laxu
Fractal Fanatic
So I finally upgraded from Axe FX Standard to II. Threw in firmware 9 and started testing. I replicated a few patches from my Standard (clean, mid gain mostly) and put the same settings in the II, using the same amp and cab models (used patches that had the same models in the II and Standard).
The end result was that yes, the II sounds better. A more open, more natural sounding midrange was the most noticeable thing. However, the Standard still sounded great and I would have no trouble enjoying that as well. With some EQ tweaks the Standard would probably sound pretty close to the II. A more noticeable difference was in feel: the II felt more responsive and immediate. Overall it's not a huge difference, basically going from "really good" to "even better" rather than night and day.
As far as usability goes, the Axe II is a little bit easier to use but at the same time it has so many options available that they quickly become somewhat overwhelming. The Standard by comparison feels much more straightforward and probably will be easier for new users to learn. The II seems to require a bit less fiddling with levels and delivers the goods with less tweaking. The new quick knobs are a welcome addition, but their placement is pretty terrible when it comes to relation with the value knob and the display. Overall the user interface on the hardware is a bit better, but still awkward to use.
At the moment the Standard is a pretty good buy and sounds good. It's up to you to decide if the added features (especially for recording) and the slightly improved tone and feel are worth the extra money.
The end result was that yes, the II sounds better. A more open, more natural sounding midrange was the most noticeable thing. However, the Standard still sounded great and I would have no trouble enjoying that as well. With some EQ tweaks the Standard would probably sound pretty close to the II. A more noticeable difference was in feel: the II felt more responsive and immediate. Overall it's not a huge difference, basically going from "really good" to "even better" rather than night and day.
As far as usability goes, the Axe II is a little bit easier to use but at the same time it has so many options available that they quickly become somewhat overwhelming. The Standard by comparison feels much more straightforward and probably will be easier for new users to learn. The II seems to require a bit less fiddling with levels and delivers the goods with less tweaking. The new quick knobs are a welcome addition, but their placement is pretty terrible when it comes to relation with the value knob and the display. Overall the user interface on the hardware is a bit better, but still awkward to use.
At the moment the Standard is a pretty good buy and sounds good. It's up to you to decide if the added features (especially for recording) and the slightly improved tone and feel are worth the extra money.