Why isn't there a AXE-FX ULTRA+ yet?

[emperor_black]

I spent some time reading the AFX manual and visited the site. Maybe I missed it. The standard and ultra, came out what 3 yrs ago? In 3 yrs cost of memory & cpu processing power have gone down drastically. Why hasnt the ultra's specs become the new "standard" and ultra became something called ultra+?

The manual says that we can have 10 amps and 10 cabs running at the same time. What a wall of mess that would be in real life. :ROTF: Also, on the top of the page, it says "use two amps but only one cab and that will save you 10% CPU". Last week for my team, we created 5 virtual linux machines with dual-cores and 4 GB RAM each without even thinking about it twice. So, why hasn't the AXE's hardware changed in the last 3 yrs or so? Or has it?

Some might say "what the ultra has, that's more than enough". but what about the guys with Standard's? isnt the only reason they upgrade to ultra because it has more processing power?

[MOSHWITZ]

Sup?

Hell I'll take a stab at it...

I spent some time reading the AFX manual and visited the site. Maybe I missed it. The standard and ultra, came out what 3 yrs ago?

Yeah,, Something like that

In 3 yrs cost of memory & cpu processing power have gone down drastically. Why hasnt the ultra's specs become the new "standard" and ultra became something called ultra+?

Well,, that may hold true for a typical Home PC type rig, but doesn't really apply to the Axe-fx, as it is not based off of a typical home PC architecture being a Pentium or AMD processor + some sticks of ram thrown it. It runs on a TigerSharc Chip with embedded memory. plus,,,ALL,,,the other components are top quality also, So all things equal,,it doesn't come down to just the price of the Processor.

The manual says that we can have 10 amps and 10 cabs running at the same time. What a wall of mess that would be in real life. :ROTF:

I don't recall ever reading that in the manual, I'll have to look at mine again, But either way that is just not true. You can only run 2 amps at a time.


Also, on the top of the page, it says "use two amps but only one cab and that will save you 10% CPU".

This is true. You can add a stereo cab and basically have a different model on each side instead of running two cab blocks,, and mix to taste. Or you can have two amps into a single cab and mix to taste. then you still have room for when you need to add that quad stereo chorus, 16 band classic Vocoder and 40 tap mega delay

Last week for my team, we created 5 virtual linux machines with dual-cores and 4 GB RAM each without even thinking about it twice. So, why hasn't the AXE's hardware changed in the last 3 yrs or so? Or has it?

Short answer is,,It hasn't had had to. It is so far in front of its closest competitors, there is just no need yet. The regular Sharc processor that is in the line6 stuff cannot even run a single Axe-fx amp and cab. What would really be the point other than putting out another unit just to put out another unit,,,this is what all the big companies do to turn a buck on the next greatest thing,,an is totally NOT what Cliff is all about. What his thing is,,,is that he can still rewrite that software to make it run more efficient, while also adding more simulations of things making it even better at doing what it does,, and continues to do this for his customer base for..........................
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FREEEEEEEEEEEEE.

So why just put out a new product when this one is not tapped out yet? I'm sure when it gets to where there can be nothing else rewritten into it then we will see the next model appear. and maybe there will be something that is better than the TigerSharc chip for his choice of architecture

Technically some of the hardware has changed though. IIRC, the LCD screen has been upgraded, and I think the rotary knob has changed and I know that they went with a new painter for the silk screening due to some of the units having some of the lettering rubbing or flaking off.


Some might say "what the ultra has, that's more than enough". but what about the guys with Standard's? isnt the only reason they upgrade to ultra because it has more processing power?

No not necessarily.

With the ultra you also get extra blocks of certain effects and some that are exclusive to the Ultra like the Multiband Compressor, and some guys just don't need or want the extra stuff cause they may not ever use synth, or crossover or Vocoder or....."insert reason here."......

When it comes down to it, its not really just a more memory or faster processor thing. One thing that is cool though is we both still get the EXACT same Amp and Cabs, so no one is left out on the Standard unit as far as those sims go.
Here is the comparison chart for the differences between the two for quick reference.

http://axefxwiki.guitarlogic.org/index.php?title=Feature_comparison

MOSHON
DAVE

[emperor_black]

Thanks Dave!

I think I mistook the 10 user presets for cabs as 10 cabs. Damn ! :ROTF:

[Robert Burns]

Thats what sold me...sure it was a ton o dough..($2079.00) shipped, but
when i read about guys having version 4.8 or something, and now uploading my latest 9.02 version, i knew that in 3 years, i wouldnt have
to sell it. Just upgrade to version 15.8 by then! Thats the built in
Steve Vai tutorial hologram...where he sits beside you, and corrects you
until you have mastered all of his technique! LOL *that should be worth it...when its still ....wait for it...FREE !! :-)

[jgcable]

Thats what sold me...sure it was a ton o dough..($2079.00) shipped, but
when i read about guys having version 4.8 or something, and now uploading my latest 9.02 version, i knew that in 3 years, i wouldnt have
to sell it. Just upgrade to version 15.8 by then! Thats the built in
Steve Vai tutorial hologram...where he sits beside you, and corrects you
until you have mastered all of his technique! LOL *that should be worth it...when its still ....wait for it...FREE !! :-)

Wrong Rob, when version 15.8 comes out all you Axe Fx owners will be relearning how to play guitar again because you spent so much time tweaking and updating over the years you all became software geeks instead of guitar players!

[Trem]

Thanks Dave!

I think I mistook the 10 user presets for cabs as 10 cabs. Damn ! :ROTF:

And therein is the irony of programmers

[Robert Burns]

True...but even if i never tweaked it at all, and just stayed with the factory presets...maybe only adjusted the volume, and EQ...its still
twice the processor ive ever heard...anywhere! So im a happy camper. :-)))