Guitar levels for re-amping if DI isn't from the Axe's dry out?

CraigJohnsJr

CraigJohnsJr

Member
I've been using the Axe-Fx for a while, but this is my first time re-amping. I understand a lot of people will record dry signals with the Axe via USB, which are very quiet, and then re-amp, but I have a different method so I'm not sure how to adjust the DI's before I re-amp. I know this sounds confusing. Let me break it down:

My signal chain is as follows:

Guitar > Countryman Type 85 DI Box > Apollo Twin Duo > iMac

My preamp is set so the DI is just under clipping on the loudest parts, which are usually palm mute chugs. (This is louder than the Axe's dry signal, from what I understand.) I do this to make editing easier, as I can see the transients more clearly, and because I use POD Farm while I track.

The idea is to track into the interface like I have been, edit the tracks and whatnot, and then re-amp with the Axe. I'm just not sure how loud those DI's should be when they hit the Axe, since my DI's are louder than the USB Dry Out method I read about.

Does anyone know what level the Axe "prefers" guitars to be at? Can I just adjust it on the input level of the Axe so it doesn't clip and call it a day? Or should I track something on the USB Dry Out and then level match my DI's to that?

Again, new to this. Thanks!
 
Edit:

If I DO track the DI signal on the USB Dry Out, and then just zoom in on waveforms to edit properly, when I go back in to re-amp, do I keep the fader at 0?
 
Yes. Keep everything at unity gain and the level will be the same as the original pass through the Axe.

If reamping via analog I/O, you can use the front panel input meter as well as the Utility menu Status page input meters to match up the same input level when feeding the DI back to the Axe. After a couple of times, you'll figure out how much you'll need to compensate your interfaces levels to match them up each time. In theory, if everything is left at unity gain, the levels should be the same, but that is not always the case in practice.
 
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Btw, did the recent -6db drop in USB audio levels affect reamping, or only the background USB audio levels while ysing analog inputs?
 
I believe it only affects playback when USB output is mixed with Output 1. When reamping, USB output goes to the input of the grid and I don't think the -6db pad is applied.
 
Until recently I used analog paths for both the wet signal and the dry. I used RADIAL DI (J48?) to get the DI signal split off, and then send it to my Fireface 800, where I adjust the input level much the way you do. I then send a DO buss out of my DAW to a Fireface 800 output, and then into a RADIAL X-AMP, which drops the line level signal down to a guitar level (and matches the impedance). I find that the Axe-FX II is pretty tolerant in terms of input signal levels (anything short of clipping, that is).
 
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