Axe-Fx III Firmware Version 20.02 Release

[squealie]

I know that turning the axe on and just playing is very error prone cause ears work unreliably from day to day, but I swear I felt the same way after using this firmware too. It felt like it got a LOT less raw and more "polite" for lack of better words. It's strange, maybe it's me, I'll try again tomorrow and see if I feel the same way. I wish I had recordings but I mostly use the Axe for live and practice.

Sanity check...

I was playing the beta for 30 minutes today before I loaded the FW. It was exact.

Check your settings. The wee knobs in the amp block will get you every time.

 

[Akstrat]

I loaded it up yesterday and all went well. Some very minor tweaks, it sounded a bit tighter in a good way. I have a gig tonight and will see how it translates to live performance, but I expect it will be stellar! Thanks to all!

 

[macfly]

Gigged with 20.02 Thursday night and it KILLS. Thanks @FractalAudio and Fractal Team...this is an amazing leap! Funny I just saw some dumbass video saying something like "modeling has reached its peak." Funny it would come as this update landed!!!

 

[Mark-B]

I very rarely update my firmware and do so only when I have the time and temperament to tweak a few things for it; so, jumping from 18 to this firmware ..Absolutely yes! …a noticeable improvement in my presets.

This ‘striving for perfection’ over there at Fractal means things are just getting better all the time, don’t it! :0)

 

[pauly]

Yep
I remember thinking “it can never get better than this!”…some time around 2012. Blows my mind every time another epiphany is encountered. Best musical purchase I’ve ever made.
Thanks
Pauly

I very rarely update my firmware and do so only when I have the time and temperament to tweak a few things for it; so, jumping from 18 to this firmware ..Absolutely yes! …a noticeable improvement in my presets.

This ‘striving for perfection’ over there at Fractal means things are just getting better all the time, don’t it! :0)

 

[is9582]

Yep
I remember thinking “it can never get better than this!”…some time around 2012. Blows my mind every time another epiphany is encountered. Best musical purchase I’ve ever made.
Thanks
Pauly

I recall thinking the same around 2012. What amazing determination and fortitude by Feactal Audio, and one helluva ride from the Ultra to the AF3 Mk2 (so far). Hope those knocks on the head continue to bring epiphanies and not concussions.

Cheers,
Lee

 

[Gregmang]

Yep
I remember thinking “it can never get better than this!”…some time around 2012. Blows my mind every time another epiphany is encountered. Best musical purchase I’ve ever made.
Thanks
Pauly

Welcome to the show that never ends.

It's amazing, isn't it?

 

[REDD]

How do you determine which low and high cut filter setting to use in the cab block preamp section? 12DB/Oct or 6? I've been using 12 for as long as I can remember but I noticed some factory and some user presets vary, is there a determining factor? Ears?

 

[deathbyguitar]

How do you determine which low and high cut filter setting to use in the cab block preamp section? 12DB/Oct or 6? I've been using 12 for as long as I can remember but I noticed some factory and some user presets vary, is there a determining factor? Ears?

If it sounds good, it is good.

 

[rhummellh]

How do you determine which low and high cut filter setting to use in the cab block preamp section? 12DB/Oct or 6? I've been using 12 for as long as I can remember but I noticed some factory and some user presets vary, is there a determining factor? Ears?

Redd, have you looked in Wiki for Cab Block? Pretty good description there.

 

[REDD]

Redd, have you looked in Wiki for Cab Block? Pretty good description there.

I would like to hear what users prefer and why. It defaults to 6 on low and high but why do users change it? To get a little more range? Thanks!

 

[Budda]

I would like to hear what users prefer and why. It defaults to 6 on low and high but why do users change it? To get a little more range? Thanks!

To get closer to the sound in their head. All there is to it.

 

[chucma]

I would like to hear what users prefer and why. It defaults to 6 on low and high but why do users change it? To get a little more range? Thanks!

It changes depending on the tone you want and how that sits in a mix. Sometimes you want a more aggressive cut, and sometimes a more gradual cut. I usually only adjust this when I am thinking about the mix more than the tone.

 

[Doug Notter]

Just tried it out. There's been a lot of updates where I struggle to hear a difference but this one is definitely audible. On the handful of presets I tried anyway. The high end is more natural sounding to me in a really pleasing way. Digging it.

Cliff and the Fractal team continue to impress. Awesome work.

 

[JOHNNYROCKIT]

Let's not forget, there's Always the final hardware to consider for various differences in the AXE-FX tweaks.. Ones' 'own' sound system differences in this equation.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I would like to hear what users prefer and why. It defaults to 6 on low and high but why do users change it? To get a little more range? Thanks!

Each type drastically changes the feel of the cut, so I’ll just experiment with all of them until it sounds right; I usually end up at 18.

 

[∞Fractals]

FAS Speaker thump has been fascinating…

I run a pair of 8 inch FRFR monitors on the desk, and then I have two 2x12s in stereo on the floor (for regular OG THUMP).

FAS Thump definitely shows itself in both transducer platforms however seems better in the FRFR especially as volume increase versus traditional cabinets.

Would be awesome if we could separate the signal paths, much like we do for cabinets/IRs to FOH via different outputs, while keeping cabs free of this effect.

Hopefully Cliff can grok the fix!

 

[blastbeatdown]

How do you determine which low and high cut filter setting to use in the cab block preamp section? 12DB/Oct or 6? I've been using 12 for as long as I can remember but I noticed some factory and some user presets vary, is there a determining factor? Ears?

I started using the steepest reduction curve available when I got my Matrix FR212. I haven’t tried any other FRFR yet but on this one the low end is extended way beyond what I think is normal for a guitar cab. I was getting frustrated low cutting more than I wanted to, like 120 to as much as 150 hz to tame it. Now I use the steepest slope and a PEQ in my chain to completely squash anything below 90-100 hz. Just one example of application for the steep slope. Maybe in a recording context, you would wanna leave the reduction curves on default and do any additional EQ in post production.

 

[State of Epicicity]

FAS Speaker thump has been fascinating…

I run a pair of 8 inch FRFR monitors on the desk, and then I have two 2x12s in stereo on the floor (for regular OG THUMP).

FAS Thump definitely shows itself in both transducer platforms however seems better in the FRFR especially as volume increase versus traditional cabinets.

Would be awesome if we could separate the signal paths, much like we do for cabinets/IRs to FOH via different outputs, while keeping cabs free of this effect.

Hopefully Cliff can grok the fix!

If you're only using one Amp Block in most of your presets, I guess you could copy your channel to a second Amp Block, and just get rid of the thump on that block, leaving everything else identical.

 

[siin82]

I noticed that using the big dial flips through presets much faster - anyone know when that was introduced? I don’t recall seeing that in any release notes.

Btw, I’m quite glad for this, since I can’t use Axe Edit while in Pro Tools.