📊Opinions on the AXE-fx III in 2024?

[Racerxrated]

I keep a Peavey 60/60 power amp around for the simple reason that at some point, I'll grab one of these modelers. But no plans to sell any tube amps.

 

[the4thlast1]

I had the FM3 and still have the Standard.

I’ve never been able to create a modeler into FRFR tone that I liked in the room. Could be user error but I’ve tried for hours & hours.

My main rig is Axe into tube power amp and real 4x12. The Axe is virtually noise free, all analog preamps introduce a shit ton of noise in comparison, which is something I never hear anyone talk about but is a big deal for me. It’s night & day difference if you’re A/B’ing Axe VS analog pres. I’m not talking about what you use a noise gate for, if you A/B them you’ll definitely hear it, there’s a constant wall of noise behind all analog high gain tones.

The FM3 as a preamp is pretty close to a real analog/tube pre in terms of dynamics & feel but it’s not quite there. The Standard is not very close to a real analog/tube and has its own flavor, no matter which amp model you’re using it’s always there, but I’m way into that flavor. Idgaf about copying an existing amp, I want to program the amp I need that doesn’t exist.

The “Tightness trick”, in which you attach a high pass filter to an envelope controller, is a game changer for tight down tuned high gain. I’ve never heard an analog pre with actual tight fast responding bass like this.

Channel changes on the Standard is instant and seamless. It’s so good you can play some fast ass 16th note alternate picking and switch between clean/high gain with nearly perfect timing. I’ve never had analog gear come close to that, it’s always latency, or pops, or the high gain has to swell into existence.

So with the Axe FX’s high pass filtering, noiseless amps and easily tweakable parametric EQ’s, my in the room live tone cuts significantly better than any head or analog pre I’ve ever had (and I’ve had tons of different preamps). I still play analog/tube rigs daily but my Axe into tube power amp rig hasn't been dethroned for 12 years.

Which Tube power amp are you using? I agree with everything you said. I use an FM9 and a FM3 with the bands I’m in. Very happy with my live tone and that’s after many years of using “real” amps. I also use the AxeFx with tube power amps. At the moment I have a Mesa 2:90 and a KSR PA50. Recently I compared the synergy preamps to my Axefx. To be honest the Synergy stuff was disappointing in comparison to the Axefx. As a preamp through a tube poweramp the Axefx had a good deal more headroom and balls to the tone. I was surprised.

 

[boltzthrower]

Which Tube power amp are you using? I agree with everything you said. I use an FM9 and a FM3 with the bands I’m in. Very happy with my live tone and that’s after many years of using “real” amps. I also use the AxeFx with tube power amps. At the moment I have a Mesa 2:90 and a KSR PA50. Recently I compared the synergy preamps to my Axefx. To be honest the Synergy stuff was disappointing in comparison to the Axefx. As a preamp through a tube poweramp the Axefx had a good deal more headroom and balls to the tone. I was surprised.

VHT 2/90/2.

Balls, yes, haha.

I play a few Synergy modules regularly, they’re fun when I want more dynamics & raw tone but nothin cuts through the live mix like the Axe.

 

[Corey James]

I record with amps and I record with Axe Fx. This DL tune for the sweetwater contest was all fractal.

The trick, as mentioned earlier, is to PLAY the damn preset you have dialed in, and not lose all your time tweaking (which is easy to do).

Record the DI, come back later to mess with reamping if you need to. DO NOT got stuck in tweaking presets (unless you're turning the gain down to make it punchier).

This tone might not be for everyone, though I'm stoked with the results. Leads and backgrounds... ESPECIALLY stoked with the medley and the outro lead. Fractal can slay dragons if you allow it to:

 

[saxxamafone]

The original axefx sounded just like a tube amp - I remember, guys were going crazy selling all their tube amps back in 08'.
Then the axefx 2 really sounded just like a tube amp.
Now the axefx 3 really really sounded just like a tube amp...

 

[avastcosmicarena]

Great for effects, but I'd rather use Tonex, NAM, or Quad Cortex for amp tones if I was using a modeler/capturer/profiler device. And I felt the same way about the Kemper over the AxeFX in the past, but I sold my Kemper earlier this year due to how good its competition is nowadays.

 

[Kōbra]

I have read many posts from many places. But there's alot of recent amps swirling around. Not sure if they are making it into the axefx scene yet.
🎛
However, I've never tried and always been curious but don't have "try it for fuxsake" money, and if I did, it would probably go toward another tube amp. Ove owned most of the big ones over the last 6 years. I've had so many amps (to me, it's been alot at 20-25 amps) that sometimes I really wonder if I'd be happy with an axefx into a good power amp to stop always looking for the next amp.

(I'll never be tube ampless, but it'd be nice to step out of the revolving door sometimes)

What are your views now in 2024 on these things?

I have axe ultra, sold return back tube amp. I hope try axe 3 I tired of not consistent sound from voltage and element axe always sound same

 

[Kōbra]

Put them in a room and it’s no contest which is which…

I like amp in room but also ultra sound good with mesa power amplifier I think maybe axe 3 sound even better?