Axe-fx into a Mackie HD1531

[mortega76]

I just got back from going to Sam Ash with a buddy of mine, and had a chance to demo the Mackie HD1531... An Australian fella from hear on Rig-Talk was raving about how great it sounded and how he replaced his VHT (Fryette) 2/90/2 and VHT Fat Bottom cab with the Mackie HD1531.

Well, we plugged it in and my buddy (Paul) started jamming on it... well, it sounded pretty good but we couldn't initially turn it up very loud (we were about 4 feet from the cab)... but one of the retail guys let us move further into the PA department and we had a chance to crank the Axe-fx on the Mackie HD1531. We turned the Axe-fx up (while having the back of the Mackie on "unity") and we couldn't tell that we were clipping the cab... so we kicked on a distorted patch and noticed that it sounded good... but as soon as I started kicking up the palm mutes it was farting and cutting out (almost completely) the low end thump. So we set up the Axe-fx's output to just below clipping on the Mackie and for it being a 1000 watt cab... I moved about 10 feet from the cab and it definitely wasn't as loud as I had expected... Nowhere near as loud as just one of my Marshall 4x12's pushed by my Peavey PV1500 at 4 ohm (500 watts) even turned up half as much! I will say that it sounded very clear but still lacked something in the mids that I've heard some of the tube amps I've had experience with. The hunt continues...

 

[hellaboogie]

Wow I've heard that they were the bomb for frfr, if I remember correctly are RT brotha noob_pwn just got one and loves it.

 

[fearhk213]

I've personally never played one, but I saw Animals As Leaders live twice: first time without their HD1351 setups and the second time with it. I thought their tone was a lot better when they had tubes in the mix (Axe into a VHT 2/50/2 and the other guy had a Mesa of sorts). I remember thinking their tone was killer the first time, but the second time I was actually pretty let down. I was really stoked to hear the AxeFx/HD1351 and I wanted to like it, but no cigar. Obviously they like it better and it works for others too so as long as they're happy that's what matters. I still wouldn't mind giving one a go one day myself.

 

[Shark Diver]

I never liked the Axe without tubes somewhere in the chain. Even when I was using high end JBL wedges I had to run a Manely tube pre or it was no bueno. There's a reason the Atomics have tubes.

 

[Ventura]

I'm doing a mess of research and DD right now on what the right FRFR system is for me, if at all. Common complaints I'm hearing/reading are a) not loud enough b) not alive enough c) feedback d) sterile... I'll have to PM noobster and see what his deal is. I know he was killing it with the Fryette 2/90/2 and FB4x12, I also know Dweezil's killing it with the Wedges. Hard call - guess one just has to hit it and stick with it.

I never intended to get into the 'Axe's in Wonderland' mentality with a full on FRFR purchase 2 months after the Ultra was bought... Hell, it was supposed to be an FX unit only. I guess my reasoning behind it is that I'm really thoroughly impressed with the Ultra and would like to delve into the poweramp sections and the cab and mic emus. Just so much terrain to cover.

Anyway, will continue the search!!

Peace
V.

 

[noob_pwn]

what you need is to use one with IR's that are better than the stock ones, like redwirez. Get a netural signal from balanced micing and then put high & low pass filters on the signal going to the mackie so it rolls off like a cab would.
The warmth and thump controls are also essential to use.
Once you get it all set right it's fantastic, i agree though i was very underwhelmed just using stock impulses

 

[noob_pwn]

also, sounds like your mackie was broken, the low end on mine is just unbelievable and the speakers recover very fast so the amount of air it throws at you is just ridiculous

 

[Shark Diver]

Very true about volume. I could much louder than any 100 watt/4x12 I have. Something is wrong with the gain staging or equipment. Remember lots of volume/gain adjustments inside the Axe as well.

 

[biggness]

Noobula, what is your Redwire cab/mic of choice? Or better yet, share a patch with us.

 

[noob_pwn]

Live i like to use the ENGL, U87 cap 1in & SM57 cap edge off axis 2in
U87 is about 65%

studio we've been using a few orange redwirez ones (currently recording), the engl was too honky, cant remember what mics

 

[noob_pwn]

i'll whore out all my patches when i've finished recording

 

[mortega76]

Well... I was using both Redwire and some custom IR's along with the stock cabs... and it still farted out and wasn't as loud as what I'm used to from my 4x12. Also, initially we were clipping the input but then was "gain staged it" as much as possible were the Axe-fx was just below clipping on the input and had the Mackie on unity... I didn't see any other "knobs" other than the EQ shaping ones and the one with the unity symbol. I was expecting to see an actual "volume" knob but the one I was using was acting more like an input knob. Either way, it still farted out and didn't have the volume I expected.

 

[RedB4Black]

lol. Paul told me you guys were going over there. That was the results I expected after we tired it with Cesar at my house. I just don't think you get the biggness you get with the Axe into an amp/cab combo.....especially for volume junkies like you and Paul

I have all the redwirez cab IRs on my computer if you want to load some different ones in your Axe.

 

[mortega76]

Hey there Matt! Thanks for chiming in... so you guys tried it as well... same results? Thanks for confirming.

How would you say it compares to the Mosfet you have and the Carvin?

I too have all the RedWire IR's... the one I really want to try is the OwnHammer IR's I've heard some great things from them...

 

[RedB4Black]

I liked the mosfet amp into the cab much better than FRFR. Still have the mosfet amp if you want to hear that.

 

[mortega76]

I need to head out to your pad sometime soon... Damn!

 

[noob_pwn]

Well... I was using both Redwire and some custom IR's along with the stock cabs... and it still farted out and wasn't as loud as what I'm used to from my 4x12. Also, initially we were clipping the input but then was "gain staged it" as much as possible were the Axe-fx was just below clipping on the input and had the Mackie on unity... I didn't see any other "knobs" other than the EQ shaping ones and the one with the unity symbol. I was expecting to see an actual "volume" knob but the one I was using was acting more like an input knob. Either way, it still farted out and didn't have the volume I expected.

the unity symbol is output volume