I never bought any after market IR’s. Do you prefer the Shift Line bass IR’s over the Bergantino ones?
What bass amp models in the Axe fx/FM do you pair it with?
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Fractal Audio Club
- Thread starter Challanger2
- Start date
I never bought any after market IR’s. Do you prefer the Shift Line bass IR’s over the Bergantino ones?
What bass amp models in the Axe fx/FM do you pair it with?
I’m still messing around to see what I like. The FAS bass amp is surprisingly flexible. I’ve also been playing with the Orange and Mesa models. I am really liking the EV12 “experimental” IR in the Shift Line set. It makes me wonder about editing some others for a flatter low end response.
Also, the Shift Line ones are free, so you can try them yourself.
Also, the Shift Line ones are free, so you can try them yourself.
I agree the FAS bass amp is nice. The Mesa model doesn’t sound like the real thing at all though. Don’t like that one. I feel the Ampeg SVT model isn’t sounding like the real thing either. Most bass cabs in the Axe fx sound too muddy for me. That’s why I prefer the Tube Pre model without a cab for recording. The Axe fx can use some bass love from Fractal who spend way more time on the guitar stuff.
The FAS Bass amp is really good for my purposes. I do like the Tube Pre as well depending on the application.
There were a few comments/questions about aftermarket IRs. I am really pleased with the Shift Line package. It’s free to try and you pay what you want. In my experience, there are great options in there for most any situation.
For those looking for cabinets that have a less pronounced bottom end, I think the Bergantino offerings are a good option. I like the ENXT112. If you feel like most cabinets are too dark, this would be a good place to start.
There were a few comments/questions about aftermarket IRs. I am really pleased with the Shift Line package. It’s free to try and you pay what you want. In my experience, there are great options in there for most any situation.
For those looking for cabinets that have a less pronounced bottom end, I think the Bergantino offerings are a good option. I like the ENXT112. If you feel like most cabinets are too dark, this would be a good place to start.
I bought an FM3 last week and bought the Austin Buddy bass pack to go with it. UPS is delivering Friday. Very excited.
I have a Genzler Magellan and Bergantino AE410 that I've used for years and will likely never part with. This band is ampless and while I used the Genzler for a bit, I needed some effects and other sounds for this band. I tried using my Eleven Rack, which got me some of what I wanted, I have an Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal as well, both are nice, but still lacking. I had a lengthy email exchange with Matt at Fractal and I'm hoping and I do believe that the FM3 will give me what I want. Now the long wait continues.
I'm tempted to go ahead and buy the Bergantino IR's, but want try to be patient and see how usable the Austin Buddy stuff is.
I have a Genzler Magellan and Bergantino AE410 that I've used for years and will likely never part with. This band is ampless and while I used the Genzler for a bit, I needed some effects and other sounds for this band. I tried using my Eleven Rack, which got me some of what I wanted, I have an Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal as well, both are nice, but still lacking. I had a lengthy email exchange with Matt at Fractal and I'm hoping and I do believe that the FM3 will give me what I want. Now the long wait continues.
I'm tempted to go ahead and buy the Bergantino IR's, but want try to be patient and see how usable the Austin Buddy stuff is.
I haven’t edited them, but I kind of assume that I could do so in Logic, which is my preferred DAW. It’s just an audio file, so any wav editor should work.
My big IR discovery this week is blending two of them. It sounds WAY more interesting to my ears. The key for bass is time aligning them to maintain phase coherence. I love how easy it is in FM9 edit.
My next problem is bass fuzz. Have people experimented with fuzzes besides the Muff model? I’d like to achieve something like my VFE Woodchipper, which is a brassmaster variant. Very nasty, great midrange, really rips. It’s easy enough to put a gate block after the fuzz and use EQ, but it’s everything else that’s tricky.
With everything here, my starting point is to functionally duplicate my pedalboard (it doesn’t have to sound exactly the same, just really good), but then to transcend it.
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It's the same theory as recording cabs with multiple mics: you want the diaphragms in the same place for phase coherence. If the IRs start at different times, you get weird phase effects (not cool ones like a phaser would give you).
There's a good explanation here.
Here's an image from a Ken Andrews video that shows the page in the cab block. Basically, you turn the "distance" knob until the cabs line up. and you have to align with the furthest one back. The image is for AxeFX. In FM9 you "only" get 2 IRs per cab, but that's good enough for me.
I had the chance to put the FM3 with the Austin Buddy bass pack through the paces with the band this weekend.
For the varied styles that we play I thought that I was going to land on a JPJ or Nathan East type sound. NOPE!
The Austin Buddy Mesa Boogie Two and the Texas Blues preset (Tommy Shannon and Dusty Hill) were the two that fit perfect. Tommy Shannon for the Journey and late 70's/early 80's songs, when we get into the harder rock, Motley Crue and Velvet Revolver, the Mesa Presets were amazing!
I wish I would have bought this sooner.
For the varied styles that we play I thought that I was going to land on a JPJ or Nathan East type sound. NOPE!
The Austin Buddy Mesa Boogie Two and the Texas Blues preset (Tommy Shannon and Dusty Hill) were the two that fit perfect. Tommy Shannon for the Journey and late 70's/early 80's songs, when we get into the harder rock, Motley Crue and Velvet Revolver, the Mesa Presets were amazing!
I wish I would have bought this sooner.
I have the same feelings about the Mesa model. I used a non-plus 400 for about 10 years and can’t seem to get close to the sound. I think the Helix sounds much closer. Big fan of the B15 model though.
Does anyone know where to find a 2X10 or 1X15 Diesel IR? Also looking for a vintage Ampeg 8X10 with the CTS speakers.
I'm the opposite, found the Helix mesa model unusable but love the fractal one. I have never played the real amp so idk how they compare to the actual mesa heads though.
I never liked the Helix Mesa model. The jury is out on the Fractal model (whether or not I like it, not concerned about accuracy).
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Got the board together. I continue to really like the sounds I can get out of this thing.
Mesa 2 preset is also one of my favorites. Try kicking the fat switch on if you haven't already, it takes it to another level (for heavier music)
Thats the Model that I use for 90% or our set list, the Warm channel. I still have to figure out how to kick on the fat switch. Since I got the FM3, I've only had about an hour to spend learning it. I've been so busy with work and doing the backing tracks for our new sets, its had to take a back seat. Hopefully tonight and tomorrow I can spend some time with it.
The models are absolutely amazing, but what I'm most impressed with is the endless switching layouts that you can customize. I'm so glad I went with Fractal over a Helix.
