What I think is cool about Fractal Audio Systems is that the Main Man is so regularly active with his community of users that people actually notice when he isn’t as publicly active with them. That puts FAS and Cliff Chase (and the head folks at the company) in a minute percentage of musical companies. Personally I only know one other place (RJM) where that is true.
There are 3 musical companies that I know of where this is true :
Fractal Audio
RJM
Metric Halo.
These 3 companies also differentiates themselves in another way, on top of the main man in each company is active with and approachable to the customer base - they are also IMHO the absolute best and most innovative in their respective field within the music industry.
I've been using Fractal Audio since I bought one of the first 50 Ultras produced, and have with the exception of the FX-8 owed every product that have produced since then.
My RJM MMGT22 is a dream controller and the Effects Gizmo and Mini Effects Gizmos have all been great.
I own 2 Metric Halo ULN-8 Mk IV, that means that I have a 2 unit rack with 16 of the best preamps in the world, full software production suite and worldclass interface - in effect a travel ready, top studio and FOH system.
My first ULN-8 started as a ULN-8 2D, and has been user HW updated to first 3D specs and now again user HW upgraded to Mk IV spec.
Even as a 2D spec unit it would have more than held its own agains more well known interfaces like to top offerings from UA and others, and with other companies you would have had to buy a new interface several times over to have the best available to you - with MH a reasonably priced HW upgrade kit can be user / field installed and your audio interface is on the absolute edge for many more years.
If you are recording through mics and not just via USB with you Axe Fx 3, you should check out Metric Halo.
I'm grateful and proud to be a longtime supporter of all 3 companies and love using their products.