Quantum of Axis-8 ?

X-Mann

X-Mann

Experienced
This is your mission should you chose to accept it my Fractal peeps?

Understand that I'm a total newbie in "All things Axe-Fx" here or provide your answer in a "Quantum for Dummies" kind of way for this simple Mann. o_O

I'd love for a Fractal user who owns & uses the Quantum software to speak-up of maybe someone directly from the co, but I'll take any accurate answer here & "Thanks" in advance too. ;)

1) What is "Quantum"?

2) How does it affect getting great tones?

3) Where does this fall into place for the brand new AX8 product? Speculation is fine for this answer. :D

4) What can a brand new Fractal user expect (besides killer tone) when trying to understand/use their product for the 1st time?

This Thread will self destruct in....5......4........3.........2......:eek:

Thanks! Q (aka X-Mann) :p
 
1) New firmware is usually released with a number.
Because of its groundbreaking features, the latest firmware was given a name: Quantum.
You know that Quantum is installed when you see its boot screen.
Quantum itself will also get updates. We're now at Quantum 1.01.

2) It's the next (and latest, but probably not last) step in Fractal's strive to perfection. It's all under the hood. It doesn't change the userinterface, or model parameters etc.

3) AX8 has the same amp modeling as the Axe-Fx II. So you automatically get Quantum on the AX8.

4) There is a learning curve. But it all depends on what you want. Creating a basic preset with an Amp and Cab is simple. Of course proper amplification is important
 
Thank you for the ALL the answers here & this thread can be "Licensed to Close" now too! :p

Side question.............In regards to great amp tones w/ just a cab model loaded..........Is it pretty straight forward in getting stellar tones right out of the box?

Or.......Will I need to spend a lot of time changing cabs, tubes, eq setting & such?I know that this may be a very subjective question, but I'm just asking how the basic amp tones & cabs are right out of the gate here.

Are the Fractal Amps set-up as to where they each sound best (aka good) as a starting point?

Thanks again & peace! X
 
There will be quite a few presets built in to mess with, many of them are designed as representative examples of the amplifier models with normal cabs/speakers, tubes, controls, etc. They sound pretty darned good too!

As a likely starting point, look at the "Leggy" models. They are based on the Carvin Legacy series. Should be familiar ground for you!
 
yek said:
1) New firmware is usually released with a number.
Because of its groundbreaking features, the latest firmware was given a name: Quantum.
Click to expand...
& those groundbreaking features are what specifically, if you know them? :cool:

X
 
Thx Rick! ;)

I'm a Steve Stevens fan & can't wait to try out the Friedman amps as well as the Bogner ones as well. I will run through as many as I can & test them at there basic settings to see what ones stand out as awesome & work w/ my guitars, over all style & Friedman ASM-12's.

I'm hoping that I only need to test out 1 through 007 models before I find that amp that KILLS for me too! :D

Rick said:
There will be quite a few presets built in to mess with, many of them are designed as representative examples of the amplifier models with normal cabs/speakers, tubes, controls, etc. They sound pretty darned good too!

As a likely starting point, look at the "Leggy" models. They are based on the Carvin Legacy series. Should be familiar ground for you!
Click to expand...
 
X-Mann said:
& those groundbreaking features are what specifically, if you know them? :cool:

X
Click to expand...

Tone, just tone. Things just sound (even) better than before.

I'm a Steve Stevens fan & can't wait to try out the Friedman amps as well as the Bogner ones as well. I will run through as many as I can & test them at there basic settings to see what ones stand out as awesome & work w/ my guitars & over all style.
Click to expand...

You'll love the Friedman models. They're pretty much plug and play (with the right cab (IR)).

If you want info about the models:
http://wiki.fractalaudio.com/axefx2/index.php?title=Amp:_all_models
 
X-Mann said:
Side question.............In regards to great amp tones w/ just a cab model loaded..........Is it pretty straight forward in getting stellar tones right out of the box?

Or.......Will I need to spend a lot of time changing cabs, tubes, eq setting & such?I know that this may be a very subjective question, but I'm just asking how the basic amp tones & cabs are right out of the gate here.

Are the Fractal Amps set-up as to where they each sound best (aka good) as a starting point?

Thanks again & peace! X
Click to expand...

The Fractal has a 4x12 grid concept. You place blocks in the grid and connect them together to pass sound from the input(s) to the output(s).

So what you are talking about is placing an amp block and a cab block and taking all the default settings. This is not a bad approach. The current default would be the Twin Reverb and 1x6 oval speaker.

This actually doesn't sound bad at all default settings.

Next, if you just change the amp model type and the cab IR, you can audition additional combinations at default settings.

In my experience, the default settings don't sound the best for ALL amp models. For some models, the defaults are a good ballpark starter. For some models the defaults don't work very well.

If you know the real amp, then you can see from the defaults pretty quickly if you are near the sweet spot. E.g. the tone controls default to everything half way. If that amp is usually run with the bass control low or off, you would need to make that change.

The good news is, you can get great tones by changing just the input drive, bass, mid, treble, presence, and master.
 
