Axion v1.1.0 is out. This release expands the pedalboard from 13 to 24 effects and lets you place them before the amp, in its effects loop or after the cab. All 24 pedals are available on the free tier.
Where a pedal goes matters
Previously, every effect sat in front of the amp. That works well for a drive pedal, but it also meant reverb tails and delay repeats were being pushed through the amp's distortion. On a high-gain rig, things could get crowded quickly.
The board now has three zones, with amp and cab markers between them. Drag a pedal across a marker to change its position, or add one directly to the zone you want. You can keep a drive up front, put modulation in the loop and let reverb ring out after the speaker.
Saved presets retain their existing pedal positions. The factory presets have been revisited to make use of the new routing.
Eleven new ways to shape a sound
The additions are Screamer, Tape Echo, Spring Reverb, Wah, Graphic EQ, Uni-Vibe, Rotary, Doubler, Octave, Swell and Lo-Fi. They cover everything from tightening a high-gain amp and shaping a troublesome frequency to drifting echoes, rotating speakers and deliberately rough textures.
Eight new factory presets bring the built-in collection to 19. They're a useful starting point for hearing the new pedals in context: try Uni-Vibe Drift, Double Tracked or Broken Radio, then pull the rig apart and make it your own.
Tempo sync now reaches nine pedals on Pro. Seven pedals also gain a parallel Mix control, letting you blend the effect with the dry signal to keep some clean attack or body underneath.
Easier to use, steadier to play
On desktop, the pedalboard and the amp and cab controls now occupy separate rows. The pedal browser has categories and search, and pedal colours identify effect families. Narrow screens keep their vertical layout.
There are fixes throughout the audio engine and app too, including long-loop dropouts, input trim being lost when switching amp types, and a tuner that couldn't reach an eight-string guitar's low F#. Compressor levels now match between browser and native builds; presets dialled in the desktop app or plugin with compression may consequently play louder.
If you automate the plugin's Preset parameter in VST3, those lanes need redrawing because the factory preset list has grown. CLAP isn't affected by that change. The full changelog covers the fixes and compatibility details.
Try the new board
Open Axion at axion.cab to try v1.1.0 in the browser, or visit the download page for the desktop app and plugin. Start with a factory preset, move a pedal across the amp or cab marker, and hear what its position does to the sound.