📊Opinions on the AXE-fx III in 2024?

[ChuggNorris]

Good or bad; Another laughably overpriced trinket that was outdated (hardware wise) by nearly ten years on launch (+$200 for 25% OC on a $10 ASIC? 4gb of DDR3 Memory? Hundreds of Mb? ) There's probably not even $200 worth of components in that box. Seems like $2k of the price goes to the dev team, which seems extraordinarily less than stellar if they're still pushing firmware to control CPU utilization this far from launch. People are paying it, so it must be doing something right. I'd be an owner at maybe $250-300 new.

Interesting point of view here. I would agree that since there are no transformers in the unit and not alot of pots/tube sockets, probably right about what the raw materials and components cost to do that.

They are making you pay for the "ability" "r&d" and I guess it also has to keep a system running for updates etc etc. The forums and all that associated with fractal may be part of the price tag. But as far as new prices, I'd 100% scoop a used one up before buying a new electronics box.

Then you got stuff like the VHX which seems to be mixing a little of both worlds into their own package. But how will those screens and stuff hold up after 20 years? I'm not sure.

 

[glpg80]

I completely disagree. The axe
With a killer tube power amp is no different than a “real” amp. In fact I’d argue using the axe as a preamp and a killer tube poweramp with a cabinet and micing it up like you would any other setup yields even better results than running the axe direct.


Also, again, the pros and cons list. The in the room
Tone is completely useless to me and to anyone who records or plays on the type of stages I was. Couldn’t care less even if it was true ( it’s not).

I didn’t say direct to a PA. I didn’t say mic’d. Fuck both of those. Put them in a room next to each other solid state or tube poweramp and in the room itself you will always be able to tell which is which.

 

[ChuggNorris]

The axe is leagues ahead everything else in modeling. Zero percent of people here or anywhere could distinguish if it was a real amp or not. It’s also indistinguishable from many of the real amps it models in both feel, tone, as well as how the controls of the actual amp work. Yes it’s that good, despite what anyone tells you. Again, it feels amazing, sounds amazing, and if you make an actual pros and cons list of a “real” amp vs the axe, the fractal, if you’re being honest, will have a ridiculously long list of pros and very few cons. While the amp list will have many cons, and very few pros. Albeit those pros of a real amp are extremely great and important to many, I get for sure.

So if push came to shove the amps in your sig. You keeping one of the amps. Or the fractal?

 

[RaceU4her]

i couldnt find the option for "ive spent 25 years building my amp collection and im scared to try an axefx because i know i will be able to make it sound as good as my amps and im too lazy to sell everything" button

 

[glpg80]

i couldnt find the option for "ive spent 25 years building my amp collection and im scared to try an axefx because i know i will be able to make it sound as good as my amps and im too lazy to sell everything" button

Yeah I’ve got 20 years on mine so the damn things aren’t going anywhere anytime soon

 

[ChuggNorris]

I completely disagree. The axe
With a killer tube power amp is no different than a “real” amp. In fact I’d argue using the axe as a preamp and a killer tube poweramp with a cabinet and micing it up like you would any other setup yields even better results than running the axe direct.


Also, again, the pros and cons list. The in the room
Tone is completely useless to me and to anyone who records or plays on the type of stages I was. Couldn’t care less even if it was true ( it’s not).

If I was going to do it, I'd HAVE to run a tube power amp for sure. Like a KSR pa50 or a fryette single space unit. That'd basically be my compromise & balance to somewhat not make me feel like I was maybe missing a full blown tube setup. I'm so sentimental to tubes my pops worked on tubes and circuits so the whole nostalgia and vintage nature of it is magnetic.

 

[VESmedic]

So if push came to shove the amps in your sig. You keeping one of the amps. Or the fractal?

There’s zero way to answer that. They all have different purposes. Live use? Axe all day. Recording? Real amps and a mic will always be king for originality and vibe. No one playing outside of the bar scene thinks like “it’s digital or tubes”, it’s just not a thing. But even still, the axe has a million more pros than an amp on its own.I’ve got a better monitoring system 99.9 percent of the people on this board, none of these clowns saying they could tell the difference would be able to do so, no matter what I threw at them for them to guess what is what. However, if I was Keith urban or slash and had the crews and money? Of course I would use real amps, why not in that situation? Anything less than that, the axe smokes a real amp in just about any live situation for me personally.

