AFIII Metal DEATHMATCH - Fractal vs. Neural

You’re a hell of a player but listening fatigue crept in after 10 secs. because of the brick wall compression and EQ-ing. You asked for advice on the guitar sound: leave some space for the guitar in the spectrum.

I didn't ask for advice, I asked which option people preferred comparing two of the 'top dogs' of current amp modelling tech in a modern metal context. Thanks for listening anyway though! I like the production, it's my preferred style, but I can totally understand it's not for everyone.
 
Well this is an 'OK, Boomer' moment, isn't it. I say that in a warmly ribbing fashion, I might be older than you. :p

I guess if you don't care about modern Metal music / production than this shootout isn't for you. Much like I don't comment on comparisons of country clean tones or hackneyed pentatonic licks.

People like me who are interested in modern Metal production and tones are more likely to hear / care about the nuances of it, just like any other genre, and as evidenced by the number of people who have voted / commented and expressed a preference thus far.

Fair enough. I don't feel offended at all. I'm surely a bit older than you and many on this forum.

But to be real, I love Steven Wilson's music, which is a bit of a hybrid between "modern metal" and 70's prog-rock. Some of the guitars are very much chug-chug and deathmetally (is that a word?) while others are more ... (hmmm) melodious.
I can appreciate the tones used by the guitarists in his productions.

And I can really appreciate the production in your track. Just having a hard time hearing the GUITAR through the processing (be it by gain. compression, etc.) so it's hard FOR ME to comment on the Fractal vs Neural aspect. I hope that makes sense and is not (too) offensive.
 
Fair enough. I don't feel offended at all. I'm surely a bit older than you and many on this forum.

But to be real, I love Steven Wilson's music, which is a bit of a hybrid between "modern metal" and 70's prog-rock. Some of the guitars are very much chug-chug and deathmetally (is that a word?) while others are more ... (hmmm) melodious.
I can appreciate the tones used by the guitarists in his productions.

And I can really appreciate the production in your track. Just having a hard time hearing the GUITAR through the processing (be it by gain. compression, etc.) so it's hard FOR ME to comment on the Fractal vs Neural aspect. I hope that makes sense and is not (too) offensive.

I think I get you and not offended over here either! :D These days I think of things much more from a compositional and sound design perspective as opposed to a 'guitar player' one. That is probably reflected in the production where everything is more of a wall of sound and machine-like quality (intentional) vs. sounding like people playing music together. Big fan of Steven and Porcupine Tree as well!
 
After listening more I feel like Tone 1 is Fractal, 2 is Neural....I feel like 2 fits the style of music best, as it's almost unnatural, especially the attack.
 
With that much processing, gain level, along with a combination of track/mix compression, it's difficult to hear a difference between the two models.

You could throw the Pod Bean into the comparison and it would probably sound similar to the Neural and Fractal.

Not a boomer, I just like a little more dynamic range and a bit less gain and effects when trying to discern amp model quality.
 
With that much processing, gain level, along with a combination of track/mix compression, it's difficult to hear a difference between the two models.

You could throw the Pod Bean into the comparison and it would probably sound similar to the Neural and Fractal.

Not a boomer, I just like a little more dynamic range and a bit less gain and effects when trying to discern amp model quality.

lol OK, Dr. Boomer.

PS the gain is at like 12 o'clock, no boost on both amps. Maybe you're just not used to hearing someone pick like a man.
 
Sample 1 has less energy in the lows, mids, and air, and sits better in the mix. Sample 2 has more gravitas in solo. In a mix, I'd prefer 1, but either one could easily be shaped to sound like the other. The NDSP sounds good; however, the Axe-Fx is infinitely more flexible and can run circles around the NDSP in terms of tweakability. The Axe has the advantage of being an absolute sonic chameleon.
 
Sample 1 has less energy in the lows, mids, and air, and sits better in the mix. Sample 2 has more gravitas in solo. In a mix, I'd prefer 1, but either one could easily be shaped to sound like the other. The NDSP sounds good; however, the Axe-Fx is infinitely more flexible and can run circles around the NDSP in terms of tweakability. The Axe has the advantage of being an absolute sonic chameleon.

