Using a Studio with an AxeFX & Kemper

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ToneChaser1

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Hi All,

Newbie here with Studio incoming. I read the manual but it didn't cover a lot regarding this.

Please advise on the best way to hook up for these applications:

1. I want to use it with my Mesa Boogie Mark V25 and use my AxeFX at the same time just for effects.

2. I want to try it with my Kemper to check out the internal power amps and IRs.

Thanks in advance!

Oh and BTW, the Steve Stevens demo was the catalyst for me ordering this.
 
Ok, in lack of any responses.

My Torpedo Studio arrived and I hooked it up to my MV25 as per normal and did stereo balanced analog outs on the Torpedo Studio to unbalanced stereo inputs on my AxeFX (just for reverb and delay) and balanced stereo outs to my mixer and studio monitors.

The AxeFX effects sound great but so far most of the sounds from the Torpedo Studio sound a little unnatural (kind of processed) and there is quite a bit of noise behind the signal which all ground switched don't remove. Its dead quiet when I stop playing as per my Decimator G rack.

I'm also not really getting that squishy-tubey sound either that Steve Stevens gets in his demo. I do get closer to that sound when I turn on the internal power amp effect, but I'm not supposed to need that with a tube amp as I understand. I also removed the AxeFX from the equation and went straight out of the Torpedo to the board but it sounded the same (actually worse). The AxeFX is pretty transparent when using just for effects.

I've followed and complied with all the setup steps and have no clipping issues that I can see or hear. Although, I can't get a pure clean tone on the clean channel unless I turn the gain almost off which isn't consistent with how it responds when hooked up to a real 4X12 cab.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I'm not overly satisfied yet.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi ToneChaser1,

we'll help you with that, the team does not work on Sundays, that is why you didn't get an answer until today. ;)

What you see in SS video is just Amp-> Torpedo Studio -> reverb unit and that's pretty much it. No post processing.

Before going any further, make sure the Loadbox mode is reactive (but you can try resistive, it will change the tone) and that the power amp section of your amp is not pushed too much, the 25W tends to give up pretty fast when pushed hard. That would explain why the not so clean tone you get.

Regarding the noise, how is it when there is no amp at the input? Just to figure out if the unit itself is generating any.
 
Hi,

Thanks for your response.

It's in reactive mode. I haven't tried resistive mode yet. I carefully set the input and output levels so that the meters display exactly what the manual states. I've only had the MV25 master volume knobs set as high as 10:00 for channel 1 and 12:00 for channel 2 and it's running pretty cool, so it doesn't appear that I'm pushing it too hard.

I will check and advise regarding noise level without the amp hooked up.

Also, I have an original Peavey 5150 60 watt combo amp that I would like to try out with the Torpedo, if possible. Do you know if there is a way to hook it up to the Torpedo?
 
I have no idea and the manual doesn't say much, I suspect it's an additional speaker, but it will be faster to try it right away on your side. ;)
 
Ok. Thanks.

Update. I was working with it this afternoon.

No noise what so ever with the MV25 amp not connected. Signal flow is: TN Studio balanced stereo outputs to unbalanced AxeFX Ultra stereo inputs (line 1) to balanced AxeFX stereo outputs to mixer unbalance stereo inputs to balanced stereo outputs to near field studio monitors.

I removed my looped-switcher pedalboard from the equation for better perspective.

Tested signal flow:
- guitar-amp-4X12 Randal Cab = pretty quiet operation
- guitar-amp-TN Studio (balanced stereo line outs)-AxeFX-Mixer-Studio Monitors = Lots of noise at low volume (when the guitar signal is decaying the background noise overpowers the guitar signal).

It must be a balanced output to unbalanced input etc. issue, correct?

The AxeFX Ultra only has unbalanced inputs BTW.
 
Also, all of the ground lift switches on all 3 products have no effect.

The TN Studio & Axe FX are plugged into my Furman rack power conditioner.

The background nose is definitely effecting the character of the signal as it overtakes the signal when holding and sustaining notes while playing.

I need to identify the noise source so that I can evaluate the TN Studio properly.

Next Steps on my end: I will try try disconnecting the USB cable and listening via headphones only, and will advise. Thanks!
 
Yes going with only Amp and Torpedo Studio is the way to go. Then add more parameters.

You already checked that the Studio is not emitting noise, now we must find where is the issue.

FYI, a ground lift is sometimes useful, but won't solve a big noise issue. Actually, they are most of the time useless, especially with balanced connections. The Torpedo Studio outputs are balanced.

If you have SPDIFor AES inputs on your Soundcards, that will be worth a try to avoid the analog connection between the Torpedo Studio and the soundcard. It shouldn't be an issue, but that's something to try anyway.
 
I'm not attempting to run it through my computer to record yet. I'm just trying to run it through my studio monitors via my mixer.

Also, I've tried unhooking the USB connection to my computer and listening through headphones only and the background noise is still there and overpowers the signal when decaying.

The noise gate on the AxeFX keeps everything dead quiet when not playing but it's almost unusable when holding notes and sustaining chords as the background noise seeps in and takes over almost immediately.

I really don't know what else to try.
 
Would you mind recording the noise in question with some playing so I get an idea of what we are dealing with?

Are you experiencing the same issue with both amps?

Are we OK the power amp sim and the Post FX are bypassed on the Torpedo Studio? There is a compressor on the Post FX that can bring noise if not set properly, for example.

It would be interesting to hear the amp played at the same level you're using with the Studio through a real cabinet. That can give us a noise reference. I don't know any amp that is silent when pushed with a lot of gain and no noise gate. You can also deactivate the noise gate on the Axe FX, you'll experience something similar.

Don't worry the unit is used in many studios around the world with great success, if the noise doesn't come from the unit itself, we sorted that, it must be something going on with the preset you're using or... But we can find.
 
Thanks for your continued help and support!

I completed some more testing and eliminating of components (changed out the speaker cable). I tried my guitar direct to my amp without any noise suppression and I now believe that it must be my amp. I turned up the master volumes as high as I had them when going through the Studio and I definitely have a dominant noise issue within my amp. It doesn't overwhelme the signal upon decaying like when I run through the Studio, but it is definitely there and very distracting.

I didn't notice it before as I usually play my MV25 at pretty low volumes on the 10W mode and I have a Decimator G Rack that keeps everything very quiet. But now that I have removed that from the signal chain, I definitely have a noise issue.

Probably just a bad tube - I hope.
 
Ok, what happens often is that our products, especially the loadboxes, act like a magnifier: every tiny details that you don't necessarily hear when you play with your cabinet jump at you, and that is also what happens in the studio when recording.

For example, I had once to add a switch to a Mesa Combo to power on or off a fan that was terribly noisy. The owner never noticed when playing next to it, but the microphone was really getting that noise and it was really distracting in the recording. ;) A Torpedo Loadbox will let you hear what's good and what's not in your amp. ;)
 
UPDATE:

I finally got my rig (Mesa Boogie - MV25 and pedalboard) with the Studio working correctly by hooking it up directly to my mixer. I believe my previous issue was balanced outs on the Studio to unbalanced ins on the AxeFX to balanced outs on the AxeFX to balanced ins on my mixer.

The Studio is much happier and quieter with balanced outs to balanced ins. I can now get a good clean tone on my clean channels where as before it was all distorted.

Going to play through this awesome unit now and also try hooking my Kemper up to it as well.

Thanks for all your help!
 
Thank you or the positive feedback finally. I don't really see how the balanced connection would change anything regarding the sound (unless the conversion from balanced to unbalanced was badly handled byt the Axe FX, which surprises me), but if it works, that's enough I need to know. ^^
 
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