Axe-Fx III w/ Integrated ICEPower Amp

[BSawyer]

Cool project!

I’m curious, why did you go with a 1-channel amp and not stereo? Seems like a lot of work and you limited yourself to 1 mono channel.

I was close to installing a stereo amp board, but I very rarely gig two cabs and never run a single cab in stereo, so it's not something I'd ever use. But I agree it'd be about the same amount of work. I was also concerned that if I installed an amp with lower single-channel wattage, then I'd sacrifice headroom in the mono situation (or always need to hook up in 'dual mono' to get the headroom).

The powered Kemper units actually use a stereo ICEPower board (250W x 2 I think) but wire it up in bridged mono.

 

[m4ssi]

Hey cool idea!! I would evaluate it in the future.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Thank you Mr. Obvious.........View attachment 158669

Just pointing out that there's limited benefit to both the Fractal community and Fractal itself.

 

[Rock Chalk]

Just pointing out that there's limited benefit to both the Fractal community and Fractal itself.

Like I said, pretty obvious who it would benefit.......

 

[vangrieg]

There are passive FRFR speakers, too.

 

[rossipedia]

 

[rossipedia]

The powered Kemper units actually use a stereo ICEPower board (250W x 2 I think) but wire it up in bridged mono.

This one, I assume?

 

[BSawyer]

This one, I assume?

That's the one. I started by opening up my Kemper to see how they did it. That 250ASX2 is more than double the price of the 300AS1 and quite a bit longer. It's hard to beat the price/performance of the 300.

I had used the 300AS1 in another build where I combined a deconstructed Neural Amp Modeler pedal into a 2-space rack unit with the 300AS1. It's a monster. The big red knob on the right controls the power amp volume. The rest is just the NAM pedal mounted directly to the front plate of the rack.

 

[Budda]

Awesome.

 

[tealtonerick]

My main comment about how Fractal might not be interested in doing this specifically is that the AFX-III is the preeminent modeler on the planet. The ICEPower amplifier modules are almost certainly not.

 

[sprint]

Cool to see the hi level of diy expertise here (stuff I would not dare attempt unless prepared to botch the job completely )

 

[BSawyer]

Cool to see the hi level of diy expertise here (stuff I would not dare attempt unless prepared to botch the job completely )

Thanks! I've had my share of botched jobs. It helps if you enjoy the process as much as the result.

 

[rossipedia]

My main comment about how Fractal might not be interested in doing this specifically is that the AFX-III is the preeminent modeler on the planet. The ICEPower amplifier modules are almost certainly not.

Yeah I agree. It doesn't make any sense for Fractal to do something like this from a business perspective.

As a DIY project on an out-of-warranty MK1 unit? Absolutely.

 

[RockYoWorld]

That's the one. I started by opening up my Kemper to see how they did it. That 250ASX2 is more than double the price of the 300AS1 and quite a bit longer. It's hard to beat the price/performance of the 300.

I had used the 300AS1 in another build where I combined a deconstructed Neural Amp Modeler pedal into a 2-space rack unit with the 300AS1. It's a monster. The big red knob on the right controls the power amp volume. The rest is just the NAM pedal mounted directly to the front plate of the rack.
View attachment 158701

You do some super-cool projects. I want to be friends lol

 

[touch33]

And just for grins: how does it actually sound ?

 

[FractalAudio]

Very cool. We evaluated the ICE modules and weren't super impressed. The damping factor at high frequencies is poor. The Hypex stuff measured much better but reliability was suspect at the time.

Class-D has gotten much better recently so we'll probably look into it again at some point.

 

[atyourlasthourrr]

Very cool. We evaluated the ICE modules and weren't super impressed. The damping factor at high frequencies is poor. The Hypex stuff measured much better but reliability was suspect at the time.

Class-D has gotten much better recently so we'll probably look into it again at some point.

I had to really drag myself to get the FM3T, because I still get a lot of utility out of my Axe Fx II.. My dialed in tones have not aged a day.

However, a powered version of the latest gen products would be an absolute no-brainer for me.

 

[deathbyguitar]

Class-D has gotten much better recently so we'll probably look into it again at some point.

Could you expand on that? Do you have any experience with Quilter amps and how they perform? I know they're all in on Class D.

 

[DLC86]

Very cool. We evaluated the ICE modules and weren't super impressed. The damping factor at high frequencies is poor.

Their new revision (already available in the 50ASX2, 125ASX2, 700AS1 and 700AS2 modules) should be much better in that regard
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/icepower-conductor.45823/

 

[sprint]

Personal preference, but, if Fractal power amp options were offered, I'd prefer separates (for various reasons often debated (separates vs integrated) in audio gear circles). A 2U Axfx4 + 1U Fractal Designed/Approved/Assembled SS P.A. would be killer.