How can the Axe get better?

[JWDubois]

I'm a completely satisfied Ultra owner. But all this speculation about the HD500 has me wondering. Someone mentioned a fictional "dual DSP" Axe. This has me wondering, how much better can the Axe get?

I got my Axe recently, my experience is with FW 9.03, and 10.01. Honestly, I can't imagine how the amp modeling could sound much better. But suppose it can. In what ways could it be improved? In what way is the amp modeling limited now? Are the algorithms CPU limited now?

Suppose there was a "dual Ultra". One DSP for amp modeling, one for FX. Would it actually be a quantum leap over the 10.01 Ultra, or just an incremental improvement?

More realistically, what if Cliff developed Ultra specific amp models that could take advantage of the extra CPU, perhaps at the expense of the number of concurrent fx. Would it be a noticeable improvement?

Just curious ...

JWW

 

[javajunkie]

Dual processor Ultra -
Spillover that doesn't have to be planned out. Double the memory as well as processing power which means more user cabs and perhaps more effects. Other effects algorithms could be expanded. Like more looper and delay memory. Expanded pitch-shifting options (maybe even formant correction like the eventide h8000 has). Number of concurrent effects could certainly go up. Naming user cabs. I'm not sure about the amp models but Fractal could probably add some complexity to the drive pedals in order to get stuff like the Fuzz Factory and Multi-band distortion. Maybe add a bit crusher, those sort of things.

There is a lot you could do with an extra processor. It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal. But we can dream

 

[mwc2112]

Suppose there was a "dual Ultra". One DSP for amp modeling, one for FX.

Unless these processors needed to be different models for a specific reason, it would be a waste to dedicate two like resources to two different applications. Let's say you have a single amp and only need the processing power of 25% of one DSP. If you don't allow other things to utilize the other 75% then you aren't using them to their full potential.

 

[JGR]

One more set of quarter inch and XLR outs to better facilitate WDW rigs, and an espresso maker.

 

[chris beaver]

in the long term i believe it will get loads better over the next decade or two. if you think about it this way,hypothetically speaking lets say in a few years time we reach a point of amp modeling perfection in every way where eventually all company's reach this level. well i think at some point that's gonna happen and fractal are close already.
but why stop there? are amps really the holy grail of guitar tone? i think at some point some company will take a giant step through innovative thinking. a different unique step that changes the game forever, one that others will follow. one that doesn't emulate amps one that takes the whole concept of guitar sound design much further and sounds way way better than any amp ever could.

of course i could be talking complete bollocks here and this may never happen, but i can dream :lol:

 

[dk_ace]

Dual processor Ultra -
Spillover that doesn't have to be planned out. Double the memory as well as processing power which means more user cabs and perhaps more effects. Other effects algorithms could be expanded. Like more looper and delay memory. Expanded pitch-shifting options (maybe even formant correction like the eventide h8000 has). Number of concurrent effects could certainly go up. Naming user cabs. I'm not sure about the amp models but Fractal could probably add some complexity to the drive pedals in order to get stuff like the Fuzz Factory and Multi-band distortion. Maybe add a bit crusher, those sort of things.

There is a lot you could do with an extra processor. It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal. Bur we can dream

Sign me up!

D

 

[mwc2112]

an expresso maker.

Only if you apply that 'special sauce' to the frother. :lol:

 

[mworkman]

I would think maybe taking a page out of 11R and putting some knobs on the front that control the basic amp parameters... I am not a looper user but for those that are make whatever adjustments are necessary to have a full-featured looper... Another set of outputs... a larger number of user ir slots... I haven't played around with a dual-amp scenario except for one but maybe a little more horse power that would allow you to run 3 amps concurrently. USB support? Headphone jack (although I don't personally care for that idea).

Seems like, at least for me, more things on the hardware side of the house.

Maybe some kind of removable media drive... flash, SD, whatever... that you could load mp3 or wav files and use in conjunction with the looper... kind of like a built in version of the proposed liquid tracks idea.

 

[Scott Peterson]

Dual processor Ultra -
Spillover that doesn't have to be planned out. Double the memory as well as processing power which means more user cabs and perhaps more effects. Other effects algorithms could be expanded. Like more looper and delay memory. Expanded pitch-shifting options (maybe even formant correction like the eventide h8000 has). Number of concurrent effects could certainly go up. Naming user cabs. I'm not sure about the amp models but Fractal could probably add some complexity to the drive pedals in order to get stuff like the Fuzz Factory and Multi-band distortion. Maybe add a bit crusher, those sort of things.

There is a lot you could do with an extra processor. It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal. But we can dream

I'm with Sean.

I'd also love a floor unit form factor; all in one mega pedal with controllers/expression pedals. One stop full service Ultra in a foot pedal.

Perchance to dream...

 

[javajunkie]

Dual processor Ultra -
Spillover that doesn't have to be planned out. Double the memory as well as processing power which means more user cabs and perhaps more effects. Other effects algorithms could be expanded. Like more looper and delay memory. Expanded pitch-shifting options (maybe even formant correction like the eventide h8000 has). Number of concurrent effects could certainly go up. Naming user cabs. I'm not sure about the amp models but Fractal could probably add some complexity to the drive pedals in order to get stuff like the Fuzz Factory and Multi-band distortion. Maybe add a bit crusher, those sort of things.

