Wishlist; Locking the grid = no audio dropout?

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GuitaRasmus

Member
I'm in love with my Ax8 - best piece of amplification/modelling/effects device I've ever owned. There. I said it.

However; I've used a Pod HD500, preamp pedals with Torpedo cab, and later an Amplifier, just before I got the Ax8. None of those can touch the Ax8 in feel or sound, but they do have one thing in common - no audio dropout between presets. While there are workarounds, like using a single amp and using different drives, PEQ's, etc, it annoys me that I have these awesome amps at my disposal, and only using one - compromising, basically. I can live with the dropout, but it'd sure be nice if it wasn't there.

I seem to recall Cliff mentioning that the dropout is due to the Ax8 reloading the grid - that it turns down the sound to avoid loud pops, etc. while reconfiguring itself. I have a theory that this is why the Amplifier can switch without dropouts.

That got me to thinking; would it be possible to "lock" the grid? I mean, I basically use the same chain for every single preset; comp, drive, amp, cab, modulation, delay. I have no need for crazy parallel chain shenanigans, so it would be awesome if there was an option to lock the grid, thereby having no reason to turn down the sound, and therefore no dropouts?

I have no idea if this is possible, I'm just thinking out loud. :)
 
this "lock the grid" concept can be realized by using Scenes to change the On/Off and XY state of all blocks in the current preset.

what would the differences be between your presets if it worked exactly how you suggested? what would change?
 
My impression, like I mentioned, is that it is NOT the change in amp algorithms that cause the dropout between presets - it is a byproduct of it being necessary to reconfigure the grid, as I've understood it. My idea is that by locking the grid, it would not be neccessary to mute the sound, even though the amp changes.
 
GuitaRasmus said:
My impression, like I mentioned, is that it is NOT the change in amp algorithms that cause the dropout between presets - it is a byproduct of it being necessary to reconfigure the grid, as I've understood it. My idea is that by locking the grid, it would not be neccessary to mute the sound, even though the amp changes.
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that's not accurate unfortunately. if you try the XY function on the Amp block, you'll hear the audio dropout due to many parameters changing suddenly. i think if you even just change the amp type you'll hear a bit of a gap too.

so it's not the grid itself that necessitate the dropout, it's the blocks within. presets probably always have the audio gap at the shortest time possible since the blocks will typically need it anyway.

try using Scenes to get what you're looking for.
 
I agree it would be great to have no dropouts.

I use two presets live all the time and switch between them for solo / fills and rhythm.

Yes there is a gap. But it's not that crazy to deal with. It's way less time that stepping on an amp channel switch + pedals.
 
It's not just about the grid. New preset could mean new amp model, new delay model, new lots of stuff. That means new data to load in, and it means switching over to that new sound. If you do that without muting first, it'll make the devil's own noise when it switches.

Some other modelers can get away with very short mute times, because the modeling isn't very complex. There's less data to load, and it takes less time to flush out the data from the previous tone.

My old GP-100 sounded like it had instant preset switching, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a very brief dropout.
 
I recogniced this in yesterday rehersal. I was alittle bit disappointed. It wasn't feelable with the Axe-Fx Standard. I think I have to dig into scenes :)
 
st3sch said:
I recogniced this in yesterday rehersal. I was alittle bit disappointed. It wasn't feelable with the Axe-Fx Standard. I think I have to dig into scenes :)
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I hear you. The Standard's amp modeling wasn't doing as much processing as the AX8's modeling.
 
Rex said:
The Standard's amp modeling wasn't doing as much processing as the AX8's modeling.
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I don't think is processing power, but the refinement in the modeling algo that improve feel and autenticity. :) I am confident Cliff could built a Q3-like for standard, but as a discontinued product that will not happen.
 
Smilzo said:
I don't think is processing power, but the refinement in the modeling algo that improve feel and autenticity. :)
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It's both. Some of those refinements in modeling require additional aspects of the amp's behavior to be modeled. That additional modeling requires additional processing time.


Smilzo said:
I am confident Cliff could built a Q3-like for standard, but as a discontinued product that will not happen.
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The Standard and Ultra were discontinued because they didn't have the ability to handle the modeling refinements that Cliff had in mind for the Axe II. His last gift to the Standard and Ultra was FW11, which could only include some of the refinements in Axe-Fx FW1 (remember FW 1? That was four years and 20 major firmware updates before Quantum came along.).
 
The Ultra have the same processor that II. The standard have a more powerful processor than AX8. The new products share the load in dual DSP to run similar istance of fx. I suppose that the standard could handle a single amp block, given the fact that the Ultra processor in the II handle 2 amp block, 2 cab ultrares IR, and overhead. But this will not happen, so enjoy our AX8/II/FX8. ;)
 
I do :) The AX8 is awsome. Think I could have been living very well with the Standard for the rest of my life. Looking for an MFC I recognized the AX8 and pulled the trigger. It's perfect in size, flexibility and it sounds great. I have a much more compact rig now. The only sacrifice I had to do is the lacking of dual amping which I don't need and the longer switching delay. I'll arrange with the latter and enjoy this little gem. It's great.
 
I'm looking to buy the Ax8, but hearing about longer switching delays scares me a bit. Even on the Axe FX 2 with MFC, I find the dropouts annoying live. Longer than that and it's a no go. Is it really longer? Anyone has audio sample comparing the two?
 
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