Played my Axe-Fx II for the first time today...feel a bit let down

For a slightly different reality, I bought the AXE FX soley for studio use. Listening to the AXE direct through $3K monitors in basic tuned room sounds fantastic. Dynamic, amp presence, sweet grit, subtly, nuance, full range tones and blessed goodness. It is just like listening to my amps micd, only better. I guess what I am saying is what so many have already said, the sounds and the dynamics are there, you just need the right translator. Best of luck and congrats on a really really great piece of gear!
 
Dont give up man, this things SLAYS for metal! Your basically comparing the amp in the room to the amp through a cab thats miced up. Its like apples and oranges at that point. Take the time to find an IR that you like and then tweak the amp from there. Otherwise your basically working against the IR (which is basically just a complex eq curve).
 
The total opposite happened to me, and it still does everytime I fire it up it amazes me over and over again!
I cannot believe the quality on the sound I'm getting, I just wish I could play louder to "feel" the sound more.

Just using my Ibanez rg1550 prestige -> Axe FX II fw10.02 --> Scarlett 18i6 ---> KRK 5

I'm sorry to hear you didn't get the same experience, but I know you can tweak it to where you love it,
I'm no expert, far from it! but my experience from reading this forum and checking youtube etc, is
that you can dial in practically anything with this box and it just keeps getting better and better.

I hope you solve it :) or should I say I know you will :)
 
symphx said:
happend to me first time, I tell people I kept looking for the OMG switch. ev live x 112p very reasonable, will blow u away. I am a METAL HEAD through and through. ps do a bit more trying before too early "whining"
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I am a long time fan of FAS and satisfied user of the AXE FX II. I do not post or reply much but have noticed(as many others) that the veterans jump on "new users/posters" for expressing our experiences. I believe
if you objectively read the original post the user was not, as you put it, "whinning", he was merely expressing his initial experiences and asking for suggestions on setting up his equipment. Maybe a few deep breaths
before knee jerk responses will elicit a much warmer response and favorable reception from new users...Just sayin.
 
I'm rocking through krk5 and when i want some volume-evlivex112.Sounds good on both.I tend to favor the new ir mixes.
 
So many comments made, but I figure I might as well chip in since I'm using the same "cheap" monitors as you. I pretty much just use the presets, but I believe (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that the presets are basically Fractal's opinion on the "typical" sound or use of amp/channel x/y/z. So imagine someone set the amp down in front of you with the treble down, bass up and mid scooped. You play through it and don't care for it. What you'd do is reach over and alter the treble/bass/mid. This is the same thing, it's just a different way of doing it and there are more options.

If I could afford more expensive monitors, I'd try it. I'll have to try headphones and see if I hear things differently.

What I've done is just do some tweaking to get more of what I like. People have said you have to sort of deep dive into the settings, but really, you can access the tone controls and the IRs really quickly and easily and those two tweaks will make some significant alterations in the sound.

I believe that pickups can make a big difference as well. One amp sounds great with my strat. Clean and crisp. But if I plug in a guitar with a humbucker, then it pushes the amp that little bit to throw it into a bit of distortion. I believe that some amps change their color when you alter the volume with the volume knob on the guitar. For some reason it seems a tad brighter with full volume and a tad muddier with lower volume (on the AC30 top boost at least). Could be just me though. Either way, use your ears, play around with stuff. If you think about it, I don't believe you'd not mess with any knobs or dials on a physical amp that you have, so just think of the axe the same way. Tweak away and see what strikes your fancy.
 
I was a bit deflated first days of mine, thinking how i could have bought a mighty fine amp with that kind of cash,
trying different speakers n setups etc
till i got my tone how i like it
now its just killer, and i got all the mighty fine amps i could ever have dreamed,
i cant believe how much you get from it when you get it dialed just how you like it.
Keep at it, Rome wasn't built in a day
your amp has a few knobs on it to get your tone
the axe just has a lot more going on
soon as your fly with it, youll love it
ATB
 
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dwmichaels said:
I believe that pickups can make a big difference as well. One amp sounds great with my strat. Clean and crisp. But if I plug in a guitar with a humbucker, then it pushes the amp that little bit to throw it into a bit of distortion.
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That is a good point that maybe I never gave consideration too. Each guitar has a different tone on the same amp so why would I think this would be differently when I model something, right? Just because it's the same box does not mean as I would switch patches that the tone would be the same...hum??
 
Mic up your amp with an SM57 or something. Record that.

Record the same riff with a comprable preset with the Axe FX.

Compare them. You'll be shocked.