If you know the real amp, then you can see from the defaults pretty quickly if you are near the sweet spot. E.g. the tone controls default to everything half way. If that amp is usually run with the bass control low or off, you would need to make that change.

^^^^^^^^^

This , the more you know the real amp and how it reacts easier to get great tone ,True to life IMO if you hate the amp in real life or it is aPITA to dial in you will likely feel the same about the model
 
X-Mann said:
Thx Rick! ;)

I'm a Steve Stevens fan & can't wait to try out the Friedman amps as well as the Bogner ones as well. I will run through as many as I can & test them at there basic settings to see what ones stand out as awesome & work w/ my guitars, over all style & Friedman ASM-12's.

I'm hoping that I only need to test out 1 through 007 models before I find that amp that KILLS for me too! :D
Click to expand...

The Friedmans are pretty awesome models. Mark Day has built some really nice tones on it in his videos. I have used the HBE to build some great solo tones.

My suggestion is that you think exactly as you would if modeling didn't exist... and money didn't matter. For me, I would go grab a Soldano SLO head and run it into a couple of greenback loaded Marshall cabs, or some V30s for another variation. Not surprisingly, going into the Axe Fx and putting an SLO block in front of two TV cabs sounds pretty damn awesome. Swap the TVs for Mesa Recto cabs, different but still smoking. I would normally have some sort of drive, a phaser, a flanger, a chorus, and a wah on the floorboard. So I add those blocks (a TS808, Script MXR phaser, Electric Mistress, and Cry Baby, let's say) into the Axe FX grid. Bam... a rig that sounds incredible and is responsive to effects, volume knob use, etc, just like the real thing!

You can adjust as deep as you want, much deeper than is possible with real amps or cabs. That's good for later. Right now, think as though you are still in the "physical" amp and effect world and build like your pockets are as deep as Bill Gates. You can now afford to run a Dumble OD amp or two into a couple of thousand dollar cabs with several thousand dollar mics if that is what you'd like. You can also use exactly what you know and it will work like you expect. That's the "groundbreaking" part to me... I could never afford to test drive so much awesome gear and throw it into (or pull it out of) my gear at will. Now I can, and do!
 
Most of my patches are just cab, amp, reverb, you will be amazed how good it sounds, you know i like to twang it and the Keith Urban amp, is worth it for the price alone to me, Iam sure i will be to hear you in South Georgia if the wind is right.
 
Ok guys.....A+++++ on all of this information & help here.

You've really given me the right answers & direction as to what I need to do when I get my AX8.

I don't actually know the real amps that I want to use & mess w/, but I do get what everyone is saying here. I spent 20-days w/ just a handful of amps in the Helix trying to make them sound/feel right for me. I used different 3rd party IR's & tried out a lot of different things.

I do know the 5153 amp head as I owned one & the real amp setting might surprise you. Just how low you had to set the drive setting would make you laugh.

I also know the Soldano amps from another digital modeling unit as well & maybe that will be of some use.

I have no problem spending the time to dial in my tones or using IR's at all. I'll create some killer rigs & will keep using you guys as a sounding board & informational source. In the end, I always end up sounding like me no matter what I use & I have over 40+ videos w/ the 11-Rack & a few w/ Helix to prove it. :eek:

I do hope that this time around the new sounds will be of the highest quality & just what I've been looking for & missing all of these years!

Thanks! X
 
barhrecords said:
The Fractal has a 4x12 grid concept. You place blocks in the grid and connect them together to pass sound from the input(s) to the output(s).

So what you are talking about is placing an amp block and a cab block and taking all the default settings. This is not a bad approach. The current default would be the Twin Reverb and 1x6 oval speaker.

This actually doesn't sound bad at all default settings.

Next, if you just change the amp model type and the cab IR, you can audition additional combinations at default settings.

In my experience, the default settings don't sound the best for ALL amp models. For some models, the defaults are a good ballpark starter. For some models the defaults don't work very well.

If you know the real amp, then you can see from the defaults pretty quickly if you are near the sweet spot. E.g. the tone controls default to everything half way. If that amp is usually run with the bass control low or off, you would need to make that change.

The good news is, you can get great tones by changing just the input drive, bass, mid, treble, presence, and master.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ROCKS & then some!!!!!!!! :cool:

I hope that I find the core amps that work for the sounds that I go for & that they are easy to dial in w/ the basic controls. As long as I'm close at the start, I can find the rest on my own.

You've been a great help here.

Peace! X
 
Rick said:
The Friedmans are pretty awesome models. Mark Day has built some really nice tones on it in his videos. I have used the HBE to build some great solo tones.

My suggestion is that you think exactly as you would if modeling didn't exist... and money didn't matter. For me, I would go grab a Soldano SLO head and run it into a couple of greenback loaded Marshall cabs, or some V30s for another variation. Not surprisingly, going into the Axe Fx and putting an SLO block in front of two TV cabs sounds pretty damn awesome. Swap the TVs for Mesa Recto cabs, different but still smoking. I would normally have some sort of drive, a phaser, a flanger, a chorus, and a wah on the floorboard. So I add those blocks (a TS808, Script MXR phaser, Electric Mistress, and Cry Baby, let's say) into the Axe FX grid. Bam... a rig that sounds incredible and is responsive to effects, volume knob use, etc, just like the real thing!

