Pete Thorn with Axe-II

Where is the post that says the difference is "HUGE" - because I know of one other posting beta tester (JavaJunkie) besides myself. And neither of us has posted anything of the sort that I am aware of. The "2" has me excited and I'll post what I feel sometimes choosing more 'colorful' language; but let's be real.

I have to say that my impression from reading through the beta testers note is that there is definitely a "huge" difference, even if that exact word wasn't used. These are all posts from the past couple weeks, and I was thinking "huge" differences when I read them initially.

"it just does feel better. It has a very different dynamic response to your picking and reacts differently as you roll off the volume, all in positive ways. You have to try on in person; it will be glaringly obvious within minutes if not seconds."

"The Axe-FX II isn't just a prettier woman than you current wife. This will be marked as a pivotal watershed moment in modeling history. This reads like I'm an insane zombie under mind control - but you'll say, "Wow............." and that'll be that. You won't understand this box until you've used this box. It'll hit you like lightening."

"It's there man. VVT sounds like just another buzzword marketing term; but this really is a very different experience using an Axe-FX II. This was cut with headphones. The ring on the top is just gorgeous in person, You have to really control your playing dynamics, every single little tiny nuance comes through clear as a bell. It's like going from a frozen steak to the freshest cut of Filet mignon. The flavor was 'right' with the Ultra/Standard, but now it's exquisite."

"Suffice to say that in reference to what JJ is saying here - by leaps and bounds. Notes don't just sustain; notes bloom. It's as interactive as even the absolute best amps I've ever used now. VVT is the *real* deal, only better because you can dial everything as fast (or faster) than any amp and there is really no end to how you can individualize it at your leisure and/or whim. It's like someone handing you a treasure box and the key. If you can work with the Standard or Ultra; the "II" will blow your mind. It's like going from a frozen steak to the very finest cut fresh. It was 'good' with the Ultra/Standard; sometimes 'great'. Now, it's literally making me laugh out loud from joy when I play. I've done two shows with it; this is no hype. No BS."
 
My impression from reading this forum is sonically it would be hard to tell an Axe II from an Axe I Ultra (or Standard depending on the patch).

But the Axe II has some nice new features, e.g. USB, ethernet to the MFC, headphones, new blocks....

and it will be quicker to dial in really good sounding and feeling tones. I.e. the learning curve for getting really good sounds is lower... less advanced tweaks.

- Richard
 
I have to say that my impression from reading through the beta testers note is that there is definitely a "huge" difference, even if that exact word wasn't used. These are all posts from the past couple weeks, and I was thinking "huge" differences when I read them initially.

"it just does feel better. It has a very different dynamic response to your picking and reacts differently as you roll off the volume, all in positive ways. You have to try on in person; it will be glaringly obvious within minutes if not seconds."

"The Axe-FX II isn't just a prettier woman than you current wife. This will be marked as a pivotal watershed moment in modeling history. This reads like I'm an insane zombie under mind control - but you'll say, "Wow............." and that'll be that. You won't understand this box until you've used this box. It'll hit you like lightening."

"It's there man. VVT sounds like just another buzzword marketing term; but this really is a very different experience using an Axe-FX II. This was cut with headphones. The ring on the top is just gorgeous in person, You have to really control your playing dynamics, every single little tiny nuance comes through clear as a bell. It's like going from a frozen steak to the freshest cut of Filet mignon. The flavor was 'right' with the Ultra/Standard, but now it's exquisite."

"Suffice to say that in reference to what JJ is saying here - by leaps and bounds. Notes don't just sustain; notes bloom. It's as interactive as even the absolute best amps I've ever used now. VVT is the *real* deal, only better because you can dial everything as fast (or faster) than any amp and there is really no end to how you can individualize it at your leisure and/or whim. It's like someone handing you a treasure box and the key. If you can work with the Standard or Ultra; the "II" will blow your mind. It's like going from a frozen steak to the very finest cut fresh. It was 'good' with the Ultra/Standard; sometimes 'great'. Now, it's literally making me laugh out loud from joy when I play. I've done two shows with it; this is no hype. No BS."

All my words; and meant every one. Isn't meant to be gospel though, it's meant to be me expressing my opinion. It's one opinion. One. You make it seem as if all the beta testers (all... two of us) are raving up and down incessantly.

Not so. Remember, I like to use descriptive words and have a lot of fun posting. I get excited and post what I'm feeling. I've got a sense of humor; I think from your gathered quotes, that's clear. The Internet isn't all 'serious' business. Everything posted isn't semidefinite gospel truth.

If you love your Ultra/Standard, you'll love the "2" more. The "2" won't make you dislike or hate your Standard/Ultra.
 
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If the difference is that the axe 1 was almost indistinguishable from a good tube amp to the axe 2 is indistinguishable from a good tube amp, that is a huge difference in my book. People buy amps for "huge" differences that to most players wouldn't even be that big, honestly one mans opinion is his opinion beta tester or not. From my viewpoint the minute differences I've heard are considered huge. When there's not a lot of ground to be made up, small improvements become huge improvements IMO.
 
