I wonder how much the Axe Fx II will "do by itsself". What I mean is, if I want to match , lets say a Mesa Boogie, will it do that from scratch, like with the cabinet feature, or do I have to select a Mesa model in the Axe, that will be tweaked to where the matched amp is. If it would be that way, exotic amps could not be matched... since a certain manufacturer from germany can do it from scratch, I presume the Axe will as well, but I was wondering.
Will you have the ability to change the cabinet afterwards? And Eqs and sagging etc, just like with any amp-modell, in the axe-fx?
But it gets even more complicated with "tone matching". Guitar tones on CDs are the product of much studio work and stuff, so I really wonder how that is going to be replicated. If this will really work as simple as "hit match button - play guitar track - done" this would be... ridicoulus... just...
In my understanding the sound of an Amp is defined by two mainly things: 1) the dynamic response includes the reaction of gain-stations 2) the frequency curve which defines the "tone". this frequency curve depends much on the eq filters like the Amp EQ and real guitar cab or CAB IR (which is nothing but a high resolution EQ filter). Correct me, if i am wrong.
The german competitor seems to analyise both 1) AND 2) to "copy" the hole Amp. The Axe FX goes another route: The dynamic response is done by Modeling the physical layout of an Amp. The upcoming tone-Match Block will correct 2) -> the frequency curve, so to say the "tone". It is EQ-matching: the block analyise the tone content from the device or sound you`ll want to copy and analyse also the tone (frequency response) of your Axe FX signal route (AMP / EQ / CAB ). Than it comes to the "match": the tone-match block generates from those two frequency responses a automated EQ setting, which compensate the axe-routing frequency to sound like the frequency of the content, you`ll want to "copy". because of that, Eq settings, cab ir and Amp EQ controls will be also compensated. In other words: You can (but you must not) put cab blocks, eq blocks out of the routing, because the tone-matching block compensates to the Eq (frequency response) anyway ....
In my opinion the Axe FX has more than enough different Amps with more than enough "pictures" of different dynamic content ( a crunchy amp is an crunchy amp...) but the frequency response is key to identify wether it`s a fenderish or Marshallish sound ... right?!
That said the tone-matching feature (plus an external ???? carrier signal like a sine sweep as carrier signal to analyse frequency responses) plus the amp blocks in the axe will bring you to very similiar results what the box from the german competitor can do.
For sure: It´s a bit more work, because you have to pre-define the right amp and gaining BUT: To change the sound after that (more, less gain, AMP EQ) the Axe will have the big advantage to model individual gain and EQ staging per amp. The german competitors EQ for example reacts always the same, no matter what amp is captured ....
So in fact: The axe will not sound better or more original with tone-matching, but it is a powerful tool to match a certain sound you want to have in your axe fx .... without try and error tweaking EQs ....
Again: Correct me, if i am wrong! Sorry for the bad english .... i am german ...
