To you, what are the Axe Fx most acurate amps?

I can tell you that's going to be a hard question to answer.

I guess it depends on how good you are a copying tones, if you've ever actually had any of the amps in the Axe-FX, if you've ever tried to copy a real amp in the first place, and if you take into account the fact that even two of the exact same tube amps can vary in tone.

I would say, all of them, but then again, one reason I like modelers is that I prefer idealized tones that real tube amp just can't do without outside help.
 
That question is very hard to answer in deed. With respect to the amp sims in the Axe, I belive they are a representation or even a generalization of the real deal. It's up to you to put the finishing touches to get it to were you want or think it should be based on your ear and what you like.

Take for example the JCM 800 patch, through my set up- SS power amp and guitar cabs (412's) it sounded real close with out having to touch anything but I added some mids and some top end and tweek the gain to taste to get it to where I liked it.

So from a factory stand point I belive that patch as well as some others are as close as one could get with all the other variables that one has to consider, power amps, cabs, FRFR whatever. Someone with a developed ear might be able to pick out the ones that are very close if not dead on but inevitably you will change somthing, it's just the nature of the beast. My personal favs are the JCM 800 the Energy ball and of course Streets. One can cover a lot of sonic territory with just those three patches alone and are very close with out having to tweek.
 
The Mark IV sims and the IIC+ sim come to mind. In general the Axe-FX does Mesa very very well (the Recto sims are great too) and was a major reason for my purchase.

The Cornford model sounds very similar to what I remember the RK sounding.

Honorable mentions:
Bogner XTC
Vox AC-30
 
Just can tell you that the Euro2 match perfectly the XTC module of my Randall MTS.
 
The USA Clean amp type is very much like a real Mesa MK series clean channel, although actual knob settings are often somewhat dissimilar. Eg. On a real Mesa MK series amp I'd have the Presence control @ 7 for most spanky brite clean tones and the Treble control would also be around 7 most of the time. I never boost the Presence control on the Axe at all and somewhere between 5.5 and 6 is quite brite sounding on the Treble control (with my Strat).

As a matter of fact all of the "USA" amp models can be made to sound very similar to various Mesa MK Series amps I've owned over the years, as well as the Triaxis.

It's never exact with the Axe because there are too many variables, especially having to do with how the Axe is amplified and monitored. But it's always *very* close.

As far as tube amps are concerned I have the most experience with Mesa MK Series amps because that's what I've been playing rock and pop on since the 80s. [For jazz I've tended to prefer solid state amps a lot of the time.]

But the Blackface model seems pretty close to me too.

I've started using the Brownface model for bluesy slight breakup type of comping sounds. Although I've never owned a Brownface Fender amp (I've owned a few Blackface amps though) this amp sim seems to be in the ballpark to me.

Note: The only cabinet type I've been able to live with for anything that I do is the 2 X 12 Blackface cab sim.
So far I use that for any FRFR playing I do. I wish there were more cab sims that were similar to this to choose from. I particularly wish that the 1 X 12 EV 12L cab sim was more accurate and that they'd used an open back cab to get the IR. It sounds to me like it might be based off of a Thiele cabinet. Way too much bottom end and I associate that with the Thiele cabs. The mids and highs are out-of-whack too.

I don't play with many real hi-gain shred tones. For me, a hi-gain patch is for 80s classic rock or jazz-fusion or when I'm rocking out a bit on a blues gig.
Frankly, most of the real hi-gain amp models all sound almost the same to me, although I'm aware that there are definitely differences between them.
I'm surprised actually that metal guys are so passionate about tube amp tone because I've always associated that sound with distortion pedals (not overdrive pedals or tube saturation). I.e. I always thought that tube warmth wasn't really necessary for that type of sound.
Guess I'm wrong about that.
 
Cron said:
bmi said:
Just can tell you that the Euro2 match perfectly the XTC module of my Randall MTS.
Click to expand...

Safe to assume it doesnt sound like the real Bogner then? :D
Click to expand...

I have not made an A/B test with a Bogner.
I plug the Axe in the return of the Randall so using the power amp of the Randall and not of a Bogner.
I should make the same test in the return of the Bogner to tell you if it works or not.

