Is it me or is the Axe fx 3 aesthetically unpleasing?

I love it!!! and think the blue Axe logo is great. My only concern was portability but the more shallow depth allows many more case options.
It seems people always want what's familiar even if where they are going is a much better place than what they left.
 
With that much DSP, it could have the look and texture of a dog turd and I would still want to buy it.

+1

It's a bit beyond me why some people are so hung up on what it looks like, I happen to think it looks great, functional, robust and has undoubtedly been designed with performance in mind, but ultimately all I really care about is what it can do and how good it sounds.
 
As far as butts go, to my eyes, the III is Kardashian , bountiful and shiny. It will fit well in my nice rack.
 
I like it. We've been asking for a usable color display for years. Besides, think of the alternatives. And do we really want to call Cliff's baby ugly and expect that wait list thing to work out?

AxeIII-toaster.jpg
 
Not ugly. Here's why. It's like us older folk. Used to be slim and long like the Axe Fx II. Now, we are shorter and "stockier", like the Axe Fx III. The Fractal products are just aging "gracefully". See? :)
 
Can't see how to go else than 3U with so much IO and the UK size. For the rest, it's just new to me, looks more modern. Hey we're in 2018.
 
Hey, if it gets me one faster, I'll take the credit/blame! BTW, I do have an extra space available in my 4U rack that has my II in it now, so I'm ready to go.

It doesn’t matter if you use it at home, or in your personal rack with nothing else, I guess. Or if you’re Metallica. When you have a rack with stuff for the band that you carry yourself, these things add up, and make things uncomfortable very quickly.
 
Looks good to me. Plus, I like the easy access to all the I/O on the back, adroitly chosen screen size, metering displays and the spacing of the control layout.

If looks aren't to taste: there are are many options.

1. Have an ego make-over, so that what appeared ugly before is now beautiful. (This approach has a proven track record in poorly lit bars with appropriate beverages: it also works with human subjects, not just audio equipment).

2: Put it unobtrusively at the back of the stage: Correct me if I'm wrong: but the black finish is restrained, and the shocking lack of chrome or a marquee sized logo implies that the Axe FX III is content with a nominally *Albertian aesthetic of discrete functionality, and is not trying to visually compete with the performer regarding stage presence. The glow of the logo, respectfully scaled, while not readable from the audience, is still distinct enough branding to function to assure listeners who are not confident of their ability to ascertain the quality of the music: that the guitarist, at least, is serious enough about the art that only the finest in instrumentation is suitable, never mind that he or she may be not have successfully dressed according to accepted fashion, or be playing to their full capabilities.

3: If even that isn't enough, put a bag over it or install it in the head cabinet for a Randall Satan, Sears Silvertone, Pinball Machine, or whatever appearance is required for aesthetic satisfaction.

* Leon Battista Alberti 1404-1472 "Beauty is that reasoned harmony of all the parts within a body, so that nothing may be added, taken away, or altered, but for the worse."
 
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I like it.

The point of the glowing logo is that you cannot mistake it for any other rack unit. I remember people pointing to green screens in pictures of people's rack units only to be told it was a wireless pack unit, not a Fractal unit.

No more mistakes like that with the III!
 
I will buy it anyway, but I wish less face space was devoted to the level meters, and more to the screen ( I wouldve liked to have seen half of the faceplate as a screen), but i'm thankful that Cliff and team made it at all!! I jsut go with the fact that they know best, and also, they've made a wayyy better amp than I did :)
 
I like it. We've been asking for a usable color display for years. Besides, think of the alternatives. And do we really want to call Cliff's baby ugly and expect that wait list thing to work out?

AxeIII-toaster.jpg

Now that is butt-ugly!
 
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