You can adjust as deep as you want, much deeper than is possible with real amps or cabs. That's good for later. Right now, think as though you are still in the "physical" amp and effect world and build like your pockets are as deep as Bill Gates. You can now afford to run a Dumble OD amp or two into a couple of thousand dollar cabs with several thousand dollar mics if that is what you'd like. You can also use exactly what you know and it will work like you expect. That's the "groundbreaking" part to me... I could never afford to test drive so much awesome gear and throw it into (or pull it out of) my gear at will. Now I can, and do!
Click to expand...
Great advice & Mark Day is a big reason (besides Zaza & SS) that I'm coming over to the Fractal camp.

I love delay & reverb FX for the most part.............& they always make a tone stand out & pop for me in the end. But.......I spend a lot of time w/ the raw amp tone 1st. That & the cab alone are what I care about getting right........then maybe a drive pedal for flavor........but really the raw amp tone is SO important to me.

When I finally add the delay I like, things smooth out & sound even better.

The answers & feedback on this forum are 2nd to none & I consider myself a Fractalite (or whatever you kids are calling it) as of right now & I don't even own a product yet. o_O:oops::rolleyes:

Oh & I also like to reverse engineer rigs too......then I may copy a delay setting or just learn something to add into my own "X" rigs. My rig submissions wont be hard to find either. :D

X
 
Zacflame said:
Most of my patches are just cab, amp, reverb, you will be amazed how good it sounds, you know i like to twang it and the Keith Urban amp, is worth it for the price alone to me, Iam sure i will be to hear you in South Georgia if the wind is right.
Click to expand...
This is where I'll start Zac! ;)
 
X-Mann said:
Great advice & Mark Day is a big reason (besides Zaza & SS) that I'm coming over to the Fractal camp.

I love delay & reverb FX for the most part.............& they always make a tone stand out & pop for me in the end. But.......I spend a lot of time w/ the raw amp tone 1st. That & the cab alone are what I care about getting right........then maybe a drive pedal for flavor........but really the raw amp tone is SO important to me.

When I finally add the delay I like, things smooth out & sound even better.

The answers & feedback on this forum are 2nd to none & I consider myself a Fractalite (or whatever you kids are calling it) as of right now & I don't even own a product yet. o_O:oops::rolleyes:

Oh & I also like to reverse engineer rigs too......then I may copy a delay setting or just learn something to add into my own "X" rigs. My rig submissions wont be hard to find either. :D

X
Click to expand...

All my presets are variations of: Drive -> Modulation -> Amp -> Cab -> GEQ (used as volume booster) -> Mono Dly -> Stereo Rev

The delays and especially the reverb are stunning. I like to use 6db of ducking on the delay and reverb. You can get a big lush reverb and delay envelope but still get clarity on the direct sound. Almost like a wet/dry/wet rig sound. Love it.
 
barhrecords said:
All my presets are variations of: Drive -> Modulation -> Amp -> Cab -> GEQ (used as volume booster) -> Mono Dly -> Stereo Rev

The delays and especially the reverb are stunning. I like to use 6db of ducking on the delay and reverb. You can get a big lush reverb and delay envelope but still get clarity on the direct sound. Almost like a wet/dry/wet rig sound. Love it.
Click to expand...

What ducking values do you use?
 
yek said:
What ducking values do you use?
Click to expand...

6db of attenuation
-40db threshold
10ms release

I run the blocks in series. Always mono (everything preceding reverb in my presets Is mono) delay -> stereo reverb. between 20% - 30% mix each (fairly wet but holds up well in a mix) I lower overall efx level when using in-ears though.

My goto delay is:
Mono Tape
426 ms
33% feedback
Ducking: 6db atten, -40db thresh, 10ms rel
(all else stock)

My goto reverb is:
Asylum Hall
Quality High
Ducking 6db atten, -40db thresh, 10ms rel
 
So I've been spending A LOT of time looking at the wiki page & reading about the Amp model & fx.

I'm totally blown away by the sheer amount of amps & Cliffs comments & tips on how some of the different amps respond & sound.

I'm going into this knowing that a unit that goes this deep is going to take some time & learning to make it sound/feel right too. I understand that "Quantum" has helped all of this, but I wasn't around before this version was released & it will have no point of reference for me at all here.

At least I've got my mind set right & my expectations.

Helix was not plug & play for me & took hours of tweaking & IR testing. In the end, the tones were not stand out tones to me & I really wanted it to work-out. I created a bunch of audio clips & videos along the way too. I've gone back now & listened to them after some time away & still like what I'm hearing, but man it was a fight to get there.

I don't plan on being an endless tweaker & hope to find my core amp tones, but how can anyone not try-out all of these amazing amps inside the AX8?

I feel that even if I had the AX8 in my hands right now, it would take me months to get it set-up to play out w/ my cover band anyways.

Just some "Randome thoughts by X-Mann" & maybe my new forum series ? :p

X
 
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