Moving backward?

I have to agree that 15.x/Ares had some special mojo going... yes, perhaps more hi-fi or refined vs Cygnus but really nice detail.

Cygnus has awesome things going for it (e.g. eob tones, touch sensitivity, fullness, thump, chug...), but it did feel like I lost 'something' and have kept old Ares presets in case I want to go back.
 
FW 12.14 and 15.01 were my 2 favorites, and Cygnus had some getting used to....change the patches and settings a little bit to get what I wanted. My other guitarist still uses FW15.01 while I'm on the latest. Not gonna lie, there are times I think his tone is better than mine, "a little more refined" as several have put it. But in a live mix no one would notice, and the latest FW is pretty kick ass on its own! I keep all of the firmwares and my backups, so I may switch back for shits and giggles for a hot second. I'm sure I'll bounce right back to Cygnus.
 
Had a rehearsal today. Paid a lot of attention to the other guitarist. Plug into his rig (identical to mine) and yea, there's just something "smooth" about 15.01. Just finished loading it into my AF3.....Man it's a toss up on which one to prefer. They are both so awesome in their own right. Cygnus really is more 3D, authentic and Ares is more refined and a bit smoother. If those 2 were combined, I'd be all over it! Fractal is truly a guitarists' treasure!!
 
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I seem to remember when Cygnus came out Cliff mentioned that it would be different and take some getting used to. I remember the hi-fi sound of pre-Cygnus, and it reminded me of the sound people refer to as ‘digital’. We are after all modelling real tube amps, in all their glorious messiness.

I haven’t tried adjusting the various cathode settings as suggested to recover some of the smoothness, as Cygnus is perfect for my low-medium-gain style. I would be interested to see if anyone has attempted to ‘de-claw’ Cygnus and what their results were.
 
I burned about 90 minutes this morning running an experiment. I'm coming up on one year with my Axe-FX III and have always been diligent about updating my firmware, preset banks, etc. After a full backup, I reverted to pre-Cygnus firmware (15.03) and presets.

After an hour of playing, running through various presets and re-building a few of my own, I'm pretty sure I like this better. I know our ears (and minds) will play tricks on us and if I want to return to the latest updates I have everything saved.

Of course there are models and features I won't be able to access but there's so much in there that I really don't have much FOMO. I wish I could offer a good description of what I'm hearing or what I'm responding to, but I'm enjoying my Axe-FX more than I did yesterday. At least I think I am... and I LIKE getting updates!

Am i the only one? What's wrong with me??? :eek:

(FWIW, I'm running through a pair of Genelec 8030Bs, sitting right in the sweet spot.)
 
I burned about 90 minutes this morning running an experiment. I'm coming up on one year with my Axe-FX III and have always been diligent about updating my firmware, preset banks, etc. After a full backup, I reverted to pre-Cygnus firmware (15.03) and presets.

After an hour of playing, running through various presets and re-building a few of my own, I'm pretty sure I like this better. I know our ears (and minds) will play tricks on us and if I want to return to the latest updates I have everything saved.

Of course there are models and features I won't be able to access but there's so much in there that I really don't have much FOMO. I wish I could offer a good description of what I'm hearing or what I'm responding to, but I'm enjoying my Axe-FX more than I did yesterday. At least I think I am... and I LIKE getting updates!

Am i the only one? What's wrong with me??? :eek:

(FWIW, I'm running through a pair of Genelec 8030Bs, sitting right in the sweet spot.)
i woild like to try that. where can i get the 15..03?
 
i woild like to try that. where can i get the 15..03?
That was the current firmware when I got my Axe-FX so I have it, and all the later firmware updates, saved on my Mac. I also saved the preset banks that go with that firmware. I don’t know if Fractal makes the older firmware available once a newer revision is available.
 
That was the current firmware when I got my Axe-FX so I have it, and all the later firmware updates, saved on my Mac. I also saved the preset banks that go with that firmware. I don’t know if Fractal makes the older firmware available once a newer revision is available.
Here you go,
http://archive.axefx.fr/AxeFX III/Firmwares/
Can also hit back arrow till you get to preset folders also for various releases
 
NP. Other than the actual manuals, Yek maintains this site; https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Axe-Fx3
which has so much info and is updated rather quickly when changes are made due to new FW or other contributions such as Recording gouge by GlennO, description of Amps, Drives also by Yek and just so much more, including many links to video tutorials by Leon, Cooper, etc and links like the one above. So much amazing work has been put in by many. Welcome to the Fractal community and the most amazing company around!!! Cliff and team are just crazy mad OCD geniuses, lol.
 
