Fractal Talk

[Orvillain]

I solved all of this by not having any custom presets in the two or so years I've owned my Axe3!

 

[FractalAudio]

Yeah, but I don't think it has anything to do with being a beta; I haven't seen any bug reports.

I think it's because it's yet another amp modeling change, which brings up all this confusing soft/hard reset crap, and then something about, even if you grab a new amp for a 'made-from-scratch' preset, it retains old settings. WHAT?

I think someone said even if you make a new preset, and want to new algorithms, you need to do a hard reset. But didn't I just DO that by choosing a new amp?

See, I'm confused. But fortunately, I don't really care this time around, cuz I'm really getting to feel, How much better can it really be?

They are confused.

The amp modeling is using the new algorithms always.

There are, however, new default values for certain parameters. When you reset the amp block (either hard or soft) those new default values are loaded. They are NOT loaded when using existing presets. If you make a preset from scratch the new defaults are used.

For example, the new default Cathode Follower Compression might be, say, 77%. In an existing preset it might be 74%. If you recall that existing preset the value will be 74%. If you reset the amp block it will change to 77%.

There are many hidden parameters that are updated regardless. No reset is required.

I am thinking that I might make the release firmware update all parameters to default values.

 

[yek]

I am thinking that I might make the release firmware update all parameters to default values.

Ehh, you mean all "updated parameters": power tube grid bias, cathode follower, supply sag?

 

[FractalAudio]

Ehh, you mean all "updated parameters": power tube grid bias, cathode follower, supply sag?

Yes.

 

[Mongillo19]

Please not here too

 

[Aleksi]

How about a parameter randomizer for the sweetest toans?

 

[GTR37]

Please not here too

Well if FAS controls it that should end the conversation
I think that’s a positive thing

 

[Whizzinby]

I am thinking that I might make the release firmware update all parameters to default values.

 

[yek]

Yes.

Seems like the right way to do so.

 

[State of Epicicity]

I'm pushing for a way to export a block's settings to text.

I know you can use FracTool to export a preset's block settings to a csv. I did that a while ago to compare some presets.

 

[aflynt]

The problem is that would only update parameters for presets currently loaded in the AxeFX. There are also presets loaded with import and the block library.

Instead, you could take those parameters away from the UI and the firmware would always use the new default values. There would be a tiny percentage of users that cares about adjusting those parameters, but you're proposing overriding their settings in presets anyway, so you might as well just take control over those parameters and make things easier for everybody, including yourself.

Nooooooooooooooo!

I want ALL the parameters, plus a virtual soldering iron and component library.

-Aaron

 

[State of Epicicity]

And I should mention that there is a totally unexpected update for FracTool released today!

 

[State of Epicicity]

I'm pushing for a way to export a block's settings to text. Or all the blocks in a preset.

This really stuck in my mind, so I had to open FracTool to remember exactly how to do this. First backup your bank of presets using Fractal-Bot. Now, on the main screen of FracTool, click View and open your backup file; it will now open as a list of the presets. Right-Click on your desired preset and select View preset's layout, which will open a new screen looking much like Axe-Edit. Click Preset, then Export to CSV.

 

[laxu]

Instead, you could take those parameters away from the UI and the firmware would always use the new default values. There would be a tiny percentage of users that cares about adjusting those parameters, but you're proposing overriding their settings in presets anyway, so you might as well just take control over those parameters and make things easier for everybody, including yourself.

If you have given a functionality, you can usually never take it away without a lot of pushback.

To me the right way would be an automated migration process.

• Track parameter default value changes between firmwares.
  • Could be generated from current fw default values before new one is installed, so e.g fw 12.00 -> 25.00 is no problem.
    • Something like an "amp model ID -> param ID -> old fw default value" map.
    • Stored somewhere that is not overwritten by firmware update.
  • This might end up being a lot of data though (X params * Y amp models), but maybe it can be discarded once it's successfully applied?
• When a new fw gets installed, after reboot, update presets:
  • Start with "fresh" amp blocks with the latest fw values.
  • Set the amp model for each channel to the one stored in the preset.
  • Go through saved preset parameter values:
    • If the parameter value is the previous fw default value or new fw current value, do nothing.
    • If the parameter value is something else, apply it to the "fresh" amp channel because it's user adjusted.

For presets imported after the fw update, maybe Axe-Edit can do the preset conversion instead? Provided there's some tracking for what fw was used when it was exported.

