Axe FX/ Fryette 2:50:2 sounding processed with distortion

[jlagana2002]

Hi, I was wondering what I could get for my rack that would take away the processed sound of my rig (all effects are off & maybe that's part of the problem, I play that way alot for the dry signal bite).

My cleans are great, but my distortion sounds digital-kinda- processed etc...

I tried all tweaks and forum questions.

I am new here and trying this out. I have (Les Paul - Axe Fx - Fryette 2:50:2 - (2) 4 X 12 Cabinets).

Would a peq or an eq work ? I tried the BBE Sonic Maximizer and it doesn't work for me. Its low line anyway.

What Rack Equipment can I use to cream and butter things up a bit for distortion? It's almost like I am missing a stage of distortion.

I don't have sound clips.
Joe

 

[japetus]

Maybe it sounds digital and processed....because it is?

 

[jlagana2002]

Sutepaj,

You are correct sir ! But, even when I bypass the power amp simulator in the Axe FX and JUST run the Fryette 2:50:2 TUBE Amp, it gets that digital sound too!

I can tame it by turning down Drive, master and sag etc... but that takes the lushness & beauty out of it.

Maybe I need a good preamp and just BYPASS ALL Axe FX power amp simulators.

 

[gbsmusic]

Turn your cab sims or amp off and use the EQ in the Axe. You should be getting great sound out of it, I did and I'm an idiot when it comes to that high tech stuff.

 

[jlbaxe]

Also how old are your tubes? New tubes can add a lot to your tone, not that it will take out the "process" sound.

 

[jlagana2002]

Also how old are your tubes? New tubes can add a lot to your tone, not that it will take out the "process" sound.

Brand new tubes, EL34 Winged C, Ruby (China) 12AX7, JJ (China) 12AU7. These are recommended by Fryette.

 

[Nico]

Sutepaj,

You are correct sir ! But, even when I bypass the power amp simulator in the Axe FX and JUST run the Fryette 2:50:2 TUBE Amp, it gets that digital sound too!

I can tame it by turning down Drive, master and sag etc... but that takes the lushness & beauty out of it.

Maybe I need a good preamp and just BYPASS ALL Axe FX power amp simulators.

You are bypassing the power amp, but the preamp is still axe fx.

It is a great unit but its not an amp (yet anyway)

 

[jlagana2002]

Sutepaj,

You are correct sir ! But, even when I bypass the power amp simulator in the Axe FX and JUST run the Fryette 2:50:2 TUBE Amp, it gets that digital sound too!

I can tame it by turning down Drive, master and sag etc... but that takes the lushness & beauty out of it.

Maybe I need a good preamp and just BYPASS ALL Axe FX power amp simulators.

You are bypassing the power amp, but the preamp is still axe fx.

It is a great unit but its not an amp (yet anyway)

Oh no, I am bypassing the "power amp simulation" in the axe fx & using the Fryette 2:50:2 for power.

So basically I am using the Axe Fx for effects only now. I used to run the SAG (power amp sim in Axe Fx) high most times to color sound. But all distortion models sounded same/ processed etc...

 

[jlagana2002]

Turn your cab sims or amp off and use the EQ in the Axe. You should be getting great sound out of it, I did and I'm an idiot when it comes to that high tech stuff.

Hey GBS, Any chance of hearing your tone you are describing ?

 

[Sixtonoize]

Oh no, I am bypassing the "power amp simulation" in the axe fx & using the Fryette 2:50:2 for power.

So basically I am using the Axe Fx for effects only now. I used to run the SAG (power amp sim in Axe Fx) high most times to color sound. But all distortion models sounded same/ processed etc...

You're missing the point of what he's saying: Even though you're using a tube power amp, 95% of your sound is still coming from an all digital device.

No matter how you set the AxeFX up, it is still just a digital model of the preamp section of an amplifier.

 

[manyaxes]

You're doing something wrong. Don't let the purists fool you, for instance a triaxis sounds WAY more processed than an axefx unless you want it to sound like that. Start with an empty patch, add JUST one amp block and set the controls as you would with a normal amp. Maybe it still won't be the tone you have in your head, but it should sound natural. Otherwise, something is plugged wrong or broken.