I have to be honest, I'm also struggling to get the mojo after v15.03... for example the many great @Burgs and @Richard Hallebeek presets I have come to love and made my own have lost some soul somewhere... amp/channels resets havent done it for me and endless deep tweaking of sag and other parameters, well I just struggle with the effort that takes... I do like the new delays, etc but apart from that... still on the fence if I will roll back or not...
 
I would be interested to hear some sound comparisons - I know it might not come across fully but would be interested nevertheless.
 
NP. Other than the actual manuals, Yek maintains this site; https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Axe-Fx3
which has so much info and is updated rather quickly when changes are made due to new FW or other contributions such as Recording gouge by GlennO, description of Amps, Drives also by Yek and just so much more, including many links to video tutorials by Leon, Cooper, etc and links like the one above. So much amazing work has been put in by many. Welcome to the Fractal community and the most amazing company around!!! Cliff and team are just crazy mad OCD geniuses, lol.
I agree. Yek’s wiki is an amazing resource that I use often. I love reading the amp listings and having Cliff’s comments compiled right there. (Have also been digging into the Tech Notes section of the forum.)

And crazy mad OCD geniuses make the world a better place! While we discuss the merits of various firmware versions (which is pretty OCD itself), it’s easy to forget the Axe-FX is an amazing device either way.

P.S. Do you know the OCD joke? “I have CDO. It’s like OCD except the letters are in the proper order.”
 
Loving this FW15.01 and as an added bonus the CPU seems to be a bit lower as well. Kinda like finding that lost 80's or 90's cassette tape (or CD) of an obscure band that you forgot about, but really liked (no not Nelson or the MMM Bop band) It just sounds/feels right when you put it on and give it a listen! I think I'm gonna stick with the roll back for a minute. Remember kids...there is almost no right or wrong with the AxeFx!!! If it sounds good, let it rip!!!!
 
When I first heard an Axe, long before I owned one, I heard it as kind of processed sounding, compressed maybe. At the time I liked the tone, but since I didn't have one, I couldn't figure out how to sound like that. Don't remember what firmware version that was, if I ever knew, not being in that loop back then.

Cygnus sounds more organic by far, which I generally like, but I'd love to have access to both flavors.

I wonder if it's even theoretically possible to have multiple generations of modeling algorithms on board, probably just amps and drives, so you could choose, channel by channel. Even if it's theoretically possible, it might take up to much room to be actually doable.

Would be cool though.
 
When I first heard an Axe, long before I owned one, I heard it as kind of processed sounding, compressed maybe. At the time I liked the tone, but since I didn't have one, I couldn't figure out how to sound like that. Don't remember what firmware version that was, if I ever knew, not being in that loop back then.

Cygnus sounds more organic by far, which I generally like, but I'd love to have access to both flavors.

I wonder if it's even theoretically possible to have multiple generations of modeling algorithms on board, probably just amps and drives, so you could choose, channel by channel. Even if it's theoretically possible, it might take up to much room to be actually doable.

Would be cool though.
Yeah, I like Cygnus. I just wanted to double check my memory and revisit 15.03. And since I’m liking it, gonna leave it for a while.
 
When I first heard an Axe, long before I owned one, I heard it as kind of processed sounding, compressed maybe. At the time I liked the tone, but since I didn't have one, I couldn't figure out how to sound like that. Don't remember what firmware version that was, if I ever knew, not being in that loop back then.

Cygnus sounds more organic by far, which I generally like, but I'd love to have access to both flavors.

I wonder if it's even theoretically possible to have multiple generations of modeling algorithms on board, probably just amps and drives, so you could choose, channel by channel. Even if it's theoretically possible, it might take up to much room to be actually doable.

Would be cool though.

As long as it includes Line 6 PodFarm, that was the true peak modeling
 
I wonder if it's even theoretically possible to have multiple generations of modeling algorithms on board, probably just amps and drives, so you could choose, channel by channel. Even if it's theoretically possible, it might take up to much room to be actually doable.

Would be cool though.
Would be cool.

I think I (and others before me) posted a wish for a "dual boot" functionality (after Ares went bye) so one could swap between two FWs without reloading. IIRC it was nixxed for various valid reasons but can't recall them.
 
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