When youtube fails, talk to real people....

Hi, all. First post. New Axe FX II user.

For the last several years I've been lusting after the fractal axe fx line and was finally in a position to buy a used Axe FX II. I managed to download the drivers for my laptop and update the firmware to Ares 2.0. Go me. Emboldened by this success, I decided to add a used MFC 101 to the setup. OK, well, it came without a midi cable. Or a power source. I eventually managed to get everything powered on. Go me. I was going to do all the setting up, but the manual's instructions and what I see on the LED do not add up. And youtube videos are basically dramatic readings of the manual. I was able to configure the effects unit to (in theory) use the midi out socket for the MFC 101 firmware update, but the foot controller does not let me get that far. Completely by accident, I stumbled on the firmware for the MFC, v. 0.19. This seems like a low number, I'm guessing it's the factory setting? I'm sure I'll be able to figure this out once I am able to convince the foot controller that Axe FX II Mode is a thing, but as far as I can tell, it's not on the unit right now. Am I reading this situation right?

Update: Aaand I seem to have started a whole new top-level thread. Go. Me.
 
Search here for MFC-Edit. It's now available for free. Excellent for programming the MFC.

Which generation MFC and specific Axe Fx model did you get? Later versions can be connected and powered via EtherCon or FASLink (XLR).

That MFC firmware is pretty old...

Go here for downloads:

https://www.fractalaudio.com/mfc-downloads/

For the editor you will want to get a good USB to midi adapter.
 
Hi @rjblaskiewicz ,
Welcome! Go you :cool:

I’m no longer a 2 owner, but the latest firmware (3.08) is here. Hope that helps!

https://www.fractalaudio.com/mfc-downloads/



Hi, all. First post. New Axe FX II user.

For the last several years I've been lusting after the fractal axe fx line and was finally in a position to buy a used Axe FX II. I managed to download the drivers for my laptop and update the firmware to Ares 2.0. Go me. Emboldened by this success, I decided to add a used MFC 101 to the setup. OK, well, it came without a midi cable. Or a power source. I eventually managed to get everything powered on. Go me. I was going to do all the setting up, but the manual's instructions and what I see on the LED do not add up. And youtube videos are basically dramatic readings of the manual. I was able to configure the effects unit to (in theory) use the midi out socket for the MFC 101 firmware update, but the foot controller does not let me get that far. Completely by accident, I stumbled on the firmware for the MFC, v. 0.19. This seems like a low number, I'm guessing it's the factory setting? I'm sure I'll be able to figure this out once I am able to convince the foot controller that Axe FX II Mode is a thing, but as far as I can tell, it's not on the unit right now. Am I reading this situation right?

Update: Aaand I seem to have started a whole new top-level thread. Go. Me.
 
And youtube videos are basically dramatic readings of the manual
tenor.gif
 
Hey, unix-guy. The Axe FX 2 is just an Axe FX 2. There's nothing on the MFC to suggest that the MFC-101 is a later version, so I'm gonna say it's old. :) Will the editor let me program the unit straight from my laptop? Do you have an adapter you could recommend? I am just learning midi. I've been strictly a pedal guy since I started playing many decades ago, so this is all new for me. Thanks!
 
You can check the back of the MFC and see what ports it has... But your Axe Fx may not support it anyway...

The editor will let you program settings on the computer that you can then send to the MFC. You don't need to know midi if you use Axe Fx mode on the MFC.

My adapter is pretty old. It's called MidiSport UNO. It worked quite well for me:

Amazon product ASIN B00007JRBM
I've been using the Axe Fx III for several years now so can't give much hands-on help...
 
So, an update (because you've been perched at the edge of your seats for days...ha!). The firmware, I suspect, is updated, with thanks to unix-guy. The little M-Audio Uno, once I got the drivers installed, was plug-and-play easy. That said, not all is well. When the MFC starts up, the display reads reads: "Bank 000: 000-254," and none of the foot switches works. Or does anything. So, I hunted on the boards here for that message, and I found some people who have had exactly the same problem:
Ok, so years ago I had an ultra and sold it to get the Axe II. I had just gotten the MFC original when I sold my ultra. Long story short I ran into issues and didn't get another axe until this year! Well I still have the MFC and am wanting to use it with my XL but can't seem to get it to work with an Ethernet cable, not sure if it's not capable of it as the newer ones are. Well I followed the instructions on how to update it with a midi cable and it finished fine, but now I can't get it to communicate with the XL and it doesn't matter what buttons I press on the MFC it just doesn't do anything. The screen says " Bank 000: 000-254" and the button #1 labeled Preset is lit red, the "UP" button is lit green, and the "Down" button is lit green. But like I said it the pedal doesn't do anything with any button presses, the display never changes and the XL doesn't do anything either. Oh, and I did set the MFC Port on the XL to Ethercon. Any help would be much appreciated as I literally only used this pedal once when I got it just to try it on the ultra. It even still has the plastic on the screen still lol.

