Axe-Fx II "Quantum" Rev 4.01 Public Beta

And-y said:
Sorry, but I would understand it if the complete architecture has changed. A lack of flash memory is a design problem in my opinion. This mistake was done in the past, when the Mk1 was designed and now the users have to pay for it. Not the best regarding the reputation for a company like FAS.
Click to expand...
Think about it. All these modelling improvements and new amps, FX and Ultra-Res IRs add extra code. Firmware 6 was 1.6MB in size, this update is 2.8MB.
“640K ought to be enough for anybody.”
— Bill Gates, 1981
 
Last edited:
FractalAudio said:
That's an immature response. What would you have us do? The ROM is full. I even went so far several firmwares ago to write a compression/decompression routine to fit more stuff in it but now we've reached the limit.
Click to expand...
Cliff, as the great Dave Skylark said in The Interview, "Haters be hating and ainters be ainting." Others have stated this before but if the firmware updates stopped right now, we still have an unbelievably awesome little black box. As a Mark I owner, I appreciate all the work you put into that AxeFx.
 
Ian Minogue-Corps said:
Generally firmware updates are free on a premium product, so that argument is invalid, it is a shame that there is no facility to clear out all the unwanted or barely used items in the unit. Ah well, looks as though I came to the party a little late and I'll have to stick with my MkII, such a hardship ;) .
Click to expand...

This has not been my experience, as limited as it may be. While I agree that firmware updates on premium products are more prevalent than on lesser products, they have in my experiences been largely geared toward bug fixes with minor consideration to enhancements much less major overhauls of the entire engine.

FAS has gone above and beyond in BOTH areas in my humble opinion. Heck, bug fixes are done in mere hours or days after being reported. Other companies take months and/or years to do the same if ever. And while my other premium products have had enhancements over the years they are minuscule when compared to the changes made to the AxeII platform that has evolved into a completely different and much improved product than what I originally bought.

All of us with MK1's or II's will just have to suck it up and deal with the hardship. :)
 
I'm real happy with the latest official Quantum modelling, and more than enough amps, but i have a couple of questions -
1) Does this limit also affect improvements in Quantum modelling?
With dozens of amps already, I would gladly forgo so many of them for better amp modelling.
 
And-y said:
A lack of flash memory is a design problem in my opinion.
Click to expand...

<sarcasm>The fact that the paste is drying up in the electrolytic capacitors of my 20-year old Boogie Mk IV is a design problem in my opinion. And those tubes - they have to be REPLACED!</sarcasm>

All designers have to make choices regarding architecture, performance, capacity limits, and so on, driven by a price point that they expect will be economically acceptable to their customer base. There is a difference between that price point and the actual component cost of that product, which is much lower to account for all of the other things that must be paid for so that a company like FAS can exist - and continue to exist for a long time to serve its customers. (That service, as someone pointed out, encompasses some 90+ FREE firmware updates. Ask Eleven Rack users how many free updates they've gotten. Or for that matter, how many PAID updates have been available to them.)

The Axe II has essentially sounded equivalent to amps for many FW versions now. Sure, there are tweaks, and Quantum made things sound better. But it's not like the box is going to stop working tomorrow because you can't flash Quantum 5.0.

It's quite likely that Cliff & Co. could design a box that would be extraordinarily configurable and modular so that users could build their own and swap out modules either to add functionality or replace bits that were obsolete. It's also likely that the price of the box would be 5-10X as high as it is now. Studios might buy it. The Edge might buy it. Otherwise, it's probably not going to sell in the kinds of numbers that even justify the effort. (But it would likely be really, really cool.)

Dave
 
It still sounds the same as it did this morning. Will sound the same tomorrow. I don't get the hate. If I never get another update it still sounds great. Some of the best effects out there. If there ever comes a time when I'm bored with the 200+ amps, and infinite ir's, I'll get an amp and do the 4 cable.

One of the biggest and best sound guys around here after our recent gig said we sounded amazing. That's not going to change because I don't get more updates.
 
Ian Minogue-Corps said:
Generally firmware updates are free on a premium product, so that argument is invalid...
Click to expand...

It's an interesting point, but I'm not sure the analogy holds here. The Eleven Rack has had only paid updates and nearly none at that. I've owned only one Pod and I seem to remember the update (1) being free. Firmware updates for printers, laptops, etc. are free but are usually aimed at fixing critical defects.

The issue is the definition of firmware v. software. Traditionally, we've said that if it's in ROM, flash or not, it's firmware. If it's on some sort of regularly rewritable, often removable media, it's "software". But in either case, they're a set of instructions for the CPU, and the CPU doesn't care from whence they came.

The argument might be that Android and iOS are free "firmware" updates. That's true, but it's really a case in which the manufacturers dragged the industry kicking and screaming to the model. I can still remember paying for updates to Windows CE (!) devices.

Dave
 
USMC_Trev said:
Maybe a new paradigm where the base FW is in there with an app that we can use to selectively flash it with a list of amps we want in the box maybe "check the boxes" and flash the FW with just the amps I want to use, and it can tell me how much room I have left.

That's the greatest trick you could pull to mitigate the issue.
Click to expand...

I'm betting the code to run the modeling algorithms dwarfs the amount of space required to store the parameter table for each amp, but I could well be very wrong about that. There is then the problem of linking this stuff dynamically - at what memory address is the parameter table for the Brit 800?
 
If you've been along for the ride from the beginning with the MKI as me, it's hard to imagine feeling slighted because we have received so much for free.
I upgraded to the XL+ a year ago because it was the only way I knew to really say thank you to FAS for all the great support and hard work. (plus I like the extra preset slots :) ).
I do see people that just started with an MKI or MKII being disappointed, but remember if you just got a MKI or II you bought it used because they have been discontinued for awhile, which means FAS didn't receive any $$$ from you whatsoever? Without the incentive of being paid, wouldn't it be tough for anyone to keep giving away hard work for free?
 
I absolutely love the Legato 100 model. It's thick and juicy like an amp version of a filet mignon!

I have a Mark I, and I appreciate all the work Cliff and Fractal Audio have done to support this hardware over the years. Even if firmware updates stop today, I still have more tones than I could ever use. Thanks guys!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom