HIGH END PROCESSORS

[bluefade]

Are any of you fine lads useing processors like the axe effects 2 ? If you are, I would appreciate some feedback on how you like the tones,as well as how intuitive they are to use. Let's here it now!!!

 

[Blackbird]

I have a Kemper Profiler amp and an Axe Fx Ultra. The tones are supposed to be better in the Axe Fx II, I haven't used one yet. I mainly bought the Ultra just for the effects, which it completely excels at. You can run it in the loop of your amp 4cm or run it in front. I haven't had the unit long enough to completely rule out whether or not it can achieve a true tube amp tone. But so far I have been unable to do that. It sounds great for clean and low overdrive, but high gain sounds sterile and ....digital. Effects are out of this world though. But, it's not the most intuitive interface for some users. The editing is complex and deep, causing some to go down rabbit holes tweaking a patch all day long instead of playing.

The Kemper is a magic tone machine. It's truly amazing and I can get any tone I want out of it, it's super easy to tweak profiles and is very intuitive. It has plenty of high-quality effects for the average player, but it doesn't have quite the toolbox of some other units (pitch, harmonizer, other). It does high-gain extremely well, much better than any axe recordings I've heard. Going from the intricacies of recording with a mic and cab, to being able to dial up a different amp/cab/mic placement, etc with the push of a button is incredible. Not to mention the possibilities for re-amping. Both units can send a dry signal out.

Either unit can be run FRFR/Direct to FOH or you can run the signal more traditionally to a power amp and guitar cab. Currently I just use a powered floor wedge or nearfield monitors.

 

[themike]

I use an AxeFX II. Is there anything else specifically you'd like to know because otherwise I could just ramble on for days about it haha

I love the tones I get from it and I find it really easy to use. Especially since the II utilizes a USB cable now instead of midi - I edit all my patches on my Macbook and it just rocks.

 

[aduayer]

I use an AxeFX II. Is there anything else specifically you'd like to know because otherwise I could just ramble on for days about it haha

I love the tones I get from it and I find it really easy to use. Especially since the II utilizes a USB cable now instead of midi - I edit all my patches on my Macbook and it just rocks.

I really like the Axe FX2. IF you want to go deep, then it's an endless option machine. you can go editing for ever. I think it's pretty easy to get an awesome sound out of it. specially if you use your computer to edit it.
by the way, nice blue custom 7...

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Hey 3-Mike? Did you get a 3-Mike-7?

You holding out on us?

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Hey 3-Mike? Did you get a 3-Mike-7?

You holding out on us?

I think he is!

 

[rugerpc]

Bastid!

I was hoping to get the first one to post. I have a blue 2-Mike-7 coming soon...

So, Mike why no pics before this tease?

 

[themike]

Because I wanted to get the video of Emil demonstrating it out in the world before I showed it off. Don't worry, I'll have some very good content for you kids soon

I dont want to derail the thread!

 

[CHARISMAFIRE]

I am very impressed with the Axefx2. Enough in fact that am considering selling off the rest of my tube rig. I never thought this day would come, but the digital technology has caught up to the original. The Fractal does everything my 20 space rack used to and more. Sceptics like me have been put to the taste test and emerged believers. If you are like I once was then try the blindfold test. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO TELL THE TUBE AMP FROM THE SIMULATIONS CONSISTANTLY IN ANY TEST EVER!!!! Anyone who contends this is blowing smoke. Period.

 

[bluefade]

I am particularly interested in the machines ability to emulate DUMBLE tones, aka: robben ford, larry carlton,etc.

I use an AxeFX II. Is there anything else specifically you'd like to know because otherwise I could just ramble on for days about it haha

I love the tones I get from it and I find it really easy to use. Especially since the II utilizes a USB cable now instead of midi - I edit all my patches on my Macbook and it just rocks.

 

[bluefade]

PLEASE!! CONTINUE TO SUBMIT INFO,AS I'M GETTING READY TO MAKE THE JUMP TO THIS TECHNOLOGY AND WOULD APPRECIATE ALL YOUR INPUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[themike]

Listen - Cliff, the owner and programmer of Fractal, is a huge tone nerd. With that being said his analog amp collection is HUGE and this is becauase he bases his digital models off of actual amps he takes apart and analyzes. If you ever wanted to step into the digital world - THIS is the item thats going to do it for you. He is constantly updating the firmware with new amps and effects so its never an old or dated product like previous modelers.

 

[themike]

Not to mention the fact that you can profile an actual amp as well if you or someone you know has one that is special to you!

 

[Blackbird]

I am particularly interested in the machines ability to emulate DUMBLE tones, aka: robben ford, larry carlton,etc.

