V.10 Musings

[Malby]

When they brought one of the first wax cylinders from Europe to the US, and put it behind screen A and an opera singer behind screen B, no one could tell the difference!

I think we hear what we want to hear. And I hear the Axe FX II sounding way way better than I could have imagined. Hooray Fractal!

 

[prometh]

I don't notice it to be any more "raw" or "rude" than before as I'd always EQ'd things to sound that way. I'd found my favourite 4 amps and used only those. With every upgrade, I've had to re-EQ things to get back what I had, so I've been stuck in the same awesome boat for 3 years

 

[TJ Lincoln]

No pain...no gain!

 

[LVC]

....Those real vintage amps with real vintage tubes and real vintage knobs that everybody love won't be "updated" anymore. The Fender Twin reverb from the 60's will stay the same as in the 60s (and it's great)

The funny thing is ... not even Fender can replicate the tone and feel of a 50 year old Fender Twin.

 

[RDH]

I agree totally Scott, more raw and rude! Just what I've been missing ! Every amp I use just sounds and reacts like the real thing! I Love that!! Polished is good if your playing alone or needing that in a recording , but Live is a different story completely , Live tones "ROCK" I'd much rather polish my studio tones , than attempt adding the rawness and rudeness to the live tones! I think I mentioned in a post shortly after v10 came out , before I looked for the sweet spot on my patches, now I have to choose which sweet spot I like best!!

 

[iocomposer]

Personally, I'm doing things with the Axe2 that I was never able to do using traditional amps. I did a session over the weekend in which I was asked to play a little Larry Carlton type solo . I've never been able to just dial in a really sweet, singing, distorted but not fuzzy tone like what I was able to easily dial in with patch #27. Blew everyone in the studio away... including myself. It sounded close mic'ed which worked perfectly for the rest of the mix, which was pretty dry and focused (ala Steely Dan). I don't think the mixer did much at all to what I fed him. Makes session work easier, better, and more fun than it's been in a long time for me. It inspires me.

 

[wtfover]

V10 is nothing short of incredible. I'm amazed with the feeling these are the mic'd amps. The AC30TB nails the clarity, warmth and vibe of the amp mic'd.

 

[FractalAudio]

...patch #27...

CAE 3+SE Rhythm?

 

[iocomposer]

CAE 3+SE Rhythm?

That's the one... I had to tweak it a little, but for some reason, it just worked. I had to do a little research into that amp as I had never heard of it before.

 

[ianx]

I've been on 6.02 since it was released. I've updated to 10.02, 3 times in the last week & a half, but have been going back to 6.02 because I haven't had time to tweak the patches I use live. I spent 2 hours this evening playing with the box, finding some things that I like and some things that may be a challenge and exploring Fremen’s presets (I highly recommend giving these a listen).
I kept reading posts about 10.02 sounding muffled, dark, muddy... I think what some may be hearing is the lo-fi breath of tubes in the low mids. This breath is present in tube amps of all kinds, Cliff has just re-introduced us to the sound.
I think Scott nailed it... in the past we've been given a polished sound and we really wanted a "real" sound, now we have a real sound and have to take a step back and re-think how we're dialing in our patches.
The proof is to go hear a live band playing their tunes and then listen to their studio recorded version. It takes software, hardware & years of knowledge & experience to produce a polished recording... if it didn’t we'd all be doing it. Leave that to the pros... & we'll create & play the music.
I'm hoping to get some time in May to do a final load of 10.02 and tweak my gig patches.

 

[Cainer]

I have to agree with everyone that is raving about FW10 - it's incredible. Can finally get that searing edge that I've only been able to get from the real thing until now. The top end of some of the Marshalls really nail the AC/DC thing too, which is a gas to play. I guess I shouldn't say I'm thrilled with al of it, as I've been digging some models so much I've been sticking with them and have probably only tried 5 or 6 of them in depth! This box is the best thing that has happened for me gear-wise since I've been playing the guitar.