 

[VESmedic]

I didn’t say direct to a PA. I didn’t say mic’d. Fuck both of those. Put them in a room next to each other solid state or tube poweramp and in the room itself you will always be able to tell which is which.

Yes, totally fuck everything dealing with literally the only way you’ve ever heard guitar with a band outside of a bar or in your bedroom, you make total sense, per usual.


And no…you wouldn’t be able to tell, you really think I couldn’t fool your ass? Really?

 

[tallcoolone]

Good or bad; Another laughably overpriced trinket that was outdated (hardware wise) by nearly ten years on launch (+$200 for 25% OC on a $10 ASIC? 4gb of DDR3 Memory? Hundreds of Mb? ) There's probably not even $200 worth of components in that box. Seems like $2k of the price goes to the dev team, which seems extraordinarily less than stellar if they're still pushing firmware to control CPU utilization this far from launch. People are paying it, so it must be doing something right. I'd be an owner at maybe $250-300 new.

Depends on what you are using it for, right tool for the job. Some people play 3-4 gigs a week, some people make their living recording guitar, some people play ac/dc riffs in their basement a few times a month. Personally I agree with you, my modeling solution is as a backup option so I don’t need to bring another amp. I’ve had an AXEII and it was fantastic, very cool option to play live with, just digging amps ATM

 

[VESmedic]

If I was going to do it, I'd HAVE to run a tube power amp for sure. Like a KSR pa50 or a fryette single space unit. That'd basically be my compromise & balance to somewhat not make me feel like I was maybe missing a full blown tube setup. I'm so sentimental to tubes my pops worked on tubes and circuits so the whole nostalgia and vintage nature of it is magnetic.

And there’s nothing wrong with that. Truly. I get it no doubt, and the axe is insane with something like a 2/90/2. People never complained about using a digitech 2120 preamp, or Rocktron prophecy with a killer power amp. But apparently, the digital preamp that is light years ahead of anything those companies have ever made is the one that “ a real amp in a room will always smoke”….LOL, this board is hillarious.

 

[tallcoolone]

If I was going to do it, I'd HAVE to run a tube power amp for sure. Like a KSR pa50 or a fryette single space unit. That'd basically be my compromise & balance to somewhat not make me feel like I was maybe missing a full blown tube setup. I'm so sentimental to tubes my pops worked on tubes and circuits so the whole nostalgia and vintage nature of it is magnetic.

IMO at that point it’s not worth it. Stick with amps.

 

[ChuggNorris]

i couldnt find the option for "ive spent 25 years building my amp collection and im scared to try an axefx because i know i will be able to make it sound as good as my amps and im too lazy to sell everything" button

I haven't been able to keep em all unfortunately or I'd have the same sentiment. The wall would be full of amazing heads. Like peters chimera I had a 50 watt version never saw another one after selling it. Years ago. That krank 1980 was a sleeper too modded marshall modernized. Henning cherry bomb, don't see that anymore. There's been a few that just had that unique limited nature about them and of course all the main high gainers, I'd be so happy if I could have just kept them all as I was going. Most I'd keep at once was 4-5 heads and felt like if I had less I wasn't complete. Eventually... I learned that I really only need 2 heads because that's the most ill use at once together. Because even with 4 it was always looking for the next one that was gonna bump one of the 4 horsemen off the lineup and end up on reverb.

Man there was a time where I was dumb enough to literally put myself in serious debt chasing tone. I rolled nos tubes in every single one of them bitches too. The rabbit holes were many. Its all I can do, to keep my head above ground now and not fall back into it.

 

[NowYou'rePlayingWithPower]

Depends on what you are using it for, right tool for the job. Some people play 3-4 gigs a week, some people make their living recording guitar, some people play ac/dc riffs in their basement a few times a month. Personally I agree with you, my modeling solution is as a backup option so I don’t need to bring another amp. I’ve had an AXEII and it was fantastic, very cool option to play live with, just digging amps ATM

To be clear, I am not discounting it's abilities and use cases, just that you are paying for an ecosystem and not hardware. I'm sure it's a great unit, but looking at the internals... well That's just my personal thought process on things. I'm sure it's awesome as it gets great reviews and fanboism, I'm just weird like that is all. It wasn't meant as an offense to owners.

