Good.. now can we begin to wait for a possible "AX9"?

ozanerkal

Inspired
(Oh wait.. is there an FX9 coming first?)

Although I was a proud owner of an XL in my studio, I only took it out on stage for 3/4 times, because of the inconveniences of having it in a rack case (extra weight), protecting my investment with a power conditioner (extra weight), controller and expression pedals (extra weight) and so on..

So I got some other brand's modeller/processor only for live only because I can carry it around. And when one of the 2 processors had to go because I needed money, the choice wasn't hard: No matter how much I loved the XL, I sold it, because the other one could both record and perform line.. sorry, live.

Now, the highly anticipated III is here, and it's 3u. I mean.. even bigger! (although the display is still very "2u" btw.)

Hey, Fractal.. all we needed was for you to put the XL into a pedalboard! Sonic-wise, the XL was already the technology of tomorrow and nobody could come near it. So who would need a 3u device with 10 times processing power when it was already enough? Maybe a few high-end studios. But for the musician, an XL in a pedalboard, namely an "AX9" would be the real deal.
 
Fully agree.

Except for thread title. They won’t be called AX9 or FX9.. the 8 was in the name previously due to the presence of 8 footswitches (or footswitchable blocks)

But yes. I’d love to see the full flagship equivalent to the Axe 3 in floorboard form.
 
FAS moved my thread here from the Axe3 forum.. haha.. OK.. but what is "lounge"? is it where you put stuff you don't like? You could at least move it to "wish list" if you care for what people think about your strategies..
 
Can you begin to wait for an AX9? Sure, you can wait for whatever you want.

But seriously if you're expecting Cliff to come in here an announce a new product it's not going to happen. Everyone has been asking when an Axe FX 3 would come out and we knew nothing until he was ready to release it.
 
Hey, Fractal.. all we needed was for you to put the XL into a pedalboard!
Tough to do. The Axe II has two processors that run hot and require fan cooling, as well as enough cabinet volume to dissipate the heat. And half an acre of PC board to accommodate all that connectivity. [/quote]


Sonic-wise, the XL was already the technology of tomorrow and nobody could come near it.
Sonic-wise, the AX8 s identical to the Axe II.
 
I'll be surprised, if an AX8MkII is not announced in 2018 - BUT I have absolutely no inside info on this.
 
with a product cycle of +/- 4 years from Axe to Axe2 to Axe3, it will probably be 2019 around this time that pictures come out of Ax8 #2. After the Axe3 and new controllers run their fire sale cycle and the company can get spun back down and ready for a new launch. trust it's already in the works and has been, products this deep don't materialize in a dream one night and pop out of a 3D printer the next day. I really hope they put USB audio into the new one because that's the only reason i haven't bought one recently. The amps are untouchable (actually completely touchable you can touch them all over in all of their little places). The USB audio in the AxeFx2 is so freaking clean, it's as clean as an UAD Apollo interface, super stable and crystal transparent. I've had two AxeFx2s so far, bought it, used it, then sold both because i couldn't justify keeping a rackmount computer just for guitar tones, and also it is a pain to program with one little dial. The Ax8 interface has all those extra dedicated knobs for super fast twiddling to find the sweet spot, and it's BUILT INTO A FOOTSWITC, that's a no brainier. But i really really need that multi track USB to track the DI at the same time as an amp, and to monitor the DAW in headphones with just one device, the AxeFx2 makes that so convenient, and even iTunes and YouTube sound like audiophile content through the Fractal converters, it cleans up EVERYTHING.
 
That would coincide quite nicely with the end of my sabbatical if it happened by Christmas or so. Which is why (knowing my luck) it’s not going to happen. :)
 
While a XL+ in a floorboard would have been cool, it would appear that technically its not possible. Now Line 6 has a floorboard and a rackboard version of the Helix, but they approached thing differently then Fractal. Line 6 designed the best floorboard unit they could because they know that is what most of their users want. As an afterthought they also released a rack version, for those who want one, but its relatively easy to port something from a floorboard to a rack then the other way around.