You can cop those tones easily, with very limited tweaking, using the Kemper. Also the Kemper is actually the unit that you can profile other amps with. AxeFx can get you close but it's more of an EQ stack tone match as opposed to an actual profile of the entire amp and cab. The main difference that I've seen between the two is the ease of use and time spent making adjustments. Things take a lot longer to dial-in on the Axe, much easier to adjust on the KPA. YMMV.

Bot are excellent units, if you want to learn more about each. Go to fractalaudio.com or kemper-amps.com. They both have user forums like this one. Although the Fractal forum tends to be one of the weirdest-cult-like-elitist-conspiracy-theorist-childlike forums I've ever seen on the world wide web. On a different level than TGP.

Also, you can essentially try each unit for yourself risk-free. The KPA is cheaper and available at most GC,MF, Sweetwater, etc. It has a 30-45 day return period so you can try it out for awhile and see what you think. I believe Axe is a 15 day period. That's the best way to find out what works for you.

 

[CHARISMAFIRE]

Bluefade, and to anyone else concerned: let me go further to explain how convinced I now am. Most know that you can tone match any existing amp, but lets talk effects, in particular, REVERB. Now I am an admitted tone-freak and authentic spring reverb baby. I use two: a BK Butler Real Tube Reverb 921, and a Peavey Valverb. These are two of the most lush and spacious reverbs made. Today, I am strongly considering selling them both. Enough said.....!

 

[bluefade]

I am really appreciating all of your info,guy's!! Please keep it coming!! I'm currently using a signal path that runs like this...Sig.limited into exotic bb preamp into ep booster into eventide eclipse into a mesa boogie f30 and a mesa boogie nomad 55. The amps are hooked up in stereo. But like all of you, I'm constantly chaseing that tone in my head. So,please keep the info coming, THANK'S AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DRM_777]

I consider the Line 6 Pod HD500 a high end device that shouldn't be overlooked despite the fact that it's costs a fraction of what the Axe FX and Kemper stuff cost.

Although I am sure there are few who turn their noses up at it...... the tones are easily comparable, if not better in some cases than the Axe FX.....

 

[László]

I'm not against modelers. I've used them in my studio, including the POD models, the Axe FX, computer modelers and others going back to the Roland VG-8. They certainly have their uses, and the Axe-FX in particular is a very impressive item. I haven't used the Kemper; it also looks very impressive.

However, I don't like playing through a modeler. This is a very personal thing. There's an almost elastic quality to a great tube amp that I seem to want when playing. So far I haven't been able to achieve that with a modeler.

And nothing I've played through on the modeling side does what either my HX/DA or my Two-Rock amps do. Can they do similar tones? Certainly. Useful, recordable tones? Yes. Identical tones and feel? Not that I've found.

 

[Herr Squid]

Bluefade, you can set up a rig very close to that inside the Axe-FX II. They do have an Xotic BB and RC model built in. The Mesa emulations include some Mark IIs and IVs, Dual Rectos and Lone Stars. No Nomad or F30, though. Anyhow, you could set up a similar rig with two drive blocks, each with a different pedal model, split that into two amp blocks (maybe Mark IV and Lone Star?) and run each amp into its own speaker block so you could pick 'n' choose the speaker models you like. Pan the speaker blocks left and right, and you've got a stereo rig.

It won't be identical to what you're hearing/feeling with your "real" rig right now, but it can probably get very very close and sound very very good. Fractal has been putting out firmware updates that are getting closer and closer to the feel of the real thing all the time. Plus there tend to be new amp models in the firmware updates. Can't complain about that! Cliff at Fractal is doing to the modeling business what Paul Smith did to the electric guitar business in the late 80's.

 

[Dancing Frog]

I have been along for the ride in high end modellers since 2004 or so. I have had an H&K zenTera, the Axe-FX Ultra, and the Axe-FX II. I have, and I have had a couple of good tube amps as well. For my playing out rig, I use Axe-FX II, exclusively. My current amps, a H&K Triamp Mk2 ALSE and a Tone King Meteor, have been tone matched inside the Axe-FX2 which is something that the Axe can do. It's just a matter of finding a model that feels similar to the amp you are going to emulate, doing a cabinet IR, and tone matching the rest. The results are pretty good. I also have my P22 piezo tone tone matched to my Taylor 614CE. It takes a little work, but it is doable.

The cool thing about the Axe is that you have an amazingly large sonic palette to explore. There is a lot under the hood that you can get to which is the really great thing about this one. Earlier modellers, there wasn't much you could adjust, so you were kind of stuck with some sound designer's interpretation of what a particular amp or effect sounded like. It may sound like that opens the door for a lot of complexity, but you still have all basic controls. So, the learning curve isn't as steep as it sounds.