Firmware 11: Reviews and Wisdom

rsf1977

rsf1977

Fractal Fanatic
Just thought I'd start a thread to gather everyone's feed back on Firmware 11 and any trends or tactics they've figured out in dealing with the new amp modelling.

From the perspective of a modern high gainer I personally think in general the amps feel more real and breath a bit more. I'm still trying to decide if they have enough bite, but i'm not sure if it just requires some amp tweaking to get there. I like that the stringy/quacky sound that I used to have problems dialing out seems to be gone overall, which is great. Also, the low end seems way tamer and under control which is a huge plus. I'm still in the the lets feel it out phase, but I feel it's a step forward overall.
 
Just positive feelings about 11 here. Better lows, better highs.
I removed higher-than-default Low Cut values from my amp sims.
 
I'm bypassing most of the PEQ's and filters as starting points in dialing my patches back in because it doesn't seem to need it as much. Also check your global EQ's; I was compensating for a lot of stuff that isn't there anymore in the high and low frequencies.

And the AxeFX has always been really responsive to volume adjustments on the guitar, but it seems even better now. That could be placebo or just a by product of what I consider to be better sound.

I'll just say that if the firmware was the only 'news' to come out this week from Fractal that there would be a hell of a lot of traffic and smiles because I think that this is the most significant upgrade that I've been a part of in person. No new amps, no new effects, but almost all of my amps are improved so it's like getting an upgraded system all together.

If you aren't into updating the firmware regularly or are on the fence I can't recommend it highly enough.
 
shasha said:
I'll just say that if the firmware was the only 'news' to come out this week from Fractal that there would be a hell of a lot of traffic and smiles because I think that this is the most significant upgrade that I've been a part of in person. No new amps, no new effects, but almost all of my amps are improved so it's like getting an upgraded system all together.
If you aren't into updating the firmware regularly or are on the fence I can't recommend it highly enough.
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Great attitude! I am connecting cables and updating as I reply... all is not doom and gloom for us STD and Ultra owners. I also got a feeling that the Gen1 Axe-Fx's are NOT going to be orphaned support wise, a least not in the near future... although there are no new amps/effects V11.0 claims to have some code adapted from new box that from initial reviews are praising the general improvements in freq. response and amp tones. Who's sayin' that we won't get more crossover benefits in future firmware updates??? Thanks for the new firmware!
 
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I think the firmware 11 sounds really good! As Yek said better lows and better highs. On my mackie monitor the highs sounds a lot less harsh and much more round!
Makes dialing clean tones a lot easier with the fender amps :)

Thanks!!!!!!
Jens
 
I'm putting a Parker Fly Deluxe through it, and one of the issues I've had was a lack of 'chimeyness' in bare fender amps. That has been resolved, quite admirably. I'm also a metal amp lover (not neccesarily high gain, just enough crunch to let my playing style do the work), and find that the overall tone of the high gain amps is better 'out of the box', so to speak, ie. less woolly and better definition. I tend to tweak the amp enough to get the sound I want rather than deal with drive blocks before it for extra gain, and I'm finding that this update is exactly what was lacking. I can't speak highly enough of it.

It's the most significant update in a while, and rather than tweaking a resonator block, or some other effect that people may rarely use, Cliff went for (what sounds like) an overhaul of the poweramp section, thereby improving every amp based tone in the box. I am very very happy.

Also, as to the question people are posing about the redundancy of the FX or Ultra, remember, we've been getting FREE updates for both. Very very few companies supply major updates for free, and given this long standing business stance, I cannot see updates for the FX or Ultra stopping until the units firmware has no further space. The forum Administrator in a comment on another thread said that he didn't go for anything too big in this update as he wanted to leave room for more amp emulations. Granted, the company will naturally focus on the Axe II, but the Ultra being redundant? I can't really see it happening.
 
I was initialy sceptical, and honestly didn't expect the the new firmware to do anything significant, but I feel the patches actually sound a lot warmer, more tube-like and less shrill. I was thinking it could be a placebo effect, but my band mates also think it sounds better. Very glad I upgraded the firmware :)
 
shasha said:
I'm bypassing most of the PEQ's and filters as starting points in dialing my patches back in because it doesn't seem to need it as much. Also check your global EQ's; I was compensating for a lot of stuff that isn't there anymore in the high and low frequencies.

