What's Wrong with my Setup?

wtfoley3

wtfoley3

Member
Have been LOVING the Axe FX-III for over 2 years now (casual in-home user). Running it through a Matrix GT 1000 FX and a pair of Mission Engineering Gemini 1-P FRFR 1x12") cabinets. Confident that I've got all the right settings going: Cabinet Modeling and Power Amp Modeling on, etc. Sounds GREAT but not as great as the many III videos I enjoy watching on YouTube (Leon Todd, Burgs, Mario Fanton, etc.). Listened to FSM's recent videos of The Complete Fractal Audio Presets the other day and sounds that never did anything for me on my rig sounded GREAT on his videos! All the stuff from these other fine folks just sounds so much more live, punchy, sizzly, etc. Even loading up their presets and playing a similarly hot guitar doesn't cut it on my rig. Any thoughts what my weak link is? Maybe the Mission Cabinets? Sure would like to have that extre SAUCE that these folks have going that I apparently don't!
 
I have been in the same boat since about 2014 when I started using the II. I never post about it because I assume I am just shit at dialing in tones. I have also never had great tone with any other piece of gear I have ever owned - so, common denominator.

You will definitely need to provide a lot more information in order for any one to help you get dialed in.

Good luck.
 
wtfoley3 said:
Have been LOVING the Axe FX-III for over 2 years now (casual in-home user). Running it through a Matrix GT 1000 FX and a pair of Mission Engineering Gemini 1-P FRFR 1x12") cabinets. Confident that I've got all the right settings going: Cabinet Modeling and Power Amp Modeling on, etc. Sounds GREAT but not as great as the many III videos I enjoy watching on YouTube (Leon Todd, Burgs, Mario Fanton, etc.). Listened to FSM's recent videos of The Complete Fractal Audio Presets the other day and sounds that never did anything for me on my rig sounded GREAT on his videos! All the stuff from these other fine folks just sounds so much more live, punchy, sizzly, etc. Even loading up their presets and playing a similarly hot guitar doesn't cut it on my rig. Any thoughts what my weak link is? Maybe the Mission Cabinets? Sure would like to have that extre SAUCE that these folks have going that I apparently don't!
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Are you listening to the videos on the same playback as you use for the Axe Fx? Also different guitars, double tracking, just different players etc will all play a difference
 
Mongillo19 said:
Are you listening to the videos on the same playback as you use for the Axe Fx? Also different guitars, double tracking, just different players etc will all play a difference
Click to expand...
Yeah, excellent point. Hones answer is "no". Recognize that the playback device for the videos makes this a total apples-to-oranges and I probably need to do some tinkering to play back on same devices like headphones or studio monitors to isolate that variable. I have an old set of AKG studio headphones that were supposedly the Tits back in the day but they sound like crap plugged into the AXE-FX so.... I mostly listen to the YouTube videos in a high quality home theater setup so I figured that, even apples-to-oranges, my rig should sound reasonably similar but... not. ANYONE ELSE USING MISSION GEMINI FRFR CABS? If so, what's your experience?
 
wtfoley3 said:
Yeah, excellent point. Hones answer is "no". Recognize that the playback device for the videos makes this a total apples-to-oranges and I probably need to do some tinkering to play back on same devices like headphones or studio monitors to isolate that variable. I have an old set of AKG studio headphones that were supposedly the Tits back in the day but they sound like crap plugged into the AXE-FX so.... I mostly listen to the YouTube videos in a high quality home theater setup so I figured that, even apples-to-oranges, my rig should sound reasonably similar but... not. ANYONE ELSE USING MISSION GEMINI FRFR CABS? If so, what's your experience?
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No worries! Do you play live or atleast at a loud volume? Sometimes studio monitors can be better suited for well.. studio environments lol vs a FRFR cab
 
Quick answer, nothing. Realistic answer, the variables are vast in scope. Are the YouTube videos of a mic'ed cab, direct to DAW, pre or post mastering effects in said DAW, routed through a mixer, double or quad tracked? What pickups, outboard gear, interfaces, pedals? etc...etc..


I downloaded all the 'Gift of Tone" presets. Most I found unusable, some middle of the road, 3 or 4 I saved to presets. I'm sure they sound great on the artists rigs, but not here. Just got to dial it in to get it close.:)
 
Until recently I was on the same bus. Something so simple as attempting to replicate an amp/cab tone yielded different results, my conclusion, sound production. I guess a more accurate apple-to-apples comparison will be on recorded-to-recorded tones as opposed to a live-to-recorded comparison.

