questions new ax user....

my current rig set up

guitar---> ax8---> mosvalve 1160 ----> 2x12 detuned cab with eminence legend modeling 12 speakers (in stereo)

my goal with the AX8 is to use it for bass and guitar and to get a set up that is easy to tweak at home and just take the box with me.... go direct except for a way to monitor myself (cab and powramp or powered speaker).

initial presets sound like crap.... when looking into them on the ax edit all eq's are set flat?

a few of the presets sound ok.... must i fix every one of them? i thought that each preset was set up to sound good direct?

should i fix this in global settings?

should i turn off or on the power amp emulation?

should i turn on or off the speaker sims?


i built the speaker cabs years ago trying to get the best out of a boss gx700 then a GT8... this set up made that unit sound the best it could... but now? i am unsure....

sorry total noob but looking for some advice/ help.... rather not run right out and buy more stuff....
 
If you are sending a direct signal to the board at the gig, you need a way to monitor that direct signal at home. You won't be able to set up presets in a poweramp/cab configuration and expect those tones to translate to direct. So make sure you are monitoring on studio monitors, studio headphones, or an FRFR speaker.

The factory presets sound great for the most part, and they are mostly designed for FRFR/direct setups, so you need to monitor in that fashion when using them. It's also a good idea to start building your own presets as soon as you're comfortable with the interface.

Couple issues to be aware of: when going direct, you absolutely want the power amp modeling and cab modeling turned ON. If you also want to run a guitar cab on stage, that is possible. You'd send a signal to your external (neutral, solid state) power amp after the amp block, but before the cab block.

You don't want to send signal after the cab block to your real guitar cab, but you also don't want to send signal direct to FOH without the cab block.

Edit: Page 15 of the manual describes this exact setup in detail.
 
Presets are usually hit or miss depending on how you run it. I think they were designed for FRFR, not cabs, so they will need tweaked.
 
amazing how much these firt experiences can differ.
I had the exact opposite experience, almost every single preset I tried
(or amp/cab combo) sounded awesome, and I found myself not needing to touch
a single dial, especially the EQ. However, I did run it through a Marshall Stanmore only thus far,
(and my soundcards headphones output) so might need to tweak a little when using some PA speakers,
but with this as a baseline I'm more than happy with every single thing I've tried thus far.

Did you try the unit through some FRFR speakers, or studio monitors etc yet?
How would you rate those tones in comparison?
 
Gday Scott
First off - welcome!

My take on this is that these units (axe 8) are made to emulate both amps and speaker cabs. To hear that effectively, you need the flattest monitoring you can get - studio monitor flat!
By playing through your cab, you will be hearing something totally different (frequency response limited by your cab) to what the pa gets. So....you set it up to sound great through your cab, and possibly the best option is for the pa guy to drop a mic in front of it.

So...here's an exercise for you - plug into your system at home, and using headphones, or quality hifi speakers, create an ass kicking preset that sounds great. Save that, then plug the unit into your cab and do the same. So....you have two presets, each one sounds good for its intended monitoring situation. Now the challenge - try to get one of those presets to sound great through both the cab and hifi at the same time - that can't happen.

Sorry but I'm starting to ramble - my point is, that unless you have full range monitoring, one or the other will sound good but not both.

In your situation, I'd ask the pa guy for a wedge dedicated to guitar, and leave your cab at home.

All just my opinion mind you and I could be wrong!

Anyway, once again, welcome and have fun with your new toy.

Pauly



my current rig set up

guitar---> ax8---> mosvalve 1160 ----> 2x12 detuned cab with eminence legend modeling 12 speakers (in stereo)

my goal with the AX8 is to use it for bass and guitar and to get a set up that is easy to tweak at home and just take the box with me.... go direct except for a way to monitor myself (cab and powramp or powered speaker).

initial presets sound like crap.... when looking into them on the ax edit all eq's are set flat?

a few of the presets sound ok.... must i fix every one of them? i thought that each preset was set up to sound good directT

i built the speaker cabs years ago trying to get the best out of a boss gx700 then a GT8... this set up made that unit sound the best it could... but now? i am unsure....

sorry total noob but looking for some advice/ help.... rather not run right out and buy more stuff....
 
and to the OP, like others have said, these are designed to be ran through a FRFR set up...i'm not certain how flat those speakers are, and the power amp is trying emulate a tube power amp so there is definite coloration there. most of the factory presets sound good to great on their own, it's your listening experience that's the issue here.
 
i think he's referring to BMT

BMT definitely shouldn't be flat in all the factory presets (OP's complaint) unless the unit is secondhand and the original owner was a meticulous prankster.

The amp GEQs should be flat in most if not all of the factory presets.
 
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