Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 16.00 "Cygnus"

[jephjacques]

Do you have any experience with the GGD zilla cabs? I used to use them a lot but since I saw a post from you talking about York I've switched to those. I'm a big fan of the Bogner cab pack. To my ears the York stuff is brighter and more clear than any other type of IR I've used. The GGD zilla isn't very clear to me, but it could be my old ears

The YA impulses are definitely brighter than 95% of the other IRs I've tried. Took a while for my ears to adjust to them but now they're my favorites! There are a few ML packs that come close but they tend to be fizzy in a way I don't like. I messed around with the GGD cab plugin but never found anything that I liked. Too boxy sounding to my ears.

 

[FractalAudio]

Confirmed. FW 16.00 and Scene Revert in the MIDI/Remote menu is ON.

Here's how to reproduce.

Pull up Factory Preset called Plexi 100W.
While on scene 1 (High), change amp channels to D (1959 SLP Treble model) via Axe Edit or via FC switch (does the same either way)
Now change scenes to scene 2 and then back to scene 1 (amp will be back on Plexi 100W High as expected with Scene Revert)
Now change to scene 4 and the amp will still be on Plexi 100W High (channel A) when it's supposed to be on 1959 SLP Treble (channel D)
You can change to other scenes and back and they revert as they should but anytime you switch between scene 1 and 4 it's messed up.

It seems like whatever scene uses the amp channel you manually change to gets messed up when you switch back and forth with the scene on which you make the initial manual channel change.

So if you are on scene 2 and you manually change channels to C (the one used in scene 3), switching between scenes 2 and 3 then gets messed up between the channels. Sometimes it uses channel B and others channel C. Switching to scene 1 or 4 seems to make it revert, but switching back between 2 and 3 messes up the amp channels again.

Seems to be an issue with Scene revert not consistently working between all scenes.

Fixed for next release.

 

[mr_fender]

That kind of support will never get old.

 

[unix-guy]

One glitch: The tuner did not work when activated on the FC12. It didn't respond on either the FC, or the front of the AX3. I have not worked with it yet to troubleshoot. Maybe a known fix.

I forgot to confirm I also checked this.

I found the issue in my case was the the Hold Function on switch 12 of my primary layout was removed. That was my tuner... I did not remove that myself so somehow it got impacted at some point in the recent updates (I don't use tuner from the FC often).

Additionally, button 6 of the same layout now had a Hold Function that I never assigned.

I fixed both issues and everything works as expected.

 

[My name is mud]

My tuner works with the fc12

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Am I wrong? Now, with Cygnus, when you copy a scene, it copies the MIDI block values. I don't think it was like that before.
Is it an Easter egg ? Oeuf de Pâques in French.
(sorry for my English, I'm French)

Votre Anglais est très bien. Thanks for sharing your discovery!

 

[unix-guy]

My tuner works with the fc12

Mine does, too, now the I added back the missing hold assignment.

 

[REDD]

My tuner with the FC-12 works fine, no issues. On another subject, I bought a Fender Twin blackface 2x12 100w and it's not my bag baby but I own a pawnshop and it came in and I got it cheap! It has reverb but it doesn't say twin reverb on the front. What's the difference?

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

My tuner with the FC-12 works fine, no issues. On another subject, I bought a Fender Twin blackface 2x12 100w and it's not my bag baby but I own a pawnshop and it came in and I got it cheap! It has reverb but it doesn't say twin reverb on the front. What's the difference?

Pic?

 

[Chris B.]

I have found that some of my presets are way off with the new Cygnus update, particularly the mark iic++. Something just seems to be missing. I’m hopeful that I will be able to get my presets back to post 16.00 release sounds that I’m used to. This may be too much to ask, but would having the old amp models and the new amp models built into 16.00 or 16.01 be something of interest to other users? From a development side, this may not be easy, but if so, it would allow us time to not only A/B our old presets but let’s us slowly update all of our presets.