You're talking about songs that have been mixed and mastered. Those sections of the songs have EQ/Compression/other effects on them to MAKE them sound good. Once you get to the part of the song with the whole band, those EQ/Compression/etc. settings are different.
listen to highway to hell do you hear a different guitar sound from the beginning , after the drums comes in then the voice etc , i don't hear radical changes in the eq/mix , i trust you , but i try to hear it by myself..
 
listen to highway to hell do you hear a different guitar sound from the beginning , after the drums comes in then the voice etc , i don't hear radical changes in the eq/mix , i trust you , but i try to hear it by myself..

The guitar all by itself in the beginning of Highway To Hell is not just raw guitar. It is shaped and compressed to sound just like Mutt Lange wanted it.
 
All my words; and meant every one. Isn't meant to be gospel though, it's meant to be me expressing my opinion. It's one opinion. One. You make it seem as if all the beta testers (all... two of us) are raving up and down incessantly.

Understood, the proof will be in the pudding (or in the playing and hearing, in this case). Your posts are entertaining, helpful, insightful, all of that stuff, and I'm glad you were chosen as one of the beta testers, don't get me wrong.
 
so a shaped and compressed guitar sound can fit a mix really well

stefherbuel. . . I've come up with tones that sound very pleasing on their own but get lost in the mix, usually because they compete with bass and/or keys. I've come up with tones that cut nicely in a mix and sound great, but on their own they sound edgy and somewhat harsh. I think that getting a tone that is "just right", one that cuts in a mix yet is pleasing on it's own, has as much to do with sculpting the guitar tone as it does with shaping the tone and sonic space that the other instruments sit in.

Terry.
 
Welcome to the characteristics of Impulse Responses. The IR Emulates the cab, which isn't the same as micing up a real cab. Put the Axe II through a cab and then tell me what you think. Ever tried putting a real tube amp through an IR?

I've loaded down my Bogner Shiva 20th Anniversary with a load box and used Redwirez IRs, and I've used the Axe-FX Shiva sim (which I believe is based on the 20th Anniversary Shiva) with the same IRs. Love both solutions, but the Axe-FX solution is a lot more flexible. I love my Shiva amp, but the Axe-FX sim lets me do tweaks/settings I can't do with with the physical amp.

Without being in a first class studio environment, I would never choose to use the physical amp with a mic instead of the Axe-FX sim. And even in a first class studio environment, the Axe-FX sim would let me do things the physical amp can't do without physical modding.

In my opinion, there's no point in putting the "blame" on the IR technology if you can't get what you're after. The IR technology works pretty damn good. The rest is up to you.
 
so a shaped and compressed guitar sound can fit a mix really well

Dude, all iconic guitar tones you hear on record are as much credited to the recording techniques/effects used by the engineer/producer as they are to the guitarist. Fact. Sorry to burst your bubble or take away some of the magic of your heroes.
Mutt Lang and Ted Templeman among the many others should have posters on bedroom walls beside Angus and Eddie!!
 
I would have to agree with Scott here. Youtube is not the best place for critical listening. A comparison of AxeI vs AxeII is hopeless on youtube - if that is what forumers are trying to do. I think the FLAC files posted by Scott elsewhere are better. It's another thing that tonally, they have failed to inspire me anymore than what AxeI does. However, I'll take Scott's word on "better feel" and "easier to dial" (other threads). I don't care much about connectivity since I go straight to FRFR.
 
Dude, all iconic guitar tones you hear on record are as much credited to the recording techniques/effects used by the engineer/producer as they are to the guitarist. Fact. Sorry to burst your bubble or take away some of the magic of your heroes.
Mutt Lang and Ted Templeman among the many others should have posters on bedroom walls beside Angus and Eddie!!

"dude" i've seen a lot of live concert in front of the scene (means that i directly heard their "amp" sound from the scene instead of big PA), incuding acdc ,jeff beck , robben ford, steve lukather.it sounded like the record with more 3d alive to them.glorious.fact.
and acdc highway to hell sound like a glorious marshall.fact.it's not because mutt lang putted comp on it that it's a mutt lang sound.listen to van halen 1977/1978 bootleg before 1st album release and before ted 's work, sound like van halen 1.
YouTube - ‪Eddie Van Halen - Eruption - Bootleg Recording - 1977‬‏
it eddie , not ted.fact, "dude", and it's not because ted did a dry/wet sound in van halen 1 that's it's a ted sound.it's eddie sound with some post processing.fact.

the discuss is that to fit a mix a guitar sound is sometime "harsh" and not so pleasant to ears when playing alone.
my question is , then why in famous record intro or guitar alone fit the mix really well and sound great alone.
post production ? comp , eq , multi comp ? ok but we can do that with axe fx...so no need for a unpleasant harsh sound anymore, that's lot of people complaint about pete's clip , and he told "approximativly" that if it's not harsh that doesn't fit really well in a mix.
that's why i started this discuss , why in famous record it sund glorious AND fit great in the mix.it would be great if it's done in calm, it can be interesting !
 
