On the fence...help me jump off :-)

Krispen Hartung said:
Holy crap. This product just went from an interest to a psychological need...soon to be a physiological need. :)
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thenI guess i dont need to bolster the case by listing the major artists currently touring Fractal gear, so Iwont mention Metallica , Dweezil Zappa, Joe Satriani, Def Leppard, Mike Kenally, adrian Belew, ......et al ..............;)
 
Thanks everyone for pushing me over the edge!

A few more general questions on best practices while I'm waiting and preparing.

1. I realize that the power of this unit is that you can plug directly into a PA, but in cases where i am rehearsing and there is no PA, I assume I can just globally disable the cab/power amp simulation and then just run into my Mesa Boogie Simul-Class 2:90 and 4x12 rectifier cabs, otherwise I'm adding redundant simulation (power/cab simulation into real power/cab). Right?

2. Is there any reason for me to hang on to my stomp boxes and run them before the Axe Fx III? For instance, I have a Deci-Mate, Airis Savage Drive, and Keeley 4-knob compressor. Or can I just dispense with them as well and use what's in the Fractal box.

3. I have a fair amount of guitar tracks that I've recorded in Ableton Live, in which I'm using some amp plugins to play back. If I understand it correctly, I can plug my Axe Fx III into my laptop via USB and Live will use the Axe as my sound source? This would be awesome, btw.

4. What's everyone's thoughts on these newer FRFR powered guitar cabs, like the Mission Engineering 2x12 powered cabs, etc. It seems like if I want a dedicated cab and power for my rig, I may as well just disable the cab/amp simulation and use my own power amp and cabs that I already have. Or is there an advantage to spending another two grand on yet another set of cabs supposedly optimized for amp simulation.
 
Krispen Hartung said:
Thanks everyone for pushing me over the edge!

A few more general questions on best practices while I'm waiting and preparing.

1. I realize that the power of this unit is that you can plug directly into a PA, but in cases where i am rehearsing and there is no PA, I assume I can just globally disable the cab/power amp simulation and then just run into my Mesa Boogie Simul-Class 2:90 and 4x12 rectifier cabs, otherwise I'm adding redundant simulation (power/cab simulation into real power/cab). Right?

2. Is there any reason for me to hang on to my stomp boxes and run them before the Axe Fx III? For instance, I have a Deci-Mate, Airis Savage Drive, and Keeley 4-knob compressor. Or can I just dispense with them as well and use what's in the Fractal box.

3. I have a fair amount of guitar tracks that I've recorded in Ableton Live, in which I'm using some amp plugins to play back. If I understand it correctly, I can plug my Axe Fx III into my laptop via USB and Live will use the Axe as my sound source? This would be awesome, btw.

4. What's everyone's thoughts on these newer FRFR powered guitar cabs, like the Mission Engineering 2x12 powered cabs, etc. It seems like if I want a dedicated cab and power for my rig, I may as well just disable the cab/amp simulation and use my own power amp and cabs that I already have. Or is there an advantage to spending another two grand on yet another set of cabs supposedly optimized for amp simulation.
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1. Yes
2.only you can make this call...many still use stomps with III, many others sold them all.......
3.yes!
4.again, a call for you to make after you hear how your current gear sounds with theIII integrated into it, it may be just right, or not.
Welcome to the family!
 
Krispen Hartung said:
Thanks everyone for pushing me over the edge!
2. Is there any reason for me to hang on to my stomp boxes and run them before the Axe Fx III? For instance, I have a Deci-Mate, Airis Savage Drive, and Keeley 4-knob compressor. Or can I just dispense with them as well and use what's in the Fractal box.
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Welcome to the family!!

I thought I would just say that I kept my favourite old Marshall combo because I love it and I thought I could never replace it. But my Axe FX has simply buried it in terms of tonal needs/guitar sounds. I think I last powered that poor amp up about 2 years ago and my wife is now pressuring me to sell it.

Moral of my story is, if you are unsure, then keep your gear for a short bit; when you go back to your old gear now and then you will be reminded quickly why you have an Axe FX now.