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

Cliff doesn't give a shit about your presets. He's obsessed with improving his product. That's a paradigm that I've been on board with since 2007. The people unhappy with that might need to reassess their options.
Plenty of devices available that pretty much sound the same as they did 5 years ago. Cliff has done a major modelling engine update 3 times since then. Seriously, update, don't update. Sell the fucking thing if you're unhappy. But most of us have been around long enough to know the deal.

 

[GTR37]

Cliff doesn't give a shit about your presets. He's obsessed with improving his product. That's a paradigm that I've been on board with since 2007. The people unhappy with that might need to reassess their options.
Plenty of devices available that pretty much sound the same as they did 5 years ago. Cliff has done a major modelling engine update 3 times since then. Seriously, update, don't update. Sell the fucking thing if you're unhappy. But most of us have been around long enough to know the deal.

To some extent yes but he does care for example a while back it was being discussed virtually swapping tubes
Let’s say you want to put EL34 in a MKV or 5881 in a JCM800 , there are a lot of things that would change if you did that, bias etc etc
But in order to have that authentic behaviour Cliff said it would wreck people’s presets so yes it matters sometimes depending on the extent of the changes I think

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

If you have given a functionality, you can usually never take it away without a lot of pushback.

To me the right way would be an automated migration process.

• Track parameter default value changes between firmwares.
  • Could be generated from current fw default values before new one is installed, so e.g fw 12.00 -> 25.00 is no problem.
    • Something like an "amp model ID -> param ID -> old fw default value" map.
    • Stored somewhere that is not overwritten by firmware update.
  • This might end up being a lot of data though (X params * Y amp models), but maybe it can be discarded once it's successfully applied?
• When a new fw gets installed, after reboot, update presets:
  • Start with "fresh" amp blocks with the latest fw values.
  • Set the amp model for each channel to the one stored in the preset.
  • Go through saved preset parameter values:
    • If the parameter value is the previous fw default value or new fw current value, do nothing.
    • If the parameter value is something else, apply it to the "fresh" amp channel because it's user adjusted.

For presets imported after the fw update, maybe Axe-Edit can do the preset conversion instead? Provided there's some tracking for what fw was used when it was exported.

I get where you're coming from really. Whenever there's a major update, I just reset the amp channel, twist a few knobs and dial it in. I've watched a lot of Leon's vids, and he gets killer tones in seconds. The minutia that paralyzes people with this stuff is kind of amusing. It seems to me that once you are fluent in dialing in tone with Fractal, you can get a new patch right in the pocket in very short order. Overwhelming evidence that when Cliff says there are improvements, they are.

 

[iaresee]

This really stuck in my mind, so I had to open FracTool to remember exactly how to do this. First backup your bank of presets using Fractal-Bot. Now, on the main screen of FracTool, click View and open your backup file; it will now open as a list of the presets. Right-Click on your desired preset and select View preset's layout, which will open a new screen looking much like Axe-Edit. Click Preset, then Export to CSV.

Yes, FracTool has had this for a time now. Al just updated FracTool to work with the latest firmware, so that's great. Before that update, it would have been unreliable to use it for this purpose.

However, I'm beginning to feel like this feature is table stakes and should be in the official editors. I don't want to rely on Al's generosity and time to be able to access this.

 

[laxu]

I get where you're coming from really. Whenever there's a major update, I just reset the amp channel, twist a few knobs and dial it in. I've watched a lot of Leon's vids, and he gets killer tones in seconds. The minutia that paralyzes people with this stuff is kind of amusing. It seems to me that once you are fluent in dialing in tone with Fractal, you can get a new patch right in the pocket in very short order. Overwhelming evidence that when Cliff says there are improvements, they are.

I do the same thing, but I have a pretty small number of presets that I use regularly and the rest is "eh, don't care" stuff.

It's just a question of "How can I make sure I am getting the most out of this latest and greatest update?" for many. There's also people who have a ton of presets, so editing all of them can be a chore, even if they might have to do it anyway for fw 25. Axe-Edit has the batch reset function at least for this.

I'd be interested in how Line6 for example handles this. They never say anything about amp modeling updates but that doesn't mean they aren't doing them behind the scenes. In fact I'd be interested if Helix with firmware 1.0 vs 3.7 with the same settings and IR sounds different. I don't think I've ever seen that sort of comparison.

 

[Achilles]

Cliff doesn't give a shit about your presets. He's obsessed with improving his product. That's a paradigm that I've been on board with since 2007. The people unhappy with that might need to reassess their options.
Plenty of devices available that pretty much sound the same as they did 5 years ago. Cliff has done a major modelling engine update 3 times since then. Seriously, update, don't update. Sell the fucking thing if you're unhappy. But most of us have been around long enough to know the deal.

Did someone pee in your Cheerios this morning?