I got the AxeFXIII for a week now and I can confirm that I never use the front panel other than for setting up devices and hardware connection setups.Something like this is what I'd love to see at least for the next gen.
Computer and tablet editors could easily replace the front panel. Far better support for MIDI controllers could solve any lack of physical knobs. This would allow the Axe-Fx to be more of a "brain" unit that is not a big 3U box. Could go 1U with nothing more than a small preset/scene display and output volume controls on the front.
You'd also be able to get away with much less memory too by offloading a lot of the storage to the computer (I'm thinking for presets, IRs etc.) which would save some cost.Something like this is what I'd love to see at least for the next gen.
Computer and tablet editors could easily replace the front panel. Far better support for MIDI controllers could solve any lack of physical knobs. This would allow the Axe-Fx to be more of a "brain" unit that is not a big 3U box. Could go 1U with nothing more than a small preset/scene display and output volume controls on the front.
I disagree with that. I've owned an XSonic Airstep MIDI controller which basically did it like that and it does not work.You'd also be able to get away with much less memory too by offloading a lot of the storage to the computer (I'm thinking for presets, IRs etc.) which would save some cost.
Actually thinking about it, you could make an argument for less CPU power as well because most people apply effects in post. Maybe. Maybe not.
I disagree with that. I've owned an XSonic Airstep MIDI controller which basically did it like that and it does not work.
Instead of loading its presets from the device itself, it just used the current devices and whatever cloud sync features to make it work. So if you use multiple devices that are not all Android or all iOS, you are in for trouble.
So for consistency and ease of use, the data source should be the device itself.
You'd also be able to get away with much less memory too by offloading a lot of the storage to the computer (I'm thinking for presets, IRs etc.) which would save some cost.
It becomes an issue when you need to move somewhere else. Say "I forgot my tablet/laptop home, now I need to edit with my phone" scenario you quickly run into a problem if your phone is an Android but your tablet is an iPad. If the data is stored on the Axe-Fx instead, this is not an issue, it will just load it from there and your phone works just as well as your tablet/laptop, form factor aside.Yeah I can see how offloading to something cloud based would be less than ideal, especially if you're relying on it in a live environment. But for a device with no on-device editing, that is permanently connected to a computer I personally wouldn't have a problem with the storage being on the computer. Especially if AxeEdit was integrated in such a way that pulling up presets/IRs/impedance curves was done within the application and didn't require searching through folders.