My 19 month AXE FX experiment come to an end

Sort of.

So, after trying about every routing, 4 cable, FRFR, direct, tube mic pre, cabs, wedges, power amps, passive, active, etc. I bought a Soldano SLO100r and X99 - and for me it just is better. Even though I can get great sounds with the AXE, I just can't get it where I got the SLO/X99 in a few hours. And the cool thing is the X99 is just as versatile to/for me. It was really nice to just reach down and turn a few dials and get where I wanted to be.

Still using the Axe FX, but pretty much fx only now. I may or may not go back to my 2290 and Lexicon or Eventide, but I'm not sure. Might make more sense to keep the Axe as a rig back up. Just keep my old programs and if I blow a tube just use the amp sims. Plus routing is easier. On top of that I decided to stay direct and run the power section of the SLO into a Palmer 03 to my JBL wedges. So, if I needed to using the amp/cabs sims would be easy in a pinch.

Not an indictment of the Axe Fx, just my experience. Some guys like Mesas more than Marshalls, Fenders more than Gibsons. Some guys don't. I got some really good tones out of the Axe, and using it helped me learn some of the things I like and don't like, and I was able to apply that to my current rig. But listening to a lot of Axe clips that used power amps and cabs made me really long for what I wasn't getting. And using the Axe as a pre was going pretty well, until the X99 came - tubes in the X99 pre give me more as well. And using a SLO rack amp made it just as easy set up.

YMMV

Hey David,

I have come to the same conclusion. I have a Soldano X99 as well and it a killer preamp I also picked up a X88r which will come next week. I have gone with the Egnater M4 stuff for my Dave Friedman build and I am using the AXE-FX Ultra for effects only in that build along with the TC2290. Hard to beat a real tube pre-amp.

I also have a Eventide H8000FW on the way to run with my DIezel VH4S so I will be real interested to see how the Axe-Fx Ultra compares to the Eventide Flagship.

Will find out in the coming month!

ps: Thanks for the Suhr Exotic 2 you sent me, Man that guitar is a screamer, I am playing it exclusively at the moment!

Shark Diver":w6q4cqyo said:

And the cool thing is the X99 is just as versatile to/for me. It was really nice to just reach down and turn a few dials and get where I wanted to be.

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rareguitar":w6q4cqyo said:

I have come to the same conclusion. I have a Soldano X99 as well and it a killer preamp. I have gone with the Egnater stuff from my Dave Friedman build and I am using the AXE-FX Ultra for effects only in that build along with the TC2290. Hard to beat a real tube pre-amp.

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Hmm, apparently nothing left to say... wait ... see signature !

I had my Ultra for about 4 months, sold it yesterday. Frankly, I finally got a few presets for what I wanted and realized I didn't need much more than that! So, I'm barely tapping into its capabilities which really didn't make much sense. I think it is the best piece of gear I've owned, even with the tweaking complexity, FWIW, it did everything it said it can do, but its overkill for my needs.

I'm still working with my more modest components (preamp & effects) but work is spilling in to the weekend, I have speaker cabs to box up for a buyer, and I want to spend time with my son (Priority 1 and then some!) - so my tone/sound reconfiguration is on hold for the next few days at least!

Now THIS is the kind of " Axe Fx isn't my thing" thread I like to see!

I love my Axe, but certainly don't expect everyone to.

What bothers me is people who make blanket statements (about ANY piece of gear) without giving it a fair shot...and/or sometimes even understanding what the gear can and can't do.

Party on people


FWIW, I use my Axe in the following configurations:

Axe Fx___Power amp___guitar cab


4 Cable Method


Effects only with Amp



Great tool IMHO.

...

R.Milbeck":2h809ah1 said:

The Axe is cool, but I feel you still need tubes somewhere in the mix.
Stage guys need a power amp.
A studio only monkey like myself puts Egnater modules in front of it and use the Axe for effects and cab sim.
I get phenomenal results now and any tone I desire, but I did feel the AFX on it's own was boxy and sterile. YMMV.

take care,
R~

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oo good idea. I may have to try running my randall/egnater modules like this. I love that I can get consistant results with the axe just dialing up a patch, but love some of my live rig;s sound. Just for quickness I love going direct. I have some great patches in the axe fx that I am quite content with going direct, but more then half of them I am not completly satisfied and some of them are still a little sterile.

Russ, how are you routing your setup like this? please do share your routing for use of AXE fx for cab sims and possible efx only using another pre..

donbarzini":ur37xutg said:

Well, at least you gave it 18 months and 3 weeks longer than me to realize pretty much the same thing.

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Got your Brown Eye Ho yet?

...

kewl

i was wondering if the output of the RM4 would be too hot of a signal going into the front of the axe fx. but I guess I shall try and see.

mctallica1":2lzdk07z said:

Now THIS is the kind of " Axe Fx isn't my thing" thread I like to see!

I love my Axe, but certainly don't expect everyone to.

What bothers me is people who make blanket statements (about ANY piece of gear) without giving it a fair shot...and/or sometimes even understanding what the gear can and can't do.

Party on people


FWIW, I use my Axe in the following configurations:

Axe Fx___Power amp___guitar cab


4 Cable Method


Effects only with Amp



Great tool IMHO.

Click to expand...

+1
I loved mine too, but it was way more than I needed. If I had the "money is no object" problem, I'd have kept it. I can't stress enough that it is an amazing piece of gear, the best signal processor I've ever owned, bar none. It is worth every darn penny IMO. I'm not a virtuoso, shredder, cover band maven where I need this versatility, but anyone can use its quality - the dynamics alone are amazing on par with any tube unit I've had and then some. you can go beyond whatever is modeled to areas never even dreamed of. I'm already having sellers remorse, and I sold/shipped it yesterday! Man, I wish I was wealthy so I didn't have this problem!!!!!

Bottom line is finding what is right for YOU. I dig my axe because it's so versatile - I can use it to go direct at any gigs that hate onstage volume (like many of the local casinos) - I can use it at home for a fantastic recording setup, I can use it with my tube amps for awesome effects) - etc.

Having said that, last friday I played a gig with a Bogner 101B half stack and a DD20 in the loop. And a BYOC Tri-Boost pedal I built in the front end. It killed!

To expect everyone to have one and love it makes about as much sense as expecting everyone to love strats or les pauls or PRS or ibanez guitars. We sure are lucky though to have as many great options for creating music.

Pete

Shark Diver":r7lqpafq said:

Sort of.
I bought a Soldano SLO100r and X99 - and for me it just is better.

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That's my exact setup for 3 years now. I have no desire to change !!!





Yeah I still wanna find thar 63 JMI AC30, that old vibroverb etc.

Good while it lasted....