Axe-Fx III Firmware 25.00 Public Beta (Cygnus X-3)

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was it fw19 where people were commenting it sounded more polished or raw, and Cliff suggested which params to tweak to go the other way? Seems to be an ebb and flow to that among the replies perhaps.

I know I will soft reset a couple more main presets (doom preset, pickup demo preset) and enjoy playing them immensely.

Still the best music item I’ve bought.
 
I spent several hours comparing the USA JP IIC+Red amplifier before the update (A) and after the update (B). Here are my observations. At the beginning I noticed that the visible default values have changed: Supply Sag from 1.50 (A) -> 1.10 (B) and Grid Bias from 60% (A) -> 58.3 (B). Initially, I liked the amplifier better after the update (B). Then in the old amplifier (A) I changed the Suppy Sag values to 1.10 and Grid Bias to 58.3%. At this point, all values of both amplifiers were the same. Now I liked the old amplifier (A) more. It was clearer. The new amplifier (B) was a bit fuzzy and had more bass, as if I had put a blanket over the speaker. Then in the new amplifier (B) I reduced the overdrive saturation from 8.3 to 7.7 and that was what I needed. The sound came alive and became clear and pleasant. Then, in the old amplifier (A), I also reduced the overdrive saturation from 8.3 to 7.7 so that both amplifiers had the same settings. The sound in the old amplifier (A) has improved, but not enough to be better than in the new amplifier (B). The sound in the new amplifier (B) was better, more pleasant, sweeter, nicely blurred without being harsh. There was more of a pleasant agent that gave it that sweetness. The sound was liquid. The old amplifier (A) was more raw, had a noticeable roughness, the bass was harder and less pleasant. If you notice that the sound is muffled or less clear, try reducing the saturation. This should help. At first I had mixed feelings about this update, but in the end I think it's really, very good.
 
Cortlan GK said:
I spent several hours comparing the USA JP IIC+Red amplifier before the update (A) and after the update (B). Here are my observations. At the beginning I noticed that the visible default values have changed: Supply Sag from 1.50 (A) -> 1.10 (B) and Grid Bias from 60% (A) -> 58.3 (B). Initially, I liked the amplifier better after the update (B). Then in the old amplifier (A) I changed the Suppy Sag values to 1.10 and Grid Bias to 58.3%. At this point, all values of both amplifiers were the same. Now I liked the old amplifier (A) more. It was clearer. The new amplifier (B) was a bit fuzzy and had more bass, as if I had put a blanket over the speaker. Then in the new amplifier (B) I reduced the overdrive saturation from 8.3 to 7.7 and that was what I needed. The sound came alive and became clear and pleasant. Then, in the old amplifier (A), I also reduced the overdrive saturation from 8.3 to 7.7 so that both amplifiers had the same settings. The sound in the old amplifier (A) has improved, but not enough to be better than in the new amplifier (B). The sound in the new amplifier (B) was better, more pleasant, sweeter, nicely blurred without being harsh. There was more of a pleasant agent that gave it that sweetness. The sound was liquid. The old amplifier (A) was more raw, had a noticeable roughness, the bass was harder and less pleasant. If you notice that the sound is muffled or less clear, try reducing the saturation. This should help. At first I had mixed feelings about this update, but in the end I think it's really, very good.
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Do you mean Preamp --> Saturation Drive?
 
As much as I love new FW, I may have bit off more than I can chew with Cygnus X3 beta. I think I should have waited until the final release. I’m not the best at creating and tweaking presets and dumbass me did a hard reset on all the presets. I can go back to 24.05 right? I do have all my presets saved. wasn’t sure since it’s a whole new algorithm.
 
Beecher said:
As much as I love new FW, I may have bit off more than I can chew with Cygnus X3 beta. I think I should have waited until the final release. I’m not the best at creating and tweaking presets and dumbass me did a hard reset on all the presets. I can go back to 24.05 right? I do have all my presets saved. wasn’t sure since it’s a whole new algorithm.
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Yup! Remember to do your refresh after new (older) firmware step and then load your presets from backup.
 
