Default output level of the Axe-Fx III is lower than the Axe-Fx II

^ I have been stuck on this damn amp and the JS410 Lead Orange for 5 days now. I have finally....FINALLY found "That" sound that I've been looking for, or better yet, the sound that I didn't realize would move me so much. Small EQ sweeps up or down for backing/lead presets... done.

Take it with a grain of salt because I'm a ham-and-egg'er compared to a lot of the pro's on here, but, there is something going on that feels like that it's more than some miniscule boost or bump. I love learning what makes the magic in the magic trick, but I also love holding onto that wonder when you first see it. Iunno, still trying to figure it out but might just say F it and go with it and enjoy the ride :D
I got stuck on preset 88 for hours the other night. That 410 model is beyond words good fun.
 
They aren't really designed for that. If you want more signal at those outputs you need to put those Output blocks in the preset and increase the Level in the block.

Outputs 3 & 4 are primarily intended to be unity gain outputs for fx loop use.
Oh..gotcha. Hmmm...I should try my external looper there...I only use the external because I midi sync the clock to protools...
 
The default Output Level for Output 1 and 2 is -10 dBv. This was done to reduce the number of support cases due to people overloading the inputs on consumer-grade interfaces, mixers, etc. (IOW cheap stuff). Most professional gear runs at +4 dBu so if using a pro-grade interface, mixer, etc. you may want to go into the Global menu and change the level to +4 dBu.

This is wise. Have found over time that a lot of users didn't even know about the ability to switch between -10 and +4 for outputs. Should have been in my Preset Leveling video.

You just saved the Fractal support staff weeks if not months of time from newbies "my interface is distorting, what am I doing wrong?!?"
 
This is wise. Have found over time that a lot of users didn't even know about the ability to switch between -10 and +4 for outputs. Should have been in my Preset Leveling video.

You just saved the Fractal support staff weeks if not months of time from newbies "my interface is distorting, what am I doing wrong?!?"

Hey Austin, do you know where to set the Output1 knob to be at unity for the III? (Like your gain staging video for Axe-Fx II, where you said turn it to 12 o'clock)
 
Hey Austin, do you know where to set the Output1 knob to be at unity for the III? (Like your gain staging video for Axe-Fx II, where you said turn it to 12 o'clock)

At Noon/11:30... like the Axe II

EDIT: No, with new firmware, I set my Out 1 to Max.
 
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Would you suggest I run it at +4 with my Matrix power amp? :)

If you use +4 setting with DAW it may clip at output, check it. But if just live use with matrix it can work, try -10 first and if you can’t get the Matrix loud enough then you know what to do!
 
For gain staging FOH, I miss being able to see exactly what output level I’m sending to FOH. For example, On the AxeFX 2 I was able to set the output to exactly 15% for consistent gain at the PA every weekend.
 
Why My Axe FX III almost went back to Fractal and why the defaults sucked for me.

Hi there. I recently purchased a Axe Fx III. I was very eager to hear it and planned to use it without cracking the manual. I plugged her in and was annoyed.

She sounded like crap!

It was most definitely overdriven and fizzy. So I tried everything I could think of. I dove through menus. Turned cabs on and off. Changed cables and guitars. Changed mixers and interfaces.

Still sounded like crud.

Finally, I looked at the manual.

On page 5 I saw something: "The Axe-Fx III comes ready-to-use for the typical guitar or bass, but you should
check that your guitar output level is not clipping the inputs."

I had noticed the occasional clipping on the input but being old school I knew the occasional red light was a perfect level right?

Wrong. That was apparently digital clipping and we all know that is bad!

So to fix this I had to go to Setup>I/O>Input 1/ Instrument
and set that to 0%!

You see I am used to the Helix setting those levels for me. I had no idea that the Axe Fx III didn't do that automatically or set it from the factory to zero. So now I am all good.

Just posting this up here in case anyone else had run into this.
 
You see I am used to the Helix setting those levels for me. I had no idea that the Axe Fx III didn't do that automatically or set it from the factory to zero. So now I am all good.
Helix doesn't set levels automatically either, there's an input pad you can turn on or off.
 
Why My Axe FX III almost went back to Fractal and why the defaults sucked for me.

Hi there. I recently purchased a Axe Fx III. I was very eager to hear it and planned to use it without cracking the manual. I plugged her in and was annoyed.

She sounded like crap!

It was most definitely overdriven and fizzy. So I tried everything I could think of. I dove through menus. Turned cabs on and off. Changed cables and guitars. Changed mixers and interfaces.

Still sounded like crud.

Finally, I looked at the manual.

On page 5 I saw something: "The Axe-Fx III comes ready-to-use for the typical guitar or bass, but you should
check that your guitar output level is not clipping the inputs."

I had noticed the occasional clipping on the input but being old school I knew the occasional red light was a perfect level right?

Wrong. That was apparently digital clipping and we all know that is bad!

So to fix this I had to go to Setup>I/O>Input 1/ Instrument
and set that to 0%!

You see I am used to the Helix setting those levels for me. I had no idea that the Axe Fx III didn't do that automatically or set it from the factory to zero. So now I am all good.

Just posting this up here in case anyone else had run into this.
Good to share, but you are talking Input Level while this thread is about Output Level ;)
 
Helix doesn't set levels automatically either, there's an input pad you can turn on or off.

Ok correct. But it sure is much more tolerant of my setup then the Axe FX III was. Its all set correctly now and sounds great! Think I am in love with USA Pre. All of them!

Good to share, but you are talking Input Level while this thread is about Output Level ;)
I couldn't find a better place to put this and input does affect output, lol
 
I had noticed the occasional clipping on the input but being old school I knew the occasional red light was a perfect level right?
Occasional blinking of the red input LED won't cause clipping or any any audible distortion.


So to fix this I had to go to Setup>I/O>Input 1/ Instrument
and set that to 0%!
0% is a radically low setting. It sounds like you might have been overdriving something downstream from your Axe III.
 
Occasional blinking of the red input LED won't cause clipping or any any audible distortion.



0% is a radically low setting. It sounds like you might have been overdriving something downstream from your Axe III.
I only have my FRFR speakers downstream of the Axe Fx III. And it was only clipping the patches where there was gain. Like amp gain or a overdrive pedal.

I will try to raise it to 5%. I know 8% caused clipping. Is the rotary knob on input logarithmic?
 
I only have my FRFR speakers downstream of the Axe Fx III.
Then you may have been overdriving them.


And it was only clipping the patches where there was gain. Like amp gain or a overdrive pedal.
That means that the clipping happened after the input to the Axe III. The signal from your guitar doesn’t change when you add gain from an Amp or Drive block. Either you were clipping at the output of your Axe III (if you were, you would see that on the front panel), or your FRFR speakers were clipping.


The Input Level controls on the Axe-Fx are only there to optimize signal-to-noise ratio and headroom. They don’t actually change the level except at extreme settings, like below 10%.
 
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