Is now a good time to buy into the Axe FX II platform?

I'm looking to move from Amps into modeling. I briefly tried the Helix because its available in my town but it has a ridiculous firmware update process that risks bricking the device every time you do it. Totally unacceptable for a device of that price.

As a result, I'm looking to take the plunge and order a Fractal product. The Ax8 form factor and price are great but I think the requirement of an interface, lack of a headphone out, and reduced DSP make it less appealing.

That leaves the Axe II XL which I'm happy to take the plunge on, but I worry about investing that much money if there is any expectation of newer models coming out soon. I imagine this probably isn't an easy question to answer since Fractal isn't a company like apple with predictable release dates but just wondering what you guys would do in my boat.
 
I would buy a used one as well............I bought an Ultra right before the II came out and it is/was..........well what it is/was..........bought an XL+ a few years ago and never looked back. Life is short.
 
Welcome.

My answer is "No".

I don't expect many likes for this post :)

We really have no idea, but I personally just feel it in my bones that an Axe-Fx III announcement is imminent.

Starting that day, used Axe-Fx IIs will begin flooding the market and drive used prices down. Because legions of Fractal diehards WILL get the III, and not all can afford/justify keeping the II.

So if you can wait it out, you'll have a choice between the new III and a great deal on a used II.
 
Thanks for your input guys. That was more or less my feeling when I realized its been a few years since the II was released and I'm not in a rush. I'll be patient and either wait for a great used deal or for a potential future product
 
Meh, go for it I say. Tomorrow you could get hit by a bus. Have excellent tone today. If/when the III is announced, it just helps the next generation of guitarists getting into modeling. If the market floods with XL and XL+'s, they are still going to get a hell of a unit. The latest firmware still works on the Mark I/II's. That's incredible legacy support. If my rig was stolen/caught in a fire, I'd have another on order the next day.
 
I'd say go for it. Get a used II since they're cheaper (Even though I love the extra storage and fail safe on my XL). I would say that if there was a III coming it wouldn't just appear, there would be more of a pre-marketing campaign to make sure people were paying attention.

Who knows though shrug*
 
Cliff recently stated that the XL+ has a lot of room for expansion yet. Plus, as previously stated, the AxeFX III wasn't on the drawing board yet, there's still a lot life / expandability in the XL+ and a lot of time before we'll see a version III. I just sold my Mk 1 and got an XL+. Right now I'm not even remotely concerned about the XL+ being replaced anytime soon.
 
Cliff recently stated that the XL+ has a lot of room for expansion yet. Plus, as previously stated, the AxeFX III wasn't on the drawing board yet, there's still a lot life / expandability in the XL+ and a lot of time before we'll see a version III. I just sold my Mk 1 and got an XL+. Right now I'm not even remotely concerned about the XL+ being replaced anytime soon.

I've been vaugely entertaining the idea of doing the same thing. Other than more IRs and a better screen and more future proofing, what's really the point? Or is that it? I might sell my Mark I next year.
 
I've been vaugely entertaining the idea of doing the same thing. Other than more IRs and a better screen and more future proofing, what's really the point? Or is that it? I might sell my Mark I next year.

For me, the extra storage space for IRs and presets, plus the assumption of a longer FW update lifecycle, was enough to prompt me to buy the XL+ while I still had a perfectly good AFX II Mk II. I'd planned on selling the AFX II afterward, but so far, I've kept it. I like having a spare as a backup (though never needed so far), but if I needed the cash, the Mk II would be one of the first pieces of gear to go up for sale.
 
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Meh, go for it I say. Tomorrow you could get hit by a bus. Have excellent tone today. If/when the III is announced, it just helps the next generation of guitarists getting into modeling. If the market floods with XL and XL+'s, they are still going to get a hell of a unit. The latest firmware still works on the Mark I/II's. That's incredible legacy support. If my rig was stolen/caught in a fire, I'd have another on order the next day.
This!
 
I've been vaugely entertaining the idea of doing the same thing. Other than more IRs and a better screen and more future proofing, what's really the point? Or is that it? I might sell my Mark I next year.

I had my Mark I for about 4 years. When Cliff announced that the Mark I/II units were close to maxed out on memory, I decided to upgrade to the XL+ when I could afford it for the sole purpose of of continued expandability. I'm very happy with the Axe & figured since I'm not "going anywhere" such as Kemper, Helix, etc. that it made sense for me to upgrade. Granted the older units got an extension by removing the ability to use an earlier firmware on a preset but it's still borrowed time IMHO. Plus the increased IR space made it an easy decision since I was almost out of IR space.
 
Now is a good time to buy, same as it was yesterday, last week, last month, last year... if I didn't have an XL+ and it was announced that 'soon' there will be a Axe FX III then I would still buy in, if only because 'soon' in FAS terms doesn't necessarily mean soon for mass availability.

New or used is the one aspect to consider.
 
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