Well sure that's true, but the point wasn't to compare the utility of a $2,000 product vs. a $200 plugin since that's not very apples to apples. Also I'm not sure things can be so easily shaped to sound like each other as you contend. These tones are modelling similar chains so they are close already, and maybe they could be tweaked to be even closer. An EQ tweak / curve isn't always enough to make things sound alike though; otherwise we could EQ an SM57 to sound like a U47 or a Strat to sound like a Les Paul, but we can't quite do that yet IMO. Thanks for listening and weighing in!
 
What do you think?
This is what seems to have opened the door for some to offer suggestions.

The playing is great and I actually like the style but if we're supposed to pick which tone is better to us, it's difficult to hear the tone through the processing.
lol OK, Dr. Boomer.

PS the gain is at like 12 o'clock, no boost on both amps. Maybe you're just not used to hearing someone pick like a man.
....and I'm out. What started out as an interesting experiment has turned into a TGP type thread.
 
Well sure that's true, but the point wasn't to compare the utility of a $2,000 product vs. a $200 plugin since that's not very apples to apples.

You specifically asked, "What do you think?" I gave you my thoughts about both recordings and threw in my thoughts regarding the products, which I think will also apply to the Quad Cortex.

Also I'm not sure things can be so easily shaped to sound like each other as you contend. These tones are modelling similar chains so they are close already, and maybe they could be tweaked to be even closer. An EQ tweak / curve isn't always enough to make things sound alike though

My comment was in reference to the recordings in question and not intended as a broad generalization. With regard to those recordings, the differences can be rectified with EQ.
 
This is what seems to have opened the door for some to offer suggestions.

The playing is great and I actually like the style but if we're supposed to pick which tone is better to us, it's difficult to hear the tone through the processing.

....and I'm out. What started out as an interesting experiment has turned into a TGP type thread.

I guess I should have specified I was asking for opinions on comparing the two tones to each other; not advice on my production aesthetic / life choices / invitation to get crapped on by Fractal employees and forum mods. I'm not active on TGP but starting to remember why I stopped posting here.

You specifically asked, "What do you think?" I gave you my thoughts about both recordings and threw in my thoughts regarding the products, which I think will also apply to the Quad Cortex.



My comment was in reference to the recordings in question and not intended as a broad generalization. With regard to those recordings, the differences can be rectified with EQ.

Fair enough! I'm still not sure the differences can be easily rectified with EQ; the key difference to me is a sense of movement and 3D / life / depth whatever subjective adjective applies to one vs. the other. I don't know if that's an EQ thing. It's not a HUGE difference, it's like 5% maybe to me, but I hear it (I think). I actually think that movement also leads to a bit more space and clarity in the entire mix, that's why I posted the tones in both contexts.

No, I'm not used to someone bathing himself in feces and claiming that it's diamonds in a track processing sense.

Are you sure the thread wasn't supposed to be titled "Deaf Match"?

I have no idea what you're talking about at this point. Did you take your meds this morning?
 
No meds needed for me and my hearing is ok according to the audiologist.

Although after listening to your deaf match clip again and looking at your responses to others, one might wonder what your medication status might be.

My responses to others afford them the level of respect they show me. Can I make you a roast beef dinner and put this behind us? I won't over compress it.
 
I guess I should have specified I was asking for opinions on comparing the two tones to each other

I gave you my opinion regarding both tones in comparison to one another and also stated my preference:

"Sample 1 has less energy in the lows, mids, and air, and sits better in the mix. Sample 2 has more gravitas in solo. In a mix, I'd prefer 1"

not advice on my production aesthetic / life choices / invitation to get crapped on by Fractal employees and forum mods.

How does this relate to my post?

I'm still not sure the differences can be easily rectified with EQ.

In this case, they can.
 
I gave you my opinion regarding both tones in comparison to one another and also stated my preference:

"Sample 1 has less energy in the lows, mids, and air, and sits better in the mix. Sample 2 has more gravitas in solo. In a mix, I'd prefer 1"



How does this relate to my post?



In this case, they can.

I was responding to the other guy on the first two points my good man. We'll agree to disagree on the EQ thing.
 
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