What is the equivalent of an amp's STANDBY switch on the Axe-Fx?

ozanerkal

ozanerkal

Inspired
Many times while the Axe-Fx is on, I have to switch between guitars. If I were plugging in/out a real amp, I would put it to STANDBY during the instance of switching, which I believe not only mutes the sound output BUT ALSO BLOCKS THE INPUT so that no harmful signal gets into the circuits.

As the "equivalent" of this, there's the "BYPASS" button on the Axe-Fx, but obviously it doesn't block the input. Yes there's no sound output, so we or the audience aren't disturbed by loud crackles, but I'm afraid those bad signals are getting into the circuitry as the input LED's blink.

So what is the equivalent of an amp's STANDBY switch on the Axe-Fx?
 
Personally, I set the Tuner mode to Mute. All I have to do is hit the Tuner button on the front panel or hit the button I have assigned on my MIDI footswitch.
 
Either tuner with mute or just hit the Bypass button. The tuner with mute will give you a true muted signal though.
 
The OP not wants just to mute the output but mute the input too because he's worried about clipping the input when switching guitars, so the tuner/mute is not the equivalent of a Stand-By switch in the amp.

But... Don't worry about it man, you won't damage the Axe by feeding the signal with weird noises while switching guitars so just mute the output with the tuner to not bother the audience like we all do.

If you're really OCD about this you can use an A/B switch pedal between the guitar and the Axe and switch to B (not connected to anything) when swaping guitars... Not worth it in my opinion but...
 
I agree, not to worry about clipping the AxeFx input. Here's another option; I use a wireless (GLXD) in front of my AxeFx input….just step on the tuner button and it mutes (the output that is plugged into the front of the AxeFx. Options.
 
scottburrow said:
Better yet, get a cable that has a silencer on it. I have this on my wireless cable as well. my Shure GLXD16 has a tuner that I mute.View attachment 29151
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I use Mogami Silent Plugs

SilentGoldInstrument.jpg
 
Thanks people.. I forgot to mention that tuner w/mute is already what I do.. So "there's no equivalent" seems to be the right answer ha?

Still if anybody has an other answer, they're welcome to share it of course..
 
The actual answer is that an amp standby does nothing to mute the input of the guitar, it removes power from the portions of the circuit that amplifies the signal to the output/speakers. Flip the standby on and immediately pull the plug from your guitar and you'll see what I mean... it'll make noise until the voltage drains from the circuit.

So an amplifier standby switch is, in effect, electronically muting the output stage. Muting the output on the Axe Fx products does essentially the same thing, and is no more damaging to the unit than unplugging the guitar from an amp on standby. Either way, you are only removing big amplified spikes from getting to the speakers.

Beyond that, the Mogami and Neutrik plugs are the only way to actually break the signal so nothing in the "amp" processing section is seeing signal. Hope that helps!
 
If you can solder, the plug on those Mogami cables is a Neutrik. Switchcraft makes them as well, but they're a bit larger in size in the barrel.
 
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