Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 9.04 Firmware Release

Stratoblaster said:
Oh yea, definitely...that low end, tight, clear, punch/thunk is 'native' in v9.04 whereas I had to go thru some contortions to try and get the AMP block to punch with the clarity that is does now right out of the gate, and I didn't get as good results. I'm really excited at the clarity and tightness in 9.04. Amps are much more dynamic now, and breath a little more....less restrained/compressed. I like the 'speed' of 9.04.

I've noticed that when firmware release notes/forum comments say things like 'less compressed' and 'more open' that always seems work for me; they feel more and more like a tube amp. Makes the amps get a bit livelier, more raw and rude...they just play, feel, and sound better to me. Interesting options like Speaker Comp, CF Comp, etc. can round off/squish the open tones 'just right'. I seriously love 9.04....it nails something that's been somewhat elusive for me to get right.
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Yes, the lack of low end "depth punch" when played through a solid state poweramp and guitar cab has been one of the things I liked least about the Axe-FX. It can do super tight high gain tones easily, but something more chunky and saggy, like a Recto, or a 5150 with the resonance cranked has been VERY hard to dial in. I have messed with EQs, compressors, speaker resonance, etc... but something is always off. I definitely noticed 9.04 has improved on this. It has a better natural "thunk" without sounding weird, like a bottoming-out, distorted spike in one frequency. Definitely happy to see where these improvements lead. :)
 
Shask said:
Yes, the lack of low end "depth punch" when played through a solid state poweramp and guitar cab has been one of the things I liked least about the Axe-FX. It can do super tight high gain tones easily, but something more chunky and saggy, like a Recto, or a 5150 with the resonance cranked has been VERY hard to dial in.
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XFMR Match is your friend. ;)
 
Shask said:
Yes, the lack of low end "depth punch" when played through a solid state poweramp and guitar cab has been one of the things I liked least about the Axe-FX. It can do super tight high gain tones easily, but something more chunky and saggy, like a Recto, or a 5150 with the resonance cranked has been VERY hard to dial in. I have messed with EQs, compressors, speaker resonance, etc... but something is always off. I definitely noticed 9.04 has improved on this. It has a better natural "thunk" without sounding weird, like a bottoming-out, distorted spike in one frequency. Definitely happy to see where these improvements lead. :)
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You described what I liked about my old boogie 290 stereo poweramp. It was about 15 years from when I sold it, to when I heard the term "sag". Do you know which of Cliff's recto models have the highest default SAG? If not, no matter. Its really encouraging to hear people describe the 9.04 FW this way. I'd been playing more with classic and boutique amps, and a few of my favorite high gain amps. I'm definitely going to go in tonight and try some of the rectos again.
 
Rex said:
XFMR Match is your friend. ;)
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I have tried this, and found that it cut some mids one way, and boosts some mids the other way, but never felt like it changed the low end resonance. The speaker resonance is usually the best control to adjust this, but it is so fidgety.
 
jesussaddle said:
You described what I liked about my old boogie 290 stereo poweramp. It was about 15 years from when I sold it, to when I heard the term "sag". Do you know which of Cliff's recto models have the highest default SAG? If not, no matter. Its really encouraging to hear people describe the 9.04 FW this way. I'd been playing more with classic and boutique amps, and a few of my favorite high gain amps. I'm definitely going to go in tonight and try some of the rectos again.
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I am not sure about the highest sag. I mean, you can turn up the sag control, but there is more to it than that. It is more like the sag in the sound as you hit the notes, and the way the bass jumps out at you. It is a reactive feeling in the compression of the low end. It isn't just having a lot of bass, but the way it reacts to your playing, and the speaker cabinet.
 
Shask said:
I have tried this, and found that it cut some mids one way, and boosts some mids the other way, but never felt like it changed the low end resonance. The speaker resonance is usually the best control to adjust this, but it is so fidgety.
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Gotta go with what works. I’ve found XFMR Match to be an effective tight-vs-bounce control.
 
Shask said:
I am not sure about the highest sag. I mean, you can turn up the sag control, but there is more to it than that. It is more like the sag in the sound as you hit the notes, and the way the bass jumps out at you. It is a reactive feeling in the compression of the low end. It isn't just having a lot of bass, but the way it reacts to your playing, and the speaker cabinet.
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That's totally the way to describe it - there's a particular compression envelope - I have a drum plugin with pretty good compression fx, a lot of settings involved to get a particular character, not just "compression" but a specific characteristic compression response, that is determined by "input" of the tonal and dynamic changes of your playing. I would love to see a model of the 295 or 290 just to see if it could be captured. I still have the same guitar, so I may be able to recognize it. The only other boogie's I played through were passing things - I really couldn't have a precise recollection. But at least with the power amp I have a clear memory.
 
Will have to report delivery of addictioning software to legal instances. So very subtle this FW but so extremely good. Thanks infinitely.
 
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