Axe-Fx III USB Firmware Version 1.06

Admin M@

Admin M@

Administrator
Fractal Audio Systems
Moderator
Axe-Fx III USB Firmware Version 1.06 Update
Unlike DSP firmware, which changes features and sound, USB firmware changes the way your Axe-Fx III communicates with a connected computer. Aside from other improvements, USB Firmware version 1.06 improves compatibility with Axe-Edit III, and also adds descriptive audio port names for Mac OS X.
This update is recommended for all Axe-Fx III units with USB versions older than 1.06.

To check your current version:
  • Press HOME
  • Press SETUP (push-knob E)
  • Select Utilities using the Nav buttons.
  • Press ENTER to show the Utilities menu.
  • Page right to the Version page.
  • The USB firmware version is shown on the screen. Don't confuse the top line "Firmware"... USB is the second line down, appearing in smaller type.
To install USB Firmware Version 1.06, please follow these important instructions:

1. Download and unzip the USB firmware update from:
https://www.fractalaudio.com/downloads/firmware-presets/axe-fx-3/1p0/axefxiii_usb_rel_1p06.zip

2. IMPORTANT: Download and install Fractal-Bot version 2.9.2 or newer (April 20, 2018) from:
https://www.fractalaudio.com/fractal-bot/

3. IMPORTANT: Quit/Exit all audio/MIDI apps including Axe-Edit, Chrome, any DAWs, etc. A reliable method of ensuring a clean environment would be to power off the Axe-Fx III, reboot your computer, power on the Axe-Fx III, and proceed.

4. Launch Fractal-Bot. For step 1, select your Axe-Fx III. You should see three green checks indicating that the unit is connected. Windows operating sytems require that you to install a driver first. Mac OS X features driverless operation.

5. For step 2, select the USB firmware file you extracted in step 1 (axefxiii_usb_rel_1p06.syx)

6. In Fractal-Bot step 3, press BEGIN. The file will transfer very quickly, though you may see the process appear to re-start more than once. Wait for the confirmation message which will instruct you to re-start the Axe-Fx III.

7. Once the unit reboots, check your unit’s USB Firmware version using the process listed above. If the version shown is NOT 1.06, please repeat reboot your computer, power cycle the Axe-Fx III, and try the upgrade process again.

8. IMPORTANT: Once the update process is complete, power down the Axe-Fx III, reboot your computer, and then power the Axe-Fx III on again.

Getting Help
If you require any help with this process, please contact us via https://support.fractalaudio.com

OS X Audio Port Names
The new port names provided by the driver are selected in preferences for your audio application. Some applications (e.g. Mainstage) do not support driver names. In Logic, for example, see the following article:
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH24486?locale=en_US
 
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just want to echo that you should restart your computer after successfully loading USB FW 1.06. it's not a usual instruction for an Axe FW update and many might gloss over it :)
 
Should we expect USB updates with any regularity? Two potential reboots is quite an annoyance... :(
 
chris said:
Rebooting your computer?
Click to expand...
Admin M@ said:
3. IMPORTANT: Quit/Exit all audio/MIDI apps including Axe-Edit, Chrome, any DAWs, etc. A reliable method of ensuring a clean environment would be to power off the Axe-Fx III, reboot your computer, power on the Axe-Fx III, and proceed.
Click to expand...

Admin M@ said:
7. Once the unit reboots, check your unit’s USB Firmware version using the process listed above. If the version shown is NOT 1.06, please repeat reboot your computer, power cycle the Axe-Fx III, and try the upgrade process again.
Click to expand...
 
You have to reboot Windows for this? That's unfortunate. Is USB really that bad in windows?

I run Linux, and my uptimes are in months. I only reboot on a kernel upgrade.
 
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Are you guys really that busy that you can't take 1 minute to reboot your computer ??

In the time it takes to post a message complaining about having to reboot the computer you could reboot the computer.....

I power mine down and turn it on daily. Takes literally less than 45 seconds from the time I hit the power button until I can check email etc
 
lqdsnddist said:
Are you guys really that busy that you can't take 1 minute to reboot your computer ??

In the time it takes to post a message complaining about having to reboot the computer you could reboot the computer.....

I power mine down and turn it on daily. Takes literally less than 45 seconds from the time I hit the power button until I can check email etc
Click to expand...

I didn't have to reboot for this USB update. Because Linux.
 
chris said:
Thanks. I’m on the Mac platform and it reboots in like 20 seconds or less. But I’m not really comparing. I just don’t know and was wondering. Mac has an option to reopen all programs on reboot so it goes even faster. No options for that on windows? Again honestly not comparing, I just haven’t used windows in over 12 years.
Click to expand...

Yeah...I use Macs for all my music related stuff and they all have SSD's so the reboot is fast but my Surface 3 which is only a year old with Windows 10, even with an SSD it takes long time to reboot and sometimes it even requires a second reboot because something didn't go right (like the USB stops working and the keyboard isn't recognized). Windows is terrible.
 
This has certainly been fun, I cannot wait to read all of the responses when we get the first opportunity to update the FPGA to version 17!!

P.S. I probably broke something, but I upgraded both my DSP firmware to 1.07 and my USB firmware to 1.06 and didn't reboot my Windows PC a single time. Everything seems to be working fine so far.
 
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