My Axe Fx sounds different when recorded in a DAW

MatthewLeisher

MatthewLeisher

Member
Going through my Mackie HD1221 it sounds great, but when I record it direct into Cubase 5 it sounds worse. It sounds much more digital. I have it plugged in via two 1/4 inch cables into the line level inputs 1 & 2 on my interface (Fast Track Ultra 8r). Can anyone tell me if I have it hooked up wrong and how I should go about fixing it? Thanks guys!
 
should be fine. i would just check 1) gain levels in the fast track and the daw, to make sure you're not clipping anywhere 2) that you have the two channels panned hard left and right and you're not doing a mono sum somewhere (so if you're recording on a mono track you're not recording the left and right inputs at the same time)

post a clip?
 
I have this problem too. When recorded into reaper, it sounds like I'm using some line 6 garbage. Using usb here. How do you pan channels? Is that something you do on the axe? I remember seeing "sum l-r" somewhere.
 
Exact same problem here as well. The tones I can create with my VST freeware and paid software absolutely DESTROY the tones I have made in the ultra, like it's not even close. I got the ultra not long ago and I run XLR from the axefx to the inputs in my interface. I have yet to find tones that are even slightly usable for recording.

For example... stormsoundstudio's sounds on SoundCloud - Hear the world

2nd edition = Ultra
Everything else = Vst freeware

Vst freeware DOMINATES it... what am I doing wrong? I just cannot seem to create a crisp high gain tone at all, everything sounds muffled and when I turn up the presence it just adds hiss. Really starting to regret this purchase and kinda wanna dump it for a Kemper.
 
if you're using the xlr inputs on your interface, they might be for microphones only. if your interface has a "pad" switch for these so you can reduce the input sensitivity, then they should be fine. if not, don't use them...stick xlr > trs jack adaptors on the ends of the cables and use the jack inputs instead. the output 1 knob on the front of the axe should be up full, to give you some idea...that will give you line level out the back.
 
Tried that, still sounds really fake and low res. I also put it through my cab and bypassed the cam sims and still, very mushy. Starting to think about selling this and just moving onto a kemper or something.
 
Invidious said:
Tried that, still sounds really fake and low res. I also put it through my cab and bypassed the cam sims and still, very mushy. Starting to think about selling this and just moving onto a kemper or something.
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Respectfully, I suggest checking your signal path carefully or you may wind up selling your Ultra, buying a Kemper and having the same results.
 
If you are making your tones at gig volumes and recording direct it will never sound the same. You need to retweak your tones at recording levels. Chances are your frequencies and being lost or embelished by the loud volumes of the HD1221. Listem to Simeon he knows whats up. You gotta post a clip or it never happened haha.
 
im more than happy to help, but there are lots of variables at play, so we'll need to be quite systematic. If you can post a guitar only clip and the preset used to make it, we can go from there. That applies to everybody who said they were having trouble in this thread.
 
simeon said:
no, you don't pan them in the axe...in the daw

can't help if you don't post a clip
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I really want to man but I'm not sure how to upload a clip in Reapers file format. This is really frustrating for me and I really want to know why it's happening. Just tell me how, and you'll get a clip man. How can that help though? A recording wont show the difference between the original sound and the recording, right? Don't you need to hear both? I'm not sure how I could show you both. Am I missing something painfully obvious here?
 
Im just not happy with the high gain tones. I thought this unit was ideal for high gain tones and after downloading a ton of presets and tweaking them, then going from templates I have yet to find a single usable high gain tone for recording or live. I guess I am just not a tweaker. Not sure what more I can say about that really. There SO much noise in the tones, you can hear it right through the tone while Im playing but if I start backing off gains it gets too wimpy. Im not really even running the gains super hot.
 
Sounds like a gain staging problem, which is exactly what I would expect if you were plugging into the mic inputs. Use a jack to jack instead Of the xlrs and see if the noise goes away
 
I plugged into the inputs, I also then put it into the matrix power amp and into my cab while bypassing the internal cabs and it's just not good, sounds messy and noisey. I can't get anything to sound crisp and focused at all.
 
I made this patch at bedroom volumes and it sounds absolutely crushing through my HD1221. Also I have to crank the Output 1 volume on the Axe Fx to 10 in order for my interface to read a signal. I have it plugged into the line level inputs, but there's also "Instrument" inputs on the front, where I have much more control over volume, but I was under the impression that instrument inputs were for plugging a guitar directly into the interface. Here's a clip of it recorded through my DAW. https://soundcloud.com/burytheking/for-the-fas-forum For some reason it actually doesn't sound as bad as when I was messing with it last night. I still feel like having to crank Output 1 to 10 is wrong, though. Should I be plugging it in elsewhere on my interface or something?

EDIT: And here's my preset file https://www.dropbox.com/s/b726a8lalnoueb6/Das Metal.syx
 
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