And the AxeFX has always been really responsive to volume adjustments on the guitar, but it seems even better now. That could be placebo or just a by product of what I consider to be better sound.

I'll just say that if the firmware was the only 'news' to come out this week from Fractal that there would be a hell of a lot of traffic and smiles because I think that this is the most significant upgrade that I've been a part of in person. No new amps, no new effects, but almost all of my amps are improved so it's like getting an upgraded system all together.

If you aren't into updating the firmware regularly or are on the fence I can't recommend it highly enough.
Click to expand...

+1
 
I've removed all of the blocking PEQ's I used previously, and my global EQ settings are completely flat now. The highs aren't brittle at all any more, and the lows are super tight and responsive. Overall, this is an amazing update and deserves some fanfare of its own.
 
yek said:
J
I removed higher-than-default Low Cut values from my amp sims.
Click to expand...

I did the same exact thing!

I still left them in the Orange Rockerverb, but that was it (granted I don't use every amp sim so I didn't have them in every amp). Removed them completely from the JCM 800.

The amp Masters work much better now in my opinion. Used to get a little muddy when you would crank them, not so much anymore.

If I could sum up the 11.00 release I would say it tightened the lows and removed the mud.
 
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shasha said:
And the AxeFX has always been really responsive to volume adjustments on the guitar, but it seems even better now. That could be placebo or just a by product of what I consider to be better sound.
Click to expand...

I just came across that yesterday. Pulled up a Shiva patch, went to my neck pickup and dropped the volume on my guitar and it just sounded flat out awesome. Was playing a little "Hey Joe" to the backing track off guitarbackingtracks.com and was ust having a blast.

I'm like you and wondering if it is just the placebo effect. I wish I could swap back and forth between 10.5 and 11.00 to see if I am just imagining it, but I don't think so.

Just amazing to me how well this thing responds to the volume knob.

Was having so much fun over the weekend I am starting to think I may have the intestinal fortitude to hold off and actually wait till the end of the year till my guitar gear fund has enough money in it to buy the Axe II instead of parting with my ultra. Juries still out though. I can be pretty week when it comes to guitar gear :D

But at the moment it just sounds so freaking good, better then anything I have been able to record with my tube amps and a mic on the cab given the limitations of a small home recording studio.
 
I updated last night but didn't get a chance to plug in and play it. I'm looking forward to it tonight though.

D
 
For me it was what was missing on the patches I created. Even the one I hiJacked from the exchange. One was called "Tool" , I forget who created it but it screams and now with v11, I need to tone it back just a hair. On my clean patch, I was able to bring a little bit of mids up and thats all I needed to do. Everything just seems to have a little bit more ooomph....Meee Likes!! I do hope FAS just keeps on the development of the Standard and Ultra. The news of the Axe 2 is great news for some and not for others. I was a little bummed at the way it went down but I am over it and dooo love my Ultra. I cant wait till my first gig (June 3rd) with it. It will be all about fine tuning with the band over the next 20 shows after that first gig.......
 
sarge said:
Was having so much fun over the weekend I am starting to think I may have the intestinal fortitude to hold off and actually wait till the end of the year till my guitar gear fund has enough money in it to buy the Axe II instead of parting with my ultra. Juries still out though. I can be pretty week when it comes to guitar gear :D
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Yup
 
V11 has inspired me to rediscover previously discarded sims; Bogner Red, SLO 100 and Top Boost; which now sound amazing to my ears!
 
I agree with most assessments posted here. I'll add that I feel like there's more 'bounce' to the amp sims in varying degrees dependent upon the amps intended response. I find it's very noticeable with the Deluxe Reverb with the master full up and the gain set just below the verge of breakup. It's noticeable in fast response amps like the Dumble and the Hiwatt sims as well, here it just seems to add a little life to the pick attack and note bloom seems improved. All amps feel more 'elastic', more dynamic in response, from relaxed to very taught. This increases the expressive potential for each amp IMO. The sound the difference in dynamic response makes might translate as subtle in recording but to the player the amps are more interactive giving the player more to work with. Many players will find the experience more inspiring and this may lead to better performance when tracking - this is never a subtle thing.
 
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