Axe FX Through a Cab

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spanny

spanny

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I’m in a cover band that gigs pretty frequently and looking to simplify our setup and have been debating finally biting the bullet and picking up an Axe FX. I know that the unit sounds great and for all intensive purposes can stack up against a tube amp sound wise.

My question is how do they sound going through a power amp and into a cab? Direct I know it sounds good (and consistent night after night) but before making the investment making sure they sound and “feel” the same coming out of a cab.
 
It "sounds" fine. "Feel" is a can of worms. If you just want to sound good and simplify your gigs, it'd go for it. I personally have never understood the feel complaints, even through FRFR stuff.

I prefer tube amps and cabs for reasons that I can't really articulate, but the crowing over digital stuff always leaves me a bit baffled.
 
I ran an Ultra into a GT800FX & Orange cab. Used the poweramp simulation on the AxeFX. Tonnes of headroom in the poweramp. No complaints. Sounded killer.
 
The only reason I use a modeler (I have and use an AX8) is when I HAVE to go direct. If i can use a guitar cab then I'll use a real amp. I've never liked any modeler into a guitar cab like I like a real amp into a guitar cab.
 
Feel like if you're bothering bringing the cab, you may as well as bother with a tube head too. Either go direct with a modeler or go traditional amp setup.
 
Modelers can sound great through a cab with a power amp. I gigged an Axe-FX through a Mesa 20/20 and Mesa 2x12 recto cab for 3 years and it sounded great. Upgraded to the Kemper and gigged it through a cab and then later switched to a Atomic CLR Neo just for convenience.
 
Axe fx XL+ running into a Purple VHT2150 power and and into 2 4x12's here
As long as you set it up to do a power amp and no cab sim's then your golden.
 
Sounds great that way, as a preamp and fx. I used a vht 2150.

Turn off poweramp and cab modeling. Flatten the resonant peaks to zero on the speaker parameter page. Turn speaker distortion to minimum. Set modeler presence and depth parameters to "neutral". Turn preamp sag ON. All I remember right now.

Basically neutralize everything the modeler models post preamp.

For true feel get a vht valulator, effectrode glass a, sarno black box, or vintage vibe tube bomb directly after guitar with passive pickups. I had best result with rear input when using buffers.
 
ejecta":39z1geh2 said:
The only reason I use a modeler (I have and use an AX8) is when I HAVE to go direct. If i can use a guitar cab then I'll use a real amp. I've never liked any modeler into a guitar cab like I like a real amp into a guitar cab.
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this........
 
JimmyBlind":1tg08p5a said:
I ran an Ultra into a GT800FX & Orange cab. Used the poweramp simulation on the AxeFX. Tonnes of headroom in the poweramp. No complaints. Sounded killer.
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+1. Killer as a preamp w/ either SS or Tube amplification. Zero complaints. The mojo crowd always gonna hate da 10101s but the toanz are there.
 
JimmyBlind":22pwwqaw said:
I ran an Ultra into a GT800FX & Orange cab. Used the poweramp simulation on the AxeFX. Tonnes of headroom in the poweramp. No complaints. Sounded killer.
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I use a Matrix GT1000FX with my AX8 with cab sims off through a guitar cab and it sounds great to me.
 
I really liked the Axe through my VHT 2/50/2; felt great!

Here's a video I did years ago...iPhone leaning against a beer can. :lol: :LOL:

 
When running the axefx into a solid state hifi power amp, the power amp simulation should be turned on for best results. When running into a valve power amp, the simulation isn't necessary but can be turned on to taste. The cab simulation should be turned off when running into a real cab. You can experiment with the global settings of course.
 
I've run an AFXII into a Mesa tube poweramp into a VHT 412 as well as a Matrix. With a tube poweramp you can't really tell the difference between an all tube solution and just a tube poweramp.

The Matrix definitely feels and sounds different but I like it for the low volume tone and the lightweight. I have bad spinal stenosis and DDD though so lightweight = +999 points for me.

Also most of what I said applies to high gain. If you use a lot of low/mid-gain tones then the lack of t00bes is more noticeable IMO. Especially if you're someone who likes those slightly broken up lead tones that you can really only get by smashing the shit out of the volume knob on a tube amp.
 
I've been running multiple pre amps...mp1, jmp1, Triaxis etc with the same Mesa 20/20 Poweramp for ten years or so. My Axe fx ll doesn't feel any different than any of the other pre's. The Fractal just has more fine controls to zero in on enhancing what feel I want predominate.
I have not used a Frfr rig or any solid state amps beside studio monitors.
 
jcj":yp6brlaj said:
I really liked the Axe through my VHT 2/50/2; felt great!

Here's a video I did years ago...iPhone leaning against a beer can. :lol: :LOL:

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I've always loved this clip Josh! You're a killer player!
 
Thanks fellas. ;)

I dig the Axe; at some point I'll buy another.

Still have the rack, just missing the pre. ;)
 
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