Axe-fx vs Tube Amps... my first experience.

[RedB4Black]

I was able to tweak the AxeFx by adding a PEQ and GEQ block to get the SLA2 to sound more like the Mesa 2:100, not by any means perfect, however very close.

I think the GEQ and PEQ are mandatory on every patch I have.

 

[zentman]

Wonder how the Mako would have sounded through the sla or how the snax would have sounded through the fryette. Something tells me the snax through those Atomic wedges would prolly be the best for the snax though.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Before anyone starts slagging me for the AxeFx.....I still own and love my tube amps and I love my AxeFx.

and we love you Mark, always forever....

and I love you for all the kind things you say here and also for changing your avatar

mojo sent

Can i have some mojo for everytime I'm forced to listen to baseball on the radio with the worst announcers in the world?

 

[Rogue]

Finally we connected the Axe-fx with my QSC GX5 and on my best patch it sounded as if the top 25% of the high end (harmonic) juicy goodness was just gone compared to most of the amp sims I tried... we used the SLO, Recto's, Bogner's, Das Metall, and only the Peavey 5150 came close... but still it lacked the top 25% of the goodness that the Mak4-2/90/2 had. The Mako clean channel was a great sounding channel as well... the Plexi, sounded similar to an over driven Plexi amp sim from the Axe-fx without the 25% goodness.

This sounds like my experience. There was a warmth and presence that was just missing and no amount of "dialing" in would get it there.

 

[Phrygian]

Great review! Thanks for taking the time!

I'm pretty sure it was me that posted the Cancer Bats tune...that tune along with my first trying the Herbie lead me to buy it.

Yes the 3rd channel's tricky to dial it, but dammit I got it now! lol

I'm glad to hear your take on the Axe-FX against these amps. I really want one myself but I do see it for what it is, a great studio tool, at least for me. In the world of modeling it's the Cadillac! The effects are also superb! I'll always be a real amp guy but am anxious to one day have the Axe-FX in my studio.

 

[mortega76]

Great review! Thanks for taking the time!

I'm pretty sure it was me that posted the Cancer Bats tune...that tune along with my first trying the Herbie lead me to buy it.

Yes the 3rd channel's tricky to dial it, but dammit I got it now! lol

I'm glad to hear your take on the Axe-FX against these amps. I really want one myself but I do see it for what it is, a great studio tool, at least for me. In the world of modeling it's the Cadillac! The effects are also superb! I'll always be a real amp guy but am anxious to one day have the Axe-FX in my studio.

Yes sir it definitely was you... thanks for the heads up on that track... definitely one of the best sounding guitar tones I've ever heard Herbert or otherwise! I'm actually working on a patch (for direct recording) to mimic the sound of that track and I think I may be close! Crazy how good the Axe-fx sounds for direct recording... especially with 10.01, but I'm still struggling for my live tone.

 

[mortega76]

Wonder how the Mako would have sounded through the sla or how the snax would have sounded through the fryette. Something tells me the snax through those Atomic wedges would prolly be the best for the snax though.

We tried the Mako using my QSC GX5 and it was like a hooker on heroin... thin and lifeless... it definitely needs the mojo of a tube power amp. Very similar to how the Axe-fx sounds using an amp sim and you toggle the power amp settings on/off. In other words the Mako is not meant for a solid state power amp.

 

[mentoneman]

for me the axe is the simplest way to achieve a multi-head, multi-pedal, multi rack effect system "type" result.
not exactly the same but i'm into small and simple over bulky and elaborate if the results are high quality.

i love the reverb and delay and synth rack effects. i like the pedals and amps.

i've had line 6 and vox modelers in the past and by comparison the axe is much deeper therefore closer to the real amps it models.

i get a kick out of the novelty of owning great approximations of so many great contemporary and classic amps, more than i believe i'm actually playing the amps the axe claims to be modeling.
i love being able to route multiple pedals into two different amps, eq, add cabs, and rack effects in series or parallel or both, internally; no wires, switchers, mixers, ground loops....

and the longer i spend with one amp model, particularly live, the better it gets. but the moving target of what the axe gets paired with for live use makes the idea of an ultimate axe rig nebulous. atomic, vht, ss power, DI....
i still think i will eventually migrate to using the axe with one of my amps for a w/d/w rig but still trying to keep it simple and give the axe a fair shake on it's own.

ultimately, use your ears and heck with what people say.

