using a buffer in front of the axe fx 2...good, bad, or otherwise?

K

King Tone

Inspired
I have used buffers on regular style pedalboards in the past for a positive effect, better cleanup when rolling guitar volume down, capacitance helped, etc. I have had one on my board before the input of the axe fx 2 for years...I am sort of wondering now if it is necessary or not. Having a time telling a tonal difference with or without it...I am working on the idea of a smaller board and if it is not doing much tonally for the positive I may lose it. I would be able to size down the board and simplify the cabling (to the one cat 5 cable and run the guitar straight into the axe... I have been using 7 pin midi and one instrument line to and from the buffer to the back of the axe) I also read one quote that maybe it caused some extra noise or problem with special sauce input something or other...

Your thoughts?
 
If you are going straight into the Axe (with a cable that is not too long), you do not need a buffer in front.
 
I understand the concept of cable length vs capacitance. Originally it was about a 15 ft to the buffer then about 24 back to the axe input. If I just go straight in maybe a 20 ft or more and that's it. I think that may be enough to negate the buffer...what about special sauce input issues?
 
The special sauce input is a buffered input, so there should be no issues.

I use 20 ft cables all the time with my analog setup. There may be degredation, but it is all part of the charms :)
 
I asked a friend to make me a buffer with two outputs, to attack the Axe and a Kemper or AmpliFire simultaneously and help me with tonematching. I received it yesterday but didn't check it yet
 
I have used a axess bs2 buffer splitter in my system before, to split to my tuner and to the axe, with no issues, now I don't and don't notice any differences.
 
Depending if you are going to use pedals in front of the Fractal a buffer could be useful.

I sometimes run a vintage fuzz or vintage wah in front.

In those cases I run: guitar -> vintage pedal -> buffer -> Fractal.
 
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