Axe-Fx II Technical Questions Thread

[hammeron56]

Also can't figure out how to increase levels in Logic to hit yellow (almost red). The USB volume is fixed and anything I do on the Axe gives me a clip light. Thx in advance!

In Sonar X1, I was also getting my signal input to only -12dB. I increased it by using the OUTPUT1_BOOST/PAD. In the manual (latest online version), see section 9.2 Audio Parameters and also see the awesome schematic at the very end titled "Axe-Fx II Input/Output Hardware & Parameters Guide". I hope that this helps!

 

[relaxo]

Using the Axe-Fx II as a USB audio interface, you can record a dry signal simultaneously with the stereo or mono processed signal into your DAW for reamping later. Can you also do that when you don't connect the Axe-Fx through USB, but run the analog outputs into your audio interface? Send a mono dry and a stereo processed signal separately to three different analog outs of the Axe-Fx II?

 

[scarr]

Using the Axe-Fx II as a USB audio interface, you can record a dry signal simultaneously with the stereo or mono processed signal into your DAW for reamping later. Can you also do that when you don't connect the Axe-Fx through USB, but run the analog outputs into your audio interface? Send a mono dry and a stereo processed signal separately to three different analog outs of the Axe-Fx II?

You could if you run a dry signal to Out 2 (send block) and record that into another input on your audio interface.

 

[Richard_G]

The Reason Most ITB mixes don’t Sound as good as Analog mixes (restored) - Gearslutz.com

Interesting thread regarding recording levels in the digital domain.

 

[Axeman]

I run an ancient box with WinXP. Using USB with default settings - no noise, no pops, no issues. Pushed hard, ran hard to test. Nothing negative to report from here. The USB recording has been a positive experience, and I post that sincerely.

Hi Scott. Thx. I have no problem with the USB when recording. It's fantastic. After another two hours of testing I think (I repeat, I THINK) I have narrowed down an issue. It's a playback issue. The Axe II USB records perfectly. The following happens with the buffer all the way up or down: (i) play back over USB to Axe II and to headphones - I hear about 15 random hiss clicks through headphones on Axe II, and when I hear one and back up the cursor the click doesn't happen again, so it's random and part of the playback process, (ii) when I change the output in logic to line out (my bose speakers on my computer), there are NO clicks at all during playback and (iii) when I change the output in logic to my new Duet2 USB interface, there are NO hiss clicks during playback.

So for now I can only conclude that the Axe II is recording perfectly to Logic Pro 9, but there is an issue with playback to the Axe II. Some sort of memory, software or buffer issue is coming up which doesn't happen with my Duet2 or internal computer output. It's specific to the Axe on playback only. The clicks are random and not super loud, but you can hear them.

Thx for listening. If anyone has thoughts, please let me know. I'm willing to try other tests.

 

[relaxo]

The Reason Most ITB mixes don’t Sound as good as Analog mixes (restored) - Gearslutz.com

Interesting thread regarding recording levels in the digital domain.

an awesome awesome read...if you've got the time

 

[symphx]

SSSSSSSSSSSScary: today my axe 2 locked up, just froze during some x/y modifications to an amp cab. NO electrical storm, nothing crazy, very low memory use patch. Just amp cab drive. It just froze. There were a few dancing in/out lights. so I turned off, on again. Then a P formed with all the in out lights (the lights together formed the letter p). I turned off on several times, boom restarted. Then I decided to hook up usb, with axe off. Turned it on, P again, I dont think fan is on when p is showing and locked. On off few times, recovered. Uh oh, ppppppppplease tell me my axe used less than 3 hours doesnt have something wrong, Cliff? (ps cliff built cc 35).

 

[Axeman]

Cliff, can you please explain the difference between the TC2290 delay and the Digital Mono delay? All the parameters seem to be the same and when I set them up with the same settings, they sound exactly alike. Thx!

 

[javajunkie]

Cliff, can you please explain the difference between the TC2290 delay and the Digital Mono delay? All the parameters seem to be the same and when I set them up with the same settings, they sound exactly alike. Thx!

The parameters are not the same here. Drive, modulation, eq, diffusion are different.

 

[Axeman]

The parameters are not the same here. Drive, modulation, eq, diffusion are different.

Thx Java. You mean the parameters are set different correct? My pt was all the parameter types are the same. The TC220 doesnt have any parameters that are different than the Digital delay. I just compared the EQ lists and they are all the same, so it looks like TC220 is just Fractal's take on what the parameters should be for the TC2290 and its really the same exact block as the Digital delay.