In contrast Fractal went the other way, going for a total no compromises tonal monster. Which they could only fit into a rack unit. Which sucks for those who prefer a floorboard only unit, but you just can't port a monster rack unit into a floorboard without some major compromises. Which in the case of the Ax-8 meant a severe reduction in DSP power. But for those who want no compromises on their tone having to use a rack unit is an acceptable sacrifice. I know it is for me. I tried the AX-8, I found it severely lacking compared to the XL+, I got rid of it. I'd rather haul my XL+ and MFC around. It still beats hauling tube amps around.

As Fractal could not squeeze the awesomeness of the XL+ into a floorboard without making it into an XL+ light, I doubt that any successor of the AX-8 will be a III in a floorboard either. It will be an III light as well. What will be interesting to see if it will still be a significant upgrade compared to the XL+ to make it interesting enough for XL+ users to switch over as well.
 
I've said it for a while. Ditch the FX8 and just make a unit that combines the FX8 and the AX8 into one with more horsepower and move the knobs next the the screen. Maybe allow 2 more buttons so you can do 5 presets bottom and 5 presets top. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE ADD GLOBAL PRESET BUTTON, LIKE ON THE AXE FX II.
 
I have to agree that weight and size is really important for gigging musicians. If its a rack unit - you have to put it in a rack, which usually duobles the weight. Also if its a rack you neeed a separate controller. If you also want to bring your monitor to gigs - you cant take everything in one trip, and thats a big pain, when you have to deal with this often.
 
I have to agree that weight and size is really important for gigging musicians. If its a rack unit - you have to put it in a rack, which usually duobles the weight. Also if its a rack you neeed a separate controller. If you also want to bring your monitor to gigs - you cant take everything in one trip, and thats a big pain, when you have to deal with this often.
You can, but you just have longer arms at the end of the day ;-)
 
I've said it for a while. Ditch the FX8 and just make a unit that combines the FX8 and the AX8 into one with more horsepower and move the knobs next the the screen. Maybe allow 2 more buttons so you can do 5 presets bottom and 5 presets top. AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE ADD GLOBAL PRESET BUTTON, LIKE ON THE AXE FX II.

Methinks if it were possible to squeeze an Axe FX II into a floorboard it would have been done, as I only see goodness in that direction. It just couldn't be done. Just like any AX-9 will just not have the capabilities of the Axe FX III. If it could be done it would have been done from the get go, rather then stick with the rack format.

And many people actually like the FX-8. Why punish them for an obsession with for wanting a more capable AX-8? And if you were to combine the two machines into one you'd end up with a bigger sized floorboard. One that's not that easy to haul around.

I have to agree that weight and size is really important for gigging musicians. If its a rack unit - you have to put it in a rack, which usually duobles the weight. Also if its a rack you neeed a separate controller. If you also want to bring your monitor to gigs - you cant take everything in one trip, and thats a big pain, when you have to deal with this often.

The way I see it, the advantage of the AX-8 is that its as much of the Axe FX II squeezed into a floorboard, so you can travel and gig light. And the very definition of gigging light is AX-8 and guitar. The rest you get at the venue. Adapt, improvise, overcome! You want your own monitors? Then we're talking about a whole rig. In which case you might as well haul an Axe FX and controller with you as well. If you want total control of your tone from start to finish go for the Axe FX and support rig. You want to travel light, AX-8 only. But accept that you can't have it all.

Some people prefer portability, and that's fine. But you have to accept that that comes at a price, which is usually less capability, as you just cannot squeeze a complicated rack unit into a floorboard. Its in that rack for a reason. And some people prefer total control of their tone. And they have to accept that that comes at a price too, Which is having to haul more gear around. Life is about compromises.
 