But as Bradlake has pointed out, some people like some of their pedals they have and they run them through the Axe FX just for their own preference.
 
Worth it? Easiest answer, of course it’s worth it.
Let’s say out of the aprox 250 sims you only think 10% of them work for you. In that case you’re paying 90 bucks a sim, plus stellar effects and a functional interface as Well. I’ve spent more than that on a single vacation (and I tend to vacation quite a bit).
 
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Congrats on your purchase. I purchased my Axe FX 3 recently as a lightweight option to take to practices. I didn't purchase it as to replace my normal setup, it allows me to have other options when necessary. Would it replace my normal live gig... My live gig setup is perfect as it stands and sounds exactly as I need/want to to be. The downside is it's all very heavy. Granted, I've spent quite a bit on that setup and dedicated time with it vs. this new piece...so it should be pretty hard to beat.

The Axe FX for me will be a learning curve, we'll see how it pans out. I wonder if in a year from now if I'll be one of the guys that said "...I don't use my old equipment". So far, I'm impressed with what it does. There's so much to the piece, one concern to me is spending more time finding a perfect tone vs. turning a few knobs and already having it at my fingertips. It's amazing how some of the presets are actually pretty damn good out of the box. Are they the same as some of the boutique amps I already own and use, no, but they do represent them well from what I can see.

I look at it as buying more then one guitar...each one has it's own characteristics...so no one new guitar is going to replace all of the others I own.
 
diezel said:
Congrats on your purchase. I purchased my Axe FX 3 recently as a lightweight option to take to practices. I didn't purchase it as to replace my normal setup, it allows me to have other options when necessary. Would it replace my normal live gig... My live gig setup is perfect as it stands and sounds exactly as I need/want to to be. The downside is it's all very heavy. Granted, I've spent quite a bit on that setup and dedicated time with it vs. this new piece...so it should be pretty hard to beat.

The Axe FX for me will be a learning curve, we'll see how it pans out. I wonder if in a year from now if I'll be one of the guys that said "...I don't use my old equipment". So far, I'm impressed with what it does. There's so much to the piece, one concern to me is spending more time finding a perfect tone vs. turning a few knobs and already having it at my fingertips. It's amazing how some of the presets are actually pretty damn good out of the box. Are they the same as some of the boutique amps I already own and use, no, but they do represent them well from what I can see.

I look at it as buying more then one guitar...each one has it's own characteristics...so no one new guitar is going to replace all of the others I own.
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Well I have zero intention in continuing to carry around a heavy 8 space rack full of hardware preamps, effects, power amp, etc. My lower back is bad enough as it is after surgery. And I am quite certain that the Axe fx III will be able to do everything my hardware system does and more. The guitar/amp analogy is not quite valid, however. My custom hollow body jazz archtop guitar serves an entirely different purpose than my Schechter 7-string electric, and one guitar can't do what the other does, yet the Axe FX III can be used with both guitars for multiple genres of music, styles, amps, etc. You'd have to buy several hundred thousand dollars of hardware gear to get the options of the Axe. This is the nature of hardware vs. software.

So, I'm going to let the dinosaurs rest in the graveyard rather than tenaciously clinging on to them and dragging them around every I go, like cassette tapes, CDs, etc. As the song goes, "Let it go!" LOL
 
Looks like you were able to answer one of your own questions :). To me, it's another tool in my toolbox. That was my analogy I attempted to make with the guitars but you obviously feel different which is fine. The Axe FX is a great tool and I'll recommend it to anyone I talk to. In my case, it's emulating many of the tools I already have but it's different. Not in a bad way, just different. Different is good. For example, one of my configurations is a Friedman BE100 (yes I have both early and late versions among other heads), the emulation is great. it's not the same (at least I haven't been able to duplicate either head yet exactly), but it's great. Would I sell my BE100 heads to use the emulated BE100, no. It's a different tone, once again, not in a bad way, but different. There's so many choices with IR considerations and other modifications, it's a bit daunting to me. It's like I'm not sure where to begin lol.

