Re-amping via spdif ONLY - Illustrated Guide (edit)

GotMetalBoy said:
If you plug your instrument into the interfaces input and not the Axe-Fx II input, you won't get a true reamp because the dry track you record won't be the same level and most people will probably record the dry track too hot.

Also, Focusrite USB interfaces are known to get ground loops through the USB port, so your dry track may record a lot of noise which will be very audible when you reamp using a mid or high gain amp.

I know you're using the interfaces input for simplicity but your end results will not be consistent.

I play my Axe-Fx II thru FRFR cabs, so if I follow my SPDIF reamp tutorial ( http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threa...tt-6i6-for-spdif-reamping.76406/#post-1316561 ), my reamp tracks, sound exactly like my live rig. There's no difference in gain.
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Good points!

First, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TUTORIAL as I could not figure it out myself how to re-amp before. It was YOUR SPDIF tutorial which gave me the idea of this "variation." Although your tutorial is SUPER well explained and clear, I missed certain parts while trying to replicate it, i.e. forgot to change the input of the axe from analog to spdif, which led to frustration (for me, anways).

About not true re-amping. I was worry about that, but I did check my input levels from my guitar (connected to the interface) against the input levels in the AXE-FX, if my dry track is coming too hot, the input levels will clip red, thus, clipping the preset. This is true regardless on HOW you connect your guitar to the Axe. If direct, the guitar has to be at a certain level, this level should be the same with the guitar's signal from the interface. Too keep things simple:

- I would leave my input level in the axe to where I had it with my guitar connected directly, keeping in reference that I should be able to "tickle the reds"

- Once the guitar is connected to the interface, keeping a constant volume in the guitar, and sent directly to the axe via the mixer, I would adjust the LEVEL IN THE (INTERFACE) MIXER to generate the same "tickling of reds" in the INPUT LEVELS of the AXE-FX.... If I am clipping, pad or reduce the level (gain/fader respectively). If I am not even getting to the yellows, bring the volume/gain in the mixer.

- You can see how "lower" in volume is the dry track compared to the amped/re-amped track. That is normal. In the wiki Cliff said: "You are getting a bit-copy of the signal out of your guitar. Do not adjust the level. It may sound quiet because your guitar IS quiet when not amplified. When you put that signal back into the Axe-Fx it will be gained up and sound just like when you are playing through the Axe-Fx."


Now, about the ground loops and noise. The interface I am using is not USB, but FIREWIRE. And honestly, I have not detected any noise or weird artifacts.

Still, thank you again for your tutorial! This is just another way, or variation of it.
 
GotMetalBoy said:
I have a Vintage Axe-Fx II Mark I and a Focusrite USB Scarlett 6i6. Focusrite was aware of the USB ground loop issue, so maybe they corrected the issue. I know some people have had Focusrite fix their interfaces. I tried to have mine fixed but they gave me the run around, so I gave up. I only use mine to reamp and for the MIDI ports and i don't get any noise when using SPDIF.

I don't see where it's mentioned in this tutorial that the dry track level will need to be adjusted? Most people record just under clipping, so if they don't lower the dry track's level, the Axe-Fx II will get way too hot of a signal. Someone new to reamping may run into a lot of issues and then complain that the reamp doesn't sound the same. My tutorial gives consistent reamping every time, but you do have to change settings between recording the dry and reamp tracks. I record all my dry tracks and then record all my reamp tracks. My tutorial also tells you to put your Axe-Fx II settings back, so you can use it with an instrument again.

I'm not trying to argue with anyone. I'm just trying to point out the issues people may run into. I think this tutorial is great and I wish I knew how to make mine more graphically friendly.
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Good points (again!)

Honestly I did not think of putting that because when playing the guitar through the interface connected the way I have, I can't hardly hear the "dry" signal and only the digital return from the axe-fx. WHen I was setting it up, my guitar level (From the mixer) was way too loud, creating cliping and horrible sounds coming from the axe, so I lowered, instictively, to sound like I am used to hear it.