 

[manyaxes]

Oh no, I am bypassing the "power amp simulation" in the axe fx & using the Fryette 2:50:2 for power.

So basically I am using the Axe Fx for effects only now. I used to run the SAG (power amp sim in Axe Fx) high most times to color sound. But all distortion models sounded same/ processed etc...

You're missing the point of what he's saying: Even though you're using a tube power amp, 95% of your sound is still coming from an all digital device.

No matter how you set the AxeFX up, it is still just a digital model of the preamp section of an amplifier.

And it can model the poweramp section and cabinet too, as well as effects. And it has proved to sound the same or sometimes better than tube amps in blind tests as seen in this forum. Well, that until the answer is revealed, then everybody "hears" the differences.

 

[Mark Day]

Like gbsmusic said: TURN OFF THE CAB AND PA SIMS! Start with just an amp block, try adding a GEQ block after the Amp block.

It should sound great. Try the CAE LD, Marsha blocks, Uber block for higher gain stuff.

Mark

 

[sebby123]

You're doing something wrong. Don't let the purists fool you, for instance a triaxis sounds WAY more processed than an axefx unless you want it to sound like that. Start with an empty patch, add JUST one amp block and set the controls as you would with a normal amp. Maybe it still won't be the tone you have in your head, but it should sound natural. Otherwise, something is plugged wrong or broken.

Great advice, Also once you get in the ballpark mess with the damp,sag,bias ,Bright caps,tonestack etc they really help make the axe sound more digital and tight or more organic and warm.

 

[hunter]

have you selected the correct input on the Axe? Make sure in global I/O to select the input where you plug your guitar in, otherwise you miss the "secret sauce" and it will sound harsh.

 

[gbsmusic]

Turn your cab sims or amp off and use the EQ in the Axe. You should be getting great sound out of it, I did and I'm an idiot when it comes to that high tech stuff.

Hey GBS, Any chance of hearing your tone you are describing ?

I dont have it any more but a pre-set I started with was the "Hot Rod Plexi" and I tweeked that and made it my own and it sounded awesome! Like Mark and other guys told me just start messing with it and you'll fing something you like, you're not going to hurt anything.

 

[Sixtonoize]

You're missing the point of what he's saying: Even though you're using a tube power amp, 95% of your sound is still coming from an all digital device.

No matter how you set the AxeFX up, it is still just a digital model of the preamp section of an amplifier.

And it can model the poweramp section and cabinet too, as well as effects. And it has proved to sound the same or sometimes better than tube amps in blind tests as seen in this forum. Well, that until the answer is revealed, then everybody "hears" the differences.

Ok..I worded that poorly.

I wasn't trying to bash the Axe, I was trying to say that the actual settings of the Axe were the problem. The OP's comments make it sound like he thinks that the "processed" sound isn't coming from the amp settings that he's using, since he's "only using it for FX." We all know that the Axe is capable of sounding damn good and fooling pretty much everyone who hears it...but it's also capable of sounding like a POD in the wrong hands.

What I was trying to get across is that I think the problem lies in the way he's setting the preamp section of the Axe, not in the power amp simulations or other options. Obviously, running a speaker sim in front of a power amp that's pushing guitar speakers is going to sound like shit, but I think that the OP's problem is a little more complicated than that...I think he needs to start at the beginning and design some tones from the ground up to work with his rig, not just modify existing sounds to fit into a different application than they were originally intended.

 

[jlagana2002]

...I think he needs to start at the beginning and design some tones from the ground up to work with his rig, not just modify existing sounds to fit into a different application than they were originally intended.

I couldn't agree with you guys more ! Its TOTAL operator error. I had it A LOT better last night.
I turn things down and its WAY better. LESS IS MORE with high output pickups.

I bypassed the CAB and PA Sims and EQ'd (graphic and PEQ) and it was WAY better than it has been with the SAG on !

I have to learn how to blend the processed with the Organic and whammo !

Could I get anything (rack equipment) to put between AXE FX and POWER AMP to soften it up more ?

Like a good PEQ or EQ that would cream things up a bit, or is that unecessary ? (GAS)

Thanks Guys !