Beecher said:
As much as I love new FW, I may have bit off more than I can chew with Cygnus X3 beta. I think I should have waited until the final release. I’m not the best at creating and tweaking presets and dumbass me did a hard reset on all the presets. I can go back to 24.05 right? I do have all my presets saved. wasn’t sure since it’s a whole new algorithm.
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Yep. You can revert to the old firmware as well as your presets.
 
For the Cygnus beta, I’m not comparing old sounds to new sounds. If the models more accurately reflect results of improved measurement methods of the real tube amp circuits, then I’m all in, 100%.

I play covers. I try my best, to precisely emulate how the few greats and my few favourites played their guitars and amps. May not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s why I finally ended up with Fractal Audio, and not the others I previously owned.
 
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Beecher said:
If I were just to re-install my presets onto 25 and not do an amp reset, would that be the same? Then I could stay on 25 and experiment one at a time?
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It wouldn't be the same as going back to the earlier stable firmware, but you can do that, yes. Sounded like you wanted to bail completely from the beta though. Beta firmware updates introduce a lot of uncertainty, hence the warnings. Have fun!
 
Beecher said:
Then I could stay on 25 and experiment one at a time?
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Note that if you save any presets under 25 and you then later go back to a previous fw version, those presets will not be available (IIRC will appear as <EMPTY>) in the previous fw, so you'd have to reload your backed up presets from the previous version to see them again.
 
yyz67 said:
Note that if you save any presets under 25 and you then later go back to a previous fw version, those presets will not be available (IIRC will appear as <EMPTY>) in the previous fw, so you'd have to reload your backed up presets from the previous version to see them again.
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The good thing is that I have all my factory presets backed up as well as the download files of all my third party presets stored on my computer.
 
Again w/ the 63-year-old ears ….

Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s I ran a rig w/ a MESA Mk II C+ and a Marshall 2203 Combo ….

I ran a few pedals in front of a Whirlwind Selector A / B / C pedal and then an SPX 90 in the loop of the MESA and a SDE-3000 in the loop of the Marshall ….

From what I remember …, there were nights when the Boogie would just “Sing” and the Marshall could only “Fart” …. On other nights it would be the other way around, the Marshall would just “Crush” and the Boogie would sound thin & shrill ….

It was only on rare occasions when all was right with both amps at the same time ….

And I hate to admit it, but it did affect my playing. It didn’t matter if it was a solo that was worked out and rehearsed, or it was during a song where we improvised. It did matter ….

I always chalked it up to …. Humidity, Barometric Pressure, Weather Fronts, the Crowd in the Room ( was it empty or full ), were they into it ( or not ) …, hell was my stomach empty or full …, etc; etc; etc; etc; ….

Could that be the “randomness” that Petrucci is referring to ? I don’t know, but it does kinda make sense to me ….

All that said, that’s exactly WHY I bought into the concept of the Axe-Fx way back in the Ultra days. I don’t need to have my pant legs flapping from the sound pressure of a 4 x 12 barking behind me. I’m perfectly happy with a couple of wedges by my vocal mic pointing back up at me !

My hope is that my sound WOULD be more consistent night over night and TAKE OUT all the variables I mentioned above ! Give me a reliable platform to draw my inspiration from without having to worry about any of that minutia ….

THANKS Cliff for doing what you do ! I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without you and your creative genius !

BTW – I’ve been looking for the rumble and sizzle you mentioned for a long time. I’d use a PEQ to try and add it back with limited success from time to time …. This update is one that I guess I’ve been waiting for, but didn’t really know I needed !
 
R.D. said:
I ran a rig w/ a MESA Mk II C+ and a Marshall 2203 Combo ….

I ran a few pedals in front of a Whirlwind Selector A / B / C pedal and then an SPX 90 in the loop of the MESA and a SDE-3000 in the loop of the Marshall ….
Click to expand...
I bet that sounded GLORIOUS! (When both amps were "on".)
 
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