Axe-Fx III - First Impressions

[FullThrottle64]

My new Fractal Axe FX III Mk 2 showed up yesterday. It arrived right on schedule, less than a week after I ordered it.

Five main impressions:

1) This is a well built piece of equipment.

2) A single-page printed quick-start guide would be a really good and helpful idea. Even the one that's online misses a couple of very basic points that would be helpful. [Edit: I feel stupid now - there WAS a quick-start guide in the box, on the back of another page that I never flipped over.]

3) There are some great modelling sounds in the box, but it's going to take some serious effort to coax them out. Aside from sorting through the demo presets, I found the Axe FX III more difficult to quickly approach my tube amps' sound than some other digital devices I've worked with. Tons of flexibility, which results in a large solution matrix for any given problem.

4) The FX in this thing sound absolutely incredible. Best I've ever worked with in a guitar device, without a doubt.

5) The software is far more intuitive than the front panel interface, at least for the first couple of hours of working with it.


First I plowed through a bunch of the factory presets and played with adding FX blocks and tweaking them. Fantastic - this process was incredibly intuitive, and the FX sound just plain monstrous. Even building a harmony patch with the Diatonic pitch block was super simple and fast. Impression? A+!

My first attempt at building a complete sound from scratch was to bring up the Euro Blue (Bogner XTC) to try to dial in my basic sound. I built a blank preset with amp and cab blocks, selected Euro Blue and set the dials in the vicinity of what I use on the real thing. No dice - what I got was nowhere close, and didn't even really have what I think of as the typical Bogner character. That's where I ran out of time and had to put it away for the night. I'm not sure where the issue lies - cab, preamp settings.....? There are lots of variables to consider.

The next step will be to separate the amp and cab blocks and put the Torpedo IR in the loop to take that out of the equation. Then I can tweak to match the AFX amp block to the real XTC preamp, then try to figure out how to match the cab/IR.

I have zero doubt that the Axe-FX covers every possible FX need I can expect, and exceed my expectations for flexibility and sound quality. I foresee a good bit of short-term work to build my library of IRs and amp settings, but right now my expectation is that this thing can do a lot more than I have been able to do with even a highly versatile amp like the XTC. So far, so good.

 

[Admin M@]

There should have been a single page printed quick-start guide in the box. Where did you order from?

 

[FullThrottle64]

There should have been a single page printed quick-start guide in the box. Where did you order from?

Got it straight from you guys (US direct). I saw the receipt and the sheet that says the full manual is online, don't recall seeing anything else.

I've already put the box in storage - I'll go pull it later today and see if I missed something.

 

[Admin M@]

I've spoken to the people who pick and pack the orders about the fact that your unit had no printed Quickstart sheet. I am told that this won't happen again, with apologies for any inconvenience that it caused you.

 

[bjjp2]

There are some great modelling sounds in the box, but it's going to take some serious effort to coax them out.

Start with a blank preset. Create an amp block. Pick an amp. Create a cab block. Pick an appropriate cab. Set normal amp controls to taste. It will sound great.

 

[FullThrottle64]

I've spoken to the people who pick and pack the orders about the fact that your unit had no printed Quickstart sheet. I am told that this won't happen again, with apologies for any inconvenience that it caused you.

Go back and apologize to them from me. It was on the back side of one of the other sheets, and I never flipped it over to see the guide. My bad, sorry for the confusion.

 

[Admin M@]

Apology delivered.

 

[CraigP]

Wow, that's good stuff ..... rare these days.

 

[FullThrottle64]

Start with a blank preset. Create an amp block. Pick an amp. Create a cab block. Pick an appropriate cab. Set normal amp controls to taste. It will sound great.

Yeah, this.

I used the Axe-FX to shoot a quick IR of the one I've been using in my Torpedo Live. I know it sounds hokey to shoot an IR of a loadbox/cab sim, but it gives me a reference point compared to my existing rig.

Boom!

I dropped it in after the Euro Blue, and there it is. Yeah, I need to tweak it a bit, but it's definitely in the ballpark now.

What's really cool is how easy it is to use the AFX to build an IR. Level matching was a matter of seconds, then done.

 

[RevDrucifer]

It took me a few weeks before I was quickly dialing in what I considered an “awesome” preset. I was being really lazy about seeking out the right IR for the job and that was where 90% of the issues stemmed from. You’d think an IR that works great for hi-gain stuff would work across all the models, but that’s definitely not the case.

With the Cygnus update, I’m certainly spend FAR less time tweaking and it’s allowed me to remove the PEQ block from most of my presets that needed them before. Really, everything I need at this point to get the initial sound kicking ass is in the amp and cab block, mostly the amp block. I’ve also been getting better results when I spend a little more time blending 2 different IR’s than just relying on a single one, but YMMV.

Enjoy it, man! It’s been over a year and I still find surprises in it regularly!

