Guitar Rig vs Axe-Fx III: is there really a better tone?

brianv4 said:
I see they finally have GR6. Listened to some demos, didn't inspire me to pull out my credit card and get the upgrade. "Maybe" the feel is better but the tone, imo is only marginally improved.
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GR6 only has three models that use the new modeling algorithms. The rest use the same algos as GR5.
 
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I have GR5 on my laptop, and I've taken that, USB guitar cable, guitar and headphones, and had something I could jam with in a hotel room or when visiting family. Super lightweight. I don't think it compares to the III in any category except price.
 
Les Paul Rider said:
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my question.
I was 90 and now I am 100 percent convinced.
I just joined the waitlist for the FX III.
I hope that very soon I will be another happy fractal user.
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Best of luck to you. Fractal gear is, to borrow a phrase from Steve Jobs, insanely great!!’
 
Les Paul Rider said:
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my question.
I was 90 and now I am 100 percent convinced.
I just joined the waitlist for the FX III.
I hope that very soon I will be another happy fractal user.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the club. As you may have seen, these AXE FX forums are the best around. Once you get your AXE FXIII be sure to visit frequently. There's a ton of great advice here.
 
I haven’t used GR5, but I used to use the amp sims in Logic all the time and thought that they sounded good. I got my AF3 last year, and after 5 months I pulled up the amp sims in Logic again and was horrified. Yes, horrified! I couldn’t dial in anything that sounded halfway decent.

I think you’ll be very happy with an AF3. 10 amps? No need.
 
Yup, no need for 10 amp blocks, just pick one of your favorite flavors, grab a couple IRs of an appropriate cab, a 57 and a 160 ribbon version, tweak to taste, using ears not eyes, and start loving life as a guitar player.

Stupid easy to get great sounding and feeling results from the lll.
 
I've used Amplitube and Gutiar Rig at home and my FX Ultra at rehearsal room because I don't wanted to carry it around.
But since I got the FM3 I've sold the Ultra and take the FM3 with me at my home (no rack anymore) because it was harder to find a good sound with the software amp sims (more tweaking needed and more noise at highgain sounds) and never used them since I got the FM3.
So the FX3 sounding the same and have more possibilities that would be your deal.
I do not need the extras of the FX3 and got the same sound for half of the price.
I agree that it is the "feel of a real amp" is the main-point and to get a good sound without tweaking for hours and still not really satisfied as with the other solutions.
I had Lin6 stuff before Fractal Audio too and 20 years ago I had the good old Johnson modellers and for me they were the only modellers that worked for me until Fractal Audio. (I still got the J-Station and regret to have my Millenium head sold)
Never used Kemper because it is not a modeller it is a profiler. For me more away from a real amp than a modeler. (Doesn't matter that they may sound also good as far as I've read from users)

Only my opinions and experience. (I mad it a birthday present for myself turning 51 ;) )
 
There is simply no comparison. I have GR5&6, and Overloud TH3-all full versions. To my ears and especially my hands, it's apples and oranges-
plain and simple. Yes I had fun at times with GR and TH3, with Fractal I have actual amp sound and feel and response. Huge difference imho.
 
Mate - what better gift for your 40th? Do it!
As a tweaker, you'll be there for weeks and still hardly touch the surface.
Thanks
Pauly


Les Paul Rider said:
(There is a similar thread from 2009 but it has been 11 years now)

Hi everyone, an Axe Fx has been on my bucket list for a few years now.

In 14 days I will be 40, and I thought it would be a good way to celebrate my birthday.
I currently have a Marshall and a Randall with a 2x12, but they are covered in dust. I always use Native Instruments Guitar Rig 5 (amp simulator).
After a while using it I've managed to get very good results, I have some presets, which I think they are 100% accurate to my ears but I'm still tempted to buy the Fractal.

I have seen that the FM3 has limitation with the CPU, on my Mac I can use 10 amp blocks and 10 reverb blocks on Guitar Rig and there is no problem with the CPU. That is why I thought that I should buy the Ax Fx III, go big or go home right?

The main use is going to be at home, I will not use it as a recording device, at most once in a while I will meet with some friends to play some old metal covers.
I'm a more a tone chaser than a good guitar player, I love to spend most of my spare time tweaking presets and playing guitar.

so my question is:

As long I can't enter to a store and try my self the sound of one of these beasts...

Anyone familiar with Guitar Rig 5 or 6 can tell me if I will I have a noticeably better tone out of the Axe III?

Thank you so much.
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Les Paul Rider said:
Thank you all for taking the time to answer my question.
I was 90 and now I am 100 percent convinced.
I just joined the waitlist for the FX III.
I hope that very soon I will be another happy fractal user.
Click to expand...
I used to use GR 4 all the time.

Then I got the Axe-FX II and rarely fired up GR 4.

Then I got the Axe-FX III and really haven't looked back except for making sure my Axe-FX II presets in my IR packs are sonically in the ballpark with the Axe-FX III.

You are in for a real treat as a tone chaser.

You can do things that are nigh impossible on any other modeler.
 
I've been where you're at with questioning whether that extra bit is really there with the Fractal units. In fact, I've had an Axe Fx III, sold it since I couldn't help but think that the goods were there with some careful tweaking in Helix Native, Amplitube, Bias, Guitar Rig, or all the others. I've had internal debates about the possible psychoacoustic trickery that our minds play on us by preferring what we are familiar with and, in the case of the Axe Fx III, convinced myself that the Fractal stuff wasn't worth it.
I was wrong and there is simply no beating the Fractal stuff in the amp marketplace. It's a stretch to call them modellers and I see the amp "models" in the Fractal stuff as nothing more than a helpful guide to the user to get us in the ballpark for which tone we are looking for. The "models" in the Fractal units are amps. Digitally emulated amp circuits, yes. But the Axe and FM3 are amps. Throw all the tweaking that is possible in there, add any pedal you could really want for, and you've got a worthwhile birthday present.
 
Ive had GR5 and found it almost unusable. The axe is just on a completely different level. I cant recommend it highly enough. I would avoid GR at all costs. it just sounds awful IMO
 
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