Why does my Axe FX XL sound different?

V

VNGuitar

Member
Hey guys, this might be a stupid question to many, but I guess it's finally time for me to pop this - after quite some time of not being able to find a satisfactory answer.

I've been downloading patches and installing them on my machine, but I have rarely had the luck of sounding the same as those guys demoing the patches. Mine are 95% of the time different - harsher and/or more shrill, sometimes nasal, sometimes muffled. It's that warm tubey quality that is missing most of the time.

My setup: guitar(s) ->Axe FX -> audio interface -> DAW / studio monitors.

Under Global, Power Amp Modeling is set to ON, Cabinet Modeling is set to Active.
Under I/O input levels are set so that they never hit red.
Under UTILITY -> VU Amp1 level is set to -12.5. Level rarely crosses the line.

Earlier today I reset every possible parameter on my system, and reinstalled all factory patches. To my ears everything still sounds a bit thin and digital.

Question #1: How do I make my machine sound more organic and tube-like? This has been my concern #1 ever since I got my Axe FX. There must be something out there I can tweak and fine tune, what would that be?
Question #2: What are the best practices to make sure downloaded patches sound as close as possible to those of their authors (everything else being equal or as close as possible - pickups, guitar, setup, etc.)?

Any ideas/suggestions would be more than welcome. Many thanks in advance.
 
Have you tried comparing what you hear from phones plugged into the Axe itself vs your current setup?
You did not specify which audio interface, DAW or studio monitors you have - maybe someone has a setup that is the same, or close.

#2 - no simple answer as there are too many variables that factor into what made the original presets sound that way. Might be the fingers, the guitar, the input levels.

Set your input level to tickle the reds.. that's the norm.
You've probably read this here before. The factory presets are a guideline. Start from scratch with an empty preset. Pick an amp, pick a cab.. tweak to taste. If you don't know what the advanced parameters in the amp block do, DON'T TOUCH THEM. Accept default values and only tweak parameters on the main page.
 
Yup, done all that. Didn't really work. I am speaking also for a friend of mine who has the exact same problem. We've had a hard time exchanging our own presets - his sound totally different on my machine, and vice versa - mine aren't really mine on his machine.

Here's more setup info for you:

Alder body, Dimarzio Air Norton (N), Area67(M), Norton(B).

Tascam u-7000 interface (used to be Presonus Firestudio - not much difference as far as Axe FX tone is concerned)

JBL 305 studio speakers.
 
The IR that you use will make a big difference. Have you tried changing the IR that you are using? Also have you tried any of the Ownhammer or Redwire IRs?
 
Chris,
The Tascam I have is among the cleanest possible interfaces I have heard - 24 bit, 192Khz, with Burr-Brown converters, almost zero audible noise. Sounds as good as the heavy hitters out there. I'd assume it's far from being the reason for my problems.

Again,

Main problem: I'd love to be able to make my Axe FX a bit warmer and tube-like - both in sound and feel. I have several tube amps - Fenders, a Boogie, and a Friedman - and my Axe FX is far from there, I have to admit.

Then comes the other question - assuming that people's interfaces and DAWs contribute minimally to any variations in sound I can hear, why does my machine sound colder and/or more digital/nasal/muffled than the demos I hear... certainly much further away from any variations mentioned above... there has to be some kind of setting I can tweak out there.
 
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VNGuitar said:
Did it today. Helped a bit, but not entirely. It's def a step in the right direction though.
Click to expand...

Did which today? The global reset? Or Axe directly to studio monitors as Chris suggested?

A critical element in any sort of troubleshooting: eliminate any elements that you can. In this case, the audio interface and DAW.

What brand/model of studio monitors are you using? (Not that this last should prevent you from getting a great sound...I use a pair of M-Audio BX-8a's for general monitoring and a pair of QSC K-12 for rehearsal/gigging - and the rig sounds outstanding.)

Dave
 
Try recording directly from the Axe's USB interface into your DAW and see if the playback seems the same.

When I first got my Axe I thought it sounded a little tinny and plinky, not digital really, but any tracks I recorded sounded great. Then I realized because I was playing with my monitors turned down fairly quiet that 50% of what was hitting my ears was sound direct from the guitar.
 
VNGuitar said:
Chris,
The Tascam I have is among the cleanest possible interfaces I have heard - 24 bit, 192Khz, with Burr-Brown converters, almost zero audible noise. Sounds as good as the heavy hitters out there. I'd assume it's far from being the reason for my problems.
Click to expand...
ok. then as a test, did you try the Axe straight to your monitors? when troubleshooting, you can't make any assumptions about the variables.

have you heard these presets/tones played by others through those same monitors as a base for comparison?
 
Chris@AxeFxTutorials said:
ok. then as a test, did you try the Axe straight to your monitors? when troubleshooting, you can't make any assumptions about the variables.

have you heard these presets/tones played by others through those same monitors as a base for comparison?
Click to expand...

Good point. Haven't done that yet. Doing it tonight.
 
Also I found my Axe sounds best with the output at about 12.
How are you connecting to your interface analogue or spdif, if analogue are you going stereo or mono. Also have you got the input monitoring on the interface set so you hear what is going in?
I have JBL 305's too they sound great.
 
Analogue, mono. Don't know which output you are referring to, but if it is the one of the front of the unit, and I turn it to 12, that would probably fry my interface and speakers, haha ;) I usually keep it around 11 o'clock max.
P.S. JBL's are awesome, I absolutely agree!!!
 
Hi VNGuitar,

… fully agree !!!

Before getting advice, to do this, to check that … I will tell my signal chain:
Guitar (PRS Custom 24, e.g.) > AXE FX II > YAMAHA Pre Amplifier > Backes & Müller BM 20 Active Monitor (discontinued, but if you could buy them today, you would have to spend 30.000 $ *).
*) I only mention this (not to boast, I bought them used to save money) since I tweak sounds over the Hi-fi to get best sounds, in comparison to records (studio or live as well) or real Amps/Cabinets.

Frankly speaking, please also do not tell me, that the fingers make the tone, since the presets I have a look at preset exchange are miles away from what I hear on – even – the fractal homepage, so players abilities are not in scope, at this point. BTW, I got one of the first AXE FX II released and I tweaked a lot to get the best results to my ears and I also did resets, checks, … etc.

Many presets from preset exchange sound - IMO !!! - to shrill and harsh without warm tube distortion, body and fundamental bass. To me it seems, this presets are built up by using Guitar cabinets or something else similar ... I might be wrong.

Don´t get me wrong, the AXE is fantastic to have unbelievable possibilities and you may get realistic sounds out of it. I love it … but – never the less - I fully agree with VNGuitar … and have no advice to VNGuitar beside this, make your own preset from scratch (so I do).

Many greetings from Germany … Egon
 
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