Playing a real amp after a long break…

Shahar

Shahar

Experienced
Today I plugged into my old 100W Dual Rectifier with an Maxon 808 through a Mesa 2x12 cab, after a long hiatus of playing the AxeFX almost exclusively.

I found out that my playing improved tremendously. Previously I was never able to get a tone I was quite happy with, it almost seemed too fizzy (and I tried tons of OD pedals). But after playing the AxeFX models (mostly Plexi, JCM 800, Soldano, and JP2C) for a long time, which react like real tube amps, I’m getting a monster tone on my real amp! My “touch” improved and my dynamics are much better, I play cleaner too! I also forgot about the immediacy of playing through a real amp.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
 
Last edited:
Funny, I have almost the opposite story. I was playing my Axe FX for years until I got my Revv Generator in 2021. Just came back to the Axe FX last week and my tones are far better now. Not sure how much that's due to learning how to set an amp better or improvement in technique. Probably at least partially due to learning how to pick speakers and balance their IRs better with the Torpedo. Also real-world cab miking experimentation.
 
I bought a 5150, two 212s and an orange crush at the start of the year. I dont get to use them much right now. The main difference for me is cabs versus headphones lol.
 
Shahar said:
I also forgot about the immediacy of playing through a real amp.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
Click to expand...
when I play with my tube stack some days and then back to the axe, I notice that there is a latency. Everytime it happen, I’m watching if I’m not playing through my soundcard, but no, I am direct to a mixer. That’s fun how we can perceive such a mini delay between the attack and sound. That’s part of the small details between an amp and a modeler.

Also the non compressed sound and the noise☺️
 
Fractal gear is fantastic, but so are amps. Or perhaps I should say sometimes amps are, lot more variables

Playing a jcm 800 turned down to bedroom level isn’t going to sound too great and probably won’t be that inspiring, cranked amp tone via the Axe sounds way better

At the same time, little low watt tube amp like a Fender Champ or one I enjoy, the ToneKing Gremlin, sounds amazing even at comfortable volumes. So pure and dynamic with the in the room sound and feel of a real open back cabinet. It can be really liberating to just plug into an amp with a nice reverb and tube bias tremolo sound and be able to play and have some of those classic Fender cleans….

Again, not to say the Axe can’t do amazing BF fender sounds, but you need to hook up to monitors and all the cabling etc.

Can’t really just grab the Axe rig and go plug in in the back porch while with a little combo amp all you need it a power cable and a guitar cable and your in business.

In my limited playing time with 2 kids these days I find I’m enjoying just the simplicity of that set to far more than my kitchen sink type Axe setups hundreds of tones and amp models, countless effects etc.

Ultimately great to have choices such as a few different amps, modelers etc…. Nothing is really best overall, but each can be best on a given day
 
lqdsnddist said:
Again, not to say the Axe can’t do amazing BF fender sounds, but you need to hook up to monitors and all the cabling etc.
Click to expand...
The volume does a lot. The day I really appreciate the fender’s in the axe was when I played them loud with studio monitors . At tv volume the sound is weak. The thing is that these amps, particularly fender, like a… hot rod for example, at 1, it is already super loud. So people and myself include sometimes forgot that you cannot compare a tube amp with studio monitoring at tv volume, sure that’s not the same feel! But loud yes, here it is cool
 
My amps collect dust. I have some nice ones too but selling them has proven emotionally challenging. : )
The issue is volume. They aren't better or worse, just different - but they are stupidly loud and easier to get wrong in a quick setup and tear down.

Stupidly loud and more complicated to move just isn't worth it anymore like it once was.
No clubs want it, no shows need it. It doesn't even sound better anymore. It's just different.

Yes, I've always hated power brakes and other such devices. Part of why I got into modelers years ago.
Buying a muscle car and then putting cinder blocks in the trunk to slow it down feels wrong.

Now there is nothing to miss about tube amps except as a memory of a different time.
 
Shahar said:
Today I plugged into my old 100W Dual Rectifier with an Maxon 808 through a Mesa 2x12 cab, after a long hiatus of playing the AxeFX almost exclusively.

I found out that my playing improved tremendously. Previously I was never able to get a tone I was quite happy with, it almost seemed too fizzy (and I tried tons of OD pedals that I tried with it). But after playing the AxeFX models (mostly Plexi, JCM 800, Soldano, and JP2C) for a long time, which react like real tube amps, I’m getting a monster tone on my real amp! My “touch” improved and my dynamics are much better, I play cleaner too! I also forgot about the immediacy of playing through a real amp.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
Click to expand...
I will quote the great John Surh.
“Practice cures most tone issues”
 
My name is mud said:
when I play with my tube stack some days and then back to the axe, I notice that there is a latency. Everytime it happen, I’m watching if I’m not playing through my soundcard, but no, I am direct to a mixer. That’s fun how we can perceive such a mini delay between the attack and sound. That’s part of the small details between an amp and a modeler.

Also the non compressed sound and the noise☺️
Click to expand...
Latency on the Axe?
 
For me, Axfx (and this forum) has tought me how to properly use and get the most out of my real amps, so when I come back to them, yes, everything seems better. Wish I had some of the amps back that I sold thinking they sounded bad, when probably I just didn't know how to dial them in very effectively.
 
MackieFX said:
I really dont understand the claims of more latency in the Axe when its imperceivable at 2ms
Click to expand...
I don't personally notice any latency, but it's not impossible for others to notice it at 2ms. My understanding is that the response time for human brains to be completely insensitive is around 1ms, which is the holy grail for AR/VR and video game response time (we are quite far from 1ms in all those contexts, but that's the end game goal). The gap between 1ms and 2ms is just enough that some folks will feel it. Again, not that I do, but I absolutely trust the opinions of anybody who does notice it.
 
nathan_393 said:
I don't personally notice any latency, but it's not impossible for others to notice it at 2ms. My understanding is that the response time for human brains to be completely insensitive is around 1ms, which is the holy grail for AR/VR and video game response time (we are quite far from 1ms in all those contexts, but that's the end game goal). The gap between 1ms and 2ms is just enough that some folks will feel it. Again, not that I do, but I absolutely trust the opinions of anybody who does notice it.
Click to expand...
Exactly.
Video games are a good example. Some people don’t feel a difference between 30 and 60 fps 😔. Play one day at 60 fps and then at 30. That’s just obvious.
 
My name is mud said:
Exactly.
Video games are a good example. Some people don’t feel a difference between 30 and 60 fps 😔. Play one day at 60 fps and then at 30. That’s just obvious.
Click to expand...
To be honest, Im using my axe direct out to my monitors. I dont have a real amp at home but I have always felt "something" which stops me feeling fully connected... Maybe this is it. I also think it might be the directness of it. But idk
 
MackieFX said:
How come analog stuff is so fast? Is analog 0ms ???
Click to expand...
Don’t know what to say, I’m not a math guy at all.
I don’t know at all what is the latency in a tube amp versus the axe, but I’m 100% sure that the axe got a mini delay that I don’t feel at all with my amp. When I hit a note in the axe, the note is not immediate. This is very small hm, not like a daw or soundcard. But it happen a lot that I ask myself « wait, there is a latency with the axe only? »
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom