Axe-FX II

[Jack Napalm]

I talked to Fractal's marketing department and they told me the reason there is so much demand.
They have an incredible marketing program. They advertise by placing their ads on pillow cases, hampers and night stands. This way they can get to 99% of their customer base. They gave me some inside engineering information too that I was sworn to secrecy on but I will share it with all my JCF brothers. They are working on a volume knob that only goes to 2 and can be used in a dorm room or in a room that is adjacent to where a baby is sleeping. I even have the code name for it. Its an acronym. Its called the
IHNIWMASLLALBIHNPWALBETIPTISJAGAARTA

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY AMP SOUND LIKE LIVE AND LOUD BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER PLAYED WITH A LIVE BAND EVEN THOUGH I PROFESS THAT IT SOUNDS JUST AS GOOD AS A REAL TUBE AMP.


Yeah for me!! Yeah for school!! Allright Hamilton!

I don't care who you are. That there is funny. And I own two AxeFx's now. Good thing I play out some.

[emperor_black]

yeah, we like to axe-tease john once in a while. Its ok John, its just an effects unit with a cherry on top, don't act like you've seen a ugly baby.

[Shawn Lutz]

I really need to hear one of these rigs live in a club. I heard that somebody has one because the sound guys in one of the clubs we play in were ranting and raving on how great it sounded and how easy it was to set up direct. The guy was using a FRFR powered cabinet and going direct.
Its the only time I ever heard of the AxeFX being used around here.
I love busting chops on this and I hope you guys don't take any of my posts about this too seriously. I am sure its a great rig because there are alot of JCFr's that I respect that use them.

John there are plenty of people using them live and not just in you their bedrooms. The world doesn't evolve around your neck of the woods so just because you personally have yet to see it live in you location doesn't mean no one is using them live.

I would probably try one live if I had it but since its moddelling amps I own why not use the real deal

[Trypp Powell]

If I remember correctly, the amp modeling was originally an afterthought on the original Fractal unit, and the first Axe Fx was aimed more at players who wanted an Eventide level device. I have an Ultra, which I use either as an FX unit for my 11r (the amps in the 11r sound and feel better to me) or in the fx loop of my amps.

The modeling stuff is fun (I also mess around with Guitar Rig since it came installed with NI Komplete on my Muse Receptor), but none of it can match a good tube rig in a cranked/on-stage situation. I've experimented with FRFR amplification for the Axe Fx and the 11r, but I have found playing the sound of a well recorded amp doesn't blend well in an actual playing situation.

Again, this is just my experience and preferences. For nearly twenty-five years I've been playing through amps which push a lot of air, and I'm not able to give up that visceral sound/feel. For kids who start off with Line6 and other modeling units, this will more than likely never be an issue. I can get the 11r/Axe Fx to sound much better when recording, but that is probably due to not owning multiple high end microphones or having an acoustically "proper" room.

[wilkinsi]

Screw this. I'm just gonna buy two amps instead.

[Animus]

If I remember correctly, the amp modeling was originally an afterthought on the original Fractal unit, and the first Axe Fx was aimed more at players who wanted an Eventide level device. I have an Ultra, which I use either as an FX unit for my 11r (the amps in the 11r sound and feel better to me) or in the fx loop of my amps.

The modeling stuff is fun (I also mess around with Guitar Rig since it came installed with NI Komplete on my Muse Receptor), but none of it can match a good tube rig in a cranked/on-stage situation. I've experimented with FRFR amplification for the Axe Fx and the 11r, but I have found playing the sound of a well recorded amp doesn't blend well in an actual playing situation.

Again, this is just my experience and preferences. For nearly twenty-five years I've been playing through amps which push a lot of air, and I'm not able to give up that visceral sound/feel. For kids who start off with Line6 and other modeling units, this will more than likely never be an issue. I can get the 11r/Axe Fx to sound much better when recording, but that is probably due to not owning multiple high end microphones or having an acoustically "proper" room.

well with a whole generation of kids growing up with mp3s, ipods and earbuds digitally modelled amps are the new "tube" amp.