Methinks if it were possible to squeeze an Axe FX II into a floorboard it would have been done, as I only see goodness in that direction. It just couldn't be done. Just like any AX-9 will just not have the capabilities of the Axe FX III. If it could be done it would have been done from the get go, rather then stick with the rack format.

And many people actually like the FX-8. Why punish them for an obsession with for wanting a more capable AX-8? And if you were to combine the two machines into one you'd end up with a bigger sized floorboard. One that's not that easy to haul around.



The way I see it, the advantage of the AX-8 is that its as much of the Axe FX II squeezed into a floorboard, so you can travel and gig light. And the very definition of gigging light is AX-8 and guitar. The rest you get at the venue. Adapt, improvise, overcome! You want your own monitors? Then we're talking about a whole rig. In which case you might as well haul an Axe FX and controller with you as well. If you want total control of your tone from start to finish go for the Axe FX and support rig. You want to travel light, AX-8 only. But accept that you can't have it all.

Some people prefer portability, and that's fine. But you have to accept that that comes at a price, which is usually less capability, as you just cannot squeeze a complicated rack unit into a floorboard. Its in that rack for a reason. And some people prefer total control of their tone. And they have to accept that that comes at a price too, Which is having to haul more gear around. Life is about compromises.

Never said to put the Axe fx II into the AX9....just add a little more power, 2 more buttons and a global channel. Why put the FX8 into the AX9? Because the FX8 is weird. The Edit software is completely different from the rest of the herd and I don't see wht not have one unit that could do either? Makes sense from a sales POV.
 
Because the FX8 is weird. The Edit software is completely different from the rest of the herd and I don't see wht not have one unit that could do either? Makes sense from a sales POV.
It’s kinda like saying a strat is weird because the 3 single coil pickups are completely different from a les paul *shrug*

I know people who bought an FX8 for their tube amp and an AX8 for their studio setup. If there was only 1 unit, FAS would have sold 1 less unit to these people.

I think a unit combined like you described would make sense more from a buyer’s POV, not sales.
 
..Well, technology marches forth is all I’m gonna say. Remember when calculators were huge things that went “ching!” after an entry - remember when computers took up whole rooms? ..every year they figure out how to squeeze more technology into smaller form factors - technology which runs faster and more efficiently, generating less heat.

So. All in time.

Not to mention that the AX8, when compared to its closest competitor, a Helix, is physically smaller, and peeps will happily drag a Helix hither and yon without much complaint. So? ..Slightly bigger’s okay then. More room, newer tech, add some new-age crafty-type witchery in the cooling dept. Y’know..All in time.

I can wait.

..Better believe I’m gonna be on the list the minute they Do become available - whatever “they” are. One thing we can count on. Whatever it will be, will be better than already freakin’ awesome! :cool:
 
..Well, technology marches forth is all I’m gonna say. Remember when calculators were huge things that went “ching!” after an entry - remember when computers took up whole rooms? ..every year they figure out how to squeeze more technology into smaller form factors - technology which runs faster and more efficiently, generating less heat.

So. All in time.

Not to mention that the AX8, when compared to its closest competitor, a Helix, is physically smaller, and peeps will happily drag a Helix hither and yon without much complaint. So? ..Slightly bigger’s okay then. More room, newer tech, add some new-age crafty-type witchery in the cooling dept. Y’know..All in time.

I can wait.

..Better believe I’m gonna be on the list the minute they Do become available - whatever “they” are. One thing we can count on. Whatever it will be, will be better than already freakin’ awesome! :cool:

But you're never going to get the Axe III in a floorboard, because if it were possible, it would have been released as such. Just like Helix was. There is much more commercial potential for it in floorboard form then in a rack form. After all, how many people use the rack version of the Helix over the floorboard? So AX-9 will be a an Axe III light, just like AX-8 was an Axe II light. Although it might be that a possible AX-9 would be closer, if not better then the Axe II. Cause as you said, technology marches forth.
 
Back
Top Bottom