He got the reply:

Try holding down button #11 when powering up and hit enter when asks to proceed. This will reset the MFC to Factory Defaults. Afterwards change the midi port on MFC back to extension and AxeFx mode back to XL.

On the XL, you already have set to ethercon so should be in good shape.

This worked, and while it was an uplifting tale with a storybook ending, my gear apparently doesn't run on warm fuzzies.

Part of the problem is that I don't entirely understand the workaround there. So, my reading of that is that I should switch the port on the AxeFX2 to ethercon. If I have it. Because the connection in the back is clearly just an ethernet plug (and at any rate, I can't find MFC port in the i/o pages). So, question 1 is, like, where is that? Secondly, when I started looking into the ethercon thing, I came across a page of fried ethernet ports. This is something I would prefer to avoid. I see on some diagrams of possible setups that you do not connect the ethernet cord and the AC in at the same time. So, question 2: does this mean that the MFC will get its power through the ethernet cord, you know, once I find out where the ethercon option is? Because right now without the AC adapter in and connected to the AxeFX2 with an ethernet cable, it's a very expensive paperweight. I also have 5-pin midi cables that let me change presets when I was running the old firmware (though with some lag).

I'm determined to get this @#$#^ thing working; the presets are great, but I have things I want to do. :)
 
You have it plugged in and powered with a Cat 5e Ethernet cable? EtherCon is just fancy connectors on a Cat 5 cable... So that should be good.

I don't recall needing to set anything on the Axe Fx... Just set the mode of the MFC.
 
Also, it is possible that the port could be damaged on the Axe Fx... That's a common issue from people accidentally sticking a USB cable in there :(

You can always take the top off and take a look inside. I think it is easy to spot.

Beware that there may be wires attached to the top for the fan. I don't remember when that changed... So proceed carefully.
 
Got the 5e cable. Plugged it in. No power to the MFC. Checked under the hood (On the motherboard it says it's an Axe FX 2 rev1.3). The connection doesn't look fried, it looks clean. Am now going to see the connection of the MFC.
 
The MFC does not yield her secrets as readily as the AxeFX2. I just lost a battle trying to get the last screw back in. It just won't line up and I've decided to take up axe throwing as a hobby. (I'll get to it later. Everything seems to be otherwise snug.)

So how would I modify the above procedure with the factory reset using midi instead? And then after that I'll need to re-update the firmware. Updating the firmware got me into this current problem, and if I simply reload it, there's no reason to think the same thing won't happen....unless the setting changes I make are not effected by the firmware update.
 
The MFC does not yield her secrets as readily as the AxeFX2. I just lost a battle trying to get the last screw back in. It just won't line up and I've decided to take up axe throwing as a hobby. (I'll get to it later. Everything seems to be otherwise snug.)

So how would I modify the above procedure with the factory reset using midi instead? And then after that I'll need to re-update the firmware. Updating the firmware got me into this current problem, and if I simply reload it, there's no reason to think the same thing won't happen....unless the setting changes I make are not effected by the firmware update.
You've already updated the firmware. I don't think the "reset" reverts the firmware, just the settings.

Just use the power supply and a midi cable and set the MFC to use midi instead of Expansion port.

Connect your midi cable from MFC midi out to Axe Fx midi in.

With no other settings you should be able to change presets.

For other functions you'll need to make sure the MFC and Axe Fx are on the same midi channel.
 
unix-guy, you are a saint and too kind to a noob.

I went back into the axe fx 2 and I'll be h*cked if that circuit is not burned out. It wasn't very noticeable, but under a brighter light, yeah, it's totally fried. I am equal parts chuffed that I found the problem and annoyed that I bought a unit that had this user-inflicted defect.

In the morning, I will have at it again and follow through.

Thanks for your help.
 
It's possible the seller may not have known...

I don't recall if that's a module that can be replaced or not. You could contact Fractal and see.
 
Oh my gosh, the machines are talking. Civilly.

So, the midi route is working fine, the reset did not nix the new firmware, and all is right in the world. I even got it into AXE FX II mode. :) The presets are showing up on the MFC and things look good at this point. Thanks very much for your help! I really appreciate it!
 
Back
Top Bottom