Brand New Axe FX II......Hmmmm; not too happy! Help!?!

The type of headphones makes a huge difference. I have three different pairs here. I like the Beyer DT770 best. But, in general, modelers sound like crap through headphones because you don't get any acoustic reinforcement of the guitar. It makes everything sound harsh and lifeless.

I use these as well and agree 100 percent ...
 
AWESOME!! Brotha, I tell you now-- as all of us will--you have just entered the Twighlight TONE!!!! This is the greatest invention of ALL MANKIND!! No DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!!! Just have fun with it and try new things it just keeps getting better!
 
Beyer DT770 are way too mid scooped for me to be of any use in guitar sound.
I have a pair and I hate them...

Hm, I have a set of DT770s as well and I love them, but to each their own. IMO they sound fantastic, and are extremely comfortable for long sessions.
 
Yeah man. We've all been there. If you look back through my posts there's something like "HELP I THINK I MADE A MISTAKE BUYING THIS OH GOD SHOOT ME NOW" - or something to that effect. The best thing you can do at this point, is really, really slow down and work one parameter at a time. I'll give you the advice I first received:

1. Start with just an amp and a cab. Just and amp. And a cab. If, after a while, the stock cabs don't do it for you (they really haven't done it for me, personally), go and download the Ownhammer V31 betas. Available here: OwnHammer.com - Public Beta Redux

- you can load these using a program called sysex librarian. Instructions are here: Cab (block) - Axe-Fx II Wiki

2. Look up what the MV should relatively be set at for the amp/sound type you are playing with and adjust from there. For example, I wouldn't set a metal amp MV at like... 9 and try to add drive. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I might not do it right from the get go, you dig?

3. Set up your low and hi cuts to eliminate boom and hiss/fizz. I personally pull up the amp low cut to somewhere around 200 if I'm going for overdriven sounds. Just pull it up until the boom goes away. Realize that if you're in an untreated room you probably aren't getting a realistic depiction of your low end. That's just how it is. I generally cut highs in my DAW, and with my particular pickups and the IRs I use, I like to set my high cut somewhere from 7,000-8,000 Hz. It may seem like it's overkill, but since I bumped it down from 10,000 my guitars fit into my mix so much better it's amazing.

4. Once you start finding a sound that works for you, then add a drive pedal in front of the amp. This will alter the way your amp sounds, but try working with the drive instead of changing things in the amp until you get a sound you "like".

All in all, this takes some patience and discipline to stick it out, but you will be rewarded. And realize what you think sounds great today will change as you begin to understand how making guitar tones functions with this piece of gear. You will consistently look back and say "My God... how did I think that sounded good?" - or maybe you're not like me and right from the get-go you'll be flying high once you get this thing working for you. Just remember to only tweak at first, for about 10-20 minutes and then take a break. It's extremely tasking and on a long enough time frame, everything sounds terrible. Good luck, and keep it up!

Regarding item #3... is this the lo/hi cut parameters on the ADV tab of an amp block? I've done as suggested here, but am still struggling to get a goold lead tone.

The original posts sounds almost identical to my situation, except I don't have the problem with the clipping. It's been really hard getting a mild gain to lead tone without it sounding harsh.
 
The type of headphones makes a huge difference. I have three different pairs here. I like the Beyer DT770 best. But, in general, modelers sound like crap through headphones because you don't get any acoustic reinforcement of the guitar. It makes everything sound harsh and lifeless.

Cliff, you should borrow and try the Audeze LCD2. They are not cheap, but they play in a completely different league (In the past I was using Sennheiser HD650, and when I go back to them they sound sterile, lack of bass, and unpleasant compared with the LCD-2)

I am currently living in a hotel room and I can only play with headphones. AFX2 + Audeze LCD2 is a gift from heaven for me!. I don't miss much my Mackie HR824 studio monitors :)
 
Got my AXE FX II (MII) last week and I've been playing around with it for a few days.....thoughts/concerns:

- Almost every stock preset clips my output ??
- Sounds B A D through headphones....but my headphones are not really HIFI either!
- Sounds BAD through my studio monitors:-(
- I cannot get a decent overdriven sound e.g. drive into amp into delay/reverb; It's like there's no sustain at all! Drives sound thin and harsh OR a crunchy amp tone with drive sounds too bottom endy with no top??
I really have to work hard on the guitar here to get solos going....I guess rhytm sounds are ok.

I own a VOX Ac30, I used a 12 unit rack for years and a rather large pedal board with all sorts of pedal and it has always sounded great!!!
I tried the AXE with the 4CM and it sounded ok....and it has a ton of possibilities that I really dig (routing, expression control etc!)

Why why why???????
Some of the guys on youtube get great tones I must admit with lots of sustain, dynamic response and realistic sounding tube amp replication.....what am I doing wrong here????

Daniel

Daniel, I have a couple questions. Are your studio monitors powered and not crappy computer speakers? Not insulting, just asking. Also, there are two Output knobs on the front of the Axe next to the Phones and Instr jacks. What do you have those turned to?
 
Daniel, I have a couple questions. Are your studio monitors powered and not crappy computer speakers? Not insulting, just asking. Also, there are two Output knobs on the front of the Axe next to the Phones and Instr jacks. What do you have those turned to?

Blynd, he already solved the problem. It was a clipping issue. Have a look at post #17 on page 1
 
The type of headphones makes a huge difference. I have three different pairs here. I like the Beyer DT770 best. But, in general, modelers sound like crap through headphones because you don't get any acoustic reinforcement of the guitar. It makes everything sound harsh and lifeless.
3 impedances are available : 250, 80 and 32 Ohms, which one choose for axefx 2 ?
 
You're right here.

Ideally headphones along with your studio monitors need to be accurate as possible.
When recording your cab without a real mic, you're missing the other part of the equation -
The affect of room acoustics over time. Fortunately, FAS has included room ambience and along with reverb and delay, you can create your own sense of space.

Now that FAS has done so well at recreating the tonal characteristics of amps and cabs, I"d like to see more research in capturing the 3d acoustical environment that adds sense of space.

This is where the others have always failed (well along with their modeling, lol). It always ends up sounding like dry tone with reverb. FAS has offered us tools to get us closer far better than the others.

I'd like to see even more improvement in this area, maybe ambient room IRs with lots of controls for width, depth, and spacial control.
 
Many of us have been there to braw...listen to what da peeps is tellin' ya...be PATIENT, it'll pay off.
 
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