just got a brand new axe 2 and have some questions

L

lysergiel

Member
Finally after years of waiting I got an axe fx. I was really disappointed about a few things. Why is there no global amp control? Right now im using the axe fx as a multieffects processor thru a tube amp. I really dont wanna go thru all 400 presets and turn off the amps. Also I wish there was dedicated user preset bank so you dont have delete presets that you havent even heard in their natural habitat (FRFR).

Edit: its not defective. I am. But still id love to get a global amp control.
 
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Well, I'm sorry to hear that your first experience with the AFX wasn't up to par. I can't speak from experience, but I know that the fractal customer service is known to be quite good and would think that they would do everything to help correct this issue.

It's always tough to recommend what direction you should choose. I've never had an issue with my AFX (knock on wood), but even with my tube amp setups, I've had issues with tubes going bad, jacks going out... Even had one amp catch fire while performing (due to my red hot playing. Haha!!).

If you want to consider another product, I could say that the Kemper or Eleven Rack are probably the next best modeling units, but don't have any experience with either. I would say to maybe give FAS the opportunity to correct this issue and I'm confident that you probably would never have an issue like this again.

Best of luck in finding the best direction for you.
 
If it is freezing around preset 121-124 that is a known issue with preset 123 containing corrupt data.

As for the randomly switching to the Edit page this is expected behavior when using Axe-Edit. If you are not using Axe-Edit then it sounds like there is a stuck button on the front panel and you should contact support.
 
Hi

Before complaining you should read the manual
at the frontpanel press global and switch off power amp modeling.
Cant comment on the glitches you have , cause I don't know if you have the axe- fx hooked up to axe edit. if so don't use the front panel to switch presets


Cheers
 
dieter said:
Hi

Before complaining you should read the manual
at the frontpanel press global and switch off power amp modeling.
Cant comment on the glitches you have , cause I don't know if you have the axe- fx hooked up to axe edit. if so don't use the front panel to switch presets


Cheers
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I think he is saying that he wants to turn off the Amp block in every preset (not just the power amp modeling).
 
some of this sounds self-inflicted. wait before you return it. avoid presets 120-125. Do not use the front panel if you have a usb connected with an Axe Edit session open. One or the other, but never both at the same time.

There are a lot of silly presets that show you the outer boundaries of what the device can do, that are pretty useless in a real performance situation. Find a few and overwrite them.

Better yet, overwrite an entire bank - you can restore factory presets anytime you want to. Make a preset that is laid out the way you need, and then copy it 100 times. Now you won't have to disable cabinets every time - do it once and copy that template.

Good luck. There isn't anything else better out there. Look at the list of top names that use this. This is it. Hold on to it and just give it a little time.
 
The edit-block glitches you are reporting sound exactly like what Cliff suggested - using the front panel on the hardware while axe edit is connected. As every thread brought up reporting this "issue" states as a response -- don't do that.

And the beta thread definitely mentions the preset issue.

I really wouldn't call those two issues elementary bugs, but I can respect that is how it seems to you.

I certainly understand if your impression was negative due to this. Fortunately, Fractal Audio has a decent return policy. They also have a very responsive support staff -- I would suggest contacting them first before making your final decision.

HTH.
 
It doesn't make sense to turn the amp block off in the factory presets since these are not intended to use without an amp. Most factory presets demonstrate just the amp, so turning it off would be nonsense.
If you want to use it as an effects unit just use some headphones to listen to the factory presets, note down the presets you like the effects of, and then start copying them into Bank A (the presets in bank A show various amps and you wouldn't want to use them anyway, so you would not overwrite anything you might need later). Then you can delete the amp and cab block.
Regarding user preset slots: just save the factory banks to the internal memory (in the utilities menu iirc). From there you can restore them anytime.
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
some of this sounds self-inflicted. wait before you return it. avoid presets 120-125. Do not use the front panel if you have a usb connected with an Axe Edit session open. One or the other, but never both at the same time.

There are a lot of silly presets that show you the outer boundaries of what the device can do, that are pretty useless in a real performance situation. Find a few and overwrite them.

Better yet, overwrite an entire bank - you can restore factory presets anytime you want to. Make a preset that is laid out the way you need, and then copy it 100 times. Now you won't have to disable cabinets every time - do it once and copy that template.

Good luck. There isn't anything else better out there. Look at the list of top names that use this. This is it. Hold on to it and just give it a little time.
Click to expand...

lol those silly presets are the ones that im using. My sound is usually far from a natural guitar sound. But I mean come on this thing is so powerful, only 400 presets? I make alot, i mean ALOT of effects, and dont see 400 being enough.
 
FractalAudio said:
If it is freezing around preset 121-124 that is a known issue with preset 123 containing corrupt data.