 

[FullThrottle64]

It took me a few weeks before I was quickly dialing in what I considered an “awesome” preset. I was being really lazy about seeking out the right IR for the job and that was where 90% of the issues stemmed from. You’d think an IR that works great for hi-gain stuff would work across all the models, but that’s definitely not the case.

Yes, though I've been playing through a single IR with my basic tube rig for years. It's a good balance among a variety of sounds.

That said, I am hearing that a Super Reverb model doesn't quite sound right through a 1960A. Not bad, just....different.

With the Cygnus update, I’m certainly spend FAR less time tweaking and it’s allowed me to remove the PEQ block from most of my presets that needed them before. Really, everything I need at this point to get the initial sound kicking ass is in the amp and cab block, mostly the amp block. I’ve also been getting better results when I spend a little more time blending 2 different IR’s than just relying on a single one, but YMMV.

That actually worries me a bit. I'm spending a bunch of time getting my sounds all dialed in to replace what I had....I'm not thrilled with the idea of having to do it again when the new release comes out. I may just stick with 15.

I considered waiting for Cygnus release before buying, but that just didn't seem to make sense to me. I tend to buy the best when I need to update, then keep it for the long haul. If it sounds good when I buy it, it will sound good as long a I own it. One of the rack modules the AFX replaced was a 30-year-old QuadraVerb GT. Does the FW version on it make a difference today?

 

[RevDrucifer]

Yes, though I've been playing through a single IR with my basic tube rig for years. It's a good balance among a variety of sounds.

That said, I am hearing that a Super Reverb model doesn't quite sound right through a 1960A. Not bad, just....different.


That actually worries me a bit. I'm spending a bunch of time getting my sounds all dialed in to replace what I had....I'm not thrilled with the idea of having to do it again when the new release comes out. I may just stick with 15.

I considered waiting for Cygnus release before buying, but that just didn't seem to make sense to me. I tend to buy the best when I need to update, then keep it for the long haul. If it sounds good when I buy it, it will sound good as long a I own it. One of the rack modules the AFX replaced was a 30-year-old QuadraVerb GT. Does the FW version on it make a difference today?

If a 1960A cab has been your preferred cab over the years, maybe check some different IR's. I've got 36,000 IR's and I can definitely say that every one of them sounds different, even if it's the same cab/same mic but made by someone else. I think the more surprising thing to me about IR's is how many you get in a pack of 400+ and get maybe 10 usable IR's out of it. Drives me nuts.

The Cygnus update isn't so severe that you'll have to spend hours going over your presets, maybe like 10 minutes each. I described it another thread as "It's like having to straighten out your car in a parking space rather than parking in a whole different parking lot". Some of mine, all I had to do was take off the PEQ and I was good to go.

You could always just back up everything you're doing now, check out Cygnus and if ya think it's going to screw you over as far as dialing everything back in, you can be back on 15.01 in a matter of minutes. Hell, you can even tweak a bit in Cygnus, back that up and then go back to 15.01 if you need it for work, then get back to updating Cygnus later.

The Quadraverb GT was one of my first experiences with rack gear! My uncle had one and I use to use that thing all the time. Eventually, my bass player in high school ended up with it and would use this annoying distorted flange preset whenever we played "For Whom The Bell Tolls". Good times.

 

[unix-guy]

One of the rack modules the AFX replaced was a 30-year-old QuadraVerb GT. Does the FW version on it make a difference today?

Why would you not want something better?

Things improve over time. Most companies release a new product or a new iteration of the same product and make you buy the new one to get the improvements. If (and that's a really big if!) they release a Firmware update, it's almost always to address a serious bug(s) not to give you new/improved sounds or capabilities.

Fractal gives you these things for the supported life of the product. For free! This is not your grandpa's music gear!

Yes, it sounds good now. There's nothing wrong with getting it and sticking with it as-is... But they continue to make big strides. Take advantage of that.

Since you are new to the Axe Fx III, I'd say play for now but wait for full Cygnus before you "lock in". It seems to be one of the major 3-4 firmware revisions since I started using Fractal in 2013.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Why would you not want something better?

Things improve over time. Most companies release a new product or a new iteration of the same product and make you buy the new one to get the improvements. If (and that's a really big if!) they release a Firmware update, it's almost always to address a serious bug(s) not to give you new/improved sounds or capabilities.

Fractal gives you these things for the supported life of the product. For free! This is not your grandpa's music gear!

Yes, it sounds good now. There's nothing wrong with getting it and sticking with it as-is... But they continue to make big strides. Take advantage of that.

Since you are new to the Axe Fx III, I'd say play for now but wait for full Cygnus before you "lock in". It seems to be one of the major 3-4 firmware revisions since I started using Fractal in 2013.

