Axe-Fx III Firmware Release Version 19.00

A few years back when I owned a Diezel Einstein 100w head, I experimented a lot with different tubes.
I could clearly hear the difference between different 12ax7 brands (EV vs JJ vs Sovtek,...)
Changing power tubes between 6l6, 6550, KT77, 6ca7 also made a noticeable difference.
In the Axe, I can't tell the difference. I wonder if this is a volume thing ?
The Diezel was usually set very loud.​
power tubes on real amps are often re- biased(90% of them , unless cathode biased). and probably some more stuff under the hood is tweaked.
When you tweak on an axe, afaik it changes not everything but some stuff under the hood (to make it sound like how it would on the amp if done correctly by normalising it for Transformer ratios etc) it loads the knee voltage/hardness which you can use to help it clip earlier or later

tweak around some advanced parameters on different tubes you will get variable results.

The virtual transformer is changed on axe to keep the matching same when changing tubes, unlike real world
The differences in real world often arise due to different setups by different technicians .



The other thing is real amps are often biased cold (to avoid warranty claims) so even for like for like tube replacements the bias is changed to hotter by the amp tech, as a result it sounds much different.

Not really a volume thing, but as cliff said earlier , higher mv can help you hear the differences in them more well, because you need to drive the poweramp
 
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To my knowledge, all the amplifier tubes are made in Russia.
All tubes come off the same conveyor belt.
The only way they can pair the tubes is by measuring the tubes:
Preferably, the working point of the paired tubes should be the same.
So only pair-sorted tubes should be purchased.
The other pipes are bought by the dealers on the basis of the measurements and sold under their own name!
 
To my knowledge, all the amplifier tubes are made in Russia.
All tubes come off the same conveyor belt.
The only way they can pair the tubes is by measuring the tubes:
Preferably, the working point of the paired tubes should be the same.
So only pair-sorted tubes should be purchased.
The other pipes are bought by the dealers on the basis of the measurements and sold under their own name!
I used to do the pairing when I worked at Antique Electronics in the mid '90s. Sovtek's wafer-base "5881" tubes were so consistent, I had to really tighten the matching percentages to leave single tubes available for those who needed them. They aren't a particularly great 5881, but they are tough as nails and sound really good with the right transformer primary load....
 
To my knowledge, all the amplifier tubes are made in Russia.
All tubes come off the same conveyor belt.
The only way they can pair the tubes is by measuring the tubes:
Preferably, the working point of the paired tubes should be the same.
So only pair-sorted tubes should be purchased.
The other pipes are bought by the dealers on the basis of the measurements and sold under their own name!
Russia, China and Slovakia makes tubes.
 
'NOT' made in Russia...

jj electronic logo

A. Hlinku 3, 022 01 ČADCA, Slovak Republic

JJ Electronic was founded in 1993 by Jan Jurco, using the old TESLA machinery for the manufacture of vacuum tubes. Eventually, JJ Electronic started to produce their own line of vacuum tubes and electrolytic capacitors, mainly targeted at high-end audiophile and guitar amplifier applications.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JJ_Electronic
 
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Great job on the tubes! It really does sound like I went into my box of tubes, swapped, and biased for hours. I was skeptical of the changing of tubes in the Axe before, but I can really hear the difference now.

I tried my Two Rock CRS with the X-Load vs the Dumbles (yes I know there are differences in the amps) and the models are so fantastic against the real amp. I didn't think the models could get better but this is just impressive.
 
Yes it wasn’t fun . I just notice that I got some cracks in the recording 🤬. This happen a few time this month . I don’t know if it’s the driver of my sound card that does this s@@@ but grrr .

i Hope it helps in the conversation . I never like words and « they say » I need to do the test myself .

So yes , there is a difference . Huge ? No . Except some models .
 
pouah ! it s done . never again . So now we can talk
axe fx 3 rockerverb + strat us with fast track 2 humbucker . just tube swap by default


Could you repeat with some vintage style amp set up at edge of breakup? That rockerverb sounds like a preamp-grinder with little power amp coloration....
 
Loaded 19.00 up today and I think it feels and sounds better - not sure if that's true or not but I did notice on my main preset that I use, my slightly higher gain rhythm seemed a little tighter and sounded better to me. Thanks for the update FAS!
 
Could you repeat with some vintage style amp set up at edge of breakup? That rockerverb sounds like a preamp-grinder with little power amp coloration....
🤦🥲😭. Not today . I will dream all night long about « 2 minutes of midnight » and « fight fire » already .

I choose a high gain one but with gain at 7(?) , no boost , just one cab . I choose a trebly one because I believed it will help to listen to the difference more than a dark amp . Then If someone else wants to do the same with preamp ones of with another type of sound it can be cool .
 
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