Can't nail AC/DC tone - help is appreciate

ruso said:
I remember seeing AC/DC live about 30 years ago. I was about 12 or 13 I think. It was the loudest concert I've ever been to. The feeling of stacks of Marshalls hitting you in the chest in the front row was pure rock 'n' roll, compared to the silent stages of today.
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I was at Brian Johnson's very first UK gig as the new frontman for AC/DC. In his hometown (or home City) of Newcastle. I was 16 years old at the time and was deaf for a day or so afterwards. It was at the time the loudest thing that my ears had ever been subjected to. The next loudest thing I heard would have been AC/DC at the Monsters of Rock (Donington, UK) where they headlined back in 1984 with Van Halen playing before them. You could feel the earth move beneath your feet and you could feel the bass frequency in your chest.

Something that would be tricky to replicate with any Fractal device!
 
Been on this hunt a while. 100w plexi high with increased preamp tube bias is great for angus. I figured out that increasing the preamp bias gives the tone a “chonk” to the attack that I was missing, now I tweak it on like every model.
 
Yeah, I think 10% more bias and 1.0 for Dynamics-Feedback is a good idea. 1.0 for speaker distortion (compression?) too. Gain-Enhancer could be too much, what you prefer.
 
Therickyjones said:
Been on this hunt a while. 100w plexi high with increased preamp tube bias is great for angus. I figured out that increasing the preamp bias gives the tone a “chonk” to the attack that I was missing, now I tweak it on like every model.
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TheRedDevil said:
Yeah, I think 10% more bias and 1.0 for Dynamics-Feedback is a good idea. 1.0 for speaker distortion (compression?) too. Gain-Enhancer could be too much, what you prefer.
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Did you try it, meaning would you share the preset for comparison?

I feel no matter what I try, I just keep on getting away from the wanted results rather than getting closer....
 
This is just my experience from the past. Currently I switched to the Mesa Boogies because I had less luck with the plexis with my old FRFR setup and EQs.
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...e-at-donington-1991-sound-with-axe-fx.199104/
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/celestion-f12-x200-vs-f12m-150.190304/page-5#post-2480565
I need to repeat it again with the new setup but I would start with the 50W or 100W plexis, possibly the 1987x, 1959SLP or 1970 and if required the JCM 800 tone stack. But please give the Mesa a try, you can find my preset in the thread. I could imagine that you search for that sound. Select IRs based on GB, Celestion V30, Marshall V30, Shure SM57 and AT4047. You can find some ideas in my preset.
 
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TheRedDevil said:
I would start with the 50W or 100W plexis, possibly the 1987x, 1959SLP or 1970 and if required the JCM 800 tone stack
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Man, I've tested them all and currently I think I’m running the 100w Plexi, but not happy with the result.
I totally forgot they used M/B for some time and BTW also their cabinets, I remember pics of the stage back from than where they had many M/B 4x12 cabinets.
Thanks for the help, definitely going to try this later tonight.
 
Roadrunner said:
I feel no matter what I try, I just keep on getting away from the wanted results rather than getting closer....
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You might post a direct dry track of you playing something shorter, and someone might have a few minutes to make a preset for you that might get you closer.
 
Back in Black era Angus tone is tough... I have a preset with 8 Marshall models. I'm happy with the results I got with the Plexi 100 Watt High model and Citrus Dynacab.
There are a few instances on BiB where you can isolate and loop Angus.
This is what I hear:
Theres very little low end.
Theres very little gain.
Theres a chime thats hard to replicate. I got close by setting the gain low with the bright switch on and increasing input gain to about 1.6.
Theres lots of sustain. Volume in the room is needed to replicate this.
Theres a shift in the mids. I got close to this by moving the resonant peak of the impedance curve to 149hz.

Heres the preset. I like scene 6 the best for copping Angus's tone on BiB.
 

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  • ACDC Marshalls.syx
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That's the basic of the preset im using, it started as Hell's Glockenspiels factory preset which I tried to tweak but its just doesn't sound right to me.
There are 3 scenes / gain level for crunch, crunchier and lead while most of the rhythm parts are played on on sc1.
Im missing sustain and balls in sc1 and 2, im not looking to add more gain, actually I would love to reduce the gain to make it a little less harsh and cleaner but than again im loosing "balls", sustain and overall the sound feel thin, just want it to be fatter / bold and sustain more...
A good reference tone would be Live @ River plate.


 

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  • ACDC (Hell's Glockensp based).syx
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We can always try this from another angle.
Here are a couple mid heavy presets that work for my guitar for ACDC.

