Firmware updates...blessing or curse?

[John Tisdale]

I think updating can be detrimental as it messes with your presets A LOT, what I usually do is wait till I'm on vacation or not playing live and then update, That way i know I have time to create presets again

PS: Creating a preset is really fun when time is your friend

In a year and a half, I've only seen it get easier to dial in an amp from scratch, and I've really only had to do that on RARE occasions. Normally, after an update, I just have to level out volumes, and it's good to go.


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[spikey]

I guess that depends what a "tweak" means...However. . . I did try Quantum beta, given the strong response it was getting. Indeed, it was enough of an improvement to warrant more effort, and so I Just keep in mind that the commitment required to stay current varies from person to person. It really depends on their situation

Terry.

But, this thread wasn't about keeping current. And it wasn't about a commitment to stay current. It was about stopping "the rest of us" from getting a firmware update because some were whining about having to spend the time afterwards tweaking patches. So let's ALL have fewer updates?!? I'm sure glad the guy likes hamburgers so we can eat one once in a while. To that, I say thanks but no thanks. I'll take my update over the time to tweak presets every time, and twice on Sunday. Updates for the most part "IMPROVE " the sounds on the Axe fx and stating that they are unusable after a firmware update is for the most part ridiculous. You that don't wish to adjust the tones of your patches, for what ever the reason, wait until you have the time, or just don't update. I don't care what you choose, But don't limit the rest of us wanting that update just because you might not have the time to fiddle with your own patches. Thats a selfish and rude attitude that I don't agree with. Keep um coming Cliff, thanks a million for each and every one of them!

 

[Krisz]

Updates are a BLESSING, no doubt!

I love the multiple and quite opposite approaches mentioned in this thread. Some basically use the Axe-FX as a traditional rig. Plug in, turn some knobs and rock out - without ever saving anything. Others create spreadsheets and screen captures to reference and catalog parameters from FW to FW. The point is that both of these extremes, and all other approaches in between, work really well and sound amazing on the Axe-FX! I celebrate the fact that Fractal has created a product, which caters not only to a variety of musical styles, but also to so many varied approaches of operation.

To me the biggest improvement in the last few updates has been that it is much easier to get THAT SOUND without excessive advanced parameter tweaking. The models are so good now that - for the most part - the core sound doesn't seem to change that much, just the realism, 3D quality, and nuances of dynamics have improved drastically. I love Chris' comment that if you have to tweak too many of the advanced parameters, you're probably using the wrong amp model. True that!

 

[Ampguy]

This makes no sense honestly....

You want the improvements of the new updates, yet, you still want it to sound exactly the same ?

FW update X adds improvements in how aspects A, B, and C respond/sound, but you want to tweak the new FW back so that nothing has changed since firmware Y ?

If you think the new FW makes your previously great sounding presets sound awful, or "unusable", then I don't get why your updating as the "improvements" obviously aren't improvements to your ears. Who cares what Cliff says honestly ? If he says something is better, but you think its worse, are you really going to use something you don't like ?

Makes perfect sense to me. I have a set of sounds I gig with and they took me hours if not days to perfect. I don't want them changed. But FAS now have Dephase on fw 20. I'd like that utility because I have had comb filter issues. But if I update, my patches will change and make me work that I don't want or need right now. The original poster is asking for help on how the experts get around the problem.

Quantum FW 1 PB required no tweaking of EQ, just level adjustment, for me. For the past few major releases, the only thing to do was reset the amp (select another amp then go back) and make minor adjustments to basic controls.

If you need to adjust 30 things in the Advanced controls of an amp, chances are you are using the wrong amp, honestly.

If people want things to improve, then there must be change. Change means things might be different and need adjustment. You can't have improvement without change or else it would be the same, by definition.

If it's a curse, stop updating.

All the professionals know never to update during the run of a show or recording session. If you can't control yourself, then the firmware isn't the problem

I want to improve...so why shouldn't I update...but I also want to continue using my favorite presets...
so the question is...how to cope with that efficiently without spending hours tweaking

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[hedua]

The updates are wonderful, thank you very much Cliff for their efforts and dedication ...
apologies for the translation

 

[hedua]

Greetings from Spain.

 

[Jan Geerts]

They're a blurse, and more real

 

[James]

Updates are a blessing of course. I love the fact that Cliff puts so much research and hard work to make this thing better and better. With that being said, I haven't felt the need to update my Axe in a while. I think I am on FW 15 or 16 so I haven't even tried the much loved "G3" amps because I'm currently happy with my sound.

 

[ps43203]

Just because there is an update, does not mean you have to update, for the sake of updating.
If you like it the way it is, or have a tour, or gig coming up, leave it alone! When you have some time
to rethink your axe, then update and have at it, it is not going to get worse, only better!

 

[Overdrive]

I want to improve...so why shouldn't I update...but I also want to continue using my favorite presets...
so the question is...how to cope with that efficiently without spending hours tweaking

I take a bunch of screen captures in Axe-Edit of my main presets and all their blocks I've modified. Then I can refer to them for a starting place to getting back to a sound I like after the FW update.

It is time-consuming, at least for me, so I don't update often at all. Plus I don't update if the band has upcoming gigs. I take the screen captures because I'm OCD and maybe more challenged than many Axe owners, who tend to be experts at getting great tones, and probably enjoy tweaking more than me. With great functionality comes great responsibility.