I will definitely try to update it to reflect that the input level of the guitar in the AXE should be similar or the same as whe connected directly to the axe. I don't think the dry track should be modified, but get recorded correctly the first try.
 
Orbm1 said:
Although your tutorial is SUPER well explained and clear, I missed certain parts while trying to replicate it, i.e. forgot to change the input of the axe from analog to spdif, which led to frustration (for me, anways).
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Yeah, I kept forgetting to change the settings too and the worst is when you go to band practice or a show and can't get sound because the input is still set to SPDIF :eek:

I was going to use your reamp method when I first learned how to reamp but I have the dreaded ground loop issue :( If I use a DI Box with my guitar I don't get the ground loop noise but then I couldn't ever get my gain to match exactly like what my live tone sounds like. It's more noticeable with clean and low gain tones.
 
GotMetalBoy said:
Someone new to reamping may run into a lot of issues and then complain that the reamp doesn't sound the same.
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Maybe. Without trying this particular re-amp setup, I can't really comment on how big of an issue this is, but people have been using all manner of modeling software for years now and typically adjust levels accordingly.

GotMetalBoy said:
My tutorial gives consistent reamping every time, but you do have to change settings between recording the dry and reamp tracks.
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While I appreciate the time and effort you and others have taken to offer re-amping tutorials, the back and forth of constantly changing settings ultimately drove me to stop re-amping altogether. If there's a way to re-amp without the traditional hassle, count me in.
 
Orbm1 said:
Good points (again!)

Honestly I did not think of putting that because when playing the guitar through the interface connected the way I have, I can't hardly hear the "dry" signal and only the digital return from the axe-fx. WHen I was setting it up, my guitar level (From the mixer) was way too loud, creating cliping and horrible sounds coming from the axe, so I lowered, instictively, to sound like I am used to hear it.

I will definitely try to update it to reflect that the input level of the guitar in the AXE should be similar or the same as whe connected directly to the axe. I don't think the dry track should be modified, but get recorded correctly the first try.
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You may want to also mention to set the input back to ANALOG (IN 1) when done reamping, so they don't have to experience the embarrassing moments I have ;).
 
Jason Scott said:
While I appreciate the time and effort you and others have taken to offer re-amping tutorials, the back and forth of constantly changing settings ultimately drove me to stop re-amping altogether. If there's a way to re-amp without the traditional hassle, count me in.
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I really wish FAS could update Axe-Edit, so we could change the System settings and not have to change them physically from the front panel. My Axe-Fx II is in a rack that won't fit on a chair or my desk, so it's on the floor, so it's a pain to have to bend over and try and see the screen and change the settings back and forth.
 
Okay, I had a chance to play with this re-amping configuration. I was able to get it working, though I deviated from the setup slightly. For instance, I don't have SPDIF selected in MixControl, yet as long as I have it selected in the Axe's I/O, it works. The advantage is that I don't have to switch back to 'Internal' in the Focusrite MixControl after I'm done recording in order to hear audio in Windows. In fact, I don't have to change anything after recording. I just turn off the Axe and that's it. No muss, no fuss.

Anyway, with the current setup, I can do exactly what I originally wanted to do:

Play and record a dry track while simultaneously listening to the wet track AND the entire mix. The ONLY track that gets piped through the Axe is the track I'm re-amping, not the whole mix.

Basically, when I'm recording a track I don't have to change any settings anywhere in order to re-amp it. Once I'm happy with it, the only thing I have to do is hit the record button and wait until it finishes finalizing the recording on the re-amped track. Once that's done, I move the audio to a new track and repeat the process with the track I've designated for re-amping.

What I'm excited about is I can FINALLY listen to the entire mix WHILE re-amping without having to stop and change settings!

Too cool!
 
GotMetalBoy said:
I don't know the technical reasons why but SPDIF devices expect a 75 ohm cable. A lot of video devices use 75 ohm cables too.
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Rca cables will technically work, while waiting for my spdif cables to arrive by mail I used RCA cables and it did work. I think it's more of a reliability issue.
 
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