 

[Axeman]

When I dump a preset through USB or through midi to SysEx Librarian on the Axe II I get a 12 byte file. When only the USB is connected, the SysEx Librarian only has a MIDI IN channel showing. When I have only the midi connected, it shows Port 1. When I have both connected in shows MIDI IN and Port 1. I tried both separately and get a 12 byte file every time. What am I doing wrong? Using a Mac Pro with OSX 10.6.8.

I was able to update the firmware through the USB but it was very slow. I realize the firmware is larger, but the speed was not faster over USB.

 

[Axeman]

When I dump a preset through USB or through midi to SysEx Librarian on the Axe II I get a 12 byte file. When only the USB is connected, the SysEx Librarian only has a MIDI IN channel showing. When I have only the midi connected, it shows Port 1. When I have both connected in shows MIDI IN and Port 1. I tried both separately and get a 12 byte file every time. What am I doing wrong? Using a Mac Pro with OSX 10.6.8.

I was able to update the firmware through the USB but it was very slow. I realize the firmware is larger, but the speed was not faster over USB.

Ha, I figured it out. You have to choose "Record Many" and NOT "Record One" like it used to be on the Ultra (or I'm doing something else wrong). Sees there are multiple messages being sent in the Axe II.

If anyone uses SysEx Librarian on a Mac, please confirm that this is correct, or if there is something to change that uses "Record One" instead.

Thx!

 

[javajunkie]

Thx Java. You mean the parameters are set different correct? My pt was all the parameter types are the same. The TC220 doesnt have any parameters that are different than the Digital delay. I just compared the EQ lists and they are all the same, so it looks like TC220 is just Fractal's take on what the parameters should be for the TC2290 and its really the same exact block as the Digital delay.

Yes,
mono - lfo 1 depth = 0%, eq high cut = 20000, phase rev none
2290 w/ mod - lfo depth = 25%, high cut = ~16000, phase reverse right

It is important to note - types are NOT models exactly, but built in parameters to help people get closer to those types faster (this is true of all the types). The a couple of bigs things that makes the typical 2290 delay different from a digital delay is its reduced frequency response and one phase reversed channel.


You can have a mono analog delay w/ tape like eq, digital echo length, bit reduction, moduation, diffusion, and ducking if you want.

 

[scarr]

To tag onto what java said, if you turn all the knobs to the same settings, the block will sound the same.

The AFx doesn't stick to particular "models", which would just lock some knobs to particular settings. Instead, the II shows you how to set them for a particular effect, but then lets you tweak and blend between them however you like.

 

[Axeman]

I'm still getting used to how the Axe II recording levels work. Everything is working, but some things have changed that I'm not sure I understand yet.

1) When using the USB to record into Logic Pro 9, I understand that the signal is digital before going to internal D/A converters in the Axe. But in order to get the level going into Logic high enough on the slider (even close to yellow, but hardly gets there), I have to have the levels within the preset up. I usually have the Master volume on the amp way up to get a certain tone and then bring the level on the amp model down (this is what I did on the Ultra). But this results in low USB level in the AXE II so I have to bring the level on the amp model up to 0 db or so (usually down at -10 db because I have the master up so high). On the Axe II I bring down the headphone volume way down and everything is fine. I just want to make sure this is normal.

2) For various reasons, I'm stilling working out some clicking static hiss when playing back from any program on a Mac into the USB Axe. So for now I'm using my Duet2 interface. Now I run into a different level issue. I take the balanced outs and go into Duet2 line ins (-10db). Everything works great, but the levels were too low even on a -10db setting, so I had to bring the Level Out 1 knob way up to about 1 oclock (it was down at 5 oclock for the headphones in #1 above). But now the levels in the headphones are way too loud. So I moved the headphones to the Duet2 and the volume is perfect and levels into the Duet2 is fine. In this case the Axe II is working just like my Ultra used to work.

Maybe I'm making a mistake with regard to the unity gain system on the Axe II. I can't figure out why I have to have the volume levels WITHIN a preset so high to get the USB levels into logic at a reasonable level (in which case the Output Level 1 knob has to be very low for headphones), and then when I use the balanced outs into the Duet, I have to turn the Level Output 1 knob way up to get levels right in the Duet2, but then can't use the headphones in the Axe II because it's screaming loud.

Can I only choose one of the two methods? I'm missing something regarding how the levels work in all these methods. Not sure this makes sense, but in other words, I can't find a scenario where the level into Logic by USB or by the balanced outs gives the same level into logic using the same Axe settings (including the headphone jack).

Thx!

 

[jdolll]

Does the duet 2 support aggregate devices? If so you could potentially just crest an aggregate device to use the duet 2 as your output device and still use te inputs from the axes USB connection? If this is possible, I'm buying a duet 2, because my gen 1 duet doesn't support aggregate devices.

