Recommendations on how to connect/use a single studio headphones with both an audio interface and Axe Fx 3?

M

MetalMan

Member
I want to have two signal paths (audio interface + Axe 3 Headphone Out) into my single studio headphone. The signals wouldn’t be combined, rather than changing scenes would change the signal being used (Axe 3 = clean tones, Audio Interface = 4CM tones).

My current setup:

Guitar > OD > Noise Gate > Axe FX 3 Instrument Input (Amp Send > Axe Input 3, Axe Output 3 > Amp Return) > Amp speaker output > Two Notes Torpedo Reload > Focusrite Solo > Reaper (> Wall of Sound > other plugins). Focusrite Solo headphone out > Studio headphones.

What I want to do is almost akin to this (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...r-and-4-cable-method-at-the-same-time.179964/)

So essentially, switching between the 4CM and Axe’s Amp Modeling, to artificially make my single channel amp a multi-channel amp. But I want to be able to have the Fractal signal go to Reaper (+ other plugins, not necessarily WoS but a TC2290DT that I use for 7ms delay in 1 of my 2 reaper trackers. I know the Fractal can do the pseudo double tracking on its own, but I prefer the flexibility within Reaper) in order to be able to record. Effectively meaning that I would be able to play and record a song that switches between cleans and distortion in real-time with a single channel amp. Ex.: One - Metallica, Unchain the night - Dokken, 18 and life - Skid Row, and etc.

In my mind, I need to use the Headphone output of the Axe (OUT1), and combine both that signal and the focusrite’s signal into 1 signal going into my studio headphones. So by switching between 4CM and pure modeler (only fractal) scenes, it automatically works as a “signal switcher” (because in the 4CM there is no OUT1 in the preset, thus no signal to block).
 
Instead of sending the torpedo output to the Solo, I'd send it back to the Axe-FX and use the Axe-FX as your audio interface. That way switching between your two configurations wouldn't require any changes in your headphone monitoring or your DAW. In other words, one signal routing setup would work for both configurations. Just set up scenes to enable/disable your fx loop, which it sounds like you're already doing.

Also, you may find this helpful:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
 
GlennO said:
Instead of sending the torpedo output to the Solo, I'd send it back to the Axe-FX and use the Axe-FX as your audio interface. That way switching between your two configurations wouldn't require any changes in your headphone monitoring or your DAW. In other words, one signal routing setup would work for both configurations. Just set up scenes to enable/disable your fx loop, which it sounds like you're already doing.

Also, you may find this helpful:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axe-fx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
Click to expand...
I am kinda dumb so I saw your guide and I think I don’t 100% understand how to send the Torpedo Output to the Fractal? I am using an XLR cable (Torpedo’s Loadbox Output) and I am in doubt between the Balanced Inputs (seem to be XLR) and the AES (which is definitely XLR and similar to my Focusrite’s XLR input).
 
The torpedo output is analog, so connect that to an unused analog input on the back of the Axe-FX, not AES, which is digital.
 
Hi! @MetalMan a interest thread! I have a question, sorry for the off topic, but why do you use a torpedo? What does it offer you that you can't get with axe fx?
 
jago_ff said:
Hi! @MetalMan a interest thread! I have a question, sorry for the off topic, but why do you use a torpedo? What does it offer you that you can't get with axe fx?
Click to expand...
I got the torpedo way before most of my gear because I always had to deal with volume restrictions. The attenuation is useful when I use a cab, but since I can’t mic my cab for recording, I prefer to use the Wall of Sound plugin. I have tinkered with it enough to have what I think is one of the best and tightest tones in thrash. So I even prefer using it rather than a cab.

I got the Axe FX 3 recently, and I don’t dig the amp modulation apart from clean tones. So I prefer my distortion to be via a 4CM with my amp. I can only do that via a loadbox, so the Torpedo Reload has become mainly that. Imo, apart from the clean tones, I just can’t get the distortion models to work like I want to and I find some of the pre-effects such as OD and Noise Gate really underwhelming (my SD-1w sounds different and better than the SD-1 Axe model on the same settings). The SD-1w is noisy, and the axe’s noise gate doesn’t really work that well to reduce it. Shame cause the YouTube vids sound really nice (not as nice as my amp’s tone but that is preference). I just get a tone in the fractal that is very dark and lacks clarity, and sometimes very loose.

The other effects the Axe has are phenomenal though. Great delay, chorus, reverb, flanger, phaser, pitch modulation. I’ve always struggled with dialing in effects, primarily cause I’m not a tweaker and not very well versed in FX parameters/variables.

TL;DR: Had the torpedo reload way before the fractal. I prefer my amp’s distortion than the fractal’s. So I use my torpedo reload as a loadbox, and my rig is setup as a 4CM.
 
GlennO said:
The torpedo output is analog, so connect that to an unused analog input on the back of the Axe-FX, not AES, which is digital.
Click to expand...
I am trying it but I am doing something wrong. I connected the loadbox output to the Input 2 of the fractal, but don’t know how to include IN2 in the fractal’s preset scenes in the 4CM method

EDIT: Nvm, found a fix. I just maintained the original setup but added a 1/4 inch instrument cable from OUT1 L Humbuster to my Focusrite Solo’s instrument level input. Went to reaper and changed the tracks to IN2 and it worked. Now I can switch between the Fractal’s amp modeling and 4CM scenes.
 
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