Is Axe Fx Viable?

Well it's saddening to see that people seem to know exactly how I'm thinking about something, that I have a lust for money or that I talk down on everything that's not signature gear.

First I apologize, it was not my intention to offend you, true is that you always been favorable about modelers and if you are now endorsing a real amp your job is to speak about the current thing...
In all honesty I think the best is to put a direct quote of your site to avoid misunderstandings:


My bad assumption is that when you said "I can't settle for less than the best" your opinion was biased by dollars...but if this is your genuine opinion I got nothing to say, preference is like ass, each one has his own!
My skepticism comes with endorsements in general, I’m glad you did not take it too personally (if anyone refers to me as "whore" sure I would feel hurt ).
It's often said that Internet facilitates hatred and in this post I have seen myself how easy it is to do so without realizing. Next time instead of posting without thinking I will put a foot in my mouth!

Foot-in-Mouth-Disease.jpg

Peace and respect
 
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But I guess the amps vs modelers debate is just proof in the absence of problems regarding immediate survival human beings will just make up things to be upset about.
Folks love to carp . . .myself included. Sometimes its to see if what it is I believe is truly valid and defensible, sometimes to see if I can learn something new and , sometimes it's just boredom or Pavlovian reflex.

Those "problems" you reference . . have no fear, there's plenty on the way and in the end all of us tone snobs, gear epicures, and misunderstood "artistes" will all be singing the same song : the " I Ain't Got No Clean Water to Drink" blues.

Peace. :cool:
 
Ola demo'd those Axe FX in, like, 2012 or so... That's quite a while ago.
It might have been the case, that the axe was not as good... Might have sounded kind of similar, but it might have felt different to play. I can respect that. The axe has come a long way though...
Another thing - it's not the same to listen to an axe fx through a monitor speaker, and a loud guitar amp through a guitar cab.
And a third thing: Axe FX is just not as sexy as big tube amps with big analog knobs... Fun factor counts.
 
First I apologize, it was not my intention to offend you, true is that you always been favorable about modelers and if you are now endorsing a real amp your job is to speak about the current thing...
In all honesty I think the best is to put a direct quote of your site to avoid misunderstandings:



My bad assumption is that when you said "I can't settle for less than the best" your opinion was biased by dollars...but if this is your genuine opinion I got nothing to say, preference is like ass, each one has his own!
My skepticism comes with endorsements in general, I’m glad you did not take it too personally (if anyone refers to me as "whore" sure I would feel hurt ).
It's often said that Internet facilitates hatred and in this post I have seen myself how easy it is to do so without realizing. Next time instead of posting without thinking I will put a foot in my mouth!

View attachment 31200

Peace and respect

In all seriousness I owe you an apology as well, when I tagged you in my comment I didn't weigh the fact that I was passively dragging you down with me. Lo siento mucho . . . .
 
I can't speak to anyone else's opinion or perspective but I can relay my experience.

I spent 30 years using only tube amp's, one decade collecting vintage tube amps, and another seven or so years cycling through a wide array of boutique tube amps. I only kept as many as I was able to play through on a regular basis (I only keep things that I use).

I bought my first AxeFX (Ultra) at firmware v11.0. I had been following the AxeFX with great interest but the sound clips preceding the v11.0 release were impressive enough to me that I bought an Ultra within days of hearing those first few demo clips. Though I could clearly hear the difference between the AxeFX and my amps the gap was narrow enough that I lost interest almost immediately in all that accompanies the 'real thing' (varying wall voltage affecting the amps tone, their weight and size, the inconvenience of tubes going microphones at inopportune moments, the inconvenience and/or futility of trying to recreate the recording conditions of a track recorded during a prior session making changes / punch-ins / etc. difficult after said session, etc, etc...).

In fact I very quickly changed my perspective on what 'the real thing' means. In other words, the AxeFX Ultra took no time at all becoming the real thing for me. I put all of my amps up for sale within days of receiving my Ultra in 2010 and have never second guessed that decision (actually, I held on to an inexpensive tube combo for guests to use but it sat unused and I sold it after a while as it was only taking up space. Tube amp's still held a slight edge in tone when playing solo but in recording in playing with a live ensemble the subtle differences between an amp and the AxeFX were too subtle for me to give it thought.

I traded up to the AxeFX II at firmware v5.00 - that's when I heard enough of a difference for me to justify the cost. I have to say I'm constantly, pleasantly surprised when a new firmware brings the AxeFX II still closer to the amps being modeled. If development stopped today I would be no less satisfied. Yet development continues and the very small gap keeps getting smaller with every new firmware version. I no longer compare the AxeFX II to the modeled amps. Rather I find myself comparing the 'real' tube amp to the modeler as occasions to play through a tube amp arise and the AxeFX consistently compares favorably against what many call 'the real thing'. I can think of no sound reason why I would ever choose a tube amp over the AxeFX II.

How does the AxeFX II compare to the tube amps modeled therein? The answer at this point is: I personally don't care. The AxeFX II is the yardstick for me and amps are a poor substitute. As for the experience of others? A non-issue for me as it only matters to me what I think, how I perceive it.

That's my $0.02 :)

And I would trust your ears and opinion, since I remember you were using a custom voice Fuchs a while ago, voiced for your taste. Also remember you used a Mark V for a while. Did you keep the Fuchs?
 