I second the previous suggestion of using existing presets as a base line and then tweak to serve your playing scenario. All things being equal, different skills also change the tone. For example, some videos have such a flawless playing technique that you can hear all individual notes being played with close to 0 noise from other strings, fingers, strumming palm, etc (i.e. record style playing) where as my less skilled technique creates noise and I need to modify preset settings to compensate (i.e cut low end, scoop mids, etc)
 
Hi @wtfoley3
Try plugging your fractal into the system you’re monitoring with. May open up a new world!
Thanks
Pauly
wtfoley3 said:
Have been LOVING the Axe FX-III for over 2 years now (casual in-home user). Running it through a Matrix GT 1000 FX and a pair of Mission Engineering Gemini 1-P FRFR 1x12") cabinets. Confident that I've got all the right settings going: Cabinet Modeling and Power Amp Modeling on, etc. Sounds GREAT but not as great as the many III videos I enjoy watching on YouTube (Leon Todd, Burgs, Mario Fanton, etc.). Listened to FSM's recent videos of The Complete Fractal Audio Presets the other day and sounds that never did anything for me on my rig sounded GREAT on his videos! All the stuff from these other fine folks just sounds so much more live, punchy, sizzly, etc. Even loading up their presets and playing a similarly hot guitar doesn't cut it on my rig. Any thoughts what my weak link is? Maybe the Mission Cabinets? Sure would like to have that extre SAUCE that these folks have going that I apparently don't!
Click to expand...
 
wtfoley3 said:
No, not that loud. I've mellowed a bit from the Full Stack days of my youth... sadly.
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I suspect that the 1x12 cabs are too big for the space, so by the time they’re approaching stage volume they are boomy and deafening. Smaller speakers, like small studio monitors, help focus the sound at your head and ears and don’t need to fill the room because it’s going where it’s needed.

Also, you don’t say whether your room is treated but that can make a difference in how you adjust your presets and how they’ll sound when played through the bigger speakers.
 
Three thoughts.
1) YouTube applies compression to audio so try adding some to you patch
2) the YouTube recording might have had post processing applied
3) do a like for like comparison. Ie record youre axefx via usb into a computer and compare to the YouTube video sound using the same patch (Leon Todd often posts his) through the same playback device. Also compare the recorded playback to the Mission direct sound - will likely sound different.
 
wtfoley3 said:
Have been LOVING the Axe FX-III for over 2 years now (casual in-home user). Running it through a Matrix GT 1000 FX and a pair of Mission Engineering Gemini 1-P FRFR 1x12") cabinets. Confident that I've got all the right settings going: Cabinet Modeling and Power Amp Modeling on, etc. Sounds GREAT but not as great as the many III videos I enjoy watching on YouTube (Leon Todd, Burgs, Mario Fanton, etc.). Listened to FSM's recent videos of The Complete Fractal Audio Presets the other day and sounds that never did anything for me on my rig sounded GREAT on his videos! All the stuff from these other fine folks just sounds so much more live, punchy, sizzly, etc. Even loading up their presets and playing a similarly hot guitar doesn't cut it on my rig. Any thoughts what my weak link is? Maybe the Mission Cabinets? Sure would like to have that extre SAUCE that these folks have going that I apparently don't!
Click to expand...
I would say that most if not all Videos etc. are mixed, played etc. with Studio Monitors.
I do use a good pair of Studio Monitors myself and my tone is near identical to the Video from FSM, Leon, Marco Fanto, Cooper Carter etc.
the only thing is… my playing isn’t as near as good :laughing:
 
How you monitor matters. Listen to the reference tones and your tones through the same speakers.

Guitar does not need to be monitored differently than any other mic'd instrument, synth, etc. Ditch the power amp and "FRFR" cabs. Get some decent studio monitors, put them at your desk with your computer, and get some basic acoustic treatment for your room. With these two tools you're making a budget version of what you'd find in any studio around the world.

The Axe-FX III is a USB audio interface so you don't even need any other gear, just some XLR cables to the monitors and a USB cable to your computer.

Side benefit: since they're at your desk with your computer they can double as excellent casual PC speakers when you're not playing guitar.
 
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