 

[REDD]

Pic?

Pic?

 

[Dimi Guitar]

I have found that some of my presets are way off with the new Cygnus update, particularly the mark iic++. Something just seems to be missing. I’m hopeful that I will be able to get my presets back to post 16.00 release sounds that I’m used to. This may be too much to ask, but would having the old amp models and the new amp models built into 16.00 or 16.01 be something of interest to other users? From a development side, this may not be easy, but if so, it would allow us time to not only A/B our old presets but let’s us slowly update all of our presets.

You mean having every amp sim as it was in ares, PLUS every amp sim as it is in Cygnus? I highly doubt that's something fractal would want to put their energy into. But as things stand, you can record DIs and compare the 2 firmwares, last Ares vs Cygnus release. It won't tell you about "feel" as much, but you can do good comparisons to match earlier sounds.

Or, or course, staying with older firmware is also an option.

 

[Chris B.]

You mean having every amp sim as it was in ares, PLUS every amp sim as it is in Cygnus? I highly doubt that's something fractal would want to put their energy into. But as things stand, you can record DIs and compare the 2 firmwares, last Ares vs Cygnus release. It won't tell you about "feel" as much, but you can do good comparisons to match earlier sounds.

Or, or course, staying with older firmware is also an option.

I agree they would not want to invest too much energy in it; however, it may be relatively minimal effort. Not sure. I did revert to old firmware but would like to eventually stay with the new releases for other features such as the last scene 2nd press feature that was implemented on the FM3.

 

[jon]

I have found that some of my presets are way off with the new Cygnus update, particularly the mark iic++. Something just seems to be missing. I’m hopeful that I will be able to get my presets back to post 16.00 release sounds that I’m used to. This may be too much to ask, but would having the old amp models and the new amp models built into 16.00 or 16.01 be something of interest to other users? From a development side, this may not be easy, but if so, it would allow us time to not only A/B our old presets but let’s us slowly update all of our presets.

You can reduce master bias excursion and power tube grid bias, as per Cliff's recommendation if you want to go back to that FW15 type of sound/feel

 

[Chris B.]

You can reduce master bias excursion and power tube grid bias, as per Cliff's recommendation if you want to go back to that FW15 type of sound/feel

Thanks Jon! I’ll have to try that. I definitely missed that note.

 

[crdark]

I can't remember on which firmware I last played through my Seymour Duncan Powerstage and Mesa 2x12, but I had some trouble dialing in my presets made for my FRFR setup.
Now with Cygnus (or some update before that) everything sounds amazing through the power amp+real cab, without the need to adjust anything. I played every amp in the Axe with this setup and I thought about selling my two tube heads ... but its always good to have a comparison to check how good the AxeFx is

Thx at Cliff and the FAS team for this update!

 

[is9582]

@REDD

Pretty sure that’s a newer amp, even though it has a black face. The originals didn’t have all of the extras this amp has. I used to repair lots of the old tweed, BF & SF versions. As long as it sounds good, right? Fender may have changed the front panel name so it wouldn’t be as confusing. Lee

 

[johnnypig]

@REDD

Searching revealed that is the actual Evil Twin and Rivera had nothing to do with it, which I always thought was his design. Adjustable bias in 1995 though... amazing!

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

@REDD

Pretty sure that’s a newer amp, even though it has a black face. The originals didn’t have all of the extras this amp has. I used to repair lots of the old tweed, BF & SF versions. As long as it sounds good, right? Fender may have changed the front panel name so it wouldn’t be as confusing. Lee

Yeah, this is a relatively recent '90s amp. A real BF Twin has 4 input jacks and no FX loop on the back....

 

[rushfan]

As requested

Too bad I cannot love this twice over! First watched it in about 4 sessions, and today just went through it to take notes. Pulled the trigger on updating to Cygnus (the god of balance you shall be!) and will spend time this weekend updating my 16 or so presets I use live!