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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
USA PRE: based on MESA/Boogie TriAxis
MESA (MESA/Boogie) is a famous amp manufacturer, founded by Randall Smith in ‘71 in California. Company information.
Some of the amps carry the MESA name while others have a MESA/Boogie label.
Randal Smith started off with the “snakeskin” Boogie amp, a modded Fender Princeton with increased gain and sustain, which made Santana famous (or was it the other way around?), now known as Mark The series has evolved. No longer called Boogie, they’re now referred to as the Mark series. Mainly known for their smooth high-gain tones, loved by metalheads as well as fusion guitar players. We covered already the models of the Mark IIC+ and the Mark IV.
The TriAxis is the preamp-only rackmount version of the Mark series, with tubes and an analog path and digital controls and MIDI-programmable. According to MESA it covers tones from the Mark I, Mark IIC+ and Mark IV.
For a long time John Petrucci has relied on a couple of TriAxis units to get his favorite “IIC+” tones on the road, as did Metallica. The TriAxis also was the amp in the live rig of an unknown guitar player, named Cliff Chase.
The TriAxis features these modes:
Here’s what the manual states about the Presence control:
Personal note: while Reading the above quote, it dawned on me that the Presence circuit in the TriAxis may have been the inspiration for Fractal Audio to add Dynamic Presence (and Dynamic Depth) to the Axe-Fx II.
The TriAxis was the reason for Fractal Audio to add a Bright knob (not the Bright switch under treble) to the models.
The TriAxis also features Dynamic Voice, which is a preset EQ curve. This is not modeled. You can use the graphic EQ in the Amp block to simulate the 5-band “pre power amp” graphic EQ, present on Mark amps.
Let’s get to the models. Read posts #2 and #3 for quotes from the manual.
Personal note: LD2 Yellow is my absolute favorite. It’s the IIC+ mode. It has Pull Shift and Pull Bright enabled by default. I find this model easier to dial in than the IIC+ models, and it sounds awesome.
The original TriAxis is a preamp without a power amp. The models however do have a poweramp section.
Stock cabs: use the typical MESA cabinets such as 4x12 USA, 4x12 Recto, TX Star etc. Or try the 4x12 Rumble or Petrucci’s cab: #108.
USA PRE: based on MESA/Boogie TriAxis
MESA (MESA/Boogie) is a famous amp manufacturer, founded by Randall Smith in ‘71 in California. Company information.
Some of the amps carry the MESA name while others have a MESA/Boogie label.
Randal Smith started off with the “snakeskin” Boogie amp, a modded Fender Princeton with increased gain and sustain, which made Santana famous (or was it the other way around?), now known as Mark The series has evolved. No longer called Boogie, they’re now referred to as the Mark series. Mainly known for their smooth high-gain tones, loved by metalheads as well as fusion guitar players. We covered already the models of the Mark IIC+ and the Mark IV.
The TriAxis is the preamp-only rackmount version of the Mark series, with tubes and an analog path and digital controls and MIDI-programmable. According to MESA it covers tones from the Mark I, Mark IIC+ and Mark IV.
MESA:
“Digital disbelievers scoffed at the very idea of packing five 12AX7’s and 25 years of tube tone heritage into one rack space of pure magic...but there they are...five little tone bottles, glowing quietly-all too ready to rock the house. Eight separate modes deliver the elusive creamy gain of the Mark I, the heralded focus of the Mark IIC+, the scooped Rhythm of the Mark IV, and a modified British lead mode. But these are just a few of the classic sounds at your fingertips.”
“Digital disbelievers scoffed at the very idea of packing five 12AX7’s and 25 years of tube tone heritage into one rack space of pure magic...but there they are...five little tone bottles, glowing quietly-all too ready to rock the house. Eight separate modes deliver the elusive creamy gain of the Mark I, the heralded focus of the Mark IIC+, the scooped Rhythm of the Mark IV, and a modified British lead mode. But these are just a few of the classic sounds at your fingertips.”
Cliff:
"I have a Mark IIC+, a Mark IV, a Mark V and a Triaxis. They're all completely different. Mesa always says things like "sounds the same as a IIC+" but the circuits are different and, probably most important, the knob tapers are completely different."
"I have a Mark IIC+, a Mark IV, a Mark V and a Triaxis. They're all completely different. Mesa always says things like "sounds the same as a IIC+" but the circuits are different and, probably most important, the knob tapers are completely different."
For a long time John Petrucci has relied on a couple of TriAxis units to get his favorite “IIC+” tones on the road, as did Metallica. The TriAxis also was the amp in the live rig of an unknown guitar player, named Cliff Chase.
The TriAxis features these modes:
- Rhythm/Green: vintage fat clean (Mark I, Blackface)
- Rhythm/Yellow: modern hyper-clean (Mark IV)
- Lead 1/Green: vintage Mark I Lead
- Lead 1/Yellow: vintage Mark 1 gain boost
- Lead 1/Red: classic British lead
- Lead 2/Green: medium Mark IV Lead gain
- Lead 2/Yellow: classic Mark IIC+ Lead
- Lead 2/Red: “shred”
Cliff:
"The key to a good Boogie sound, IMO, is the Fat Switch. This is the treble Pull Shift on the IIC+ and the Pull Fat on the Mark IV. Mesa knew this and the Lead 2 modes on the Triaxis all had the treble shift engaged by default."
"The key to a good Boogie sound, IMO, is the Fat Switch. This is the treble Pull Shift on the IIC+ and the Pull Fat on the Mark IV. Mesa knew this and the Lead 2 modes on the Triaxis all had the treble shift engaged by default."
