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

I wouldn't say "butt ugly" because that's inconsiderate.
I'm only 1 year in with my AxeFx2XL+ (Still in honeymoon obsession phase),so everything else, including its sister products are not nearly as attractive. I love axe2's stealthy appearance with that signature demonic eyed green screen!
I see a ton of blue. I think FAS should have at least kept the signature green theme alive with the 3 and used that on the logo and basis for that huge color screen. At the same time, I'm not liking the look of the axe3's FC
 
Whats with all the complaining about the 3-space rack size? Do you want the bigger screen or not?

I don’t. Couldn’t care less what screen size it has, or what type of UI there is. It’s sitting in the back of the stage, and when I make changes, I use Axe-Edit. So for me personally, moving to 3U because of the screen is a very high price paid for a minor benefit.

That said, I do realize that a lot of people use the screen and want to be able to tweak whatever they’re tweaking on the front panel. They even buy third party controllers with knobs and put them to their racks, however weird it may seem to me.

And the screen has been a popular complaint/request, especially since Helix came out. So it was inevitable, I guess.

You can’t satisfy everyone.
 
The 3U form factor does make the thing look more... well, like there's a whole world of stuff going on in there. I mean there's a world of stuff in the 2 as well, but the 3 does feel more like it looks the part of what a thing like an Axe-Fx is capable of. The only question I have is probably the same thing everybody else is wondering... what does that blue logo look like in person?

That display looks great though. It's like the perfect middle ground between the green screen and Axe Edit, and I bet it will easily be able to pull me away from the PC screen for a decent chunk of my editing time.
 
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It may look sexy to you, but it doesn't sound sexy to many.

Would rather have look sexy or sound sexy if you could only have one characteristic in a modeler?

I know what I would pick.

When a company focuses more on one aspect, other important parts are sacrificed more times than not. See Headrush for another looks sexy/sounds like dirty @$$ modeler.
Obvious.
Looks is always secondary, which is why I am an Axe FX user, not a Bias amp user.
 
Whats with all the complaining about the 3-space rack size? Do you want the bigger screen or not?
I don't. The size of the unit matters to me way more than that screen.
I'd be fine with not having a screen at all. Just give me some physical controls for amp tone, and leave the rest for axe edit, or phones with a bluetooth connection.
 
Butt ugly? Depends on whose butt you're talking about.

Actually, I don't care much about how it looks. Just that it works. I generally prefer backline gear to be low-key. Black is good.
An option to dim or kill all unnecessary lights would be a welcome addition by me, but it's not a deal breaker if it's not there.

The larger size is more of an issue with me. It's a shame that it had to be an extra size bigger in a rack. I'm sure FAS did everything possible to keep the size down though.
 
It looks like a technical gizmo, much like the gear in Doom. It has a strong influence on the eye .... like a badass tool. Not an apple/iphone design school. To me i'ts more realistic representation of it's function and the inventor theory, mood not just some vogue lifestyle thing.
Thank you Cliff forever..........
 
I'm sure FAS did everything possible to keep the size down though.
As cliff said, the reason for the bigger size is the Screen, and backside I/O.
However, I'm pretty sure that you don't need 3U for all of those I/O. They can be cramped into a 2U, and maybe even a 1U FAS changed ports to something else (XLR to stereo jacks, for example).
And the larger screen is completely unnecessary.
So no, they didn't do everything possible to keep the size down.
 
It’s looks like an oscilloscope, an eleven rack, and a digital dsp power amp had a baby. Seems very consumer and cheap looking. Like the alibaba axe fx.
Kill the light up logo, remove the blue lights everywhere, and do a 3U utilitarian faceplate like every other axe and you’ll have a winner. Hmmm, there’s an idea. Just fab up a new faceplate yourself and bring sexy back. As it is it’s just got too much going on.
 
I look forward to the iii XL which I hope will have a more hires screen.. 800*480 is a nice step up from the ii but I have a phone in my pocket that has almost 10x that resolution.

A nice feature would be the option to load your own custom start up screen images so you could customize them for your band. Would stop the arguments about that current one looking a bit 1980's.. :)
 
At first when noticed it was 3U, I thought OH NOOO... but now I think its an easier format (for me) just with a soft case as carry on luggage on trips, way better than the very long/deep AXE-FX II.
I do understand people grinding their teeth regarding rack re-planning... but heck, thats the price of progress ;)
 
At first when noticed it was 3U, I thought OH NOOO... but now I think its an easier format (for me) just with a soft case as carry on luggage on trips, way better than the very long/deep AXE-FX II.
I do understand people grinding their teeth regarding rack re-planning... but heck, thats the price of progress ;)
The Axe 3 is barely shorter than Axe 2.
If it was so short, that I could fit gear on the other end of my rack case, the 3U wouldn't be such a big deal.
 
The Axe 3 is barely shorter than Axe 2.
If it was so short, that I could fit gear on the other end of my rack case, the 3U wouldn't be such a big deal.
Its def shorter and I was talking about my situation from flying carry on with it compared to way longer AXE II, so depth of your rack case is as little of interest to me as my situation is for you... carry on
 
What can you fit in 10 cm? A power strip maybe... what else?
It depends on the depth of the case, if it's a bit more than 40cm you can surely fit something like an XR18 mixer.

Anyway for me the convenience is in being able to use a shallower rack case and in having a larger surface area for the improved UI in about the same volume as the II.

Ps: in my world I would have designed it in a 8U/10cm deep format and add a bunch of control knobs and switches on the front panel, then mount it in a flat mixer case.
 
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