Your tone is in that thing even when you go direct. Trust me. Even with those MAudio monitors you can still find "your" tone. I guarantee it. A little tweaking is in order, but it's in there.
 
toolfanem said:
Take the time to find an IR that you like and then tweak the amp from there. Otherwise your basically working against the IR (which is basically just a complex eq curve).
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IMO this is probably one of the most important things ...get something that sounds good to your ears and then dive into the eq's etc
definitely don't be afraid to try some 3rd party ones (gods cab/ownhammer/fredman ones are great for metal)
see if you can find the fredman ones I think there are 3

*edit*
 
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Not much new to say but I'll chime in:

Presets are player, guitar, pickup, style, tune, etc specific. Most high gain presets sound terrible when I'm on my 7 string. Tweak dude. Download everything off of Axe-Change. Tweak more. You'll find something you like. I assume you've seen the Ola Englund Youtube videos. He gets crushing metal tone with the Axe-FX, although he gets crushing metal tone out of everything.

Your speakers aren't that great for what you are trying to accomplish. Besides the point of it not being apples to apples (mike your amp, record that and compare it to the Axe-FX), you're probably playing your amp much louder than the speakers. Save up your dough and buy Mackie HR824's used on ebay (or equivalent) and you'll be blown away at the difference for just a few hundred.

Do you have acoustic treatment in your room? Buy a box of 6 2" fiberglass panels from ATS Acoustics from ebay (~$100 delivered). Go to Walmart and you can buy very nice fabric for $1 a yard and buy some spray adhesive. Glue the fabric on the panels and put them on the walls and ceiling around your listening position. This is the cheapest biggest ROI you can achieve (whether you stick with Axe-FX or not)(see the Keith Merrow studio tour Youtube video to learn more). You will be amazed at how much more tight and focused the Axe-FX will sound (and anything else you listen to).

Good luck and have fun.
 
I just spent the better part of the evening dialing in tones, downloading from the Axe Change and getting creative. Man, this is where it's at! Everyone was right, the presets aren't that great, but doing something as simple as just adjusting the EQ in the Axe-Edit software makes a HUGE difference. I think my speakers aren't quite up to snuff, so I'm going to look into getting some better ones. All and all though, I'm really liking the Axe :)
 
It can sound good through just about anything, as a few have mentioned. From version 9.xx to 10.xx there was a major change, and in my opinion, the AEII became much more complex to program for good results - but with much higher potential for the end results. I've never used any of the factory presets, but I've played off of most of them (in succession - just to hear). The real benefit, however (again, in my opinion), is for those of us that play in a band. Since 10.xx, I've been getting more compliments on my tone cutting through into the sweet spot of the mix then ever before. In terms of experience programming presets, on a scale of 1 -10 (or newbie to Yek/Scott), I'm probably a 6 or 7. But I bet I could be in your place, with your guitar and speakers and make it sound good. You just have to spend more time learning on the forum and tweaking.
 
I'm sure someone already said it but There is a HUGE diference in which guitars you are using as well. Presets that sound great(warm, dynamic, etc) with one guitar maynot sound so sweet with another.....just like my tube amps :)
 
There are so many speaker choices out there but I just checked ebay and you can get a pair of Mackie HR824s for under $400! Sell your bx5s and you're down to $300.

I'm sure there are many other great deals but I know the Mackie's. I've had mine 14 years and they still sound great.
 
DBrianinAZ said:
I am a long time fan of FAS and satisfied user of the AXE FX II. I do not post or reply much but have noticed(as many others) that the veterans jump on "new users/posters" for expressing our experiences. I believe
if you objectively read the original post the user was not, as you put it, "whinning", he was merely expressing his initial experiences and asking for suggestions on setting up his equipment. Maybe a few deep breaths
before knee jerk responses will elicit a much warmer response and favorable reception from new users...Just sayin.
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OH, god, I never wanted to be one of "them", some jerky old senior member,

you are correct it was a bad choice of words on my part it was not so much a whine; I do however feel people/newbies should do a bit more reading, trying and experimenting before they ask for help. I read hundreds/thousands of posts. and tried many many things before asking basic questions. Everything in this thread has been said before many times. I believe it was a wrong choice of words, yet clearly I didnt blast the op, even relating to him; and certainly was nicer than many of the responses Ive seen in the past such as the old RTM (read the f... manual) but I agree, bad choice of words, no offense to op, especially if a fellow metal head.
 
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I don't think the stock presets do the Axe FX justice. I was pretty let down the day I first got my Axe FX. Do a search for Fremen's presets. They sound great and will start you on the way to being a happy camper.
 
+1 Load up Fremen's IRs and banks and you'll have everything you need (although the order is a little wacky but everybody has their system right?). It's really incredible. Better than the stock banks. There are some good stock presets (also weirdly ordered) but I find too many spacey super FX ones which aren't really usable for mean and potatoes stuff and the high gain presets for any pitch below "E" are too muddy/boomy, for me anyway.
 
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