[Hellbat]

well with a whole generation of kids growing up with mp3s, ipods and earbuds digitally modelled amps are the new "tube" amp.

Yeah those rectos are nice but they just don't capture the aliasing that my POD 3D-XT renders...

[jgcable]

well with a whole generation of kids growing up with mp3s, ipods and earbuds digitally modelled amps are the new "tube" amp.

I probably posted this story 10 times in the past but...
Regarding tubes vs modeling live... I was at Daytona Bike Week 2007 and a band was playing outside on Main Street at one of the clubs. They had a large stage and alot of gear. The guitar player had a Mesa triple Rectifier on top of 2 full stacks of Marshall 1960 cabs. He was playing extremely loud and the sheer presence and volume of that classic high gain tube amp running through all those Marshall cabs was literally a religious experience. No modeling amp on the planet could come close to that sound. It ripped through your body.

[ulijdavid]

I have been on the Fractal website and it looks like there is a clearing house for the ultras and standards in the classified section. I still haven't made up my mind as to whether or not I will pick one up.

JGCable, as much as I try to "rib" you about this device, I really do need to hear it before I can buy it. I have the GSP1101 and find it sterile sounding through the computer or a solid state amp. It does sound way better through my Marshall TSL - but still sounds and feels processed.

[marcus]

I probably posted this story 10 times in the past but...
Regarding tubes vs modeling live... I was at Daytona Bike Week 2007 and a band was playing outside on Main Street at one of the clubs. They had a large stage and alot of gear. The guitar player had a Mesa triple Rectifier on top of 2 full stacks of Marshall 1960 cabs. He was playing extremely loud and the sheer presence and volume of that classic high gain tube amp running through all those Marshall cabs was literally a religious experience. No modeling amp on the planet could come close to that sound. It ripped through your body.

Why do you think that modelling amps can never reproduce the sound of a tube amp? What is it that you think they have that cannot be replicated?

Honestly, in my mind modelling tube amps is trivial but has never been attempted correctly. Until now. Tubes are simple and well understood, modelling them is quite easy. The Axe-fx uses a much different approach than line 6 products so comparing it to a POD or a Vetta is really apples vs. oranges.

The Axe-fx sounds like a tube amp to me and I am wondering if you would be able to tell the difference in a blind listening test. Regardless, it is the only modelling amp I know of that actually models the tube circuitry, vs. 1000s of tube amp manufacturers in history so I am curious why anybody would think that modelling amps sound worse than Mesa Rectos Ipso Facto they always will. This technology is only going to get better and better, which is more than I can say for tube technology

[jgcable]

Why do you think that modelling amps can never reproduce the sound of a tube amp? What is it that you think they have that cannot be replicated?

Honestly, in my mind modelling tube amps is trivial but has never been attempted correctly. Until now. Tubes are simple and well understood, modelling them is quite easy. The Axe-fx uses a much different approach than line 6 products so comparing it to a POD or a Vetta is really apples vs. oranges.

The Axe-fx sounds like a tube amp to me and I am wondering if you would be able to tell the difference in a blind listening test. Regardless, it is the only modelling amp I know of that actually models the tube circuitry, vs. 1000s of tube amp manufacturers in history so I am curious why anybody would think that modelling amps sound worse than Mesa Rectos Ipso Facto they always will. This technology is only going to get better and better, which is more than I can say for tube technology

I agree with alot you say bro. It would be very interesting to find out the results of a blind listening test. I do know that the clips of the Axe FX on Youtube are absolutely incredible but I have heard alot of modeling rigs that sound great online. I am still waiting to hear an Axe FX live sharing the stage with something like a Powerball or a 101B or a Rectifier or an SLO100. I know its old technology but.. I had several Vetta's. I had a Vetta full stack. It was so loud it would literally crack a sheetrock wall. I really knew how to dial it in too. I had sounds that were the best I had ever heard. I brought it to band rehearsal and spent 5 hours dialing it in with the band before the other guitar player got there. All the guys were digging it bigtime. It was tone to die for. Then.. my bandmate showed with his Mesa Dual Rectifier full stack.
It took him 5 minutes to dial in his tone and my guitar tone literally disappeared in the mix as soon as he started playing. The only thing you could hear was his tone. He crushed my tone dead. That was it for me using modeling live when in a 2 guitar metal band.