 

[Heritage Softail]

A big thanks to Matt (mhenson42) for inviting us over to his house... it was a pleasure meeting you and your family. Crazy thing is that his buddy (Paul) showed up and after we got to talking a bit we found out that we've jammed out with a couple of the same folks... Such a small world...

Again... big thanks to Matt for the invite... it was an eye opening experience.

I've used the Axe-fx for over 2 years and it's been my go to amp since I've gotten it... before that I had a Vetta II HD and before that I had a Marshall Valavestate 200. When I got the Axe-fx it was on 5.1x and I was not crazy about it... my band mates were telling that I should have stayed with my Vetta II HD... and at the time I completely agreed with them even though I only ever told them that I just needed some time to get acquainted with it. Well, it didn't get any better (for me) until 7.xx came out and the power amp modeling got a big boost from Cliff's voodoo magic code. 8.xx only updated the drive blocks so it didn't affect my tone... then 9.xx came out and the power amp modeling got another big update. 10.xx came out and via my headphones everything sounded soooo much better, but when I had my last practice, everything sounded so much more fizzier... not necessarily a harsh digital fizz, but just a fizz in general... I defaulted the amp parameters, lowered the gain, upped the master, upped the presence and I could not find a way to make it sound "brewtal" enough for me. That's where I'm at with the Axe-fx as of now... powered by my QSC GX5.

Matt had a great line up of amps... Bogner Ubershall, Diezel Herbert, Axe-fx Ultra, Mako Mak4, along with SLA2, Fryette 2/50/2 and the Fryette 2/90/2 and his buddy brought over a ENGL SE that he was going to re-tube for him... pretty much every piece of gear I've ever wanted to hear was there. All this gear was going to go through two awesome looking (and sounding) Mills cabs with V30/G12K-100 X-pattern.

First up was the Diezel Herbert that I've really wanted to play ever since I heard the Cancer Bat song "Hail Destroyer" and someone here on Rig Talk said they used this amp. Well, I was playing on Channel 3 (thinking this should be the best of the three) and I had a hard time trying to make it sound good... I don't have any experience with tube amps so I ask why the tone was "jumping" and why it was a bit "compressed" on the low end, maybe a bit of "pumping"... little did I know that this is exactly what tube amps do... they interact with your playing.

I stopped playing that amp because the ENGL SE was ready to be tested. Well, that amp sounded thick as fuck!!! Brewtals galore!!! He played that for a while and I was initially blown away... After he stopped playing the ENGL I asked if they could A/B it to the the Bogner Ubershall... the Bogner sounded very smooth and no where near as brewtal as the ENGL so, but together they sounded pretty good... I really didn't adjust the Ubershall all that much.

I came back to the Herbert and tried Channel 2... waaaaaay better sounding that Channel 3... much more open and tighter distortion sound.

Well, then we come to the Mako Mak4... Matt connected it to the Fryette 2/90/2 and put it on the Dorado channel... gain around 8-9 o'clock, low to around 11 o'clock, mid at noon, and high to around 2 o'clock and volume to taste. It was the best high gain distortion I have ever heard in my life. That sucker was a buffet of upper frequency goodness. I played that amp for 20 minutes straight and every so often I would pick up my jaw off the floor and tell the guys how awesome this setup sounded. For the first time I really thought of selling my rig and getting a Mako Mak4 and Fryette 2/90/2.

I then asked them to A/B the Mako to the the ENGL SE and it was no comparison... the ENGL SE had a great low end (but very round) and the mids and highs were just ok (after hearing what the Mako sounded like). Together they sounded very very good... the Mako did lack a bit in the lows so the ENGL combo was perfect. Maybe putting a PEQ in the chain would have helped. The Mako was tightest, thickest, meatiest, most brewtal tone I have ever heard... it just needs a bit more low end but damn that setup was phenomenal, I cannot stress that enough...

