Has the Axe FX peaked?

[Johnnyh64]

If there was any possibility to still get the formant pitch shifting, I would be very happy. Also maybe just a couple more bass heads and still to me the drive pedals don't seem quite right for some reason.

 

[Saki]

In the computer world, I'm usually happy when I see updates to the software I'm using (the boy in me somehow sees them as new toys, silly as it may sound, and I've yet to be seriously bitten in the rear by a rotten update).

When it comes to the Axe-FX, it's a bit different. I bought mine just as the Quantum firmware was released, and it's been giving me satisfaction from day one. Learning to use the Axe-FX is an ongoing process, and I'm rather happy that it doesn't move too much from under my feet. Even without firmware updates, at this point the Axe is a huge world to explore, and it's keeping me busy just fine.

Maybe it's become I'm not expert enough, but I don't feel that I'm missing anything with the Axe, and additions from the recent firmwares were mostly neutral for me (except for the addition of the USA IIC++).

Edit: now that I'm thinking about it, I wouldn't mind a better droptuner. I regularly need to play a halfstep lower, and the Axe-FX pitch block has a higher latency than my old Whammy DT (which I sold). But if that becomes a real concern, I'll buy a new guitar dedicated to that tuning anyway.

 

[symphx]

More IR speaker cab manipulation without NEW IRs; ie build IR sounds, manipulate their sounds, abilities, properties from within the axe.

 

[hochha]

Always room for improvement with the software. That said I can't think of any other company like FAS when it comes to their dedication to improving the product, Cliff and the team deserve many thanks (and financial rewards) for their work. Now I better stop before I start listing all the things I want in the AxeFx III, it tends to draw the ire of some in this forum.

 

[Rex]

In the computer world, I'm usually happy when I see updates to the software I'm using (the boy in me somehow sees them as new toys, silly as it may sound...

When it comes to the Axe-FX, it's a bit different.

With me, it's just the opposite. I used to like computer-type updates. But these days, each new update comes with a dozen new and sneaky ways to harvest and sell my personal information. GoogAppleSoft owns me.

But when it comes to the Axe-Fx, I'm still the kid in the toy store. There's always something new, improved and cool for me to play with. And I know Fractal won't take anything more from me than the money I willingly gave them.

 

[Pwrmac7600]

Yeah to be honest, as much as I LOVE most of the IR's that are out there, I would like to see some major advancement in Cab manipulation. A different method of Cabinet simulation I guess. Something in the vein of how amplitube and many others work, but with the quality of OH/ML/Cabir IR's. I like the concept of being able to pull up a cab and change the mic, and change the position and hear my results in real time, rather than scrolling hundreds of IR's in order to try and find the one that suits what I am going for.
Don't misunderstand, I think the IR's we use now are light years ahead of cab simulation found in competing products. Would just like a much more intuitive way of creating my cab tone. If you could crate a program that can morph from IR to IR as you say drag a mic around the cabinet finding the position and distance you want, as you would on a real cab.

 

[Dpoirier]

Then there is also Simeon's fabulous wish list: http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/effects-only-update-wish-list-2016.108662/

Between that and Yek's list (first post in the thread), the *is* a lot of room for improvement, and most (all?) of these are very creative thoughts that could take the Axe-FX to new heights...

 

[sirus1987]

As Matt said, always room for improvement. Cruise over to 'Wish List' and see if it inspires anything you might want to ask for. The question is though, what more do you need. or want? I, personally, think that cab development has come very far, but has some way to go before it's 'plug and play' like most analog rigs.

But, cynically on my part, this seems like an attempt to get a 'The next Axe FX' announcement.

Not really an attempt to get the next Axe announcement or anything like that. The question was more towards "has it peaked?". Technology does clearly keep advancing, but there seems to be a point where many devices already serve their purpose and its hard to improve upon the design. We're seeing this a little bit with smartphones where developers keep coming out with models that are only marginally better than their predecessor because they are running out of new practical uses for the device. I'm wondering at this point how much further the Axe FX can possibly go.

 

[BillyZeppa]

Oh wow. I see the preset comes with a custom cab! I have Fractool, but have never loaded a preset with cab before. I see there is a seperate .syx file for the cab - do i need to load the cab separately?