I know from Throttles posts on other forums that he does some pretty crazy work where he's playing like every musical style known to man and switching in a second's notice, I'd assume it's probably go more to do with taking the time to update while still using it for work. Could be wrong, but that's the impression I've gotten.

 

[FullThrottle64]

I know from Throttles posts on other forums that he does some pretty crazy work where he's playing like every musical style known to man and switching in a second's notice, I'd assume it's probably go more to do with taking the time to update while still using it for work. Could be wrong, but that's the impression I've gotten.

You nailed it. I have a large FX patch library, and I don't want to go through the conversion process more than once a decade or so.....maybe less.

I spent this morning from about 7:00 doing nothing other than converting presets in my old gear to Axe-FX. I may be a third of the way there for the FX, but still way off on some basics in the amp and cab blocks and controller setup. Trouble is, that was my practice time for tonight, so now I'm going in cold on some stuff where I should be prepped. Time is my enemy.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

...and set the dials in the vicinity of what I use on the real thing. No dice - what I got was nowhere close, and didn't even really have what I think of as the typical Bogner character.

The dials on an amp don't necessarily correspond to the knob settings on a modeler. Amps use different numbering, so use your ears instead of your eyes.

The Tech Notes page has a lot of useful articles, in particular https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/ears-not-eyes.125212/

Also, this table comes from a post somewhere in the Axe-FX II forums but it is very useful. I recreated it to make it easier to read online or when printed.


As the tech note says, and as @Cliff and crew say repeatedly, use your ears for everything. In my experience, the new firmware we're testing, Cygnus, sounds uncannily close to the amps I've played, within a slight twiddle of the knobs. The production firmware, Ares, was so close I started selling my tube amps, so the sound you want is in there I'm sure.

---

P.S. - the table is also found in the back of the manual.

 

[FullThrottle64]

The dials on an amp don't necessarily correspond to the knob settings on a modeler. Amps use different numbering, so use your ears instead of your eyes.

The Tech Notes page has a lot of useful articles, in particular https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/ears-not-eyes.125212/

Also, this table comes from a post somewhere in the forums but I can't find right now, but is very useful...

View attachment 79665

Yes, I understand this.

As it turns out, the core issue was in the cab block - it was WAY different from the 1960A that I've been using with that amp for......well.....a really long time..... Once I got an IR loaded that was close, it got a lot easier.

 

[Jipps0525]

Yes, I understand this.

As it turns out, the core issue was in the cab block - it was WAY different from the 1960A that I've been using with that amp for......well.....a really long time..... Once I got an IR loaded that was close, it got a lot easier.

I may be buying the FM3 to compare with my
Kemper and just curious about your experience. So your main issue with the “out of the box” sounds was swapping IR cabs to find a better fit for whichever amp you chose?
are there not “out of the box” presets that have been matched with proper sounding cab IRs?

 

[FullThrottle64]

I may be buying the FM3 to compare with my
Kemper and just curious about your experience. So your main issue with the “out of the box” sounds was swapping IR cabs to find a better fit for whichever amp you chose?
are there not “out of the box” presets that have been matched with proper sounding cab IRs?

Yes, there are some decent factory presets. My goal in getting the Axe-FX , however, was to match what I get from my Bogner XTC. I really don't care much about getting a perfect match of Pete Townshend's sound on "Wont' Get Fooled Again", nor about a perfect sound for "Eruption". All of that stuff is cool as a demo, but not terribly relevant for my use.

Honestly, this is why I tried the Kemper first. Profiling seemed like a better fit for me than modelling; in practice it sounded great and was easy to get profiles built to match my existing sounds. The trouble I had with it had more to do with control flexibility than sound quality, and a couple of bad experiences in performance use pushed me away from it. Next stop: Fractal.

Interestingly, the way I solved the problem was to have the Axe-FX build an IR from the rig I have been using. Quick, simple, and got me very close without much effort. It's not quite profiling, but the similarity is clear......

 

[Jipps0525]

Yes, there are some decent factory presets. My goal in getting the Axe-FX , however, was to match what I get from my Bogner XTC. I really don't care much about getting a perfect match of Pete Townshend's sound on "Wont' Get Fooled Again", nor about a perfect sound for "Eruption". All of that stuff is cool as a demo, but not terribly relevant for my use.

Honestly, this is why I tried the Kemper first. Profiling seemed like a better fit for me than modelling; in practice it sounded great and was easy to get profiles built to match my existing sounds. The trouble I had with it had more to do with control flexibility than sound quality, and a couple of bad experiences in performance use pushed me away from it. Next stop: Fractal.

Interestingly, the way I solved the problem was to have the Axe-FX build an IR from the rig I have been using. Quick, simple, and got me very close without much effort. It's not quite profiling, but the similarity is clear......

Build an IR from the kemper rig you were using? I guess it’s kind of hard for you to answer which one you think sounds better since you’re really just going after one specific sound? With the Kemper, what were the bad experiences in performance use?