The good ole Tucana has mids for days. this is based on a factory preset.
Option A) Try cab B or D on scene 4. You'll have to adjust the presence and treble accordingly as the cabs are very different. I would add a control scene to turn up the Overdrive for the solo - maybe even the beginning for sustain. You may want to even engage the compressor for the pentatonic riff. Like you mentioned, lower gain is tough on sustain. BTW SCENE 3 is my favorite clean preset on my FM9. I would try that one without the compressors first. Pedal 1 is setup for the Sun Plate reverb so watch out for that one.

Option B) . It was previously shared by yyz67 as an early Rush preset. I tweaked it. The gain is all in the Rat pedal, so you can adjust that accordingly. I have it set really low.

Both are in the realm. The Tucana is my usual go to low gain Marshall sound. I even use it for ZZ Top. As soon as the high end needs to come out, I switch to the BRIT800 with an OH GNR.

Cheers
 

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Thanks for all the posts. I compared it ... Attached you can find my current Marshall Plexi based present and the Solodallas & York Audio IRs I use:

Unmute Solodallas CAB 1 if you want:
2023-11-14 14_20_56-Window.jpg

Alternative but sound is thinner:
2023-11-14 14_21_05-Window.jpg

Try to reduce or increase compressor output to adapt it for you guitar PU. Alternative: Adapt I/O Input 1 Gain.

Remarks: I use Gibson/Rocktile/J&D SGs incl. Gibson 57 Classic or Gibson 57 Classic Plus PUs for the test, Volume 8 until 10. Input 1 Level in I/O settings on 15%. Treble PU in highest position, pole piece screw head nearly complete outside the PU. I/O Input 1 Gain normally 1, max, 1,5. Rhythm PU a bit outsite the frame/pickguard, not too much, it influences the treble sound. I play on room volume level.
 

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  • TheRedDevil 723 based on 645 ACDC Solodallas YA IR v0.1.syx
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TheRedDevil said:
Thanks for all the posts. I compared it ... Attached you can find my current Marshall Plexi based present and the Solodallas & York Audio IRs I use:

Unmute Solodallas CAB 1 if you want:
View attachment 129650

Alternative but sound is thinner:
View attachment 129651

Try to reduce or increase compressor output to adapt it for you guitar PU. Alternative: Adapt I/O Input 1 Gain.

Remarks: I use Gibson/Rocktile/J&D SGs incl. Gibson 57 Classic or Gibson 57 Classic Plus PUs for the test, Volume 8 until 10. Input 1 Level in I/O settings on 15%. Treble PU in highest position, pole piece screw head nearly complete outside the PU. I/O Input 1 Gain normally 1, max, 1,5. Rhythm PU a bit outsite the frame/pickguard, not too much, it influences the treble sound. I play on room volume level.
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But I'm still fighting with the low end bass I don't want and more gain. To use the compressors for more Gain increases the low end too. I need to play around with Input/Output EQs and Gain/InputTrim/MasterVolume on the amp. I also want to try out the compander instead two compressors and different input volumes before compander and different output volumes out of compander.
 
Breakthrough….kind of…. :)

The search nailing a perfect AC/DC tone isn’t over yet (probably will never be over) but I found the following thread and TM preset which after some tweaking, found 2 scenes which works much better and accurate than what I have today.

I tried it in our band rehearsal, sound was much more “there”, less distortion, less “noise”, more details, much cleaner and you can better hear the notes, all the crisp highs etc.
As for the TM block, simply use a converted TM to cab IR block instead.

However.....(as stated, the chase isn’t over), I’m missing some “power”, not distortion but more “meet” into the notes / strings and more sustain.
In other words: How to beef up the notes (especially the highs) without adding distortion?

Probably a compressor will do the job but here I’m completely lost, any suggestions for a type of compressor block for this and recommended settings will be very much appreciated.

More updates will follow.
Thanks.
 
Dixiethedog said:
I was at Brian Johnson's very first UK gig as the new frontman for AC/DC. In his hometown (or home City) of Newcastle. I was 16 years old at the time and was deaf for a day or so afterwards. It was at the time the loudest thing that my ears had ever been subjected to. The next loudest thing I heard would have been AC/DC at the Monsters of Rock (Donington, UK) where they headlined back in 1984 with Van Halen playing before them. You could feel the earth move beneath your feet and you could feel the bass frequency in your chest.

Something that would be tricky to replicate with any Fractal device!
Click to expand...

Unless you run it through a massive PA at the same volume they used !!
 
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