Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 13.01

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Already updated to 13.0 last night to try drive improvements, every preset I tried was 10 dB lower in level, everywhere in the signal chain
Was correcting levels this week, so what ....? Pretty quickly found input 1 gain was set wrong, no problem.

The headroom meter in the amp is an extremely useful tool.
And no/graphic/par eq's in global outputs, niiicee, thank you very much
 
Already updated to 13.0 last night to try drive improvements, every preset I tried was 10 dB lower in level, everywhere in the signal chain
Was correcting levels this week, so what ....? Pretty quickly found input 1 gain was set wrong, no problem.

The headroom meter in the amp is an extremely useful tool.
And no/graphic/par eq's in global outputs, niiicee, thank you very much

If you changed a bunch of presets to compensate, since this one now fixes it you'll need to either change them back or restore your backup from before you changed them. Just wanted to make sure you didn't miss that :)

This is looking to be a solution for the linear unit vs db debate. Both sides win!!!

But there are three sides to this debate, and the third side is Fractal Audio who has to build, maintain, and debug a user configurable setting which changes how a handful of knobs work all across the system. They also have to support all the people using the Axe FX who start posting "Someone said set it to -6 dB to simulate the low input on the amp but the Input Trim doesn't go negative, it only goes down to 0.0! I dunna understand!?"

You say everybody wins, but in that scenario Fractal definitely loses.

I amended my post to reflect the fact that it is a multiplier in this case. Still, a dB reading is more useful to me than 1.63. And my post addresses the larger issue of many manufacturers using meaningless numbers throughout their UI. Always been a peeve of mine. Multipliers make sense to me when they globally scale several independent parameters at once; for example, multiple delay times. For a single level control, I prefer dB.

Many people would disagree though. How much louder is 4 dB? I dunno, let me get out my logarithmic functions on my calculator and remember my math. How much louder is 1.63? 63% louder, or just over one one and a half as loud. The real amp gain knobs were always 1-10 and not dB, and linear or logarithmic or whatever scale anyway.

I'm not usually vocal about stuff like this, but input trim and global amp gain in linear? WHY? This makes no sense. Decibels are way better and easier to understand. Please change it back. Everything that could be shown in dB, should be. dB is easy to understand, linear or percentage units for stuff like this, is not.

It's not really linear, turn the knob down from midway to 1/4 way bring you down to 0.5, or half volume. Down to 1/8th is 0.25, or quarter volume. 1/16th is 0.125 or 1/8th volume. That's pretty logatirhmic, It's just being showed as a scalar multiplier instead of in Decibels on the knob display.



Cliff added global input gain with dB, but input trim was always a scalar value. This caused people confusion. Cliff made them both Decibels, and there was a flood of people going "I used to set it to 0.5 to simulate the Low input on my amp, what do I set it to now that it's Decibels?". Cliff changed it back to how it was since the dawn of the feature until just one firmware version ago and suddenly everything is freaking out about that?

There's no right answer, but there is 10 years of forum, video, and manual guide information out there referring to input trim as a scalar value compared to two weeks of it being in Decibels. If no one is going to be happy either way, at least this way it doesn't invalidate anyones prior knowledge of the input trim knob.

Ultimately, this is a purely cosmetic issue and we're all smart enough to understand either scale.
 
Awesome update and a quick fix, thanks! IF we're debating the input trim status I prefer dB but am also use to the old way
 
Love the parametric EQ option for the outputs. I haven't messed with it yet, but can low and high cuts be applied here as well?
 
But there are three sides to this debate, and the third side is Fractal Audio who has to build, maintain, and debug a user configurable setting which changes how a handful of knobs work all across the system. They also have to support all the people using the Axe FX who start posting "Someone said set it to -6 dB to simulate the low input on the amp but the Input Trim doesn't go negative, it only goes down to 0.0! I dunna understand!?"
A great reason to allow a -6dB adjustment.

Many people would disagree though. How much louder is 4 dB? I dunno, let me get out my logarithmic functions on my calculator and remember my math.
Seriously? If "many" people think this, then perhaps I'm gaining insight as to why Cliff threw up his hands and changed it back from a method he apparently though was better himself.

How much louder is 1.63? 63% louder, or just over one one and a half as loud.
"Just over". A term that exemplifies why dB is superior.

The real amp gain knobs were always 1-10 and not dB, and linear or logarithmic or whatever scale anyway.
AFAIK, no one wants the modeled "real amp" knobs to be in dB. Just global gain and amp input trim. I was very happy when the new global parameter. Wish it were in dB.