I feel you're 100% spot on that most cannot afford to purchase much of the gear it's emulating, so as a one purchase item to emulate many components, so far, my experience it is a great choice! If I could afford only one choice for example being the Axe FX or the Friedman, I'd imagine I'd pick the Axe FX. It's less expensive and more versatile.

I'm on the same journey as you with my new piece. Good luck!
 
diezel said:
Looks like you were able to answer one of your own questions :). To me, it's another tool in my toolbox. That was my analogy I attempted to make with the guitars but you obviously feel different which is fine. The Axe FX is a great tool and I'll recommend it to anyone I talk to. In my case, it's emulating many of the tools I already have but it's different. Not in a bad way, just different. Different is good. For example, one of my configurations is a Friedman BE100 (yes I have both early and late versions among other heads), the emulation is great. it's not the same (at least I haven't been able to duplicate either head yet exactly), but it's great. Would I sell my BE100 heads to use the emulated BE100, no. It's a different tone, once again, not in a bad way, but different. There's so many choices with IR considerations and other modifications, it's a bit daunting to me. It's like I'm not sure where to begin lol.

I feel you're 100% spot on that most cannot afford to purchase much of the gear it's emulating, so as a one purchase item to emulate many components, so far, my experience it is a great choice! If I could afford only one choice for example being the Axe FX or the Friedman, I'd imagine I'd pick the Axe FX. It's less expensive and more versatile.

I'm on the same journey as you with my new piece. Good luck!
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Have you tried loading down the Friedman and running it into the same IR as the model? I can’t hear a difference that way.
 
Bruce Sokolovic said:
Have you tried loading down the Friedman and running it into the same IR as the model? I can’t hear a difference that way.
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No I have not Bruce. I've only received the Axe FX a couple of weeks so I don't have allot of experience with it yet. I'll move over to a PM if if you don't mind, I don't want to be rude and change topics on the OP as a courtesy. Thanks for your comments.
 
Congratulations on your purchase. You won't regret it.
Just 1 suggestion. Don't get frustrated when you get it and feel you are not achieving your tone. It's there for sure.
This is a great forum with lots of knowledge available. So if you get frustrated, come to the forum.
I say this because I came from decades of tube amps. You name them, I had them. I use my AXE FX III mostly live. When I got my fist AXE FX, years ago,I got frustrated. I just could not make it sound the way I wanted. But many users here helped me achieve my tone I wanted. These days I create my presets from scratch, picking amps, cabs, effects, etc. Anything is possible with the AX FX III.
 
Tommy Tempest said:
Congratulations on your purchase. You won't regret it.
Just 1 suggestion. Don't get frustrated when you get it and feel you are not achieving your tone. It's there for sure.
This is a great forum with lots of knowledge available. So if you get frustrated, come to the forum.
I say this because I came from decades of tube amps. You name them, I had them. I use my AXE FX III mostly live. When I got my fist AXE FX, years ago,I got frustrated. I just could not make it sound the way I wanted. But many users here helped me achieve my tone I wanted. These days I create my presets from scratch, picking amps, cabs, effects, etc. Anything is possible with the AX FX III.
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;-) I'm not too concerned. I've programmed some pretty complex machines in my lifetime, built effects and patches from scratch in MAX/msp, etc. I take to complex systems like a duck to water. ha ha
 
Krispen Hartung said:
My biggest complaint of the amp sim plugins (I am currently using several -- Neural DSP Fortin, Archtype, Mecurrial Reaxis, Engl, etc) is that they are noisy as "f**k and produce a lot of hiss, even with no guitar or input activated in the signal chain.
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At high gain, those plugins are amplifying the noise of whatever interface you've got hooked up. The converters in the Axe-III are about as low-noise as you can get, so expect less of that noise. :)
 
Krispen Hartung said:
2. Is there any reason for me to hang on to my stomp boxes and run them before the Axe Fx III? For instance, I have a Deci-Mate, Airis Savage Drive, and Keeley 4-knob compressor. Or can I just dispense with them as well and use what's in the Fractal box.
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Hang on to your old stomps until you've duplicated them to your satisfaction in the Axe III. Most people get to that point eventually, but some don't.
 
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