Help please!!!

[merlin17]

Hi!

I‘m really having problems with my Ultra...
Everybody says it gets better and better the longer they have it, I‘m tweaking since January and
I‘m still struggling with the same things.
My clean patches are somewhat ok, but I don‘t seem to get something out of it that can touch
my H&K Access, my Acoustic G100T or my old BF Vibrolux. Each of them have chime and body
- when I try to get this with the Axe (tried BF, Top Boost, USA clean, Eggie, Dr. Z) the sounds
either are too muffled or too harsh or too boomy or too thin, there seems to be some mids I just
can‘t spot and dial out making it sound boxy, especially in a live band context.
The same applies to crunch sounds. I‘m looking for sounds like Landau did on the Richard Marx
albums. No problem with the Access, with the Ultra: see above. There‘s some kind of „plastic“ in
there. When using my guitar‘s volume knob to clean up the crunch sounds it gets even more middy whereas
they stay more or less the same frequencywise with my Access (I‘m using a RC boost as a line
driver in front of the amps, all guitars have treble bleed circuits).
Interestingly the same with the Detune/Chorus/Flanger. What sounds organic with a Rocktron
Replifex or a Eventide Modfactor sounds kind of „fake“ with the Ultra and I f**cking don‘t know
how to dial it out.
I‘m not using the Cab sims into FRFR but a Marshall 2020 or a SLA-2 into a H&K 2*12“ cabinet
(which sounds great with the Access), guitars are a fabulous Morgaine Strat with Abigail Ybarra
Masterwound PUPs, a Clapton Strat with Kinman Trad.II PUPs and a Suhr Classic.
If anybody has some tips, please tell me. I‘m thinking about switching back to my old rig for now.
In contrast to most of you I‘m playing LESS and tweaking more since I have the Ultra, and I RE-
ALLY want to be happy with it...
Is it NOT possible to get good sounds with just the amp sims (incl. power amp sim) from the Ult-
ra without using extensive EQ blocks before and after the amps?

 

[AndrewSimon]

I‘m not using the Cab sims into FRFR but a Marshall 2020 or a SLA-2 into a H&K 2*12“ cabinet
(which sounds great with the Access)

The problem is probably somewhere here.

Here is my suggestion. (don't laugh)
Just as a test hook up the AXE-FX to your home stereo.
See if you get an easier time "dialing in the tones you want".
If you do, it will be easier for you to accept the concept of FRFR systems.

:idea:

 

[merlin17]

In case I wasn't clear on this - I'm NOT using the cab sims when I'm playing my amp/cab rig. If I'd go FRFR I'd switch the sims on.
Putting the Axe through my home stereo or my studio monitors (Klein & Hummel 0300D) won't help me with my problem as I want to play the Ultra through my amp/cab for band use.

Is everybody doing that happy with the sounds right away? No extensive EQing needed?

 

[DNW]

In case I wasn't clear on this - I'm NOT using the cab sims when I'm playing my amp/cab rig. If I'd go FRFR I'd switch the sims on.
Putting the Axe through my home stereo or my studio monitors (Klein & Hummel 0300D) won't help me with my problem as I want to play the Ultra through my amp/cab for band use.

Is everybody doing that happy with the sounds right away? No extensive EQing needed?

What about the poweramp sims? If you're using a flat response PA I'd keep the sims on... with the 20/20, I imagine that would colour the sound itself quite a bit, so I'd shut the poweramp sims off.

 

[merlin17]

I tried both and liked it more with the PA sims on, even with the 2020.
I'm gonna try the SLA-2 again later today.

BTW: What's the default value for presence when the actual amp does not have a knob for it (my Vibrolux e.g., I think the Twin doesn't have one either)? 0 (noon) or +10?
I'm asking because my '68 BF Vibrolux is not that much different than a Twin (a lot less loud and not that fat), but when I use the BF sim and dial in the tone controls like I do on my VL (Bass 7-8, Treble 3-4, Bright on) the BF sim is WAY darker (this is even when I play the VL through the same cabinet).

 

[javajunkie]

I tried both and liked it more with the PA sims on, even with the 2020.
I'm gonna try the SLA-2 again later today.

BTW: What's the default value for presence when the actual amp does not have a knob for it (my Vibrolux e.g., I think the Twin doesn't have one either)? 0 (noon) or +10?
I'm asking because my '68 BF Vibrolux is not that much different than a Twin (a lot less loud and not that fat), but when I use the BF sim and dial in the tone controls like I do on my VL (Bass 7-8, Treble 3-4, Bright on) the BF sim is WAY darker (this is even when I play the VL through the same cabinet).

Default is 0 for amps that don't have it. Yes, it is very possible to get good sounds w/o eq up front. The recording section is full of good examples.

With out hearing what you are hearing, it is hard to say. It is hard to know what you mean by plastic. Any recorded examples would be helpful.

Tips:
Don't try fix every thing at once. Start w/ a basic amp, stock advanced parameters, no effects. Try setting eq to passive. Get the stock stuff as close as you can then mess w/ the advanced parameters. Take frequent ear breaks. After that, start messing w/ EQ.
Turn the cabs sims on play thru a FRFR or headphones (yes, I know it doesn't help you live - but we are tring to indentify the issue here). Play with the cab sims, see if that is the issue. If it is you can try different real cabs, a FRFR speaker, or stick w/ your old rig.

{ersonally, it sounds like you have something strance going on if the axe-fx can't compete w/ the h&k access clean. I used to own one for sometime. While the clean is not bad. It isn't the greatest either IMO. The clean channel is solid state and for me never got the edge of break up complexity a good tube amp will get when you push the front end. The Axe-fx ought to shine over that.

Effects:
What exact effect sounds are you looking for?