Cliff added global input gain with dB, but input trim was always a scalar value. This caused people confusion. Cliff made them both Decibels, and there was a flood of people going "I used to set it to 0.5 to simulate the Low input on my amp, what do I set it to now that it's Decibels?". Cliff changed it back to how it was since the dawn of the feature until just one firmware version ago and suddenly everything is freaking out about that?
"Freaking out"? Hyperbole intended to paint those with a different opinion as emotional or unreasonable. And yes, established convention and peoples' resistance to change is the only reason I can see for still using a scalar.

There's no right answer.
My suggestion would be to show both values on the display. It isn't hard for a DSP to convert from one to the other.
 
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This is like the great old debate of imperial vs metric. One is clearly better, used widely and logical. And it's not linear/scalar in this case, it's dB.

Everything regarding gain in audio is in decibels. People communicate by using decibels, as it's universal and constant. +3dB is always +3dB. It's doesn't require doing divisions or partitions on the fly. It doesn't leave you guessing about the range and conversation between different manufacturers, software and applications. It's simple, and all you need to know is right there in the value, +3dB.

If someone doesn't grasp decibels, that's on them. That does not take away from the superiority of the dB system compared to linear.
 
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Except the opposite is actually what's happening. All the forum posts say "Set it to 0.5" and you'd have people going "I set it to 0.5 dB and now it's louder, not like the low input at all!"
I understand your point on AMP input trim, as much as I dislike the scalar. I see no reason for the new Global parameter to be a scalar. Ideally, scalar and dB would be shown if the display allows.
 
The headroom parameter is a really nice addition to the amp block - here's a quick little video demonstrating the effect MV has on the Recto 1 Orange Modern, with the headroom parameter providing visual feedback. Clips were normalised in post and the video is "unlisted" on YT so you'll need to access it from here.



Also, try an amp like the Atomica or BE set to a light crunch and boost it with the Compulsion Distortion (level 10, drive around 3, tone to taste) - it'll take you from a great rock rhythm tone to a fat, searing lead. Glorious!

Edit - Preset attached


I was watching the clip and thinking, “Damn, I need a Recto Orange channel preset, I’ll make one up tonight. Ohhhhh preset included, now I can just have cocktails and play chugga chugga riffs all night!

Thanks, brother!

Edit- Derp, I didn’t realize the preset was for the Atomica.....which is still awesome because my Atomica preset has been my 2nd go-to after my Friedman preset, I’ll still have fun diggin’ on it later!
 
I was watching the clip and thinking, “Damn, I need a Recto Orange channel preset, I’ll make one up tonight. Ohhhhh preset included, now I can just have cocktails and play chugga chugga riffs all night!

Thanks, brother!

Edit- Derp, I didn’t realize the preset was for the Atomica.....which is still awesome because my Atomica preset has been my 2nd go-to after my Friedman preset, I’ll still have fun diggin’ on it later!

Here's the Recto patch - https://axechange.fractalaudio.com/detail.php?preset=7291

Try it with the precision drive or compulsion dist instead of the amp boost.
 
The new Headroom meter is so helpful! I use Recto 2 Red Modern almost exclusively the meter really shows you why the Rectos aren't meant to go above 2-ish for MV.

Anyone using Recto Modern modes have any suggestions for getting tones to cut live? At band practice I've got the mids cranked to 10 and the MV at 2.5 (will probably roll back). I made some new IR mixes that are a bit more mid forward but any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
input trim and global amp gain in linear?
It's not really linear, turn the knob down from midway to 1/4 way bring you down to 0.5, or half volume. Down to 1/8th is 0.25, or quarter volume. 1/16th is 0.125 or 1/8th volume. That's pretty logarithmic, It's just being showed as a scalar multiplier instead of in Decibels on the knob display.

Right, amp input trim and MV trim are (historically in the Axe) multipliers. Controls being non-dB if "on the amp" make sense. Actually almost all "in the block" controls are non-dB which maps to most pedal/rack style controls. Thus BMTP, gain, mix etc aren't in dB. In contrast, overall block level in dB makes sense across all blocks as a relative adjustment (but it could have been implemented as a near equivalent "trim multiplier").

There's no right answer, but there is 10 years of forum, video, and manual guide information out there referring to input trim as a scalar value compared to two weeks of it being in Decibels. If no one is going to be happy either way, at least this way it doesn't invalidate anyones prior knowledge of the input trim knob.

Agreed. Let's enjoy 13.xx!
 
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