Dyersbrew
Member
Needs some help getting two dinosaurs to cooperate...
My typical rig is an FX-8 Mark II to Mesa Dual Rectifier via 4CM with R1/R2 for external switching. I recently acquired an Axe-FX II XL+ and am using the FX-8 as the foot controller via MIDI. At some point, I plan to fully utilize the XL+ capabilities into an FRFR rig, but I’m not there yet.
For now, I am learning to use amp modeling and feeding the output into the power amp section of my amp through FX RCV. However, I need to be able to use my current rig (FX-8) for practice and gigs while I am getting the hang of the XL+. Switching between my FX-8 configuration and the XL+ is more time consuming than I think it needs to be. I want to be able to work with the XL+ by simply moving my guitar from the FX-8 IN to XL+ INSTR. So, I am trying to integrate the XL+ into my existing set up in a way that allows me to switch between both configurations with minimal re-cabling or programming.
I have cabled everything up as shown in my diagram (attached). The dashed line from FX-8 OUT2-L to FX RCV is my normal rig configuration. To integrate the XL+ I have run this to XL+ IN1-L, then from OUT1-L to FX RCV to complete the integration. I have set up all my MIDI commands to issue PC/CC messages from FX-8 to XL+ to make all the soft changes. Through PC, I call up an XL+ preset that has no effects—just shunts/cables from input to output to complete the circuit (I just want to pass through the XL+ when I’m playing my normal rig). Everything works great, just as I envisioned, except one thing. When I’m routed through the empty XL+ preset, it absolutely kills my tone (effects are basically flattened out) and cuts my volume dramatically.
My normal rig works fine. The XL+ on it’s own (without FX-8 signal running through it—only MIDI messages) works fine. The input and output levels of both units seem fine--I don't find any that really make any improvement. I’m hoping it’s just a configuration setting somewhere that I’m missing.
Anyone know what’s going on here?
My typical rig is an FX-8 Mark II to Mesa Dual Rectifier via 4CM with R1/R2 for external switching. I recently acquired an Axe-FX II XL+ and am using the FX-8 as the foot controller via MIDI. At some point, I plan to fully utilize the XL+ capabilities into an FRFR rig, but I’m not there yet.
For now, I am learning to use amp modeling and feeding the output into the power amp section of my amp through FX RCV. However, I need to be able to use my current rig (FX-8) for practice and gigs while I am getting the hang of the XL+. Switching between my FX-8 configuration and the XL+ is more time consuming than I think it needs to be. I want to be able to work with the XL+ by simply moving my guitar from the FX-8 IN to XL+ INSTR. So, I am trying to integrate the XL+ into my existing set up in a way that allows me to switch between both configurations with minimal re-cabling or programming.
I have cabled everything up as shown in my diagram (attached). The dashed line from FX-8 OUT2-L to FX RCV is my normal rig configuration. To integrate the XL+ I have run this to XL+ IN1-L, then from OUT1-L to FX RCV to complete the integration. I have set up all my MIDI commands to issue PC/CC messages from FX-8 to XL+ to make all the soft changes. Through PC, I call up an XL+ preset that has no effects—just shunts/cables from input to output to complete the circuit (I just want to pass through the XL+ when I’m playing my normal rig). Everything works great, just as I envisioned, except one thing. When I’m routed through the empty XL+ preset, it absolutely kills my tone (effects are basically flattened out) and cuts my volume dramatically.
My normal rig works fine. The XL+ on it’s own (without FX-8 signal running through it—only MIDI messages) works fine. The input and output levels of both units seem fine--I don't find any that really make any improvement. I’m hoping it’s just a configuration setting somewhere that I’m missing.
Anyone know what’s going on here?