Axe Fx II Sound Quality Loss When Recording Via USB ???

C

cn7

Inspired
This is driving me nuts, but basically, when I try to record via USB into my Cubase 7 DAW, everything sounds great going in, until I hit playback.

Basically, direct monitoring on the Axe Fx 2 sounds great, but then playback from Cubase sounds like a low-fi version of what I originally played. In numbnuts theory, it should all sound the same because it is all digital; however, it does not. Even my girl, who doesn't really know anything technical about sound can tell that it sounds like ass in comparison... Like a cheaper, low-fi version of what I originally played. The lows aren't as punchy, the mids are more brittle, and the highs are noticeably less smooth. No pops and clicks. When I play it live, it sounds like I'm there! When I play it back... Not so much.

And before we get started on Cubase, I've had the same exact issues with Reaper and Sonar, so it isn't specific to Cubase... Hell, I even tried to record in Audacity for giggles and the same thing happened.

Anyhow, i'm wondering if I have set something wrong or what i can do to improve this issue.

I have the project set to 48k /24bit in Cubase. No levels clipping. Nothing on inserts. I have also tested the wav files directly out of the project's audio folder and they sound similar (however slightly different and even different when played back in VLC or WMP).

To further test the issue, I tried monitoring through Cubase when recording another clip and not directly through the Axe Fx II. Funny thing is, the new monitored sound sounded half-like-ass... In-turn, the played back recording sounded like the FULL ass of before.

So anyhow, deductive reasoning tells me something seems to be happening when going into and out of Cubase! (or any other program for that matter).

Now, I'm aware that Cubase uses a 32-bit floating point internally, and I don't know if that effects anything, but it seems to me that it is possible some funky dithering occurs.. I don't know, but if anyone can shed light on what's going on with my issue, I'd appreciate it. Now, if there is a fix or something that dramatically improves my results, I'd be really grateful!

Unfortunately, I don't have clips of the "nice-n-clear" sound, but here is the low quality rendition... It's a wav pulled directly out of the project folder:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5wldli2one6zm6n/Audio 10_01.wav

It isn't a song or nothing, just a random clip from me Christmas treeing some riffs over and over again with different settings for testing purposes. I wasn't really paying attention to playing so... Thanks in advance for agreeing to deafness. :encouragement:
 
Any input? 23 views and not a peep :/

Just to clarify, I'm using the Axe Fx II as an interface for both recording and playback. My monitors are hooked up directly to the Axe Fx II.
 
I know exactly what you're talking about man. I'm gonna chalk it up to user error in my case since i have little to no understanding of what i'm doing in reaper/DAWs in general but i'm experiencing the same thing when recording. I wouldn't say the playback sounds like "ass" but it's not as good as what you hear while you're recording.
 
Don't get too bothered by not getting a response within two hours on a Sunday night. :)

Without the "nice-n-clear" sound to compare it to, it's hard to judge the sound. I did notice that there's not much low end, but without hearing "nice-n-clear," it's hard to coment.
 
Ive got same exact problem whilst Friend of mine records sometimes without tweaking and all sounds punchy and very musical. My problem partially relates to my guitar pickups but that doesn't really affect processed recorded signal but I must agree that there is something strange happening after you record a track that sounds awesome straight from axe and playback kills all the dynamics.
I personally use Reaper and never eq anything within DAW it all happens in Axe II.
 
Just to verify: you guys do just use the regular USB connection for playback, without doing anything else?

Don't set the input in I/O to USB, because that will make the input signal enter the grid, where it will be processed by any blocks in the current preset.
 
yek said:
Just to verify: you guys do just use the regular USB connection for playback, without doing anything else?

Don't set the input in I/O to USB, because that will make the input signal enter the grid, where it will be processed by any blocks in the current preset.
Click to expand...

Yep. All through USB.. no additional anything.

I'm at with right now so I cant check if the I/O input is set to USB, but I've even done a system settings reset.

However, if I had it set up that way, wouldn't it run back through the amp and cabs etc all over again? I don't think that's the problem.. nothing else like any vsts or what not sound distorted or anything..
 