By the way plugged in my plexy replica the blackface sound like my twin...a little bit less dirty.
 
I absolutely nNailed the Orange Crunch Channel on my JCM2000 TSL100 in about 15 minutes, That was with the JCM800 sim.

Not as much punch but the same sound.
 
I can Only compare with my rolands Jc and the Jazz amp. The Jazz comes close but are dark sounding, with treble and presence full open and the treble boost on i really have a nice copy of my rolands.

And i come close with the brown amp to my marshall 6100 Although they are not the same amps :)
 
Could somme people who have Axe + amp simulated in Axe-fx post a preset who is the copy of the real amp ?

For example Merlin you give us some tips to have the same sound as the Jazz Chorus, could you post your preset please ?

Thanks.
 
I compared th Engl e570 preamp and was able to duplicate it exact. This was running through a Mesa 2:90 power amp and a 4x12 with V30's.
At one point I reached up to adjust the amp I thought was the Engl and it turned out to be the Axe-fx.
Sold the Engl shortly thereafter.
 
jimiyves said:
Could somme people who have Axe + amp simulated in Axe-fx post a preset who is the copy of the real amp ?

For example Merlin you give us some tips to have the same sound as the Jazz Chorus, could you post your preset please ?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Me?
I can't, I don't have a Jazz Chorus, I just REMEMBERED it to be different.
 
From day 1 I've been impressed by the Buttery. It is very close to my sold Superdrive 30. Great model and underrated I find.

On the opposite, I don't find the XTC very close to the one I used to play on. That one had much more balls.

Third, since I played the Ueber model the first time, I want a real one! :mrgreen:
 
hunter said:
On the opposite, I don't find the XTC very close to the one I used to play on. That one had much more balls.

Third, since I played the Ueber model the first time, I want a real one! :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
A long time ago before you were on the forum there were some A/B tests and discussions about the XTC model. IIRC they ended with requests that the model would be redone. I think some users even offered to send their real ones to Cliff. Don't know what came out of it though...
 
DaveP said:
I compared th Engl e570 preamp and was able to duplicate it exact. This was running through a Mesa 2:90 power amp and a 4x12 with V30's.
At one point I reached up to adjust the amp I thought was the Engl and it turned out to be the Axe-fx.
Sold the Engl shortly thereafter.
Click to expand...

Just curious, how did you do this?

I've been thinking of purchasing a 570 preamp to go with my Axe, but if the 570's sound is already in the Axe, then obviously the 570 would be redundant.
 
As a matter of fact all of the "USA" amp models can be made to sound very similar to various Mesa MK Series amps I've owned over the years, as well as the Triaxis.

Sorry, this is going to be a little long...

Could you compare the Mesa Mark I Santana, Carlton and Ford like tones to the Axe Fx? (Tones not the playing of course :) I have had a Triaxis but only really used the IIC+ mode for leads most of the time, the Mark I in that unit was a little underwhelming:( When I hear santana, Carlton and Ford play through Boogies of that Era (Mark I) I get goose bumps!!! :) I have owned a Mark III and had Mike B. mod it back to IIC+ specs, it was better to my ears, later a Mesa HeartBreaker, cause I wanted more Mark I tones and with the right speakers it was better. I currently own a Mark IVB with a output transformer from a IIC+ era 2:90 poweramp. Its more open and rich and singy in comparison to the stock model and also different tubes throughout the amp made a big improvement on it tone. A friend of mine that worked at Mesa at the time had an original Mark I with Pull Bright and Pull Boost. I could get just about all my Fav tones Lead/Clean with that amp, but of course had to adjust the knobs all the time LOL! I Have a Dumbe Clone that I built and though its clean tones are awesome, the Lead tones seem to sound best when using bridge pickups, the neck gets somewhat muddy, and I hear that with most Dumbles that I have heard, where the Mesa shines with the neck pickup! Another reason I have looked into the Axe Fx, having a Dumble for some bridge PU work and switch to a Mesa Mark I or IIC+ for Neck PU tones. I am Also looking into either powered monitors BJT, QSC... (I currently have some older JBL Eon 15's) or going with the Art SLA 2 and my EV speakers for more of the speaker tone I am used to getting:)
Thanks,
Ed
 
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