Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 15.01

craiguitar said:
I had a similar thing happen here (UK) but of course there's no insurance involved at all, and they don't get paid 'per patient' or anything, they just have to treat you if you turn up. But they still sent me jumping through hoops, just to get my ear flushed out. When I eventually got to see the nurse, after booking yet another appointment, I was out of there in 5 mins, with a clear ear. My raging tinnitus remains, but that's sadly not fixable.
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My left ear has been ringing for 18 years.
Always, constantly!
 
FractalAudio said:
I had that happen this past summer. Tried everything. Made an appointment with an ear specialist and they couldn't see me for four weeks and wanted me to take a hearing test first and then talk about the test and then they'd clean my ear if they felt it was necessary. I told them "it's just plugged up with wax, it's a two-minute procedure". "Sorry sir, that's not the way we do things".

So I grudgingly made an appointment. A week later it was driving me crazy so I called my PCP. They said, "just come in and we'll clean your ear". Two minutes later I'm out the door and could hear an ant fart.
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DIY:

Fill a bathroom sink with warm water and some soap.
Take a syringe, without needle of course, and fill the syringe with the soaped water.
Tilt your head and hold it horizontal above the sink. Use a mirror if necessary to check the position of your head/ear.
Spray the water from the syringe into your ear, from below. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
Do the other ear.
 
I caught a bad flu beginning of February. Today, I'm still coughing from time to time during the day, it's been 11 months now. But the worse was the three first months. During that time, I lost hearing in my right ear, for more than two months I was half deaf there. It went away fortunately
 
fremen said:
I caught a bad flu beginning of February. Today, I'm still coughing from time to time during the day, it's been 11 months now. But the worse was the three first months. During that time, I lost hearing in my right ear, for more than two months I was half deaf there. It went away fortunately
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Glad you are on the path to feeling better!
 
For folks who may try flushing their ears out at home or having it done at the doctor's office: Don't underestimate the vertigo. I generally don't get motion sickness, but when they flushed my ears, I went from 0 to a dozen shots of tequila real quick and puked due to the dizziness. Not pretty.
 
austinbuddy said:
I have two Axe-Fx IIIs, one is running 14.06 and the other 15.01.

I am going through the LiveGold TonePack at random picking different amp presets (about two dozen so far) and A/B'ing things to listen for differences.

Also, also am comparing to the Live Gold presets under new FM3 version 3 firmware, but that's not a totally apples-to-apples thing because the FM3 doesn't have Ultra-Res Cabs (at least, I don't think it does yet)... It's nice having a Lehle 3-way switcher on the floor to go back and forth easy. Everything is coming out the same CLRs, via the UAudio console.

Anyway, 15.01 my main conclusion so far is, to my ears, 15.01 has noticeably improved the sound of the individual string separation (such as playing chords), compared to 14.06. It sounds a little less mushed-together string-wise than 14.06 sounds (and that still sounded great). The update can makes you think the distortion or gain is slightly different between firmwares, but it's actually not to my ears thus far - it's just that you hear the individual strings in chords as you play more clearly than ever.

I'm going to keep comparing the different firmware/same presets for my own knowledge and edification, but so far (caveat: based on just 24 random presets out of 300+ sampled) I don't see that I need to make more than some touch-up preset changes under 15.01, and it sounds fantastic.

That new Jumped Bassman amp model sounds exactly like a real '59 Bassman mic'd coming out my speakers. This firmware is the most realistic one evocative of real tube amps yet -- and that is really saying something, given how incredibly good the all the Axe-Fx II firmware has been even since firmware 5.x.

Kudos the Cliff and the entire Fractal team for this milestone achievement!
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In as much as you're doing these detailed comparisons, do you mind recording some A/B clips for us on the amps that you found that benefitted the most from the update?
 
world vs venkman said:
For folks who may try flushing their ears out at home or having it done at the doctor's office: Don't underestimate the vertigo. I generally don't get motion sickness, but when they flushed my ears, I went from 0 to a dozen shots of tequila real quick and puked due to the dizziness. Not pretty.
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That was what I was dealing with in July. No fun at all. Triggered by a combo of recent dental surgery disturbing the vestibular area, medication side-effect, and barometric pressure change.

Meclazine helps when it hits, but then you're all dopey and lethargic.

