I'm Just Going to Leave This Here

Well, this is actually more what I was looking for before buying my XL back in November. I spent tons of time and money finding the right case and rack legs to hold the case up where I can see it.

Guess I'd better throw my XL and MFC-101 (which will be obsolete for sure if this works with the rack unit) on eBay before this new announcement costs me tons of money and go back to my pod I can easily get by with until after this comes out.
 
FractalAudio said:
Yeah, the decision will be to sell it at a lower price with only a few built-in models and then get people to upgrade or sell it at a higher price with all the models. There are pros and cons for each.

Does Line6 still do this? I think the XT you could buy model packs for like $50 or something. Do they do this with the HD?
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I've only used the POD HD series and all the updates have been free so far but this one coming out in march will not be according to this NAMM 2015 article: NAMM 2015: Line 6 releases POD HDX firmware update | NAMM 2015: Line 6 releases POD HDX firmware update | Guitar News | MusicRadar
 
Lots of posts speaking out against a "subscription model." No subscription model has been proposed.
 
Rex said:
Lots of posts speaking out against a "subscription model." No subscription model has been proposed.
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Certainly not "announced" but it is being discussed here as a way to deliver a low initial price point for the AX8 with downstream revenue.
 
One of the things i love about the axe, is the freedom to explore and discover amps, cabs, effects, and ultimately tone, that i otherwise would have never experienced. Either because i'd never heard of them, or because they're impossible to obtain. It's like having a little piece of history.

Yes some people might want a lower price point, but that would come at the cost of this discoverability and the journey that goes with it. The other downside of pay for amps type of model, is that over time you might see some of them disappear. "Hey turns out no one buys this amp (not used by my favorite stars, never heard of it, etc) , let's not waste resources in continuing to develop it. "

Paying for major firmware revisions, or a subscription for new stuff at the cost of a lower price would (to me) be a little more in line with the fas brand.
my 2cts
 
I'm am not a fan of subscription models ! most DAW software has turned to it this year and I hate it .If at all possible I will avoid it and drop the software ! I'll be looking at alternatives for sure ,but may wind up having to accept it ! I'd much rather pay the price for the product the way Cliff has been providing it ( a huge part of what makes Fractal Audio stand out front and above any other ),than do the add on crap ! I'll always be an advocate for Quality vs a quick buck by throwing out lures !
 
if they do decide to go with an add-on type model, i like the idea of it being pre-loaded with X amount of amps with the ability choose X number of amps after purchase to bring the total to 10, or whatever. that way there is an element of plug and play with the usual suspects but also the ability to make it fit your style. the total could be 10, 15, 20...whatever. while i love playing around with amps I'd never try otherwise...I wouldn't mind having a more "focused" device.
 
barhrecords said:
Certainly not "announced" but it is being discussed here as a way to deliver a low initial price point for the AX8 with downstream revenue.
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I think people are confusing pay-per-amp with subscriptions. No one from Fractal has mentioned a subscription service here.
 
I think the best thing to do is offer a base version that can be upgraded as you go and a fully loaded version. I would definitely buy the loaded version, but the base version would allow people that wanted to try the Axe Fx get their feet wet. I think it could usher in a whole group that Fractal couldn't reach before.
 
Robboman said:
I'd rather see Fractal's store offer payment-plan financing to lure the more budget-restricted buyers.

Since we keep referencing how Apple does things, check this out:

https://www.apple.com/ca/financing/
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that financing comes through a band not apple. It would be pretty sweet if someone in this forum is a VIP for a bank and ca make this happen.

I just read on TGP that it will have about dbl the power of the HD500x
 
1. A subscription model would undermine the Fractal brand, IMHO.

2. I think FAS would be taking on a lot of risk via the margin you give up by lowering the price point: The component cost for a product like this is very non-trivial, selling more units but giving up significant profit on them and then hoping customers buy into this cheesy DLC/IAP type model to make it back sounds super risky. Esp in the price range and industry we are talking about. Of course, only Cliff and Co know the math here. But I'd be careful low balling price assuming it immediately means sales and IAPs.

I don't care how many more people can/can't afford a FAS unit , I CAN and I want them to have a sane business model. They need to continue to make money so they can stay in business and continue to create awesomeness.
 
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stop saying "subscription" people. you aren't paying money up front for future delivery later.

it's an "add-on" model. give money for a product now with certain features. pay new money at a later time for additional features at that time.
 
Robboman said:
Semantics.

Well, maybe not by precise definition, but I'll lump both ideas together into the same ball of suck.
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Way different. With a subscription, you have to keep paying just to keep it running. That hasn't been proposed here.
 
I'd have zero issues with an h9 amp block payment program. I was a former ii owner and found myself using the same amp blocks that became my goto's. I'm currently a h9 owner and have purchased algorithms that work for me and what i play. I can see why it's an intriguing idea for Cliff. Either way i'm in with the ax8 and know it will be a fine return for me to fractal products. I think at the end of the day Cliff is well aware that some will see the dress black and blue, some white and gold.

I had too lol.
 
I am on the waiting list for the FX-8. I am planning to throw out my old pedalboard and use the FX-8 as an effect unit with my Friedman BE100.
Can I use AX-8 the same way - turning off amp/cab blocks - create presets with just effects with scenes - and just use it as an effect unit ?
The obvious advantage is that I could program some additional presets with amp/cab and use that as a backup in case the Friedman fails.
I dont care about the extra cost ... if the AX-8 can do that I'm all in !
 
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I would pay up to $1500 for an AX8. All I know is the more people that are able to get it and be satisfied would be the best advertisement at first and then after some time maybe raise the price a bit. Once the AX8 rules the floorboard market more players would gravitate to it regardless of price.
 
Interesting - So in an "Add on Model" environment it might go something like this, some respected player says "I'm only using amp X now" on this forum. Within minutes 16,500 now substandardly equipped, impressionable users start grabbing up their dad's credit card and at, say $9.95 each, they order up $164,175.00 of intellectual property within the following 12 hours. <-- (If that's not raw temptation, then what is?) Then it just repeatedly recycles how if you don't have amp X you just don't have real tone. I can see this going in the 100% polar opposite direction of everything that makes me a 100% devoted Fractal user. I can hear it now "They used to be such a solid company", "That Cliff guy would put out free upgrades every month or so. His customers were the most loyal I ever saw. Alot like what people say nowadays about brands like Marshall, Vox, Gibson, etc. I really hope they think this through all the pros and cons. The temptation of even more, can kill, while the well established solid current FAS model will likely endure. The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Often, when you take off your sunglasses, it becomes clear that it is pretty much brownish on both sides. I know this much for certain, Line 6 and Eventide both think the grass is pretty damn green underneath all that snow in Cliffs yard!!
 
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