Phase sound in Amp models in Ares beta firmware?

Paperjace

Experienced
Firstly, I just want to share my appreciation to Cliff and the Fractal Audio team for pushing out this firmware update to us. I'm a programmer myself so I can somewhat relate to the time and frustration in getting code to work within memory constraints. Thanks, guys!

Anyway, I was playing the other night with random amp models and noticed this subtle phasing effect that I've never heard before updating to the Ares beta. I usually start with a default factory patch of the 5153 since it's simply just drive > amp > cab > delay > reverb, and then I play around with IRs and amp models from there. I know this isn't a lot to go of information to go off of, but I noticed it on the handful of amps I messed around with. Here are some that I remember playing, but don't necessarily remember if they all had the phasing effect (some did): FAS Modern I, II, and III, PVH 6160+ models, and Recto1 Red.

Just for the record, I'm confident that I'm running everything in stereo to my studio monitors so nothing is summing to mono.

Anybody else noticed this issue? I realize it's a beta so anything can happened, but I just wanted to put this out there. I'm at work so I don't have a sound clip to share. Maybe I can upload one later tonight?
 
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Are you using air in the cab block?
Good question. I don't typically. Like I said, I just loaded up the factory 5153 Red patch and changed amp models and cab IRs. I didn't mess with air in the cab block, but maybe it's turned up a little bit in the default preset? I use this preset often and I've never noticed this issue before.
 
Yeah, check for AIR. Also, select just a single IR and listen if that also sounds phasey.
 
I've seen a couple other people mention the same thing. I think it was in the beta FW thread, but not 100% sure.
 
Yep I’ve heard it too. I’m a newbie and that’s one of the first things I noticed after I loaded up the new beta firmware.

Since I’ve never played an Axe FX before I assumed it just kind of went with the territory.

It wasn’t on everything, it was subtle but Yes I heard it.

I even heard it again tonight in mono.
By that I mean I only had one fader up on my mixing console.
I had just unplugged the other and had it plugged into the effects return of my TopHat amp which was switched off.

I was getting ready to do some tests and I heard it first thing.
I think it was set to a Friedman 2018 model no “air” turned on.
It was before I had bypassed the Cab IR.
 
I tried replicating the problem this afternoon by turning off Cab Air, mono cabs, and everything else discussed above. I wasn't able to replicate the problem under those conditions so I think that's all it was without me knowing it. If I do come across it again, I'll try to jump in my DAW and record it.
 
So cab air is on by default? If this results in a phasy sound how do you use it in a good way? Cab air is new to me.
 
I had band practice the other night and I noticed the phasey-ness again. I only use a single cab IR.
I did have cab air and room level on when I started, but once I noticed it, I turned both down to 0 and could still notice it. Almost to the point where I thought I had a phaser pedal on at times. I only use Output 1 Left to my IEMs during practice. No post processing beyond that.

The first clip is Quantum 10.01 and the second clip is Ares Beta firmware. I turned off any reverb, cab air, cab room level so that it's bone dry. Recorded in mono. Exact same patch and I reamped the performance so it's perfectly identical.

I'm not sure what to think. Does anyone else hear anything?

 
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I had band practice the other night and I noticed the phasey-ness again. I only use a single cab IR.
I did have cab air and room level on when I started, but once I noticed it, I turned both down to 0 and could still notice it. Almost to the point where I thought I had a phaser pedal on at times. I only use Output 1 Left to my IEMs during practice. No post processing beyond that.

The first clip is Quantum 10.01 and the second clip is Ares Beta firmware. I turned off any reverb, cab air, cab room level so that it's bone dry. Recorded in mono. Exact same patch and I reamped the performance so it's perfectly identical.

I'm not sure what to think. Does anyone else hear anything?


I don’t hear any phasing in those clips.
 
I listened to it three times through my studio monitors and I didn't hear anything besides the IR sound which has a certain quality to it.

I didn't hear any phasing...
 
I personally hear the difference and have heard the difference here. I believe it is intended.

Personal preference to which is better.
 
Many of us have experienced situations where everything suddenly sounds wrong or "off" or comb-filtered.

For those situations I have a "TEST" preset, which contains nothing more than an Amp (Band-Commander or BE) at default settings, and a mono Cab at default settings, set to #103.

If that preset also sounds wrong, it's clear that either:

1. my ears are shot. Call it a night, return tomorrow.
2. something is wrong with cabling.
3. something has changed in the global device settings.
 
If you hear the phasing again, check the front display of your Axe-FX II.

If you see a strange code like "User <two or three digit number>", it could be a code glitch. Take a picture of it and record the audio if you can.

Flip to a factory cab and record the audio too, just to eliminate if it is a user cab issue.

Flip to a factory preset and see if you get the same code and sound issue.

There is known code issue where that happens when IR capturing for over several hours, but the ability to reproduce the error code coming up consistently is very challenging.

It would stink if there is a similar issue in regular operations.
 
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