Running my Axe in front of my JVM instead of in the loop

kmanick

Fractal Fanatic
I've decided to try running my Axe in front of my JVM instead of in 4CM. I lose a lot of volume from my amp using 4CM (it's the loop) so I decided to give this a try. Every effect sounds fine except for my delays (no surprise there), they sound distorted and way overdone. I've begun fooling around with them trying to get a more usable delay, but if anyone can guide me as to which delay and how to set it best will be greatly appreciated.
 
Don't forget that your JVM will be expecting instrument level hitting its front end (approx -30dBV to -10dBV) but your Axe FX will be giving it pro line level at considerably more than that. According to the WIKI - "The max level out of the Axe-Fx II is +20 dBu"

As a result you may be driving the pre-amp into clipping. Try lowering your output levels via your OUT1 or OUT2 depending on how you are connected and see if this helps.
 
I've decided to try running my Axe in front of my JVM instead of in 4CM. I lose a lot of volume from my amp using 4CM (it's the loop) so I decided to give this a try. Every effect sounds fine except for my delays (no surprise there), they sound distorted and way overdone. I've begun fooling around with them trying to get a more usable delay, but if anyone can guide me as to which delay and how to set it best will be greatly appreciated.
I also tried the JVM in 4CM and there's not enough headroom.
Not quite sure why that is.
Good luck.
 
I've decided to try running my Axe in front of my JVM instead of in 4CM. I lose a lot of volume from my amp using 4CM (it's the loop) so I decided to give this a try. Every effect sounds fine except for my delays (no surprise there), they sound distorted and way overdone. I've begun fooling around with them trying to get a more usable delay, but if anyone can guide me as to which delay and how to set it best will be greatly appreciated.

When I had my Boogie MkV I ran my Axe fx into the front with no problems, I also did the same with my mk1 combo - always sounded fine.
 
@kmanik if you're running delays in front of the JVM's preamp then unless you're running the amp's clean channel you will always get distorted delays. This can be a great effect but for clean sounding delays you would need to use a drive block in the Axe followed by a delay block and then run that into the JVM's clean..which would be a waste of the JVM's drive channels!!

I run a JVM 410H in 4CM but i keep my post fx in parallel with the amp's dry send using an RJM Mini Line Mixer, and pre fx are switchable using an Effect Gizmo. No clipping or headroom issues. This avoids the constant A/D conversion of a typical 4CM scenario.

Anyway for my setup and for straight up 4CM with just the JVM and Axe there's a trick you can try. Use the JVM's parallel fx send as a send to the Axe and then use the serial/preamp return as the return, with the JVM's serial fx loop engaged (return only). If i remember correctly this bypasses the JVM's reverb but brings a hotter signal back to the JVM post fx.
 
@kmanik if you're running delays in front of the JVM's preamp then unless you're running the amp's clean channel you will always get distorted delays. This can be a great effect but for clean sounding delays you would need to use a drive block in the Axe followed by a delay block and then run that into the JVM's clean..which would be a waste of the JVM's drive channels!!

I run a JVM 410H in 4CM but i keep my post fx in parallel with the amp's dry send using an RJM Mini Line Mixer, and pre fx are switchable using an Effect Gizmo. No clipping or headroom issues. This avoids the constant A/D conversion of a typical 4CM scenario.

Anyway for my setup and for straight up 4CM with just the JVM and Axe there's a trick you can try. Use the JVM's parallel fx send as a send to the Axe and then use the serial/preamp return as the return, with the JVM's serial fx loop engaged (return only). If i remember correctly this bypasses the JVM's reverb but brings a hotter signal back to the JVM post fx.

Hmmm, I 'll give this a try. Right now I have it set up like the manual says, guitar into Axe FX, output 2 left into front of amp.
I did have output 2 maxed on the front of my axe fx , I'll try bringing it down, or should I lower the output from the FX loop block in the patch?
 
Advice
If you want one cable going to the JVM- just forget the input all together and just plug your guitar in the Axe and the Axe into the EFFECTS RETURN of the JVM

Also- I hate the JVM- and think you'd be better off with anything else. Or at least something you're using to compliment the Axe-FX, not competing with it and not using it to its potential.

I've had a dozen DSL's, and a JCM800- and two JVM's- I hated the JVM's.
 
Advice
If you want one cable going to the JVM- just forget the input all together and just plug your guitar in the Axe and the Axe into the EFFECTS RETURN of the JVM

Also- I hate the JVM- and think you'd be better off with anything else. Or at least something you're using to compliment the Axe-FX, not competing with it and not using it to its potential.

I've had a dozen DSL's, and a JCM800- and two JVM's- I hated the JVM's.

And that's wonderful for you. I've had my Jvm modded and it sounds as bad ass as any Marshall I've ever played though, the Axe modeling for me just doesn't do it so that ain't gonna happen.
and I think I figured out why I was losing so much volume. I had the boost pad on Output 1 at 12 and the ouput 2 at 18 to kill the hiss, but it made the signal so hot I had to dial down the output of the patch and the global 2 output down quite a bit.
I lowered both of them to 6, raised all my levels back up and just threw a gate at the end of my patch.
hit the -10db switch on the parallel loop and viola, I'm back in business with 4CM.
 
If you want to go through the input- get one of those Radial DI boxes- like for re-amping

it can take the output to instrument level and probably improve the tone
 
I ran my AxeFX through my JVM 410C for a while and it sounded great (while my CLR was being repaired). I remember I tried all methods and decided that the 4cm was best and the most flexible. As far as the volume thing you mentioned, my JVM's output volume was always considerably lower than my Boogie amps, I certainly didn't notice it having any lower volume with this setup. So you may want to troubleshoot and experiment to identify the problem there.

You should consider also using the the FX loop in the Axe FX in your chain, so you can use the Axe's Drive pedals in front of the JVM preamp. If memory serves I think the 4cm with the AxeFX Loop also gave me the freedom to either use the AxeFX's Amps or just the JVM's preamp channels (bypassing the AxeFX amp in the chain). I remember leaving the modelling on when using the AxeFX amps because it didn't sound bad at all (which wasn't true with my Boogie Amps).

The draw back to this setup is that instead of sending a direct line XLR to the FOH from the AxeFX, you may instead need to mic the front of the amp to send to the FOH.
 
Hey guys.. novice question. If I just wanna use my JVM's poweramp, which JVM Efx Return do I send the Axe output... the serial or parallel. Also any other settings you would recommend? Thx in advance!
 
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