running fractal axe fx ultra into guitar amp

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Seangilmartin36

Member
hi

I'm currently running my fractal axe fx ultra into my mesa rectoverb power amp.
I run from guitar-axe fx instrument input-ouput 1 left- guitar amp input.

I've tried the 4 cable method but I want to use the guitar amp simulations from the fractal. I tried running from output 1 left into fx return but I got no sound.

I've found the mesa amp colours the tone as each amp preset has that mesa type tone. I've ran the axe fx into a monitor for a more neutral sound. I also ran it into my pa a rcf jmix8. it sounds ok for clean tones but not for distorted tones playing live.

I've been thinking about buying a frfr like a friedman asc. I would use the mesa amp if I could get more neutral sound or if I can bypass the power amp section of the amp. any help would be great.
 
Seangilmartin36 said:
hi

I'm currently running my fractal axe fx ultra into my mesa rectoverb power amp.
I run from guitar-axe fx instrument input-ouput 1 left- guitar amp input.

I've tried the 4 cable method but I want to use the guitar amp simulations from the fractal. I tried running from output 1 left into fx return but I got no sound.

I've found the mesa amp colours the tone as each amp preset has that mesa type tone. I've ran the axe fx into a monitor for a more neutral sound. I also ran it into my pa a rcf jmix8. it sounds ok for clean tones but not for distorted tones playing live.

I've been thinking about buying a frfr like a friedman asc. I would use the mesa amp if I could get more neutral sound or if I can bypass the power amp section of the amp. any help would be great.
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help on what part?

it's true that running any signal into the Mesa as a power amp will always have the Mesa Power Amp sound.

i've used the Ultra for years with clean and distortion sounds live and it sounded great. do you have Cab Sims turned on in the Global menu when running through the full range speaker? i would guess you turned it off when using the real power amp and cab.

by "guitar amp input" did you mean instrument input? if so, then you're running through the amp's preamp, and it will definitely change the sound always. when you say "out 1 left into fx return" do you mean the Mesa Amp Effects Loop Return? if you get no sound there, make sure the Amp Effects Loop is turned on.
 
I didn't check if the cab sims are on in the global menu. I generally dont create cab types in the layout as I'm running into mesa amp.

would it sound any different going from output 1 into the guitar amp input or into the fx return?
 
There’s some terminology getting mixed up here.

I’m assuming you have a Rectoverb amp, not a Rectoverb power-amp (a power-amp only provides power to a cabinet, it doesn’t contain the pre-amp or tone shaping section).

You definitely don’t want to plug the output into the front/guitar input, that’ll sound terrible. You want to plug it into the FX Return, which bypasses the amp’s pre-amp and allows you to only use the power-amp section of the amp.
 
yes I'm using a mesa rectoverb combo amp. I've tried running a cable from the output 1 left into fx return but I got no sound. maybe there's another way to bypass the pre amp
 
shot in the dark. If I remember right I used to have a Mesa amp (Mark III) and I think I ran into something similar. I think there needs to be a plug in the send of the fx loop in order for the receive jack to receive signal. I think there is some internal switching going on (active fx loop?). If this is the case, then you can insert a plug into the "send" jack - this could be a short patch cable and just let the other end hang in the back of the amp. Then plug the send/output from the AX3 to the receive jack of the fx loop on your Mesa. If you have loop volume controls, I'd leave the send volume at 0, and bring up the receive volume to taste.
Not sure if this will help your situation, but would be worth a try in order to bypass the Mesa's preamp.
 
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I meant to reply to this earlier but.... if memory serves me right the rectoverb 50’s fox loop is very particular with digital fx because of how it’s wired. It never played nice with digital fx (made helicopter/flange sounds when I turned the mix up. Especially with Boss/Roland units. I wound up modding it from either parallel to series or vice versa. There are vids for this.
 
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