There is a lot you could do with an extra processor. It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal. But we can dream

I'm with Sean.

I'd also love a floor unit form factor; all in one mega pedal with controllers/expression pedals. One stop full service Ultra in a foot pedal.

Perchance to dream...

A floor unit would be great.

 

[InsideOut]

Dual processor Ultra -
Spillover that doesn't have to be planned out. Double the memory as well as processing power which means more user cabs and perhaps more effects. Other effects algorithms could be expanded. Like more looper and delay memory. Expanded pitch-shifting options (maybe even formant correction like the eventide h8000 has). Number of concurrent effects could certainly go up. Naming user cabs. I'm not sure about the amp models but Fractal could probably add some complexity to the drive pedals in order to get stuff like the Fuzz Factory and Multi-band distortion. Maybe add a bit crusher, those sort of things.

There is a lot you could do with an extra processor. It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal. But we can dream

I'm with Sean.

I'd also love a floor unit form factor; all in one mega pedal with controllers/expression pedals. One stop full service Ultra in a foot pedal.

Perchance to dream...

A floor unit would be great.

Instead of Ultra, this would need to be called Ultimate

 

[JWDubois]

All interesting responses, but you all missed my point. My question was meant to be, how much better could the amp modeling be if Cliff threw more processing power specifically at the amp models?

What would "Ultra HD" amp models sound like?

JWW

 

[FreaqyFrequency]

This is somewhat in tandem to something I meant to ask last night.

What, if anything, do people currently think is missing (in their own subjective terms, of course) between an FAS simulation and a respective analog amplifier? Also, how significant do you feel these perceived differences (if any) might be in your decision between which one you play?

I don't mean to hijack, but I think this is along the same lines of what you were already trying to ask.

 

[soularflair]

It would also probably price the unit out of range for a lot of people and may not be worth it for Fractal.

Meh - Sell your first-born. Or if you don't have one, sell someone else's

 

[mworkman]

All interesting responses, but you all missed my point. My question was meant to be, how much better could the amp modeling be if Cliff threw more processing power specifically at the amp models?

What would "Ultra HD" amp models sound like?

JWW

Wasn't there a post, either here or on another forum, where Cliff himself said he has another technique for modelling amps but that the hardware doesn't currently exist to run it? You have to wonder the way thing sound / feel now that any modeling improvements are like from 99.1% to 99.5%.

Of course everytime many of us feel it is as good as it gets Cliff makes it better.

 

[torchlord]

There has been some that have wanted the pre amp of the amp model seperated from the amp block. This isnt a amp issue and others think its unnecessary, but i think having higher sampled Ir's would be a good direction that the axe could go in if given more horse power and memory down the road.

This is a little crazy and maybe a tad impossible, but if some company could come of with modelling device that had a link with a corrasponding amplifier that could be controlled to react more naturally so it would totally tubelike in nature that be one heck of a thing.

 

[godprobe]

All interesting responses, but you all missed my point. My question was meant to be, how much better could the amp modeling be if Cliff threw more processing power specifically at the amp models?

I'd guess roughly eleven ancient languages better.

 

[Guitar-Tiz]

Line 6 hasn't even released these things yet, and people are already climbing the walls. :roll:

Historically speaking, every piece of gear Line 6 has released has been, according to their marketing department, THE NEXT BIG THING, so I personally don't buy it.

Well, I might buy it as a backup rig, but I don't buy the marketing hype.

 

[JWDubois]

Line 6 hasn't even released these things yet, and people are already climbing the walls. :roll:

Not true in my case. I was just wondering whether the state of the art, i.e. Cliffs amp models, were constrained by hardware limitations. For example, if he dedicated the entire DSP to amp modeling, could he make the amp models significantly better, or only incrementally better.

As I stated in my original post, I have a hard time seeing how the Axe models could  be improved much, because they are already so damn good. No doubt Cliff can raise the bar again though.

As far as the HD500 is concerned, my personal speculation is that it will land in the neighborhood of the Eleven sonically, which would put it in position to crush the Eleven and the RP1000 in the market, as long as Line6 avoids the teething issues they had with the X3.

How that would affect the Axe, I don't know, but I'm for sure not going to trade down to a HD500 ....

JWW

  

 

[AndrewSimon]

All interesting responses, but you all missed my point. My question was meant to be, how much better could the amp modeling be if Cliff threw more processing power specifically at the amp models?

What would "Ultra HD" amp models sound like?

JWW

The same difference you get between driving a Camry vs a BMW.

IMHO the AXE-FX is all there, the only improvement I can see (besides endless new models) is loads of memory so Cliff can factory load all the Redwirez IR's and have a cool display where you can pick a mic (or 5) and move them freely around the cab while the AXE-FX is switching between the IR's on the fly.

Anyway... that's my dream