To add, to fix this (kind of), I can add post eg boosting the hish and the lows... even dipping a little here and there and it sounds better, but still not as good as it has some 2Difying effect and the scratchy sound persists.
 
You're probably not maintaining stereo. Collapsing to mono will always make things sound "2Difying".
 
I record via USB and have not experienced this. Do you have an interface you can record into via the physical outs of the Axe FX? If so, record one via that method, and then one via USB. That way maybe we can hear what you're hearing
 
I've had this issue for years in Cubase. It's like a brittle/dull/grey sounding version of what I actually recorded, exactly as you describe. I wonder if it's something like jitter within Cubase. Let's not forget though 48kHz is pretty low for DAW multitracking, even if the Axe sounds perfectly great operating at that rate.

One thing might be to try recording at a higher sample rate through another sound card using normal 1/4" to see if that helps. But 100% I have noticed this myself.

I always put it down to a psychoacoustic effect, when you're playing it sounds different.
 
Biggest mistake people make is string noise, when your recording at home and it's fairly quiet you will hear the strings add to your mix, sometimes even the body of the guitar will resonate against your chest. To check for this try recording with monitors cranked and see if it sounds the same on playback.
 
Sean Ashe said:
I record via USB and have not experienced this. Do you have an interface you can record into via the physical outs of the Axe FX? If so, record one via that method, and then one via USB. That way maybe we can hear what you're hearing
Click to expand...

I will try that... the only interface I have available atm though is the Fast Track Pro, so hopefully it will suffice.
 
Rotaholic said:
Biggest mistake people make is string noise, when your recording at home and it's fairly quiet you will hear the strings add to your mix, sometimes even the body of the guitar will resonate against your chest. To check for this try recording with monitors cranked and see if it sounds the same on playback.
Click to expand...

I have considered this.. I guess I'll even try with a pillow between me and the guitar... possibly my girl strumming in another room too lol.

It still doesn't really answer the issue where it sounds 1/2 messed up when I monitor through Cubase and not the Axe, while having direct monitoring in the Axe turned off.

While you may be right, to entertain other possibilities...

It's almost as if there is some conversion going on where things get lost.. Like recording to a crappy cassette from a CD, except, since this is all digital, in theory, it should be identical... or at least a lot closer. IDK if it's 24 bit fixed vs Cubase's internal 32-bit floating processing... I'm not that knowledgeable in regards to how that works... Who knows.. might be a clock issue of some sort.. but I haven't delved that deep into the tech to fully comprehend that either.

Now, if it is some psycho acoustic effect and the vibrations between me and the instrument, that's a real bummer that is difficult to be helped! Part of the reason I like the unit so much is that in theory, my presets should sound as good recorded as I made them.

I'm sure the guitar against my body and the string noise does add to the sound a bit, but big part of me hopes this is more of technical issue that can be resolved :). That's wishful thinking though. I will have to make a couple tests with another player and see what happens, but until then, anyone else's input would be great! :)
 
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Andrew Male said:
I've had this issue for years in Cubase. It's like a brittle/dull/grey sounding version of what I actually recorded, exactly as you describe. I wonder if it's something like jitter within Cubase. Let's not forget though 48kHz is pretty low for DAW multitracking, even if the Axe sounds perfectly great operating at that rate.

One thing might be to try recording at a higher sample rate through another sound card using normal 1/4" to see if that helps. But 100% I have noticed this myself.

I always put it down to a psychoacoustic effect, when you're playing it sounds different.
Click to expand...

I've had this issue with other audio sources, and I'm not sure I ever really fixed it 100%, but I did notice that when I opened up the audio files directly from the project folder, the sound was a little better... but I think that may be mostly due to how I had panning laws set up in cubase.. Setting to 0 (how Sonar is by default) always lead to louder playback/mix export... That may be how I solved it but I don't remember.. That was a couple Cubase versions ago.. However, in this case, it isn't any better.. changing pan laws or opening source files... maybe a hair.. but at the splitting hairs level.
 
i have the same issue so I just went back the the scarlet 2i2 imputs and its ok now...but I was going mono...I'll try stereo and see if that helps..
 
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