Digidesign Eleven Rack

[emperor_black]

I read on some forums that the Axe-fx sounds best with regular audio speakers. many buyers at first seemed confused because the axe-fx was not sounding that good through a clean channel of a tube amp & cab setup. First of all, is that true? And secondly, is the eleven also the same? ...that it needs regular audio speakers? I think the Avid guy is playing through PC speakers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h41YtCBh9Q

[Rupe]

A buddy of mine grabbed one of these. First chance we get we're going to get together. I want to hear this thing!

Looking forward to the review!

[nateb]

I read on some forums that the Axe-fx sounds best with regular audio speakers. many buyers at first seemed confused because the axe-fx was not sounding that good through a clean channel of a tube amp & cab setup. First of all, is that true? And secondly, is the eleven also the same? ...that it needs regular audio speakers? I think the Avid guy is playing through PC speakers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h41YtCBh9Q

I don't understand why someone would try to do that. That is like running a pre-amp into a pre-amp. If anything, they should have just hooked into the return of the effects loop and left it at that. Then you would be bypassing the pre-section of the amp.

Also, it is true that if you plug into FRFR speakers(not just regular ol' speakers), it sounds amazing. I prefer to run the non-traditional way of a running a stereo rig thoguh a VHT power amp. I love it and would have a hard time changing. You are allowed to disable the poweramp or speaker simulations or go as far as import your own Cab IR's if you are using a FRFR setup.

I have looked a little bit into the eleven rack but, there doesnt seem to be a downloadable manual to look at so I cannot be absolutely sure. It doesn't appear that it will give you the depth that the Axe-FX gives you when it comes to Amp-sims or effects. The Axe-FX lets you get down to the biasing and transformer modification level and also allows you to modify effects equally as deep. That doesn't say that one sounds better then the other because as earlier stated, that is all subjective. The Axe-FX is just a tweekers paradise that sounds incredible.

It really comes down to personal opinion rather then sitting around trying to justify their latest purchase. Whatever works for you.

The one thing I will say though is that the Axe-FX developers are just great. Cliff is just the shit! one thing I have notice from companies like Line6, ODigidesign, TC Electronics is that once a product is out the door, that is it. There is not really too many updates to fix bugs or improve the quality of the released product. Cliff does constant updates, takes on suggestions from the users, finds easy workarounds, and generally listens to his customers. He is also a guitarist and he uses his own product. He wants happy people.

-Nate

[Hellbat]

The one thing I will say though is that the Axe-FX developers are just great. Cliff is just the shit! one thing I have notice from companies like Line6, ODigidesign, TC Electronics is that once a product is out the door, that is it. There is not really too many updates to fix bugs or improve the quality of the released product. Cliff does constant updates, takes on suggestions from the users, finds easy workarounds, and generally listens to his customers.

This is what has me gassing for an axe-fx more than anything. What he needs to do is add a product that has all the power and features of the pro but in the price range below what the current entry level is selling for. Call it the Lite model or something and use skimpier quality DACS and such and target it like a 'prosumer' product. With the way processors advance these days he should be able to source an equivalent to the current product for a lot less.

Also the only thing that concerns me about the time he spends on it is what if a new design could offer many advantages (Price, speed, design) but he just plain doesn't have time to design it because he is still tweaking the old one 5, 10 years later...

[emperor_black]

Thanks Nate!

[bombtek]

I read on some forums that the Axe-fx sounds best with regular audio speakers. many buyers at first seemed confused because the axe-fx was not sounding that good through a clean channel of a tube amp & cab setup. First of all, is that true? And secondly, is the eleven also the same? ...that it needs regular audio speakers? I think the Avid guy is playing through PC speakers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h41YtCBh9Q

I know that this has nothing to do with AxeFx or Avid, but it was something that I noticed for the 1st time the other day.

I found a set of powered computer speakers that included a subwoofer ar a pawn shop $12.
I thought about what I had heard people say about the effect a guitar amp has on their AxeFx as opposed to using studio monitors. I remembered my almost forgotten RP50 pedal that I've had forever, but never used because I did not like its tone through my amplifiers.

I bought the PC speaker setup and brought it home. had the correct cable to hook the RP50 to the PC speaker setup, plugged everything in and started playing.

Those speakers and subwoofer made that little RP50 a different machine. The tones were GREAT.

If that worked for an elcheapo processor like the RP50, I can only imagine what a difference good quality studio monitors would make for a professional piece of gear such as axeFx or Avid's Digidesign Eleven.

If you really want to hear the tones that the digital gear is producing, I really think that you need to use something along the lines of powered studio monitors.

[emperor_black]

Of course! What you say comes as no surprise to me at all. I had the Boss GT-8 and some of its best tones were discovered when I connected it to my panasonic audo speakers which came with an old boombox. The speakers were ported and had incredible bass.

But in a band situation, like everyone else, I tried to play the gt-8 through carvin power amp and through a 4x12. Even though the cab sims were off, it still sounded thin and lifeless and sadly ended up on the bay.

what's surprising is that only after shelling out the $2K for the unit do people realize the fact that it needs something like the FSFS speakers and not regular cabs. *thinking out loud* maybe I should get a beat-up POD XT live or something, get those FSFS speakers and check out the tones.:idea:

[nateb]

The only thing about PC speakers is that they color the tone to all hell. They add a lot of bass and have a different range. But, you know, if you are only using them just as a practice device, what the hell man you just scored =)

-Nate

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

This is a great solution for someone like me who is more interested in recording than live. Sure, you can use the Axe-FX with some other audio interface and/or software, but the way this integrates with Pro Tools is just about unbeatable.

[bombtek]

The only thing about PC speakers is that they color the tone to all hell. They add a lot of bass and have a different range. But, you know, if you are only using them just as a practice device, what the hell man you just scored =)

-Nate

If those PC speakers are coloring the tone man, they should box it up and sell it to Crayola, because that is one helluva nice color.

Seriously, they might be coloring the tone, but I can guarantee you that it sounds 10x better than running it through my amp. I wish I had some way to show the difference, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

[bombtek]

Of course! What you say comes as no surprise to me at all. I had the Boss GT-8 and some of its best tones were discovered when I connected it to my panasonic audo speakers which came with an old boombox. The speakers were ported and had incredible bass.

But in a band situation, like everyone else, I tried to play the gt-8 through carvin power amp and through a 4x12. Even though the cab sims were off, it still sounded thin and lifeless and sadly ended up on the bay.

what's surprising is that only after shelling out the $2K for the unit do people realize the fact that it needs something like the FSFS speakers and not regular cabs. *thinking out loud* maybe I should get a beat-up POD XT live or something, get those FSFS speakers and check out the tones.:idea:

I'm thinking of snapping up a few of these types of processors now to see what they'll sound like. I know that the RP50 is pretty much bottom of the barrel and would like to hear some of the others.

GT-8
One of the higher end RP's
POD
V-Amp

A few of these can be had for cheap on the bay.

I might even look into getting a true studio monitor speaker as well.