Input 1 gate vs using a Decimator.

Back in the days when I had an FX8 (I still run the FX8 User Group on Facebook) I used an ISP Decimator G String in the loop of my Mark V. I compared it to the Intelligent Gate on the FX8 and the Intelligent Gate was so good I removed the ISP Decimator G String from the board altogether. I'm pretty sure the Axe Fx uses the same algorithms as the FX8 (but improved somewhat since then).

I'm putting together another G System, twin amp (JVM 215C) rig at the moment which should be ready in a few months and I've bought another ISP G String to go with it. I think the ISP is unbeatable in any pedal format.
 
Can I disable the 50/60hz comb filtering in Intelligent and Noise Reduction modes?
I want lower noise floor without the comb filter.
 
hensh!n_vfs said:
A good thing to point out if it isn't obvious enough, is your setting should depend on the amp and also the style of preset (i.e., rhythm, lead, etc.). In a rhythm setting you can opt for more aggressive settings if you so choose, but for lead presets the gate may cut of the tail of your sustain. And of course proper gain staging helps too. I recently purchased some EMI filters which helped reduce some of the need for gating so aggressively in my studio. My methodology is similar to compression, it may be better to let several compressors do the work. I generally use several gates together without putting too heavy of a load on one.
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Good all around advice. Using multiple compressors definitely makes the effect more transparent, less “pumping”. I’ve never found a scenario where multiple gates benefited me, but I’d be curious to try it with some advice. Save for the old method of gating at the input and having another in the loop; with the availability of key input style gates that go in the loop (basically my approach in Fractal). I have this gate so aggressive that the one in the input is redundant.
 
I have both the Decimator pedal and the stereo rack unit. The rack unit is much more advanced has it has a dedicated guitar "tracking" input/output which goes at the very very beginning of the analog signal chain just before entering the AxeFX preamp (In 4CM method). In turn, the actual signal to be gated is using separate I/O wiring (one balanced and one unbalanced) and can conveniently be inserted in the FX loop of the 4CM method, or an an external device for no-amp setups. The pedal doesn't do that and works less well as a result. Another bit of information: When I bought the rack unit, and sustaining single note lead, the unit would make bad wobbling sound when the gate was near closing point. The ISP owner told me at the time that the use case was more for vey high gain metal gating, but he kindly offered to modify the unit to fit my use case. It works really well, and more importantly, to relate it to this thread, it just works much better than any AxeFXIII existing gate blocks, although I am not skilled enough in circuit design to understand why. Lastly, the separate guitar in/out does have some sort of filter, but with the setting high enough, it does not color the audio at all and the gate functions well.
 
Very interested to try this. I use the easy mode intelligent gate at -60db on my FM9 and it seems like it affects the tail of final note sometimes. Was surprised I could pick that out TBH. I can understand why Petrucci would want to play without any sort of gate.
 
GuitarGuy316 said:
Can you post your settings of the two blocks? Are you putting the expander after the amp?
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Yes, and no : expander just after the noise filter (input 1 block):
1713776956491.png

Then expander :

1713776977953.png


Of course, these settings were created at gig volume. In my tests, the notes have more sustain than with the Decimator, which i had to set to about -32/-40 dB threshold
 
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I remember a post by @FractalAudio saying not to use the input gate, specifically the noise reducer plus the gate block, is this still considered "best practise"?

Obviously whatever works for each person and gives them the result they want is the solution they need rather than maybe what should be done.

@AlGrenadine I take it you prefer the gate before the amp rather than post amp with the sidechain source set to input 1?

I also use the low cut 1000Hz high cut 1000Hz settings, works great.
 
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