So I can retire now? No more amps?

[chrisolson]

I'm getting a AxeFx today. It better be good...

I got a call yesterday from a buddy who owns a local Music Go Round asking me if I wanted in. At first, a resounding "NO", since I have an Eleven Rack, and I just spent entirely too much on a Charvel this week. Then I thought about it -- I have a pair of G&L Rampages that I won't be using with the quiver of WDM's I have...and then there's the Pod...

I was running through the list of all the amps it has last night - impressive. I'll probably use three. I'm very interested in the fact is has the Marsha, and the Shiva...I'm really looking forward to those two -- if they're as good as I've heard, maybe I won't have to use the Soldano models for everything any more!!

So with all this said, unlike the rest of the Axe users around here, I PROMISE that I won't inject, "Hey - you should just get the Axe cuz its the 'mostest awsomest schizzle-rific' amp ever made!!" into every single amp thread that comes up.

I'll also try to add a THIS vs. THAT review of the Axe & 11R once I have some time with the Axe.

I'm looking forward to it. The guy I'm getting the Axe from has been using one for a number of years, and recently moved up to the Ultra. I'm sure he'll be able to give me quite a few tips, which will hopefully speed up the learning curve a bit.

[Trypp Powell]

I have both, and they are great units for the price points they are at. Personally, I find the amp models to be equally usable in both units. I approach modeling differently than many players. There are six sounds I use, and I work any amp/preamplifier/processor I own to get as close as possible to those six sounds. For those six core sounds, I can get both units to sound exactly alike. The big difference, and where the Axe shines is adding additional effects and colors.

The 11r is more fairly compared to the Pod type devices, and it is a significant improvement. I had the Ultra first, and when my 001 died, picking up the 11r as a ProTools interface seemed logical.

[RacerX]

Congrats, Chris, keep us apprised.

[chrisolson]

Congrats, Chris, keep us apprised.

It's awesome...and that's just the presets!

[Hellraiser6502]

I want one too...but i can't find one to buy!

Never have I had a problem FINDING anything like this thing....

[RacerX]

Here ya go, Curt: http://www.fractalaudio.com/purchase-fractal.html

[chrisolson]

Don't be afraid of the standard. That's what I picked up. Since I don't gig, it's just fine for my needs, as well as the needs of my friends who do gig.

[nateb]

My advise to you....

1) Make sure it is updated to the latest firmware.
2) Spend time to make sure that you have it set up properly
3) Ask questions. Especially if you are not getting what you want out of it. It is a lot to absorb.

-Nate

[chrisolson]

Thanks, Nate. I'm a little's annoyed that it doesn't have a USB port for updates, so I'm going to buy a $40 USB >> MIDI cable tonight. I was told it had the latest, but I guess that was not the case. Oh well... Yeah, I've found more often than not that bad sound is due to incorrect setup, so I'll spend a lot of time making sure it's all good.

[nateb]

It would be nice to have a USB on that thing but... midi works well enough. I am running an UNO on windows 7-64 using the microsoft supplied driver and I have no problems at all.

I found that the easiest way to start off with it was just using a VHT 2:90:2 with guitar cabs and just turn off all the simulations. I figured I wrapped my head around that setup so, I grabbed an ART SLA-2 and turned on the power amp sims to see what that was like. It's interesting not running on auto-pilot with this thing. It really lets you hang yourself tonewise. I already learned a couple of times that you need to save your work in progress =). Axe-Edit is a fantastic editor.

-Nate

[chrisolson]

I'll definitely use the editor. That was about the only way I was able to do anything on my GSP, and it was really easy to use - none of the scrolling around through the damn menus, and I can already tell that will get annoying on the Axe.

I'll be using mine with a Rocktron Velocity 300 and a Marshall 1960B.

[jgcable]

Hey Chris, congratz.. but let me correct you.. you are still going to need amps because what you just bought is some fancy computer hardware and software!!

I'll still say that a Mesa Triple Rectifier would shit all over anything any person on the planet could dial up with one of those Ax FX units live.

[Chad]

I knew from the title that this was going to be an AxeFx thread before I even opened it.

[Trypp Powell]

Are you planning to run it FRFR? Both units definitely sound better in a FRFR setup. I've had good luck with powered QSC's.

[chrisolson]

Are you planning to run it FRFR? Both units definitely sound better in a FRFR setup. I've had good luck with powered QSC's.

Not sure what FRFR is... I'm just a home rocker, so I'm running it through a Rocktron Velocity 300 into a Marshall 1960B.

I bought the USB>MIDI thing today - http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MIDISPORT1x1.html. I only had one cable though (I found out too late to get back to the store), so I tried to update, but it didn't work. I'll get a second MIDI cable tomorrow & try again.

John - yeah...it's already frustrating just like a computer. I'll get it though.