Axe FX II XL newbie here

[Shask]

i’ve only messed with the 2290 preset briefly, but in a very short amount of tweak time i have a stereo modulated/panning delay setting that sounds very tc-like through the headphone jack.

What messes me up is I am used to looking at the FM3, and there are many things it has that the Axe II dont. I am like where is the TriChorus? Oh yeah, didn't exist yet, lol. The effect lists are so much shorter on the II. It has all the core important stuff though. Main thing it dont have is all those new cloud Reverbs, but I dont use those anyways.

 

[Shask]

i recall Bob B. mentioning how he was able to replicate the Edge’s 2290 settings (mono modulated delay in front of his AC30) in the fractal and that comment from a tone talk interview is linked in one of the posts in this thread about comparing a 2290 with a fractal 2290 preset:

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...dio-comparison-vp4-2290-2290p-2290-dt.212488/

I have been kind of on a 2290 kick lately. I was playing my 2290p the other day, and earlier today I loaded some 2290 Toneprints into my Plethora pedals, and then started messing with the Axe II by switching from the dual delays to the 2290.

I typically play with a lot of gain, and the 2290 type just blends well under the gain without sounding boring like Boss Delays can sometimes.

 

[mentoneman]

I have been kind of on a 2290 kick lately. I was playing my 2290p the other day, and earlier today I loaded some 2290 Toneprints into my Plethora pedals, and then started messing with the Axe II by switching from the dual delays to the 2290.

I typically play with a lot of gain, and the 2290 type just blends well under the gain without sounding boring like Boss Delays can sometimes.

i had the og flashback and X4 but never liked the 2290 presets in it.
had a dd-500 for a few years and only recently traded it away towards a boogie halfback 4x12. it had great delays and a fun looper i even tried to integrate in my rack rig, but compared to my rack delays it was pretty lo fi and lackluster.
the 2290 presets in the axe II are instantly more familiar and cool but i’ve only begun by using a clean setting and headphones.

on that 2290 thread i linked above, i don’t know if the guy who made the demo comparison clips ever posted the results but i thought what sounded best just off my iphone speaker was:
1) 2
2) 1&5 tied
3) 4
4) 3

 

[mentoneman]

The funny thing is I never use my ToneX One with the Axe II because it just seems wrong to use such a tiny thing with such a huge thing, lol.

so finally got around to pairing the Tonex with Axe FX II.
gtr->tonex->mono out to axe II mono in/headphones out.

immediately the first impression playing the 78/79 VH tonex preset into the II for effects is that even though i’m doubling the A/D in-out factor and not even trying to dig in to perfect level matching, cabs, noise gate, etc,

the tonex instantly sounds and feels remarkably more realistic in the virtual amp modeling catagory than the axe II models i’ve been tinkering with straight in.

conversely, the verb and delay fx in the fractal instantly crush the tonex fx flat dead.

man if there was a single synergy type rack unit that could integrate a tube input buffer stage and combine the tonex amps with the fractal fx,
it could be pretty hard to ignore!

 

[Shask]

so finally got around to pairing the Tonex with Axe FX II.
gtr->tonex->mono out to axe II mono in/headphones out.

immediately the first impression playing the 78/79 VH tonex preset into the II for effects is that even though i’m doubling the A/D in-out factor and not even trying to dig in to perfect level matching, cabs, noise gate, etc,

the tonex instantly sounds and feels remarkably more realistic in the virtual amp modeling catagory than the axe II models i’ve been tinkering with straight in.

conversely, the verb and delay fx in the fractal instantly crush the tonex fx flat dead.

man if there was a single synergy type rack unit that could integrate a tube input buffer stage and combine the tonex amps with the fractal fx,
it could be pretty hard to ignore!

Yeah, I like the ToneX dynamics better than the Axe II, and even the newer FM3.

Not surprising the Fractal has better effects. The effects in the ToneX are basically just like free thrown in bonus effects. It will be better if they ever release a bigger pedal with Amplitube effects.

I always play my Axe II just for effects against my MPX-1, G Major 2, Intellifex, and Replifex, and I always think I could easily just keep the Axe II and sell the rest.