Ive now tried 6 different cabs with the axe-fx (marshall 1960a, orange 4x12, rivera 4x12, marshall with g12h-100, marshall with greenbacks). I mean having them at my house for weeks, not playing them in a shop for just 10 mins. Ive used the Art sla-2, Marshall el34 50/50 and Marshall 9200 power amps.
The art-sla2 has irritating high mid frequencies and a general lack of depth on high gain tones. Ive owned my axe-fx for well over a year so I know what I'm doing by now. Ive experimented with the advanced amp parameters and para eq's but I'm just not getting there. Plug into the Marshall 9200 (axe poweramp sims off) and boom, the tone is there. The tube amp is just more 3d sounding every time. And those Marshall power amps aren't even regarded as great tube amps.
I sometimes wonder how much difference a better SS amp would make.... because I'm really not impressed with the art sla-2 for high gain tones. I dial in a soldano slo100 model with controls set at noon (mids on 11 o'clock) and master volume at about 4 (11h00) and it sounds muddy. Its just very "closed" sounding. And my main guitar is on the bright side. I dont expect to nail the slo sound by doing that but sheees..... its so far off its scary. And no im not playing with cabsims "on". I normally dont go past a 1 o'clock gain setting on any ampsim.
The forum veterans are usually quick to say that if you're not happy with your tone then its user error.... not the axe-fx's fault. I wonder how many of them play high gain and actually use real guitar cabs with the axe-fx. Im at the point where I'm considering shelling out for a mesa 2:90 or a VHT2150 or something.
Sorry for the threadjack but any advice would be appreciated.