[Trypp Powell]

This argument makes sense. I have heard kids in a music store comment a Marshall didn't feel right compared to a Line6 Spider. The touch responsive nature of tubes may be foreign to them.

[Jack Napalm]

I agree with alot you say bro. It would be very interesting to find out the results of a blind listening test. I do know that the clips of the Axe FX on Youtube are absolutely incredible but I have heard alot of modeling rigs that sound great online. I am still waiting to hear an Axe FX live sharing the stage with something like a Powerball or a 101B or a Rectifier or an SLO100. I know its old technology but.. I had several Vetta's. I had a Vetta full stack. It was so loud it would literally crack a sheetrock wall. I really knew how to dial it in too. I had sounds that were the best I had ever heard. I brought it to band rehearsal and spent 5 hours dialing it in with the band before the other guitar player got there. All the guys were digging it bigtime. It was tone to die for. Then.. my bandmate showed with his Mesa Dual Rectifier full stack.
It took him 5 minutes to dial in his tone and my guitar tone literally disappeared in the mix as soon as he started playing. The only thing you could hear was his tone. He crushed my tone dead. That was it for me using modeling live when in a 2 guitar metal band.

I had a similar experience with a guy. He was bragging that he was cutting through the mix and mine was lost. He had band convinced that his mighty tube Marshall was the shit. I measured the sound level and he louder than everyone else. I wasn't even at a 1/3rd power with my K12. I cranked mine up to his level and nobody could here jack squat but me. He couldn't even dial his amp in to 'cut' through anymore. We both ended up turning down so you could hear everything. With your knowledge and skill you could make the Axe sing and blow a lot of people away. I am just an advanced hack, and not a good one at that.

[khabibissell]

Like I posted over at HC, when it comes down to it, the AXEFX is nothing more than a digital modeler. Fractal is probably making an incredible profit on these things, meaning it is over priced IMO. The actual hardware is fairly cheap. The only real cost is the development time to write the code. I suppose you can put a dollar value on that of course, but does it sound that much better than a GSP1101, 11R, or POD HD to justify costing over twice as much?

I've never played one, but the clips sound pretty good. I'm not too impressed by them though, because someone that knows what they are doing can make a Peavey SS practice amp sound good on a recording. A YouTube type video shootout between a tube amp and a modeler isn't accurate either because mics don't really do the sound justice. I can make my GSP1101/2:50 Boogie PA sound pretty close to my Mark V on a recording, but in the room its a different story. Modelers, even through a tube poweramp, just don't have the same punch as the real thing in my experience, and believe me I could LOVE to have a something that simple that I could use live. I've tried.... and I'm not even concerned about accuracy in recreating a certain amp, I just want something that has the same punch and "3D" quality that a real full tube rig has.

I've heard an AXEFX only once live and the guy knew what he was doing. He was a good player and his tone was good... but it didn't sound as full as the other guitar player's Bad Cat combo. Actually, he was getting slaughtered. FOH, it was a bit better, but I got close to the stage so the PA was taken out of the equasion. he was using a typical Fractal nerd setup, which was an AXEFX through those high end JBL powered speakers.

I challenge anyone to play an AXEFX LOUD back to back with a real tube rig at the same volume in a band situation... you'll see the error of your ways pretty quickly I'm guessing... I say back to back because if you don't hear the real deal within a reasonable amount of time you could be duped into thinking the "computer" can compete.

And I'm not trolling, just voicing my opinion. For those of you who say "you never owned one", don't worry, I will be able to get an AXEFX cheap soon because all the fan boys will be tripping over each other to sell theirs, flooding the market and dropping the price...

[Jack Napalm]

Its cool. Some people are just more comfortable with the limitations of tube amps.

One thing that helped me was a custom set of IR's of my favorite cabinet, a Lynch Box cab. Once I had those I could recreate what my Lynch Box was doing and it sounded better and had the feel.