Fractal vs Vox Amps?

peteri

Experienced
Hi

I’ve got a lot of experience of Marshall and Fender amps and their derivatives and find it really easy to dial them in on the Axe.

Just don’t find the same with the Vox amps, the Morgana Are easier but the Vox always seem hard to dial and just not what I hear on records etc.

Can someone tell me - are they the same in real life?

Or if not any hints?
 
The vox, their variants (top boost etc) and all the vox counterparts (morgan, matchless etc) in the Axe sound exactly the same as their real life counterparts.

I use them all the time and they sound great. The real magic is making sure you use the correct impulse response. There are plenty of good factory IRs and even greater aftermarket IRs (fractal, York Audio etc.)
 
Hi

I’ve got a lot of experience of Marshall and Fender amps and their derivatives and find it really easy to dial them in on the Axe.

Just don’t find the same with the Vox amps, the Morgana Are easier but the Vox always seem hard to dial and just not what I hear on records etc.

Can someone tell me - are they the same in real life?

Or if not any hints?
The vox, their variants (top boost etc) and all the vox counterparts (morgan, matchless etc) in the Axe sound exactly the same as their real life counterparts.

I use them all the time and they sound great. The real magic is making sure you use the correct impulse response. There are plenty of good factory IRs and even greater aftermarket IRs (fractal, York Audio etc.)


@peteri, what is your rig setup, i.e. amp, speakers?

@RoshRoslin, Can you recommend some IR's to go with the Vox?
 
Hi

Guitar (Tele or Les Paul) straight in, Yamaha DXR10 speaker.

Spent the afternoon on it. Much happier. Bit thing for me remembering I owned the York Audio pack!

That was a big thing, the tone controls are different to what I’m used to so nailing the IR first really helped.

Thanks!
 
I find the Vox models to be pretty true to the real thing. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that any difference between the model and the real thing is mainly due to it just being a different physical amp. For a starting point, try the bass at 4, treble at 6, and high cut around 3. Set your input drive to taste and you should be set. Just make sure you’re using the correct impedance curve for the cab you’re using (2x12 or 1x12).
 
Play around w/ Master Volume and Impedance Curve. The real deal sounds best when driven hard. I don't use these amp models often in the Axe-FX III, but when I do I make sure they're set to 'Near Meltdown'. Love that saturation :D
 
Drive that Vox loud and hard, they sound best running wide open. Or, FAS and use at reasonable levels.
Yes, this^.
Thanks all good advice, will give it a go.

I think the volume tip is definitely somewhere I’m going wrong
Crank up the power amp / master volume and use the preamp volume to set your desired gain level. The magic with the AC variants is in the power amp saturation, and setting the preamp gain just at the edge of breakup. From there push it with the RC Booster, 808, Tone of Kings, etc...
 
@York Audio @Yeet

Thanks for your great advice, YA's settings were pretty close to mine, but kind of worked better.

What has made a big difference is the impedance curve, actually setting it to 1x12 even when I'm running 2x12 IR gave me the warm bottom end I was missing.

That and cranking it more and expecting a bit of grit because of that gives the warmth
 
@peteri Glad it’s working for you! Try going to the Dynamics page, set the Output Compressor Type to Gain Enhancer, and set it to 0.4-0.8. It adds just a little more personality to the experience without completely changing the tone. Start with the level really low (0.4) and you’ll feel it under your fingers more than you’ll hear it through the speakers. Edge it up a bit if you like the effect, but a little goes a long way.
 
@peteri Glad it’s working for you! Try going to the Dynamics page, set the Output Compressor Type to Gain Enhancer, and set it to 0.4-0.8. It adds just a little more personality to the experience without completely changing the tone. Start with the level really low (0.4) and you’ll feel it under your fingers more than you’ll hear it through the speakers. Edge it up a bit if you like the effect, but a little goes a long way.

Thanks - yes on that, I've been guilty of overusing that in the past, 2-3.

I've recently gone through every preset and moved it into the range you said, makes a big difference - without being so unsubtle!
 
Thanks - yes on that, I've been guilty of overusing that in the past, 2-3.

I've recently gone through every preset and moved it into the range you said, makes a big difference - without being so unsubtle!
Like any new toy, it’s easy to overuse. Some amps sound really good with it at 2-3 so you’re not wrong, but the amps feel like they breathe more naturally with lower settings. It’s all personal preference, but setting it at 0.4 for lower gain amps and setting it at 0.8 for higher gain amps is an immediate tweak I make whenever I make a new preset. That feature is a game changer for amp feel with a modeler.
 
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