 

[ChuggNorris]

IMO at that point it’s not worth it. Stick with amps.

Well you do get fx and different flavors while feeling mentally you've retained some tube texture. The issue with Amps is always wanting to try the next one and sometimes guys claim they were able to stop sniffing tubes once they discovered fractal. I love the smell of tubes though, perhaps thinking that a fractal would stop me from tweaking endless amps separately, and condense them into a unit that allows me to sorta do the same thing without sourcing the amps at inflated prices. Trying amps for fun has become harder for alot of people including me over the last exactly 4 years.

 

[Chronic Narnia]

IMO at that point it’s not worth it. Stick with amps.

100+ amps vs. 1 amp, tons of effects, etc. Why is it not worth it when running a tube power amp instead.

 

[RaceU4her]

Yeah I’ve got 20 years on mine so the damn things aren’t going anywhere anytime soon

the logical thing would probably be to keep a few of my favorite tube amps, which can also act as a power amp to the axe, and then have an axefx around for whatever else. best of both worlds.

 

[glpg80]

Yes, totally fuck everything dealing with literally the only way you’ve ever heard guitar with a band outside of a bar or in your bedroom, you make total sense, per usual.


And no…you wouldn’t be able to tell, you really think I couldn’t fool your ass? Really?

I’d gladly bring my coliseum mark III++ against your axe fx in the room and invite a collection of musicians to tell the difference.

In the room is where writing, band practices, and gigs happen for those that actually know how to run a band outside of their expensive E dick recording room. Get out of here with your modeling nonsense. They only sound great when they’re pumped through million dollar stadium PAs and what wouldn’t at that point.

 

[VESmedic]

I’d gladly bring my coliseum mark III++ against your axe fx in the room and invite a collection of musicians to tell the difference.

In the room is where writing, band practices, and gigs happen for those that actually know how to run a band outside of their expensive E dick recording room. Get out of here with your modeling nonsense. They only sound great when they’re pumped through million dollar stadium PAs and what wouldn’t at that point.

what wouldn’t? Are you really going to act like you haven’t heard a big band sound like shit live through “a million dollar stadium pa”? Of course you have, so I’m not sure where your logic is with that one, per usual.

Yes please bring your colossal mark 37LGBTQ+- over so I can laugh, it would be hilarious. Also, before I was an E dick with a way better sounding room than you’ll ever have, I played for a living, probably on much bigger and better stages than you .

You can impress your fellow musicians all you want. That’s the only thing worse for finding women than a rush concert, but hey you do you!

 

[glpg80]

what wouldn’t? Are you really going to act like you haven’t heard a big band sound like shit live through “a million dollar stadium pa”? Of course you have, so I’m not sure where your logic is with that one, per usual.

Yes please bring your colossal mark 37LGBTQ+- over so I can laugh, it would be hilarious. Also, before I was an E dick with a way better sounding room than you’ll ever have, I played for a living, probably on much bigger and better stages than you .

You can impress your fellow musicians all you want. That’s the only thing worse for finding women than a rush concert, but hey you do you!

You’re only making a giant tool of yourself and doing a damn good job of it snubbing your nose at a fucking coliseum compared to a modeler. You know damn well no modeler is replacing the good shit. Even seasoned pros admit if the stage is big enough the big boy shit is set up. It’s why in 2024 people view modelers as just another convenient tool and that’s all they will ever be - a convenience.

 

[tallcoolone]

I’d gladly bring my coliseum mark III++ against your axe fx in the room and invite a collection of musicians to tell the difference.

In the room is where writing, band practices, and gigs happen for those that actually know how to run a band outside of their expensive E dick recording room. Get out of here with your modeling nonsense. They only sound great when they’re pumped through million dollar stadium PAs and what wouldn’t at that point.

I dunno man. I'm using amps now and while I love 'em, I can't say I have as consistent a sound as I did when I was using modelers. Below is a gig a couple weeks ago and below that is the AXEII like a decade ago. This is just a Rode camcorder "room" mic and honestly I think the AXE sounds better.