Where do I begin using Rack gear with Axe Fx II via Fx Loop

All Sanity Lost Freddy

All Sanity Lost Freddy

Member
I am in search for some clarification and a guide to wiring up my rack correctly using the effects Loop.

My old set up in my Rack case was as followed:

Suppressor--> BBE sonic maximizer ---> 16-Band EQ----> Into MY MESA triple Rectifier's EFFECTS Loop. (I don't remember what goes into the send/return but it worked great utilizing the Fx loop, I just forgot how I did it)

Now my new set up Is as follows:

Axe Fx II, Mesa 2:1 power amp, and my BBE Sonic maximizer.

My question now begins with this, How do I wire my BBE sonic maximizer into the effects Loop without bypassing the axe Fx pre amp or messing up the tone. Since I have a power amp, I'm not sure if the effects Loop should go to the power amp or the axe fx.

I want to keep the maximizer in my rack, I use it for a certain tone for my taste and it needs to be in the effect lop for it to work.

Please help me guys, I need your help.


Thank you all for looking into this.
 
It really could go after the Axe-Fx entirely between it and the power amp. This is a digital unit; you don't need to use the FX Loop.
 
When I had a Line 6 Flex tone and went directly into the input, the BBE wasn't as noticed until I went into the FX loop with that also being a digital amp.

I did try your suggestion and in return I figured it out. I needed to go into the Fx Loop of the axe Fx for the BBE to really kick in and now the Axe Fx sounds like more of the monster it already is with an added sparkle.

Thanks, this geared me to learn the wire scheme of my axe fx using the loop. Thank you.
 
I have a sonic maximizer lying around in a drawer but I never gave it a try with the axe-fx. Your thread makes me wonder. What should I expect from it? Is it adding something that the axe-fx can't add?
 
666was999 said:
I have a sonic maximizer lying around in a drawer but I never gave it a try with the axe-fx. Your thread makes me wonder. What should I expect from it? Is it adding something that the axe-fx can't add?
Click to expand...


I won't go as far as to say adding something the Axe Fx can't add because I haven't explored that far with it. However, knowing the science behind a maximizer, I don't think the axe fx can do what a sonic maximizer can do. That's not to put down the amazing axe fx, it's just comparing the science between the two. The maximizer I use is the BBE 362 (the older version ) the newer ones has this grayish red theme to it.

But dude, the maximizer in this amp really sparkles. It's more noticed in the cleans for sure.
 
666was999 said:
I have a sonic maximizer lying around in a drawer but I never gave it a try with the axe-fx. Your thread makes me wonder. What should I expect from it? Is it adding something that the axe-fx can't add?
Click to expand...

All you gotta do is come out the BBE into the send on the axe fx, then from the return on the axe Fx to the BBE. From here you'll power everything up as you normal do. Make sure the sonic maximizer is on. Depending on the model you have, you will see a bypass button. Press the bypass off and on to be able to hear the difference in your dirty and Cleans tones (adjust settings on the BBE as needed)

As a tip, use more of the Process knob then the lo contour knob but that I'll leave up to you.
 
interesting. using the FX Loop doesn't really put the BBE in a different spot since most of the blocks are non-linear, meaning the order of the blocks doesn't change the sound. the exceptions would be the amp and drive blocks, a few others, but then you'd just put the BBE before the Axe.

an FX Loop on an amp exists so you can get the effects AFTER the preamp, yet before the cabinet (and consequentially the power amp). since the Axe creates the entire tone of a guitar amp signal including the Cab simulation, you don't need to use an FX loop to get it "into" the cab sound, and again, the cab block is (mostly) non-linear, so putting the BBE after the entire Axe signal should sound the same as putting it in the FX Loop and placing the block after the Amp block.

also, i like this video regarding the Sonic Maximizer:

 
Chris@AxeFxTutorials said:
interesting. using the FX Loop doesn't really put the BBE in a different spot since most of the blocks are non-linear, meaning the order of the blocks doesn't change the sound. the exceptions would be the amp and drive blocks, a few others, but then you'd just put the BBE before the Axe.

an FX Loop on an amp exists so you can get the effects AFTER the preamp, yet before the cabinet (and consequentially the power amp). since the Axe creates the entire tone of a guitar amp signal including the Cab simulation, you don't need to use an FX loop to get it "into" the cab sound, and again, the cab block is (mostly) non-linear, so putting the BBE after the entire Axe signal should sound the same as putting it in the FX Loop and placing the block after the Amp block.

also, i like this video regarding the Sonic Maximizer:

Click to expand...


Very interesting, this was highly informative which I greatly appreciate. I will definitely send you a video as soon as I come home from work which should be around 5-6pm EST.

But thank you for this info. Yea I'm not sure really what the BBE actually does to the sound but I know how it can bring out your sound to hit your speakers to produce this punching through clarity to your tone. I can hear it come through, but I'll send a vid.
 
When I was using the sonic maximizer in my rig it was about adding high and low end to that midrangy sound of my tube rig and guitar cab. With the IR concept and the eq capabilities of the axe-fx and the wide range that FRFR systems display I think the maximzer is obsolete...but I will give it try later today.
 
In that video explains the 882i which I in fact never liked. I have the original version the 362 with a black blue theme. Yes, it's much different in tone as have compared this using my guitarist 882i and my 362. However, the bypass button did the same thing as the video explained. I agree with the video as it explains that unit as a whole but the doesn't really phase me because I can always use the mid cut and alternate that with mid boost on the axe fx and get a sound that you can't get without having the two ;)

I'm all about outside the box and twist the rules. I've came across many bad as well as great tones that way. But that video really helped me learn a few things. I'm calling it the night now, I'll post something later today.
 
Chris beat me to it.

The video he posted is worth watching. To make a long story short, your Axe-Fx can do anything the Sonic Maximizer can do. And you can shave a few pounds off of your rack. ;)
 
Chris@AxeFxTutorials said:
interesting. using the FX Loop doesn't really put the BBE in a different spot since most of the blocks are non-linear, meaning the order of the blocks doesn't change the sound. the exceptions would be the amp and drive blocks, a few others, but then you'd just put the BBE before the Axe.

an FX Loop on an amp exists so you can get the effects AFTER the preamp, yet before the cabinet (and consequentially the power amp). since the Axe creates the entire tone of a guitar amp signal including the Cab simulation, you don't need to use an FX loop to get it "into" the cab sound, and again, the cab block is (mostly) non-linear, so putting the BBE after the entire Axe signal should sound the same as putting it in the FX Loop and placing the block after the Amp block.

also, i like this video regarding the Sonic Maximizer:

Click to expand...


Okay so I found out that I inadvertently saved a drive setting completely forgetting this was in the axe fx. When I connected the BBE, I thought this was the sound from the BBE when in fact it was a sound I inadvertently saved. Upon making the video, I unplugged the BBE and my amp sounded the same. I was confused so I checked my drive pedal and said wooooooooooooow.... I had no idea I saved this settimg. Every change I make I got into the habit of saving it and forgot what was changed.


So you are correct but understanding my point of view, I was fooled by my own doing and got the wrong impression which was why I continued to believe it was the BBE. It seems that the BBE would only work on Tube Amps and not solid state or digital pre amps as you basically said.
 
All Sanity Lost Freddy said:
It seems that the BBE would only work on Tube Amps and not solid state or digital pre amps as you basically said.
Click to expand...
i didn't say they WON'T work with non-tube amps. i said you don't need to use an FX Loop to use it. the BBE will definitely change the sound, but you can just run the Axe-Fx Outputs into the BBE, then the BBE to your amplification. no need to use the FX Loop of the Axe-Fx.
 
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