Axe FX2 overkill for me?

rigo

Member
Hello Guys,

im new to this forum and dont own a Fractal yet.

im debating weather to buy a Fractal Ultra VS the Axe FX 2. (i found a used Ultra online for $1100 USD)

what are your guys's opinion on my situation.

im not a touring musician, i jam every weekend with friends, i plan to use the fractal for tones and Fx through a guitar cab with a power amp, so no cab sims we be used either.
i've heard that when not using the fractal with frfr speakers, you are not using the unit to its full potential.

i sounds to me like an Axe FX2 will be overkill for me, do you agree?

would love to hear your opinion.

thanks!

rigo
 
Hey rigo, how complicated of a setup do you normally gravitate towards, effects-wise?

Are you a guitar straight into the amp kinda guy? Do you stick with basic effects like a boost/drive pedal and maybe a delay or reverb? Or do you tend to create crazy and unique sounds with your guitar that are driven by all kinds of exotic effects processing?
 
I thought the same until I upgraded from the Ultra to the II. The amp models in the II are LIGHT YEARS better than the Ultra. I was blown away immediately, particularly by how much better the clean and mid-gain tones are. You can pick up an original version Axe-FX II for around $1600...for that price difference, I'd say the II is absolutely worth it.
 
thanks Jrod.. but as far as i can tell, the AX8 is only for FX, i also want to use the amp sims.
 
FX8 is for effects only. AX8 targeted release date is October this year, and it does amp/cab/effects modeling. The modeling algorithms are going to be the same between the AX8 and the XL, it's just lesser in power and features, but all the sounds are exactly the same.

FWIW, I had an AXE Standard for a few weeks before selling it for a II. The II is worth the extra money for sound quality purposes. But I'm in the same boat you are, it can do too much for what I use it for. The AX8 will fit my needs. (Gig less than 10 times a year, at home/jamming at friends houses the other times).
 
Hey rigo, how complicated of a setup do you normally gravitate towards, effects-wise?

Are you a guitar straight into the amp kinda guy? Do you stick with basic effects like a boost/drive pedal and maybe a delay or reverb? Or do you tend to create crazy and unique sounds with your guitar that are driven by all kinds of exotic effects processing?

my rig is somewhat complicated, my signal goes from to a pedal board with about 14 stomp boxed into a A,B,Y and into 1 half stack and 2 combo amps.. all my distortion come from the amps. at some times i get crazy with FX.

rigo
 
The amp models in the II are LIGHT YEARS better than the Ultra.

How can that be when on this very forum(& others) the Ultra was said to be at least 95% there compared to tube amps about 5-6 years ago...........this would mean that the Axe2 is now at least 1 light year better than tube amps!
 
my rig is somewhat complicated, my signal goes from to a pedal board with about 14 stomp boxed into a A,B,Y and into 1 half stack and 2 combo amps.. all my distortion come from the amps. at some times i get crazy with FX.

rigo

I suspect that an Axe or an FX8 may negate the need for an ABY.. unless of course you have specific stomps that make tones the Axe or FX8 can't [but you may be surprised at huge range of FX at your disposal].. and of course there's an FX send / return that can be placed anywhere in the signal path should you feel the need to include a special stomp.. either way.. you can have your cake and eat it.. and without performing the River Dance during tone transitions..

the FRFR question… don't be fooled.. you lose nothing at all if you prefer to use real cabs.. it's your choice.. what you choose to do live and in the studio do not have to be the same thing.. I personally prefer real cabs to FRFR / IR's live.. and could not live without IR cabs in the studio.. again.. you get your cake and eat it..
don't forget that there are those that talk about FRFR and the Axe as if it's the only way to do things.. and that's just not true..
it's 'a way' not 'the way'.. and for many it's their preferred way… and that's cool..
but there are as many that like big ol' boxes humping the tone out
 
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Well, It's your money and nobody can tell you how to spend it but I'll tell you why I bought and Axe Fx 2. It was simple. I play every single day and have for years. So it is a "tool" in my box of sound. With the sound being very important.
Have I reached the Fx's unit's full potential yet? Not even close. In fact I am in "second gear" out of the six (or more) that the unit has. But I keep learning and the sounds are just killer from the thing. All my amps, speaker cabs, pedals, etc are now just a thing of the past. I am looking forward of how music will be played and not how it was played. Just my thought on the subject, Take them how you would like.
 
if your rig is as complicated as you're saying. the AX8 might not have enough computing power. no way of knowing that until the AX8 comes out and you can try it for yourself
 
How can that be when on this very forum(& others) the Ultra was said to be at least 95% there compared to tube amps about 5-6 years ago...........this would mean that the Axe2 is now at least 1 light year better than tube amps!

It's a quantum mechanics thing -- if I answer now, that will just change the question.
 
How can that be when on this very forum(& others) the Ultra was said to be at least 95% there compared to tube amps about 5-6 years ago...........this would mean that the Axe2 is now at least 1 light year better than tube amps!

In the marketing world I believe this is known as sensationalism.
 
To me it's also not just about quality, there's a bunch of other great features (USB, headphone jack, metronome, etc)
 
In my humble opinion: yeah. You could probably make do with a HD500X and pocket the significant difference... Buy another guitar or something.

The Axe-Fx 2 is definitely overkill for me personally, but it's still the best musical purchase I ever made. I've learned so much about guitar, amps, etc as a result.

I recommend unequivocally the Axe-Fx 2, but not everyone is able to spend on such "luxury" goods. Consider your situation.

..........and then buy the Fractal anyway.
 
were are you located? some one near you may let you have a test drive. I would, I have a Ultra, a II, and a XL, I am in central Fl.
 
an Axe FX rig can be just as complicated and depending on your level of ability can be quite difficult to use. The difference is you have FULL control over every variable, and the ability to save and recall those settings.... The mistake some make is that they think because you have the ability to tweak everything, that you should and also it is very easy to overdo it when there are no limits.

The guys that get the most out of it are the ones that KNOW WHAT THEY WANT, so dialing in stuff is easy for them. I've owned my Axe FX II for 2 and 1/2 years now and TBH it's the best gear purchase I've ever made in 27 years of GAS. It however has not stopped me from also owning and gigging a traditional tube amp and pedal/rack setup, and in fact I've mixed and used the Axe FX II in a 4CM method with great results as well.

that said, is it overkill? Only you can answer that. Spend some time and read the manual, and look at all the features.
 
How can that be when on this very forum(& others) the Ultra was said to be at least 95% there compared to tube amps about 5-6 years ago...........this would mean that the Axe2 is now at least 1 light year better than tube amps!

Because people are fond of making dumb comparisons between modelers and tube amps, and then arguing about it ad infinitum. All that matters is, "How well does this work for me." The Ultra's low and mid-gain models - blackface, brownface, etc - never worked for me. The II's work beautifully. Are they as good as an amp? Don't know. Don't care. They work, and it's easier to carry. That is all.
 
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