Proficiency]

@yek Lol, I was just going to post that. Right on 1.00 sounds great to me.

 

[Black Bitch]

Between 1 and 2 it sounds nice - Above 2 it gets dull and funny on headphones. Tonight I'm going to try it loud in the room.

 

[jeppekristoffer]

The speaker drive has always been in the Amp block. Prior to this firmware it was in the Adv tab almost all the way down.
Motor drive was and still is in the cab block.

Well, maybe the new algorithm interacts within the Amp-Block algos, what may be the reason, to move the parmeter to the Amp Block`s speaker tab. The downside of this paradigm change is giving a little bit up the "FOH = DI + Monitor = real Guitar Cabinet" parallel paradigm. Now you`ve to decide, if you want tweak to authenticy with IR (using speaker drive) or tweak for the real Cabinet (using no speaker drive).

And if the final Firmware will support the parameter > 0 per default, all the "real cabinet users" may have to jump into the advanced speaker tab and set back speaker drive to zero.

Would be a General setting help? Default Speaker Drive = 0 - YES/NO ? Or automatically set the parameter to zero, if Cab-Block is globally de-activated?!

 

[yek]

The downside of this paradigm change is giving a little bit up the "FOH = DI + Monitor = real Guitar Cabinet" parallel paradigm. Now you`ve to decide, if you want tweak to authenticy with IR (using speaker drive) or tweak for the real Cabinet (using no speaker drive).

Yes, running into this dilemma in more situations like this, such as with the LF/HF Resonance settings. There's no best of both worlds at this moment, other than using two AMP blocks with separate routings, or two Axe-Fxs...

 

[Morphosis]

The speaker drive has always been in the Amp block. Prior to this firmware it was in the Adv tab almost all the way down.
Motor drive was and still is in the cab block.

ups ... thanks for clarify! My fault ... ok guys, forget what i`ve said, i`ve deleted my faulty post....

 

[Morphosis]

Yes, running into this dilemma in more situations like this, such as with the LF/HF Resonance settings. There's no best of both worlds at this moment, other than using two AMP blocks with separate routings, or two Axe-Fxs...

There is the moment, you`ve to die one dead ... Or you have the power for two seperate routings

 

[Rex]

Post deleted due to internal error.

 

[simeon]

Motor Drive simulates the way a speaker's voice changes when you drive it hard. It's an EQ thing, not a gain/compression thing.

wow, i really got confused. the release notes say "This models the effect of high power levels on the tone of the speaker.", but not how the tone is affected. is there any more info anywhere? in the wiki?

edit: just checked the wiki.

Cliff's comments:

• "Motor drive isn't EQ. It models efficiency reduction due to thermal effects." source And: "What I have found is that thermal compression is somewhat noticeable and measurable. This is modeled by the Motor Drive parameter." source
• "Motor Drive will cause compression if not set to zero (as it models driver compression). Otherwise the cab block is completely linear and will not cause any compression."

so it isn't eq and it does cause compression? now i don't know what to think.

 

[FractalAudio]

Motor Drive simulates power compression due to voice coil heating.