I think that every guitar player has his signature sound and it comes out "unconsciously".
Is not bad what yek said:
"Ola plays all gear
Including Kemper and Line 6
And everything that he plays through
Sounds like Ola."

You can hear that guitar sound in every amp he uses. From Engl to Peavey, from Mesa to Bugera and in the digital domain. :)
 
Your daily poem:

Ola plays all gear
Including Kemper and Line 6
And everything that he plays through
Sounds like Ola.


THIS..

These things are tools, its like arguing Ferrari and Porsche, Chevy and Ford, Marshall and Fender, etc... I guarantee if Steve Vai plugs into a solid state piece of crap from Sears its going to sound more like him then one of us plugging into his rig. I own a Kemper, love it.. and I will also own an Axe FX (gotta get the taxes done first...) and I look forward to using it. I own several expensive boutique tube amps and I love them but dont get the chance to let the rumple as much as I would like. The Axe and Kemper let me jam with a pair of headphones and record without rousting everyone out of bed and that works for me. If I played a show - I'd probably roll my Bogner. If I was going to play 100 shows... I would probably go with the Kemper or Axe (or both). If I was going to lay down $100K to record the next greatest rock album ever.. I would bring every tube amp and probably the Axe and Kemper just in case.

The point, and its been well made thus far, is that opinion is by its nature subjective. These things are tools - and the Axe is a seriously cool one. Recording DAWs are cheap as hell and with a cheap interface you are set to record whatever you want, whenever you want - without hanging blankets and crap everywhere to try and create some sort of sound dampening (or building an actual studio correctly for $$$$). There are enough examples of people playing through an Axe out there to show that its a legitimate tool, even professionally.

What YOU should do is determine your needs (recording, touring, etc..) and see if this tool fits those needs better than dragging around a full Marshall Stack. I'll bet it does.
 
And I would trust your ears and opinion, since I remember you were using a custom voice Fuchs a while ago, voiced for your taste. Also remember you used a Mark V for a while. Did you keep the Fuchs?


No, I sold both the Fuchs and the Mark V when I received my AxeFX. Never played through them again after trying the AxeFX. I kept an Egnater Tweaker 1x12 combo for a while so that guests to old have something to play through. It sat unused for close to a years. I put it up for sale as well. I have no amps left save for the AxeFX II / MFC101 / Atomic CLR's rig. Couldn't be more pleased!
 
In all seriousness I owe you an apology as well, when I tagged you in my comment I didn't weigh the fact that I was passively dragging you down with me. Lo siento mucho . . . .
No problemo, sometimes it goes a bit far when you talk relaxed among friends, I have spoken with Ola and he don't have any hard feelings
 
I think you're asking a great question. The AxeFX is a tool. You have choices when working with tools. Maybe you need to cut a wood board; you could use a table saw, a miter saw, a reciprocating saw, a hand saw... in the end, what you need is wood cut, and you can do a good job or a lousy job with any of those tools. It doesn't make any of them more or less viable.

I have played guitar professionally for 35+ years, on tour and in the studio. I have used a wide variety of amps, modelers, pedals, etc. Before I bought the AxeFX, my primary rig was a Boogie Lonestar (with some boutique mods), plus a big pedalboard full of boutique pedals (Keely, Empress, Strymon, Catalinbread, Malekko, etc). When I got the AxeFX it took me a good month to become proficient in programming my own tones, and I continue to refine my skills in this regard. However, after only a few months of AxeFX use, I sold my tube amps (all of them), and most of my pedals. My entire primary rig is the AxeFX + MFC101 + power amp + 2 FRFR speakers. I've played in a lot of venues, and one of the most common comments I get from FOH engineers is "that is the best guitar tone I've ever had at the board". I will take a little credit for making some of that tone, but much of it is due to the capabilities of the AxeFX.

Your question is legitimate. I will tell you that the AxeFX is the best music gear purchase of my life. It's a tool, and you can make great sounds with it, and you can also make pretty crummy sounds with it. If you invest the time to learn to use it, you will be rewarded with some of the best guitar sounds you will ever hear, and you will have a massive flexible palette of tone at your fingertips.

Buying a computer-controlled saw won't automatically make you a great woodworker. You need to understand the tool, practice using it, and have a vision for your desired result.
What are you're go to clean, crunch and lead tones that you've used live to get that sort of feedback from the FOH operators. In addition what FRFR speakers are you using these days?
 
You do realize you resurrected a year+ dead shitpost m8?
What are you're go to clean, crunch and lead tones that you've used live to get that sort of feedback from the FOH operators. In addition what FRFR speakers are you using these days?
 
Ask Metallica. The whole band uses them and last night at their show they had incredible sounding guitars!
 
Yeah sorry man just meant to ask a direct question to the guy that posted. I want to love my Axe Fx 2, still looking for the perfect FRFR match.
Greetings. I am using a XiTone 1x12 powered wedge with my AxeFX. I've use it on tour all over the place, and it is fantastic. The build quality is top-notch, and Mick (XiTone owner) is a pleasure to work with.
 
@Sleestak is still active here, and his advice is usually spot on, even a year later. I wish that his Bowie tribute band would come around to my hood, it seems excellent.
Thanks so much. We'd love to head out your way. We are starting to play further out on tours. Even with eight human critters in the band, scheduling logistics are surprisingly manageable :) We've been looking at some options for the East coast, and I'll definitely keep you informed.
 
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