KVR Audio

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:34 pm

Sascha Franck wrote:This is most likely due to your input signal chain. Over here, GR3 is the least noisy of the amp sims I use. Ok, TH1 is almost the same.
As said, it's got all to do with your input chain, a proper Hi-Z input is a must, perhaps the Fasttrack's one isn't the best on the market.

- Sascha

Actually, for GR3 I'm using the IK Multimedia Stealthplug. But, even if I unplug my guitar, and the SP, it was still noisy. But, that's largely in part to what I was trying to do: use the Ultrasonic model, at max gain, and throw various GR3 distortion models in front of it.

Try it, I think you'll see what I mean. I suppose that amount of gain is overkill. The normal presets in GR3 are much less noisy.

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 9:45 pm

zerocrossing wrote: Since I'm not anything like you, my conclusion is that I'd probably not like this as well.

Perhaps not. I was after something, and I found it. Others find their solutions elsewhere, in many cases, where those solutions have always been - in tube amps.

zerocrossing wrote: I'm not against pro gear and I do believe that you get what you pay for, but it strikes me as super odd that when you were unhappy with your tone you didn't think to first replace your "crappy Jackson."

I build a guitar when I was 16 (body and wiring, purchased the neck). Put a Dimarzio PAF-Pro in it, looking for the Vai tone. My first guitar was an '83 American Fender Stat, purchased new. Was into Yngwie at the time.

The Jackson was something I bought years later, after having sold the Strat. Trust me, I knew that the pickups were part of the problem. I just couldn't be bothered replacing them, because I was discouraged with everything else, that I felt like it was just one piece of the puzzle.

I'm replacing the "crappy Jackson" now. Looking at 3 possibilities, all 3 of which may find a home with me: Ibanez JEM7V 6-string, Musicman Petrucci JP7 7-string, Ibanez (or ?) 8-string. My guitars are part of the weak part of my chain right now.

zerocrossing wrote: I'm super happy with Amplitube in all it's flavors. So much so that it wouldn't even occur to me to go out of my way to even demo this thing. Frankly, I'd be surprised if it sounded much better than my Vox Tonlab SE which for $399 did cab modeling as well! I don't mean to be a "troll" but that syrupy sweet post got my spidy sense tingling...

It's cool - I'm honestly happy that you're happy with Amplitube. I'm truly happy with my Axe-Fx. What were you using before VSTs, if I can ask? Do you still use those previous solutions? Genuinely curious.

Sascha Franck · Post by **Sascha Franck** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 10:58 pm

OzoneJunkie wrote: Try it, I think you'll see what I mean. I suppose that amount of gain is overkill. The normal presets in GR3 are much less noisy.

Hm, have you ever tried anything like that with a real amp? The noise will easily drive you mad.
Is that any different with Axe-FX?

- Sascha

AndrewSimon · Post by **AndrewSimon** » Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:59 pm

Sascha Franck wrote:Is that any different with Axe-FX?

- Sascha

Cliff (the brain behind the AXE-FX)was a developer for the US Navy.
He worked on some "super low noise" sonar equipment.
He brought some of that know-how to the AXE-FX.

He calls it the "secret sauce"... and doesn't reveal anything else except that it's a combination of hardware and software to create this low-noise input.
The "secret sauce" is only present on the front input.
It's quite interesting to compare the front and rear, they do sound different and it's not only about the noise... it much more then that.
Anyway, the front input is really cool, it sounds better then my "all tube DI"

A3ntar · Post by **A3ntar** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:22 am

AndrewSimon wrote:Just a teaser:
http://www.fractalaudio.com/images/axe-pc.jpg

I find the fact that he seems to have modeled the VST version after the hardware version and it's limitations a not so wise decision.

He should forget about the hardware version and write the best VST he can write. It doesn't have to be that un-intuitive layout that the hardware has as constraint.

