Version 5 mini review

FractalAudio said:
The new firmware is all about dynamics. The power amp modeling was totally rewritten. If you listen to those early VH albums you can hear the amps knock and ring when he hits them hard. Lots of work went into discovering why that happens and replicating it. It's due to several factors: the power supply sagging, the bias point shifting as the supply sags, the screens ringing and power compression in the speakers.
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You are THE MAN my friend!!! You are bringing in all the right things, and i know exactly what you're talking about in those great recordings. I heard that in you're plexi sample in spades, and now I can't wait to play through this!

Oh and... Go Pats! :)
 
My quick impression on 5.0, to give it a name, is what I'd call the 'feel' firmware.

I've never had a better experience with the 'feel' of playing the Axe-FX, ever. It makes FRFR 'feel' absolutely dynamic and the entire experience of running FRFR feels better than at any point before; and that's relative to the fact *IMHO* that's it has felt very responsive in the past.

The thing to note about all this is that Cliff is pushing what any one would rightfully call the standard of what not just modeling is, but showing what it can be. Each version is evolutionary and builds on what he's doing moving the technology. The good and bad of that for end users is that we are in the front seat of the roller coaster for the ride. Sometimes that means tearing down your presets and 'relearning' the box. It's worth the effort and you will learn doing it; but it's work. No hiding that; no brushing it off. You have to invest the time and effort. I have a very clear sonic 'vision' of what I want out of the box, and can almost always find ways to dial in the box with new firmware to get what I want from it.

The positive note about 5.0 *IMHO* is that is minimized almost entirely. This is a major reworking of how the dynamics of the system of the guitarist-guitar-amp-cab work together. It's working more as an organic whole than ever before. You'll FEEL it, even with FRFR. Yet, your 'relearning' process is minimal here. I've had to turn the lows and highs up or down a touch in the amp block. Past that... minor touches on the preamp drive vs. master and I've been turning the new speaker 'motor drive' up to 5.0 (it defaults to 0.00) and that is.... it. And the results are FUN. On every single amp model I've tried... you really will feel it under your fingers.

IMHO, YMMV. **Based on the current beta, parameters and values subject to change before release.

Quick anecdote: I had cut some tracks with 3.xx for a session that needed a change on the ending; they changed some of the chords for the end of the song. Reamping was not going to work; I had to recut the end and then reamp. I heard both my old takes and the new ones and felt the performance was 'flat' though the parts were right. I was having so much fun with how it FELT that I recut both the right and left rhythm guitars because it was good. And the performances were clearly more energetic and better - my opinion, shared by the producer and the artist. Everyone wins.

Prepare to have a helluva lot of fun soon.
 
rsf1977 said:
Hey Scott can you tell us a little more about how the motor drive effects the tone and feel?
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Turn your favorite tube amp on and then after 4 seconds, flip it on and play. It'll feel cold and stiff at volume. Same amp after warming up proper and playing it hard after 10 minutes at volume? Blooms and gives/takes with you as a player. It's a 'whole' with the tone being the result.

That's 5.0. The dynamics/motor drive is your amp and cab warmed up and cranking. It's simple to demonstrate - set it at zero and play... then turn it up and play. You'll hear it, but moreso IMHO you'll feel it. I thrive on that sort of interplay between the guitar and amp, always have. Now it's dialable in essence. You will feel it; anyone not 'feeling' it even with FRFR now doesn't recognize or have experience playing big, dialed in, cranked amps.

IMHO, YMMV.
 
