AXE I/O SOLO amp out problem

[carl.galilee]

Doubt support will be able to resolve this and I'm not holding my breath for there to be a firmware update to address it either considering how long it's been a thing.

I had exactly the same results with Axe I/O (non usb powered) on latest firmware doing a loopback test (-20dB lower)

I've ended up using Line out and dedicated re-amp box, but you could run through a DAW and adjust the levels to amp out that way.

[JeffDull84]

Hi guys.
I found the problem at least for me. I’m using a Mac and the desktop volume control has to be at the maximum. I don’t know why the Mac volume has influence of the amp output but it has. Try it out.

[johanvg]

Has this problem ever been solved? I cannot get the amp out signal at the same level as my guitar signal that I put into the interface. Thanks

[Peter_IK]

Same answer as the other thread, this one is and old thread too with no suggestions from other users so please open at ticket with IK Support via https://www.ikmultimedia.com/contact-support/hw and they will assist you officially and directly. Thank you.

[carlaz]

I ran into the same problem with my AXE I/O today (I never tried to re-amp before). My readings show that the output level of the Amp Out is actually about 20dB lower than what I put into the AXE I/O. The unit is not "mirroring" the DI signal to the Amp Out when you engage that option on In 1 in the controller software as advertised in the video linked above by Peter. The same readings were confirmed using DIs from multitrack sessions and by sending a sine wave (1kHz) from Cubase to the Amp Out and from there looping back into any of the two inputs. I am on firmware 1.10. I did a screen to gif capture that shows the problem. Strangely, the LED for the Amp Out suggests that the unit is mirroring the DI, but as you can see In 2 receives a signal that is about 20dB lower, no wonder the sound of the amp I fed it into sounded lifeless and weak ...
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/36wu20i0 ... oulcj&dl=0

Did you ever get a solution to this issue?

I've just tried re-amping with the AXE I/O (the big unit, not the Solo) for the first time today, and I have a similar problem. Yes, my AXE I/O control panel seems up to date (1.2.1 2A21), and yes, the AXE I/O firmware seems up to date (1.10).

In my DAW (Logic Pro), the DI guitar track (recording through the AXE I/O Input 1 with Input Gain set to 0) peaks at -8.7 dB according to Logic's meters. When I send it through Output 5 (Amp Out, with the gain slider all the way up at -0 dB), the AXE I/O Control Panel output meter for the Amp Out seems hover around -25 to -30 dB. If I route a cable from Output 5 on the AXE I/O directly back to either Input 1 or Input 2 (with their Input Gains set to 0 dB), the AXE I/O Control Panel input meters for those channels seems to hover around -40 to -45 dB (!) while Logic's own meter for the input track still peaks at -37.4 dB!

Not surprisingly, trying to re-amp such an apparently weak signal from the Amp Out to is kind of useless.

I suppose I should file a ticket with IK Support in any case, but I wonder if they found a solution for you, since this seems likely to be the same problem that I am having.

I wonder if I would get better results by going from one of the AXE I/O's line-outs on the back to a 3rd-party "re-amp box"?

Anyway, interested to hear if there is a solution (or even an explanation).

[DaveFlave1275]

I found that the AMP OUT volume is tied to the Sample Rate. Anything above 48k and your volume is going to be lower than unity. It's SUPER low at 192k.

[carlaz]

Though in my case, at least, the sample rate in the AXE I/O Control Panel and in my DAW is set to 44.1 kHz. I could, in theory, pick a higher sample rate -- but not a lower one.

What is also interesting (based on further testing): If I use the "To Amp Out" feature in the AXE I/O Control Panel for Input 1, and the AXE I/O Control Panel meters show both Input 1 and Amp Out peaking just below -6 dB when I strum my guitar into Input 1 (with +/-0 Input Gain), which is about what I expect, routing the signal from Amp Out directly back to Input 2 -- which, in theory, should then also be peaking just below -6 dB on its AXE I/O Control Panel meter -- shows the signal instead peaking closer to -30 db, certainly not more than -25 dB.

This is not a "bad cable" issue; swapping around my cables results in no change to this behavior.

Rather, it is as if the AXE I/O Control Panel meter for Amp Out is showing the expected output signal (identical to the signal coming into Input 1), but not the actual output signal (as measured by that signal going back into Input 2). It seems like the signal coming out of Amp Out is, in fact, much lower than it "should" be. Very odd!

I have, though, submitted an IK Support ticket by this point. Fingers crossed that they can solve this vexing problem!

[petetodd1]

Same problem here with AXE I/O Solo. Test signal that reads -12dB direct only reads -29dB when fed into Input 1 and out via Amp Out. The AXE I/O control panel shows both Input 1 and Amp Out as exactly the same level at -12dB. Sample rate set to 44.1kHz in the control panel.

I have submitted a support ticket and await a response.