Finally we connected the Axe-fx with my QSC GX5 and on my best patch it sounded as if the top 25% of the high end (harmonic) juicy goodness was just gone compared to most of the amp sims I tried... we used the SLO, Recto's, Bogner's, Das Metall, and only the Peavey 5150 came close... but still it lacked the top 25% of the goodness that the Mak4-2/90/2 had. The Mako clean channel was a great sounding channel as well... the Plexi, sounded similar to an over driven Plexi amp sim from the Axe-fx without the 25% goodness.

We then disconnected the QSC and connected the SLA2 and it sounded even worse... I've always heard folks saying that it sounds great but it really sounded bad... I don't get what folks hear in the SLA2.

So if I had to rate them...

1. Mako Mak4 with the Fryette 2/90/2 (we tried it with the 2/50/2 as well but I preferred the 2/90/2)
2. This was really a toss up between the ENGL SE and the Herbert Channel 2... but I gave it to the ENGL SE
3. Herbert Channel 2...
4. Bogner Ubershall... this amp was the one I really wanted to hear and was a bit disappointed compared to the Mako.
5. Herbert Channel 3...
5. Axe-fx... this is another big disappointment... maaaaaaan... I had no idea was I was missing... I really want to buy a Fryette 2/90/2 and run it with my Axe-fx and see if I get better results than what we got at Matt's... I didn't get a chance to try any of my patches with the Fryette 2/90/2... maybe next time. I was lucky that the warden... I mean... my wife didn't get mad at me for staying so long at his pad so I didn't want to push the issue... hahahahaha

Very short review to an awesome day at Matt's house... thank you so much for inviting us into your home.

P.S. Cliff... if you are reading this... please... please... please model the Mako Mak4 Durado channel... that channel is the ultimate in metal brewtalz.

P.S.S. Two things I didn't like about the Mako were that the sucker is big (but still light) and the old school knobs... give us some chrome!!!!

P.S.S.S. Anyone from Mako want to send me a Mak4?!?!?? Please!?!!!? Pretty Please?!?!?!?

Phew... that was like a dose of amp porn... yikes! Can anyone post clips of this gear in play above?

 

[Digital Jams]

for me the axe is the simplest way to achieve a multi-head, multi-pedal, multi rack effect system "type" result.
not exactly the same but i'm into small and simple over bulky and elaborate if the results are high quality.

i love the reverb and delay and synth rack effects. i like the pedals and amps.

i've had line 6 and vox modelers in the past and by comparison the axe is much deeper therefore closer to the real amps it models.

i get a kick out of the novelty of owning great approximations of so many great contemporary and classic amps, more than i believe i'm actually playing the amps the axe claims to be modeling.
i love being able to route multiple pedals into two different amps, eq, add cabs, and rack effects in series or parallel or both, internally; no wires, switchers, mixers, ground loops....

and the longer i spend with one amp model, particularly live, the better it gets. but the moving target of what the axe gets paired with for live use makes the idea of an ultimate axe rig nebulous. atomic, vht, ss power, DI....
i still think i will eventually migrate to using the axe with one of my amps for a w/d/w rig but still trying to keep it simple and give the axe a fair shake on it's own.

ultimately, use your ears and heck with what people say.

Ah Pat, the light that guides people safely through the storm of reviews, thoughts, and internet comments. Perhaps here is your chance to shape Vai into the image that you have spoken about, to share your patches with him while discussing the finer points of bee keeping and holistic healing

Would love to hear a w/d/w rig with your CA and axefx

 

[Mark Day]

Before anyone starts slagging me for the AxeFx.....I still own and love my tube amps and I love my AxeFx.

and we love you Mark, always forever....

and I love you for all the kind things you say here and also for changing your avatar

mojo sent

ditto.

 

[Ricky Rockhardo]

I drove that keg all they way back from Cleveland. You could say I'm a beer junkie. Try some of their Blackout Stout. Great stuff.

Sriously? If so

Will look into the Black stout.

 

[squealie]

The only thing that's better than both is of course is, bacon...but that's a whole different discussion.