Here’s what the manual states about the Presence control:
“This control usually regulates either brightness or negative feedback in the power section of an amplifier. In the TriAxis a whole new approach to this traditional circuit was taken. An actual dynamic feedback loop that compresses the highs and upper treble frequencies makes this PRESENCE control the first of its kind.
As the PRESENCE control is increased, more highs are allowed to pass. The lower the signal strength at the input of this control, the more highs pass through it. The lower region of the PRESENCE control dampens these high harmonics. The greater the signal strength at the circuit input becomes, the darker the sound becomes. So...if you set the PRESENCE control high and pick softly (sending a small signal through the PRESENCE control circuit) the highs will be very prominent in the mix.
If you decrease the PRESENCE control and pick harder (increasing the signal strength at the PRESENCE control circuit input) the high harmonics will be very subtle. In other words, the PRESENCE control helps enhance whichever direction you’re trying to go in with your sound and it does so dynamically! Most players love the way tube circuits react to subtle nuances in style...This PRESENCE control circuit takes that idea a few steps further. When you’re “going off” on the treble strings in a solo and you go for an expressive bend and lay hard into the note...TriAxis works with you! If you picked the note hard with the PRESENCE control set low, that note would become bigger, rounder and more compressed.
Likewise, if you were doing some low growling work on the bass strings and the PRESENCE control was set high...you could relax into this segment and let the PRESENCE control make the edge. Most everyone that we know always wishes their high notes could be fatter and their low notes to be more discernible and articulate...highs where you need them, lack of highs where you don’t. Make sense...? If not on paper, then you need to plug in and experience the way this dynamic PRESENCE control can enhance your playing, especially when you are soloing.”
Personal note: while Reading the above quote, it dawned on me that the Presence circuit in the TriAxis may have been the inspiration for Fractal Audio to add Dynamic Presence (and Dynamic Depth) to the Axe-Fx II.
The TriAxis was the reason for Fractal Audio to add a Bright knob (not the Bright switch under treble) to the models.
Cliff:
“Added the “Bright” control to the Amp block. This high treble control is a shelving filter between the preamp and power amp and may be used to darken or brighten the output of the preamp. This control also accurately replicates the “Presence” control found in the Mesa Triaxis preamp when set to negative values (the Presence control in the Triaxis is actually a high frequency cut shelving filter).“
“Added the “Bright” control to the Amp block. This high treble control is a shelving filter between the preamp and power amp and may be used to darken or brighten the output of the preamp. This control also accurately replicates the “Presence” control found in the Mesa Triaxis preamp when set to negative values (the Presence control in the Triaxis is actually a high frequency cut shelving filter).“
"I can nail the sound of my Triaxis now by setting it (Bright) around 9:00 - 10:00."
"10 on the Triaxis would be 0 dB on the Bright parameter. Anything below 10 is equivalent to less than noon on the Bright parameter. The "Presence" control on a Triaxis is always a hi cut, it never boosts. The Bright parameter is not an exact match to the Triaxis Presence control though. It is a fixed shelving filter. The Triaxis Presence control is passive so the center frequency changes with the amount of cut. It also changes the load on the plate which distorts the frequency response a bit too. The Presence parameter should be set to 5.00, which is neutral (see the manual for details)."
The TriAxis also features Dynamic Voice, which is a preset EQ curve. This is not modeled. You can use the graphic EQ in the Amp block to simulate the 5-band “pre power amp” graphic EQ, present on Mark amps.
Let’s get to the models. Read posts #2 and #3 for quotes from the manual.
- USA Pre Clean: Rhythm/Green mode. It’s a vintage fat clean (Mark I, Blackface).
- USA Pre LD1 RED: classic Britishlead, basied on the Triaxis "TX-4 board"
- USA Pre LD2 GRN: medium Mark IV Lead
- USA Pre LD2 YLW: Mark IIC+ Lead
- USA Pre LD2 RED: “shred”
Cliff:
"I used a Triaxis for, shoot, I dunno, over a decade before designing the Axe-Fx. I have two of them. So I'd say I'm pretty familiar with the tones. To my ears (and my measurement equipment), the Axe-Fx models are spot-on."
"I used a Triaxis for, shoot, I dunno, over a decade before designing the Axe-Fx. I have two of them. So I'd say I'm pretty familiar with the tones. To my ears (and my measurement equipment), the Axe-Fx models are spot-on."
"Note that these were modeled with the Triaxis Presence control at maximum as this control is actually a hi-cut control. Also note that the mid control in the model has far more range than the preamp. At a value of 5.0 the responses will match but the amount of mid cut on the Axe-Fx is greater."
Personal note: LD2 Yellow is my absolute favorite. It’s the IIC+ mode. It has Pull Shift and Pull Bright enabled by default. I find this model easier to dial in than the IIC+ models, and it sounds awesome.
Cliff:
"Mesa claims it's based on the IIC+ but it's different. The bright cap is different, the mid resistor is much greater, the source impedance of the drive "pot" is different, etc."
"Mesa claims it's based on the IIC+ but it's different. The bright cap is different, the mid resistor is much greater, the source impedance of the drive "pot" is different, etc."
The original TriAxis is a preamp without a power amp. The models however do have a poweramp section.
Cliff:
"I did NOT use a Boogie power amp model with these as I always preferred using my Triaxis (I have two of them) with a more typical tube power amp. My favorite power amp with the Triaxis was a VHT 2502 so the power amp model is very similar to that."
"I did NOT use a Boogie power amp model with these as I always preferred using my Triaxis (I have two of them) with a more typical tube power amp. My favorite power amp with the Triaxis was a VHT 2502 so the power amp model is very similar to that."
Stock cabs: use the typical MESA cabinets such as 4x12 USA, 4x12 Recto, TX Star etc. Or try the 4x12 Rumble or Petrucci’s cab: #108.
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