Front - rear instrument input comparison

So for someone like me, running a stereo pedalboard into the Axe III using Input 1 on the front and Input 2L on the back, is there a difference between the two inputs? Input 2 is 1M standard according to the manual, and Input 1 always shows 1M with Auto-Z engaged? More just curious, since it's really hard to hear a difference between two sides of a stereo field.

Why do you not just use Input 2 L/R for your stereo board? This seems a lot easier to me.

I also use two large pedalboards with my AxeFX, but I have them both in the FX Loops of the AxeFX (In/Outs 3 & 4). This is also a nice option to place virtual effects in front of your pedalboard.
 
Probably gas prices, threat of World War III, highest inflation since the '70's... ;)

So for someone like me, running a stereo pedalboard into the Axe III using Input 1 on the front and Input 2L on the back, is there a difference between the two inputs? Input 2 is 1M standard according to the manual, and Input 1 always shows 1M with Auto-Z engaged? More just curious, since it's really hard to hear a difference between two sides of a stereo field.
The input impedance would load down your pickups IF the guitar was going directly into Input 1 on the front AND the first active block after the Input block was one that changes the Auto-Z value.

Most likely this would not affect you at all...
 
What is wrong with everyone lately? So much negativity and accusatory rhetoric.

What I'm about to say is not meant for any negativity towards FAS. FAS produces some of the best products but they come with a price tag that's hard for many of us to afford, so we work for Corporate America where we're micromanaged, bullied and constantly reminded what we're doing wrong. If we do get acknowledged for our outstanding work, it's still a lot less than inflation. Nothing is ever good enough.
 
Why do you not just use Input 2 L/R for your stereo board? This seems a lot easier to me.

I also use two large pedalboards with my AxeFX, but I have them both in the FX Loops of the AxeFX (In/Outs 3 & 4). This is also a nice option to place virtual effects in front of your pedalboard.
That's just the way I set it up when I first got the Axe 2 years ago! Never needed to change it so I didn't.
 
That's just the way I set it up when I first got the Axe 2 years ago! Never needed to change it so I didn't.

If any of your pedals are buffered bypass (your strymons if they have bypass tails enabled) or if any pedal is “always on,” then you might as well use one of the stereo inputs on the back because the AX3 is seeing a low impedance signal anyway.

The AX3’s impedance circuitry is for correctly loading high impedance passive pickups when certain blocks are first in the chain and enabled (fuzz face for example).
 
Wow I've pretty much never plugged into the front of the unit - either at home or when out live. Will have to switch it up now!
 
If any of your pedals are buffered bypass (your strymons if they have bypass tails enabled) or if any pedal is “always on,” then you might as well use one of the stereo inputs on the back because the AX3 is seeing a low impedance signal anyway.

The AX3’s impedance circuitry is for correctly loading high impedance passive pickups when certain blocks are first in the chain and enabled (fuzz face for example).
That makes sense. It sure would clean up wiring, haha! You guys going to be in BNA anytime soon?
 
That makes sense. It sure would clean up wiring, haha! You guys going to be in BNA anytime soon?

We have a few fly dates coming up but nothing scheduled for Nashville rn. We always stop there on tours though so I’m sure we’ll be back this year at some point
 
It's not a design flaw. The rear input is intended for use with, i.e., a wireless receiver. There was no scenario where someone would plug directly from their guitar into the back of the unit so the Auto-Z circuitry was not duplicated on the rear input.

What is wrong with everyone lately? So much negativity and accusatory rhetoric.
Last weekend, I played in a theater with my wireless system plugged into the rear input.
During the break a stage aid changed batteries in all wireless systems on stage. While doing that he accidentally unplugged the cable form the rear input. It was very dark on stage so he plugged it into the front input.

As a good technician, he knew where the output signal of a transmitter must go.

Believe it or not. I did not hear any difference. Neither did the audience (1000 guests) nor my fellow musicians.
And this although I dialed in 1M+CAP at front input.
I was sorely disappointed afterwards that I didn't hear the difference. But to my apology I must say that I was probably too much put off by the musical performance of the musicians, the singers and the dancers. And reading the music also additionally distracted my attention.

Fortunately, the show went fantastically, standing ovation, satisfied artistic director. Later, a fantastic meal in an Italian restaurant.

But I will work in the next few days to train my hearing so that I can recognize the difference between the various impedances.
Because we all know what really matters.
 
Last weekend, I played in a theater with my wireless system plugged into the rear input.
During the break a stage aid changed batteries in all wireless systems on stage. While doing that he accidentally unplugged the cable form the rear input. It was very dark on stage so he plugged it into the front input.

As a good technician, he knew where the output signal of a transmitter must go.

Believe it or not. I did not hear any difference. Neither did the audience (1000 guests) nor my fellow musicians.
And this although I dialed in 1M+CAP at front input.
I was sorely disappointed afterwards that I didn't hear the difference. But to my apology I must say that I was probably too much put off by the musical performance of the musicians, the singers and the dancers. And reading the music also additionally distracted my attention.

Fortunately, the show went fantastically, standing ovation, satisfied artistic director. Later, a fantastic meal in an Italian restaurant.

But I will work in the next few days to train my hearing so that I can recognize the difference between the various impedances.
Because we all know what really matters.
If you're using a wireless into the front input then I don't think you're going to notice a difference anyway...
 
Noob question, but: last week I noticed that my sound had a bit of a hiss in some presets. I use a wireless into the rear input. To check where the hiss was produced I compared my wireless in the back to a cable in the front. This to check if the wireless was the cause. I noticed the cable had less of a hiss. Reading this My question is: could the hiss be reduced by connecting the wireless through the front input?
 
Noob question, but: last week I noticed that my sound had a bit of a hiss in some presets. I use a wireless into the rear input. To check where the hiss was produced I compared my wireless in the back to a cable in the front. This to check if the wireless was the cause. I noticed the cable had less of a hiss. Reading this My question is: could the hiss be reduced by connecting the wireless through the front input?
No. A wireless will add noise. It's physics. Nothing you can do about it.
 
After reading all this, does the front input/Auto-Z/secret sauce have any effect if you run wireless into it or just when a guitar is directly plugged into it?
 
After reading all this, does the front input/Auto-Z/secret sauce have any effect if you run wireless into it or just when a guitar is directly plugged into it?
It should only have an affect when plugging a guitar directly in. A wireless will negate the automatic-Z.
 
I did a (stupid) short recording to compare the behavior of the Front and the Rear input when a Fuzz is engaged.
I always used the rear input, and I'm impressed by how the front one react to "vintage" drives.

The following recording is:
  • PRS (single coil split) volume from 10 to 6 - REAR Input
  • PRS (single coil split) volume from 10 to 6 - FRONT Input
  • Fender Strat (position 5) volume from 10 to 6 - REAR Input
  • Fender Strat (position 5) volume from 10 to 6 - FRONT Input



You can hear how the guitar clean up best rolling back the volume when plugged into the front input. Amazing!

I totally missed that because of the incorrect info on the website/manual. This is why I gave this answer here (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/real-fuzz-pedal-in-front.181775/post-2229127).

Interesting thread and demonstration. I never knew there was any difference, honestly, but I don't really use fuzz, let alone try to clean it up with my guitar's volume knob, but this was enlightening!
 
I always had my guitar plugged in the rear input for clutter reasons - I remember I was using a right-angle cable and it didn't work very well with some PRS so I temporarily plugged in a straight cable in the front and thought "huh, that sounds sounds better. Must be a better cable" and so I REPLACED THE CABLE IN BACK with the one I had in front and patted myself on the back for a job well done. It might still be like that. That's funny.
 
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