Does anyone else find they have a new favorite amp in different firmware releases

bdrepko

Fractal Fanatic
For a long time my favorite model was the 5153-red. After FW17 it became the 5153-blue. Now my favorite is the Friedman BE. I do still like the others, I just get the best sound out of whatever is my current favorite. I have definitely noticed that all of the amps just getting better on every new firmware release. So at some point will the Axe-FX2 sound better that a real tube amp???? Not being a fanboy, just telling it like it is.
 
With Quantum I'm sure liking a bunch of them a whole lot more. The Vibroverbs are sounding sweet!
 
For a long time my favorite model was the 5153-red. After FW17 it became the 5153-blue. Now my favorite is the Friedman BE. I do still like the others, I just get the best sound out of whatever is my current favorite. I have definitely noticed that all of the amps just getting better on every new firmware release. So at some point will the Axe-FX2 sound better that a real tube amp???? Not being a fanboy, just telling it like it is.

IMHO, some of the models in the upcoming release sound better than the real amp. I tune some of the models by ear after entering the data. It's MUCH easier to tune a virtual amp than a real amp. With a real amp the designer has to tune the amp by unsoldering parts and putting in new ones. This is tedious and time-consuming. In debug builds I can tune the amp with a twist of a knob (the parameters are not exposed to the user in release builds though). The beautiful thing about the Quantum algorithms is that they are basically real-time SPICE models so I just turn a knob to change a resistor or capacitor value and I can hear the results instantly.

Of course this assumes that my preferences are "better" but I think they are. I spent most of last week "Quantumating" the amp models from a certain European manufacturer. IMHO, the tuning on those amps are not optimal which causes a lack of clarity when playing lightly or rolling off the volume and a lack of string separation when playing hard. So I tuned them slightly to improve clarity and string separation.

I never deviate drastically from the originals but some amps can benefit from minor tuning.
 
Not meaning to step on anyone's toes but wouldn't it be clever to have the real one with all it's limitations and the spiced up one in addition (as additional FAS creation)?
 
IMHO, some of the models in the upcoming release sound better than the real amp. I tune some of the models by ear after entering the data. It's MUCH easier to tune a virtual amp than a real amp. With a real amp the designer has to tune the amp by unsoldering parts and putting in new ones. This is tedious and time-consuming. In debug builds I can tune the amp with a twist of a knob (the parameters are not exposed to the user in release builds though). The beautiful thing about the Quantum algorithms is that they are basically real-time SPICE models so I just turn a knob to change a resistor or capacitor value and I can hear the results instantly.

Of course this assumes that my preferences are "better" but I think they are. I spent most of last week "Quantumating" the amp models from a certain European manufacturer. IMHO, the tuning on those amps are not optimal which causes a lack of clarity when playing lightly or rolling off the volume and a lack of string separation when playing hard. So I tuned them slightly to improve clarity and string separation.

I never deviate drastically from the originals but some amps can benefit from minor tuning.

There you go. It's officially realer.... wait, um... betterer???
 
I definitely seem to switch between the 5153 Red, HBE, SLO and Mark as my main heavy amps...don't know if it's really the change in algorithm or my mood at the moment. It is sooooooo awesome having so many amps at our fingertips!
 
So far, the Mark IV stays my favorite, but it's always been my favorite real amp. Otherwise, I've been digging the BE and HBE a lot.

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk
 
IMHO, some of the models in the upcoming release sound better than the real amp. I tune some of the models by ear after entering the data. It's MUCH easier to tune a virtual amp than a real amp. With a real amp the designer has to tune the amp by unsoldering parts and putting in new ones. This is tedious and time-consuming. In debug builds I can tune the amp with a twist of a knob (the parameters are not exposed to the user in release builds though). The beautiful thing about the Quantum algorithms is that they are basically real-time SPICE models so I just turn a knob to change a resistor or capacitor value and I can hear the results instantly.

Of course this assumes that my preferences are "better" but I think they are. I spent most of last week "Quantumating" the amp models from a certain European manufacturer. IMHO, the tuning on those amps are not optimal which causes a lack of clarity when playing lightly or rolling off the volume and a lack of string separation when playing hard. So I tuned them slightly to improve clarity and string separation.

I never deviate drastically from the originals but some amps can benefit from minor tuning.

IMO, you should make the models as accurate as possible, and then make a FAS model with all the tunings and tricks and whathaveyou that you feel improves the model. I think there's a bias people have when they approach a "name brand" amp that isn't there with the FAS models, plus you're "modding" it to YOUR specs, so it does basically become a FAS amp rather than the original....... why give Bogner (for instance) credit for the great-sounding model that your ears have fine tuned beyond the original? :D
 
I'm usually playing Marshalls but since I got me a 7 string guitar I've been enjoying the FAS models and the "Germans"
 
Happens all the time. I've gone through at least 20 favorite clean amps. Those IMO are the most challenging. The recent offerings are astounding and have changed the way I play - for the better.
 
Of course this assumes that my preferences are "better" but I think they are. I spent most of last week "Quantumating" the amp models from a certain European manufacturer. IMHO, the tuning on those amps are not optimal which causes a lack of clarity when playing lightly or rolling off the volume and a lack of string separation when playing hard. So I tuned them slightly to improve clarity and string separation.

I never deviate drastically from the originals but some amps can benefit from minor tuning.
Random thought - What if there were a setting, let's call it "Amp Tweaks", that allowed you to select? "Authentic" would try to give you the amp, but there would be "FAS" or "Clear" or something which uses your tuned values? Maybe a couple subtle variations of the amp? Don't know if it's a particularly worthwhile feature but it would be interesting.
 
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