Newbie needs some help

B

barryswanson

Inspired
First time poster here so please excuse my dumb questions. Like everyone else who plays guitar I have heard a lot about the Axe Fx. I'm currently building a stereo rig with a Mesa mark v and a dual recrifier. I would like to use the axe fx for effects etc. But I'm interested in using it as a preamp and the Mesa's as power amps.

What I would like to know is will it sound any good using it like that and running it through Mesa and Marshall cabs? Or is a waste time unless your using a matrix power amps and flat response speakers?
 
It's certainly not a waste of time, it will work great for you in that setup.
That being said, there will be potential for a greater variety of sounds when using an FRFR solution and Cab IRs with the Axe.
 
That's a very expensive set of poweramps, but yes, it can be done. Route the Axe outs to the amps' loop returns.

...also yes, kind of a waste of time, since you'll probably end up wanting to disable the poweramp modeling in the Axe... sacrificing features for the sake of using heads as PAs at several times the cost of just using a Matrix (or similar PA).

The Matrix can power traditional cabs, btw. You don't automatically have to go FRFR.
 
I'd say it depends on what you'd like to do and what kind of sound and flexibility you're after. One of the great things about the Axe FX 2 is the way in which it can be integrated into a variety of rigs. You can set it up so that on some patches you're using it for fx only, and other patches where you're using the modeling along with fx and using your heads as power amps. Of course when you bypass the poweramp/cab modeling you're relying on the coloring of the head/cab, but maybe that's what you like? Using FRFR doesn't have the same oomph as a good 4x12, so everything is a tradeoff. I've run mine direct, used a FRFR powered speaker, used my Dual Recto as a power amp into a 4 x 12, and currently use the Axe FX into a Matrix into a 4x12. Each approach worked and sounded good and had it's own character. I landed on running it as a rack rig into a cab just because I missed the character of a 4x12 in the room. When I have some time and am not feeling lazy, I'll give the 4 cable method a try...I might also update it from the version 9 firmware I'm still running....:lol

If you already have the heads you mention (it sounds like you do), then it'd be worth trying all the configurations that are possible. If you're planning on buying the heads to use with the Axe, I might give the Axe a try on it's own first, and go from there.
 
barryswanson said:
First time poster here so please excuse my dumb questions. Like everyone else who plays guitar I have heard a lot about the Axe Fx. I'm currently building a stereo rig with a Mesa mark v and a dual recrifier. I would like to use the axe fx for effects etc. But I'm interested in using it as a preamp and the Mesa's as power amps.

What I would like to know is will it sound any good using it like that and running it through Mesa and Marshall cabs? Or is a waste time unless your using a matrix power amps and flat response speakers?
Click to expand...

I run my Axe FX into the effects return of a Line6 Flextone3 combo. It sounds absolutely killer.
 
barryswanson said:
What I would like to know is will it sound any good using it like that and running it through Mesa and Marshall cabs? Or is a waste time unless your using a matrix power amps and flat response speakers?
Click to expand...

It depends on if you want to limit your AFX to only effects processing and lock yourself into the Mark V tone only. Something that could help you decide in starting is get a pair of studio monitors or borrow some and run through the first 100 presets. They should be able to showcase a wide variety of tones and endless possibilities your AFX has. I would dare say that most people who go down the FRFR route end up selling their gear once they find that they can reproduce darn near the same thing with the AFX.

For your 4CM Four Cable Method setup first is here: Axe-Fx II: 4CM (4 Cable Method) - Axe-Fx II Wiki
 
I made the decision when I purchased a year ago to try going FRFR for the first time. For me it was a little bit of a transition at first, but as i learned more about crafting amp tones in the Axe things kept getting better and better. And with the current firmware revisions (it was v13 a year ago), you don't have to do much to dial in good tones at all.

Things are so good now that I'm selling my Mark V, JVM410, Fender, Triaxis & 2:90 power amp.
Don't need them anymore....
 
Thanks everyone for their advice! I love my Mesa's and will no doubt love the Axe Fx when I get one. I'm a bit of a gear hoarder and will probably end buying a Matrix power amp as well. I'm started to get a bit excited by all the tonal possibilities! I look forward to learning a hell of a lot more about this awesome bit of gear.
 
I have been using 4CM and a MrkV since I got my AxeII (for recording i just use the Axe and Cab IRs). Also what you mentioned about using the Axe as pre-amp I something I do on a lot of patches from Fender and Dumple cleans to the FAS Brootalz. Only cautionary comment is to dial the tones and settings with your ears not your eyes especially if you start with one of the standard presets. Theoretically you should disable power amp modeling as the Mesa will do that but sometimes it sounds and feels better if you don't or at least that is what I found. The sag parameter does end up lower or the patch can be muffled. I thought about going FRFR but there has been lots of threads about power amps and FRFR speakers that a lot of people complain about which makes sense as the final output from the AXE is not a guitar cabinet but a mixed cabinet with the microphone in a specific location and potentially with a pre-amp which not what you here 20ft away from a 4x12. Whilst I don't expect I'll downsize my large rig with the MarkV, old Eclipse and a couple of pedals anytime soon I can see an XL+ for a smaller lighter rig for use with IEMs. If you haven't already got one a RJM mini amp gizmo fixes the Mesa switching issue.
 
Good on ya Bazza,
The thing about using cabs is that you'll be stuck with those cab sounds. With a frfr you'll have a lot of adjusting to do, but imho worth it in the end.
Where abouts in au are you?

Pauly
 
This is not going to help but if i had a MkV and a Dual Rec and the facility to use them both to their full potential I would not be using the axe fx as a preamp.

And that comes from someone who has owned the mkv, spent a lot of time with dual recs and currently owns and is a serious enthusiast of the axe fx
 
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