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ghost fizz

Rex

Rex

Legend!
Shredgod said:
BTW, What are the benefits to modeling crossover distortion?
Click to expand...
One of the benefits is accuracy. Real amps have crossover distortion. And just like real amps, you can change the amount of crossover distortion by changing the bias.

Another benefit is ability to cut through the mix. Tones with more crossover distortion require less volume to be heard clearly above the band. And in a dense mix, you don't notice the crossover distortion as much, but you do notice the ability to ride above the mix.
 
javajunkie

javajunkie

Moderator
Moderator
Shredgod said:
I have the Axe FX II with FW 9.02 and I have it as well.
Not nearly as bad as others with the more recent FW but I notice if I sit too close to my computer keyboard/monitor the noise will increase. If I face the opposite direction, away from my PC, no noise.
Click to expand...

That is just EM interference, different from what the original poster is talking about.
 
Singtall

Singtall

Experienced
Vendor
i don't know what it is, but i don't like it.

i tried every single knob and setting on several amp models and i could not stop the distortion/fizz. i turned down the input gain....no difference.

as much as i like the axe-fx II, this is killing me. my OCD can't handle an imperfection like this. if there isn't a setting to turn off whatever this is, there should be one.

i'm going to think on it more and see if Cliff has any suggestions.....but i'm thinking about going back to the Ultra.
 
Singtall

Singtall

Experienced
Vendor
i tried one of my OLD touring guitars that i haven't played in forever and it had a little less of the distortion than my new guitar with EMG's. the EMG's are way too hot for one, but even lowering the gain results in some fizz/distortion.

i tried the same old guitar on the eleven rack, and the distortion/fizz was less...but so was the gain level. the eleven rack has that same fizz, but less of it.

i tried the axe-fx II at another location to rule out environmental noise, and got the same results.

i just don't know what to think. maybe i'll take a few days away from playing/listening and see if i can forget about it for the most part.
 
shredi knight

shredi knight

Power User
I can live with it, and if it is in fact a modeled part of what actual tubes amps do, then so be it.

If the tone I'm getting when the drive block's level control, amp blocks gain control/ guitar's volume knob (etc...) are turned up requires having that overlaying distortion when one of them is turned down, then I'm all for it. :)
 
K

kush

Inspired
Singtall said:
i tried the same old guitar on the eleven rack, and the distortion/fizz was less...but so was the gain level. the eleven rack has that same fizz, but less of it.

i tried the axe-fx II at another location to rule out environmental noise, and got the same results.
Click to expand...

I read this, and to me, you have just isolated the issue to your guitars and not the Axe-FX II or eleven rack or your environment. You need to work on finding the sweet spot with your pickups perhaps. It is not the modelers, it's what they're reproducing from the signal you're feeding them. Doesn't mean a thing if you've never heard it on your tube amps. It is what it is. Good luck!
 
Smilzo

Smilzo

Power User
It is distortion. It reminds me real amp with cold biased preamp stage. It could be your EMG, could be preamp or poweramp emulation, could be your monitor or mixing desk... try passive PU.
 
pima1234

pima1234

Fractal Fanatic
I'll chime in, based on my experience playing tonight (this morning, that is):

It's not necessarily a guitar-related or high gain pickup issue. I'm getting with my Strat using Kinman Woodstock Plus pickups. Using the CA3 Rhythm patch, and trying all sorts of tweaks to eliminate it. Then, I changed models in the amp block. Some models have more "ghost fizz" than others. Changing Modeling Modes makes some difference. It's also not a gain stage, or input/output clipping issue.

To the OP: It's the "crispies", right? Almost sounds like static. Or someone's frying up some nice diodes for breakfast. lol

I will echo some of the previous posts, in that I can't recall every noticing those sounds with tube amps (and I've owned a ton!).

So, we need to keep this thread going. It would be nice to pinpoint where exactly those sounds originate from and why. I find myself wanting to hear a more pleasing and "natural" (at least, in my experience) decay.

I'm running my Axe directly into Adam A11P studio monitors. (Really nice monitors!) And, I use Xitone cabs for live use. Of course, I don't notice it nearly to the same extent when playing live. Oh, and it's also not a volume (Fletcher/Munson curve) issue.
 
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pima1234

pima1234

Fractal Fanatic
I agree that it sounds like loads (yes, loads, that's not an exaggeration) of crossover distortion. It may be cold preamp and/or power amp, as that it what causes crossover distortion in tube amps, which is almost always unwanted. But, that should not be the case, as the power tube bias settings are right on the mark, and since the "fizz" doesn't go away completely with higher bias settings. I don't know enough about preamp bias settings, but maybe that's the ticket. I'll have to check on that.

I'm definitely curious to see if we can find a solution, as this is one of the few things keeping me from getting complete satisfaction after leaving the tube amp world.

Smilzo said:
It is distortion. It reminds me real amp with cold biased preamp stage. It could be your EMG, could be preamp or poweramp emulation, could be your monitor or mixing desk... try passive PU.
Click to expand...
 
javajunkie

javajunkie

Moderator
Moderator
pima1234 said:
I agree that it sounds like loads (yes, loads, that's not an exaggeration) of crossover distortion. It may be cold preamp and/or power amp, as that it what causes crossover distortion in tube amps, which is almost always unwanted. But, that should not be the case, as the power tube bias settings are right on the mark, and since the "fizz" doesn't go away completely with higher bias settings. I don't know enough about preamp bias settings, but maybe that's the ticket. I'll have to check on that.

I'm definitely curious to see if we can find a solution, as this is one of the few things keeping me from getting complete satisfaction after leaving the tube amp world.
Click to expand...

no, preamp bias doesn't do much for it. Turning up powertube bias (at least for me) does reduce it as you can hear in the examples I did above.
 
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