 

[scarr]

But in order to get the level going into Logic high enough on the slider (even close to yellow, but hardly gets there), I have to have the levels within the preset up. I usually have the Master volume on the amp way up to get a certain tone and then bring the level on the amp model down (this is what I did on the Ultra). But this results in low USB level in the AXE II so I have to bring the level on the amp model up to 0 db or so (usually down at -10 db because I have the master up so high). On the Axe II I bring down the headphone volume way down and everything is fine. I just want to make sure this is normal.

There is a level indicator in Utility that you can check with. As long as you aren't clipping the outputs, don't worry about increasing your levels. You might even gain an extra couple bits at the D/A for your live sound. The only reason you might want to keep things lower in general is in case you need to generate something louder at some other point. (Like in Spinal Tap, make 9 loud, and 10 be your one more.)

2) For various reasons, I'm stilling working out some clicking static hiss when playing back from any program on a Mac into the USB Axe. So for now I'm using my Duet2 interface. Now I run into a different level issue. I take the balanced outs and go into Duet2 line ins (-10db). Everything works great, but the levels were too low even on a -10db setting, so I had to bring the Level Out 1 knob way up to about 1 oclock (it was down at 5 oclock for the headphones in #1 above). But now the levels in the headphones are way too loud. So I moved the headphones to the Duet2 and the volume is perfect and levels into the Duet2 is fine. In this case the Axe II is working just like my Ultra used to work.

Maybe I'm making a mistake with regard to the unity gain system on the Axe II. I can't figure out why I have to have the volume levels WITHIN a preset so high to get the USB levels into logic at a reasonable level (in which case the Output Level 1 knob has to be very low for headphones), and then when I use the balanced outs into the Duet, I have to turn the Level Output 1 knob way up to get levels right in the Duet2, but then can't use the headphones in the Axe II because it's screaming loud.

Can I only choose one of the two methods? I'm missing something regarding how the levels work in all these methods. Not sure this makes sense, but in other words, I can't find a scenario where the level into Logic by USB or by the balanced outs gives the same level into logic using the same Axe settings (including the headphone jack).

Thx!

The manual talks about doing unity gain with the Output 1 knob all the way up, so I think it makes sense to raise it up higher than you might've on the Ultra.

 

[Axeman]

The manual talks about doing unity gain with the Output 1 knob all the way up, so I think it makes sense to raise it up higher than you might've on the Ultra.

Thx Scarr. But if the Output 1 knob is all the way up then the headphones are crazy way too loud? Using the Duet2, the best output level using the line in -10db inputs is about 1 or 2 oclock on the AxeII output level 1 knob (very similar to the Ultra), but now the headphone output is just too loud to use (it hurts)!

The level in the Utility menu look like the digital USB levels and they are ok only because I have the amp level at 0db level when the master is at 9!! But if I turn down the amp level to -5 or -10 then the USB output levels fall.

There is something going on between the pre-converter output level (which requires the internal preset levels to be up for use with USB) and then the output 1 level knob that I don't understand (especially when you try to use the headphones. In other words, I can record with both methods just fine. But if I record with the Duet2, the Output 1 knob has to be up at around 2 oclock to get a good level in the Duet, but then I can't use the headphone jack on the AxeII (I use the Duet). If I record with USB, it works just find, but I have to turn down the output 1 level to almost zero to use the headphones (which is ok since I'm not using the analog balanced out when using the USB).

I guess another way to ask my question is if my levels are very high within a preset (master amp volume up high) and USB is working just fine, am I still sending too much level to the USB (and dont need it) because the volume to the headphones is very loud and has to be brought down to min.

 

[Axeman]

Does the duet 2 support aggregate devices? If so you could potentially just crest an aggregate device to use the duet 2 as your output device and still use te inputs from the axes USB connection? If this is possible, I'm buying a duet 2, because my gen 1 duet doesn't support aggregate devices.

I don't quite understand aggregate devices, but I dont think Duet2 supports it. It's much like the Duet1 but with some enhancements. I wish it had a digital input, then I could connect the Axe II right into the Duet 2 and skip all the D/A and A/D.

 

[jdolll]

Aggregate devices allows you to compound two sound devices together into a single usable device. The duet gen 1 glitches out 20-90 minutes after setting up the aggregate device. The idea being that if you had a duet 2 and an axe fx 2, you could build an aggregate device that allows you to use the inputs and outputs on both units simultaneously without any switching or restarting of core audio (Mac). I'm not sure if it's possible in windows but it is built into the OSX sound preferences, the devices just need to support it.

Cliff, would the axe 2 support being used as an aggregate device?