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[MouseClickDrummer]

As for your question on what i think is inside the Axe FX, I am no DSP expert, but I have been told by numerous experts that those Tiger Sharc processors in the Axe FX are designed for fast processing of audio signals capable of that speed even processing intense algorithms, whereas stuff in computers is more geared towards a multi tasking sort of thing.  Apparently billions of float point calculations per instant that none of even the most adcanced personal computers can handle.  But I would not even be able to provide any further answers in this matter since I am not the one who can answer such questions thoroughly.  Perhaps I misunderstood them but I know I can clearly hear the difference going from plug-in amps to that.

But i guess for drums its not an issue since they are real samples.  Everything seems to trigger whats on my firewire drive very quickly… prolly because the samples are loaded into ram.   But then if another drive is required for the drum sounds… i say why not just put the entire engine on its own machine to begin with? 

The workload/R and D would be highly worth it and a massive pay off because the profits from what would otherwise be piracy would be an immense payoff of untold proportions.   And its not as hard as you think, for DAW usage, all they would need to do is figure out a way to load the samples into RAM off the machine the same way they do with the current samples so that it fires just as fast from the MIDI.    And from Live Usage – similar to those modules on the Roland V-Drums – except maybe on a rack or something… and with some kind of remote-control with industrial grade connections that sits on a stand just like the module from the Roland V-drums.

But I really don’t know man… the issue here is that when people see a laptop on stage, nobody would think it looks road-tough.  Its just its general construction and also look.   And when I think of laptops, to me they seem better suited for usage in a coffee shop, at home, on a bus, in a plane, at school, perhaps at a diner, in the park…. basically every where except for in heavy duty environments requiring industrial grade equipment.  The laptop is just too clean and fine..   But maybe this is just me, who knows, but it would be a stretch to say I am the only person who thinks laptops are just not for industrial-tough environments such as live musical gigs with their flimsy USB connections.  I say no thanks. 

Im just saying, standard DAW practice has your multi track software on the system drive as well as the plug-in, your session run off another drive and then another drive for the samples (at least thats how I have gotten mine to work with the fewest technical issues).  So why not just make the drum machine a seperate DSP unit for those who already work that way to begin with with things like their Access Virus or Waldorf synths, or their Pods, Axe FX’s, etc.  (and believe me, the market is huge for Acess Virus owners since we users bought it because we thought plug-in based synths sounded too thin and lacked depth. but again this is not a drum issue since the samples are real and sit on drives).   But Im just saying there are probabily tons of drummers who have their roland electronics and would love to dial in the Toontrack sounds without taking their macbook to the gig with them and have all these connections going to it like all these flimsy USB connections that don’t lock into place.   Its just not proper in my opinion. 

You simply just dont take a Miata off roading.

[MouseClickDrummer]

 laptop?  huh? macbooks are expensive man… and all the various amp modeling software will add up to about a grand if you pick 3-4 to use.. also i dont do laptops anymore… only towers…  my next computer is a mac pro.  i had a lower end mac for a bit but this is besides the point… i am definetly not bringing a laptop for live usage…. i dont like the idea at all… its not a rugged road-tough setup.  for me its all about rack gear and solid reliable hardware… . id rather even use a Pod X3….  and for even quicker response – the afx.

but the on a computer running amp software is still too latent. its not as fast as the rack dsps.  and also, quality effects are just not there man.. id still at the end of the day end up running back out to my eventide h8000fw regardless…. so why not just keep everything dedicated in the rack?

but just think about it… if the afx2 is the real deal, then imagine like 70 amps exactly modeled…. the expensive setup and signal chain of amp to cab to mic to pre to processing recording chain exact…. (apparently the new afx2 is based off everything run into a neve whereas the previous one had a totally uncolored and flat pre model etc,) etc… plus the eventide-quality fx … if this is all true (and im not saying it is as i dont know) but if it is all true… then the afx 2 would be highly under-priced as you would be getting tens and tens of thousands of dollars worth of quality gear models in the unit modeled close enough to pass as the real thing.

and i dont want my computer doing anything but handling daw tasks….

[MouseClickDrummer]

Ok, but I guarantee you AFX 1 was 2 thousand dollars better than Guitar Rig.   I had it for a few months.  And shaping tones was easier and more intuitive in the amp mods sections than with revalver which offers adjustments to millions of the amps guts which I had no idea what was supposed to do what because I am not an amp builder or electronic engineer. LOL.  But yer Revalver amps to me sound alot more real than Guitar Rig 1-4.  And I think Revalver is whey under-priced. 

Revalver really is good (except I dont like most of the stock cabs but i guess we can import our own IRs like with the Axe FX).    But I would still prefer real hardware with dedicated DSP because i dont like the idea of taking a laptop live… rackmounted hardware will rule the day for me.

But again, my choice is not in favor of revalver unless I wanted to use the 5150 or JSX.

[MouseClickDrummer]

Does anyone know if that EZ metal bundle with ez drummer/metalheads and metal machine is available somewhere in north america?  because i only see it  on uk websites.  i need this exact bundle urgently.  

and if its not available for me, does anyone know when EZ drummer will be on special at sweetwater again or anywhere else for 39.99?  because this is the third time i have missed it and i just missed the metal machine 39.99 deal… and i am very irritated. as i am going to stick my head in the toilet if i miss some 39.99 deal a 5th time.