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"dude" i've seen a lot of live concert in front of the scene (means that i directly heard their "amp" sound from the scene instead of big PA), incuding acdc ,jeff beck , robben ford, steve lukather.it sounded like the record with more 3d alive to them.glorious.fact.
and acdc highway to hell sound like a glorious marshall.fact.it's not because mutt lang putted comp on it that it's a mutt lang sound.listen to van halen 1977/1978 bootleg before 1st album release and before ted 's work, sound like van halen 1.
YouTube - ‪Eddie Van Halen - Eruption - Bootleg Recording - 1977‬‏
it eddie , not ted.fact, "dude", and it's not because ted did a dry/wet sound in van halen 1 that's it's a ted sound.it's eddie sound with some post processing.fact.

the discuss is that to fit a mix a guitar sound is sometime "harsh" and not so pleasant to ears when playing alone.
my question is , then why in famous record intro or guitar alone fit the mix really well and sound great alone.
post production ? comp , eq , multi comp ? ok but we can do that with axe fx...so no need for a unpleasant harsh sound anymore, that's lot of people complaint about pete's clip , and he told "approximativly" that if it's not harsh that doesn't fit really well in a mix.
that's why i started this discuss , why in famous record it sund glorious AND fit great in the mix.it would be great if it's done in calm, it can be interesting !

Stef,

Count the 'lot of people' that are complaining about Pete's clip. There's less than a few dozen, at best. On the whole Internet.

Let's be real here. You don't like how Pete dialed his tones up? Super. Thanks for sharing.

If the dozen or so more outspoken folks would stop posting negative stuff about it - you guys look like angry hungry vultures from here - then your whole negativity campaign would simply... stop.

Really. You didn't like it, don't like it. Got it. Please move on.

It's redundant to continually pound your point home, even if you have no point other than dislike for someone else's ear and taste. This isn't a discussion point either; the simple truth of it is that you didn't like how Pete dialed up his tones.

I fully expect dozens of posts now flaming me for pointing out the folly of this; but it is what it is. I don't dislike you Stef, I dislike your tenacity in pushing your opinion even if the majority of folks disagree with you. State your opinion, say it well and then let it go.
 
Did anyone actually listen to Pete before he started playing? Listen from about :15 seconds to :30 seconds. For 10 minutes of work they sound damn good. People seem to be vilifying Pete for not making the perfect clip. Just wow.
 
Scott , can you show me WHERE i said i did'nt like it ???

for me it brings an interesting discussion, which in case is not especially with pete thorn clip but in "general"
- some people complain about his clip being "harsh"
- he answer that in lot of recordings sound is harsher than you could think

from that point of view, i take an appart discuss wich , i think , is interesting , about why do lots of great records with guitars alone sound great and sound great in the mix.that's an open , and interesting discuss , not to bash anyone's work, because axe fx can produce a "finished " sound could it be possible to produce a sound that sound great on his own and great in a mix ? open question..that's all...

people seems to take this for a "pete" attack , that's not , i swear, i respect pete and his playing a lot.

i state my opinion with respect and not calling you "dude" , first , and after i answer to people opinion, giving mine,i don't see where is the pb scott.

i'm the first who say i will buy a axe fx II.don't bash the gear at all, just ask a real question.

men, no offence, but you act like 14 years old little girl sometimes : "hurricane in a glass of water".

calm down guys, i though we could discuss about that, we can't.ok.meh.
 
"dude" i've seen a lot of live concert in front of the scene (means that i directly heard their "amp" sound from the scene instead of big PA), incuding acdc ,jeff beck , robben ford, steve lukather.it sounded like the record with more 3d alive to them.glorious.fact.
and acdc highway to hell sound like a glorious marshall.fact.it's not because mutt lang putted comp on it that it's a mutt lang sound.listen to van halen 1977/1978 bootleg before 1st album release and before ted 's work, sound like van halen 1.
YouTube - ‪Eddie Van Halen - Eruption - Bootleg Recording - 1977‬‏
it eddie , not ted.fact, "dude", and it's not because ted did a dry/wet sound in van halen 1 that's it's a ted sound.it's eddie sound with some post processing.fact.

the discuss is that to fit a mix a guitar sound is sometime "harsh" and not so pleasant to ears when playing alone.
my question is , then why in famous record intro or guitar alone fit the mix really well and sound great alone.
post production ? comp , eq , multi comp ? ok but we can do that with axe fx...so no need for a unpleasant harsh sound anymore, that's lot of people complaint about pete's clip , and he told "approximativly" that if it's not harsh that doesn't fit really well in a mix.
that's why i started this discuss , why in famous record it sund glorious AND fit great in the mix.it would be great if it's done in calm, it can be interesting !

in the kinds of sound systems that those guys would typically be playing through, they're typically still going to be running through compression and eq's and high end drive rack system shaping tools, still hardly the same thing
 
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