Integratron · Post by **Integratron** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:47 am

If you blow up this teaser shot, it appears that the CPU is taking a huge hit. Is the Fractal piece a CPU Hog?

pough · Post by **pough** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:08 am

AndrewSimon wrote:Cliff (the brain behind the AXE-FX)was a developer for the US Navy.
He worked on some "super low noise" sonar equipment.
He brought some of that know-how to the AXE-FX.

Drop to D and beach a pod of orcas!

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:16 am

AndrewSimon wrote:
Sascha Franck wrote:Is that any different with Axe-FX?

- Sascha
Cliff (the brain behind the AXE-FX)was a developer for the US Navy.
He worked on some "super low noise" sonar equipment.
He brought some of that know-how to the AXE-FX.

He calls it the "secret sauce"... and doesn't reveal anything else except that it's a combination of hardware and software to create this low-noise input.
The "secret sauce" is only present on the front input.
It's quite interesting to compare the front and rear, they do sound different and it's not only about the noise... it much more then that.
Anyway, the front input is really cool, it sounds better then my "all tube DI"

Yeah, the Axe-Fx sure does have some good stuff going on the low-noise department. It's almost surreal, how you can have a very high gain preset going, turn up your amp very loud, and not play anything and the unit is so quiet. Start playing, it comes alive.

It's quieter than anything I've heard, especially when doing high gain, be it VST or real tube, or anything in between...

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:18 am

Integratron wrote:If you blow up this teaser shot, it appears that the CPU is taking a huge hit. Is the Fractal piece a CPU Hog?

I'm wondering if the VST is a mockup image, or a real screenshot of the VST in action.

AndrewSimon · Post by **AndrewSimon** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:23 am

OzoneJunkie!

Nice to have a fellow AXE-FX fan here on KVR.
It was very lonely here..... for a very long time.
My original post was:
Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:16 am

mn · Post by mn » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:58 am

I own an AxeFX Ultra as well. Had it about a year but real life has intruded lately so I really haven't played it much.

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 4:15 am

Nice! Cheers to both of you

shogger · Post by **shogger** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:30 am

AndrewSimon wrote:OzoneJunkie!

Nice to have a fellow AXE-FX fan here on KVR.
It was very lonely here..... for a very long time.
My original post was:
Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:16 am

You know what the prob was for me? Back then the really good sounding audios where not there. What else would there be to slightly interest anybody who's not willing to send a big amount of money to a company only to have the safe feeling of being able to get your money back if it doesn't turn out good enough? Recently I heard some really good audios that make me think seriously. Having the ability to demo it is still a big thing for me. Anybody in Berlin has one of those and would let me do some heavy guitar sound tests with it?

And for the more likely case: When will the VST be ready and the demo available?

Shogger

OzoneJunkie · Post by **OzoneJunkie** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:41 pm

shogger wrote: those and would let me do some heavy guitar sound tests with it? And for the more likely case: When will the VST be ready and the demo available?

Not sure when the VST will be ready.

I can point you to some soundclips of some heavy stuff, using just the Axe-Fx. These are some of the clips that pushed me towards the AFX:

Bulb is a monster. Writes some cool stuff. This tune, just so you know, he didn't have a bass guitar with him at the time, so he used his guitar through the AFX, using its pitch shifter. All guitars are AFX too.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=7183150

The following tune - has a really nice Tool "Vicarous" type of tone

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_so ... ID=7196498

Really love this next one - Baritone Axe-Fx Comp.mp3:
http://www.mediafire.com/?mqnzvteo5kn

Vai - "For the Love of God" Cover:
http://guitarlogic.org/axefxclips/vai_loveofgod.mp3

Steve Vai tones:
http://www.goear.com/listen.php?v=7edd1d4

A3ntar · Post by **A3ntar** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:55 pm

I will be most definitely trying the VST ampsim, given that there it doesn't need a dongle.

If I like, I might even consider the hardware unit.

Guitar players! The search for Amp Sims is over AXE-FX