Axe-Fx w/ Cab lacking low end (HELP)

BrenMari

New Member
Hi there!

I know that this topic has probably been posted hundreds of times on this website but if anyone has any other links or posts that they've seen regarding this topic, that would be great

Anyway, I just recently purchased an Orange 2x12 and I have been tinkering with the settings (on the Axe-Fx) for the last 2-3 days and for some reason the tone just seems to lack a lot of bottom end. It sounds really scrawny. It just sounds really high end/mid-range focused whenever I test out the Axe's presets or make my own ones. In addition to that, whenever I play lead passages, there is this really annoying thin texture that comes out.

My guess this is that I'd have to go mess around with the EQ in Global mode (which I tried before). But is there more to that?
I've read some posts before about turning cab sims off, leaving power amp sims on and all that jazz, which I have already so any other advice would be fantastic.

Thanks heaps! :)
 
It would help if you could post a copy of the preset and give a better description of the gear used and how things are hook up.
 
It would help if you could post a copy of the preset and give a better description of the gear used and how things are hook up.

So my set-up is:
Axe-Fx II (Output B) > (Input B/Stereo Mode) Matrix GT800 > Orange PPC212 (Closed Back) and that's literally it. I'll post a preset in a second because I deleted the one that I was working with but I remember what settings I put with it
 
Okay, so there's a clean and a distorted tone in this preset. Nothing too fancy as I'm still trying to find out how to make this thing sound right. Overall, the whole thing sounds brittle and ugly. You'll probably notice that I messed around with the Power Amp/Supply and GEQ parameters in the Amp Block (especially with the distorted tone) and trying to get more low end but it just sounds like crap now. Save me pls :sob:
 

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Try these as well. These are presets I made before I got my Orange
 

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Is your orange 212 with V30 speakers? If possible you can control the depth knob or presence together.

Yes, it does have V30's. I've tried using the Presence and Depth knob but it just kinda worsens the overall tone. I'll give it another go tomorrow
 
Well, I don't have an Axe FX anylonger so I had to convert the preset to work in the AX8. For the Orange test preset I'm not running a guitar cab either so I dropped a 212 blue cab just to hear it. I know it's not the same but it should present an idea as to how things should translate.

Right off the batt both amps sounded really bass heavy. Running the lowpass in the cab block @ 120hz cleans it up a bit for the clean but distorted side is over the top bass heavy. With such a noticeable amount of low end it should translate over when using the guitar cab. I also went through the tabs in the amp block and saw how you had curbed the highs and boosted the lows in the EQ tab.

The clean sounds pretty good here nice and full nothing out of the ordinary but I would have to re EQ the Y amp and pull a ton of low end. Maybe someone that is using guitar cabs can give it a go chime in to see if they are seeing the same thing. Just to make sure have you double checked the way you have the amp and the cab connected?
 
I always thought so also, and always used to run a shelving filter after the amp set at about 200hz, +10db gain or so. That will crank out the lows :)


However, the last few weeks I have been trying something new. I started over. Instead of boosting the bass like crazy after the amp, I started cutting lower mids in the amp instead. Surprisingly, this made the bass seem SO much stronger, and in a more natural way than when I was boosting it. I actually turn down the bass and depth now. Try to cut the mids with the graphic EQ about 400-500hz. You may even try a notch filter after the amp for similar frequencies. I typically cut around 500hz, and 800hz. I like a more scooped tone anyways, but cutting more mids really seemed to help the bass and treble come out more naturally.
 
Bren mate.. been there and done that.. AT the risk of getting hated for saying this... I'm speaking from experience when I say this... Your issue is the fact that you've got a solid state amp pushing (or trying to push) a 4x12. Get rid of the OJ 4x12 and get the Matrix FR212 = problem fixed, OR, if you can, maybe A/B your Matrix with either a dedicated valve power amp, or use a normal valve guitar head as a power amp and see what differences in sound you get. You'll be surprised.

Having owned 3 different Matrix amps with various 2x12's and 4x12's, they can be loud, but they just don't move the air man. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but it is what it is. You can try cutting/adding frequencies, adding filters/EQs etc, and it might make a slight change or improvement, but it won't give you what you're looking for..

You're an Aussie like me, send me a PM if you want and I'll elaborate more for you, or even chat to you over the phone in the next few days if you can't get things happening sound-wise.

