Axe FX too overkill for bedroom only playing?

I have the Axe III for my home set up and play through a pair of Yamaha HS8s and it sounds amazing! Volume is very reasonable, can play with my 4 year old sleeping 30 feet away in a different room and have no problems. Best guitar purchase I have every made.
 
I'm purely a bedroom jammer playing for my own amusement. I wish I'd brought into the AFX sooner. Turn it on and play, like my old amps. No sodding about with plugins and DAWs.
 
ApocalypticKatana said:
the fractal products can sound great at low volumes , it is possible

should look into the reviews of the FRFR units IMO for your use case

as greg stated watch out for the fletcher munson curve
Click to expand...
My Genelec 8010s sound great at low volume and compliment the Fx III really well IMHO
 
ly25 said:
If I was only intending to play in my bedroom, at low volumes, personally I'd probably buy an FM3 and invest in some decent studio monitors to run it through.

That way the speakers are multipurpose. There are also a lot more decent studio monitors on the second-hand market for the budget conscious.
Click to expand...
I had the fm3 first. I want the main unit on my desk so I have easy access to the controls, this works way better with the fx3 than the fm3, pleased I swapped
 
No way. Anything goes.
I used to ask myself why Porsche, for example, sells cars to the USA, even though they only drive at idle speed there.
But as I said, anything goes.
 
After more than 25 years of professional music, live and recording etc. I do use my Axe only for Bedroom and studio playing and I love it every single day.
Maybe there are some rehearsals or gigs in the future but it‘s a lot of fun to play the Axe with some good headphones and/or monitors.
 
Back in the days I had more girls than I needed for a bedroom player…
A rack unit is not a problem. I can turn it off.
 
I'd say an FM3 as it will serve as a USB interface and will be useful if you go out to jam or a gig.

From there, the best studio monitors, FRFR cabinet, or tube amp you can afford. I run a FM3 into a blues jr for open jam nights. Sounds good and the jr is good on its own if I want something super simple.
 
Axe-Fx 3 is overkill for most users. That doesn't stop me from owning one and liking it.

If you are more on a budget, I'd rather spend that money on a FM3 + good studio monitors than an Axe-Fx 3 and not having good studio monitors. The output devices will make a big difference in how good everything sounds.

I'd give the Line6 Catalyst a try and see if that works for you. Or the Yamaha THR10 or THR30 for a very compact setup. They are simple to use units compared to Fractal and that can be the right thing that makes you play music rather than tweak your presets for that last ounce of tone. Sometimes you just need a few good tones rather than everything under the sun.
 
100% bedroom player since I got my Axe3.

It's worth the expense. I've been through pretty much every mainstream modeller and it's the only one I still have.

It's the solution that feels the most like a real amp to me... and it's not even close.
 
Guitar playing is guitar playing , full stop , whether u do it on the biggest stage in the world or in the smallest bedroom , the whole point of equipment is to give you that buzz to keep u wanting to play, and a big part of that is the quality of sound that comes out from your efforts , axe/fc12 and quality monitors really is a sound investment in achieving that goal .. one of the most overused terms I hear is ‘I’m a tone chaser ‘ ..really?..isn’t everyone ? any one that has ever played an instrument is a tone chaser , are we all not wanting the best sound from our equipment , the moment your thinks you have comprismised , then u will have a constant nagging doubt about why could be if only u had blah blah blah
Axe fx / into a Bluetooth mixer into monitors is perfect for playing along with backing tracks… and again if u play in your bedroom , when it sits in a mix so well of a quality backing track you will want to keep playing .. I really do believe anyone that can should spend the cash on this setup , it is a great investment that will last the life of your playing with the updates along the way, so think of it as a long term investment that will massively improve your playing purely because it Will keep u wanting to play more and more
 
Genelecs are fabulous as a speaker solution - very well made, and sounds clear and loud. I pair mine with my Axe FXII which I’ve had since 2012. Sounds as good as you could want.
 
Livingroom player here, AF2 since 2009, AF3 since 2020, I've been doing my practicing, playing AND recording (VERY important for me) with FAS since 2009 and I am never going back.

Now, was the AF2 an overkill for me? Sure, since I was using only the 10-15% of its capabilities. Is the AF3 an overkill for me? Darn sure, for the same reasons. But the result is just the same, for what my ears and hands demand they were/are the perfect solution (I live in an apartment, I used to be a a tube head, I had a bunch of tube amps anything from 5 and 20W all the way to 100W beasts and a buttload of effects).

Still, I am on the waitlist for an FM9 and once I get it I will sell the AF3. Not only the FM9 will be less of an overkill (I'll still won't be able to use more than 10-15% of its capabilities) but it will solve the portability (since I want to be able to take it with me in a small bag) and switching issue (nowadays, I prefer an all in one solution, I also had an MFC with my AF2 so I know hot it goes). If the FM9 was available back in 2020 I would opt for that as it has all the features of the AF3's I am interested in and more than enough CPU power for my needs.

But hey, that's just me...
 
My $0.02...

Building a Fractal-centric rig isn't cheap. The main unit itself (III or legacies), footswitch, amplification/cab or FRFR... it adds up.

-BUT-

You end up with the potential for world class tone in an easily portable/gig ready package, and probably for less than a lot of boutique options in the box. DEFINITELY for less once you toss in a board capable of a fraction of what's available.
...and your gig rig in this case can also be your practice rig (this coming from a 99.99% home player).

If the only question is "is there a cheaper option for practice," assuming ONLY needing a solution for practice, the answer is of course there are cheaper alternatives. For what you would pay, some of those are pretty damn good these days. But if you want a premium option and can afford it, FAS is something you should consider.

Is it "overkill"? That's really up to the individual. For me, not only is it NOT overkill, it's critical. But I get most of my enjoyment from trying new sounds and experimenting with dialing things in. Someone with different needs/wants may have a very different view on what's necessary, but still appreciate the palate available in the Axe. Or maybe they just want to flip a switch and play, tone be damned. All are acceptable paths, just depends what works for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom