Headphones vs Recording vs Live

fret

fret

Experienced
So 6 months in to Axefx ownership and I'm finding that playing while monitoring via headphones (Sennheiser HD280PRO) is less than satisfying tone wise. Something is "not right" esp with the treble. However when I record that exact same feed and listen to it in a band mix it sounds fine. In fact easily better than what I could achieve with my old/cheap tube amp and a 57. And for the most part playing live I get a very solid tone through the FRFR wedge. Same patches, different perspectives.

I've got to the point where I know it'll sound great later, but every time I hear the headphone version I mutter under my breath. One patch is a combo of ac30/matchless and the other is the jcm800. I'm using a mackie 402 to monitor. I use the same patches live and I think they're "ok" but not amazing. Any one else get the same disconnect between headphones and live/recorded mixes?
 
You're fighting several things here. One is the headphones themselves. Using 'phones takes the sound field away from the guitar and wraps it around your head. Without your guitar bathing in and reacting to its own sound, your tones will sound flatter and more lifeless, and you'll lose a lot of the "feel" and note bloom. Also, many 'phones are anything but flat response. They can color your tone, sometimes very noticeably.

Related to this problem is volume level. The more volume, the stronger the sound field that hits your guitar, and the more sustain, bloom and feel you'll have. Many Axe-FX users have two sets of patches: one for low-volume playing/recording and one for gig levels.

And don't forget the power of the other instruments to affect your tone. Tones with good sound and cut in a live situation can sound dull and flat when played without backup. Tones that sound good by themselves can get lost in the mix in a band situation.
 
I practice with headphones most of the time (Beyerdynamics DT770 Pro). It took time to find suitable IRs that do not sound harsh or muddy. After a lot of try+error I'm very satisfied with the EnglV30-CapEdge1.
Another issue is the headphone volume. Some patches/IRs tend to sound better at higher volumes (but no clipping). Fletcher-Munson probably...
 
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I've got a few HD280's in my little studio. They're generally good but for axefx tones, they are not, and definitely not suited for dialing in presets or making changes.
I'm using my beyerdynamics dt880 with my axefx and getting much better results although I still recommend using actual speakers.
For tweaking tones and an excellent IR formula, check out Scott Peterson's "Rethink, Rework, Reboot" thread:
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threa...-Major-Twist-for-ANY-Preset?highlight=rethink
 
tgunn said:
my beyerdynamics dt880 with my axefx and getting much better results
Click to expand...

@ $500 a pair you'd hope they sound great ;)

I've spent the last 4 months saving for a FRFR wedge, and while I'm getting closer, it seems like 2 steps forward... 2 steps back. *sigh*
 
fret said:
@ $500 a pair you'd hope they sound great ;)

I've spent the last 4 months saving for a FRFR wedge, and while I'm getting closer, it seems like 2 steps forward... 2 steps back. *sigh*
Click to expand...
I got mine for just over $200. Not cheap though roughly twice the HD280's :)

EDIT: ah, I was assuming US dollars, my bad.
 
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