I'm 100% happy with the amp modelling -- I hope they work on fuzzes next

 

[rdomain]

I've had one serious jam with V10 and it's sounding great. Sounds like a real GUITAR amp. More snarl, harmonics and overtones. Every update I've been removing more and more of the advanced programming I had done previously. Removing odd advanced settings, compression, various eqs, etc. Digging it.

 

[symphx]

All I know is when I got the 10.02 loaded without errors, again I was amazed, but need a cure for wanting to play louder and louder, and how to keep my left hand finger tips from shredding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SparkyG]

I'm struggling a bit with 10. Everything seems to have some sort of metallic overtone on any sound with gain. Cleans are superb. I have done all the usual stuff, reset etc, and the psets sound the same. I may try and re-load.

I went from 9.02 and an RCF NX12 SMA, to V10 with a CLR wedge, so maybe changing both at the same time wasn't a great idea. May try to re-load 10.02. And see what happens. If not good I may get the RCF back out and see how that sounds with 10.

 

[SparkyG]

Got the RCF and CLR running side by side, still the same issues. Obviously the speakers sound different but the tiny/raspy/Metallicy overtones are still there. Will re load 10.02 tonight.

 

[ZenRigs Man]

Got the RCF and CLR running side by side, still the same issues. Obviously the speakers sound different but the tiny/raspy/Metallicy overtones are still there. Will re load 10.02 tonight.

In case u don't already know him, I don't think you're a million miles away from NiceChris mate, in case u wanted someone to compare notes with...

 

[SparkyG]

In case u don't already know him, I don't think you're a million miles away from NiceChris mate, in case u wanted someone to compare notes with...

Good point Sukh, I might drop him a PM.

Cheers

 

[moab]

I absolutely agree that V 10 is raw and rude. My problem is as much as I like the raw grit, real sounds v10 has, I also miss the smooth less "thumpy", "pick attack heavy", sounds of v9. I just wish I could truly have the best of both worlds. I like a buttery smooth, less attack heavy sound (think Holdsworth) and I'm having some trouble getting it. It's as though the "thump" is always there. Maybe that smooth is there somewhere but I'm struggling. I've tried turning down "pick attack", triode hardness, mimic off, and switching the modeling version to 9. I do appreciate the real sounds and the more immediate response v10 offers though and when I want to rock, v10 does so in spades. When I want a fusion tone is where I'm struggling a bit.

Turning the "triode hardness" to "0" and the MIMIC to "off" may help in getting a more "polished" sound.

 

[k2sparks]

I agree totaly, V10 has givin me exactly what I was looking for in the FX II in the first place. I bought this unit last year just for the fact of having to build and tweek what I want out of a sound. It was missing that certian something (RAW N RUDE) until V10. I was so happy when i heard the Marshalls for the first time- FINALLY there it is - face ripping reality, that yes with time and patience can be refined into a processed studio monster or that Stack in the room that you have to use your volume knob to keep from having your ear drums split form feedback I used to have to do in the eighties!! And having the CLR's makes it all real!! Those are the icing on the cake, I havent heard the Q12's or any other top line speakers, so I cant say what thy do but my two passives are mind blowing. This is the first time in my 30yrs of playing that consistantly i am getting my tone and a lot of them with so many to choose from. Im an eighties metal head and never liked the amp alone gain or any other sound other than hair raising distortion and punch, until now. I have enjoyed so many different feels, tones and sounds from all the library of cabs, amps and effects. IT IS AMAZING!! This unit has open my eyes to so much more than what I was loooking for cause its in there to try. And with such detail and reality, you get em all!!!

 

[Stratoblaster]

Do you think that V.10 is raw and rude?

I do indeed, and couldn't be happier about it. I was never looking for a refined, studio sound with the AFX and spent most of my tweaking time trying to get that raw, gritty, unrefined true amp sound and feel out of previous units and firmware. I play my JCM 800 every week or so at a jam-night and have not been able to really duplicate the feel of it until v10. Very happy over here with v10....

I agree totaly, V10 has givin me exactly what I was looking for in the FX II in the first place.

Yes, I'm with you there 100%...