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? hmmm

jharpersj said:
All you really need to know is version 5 f*cking rocks, I struggled a bit going from ver 3 to ver 4. Version 5 took about 2 seconds to dial in. I have a gig tonight which will be a great way to test it but 1st impressions are that it is a major leap forward. Awhile back I did a big outdoor show at Uconn and used a 100W Friedman Marsha cranked to the max. It was one of the best live tones I have ever experienced. Version 5 reminds me of that tone but at any volume. It just rips. It just sounds and feels like an amp about to melt. If you have ever played through a marshall plexi dimed you will know what I mean. Also cleans up really well with the volume knob. This is major achievment for Cliff and crew !! How this majic black box keeps getting better is beyond me In case anyone cares, my tweaks were to pull the mater down a toucn, add a bit more pres and reduce the bass a tad and that was it.

sorta weird, when I see Junior member with 15 posts, posting about a version not available? You must be a big insider :) hmmm likes Pats, New England, New Hampshire ?! Brady is a god, and Im a 49er fan (SF bay area , no snow baby)
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your arms must be tired, and finger tips nearly hard as plastic! 250g or is that your hard drive capacity? ;)
 
Sammetal91 said:
Yeah being a beta tester is like being a game tester. You don't just get to play video games, you have to try to find bugs, how controls function, possibly and probably know coding and be miserable (and probably much more that I missed). Not saying It's the same for axe fx in the misery department, but it isn't free axe fx and loligags galore. I'm sure all the beta guys paid for their axe (and if they didn't, well boohoo for me :lol). I'd wish to be a mod (or at least have the power to kill all the spambots I see) but it isn't about the power. I don't think I have the judgment or experience to be one so alas here I be... With a standard...
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Nah, lefties cant be mods, its a rule...:)
 
This is getting REALLY exciting!!!

Scott Peterson said:
Turn your favorite tube amp on and then after 4 seconds, flip it on and play. It'll feel cold and stiff at volume. Same amp after warming up proper and playing it hard after 10 minutes at volume? Blooms and gives/takes with you as a player. It's a 'whole' with the tone being the result.

That's 5.0. The dynamics/motor drive is your amp and cab warmed up and cranking. It's simple to demonstrate - set it at zero and play... then turn it up and play. You'll hear it, but moreso IMHO you'll feel it. I thrive on that sort of interplay between the guitar and amp, always have. Now it's dialable in essence. You will feel it; anyone not 'feeling' it even with FRFR now doesn't recognize or have experience playing big, dialed in, cranked amps.

IMHO, YMMV.
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Thanks for the vry descriptive preview of v5. I look forward to the new experience. My AxeII will probably ship early in this coming week. I'll be going from Ultra v11.0 straight to AxeII v4 or v5. Pretty exciting!
 
As the pre amp modeling is all totally reworked..... Should we expect new factory banks ? Or Just reset the amps within each patch as before ? New AE on the way I presume as well ?

Have to say, I have never been happier with all my patches at this moment (4.0 ) Onwards and upwards.
Can't wait !!!!! ;)
 
Tapping toes while waiting patiently!!

(well this worked on 4.0, Cliff released it the next day, so worth a try lol)
 
Cliff has said only the power amp has been reworked... Hasn't mentioned whether the pre-amp has been reworked
 
The power amp modeling, not the preamps.
If you're on 4.01, just minor adjustments are necessary (plus probably resetting the adv. params).
 
I'm very encouraged by what Scott has had to say about it. I had to do a pretty good amount of tweaking on version 4.0 with some patches, so hopefully 5.0 will be less so.
 
Scott Peterson said:
Turn your favorite tube amp on and then after 4 seconds, flip it on and play. It'll feel cold and stiff at volume. Same amp after warming up proper and playing it hard after 10 minutes at volume? Blooms and gives/takes with you as a player. It's a 'whole' with the tone being the result.

That's 5.0. The dynamics/motor drive is your amp and cab warmed up and cranking. It's simple to demonstrate - set it at zero and play... then turn it up and play. You'll hear it, but moreso IMHO you'll feel it. I thrive on that sort of interplay between the guitar and amp, always have. Now it's dialable in essence. You will feel it; anyone not 'feeling' it even with FRFR now doesn't recognize or have experience playing big, dialed in, cranked amps.

IMHO, YMMV.
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Great thanks scott, can't wait to get transfer those new ones and zeros :)
 
Just spent about 2 hours blasting away working on songs for this week's rehearsals and such, checking levels, final tweaking and such.

This is ENORMOUSLY fun. You really won't believe it once you turn up that Speaker Motor Drive. Jumping Jiminy!!!!
 
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