Mark

You're Canadian. We call that 'ham'.

 

[Mark Day]

The only thing that's better than both is of course is, bacon...but that's a whole different discussion.

Mark

You're Canadian. We call that 'ham'.

You call green bacon ham, to most Canadians bacon is bacon, you know the salty crispy strips with a smokey maple flavour, ie bacon and eggs? Americans for some reason call that horrible green bacon (ham) "Canadian" bacon...we however call bacon, bacon...just like you.

Green bacon is not bacon, it's ham.

Am I clear..lol

 

[tweed]

The only thing that's better than both is of course is, bacon...but that's a whole different discussion.

Mark

You're Canadian. We call that 'ham'.

You call green bacon ham, to most Canadians bacon is bacon, you know the salty crispy strips with a smokey maple flavour, ie bacon and eggs? Americans for some reason call that horrible green bacon (ham) "Canadian" bacon...we however call bacon, bacon...just like you.

Green bacon is not bacon, it's ham.

Am I clear..lol

No, can you please upload this bacon patch you are raving about?

 

[RedB4Black]

I drove that keg all they way back from Cleveland. You could say I'm a beer junkie. Try some of their Blackout Stout. Great stuff.

Sriously? If so

Will look into the Black stout.

sure did. They don't distribute in Texas. We were up in Columbus visiting relatives - I was just too close not to bring a keg home with me. Usually I'd bring home 5 cases in bottles, but I have the kegerators now. Screw the amps, this is really the best gear I own.

 

[mortega76]

I posted this on the FAS forum and I think it merits a repeat:

In retrospect... it may have been "unfair" comparison because I was comparing the "awesomeness" (is that even a word?) that was coming out of the Mako Mak4 Durado into the Fryette 2/90/2 and I was trying to achieve "that" sound with my Axe-fx - QSC GX5 setup. That setup was close to the Deizel Herbert, Bogner Ubershall and maybe even the ENGL SE (which initially was a great sounding amp until the Mako unleashed it's fury vengeance). I also never said it was a "review"... just a comparison... But as I said before, I really wish I would have had more time to test the Axe-fx with the Fryette 2/90/2.

 

[mortega76]

I drove that keg all they way back from Cleveland. You could say I'm a beer junkie. Try some of their Blackout Stout. Great stuff.

Sriously? If so

Will look into the Black stout.

sure did. They don't distribute in Texas. We were up in Columbus visiting relatives - I was just too close not to bring a keg home with me. Usually I'd bring home 5 cases in bottles, but I have the kegerators now. Screw the amps, this is really the best gear I own.

I can attest that THIS had the best tone in the room...

I cannot stress how cool of a guy Matt was... I had a blast! Thanks again!

Funny thing was that the beer from "heaven" tasted great when it was chilled... but it tasted even better when it was warm! Very chocolaty!!!

 

[Mark Day]

The only thing that's better than both is of course is, bacon...but that's a whole different discussion.

Mark

You're Canadian. We call that 'ham'.

You call green bacon ham, to most Canadians bacon is bacon, you know the salty crispy strips with a smokey maple flavour, ie bacon and eggs? Americans for some reason call that horrible green bacon (ham) "Canadian" bacon...we however call bacon, bacon...just like you.

Green bacon is not bacon, it's ham.

Am I clear..lol

No, can you please upload this bacon patch you are raving about?

Here is the patch. You may think it sounds like ham, but i'm telling you it sounds, feels and tastes just like bacon.

 

[tweed]

The only thing that's better than both is of course is, bacon...but that's a whole different discussion.

Mark

You're Canadian. We call that 'ham'.

You call green bacon ham, to most Canadians bacon is bacon, you know the salty crispy strips with a smokey maple flavour, ie bacon and eggs? Americans for some reason call that horrible green bacon (ham) "Canadian" bacon...we however call bacon, bacon...just like you.

Green bacon is not bacon, it's ham.

Am I clear..lol

No, can you please upload this bacon patch you are raving about?

Here is the patch. You may think it sounds like ham, but i'm telling you it sounds, feels and tastes just like bacon.

Now that's what I call a patch!!!