Cheers
 
Well, I don't have an Axe FX anylonger so I had to convert the preset to work in the AX8. For the Orange test preset I'm not running a guitar cab either so I dropped a 212 blue cab just to hear it. I know it's not the same but it should present an idea as to how things should translate.

Right off the batt both amps sounded really bass heavy. Running the lowpass in the cab block @ 120hz cleans it up a bit for the clean but distorted side is over the top bass heavy. With such a noticeable amount of low end it should translate over when using the guitar cab. I also went through the tabs in the amp block and saw how you had curbed the highs and boosted the lows in the EQ tab.

The clean sounds pretty good here nice and full nothing out of the ordinary but I would have to re EQ the Y amp and pull a ton of low end. Maybe someone that is using guitar cabs can give it a go chime in to see if they are seeing the same thing. Just to make sure have you double checked the way you have the amp and the cab connected?

I noticed the amount of bass that I chucked in when I went through it again today. It's like it's making this "whomp" noise whenever I palm mute or just play in general so I'm still finding ways to get around that. I've checked how everything is hooked up and it's how it should be. Thanks heaps for your help. I appreciate it heaps!


Bren mate.. been there and done that.. AT the risk of getting hated for saying this... I'm speaking from experience when I say this... Your issue is the fact that you've got a solid state amp pushing (or trying to push) a 4x12. Get rid of the OJ 4x12 and get the Matrix FR212 = problem fixed, OR, if you can, maybe A/B your Matrix with either a dedicated valve power amp, or use a normal valve guitar head as a power amp and see what differences in sound you get. You'll be surprised.

Having owned 3 different Matrix amps with various 2x12's and 4x12's, they can be loud, but they just don't move the air man. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but it is what it is. You can try cutting/adding frequencies, adding filters/EQs etc, and it might make a slight change or improvement, but it won't give you what you're looking for..

You're an Aussie like me, send me a PM if you want and I'll elaborate more for you, or even chat to you over the phone in the next few days if you can't get things happening sound-wise.

Cheers

I'll keep going with what I have at the moment as I haven't entirely given up on that just yet, but if it comes to it, I'll consider your suggestion with changing the speaker I've got. I kinda had high hopes for it but I think the FRFR would've been wiser. Thanks for your input as well!
 
Bren mate.. been there and done that.. AT the risk of getting hated for saying this... I'm speaking from experience when I say this... Your issue is the fact that you've got a solid state amp pushing (or trying to push) a 4x12. Get rid of the OJ 4x12 and get the Matrix FR212 = problem fixed, OR, if you can, maybe A/B your Matrix with either a dedicated valve power amp, or use a normal valve guitar head as a power amp and see what differences in sound you get. You'll be surprised.

Having owned 3 different Matrix amps with various 2x12's and 4x12's, they can be loud, but they just don't move the air man. Probably not what you wanted to hear, but it is what it is. You can try cutting/adding frequencies, adding filters/EQs etc, and it might make a slight change or improvement, but it won't give you what you're looking for..

You're an Aussie like me, send me a PM if you want and I'll elaborate more for you, or even chat to you over the phone in the next few days if you can't get things happening sound-wise.

Cheers


I would disagree with this - I have a matrix 1000 going into a port city 2x12 with EV 12L. The matrix pushes PLENTY of air around, and the signal light on the amp is barely even flickering. If it lacks bottom end - trying adding a cab block and making sure global cabs is active. If you aren't getting enough bass at that point you need to mess around with the parameters in the speaker page. Typically in the cab block I will cut bass at around 90 because anything lower is just too much bass. And then I cut treble down to around 5000 on most amps. Some amps require greater cuts.
 
I would disagree with this - I have a matrix 1000 going into a port city 2x12 with EV 12L. The matrix pushes PLENTY of air around, and the signal light on the amp is barely even flickering. If it lacks bottom end - trying adding a cab block and making sure global cabs is active. If you aren't getting enough bass at that point you need to mess around with the parameters in the speaker page. Typically in the cab block I will cut bass at around 90 because anything lower is just too much bass. And then I cut treble down to around 5000 on most amps. Some amps require greater cuts.

Orange cabs have V30s.. Port City cabs don't, they have EV12Ls etc - so we're not really comparing apples with apples. It's not even about the light flickering on your Matrix, it's about feel and sound presence; not treble presence but sound presence.

My VHT 2:50:2 sounds better than any solid state amp I've used with my cabs, past and present. This is my opinion based on my experiences; you have your opinion for your experiences.
 
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