[carlaz]

I have to say that although I filed a support ticket on 01 September 2024, it's now 10 September 2024, and I cannot see that I have received a response. I have written again to IK Support to ask about the status of my ticket in case any actual response went MIA (though I did not find one in my spam filters, etc.).

[carlaz]

OK, my email asking "what happened to my support ticket" after 9 days did prompt a reply, though the entire relevant content read: "The main AMP out will not he the next gain stage as the input gain levels, its will be alittle less in DB. Depending on how much reduction you are getting here, its normal that its not quite as hot."

I guess the errors prove that I at least got an answer from a real human and not an AI bot!

Anyway, although I have to say that a signal approximately -20 dB lower from Amp Out than into either Input seems considerably more than "not quite as hot" I also get the feeling that, even if this is problem remains a "known issue", there is no current solution. I will see if I get any helpful further response, but ... I'm not holding my breath.

Obviously, such a weak signal from Amp Out is not really practical for re-amping! I think I'll just get myself a trad "re-amp" box and try that on a "traditional" line-out from the AXE I/O or one of my other interfaces.

Although it's been stated that previous/current firmware updates have tried to address issues with the Amp Out signal, perhaps even more future firmware issues attempting to deal with this would be called for.

[carlaz]

Just to provide fair reporting, I should add that IK Support did get back to me, asking if I could show them the problem. I sent them screenshots of the AXE I/O app/firmware versions, a photo of the AXE I/O front panel, and screen-capture videos showing the difference between what the meters in the AXE I/O Control Panel say are going into Input 1 and mirror out of Amp Out and what the measured signal from Amp Out routed back into Input 2 actually is (i.e., pretty much 18 dB lower!). I can compensate for that by cranking the gain on Input 2 about halfway or a little more, but 1) that's not a very precise measure, and 2) it doesn't change the fact that the signal from Amp Out seems much lower than what Amp Out is advertising, making the signal direct from Amp Out effectively useless for re-amping. (You would have to basically insert a "guesstimated" +18 dB boost in front of your amp/pedalboard!)

While making the various screen-capture videos, I also noticed an issue in which the "real" signal from Amp Out would in fact drop to an almost unmeasureable level coming back into Input 2 (unless the Input 2 gain was basically cranked to the max). This issue could be "fixed" by cycling the power on the AXE I/O, after which the behavor would revert to "normal" (i.e., with the "real" signal level from Amp Out about 18 dB lower than expected).

I sent all my screen captures etc. to IK Support -- and if I've done soemthing horribly wrong, hopefully they will spot it and tell me! -- though all of this feels like ongoing firmware issues to me.

I guess I'll wait for their response.

[carlaz]

It took some time, but I did receive another response from IK Support.

This time, the (somewhat cryptic) message read: "Its not going to the the same input level in the amp out, as that will lower and instrument level."

Again, the errors suggest I am at least communicating with a real human though I did write back asking for clarification.

Nevertheless, it seems to me that the intended message is that, even if I have selected the “TO AMP OUT” option, which (according to the AXE I/O manual, p. 23) "routes the Instrument Input 1 to directly to the Amp Out”, the signal actually output from Amp Out will nevertheless always be lower than the signal entering Instrument Input 1. That is, the signal is not, in fact, routed directly from Instrument Input 1 to Amp Out, but actually reduced before leaving Amp Out. In other words, it seems like one cannot really re-amp by using the signal from Amp Out (as the AXE I/O manual seems to imply in section 2.1, p. 11) because it will always be (much!?) lower than the recorded signal (or any signal that entered Insturment Input 1 or 2).

Or, at least, this is what I understand from the (not wholly clear) response from Ik Support. Admittedly, I may have misinterpreted the message -- though can anyone else think of any other way to interpret it?

[petetodd1]

Thanks for the update carlaz. I eventually received a very brief response to my support request.

"The amp out will be lower volume than the input volume. It is not the same as the input."

I think you are right. Amp Out will never work as advertised.

[carlaz]

It does rather seem that way.

Well, I've got a 3rd-part re-amp box on the way. Once it arrives I'll try doing this the "traditional" way: running out from one of the line-outs on the back, into the re-amp box, and thence to the pedalboard/amp (and ultimately back to the AXE I/O Instrument Inputs).

[ashasha3]

Not to hijack this thread, but I'm running the latest firmware and drivers and using the amp output does not work as expected.

For some reason the amp out level is affected by the audio 1 output slider (going to my monitors). I was under the impression that the amp out is a copy of the input and that the amp slider would adjust that level and the level would be independent of the audio 1 output level.

Am I not understanding how this works or am I doing something wrong?

From the manual:

AMP OUT - this is a fifth 1/4” physical unbalanced, floating output with selectable ground lift (controlled with software). It’s independent from main Outputs 1-2 and 3-4. This output is specifically designed to allow the interface to feed guitar amps or stomps without the typically associated risk or hum or buzz noises caused by ground loops or mismatched levels and impedances.