Matching my Mark IV

T

Tamerz

Inspired
So my regular amp is a Mesa Mark IV, and I'd like to capture the sound I had before as a preset. The sound was done with a Maxon OD-808 into the Mark IV then into my Randall 4x12 with V30's.

My current setup plans are to use the Axe-FX II into a Matrix GT1000FX then into the same Randall cab. I'm trying to figure out the best way to tone match the old setup (which I still have).

Am I right in this thinking?

1. Get an IR capture of the cab. It appears using an SM57 should be good enough?
2. Create a preset with a drive block and set that close to the OD-808 settings
3. Add the Mark IV amp block
4. Capture the OD-808 -> Mesa Mark IV -> 4x12 -> SM57 as the source
5. Record guitar straight into Axe-FX II as the secondary

Do I now have something where I can turn off the cab and have it sound close to what I had? Or do I now have the sound of the cab built in, then the physical cab stacks on top of that throwing the whole thing off?
 
Through the Matrix GT1000FX into the same Randall cab, you'd want to run cabs off and power section off after the match. So, you'd create your own IR of the cab to take it out of the path later. That accounts for the difference in cabs, but it doesn't account for any coloration caused by the Matrix power amp. Why not just make a source reference clip of the Mark IV into the Randall the way you ran it, and then make another clip of the patch you intend to use running that patch through the Matrix into the Randall? The trick would be getting the clip into the local reference in which you could do by putting the Tone Match block after an FX Loop block and feeding in the clip in through input 2. After the match, you'd just move the Tone Match block to it's proper position behind the Amp block. This way the tone match computes the differential EQ between both complete systems rather than a complete system matched with part of another. I think that might give you a better chance at good results.
 
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OK, so the IR I take should then be "subtracted" out of the equation by turning the cab block off? That is what I wasn't totally sure about. It is almost like the opposite of tone matching?
 
You don't have to take the IR at all. I guess that wasn't all that clear. Let me explain.

You're planning to run through the Randall cab in either setup. The cab sim is only required when you're planning to run through the PA or another FRFR system. So, the cab doesn't have to be modelled at all, because it is physically present in both systems already. You only have to figure out how to tone match the difference, because the effects of the cabs and mic placement are the same in both cases. So, their effects on the final tone should cancel each other out. That's why the cab sim can be left out of the signal path. That's also why you don't have do an IR.

I don't know how people around here are treating the Matrix Power Amp. If it colors the sound, then the power amp simulation should be turned off on the global menu. If it's neutral, then it doesn't have to be. Look at section 3.4.3 of the manual for further guidance. Experimentation may be required here, so choose whatever sounds better for you.

The next step would be to tweak the patch up so it's close in tone to the rig your trying to model. Tone matching does a good job of matching the EQ, but it cannot match the distortion character. So, you need to tune that up by hand first. Once you have that done, the ideal approach would be take your reference samples at the output of both systems, because that's where you want the tone to match ideally. However, there are alternatives.

Technically, the two rigs are only different up until you hit the Randall, so theoretically you could lose the cab from the both rigs and do the match at the line out of a load box plugged into the speaker out of either out. The only thing that you'd miss is the possible difference in interaction between the cab and power amp. It might be easier to mic both setups the same, record a clip from each, and do the match off that.
 
Yeah, I understand I don't need the cab sim. What I was worried about is that the source was me recording FROM the cab. So that was going to be in the source no matter what. I don't see how I can record the output from the power amp of the Mark IV without going into a cab. I guess that is what you are talking about with a "load box"? Something that goes after the power amp of the Mark IV instead of the cab and outputs that sound? I don't have anything like that.
 
You will get much better results if you take the IR of the cab. Do NOT turn off the power amp modeling if using a solid-state amp.
 
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