This is how close the Axe Fx II can get to a real EVH 5150III: which is which?

Which is Which?

  • A is EVH 5150III - B is Axe Fx II

    Votes: 4 20.0%

  • A is Axe Fx II - B is EVH 5150III

    Votes: 16 80.0%
  • Total voters
    20
FrancescoFiligoi

FrancescoFiligoi

Count Blastula
Nov 20, 2009
199
6
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Hi folks! Here's a test I recently did with my Axe Fx II, I'm trying to get as close as possible to an EVH 5150III 100W head that has been recently used to reamp guitars for my band.
Guitar used is a Bernie Rico Jr Hesperian 8 string with BKP Aftermaths.

Original chain consists of TS808 OD -> EVH 5150III Head -> Mesa Stiletto cab -> SM57/MD421/U47F mics -> Neve pres.

Axe Fx II chain is T808 -> 5153 Red -> Tonematch Block, consisting of all three mics captured in one signal.

Since Soundcloud is butchering the audio quality, here is the original Wav: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5864881/Tonematch.wav



You're hearing the same riff two times, which one is the real amp and which is the Axe Fx? :)

 
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That is really close dude!
Of course there is a difference, but cant tell wich is wich for sure.
 
Can't say which is which but there is something in the highs in the first one that i don't like after hearing it several times.
 
Both sound very good imo. Would like to hear them in a full mix ... on their own i can't really decide which one i like more.
 
There is a difference, nothing night and day where it'd make you think "real vs. emulation."

The first one is airier for lack of better term and the second one has more knock to it; cab resonance. I will say the first one is Axe.
 
Not that I'm an expert on the subject matter but I believe the first one is the Amp, the second one is the Axe which has *slightly* more fizz.
 
Here's the answer folks: first is Axe Fx second is EVH!

I have to mention that I could get this close only by setting the same values on both EVH and Axe, if I changed Bass/Mid/Treble/Depth/Presence by 0.5 the difference would have been more perceivable. This means that the Axe is spot-on compared to its real counterpart.
Gain is a little different though, real version was at 8 and had to set the Axe at 4.7 or something like that, maybe if I disconnected the "Saturation" switch on the Axe it would have been 8 too, who knows.
Another reason why I could get this close is because both real amp and Axe were fed by the same guitar DI signal.

If I have to be honest, I still prefer the real amp: more open, less grainy on mids/high-mids, chugs push more, and more dynamic overall.

Anyway glad you liked it :)
 
It's soooooo damn close though. In a mix you'd never in a million years be able to hear a difference.

Listening back again on monitors and I can't hear a difference. On tiny laptop speakers I "thought" I heard a difference, but maybe I was totally wrong.

Impressive unit!!
 
bryan_kilco said:
It's soooooo damn close though. In a mix you'd never in a million years be able to hear a difference.

Listening back again on monitors and I can't hear a difference. On tiny laptop speakers I "thought" I heard a difference, but maybe I was totally wrong.

Impressive unit!!
Click to expand...

While I agree, on the other hand I'm sure the real amp track would handle EQ during mixing much better.
 
The actual flavor of the tone is spot on! The thing that gives amp sims away vs the real deal is the low end. It's hard to hear, but if you listen close, the EVH just breathes better in those frequencies. I've noticed this common trait among amp sims. They're soo close but they have to "push" just a little bit more vs they're counterparts.
 
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