Thankfully, things have settled back down on their own, but I should probably get a barometer, as just pressure change can trigger it. Figured that out early on about 15 years ago when I first had issues with it. Found out I could stop and start it at will by quickly turning my head one way or the other, and balancing my middle ear pressure by swallowing and/or yawning stopped it cold....
 
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I had tons of ear infections as a kid and my ENT Doc taught me how to manually pop my ears by trying to blow my nose while pinching it shut with my fingers. Forces a little air up your Eustachian tubes and helps to facilitate drainage. Yawning or swallowing then helps re-balance the pressure. I can always tell things were getting a bit clogged when I pop them and everything then sounds very loud and sibilant until everything balances back out. Fortunately I've not had any vertigo issues along with it over the years.

This FW thread has taken a very weird turn... :p
 
I started it. Sorry my fault.

15.01 = FW ENT 1.0

EDIT: Thanks @mr_fender, I have a little more hearing after a little of that trick! Worried to put too much pressure in there tho.
 
I had a severe inner ear infection once. Lasted a few months and at best my head was spinning 24/7 and at worse felt like a needle was being pushed into my ear.
A Doc said it might have be a tumour, another said I might loose my hearing in that ear. Thankfully neither happened

Wasn't fun
 
jon said:
In as much as you're doing these detailed comparisons, do you mind recording some A/B clips for us on the amps that you found that benefitted the most from the update?
Click to expand...

You'd hear differences more comparing an FM3 3.0 to Axe-Fx III, which is not really fair since that doesn't have Ultra Res. I'm unfortunately too busy to do this right now, but maybe next week. Other people on here can probably do that?
 
When I was first doing the Naked Amps for Axe-Fx III (which took several months, and I was unemployed at the time so it was constant/daily), started get dizzy after lying down and then getting out of bed, and get these bouts of unexplained vertigo. Turns out as you are there are little tiny crystals that can form in your ear , but they break up over time and it all went away thankfully. Not tintinitus, but it was very disconcerting.

Take care of your ears! Wear good ear plugs if you are playing live and loud over substantial periods of time.
 
mr_fender said:
I can always tell things were getting a bit clogged when I pop them and everything then sounds very loud and sibilant until everything balances back out. Fortunately I've not had any vertigo issues along with it over the years.
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I can manage it by equalizing pressure when I am awake, but if the pressure changes when I am asleep....
 
Just updated and tried all my gig presets. All sound great! A few needed minor tweaking. Agree with @austinbuddy that the string separation on high gain tones stands out. I also noticed my acoustic sim presets sound better. I have an acoustic preset with a virtual capo and it sounds much better. Much less warble. Did anyone else notice that?
 
austinbuddy said:
I have two Axe-Fx IIIs, one is running 14.06 and the other 15.01.

I am going through the LiveGold TonePack at random picking different amp presets (about two dozen so far) and A/B'ing things to listen for differences.

Also, also am comparing to the Live Gold presets under new FM3 version 3 firmware, but that's not a totally apples-to-apples thing because the FM3 doesn't have Ultra-Res Cabs (at least, I don't think it does yet)... It's nice having a Lehle 3-way switcher on the floor to go back and forth easy. Everything is coming out the same CLRs, via the UAudio console.

Anyway, 15.01 my main conclusion so far is, to my ears, 15.01 has noticeably improved the sound of the individual string separation (such as playing chords), compared to 14.06. It sounds a little less mushed-together string-wise than 14.06 sounds (and that still sounded great). The update can makes you think the distortion or gain is slightly different between firmwares, but it's actually not to my ears thus far - it's just that you hear the individual strings in chords as you play more clearly than ever.

I'm going to keep comparing the different firmware/same presets for my own knowledge and edification, but so far (caveat: based on just 24 random presets out of 300+ sampled) I don't see that I need to make more than some touch-up preset changes under 15.01, and it sounds fantastic.

That new Jumped Bassman amp model sounds exactly like a real '59 Bassman mic'd coming out my speakers. This firmware is the most realistic one evocative of real tube amps yet -- and that is really saying something, given how incredibly good the all the Axe-Fx II firmware has been even since firmware 5.x.

Kudos the Cliff and the entire Fractal team for this milestone achievement!
Click to expand...

I agree with AB’s comment about the improved string separation. Is it correct to say that any increase in string separation would come from reduced inter modulation distortion? And if so, is there a way to further reduce inter modulation distortion in the Axe?
 
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