[MouseClickDrummer]

ORIGINAL: tombuur

I am sure Sonalksis could deliver absolutely excellent plugins for Superior 2. If you check the prices in their homepage, you could get an idea about what such plugins would cost.

I don’t use their plugins in Toontrack, but I still think it is a good idea to have them for users to share presets and to buy the relatively cheap presets Toontrack offers. Then you can do the same thing with your UAD2 or Sonnox plugins each of which cost roughly the same as the entire Superior 2 basic package.

I guess you are right.  We cannot expect UADs in the S2 mixer.  And actually, I want to make one correction – the transient designer I find works well on snare but not tight enough on low frequencies such as for kick.  EQ is not bad for cyms on high end… and mid bass is ok…   but same thing, as you get to the low end I just find that accuracy just drops and it loses focus.  This is strange.  The filter is ok but there is no numerical intication of your cut-off point.  And sometimes I like a touch of a narrow boost at around 500-515k for certain snares that resonate around that range but I cannot narrow the focus enough to that, so i have to increase the release time of the transient designer but its not the same intended feel of cosu.  Am i the only one irritated to death by these things?

[MouseClickDrummer]

That was not intended as a technical support question in any way whatsoever and am not sure how you could have percieved it as such.  

in the gearslutz forum some are saying the punch and reaction is not as quick as some native plug-ins on the market.  Is this true?

I was under the understanding that the tiger sharc processors in the UAD 2 cards are the best for plug-ins but gearslutz members are telling me PCs have better processors for plug-ins now.  HUH?   And they are saying that that modern CPUs vastly outperform UAD cards, which means that the talented developers of UAD have much less to work with to build their emulations than native developers.   But wait a second…. I thought those tiger sharc dsps were the best for signal processing.  I am totally lost here.

For the money spent on UAD, which i have still been reluctant to do, it sure as hell better be the best possible processing available for audio signals.   So now with the majority of the gearslutz community going all gung-ho on native,  is that because there is now a disadvantage to UAD cards?

[MouseClickDrummer]

How fast are the compressors?  

[MouseClickDrummer]

Well after a while with it, the Eventide is great on FX and EQs, but I’m looking for a more dedicated mastering solution at this point.

Does anyone know for mastering how the UAD card stuff compares to those digital mastering machines from Weiss and TC that cost many thousands of dollars?  Are they as high end?  because the UAD stuff apparently runs on Tiger Sharc DSP which is supposed to be super duper. 

Please advise if possible.  

[MouseClickDrummer]

How are you getting such good sound with your Axe FX?  What converter are you using?  I can’t get that kind of sound with mine.  Mine sounds like a blanket is covering it when i try to emulate my favorite tones.  And if I add highs, it sounds too shrill.   

[MouseClickDrummer]

yeah actually I have decided to instead invest in something else – i would rather just run any processing to an eventide H8000FW through firewire.

And boy am I very satisfied among a new discovery about my researching this unit – I found out that the format of this firewire stream as a visual plug-in representation of the hardware controls coming up in your DAW – is only available in RTAS format – .   And since I happen to use this format, as a result of this news i am waiting for my HK! Which apparently also has killer converters in and out for 8 channels or something like that, and a premium mastering unit (at least among DSP-based mastering units).

So basically,  I am done with plug-ins including waves because I am under the belief that this is going to sound HUGE!  But I could be wrong.  Although I know what an eclipse sounded like when I heard that, and the HKs are supposed to sound 40% better.

here is a screenshot:

http://www.eventide.com/AudioDivision/Products/PlugIns/%7E/media/Images/Eventide/Audio/Products/Plugin%20screenshots/EControlScreenshot.ashx

[MouseClickDrummer]

Ok so I finally got the Axe FX.  Solid industry standard amp modeling, but does anyone find the multi-effects a bit weak?

I dont know…  i mean, perfect capability in this unit to copy all my favorite tones, but for the heavy fx-ed presets, it just sounds a bit thin.  Especially when many effects are used (and existing multi-fx presets).

I dont think they put a whole lot of effort into the engine of effects.   I still think in the end I need an eventide for that part.  

Any opinions on this matter?  Because even going through a rosetta, the effects, while having a sort of 50s piece of gear sound to them… i think they need to be bigger… maybe they were just going for some kind of washed out analog sound…  nothing wrong with that but i need bigger FX..

[MouseClickDrummer]

you are likely EQ-ing too much bass or treble into it…  i realized this when I realized I was EQ-ing for more of a big  live sound….  you have to go easy on the treble for proper albums… and bring down the individual variation levels from the individual pad variation adjusters

[MouseClickDrummer]

yeah christmas was early and very nice to me this year.  great deal on waves!   i just hope waves can compete with UAD stuff.

lol

[MouseClickDrummer]

uhh… the stillwell has no RTAS.    

[MouseClickDrummer]

oh ok so outboard gear?   so convert it and then send it out to tube compressors and then re-convert it?

uh ok… but can you think of something digital remaining in pro tools instead?  since the Axe FX has modeled analog tube guitar amps so perfect, and since the virus has made a hyper realistic form of analog synth modeling… surely there must be some digital technology that has modeled a valve compressor… waves stuff maybe? 

I am getting word on some UAD cards elsewhere, but so far i have learned they have that vintage vibe… i am not sure if that vintage vibe what I am looking for but maybe… softened, analog, but modern, with diffusion around the edges… like the rounded quality of the Audio Technica 4047 mic…. hard to explain…  but i guess like something in a dream… which is why those diffusion filters in soap operas are placed on the lens.

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