As for the randomly switching to the Edit page this is expected behavior when using Axe-Edit. If you are not using Axe-Edit then it sounds like there is a stuck button on the front panel and you should contact support.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Cliff. I really do enjoy the sound of the axe fx so much which is the most important thing imo. I do believe freezing was happening switching between other presets two, if i wanted to try out those presets could i swap them to a different place? Is it a problem with the actual preset or the preset numbers? idk how this stuff works. Thank you for your response
 
guitardoc said:
It doesn't make sense to turn the amp block off in the factory presets since these are not intended to use without an amp. Most factory presets demonstrate just the amp, so turning it off would be nonsense.
If you want to use it as an effects unit just use some headphones to listen to the factory presets, note down the presets you like the effects of, and then start copying them into Bank A (the presets in bank A show various amps and you wouldn't want to use them anyway, so you would not overwrite anything you might need later). Then you can delete the amp and cab block.
Regarding user preset slots: just save the factory banks to the internal memory (in the utilities menu iirc). From there you can restore them anytime.
Click to expand...

well yea some wouldn't sound great without the amp but I can still use the reverb block or something like that to build off. I just like having options and not being forced into making these decisions so early on, especially as I might be switching btw a tube and atomic/jay mitchell cab. Also if you are only using this thing as a multi effects unit, I think you would turn the amps off for the best sound. Its what worked for me
 
Hold on - we are talking 384 preset slots x 8 scenes = 3,072. Many blocks have x and y states, so let's safely double that figure to about 6,000. When considering the various possibilities modifiers offer we hit 10,000 pretty soon. You'd need a pretty large excel file to administrate and memorise all the effects that are in there... ;-)
 
Switching between FRFR and amp + cab is very easy. Include an effects loop before amp and/or cab. This way you send the FRFR signal to output 1 and the signal with all blocks BEFORE the FXL block to output 2. This way you can have both signals at the same time.
 
let me just say that I have been learning how all the controls on the axe fx 2 works by dissecting and breaking down each block of the presets. Thats why I dont wanna be restoring presets. Im actually a little afraid to tell you the truth, coming from eventide stompboxes. Its alot of work but I start with presets that sound like they demonstrate some of the more powerful things about this amazing unit.

forum member, scotts, is an IRL friend of mine (amazing guitarist) and I heard the axe thru his atomic/jay mitchell speaker and we AB'd it with my best boutique amplifer and the axe sounded way better once the sounds were dialed in. Especially using the jaymitchell far feild cabs. I felt those cabs were really great. Also had to cut a little bass but yea it was the most amazing tone I had ever heard.

Ive always really been satisfied with my tone but its not feasible to turn off 4 effects and turn on a different 5 ya know so i switched. definitely not giving up
 
too me, one preset is at best one song and the scenes are 8 different combinations in the song. I have been reading the manual and cant really get the x and y to work, when i switch to y i get no volume :(, imsure this is easily fixed. BUT i just want to be able to have as many utility presets as well as songs with multiple scenes. Also I tend to push everything to its CPU limits
 
ONLY 384 presets?!

i use 5. actually, i use 1 since the Scenes feature was added haha.

it sounds like you are using the axe-fx like some older piece of gear. it's much deeper and feature-rich than you may know right now.

but to each their own.

i can't imagine how you could use over 400 presets, effects only, without them sounding the same or very similar. unless you count 1 as Reverb only, a 2nd with Delay only, a 3rd with Reverb and Delay, etc. you can turn that stuff off and on without changing presets ya know :)

lysergiel said:
too me, one preset is at best one song
Click to expand...

can't use one preset for multiple songs?


when you switch to Y and there is no sound, double click the BYPASS button on the front panel (not the FX Bypass) to reset that Y state to default and you should get sound - not sure why that happens. then make sure you didn't leave the BYPASS button on, which will of course bypass all effected sound.
 
lysergiel said:
let me just say that I have been learning how all the controls on the axe fx 2 works by dissecting and breaking down each block of the presets. Thats why I dont wanna be restoring presets. Im actually a little afraid to tell you the truth, coming from eventide stompboxes. Its alot of work but I start with presets that sound like they demonstrate some of the more powerful things about this amazing unit.

forum member, scotts, is an IRL friend of mine (amazing guitarist) and I heard the axe thru his atomic/jay mitchell speaker and we AB'd it with my best boutique amplifer and the axe sounded way better once the sounds were dialed in. Especially using the jaymitchell far feild cabs. I felt those cabs were really great. Also had to cut a little bass but yea it was the most amazing tone I had ever heard.

Ive always really been satisfied with my tone but its not feasible to turn off 4 effects and turn on a different 5 ya know so i switched. definitely not giving up
Click to expand...

It's great to hear that it sounded fantastic side by side your best amp. That makes me want to find some atomics.
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
ONLY 384 presets?!

i use 5. actually, i use 1 since the Scenes feature was added haha.

it sounds like you are using the axe-fx like some older piece of gear. it's much deeper and feature-rich than you may know right now.

but to each their own.

i can't imagine how you could use over 400 presets, effects only, without them sounding the same or very similar. unless you count 1 as Reverb only, a 2nd with Delay only, a 3rd with Reverb and Delay, etc. you can turn that stuff off and on without changing presets ya know :)



can't use one preset for multiple songs?


when you switch to Y and there is no sound, double click the BYPASS button on the front panel (not the FX Bypass) to reset that Y state to default and you should get sound - not sure why that happens. then make sure you didn't leave the BYPASS button on, which will of course bypass all effected sound.
Click to expand...

thanks for the Y tip. now i know Y it didnt work hehe. Im not trying to use it like an older piece of gear. I want to keep most of the presets as I continue to learn this beast
 
You can easily back the factory presets up to your computer if you are afraid of losing them or download them again from the support page.
 
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