devices · Axe-Fx II · learn · 02 of 08 · 6 min

making a sound, correctly

Plug in, hear something, and get the two settings right that decide whether the whole thing sounds broken or fine.

the one thing

Guitar into Input 1. Cab block on into anything full-range, off into a real guitar speaker.

input 1, not the others

Fractal put their instrument front end, Secret Sauce, on Input 1 only. Every other input is line level. A guitar plugged into one of those makes a sound, but not the one the amp models were built around.

the cab block rule

A cab block simulates a speaker cabinet with a microphone in front of it. It belongs in the chain whenever what you are listening on has no guitar speaker of its own—headphones, a full-range powered speaker, the desk, your computer.

It does not belong when the signal ends in a real guitar cabinet, because then you have two speakers stacked. That sounds muffled and small, and no EQ fixes it.

now plug it into your rig

Once you know what right sounds like, work out what your setup needs.

rig setup

What are you plugging into?
cab sim

leave it on

You're feeding a full-range system, so the Axe-Fx II has to supply the speaker.

still a capable studio processor.

front panel and Axe-Edit, straight into monitors, with USB alongside.

Hook it up
  1. 01
    Guitar Front INSTRUMENT IN
  2. 02
    OUTPUT 1 XLR Monitors or interface
  3. 03
    USB Computer
Set it up
cab block
On
INPUT 1 LEFT SELECT
FRONT, or the front jack does nothing

real amps, each read from its schematic, ready for your Axe-Fx II.

presets for your Axe-Fx II →