Is the Axe-Fx worth the cost- Quora question/answer and review

Thanks for your contribution!

The only thing I’d say is that for me, the FX alone ARE worth the price of the ticket alone.

You couldn’t get the same high quality fx from the Axefx3 which are also available from dedicated rack units ie lexicon, tc electronics, eventide, etc. without a good sized, liquid stock portfolio. That they fit in 3U is helpful.

That it nails amps ... all gravy. Super groovy gravy. Electric kool-aid acid test groovy. ;)
 
You couldn’t get the same high quality fx from the Axefx3 which are also available from dedicated rack units ie lexicon, tc electronics, eventide, etc. without a good sized, liquid stock portfolio. That they fit in 3U is helpful.

Would you say the Axefx3 is comparable to those rack units that you mention, in terms of quality and capabilities? I have used such lo-fi effects in my guitar rig for so many years, the stuff that is on board the axe3 is a bit beyond me. So, I have no idea if the axe 3 effects are considered an improvement over, say, the Eventide Time Factor delay stop box (which was always on my wish-list).
 
Would you say the Axefx3 is comparable to those rack units that you mention, in terms of quality and capabilities?).

I have not tried the latest offering from Lexicon and Eventide, the last units I had were the PCM-80, PCM-81 and the Eventide H3000S. The Axe III is comparable to those.

Could the latest offering by those other companies be superior today? Maybe, but for a guitar rig it is all overkill.

Don't forget, bands are playing football stadiums using Boss pedals, every night of the week.
 
Good post, John.

The cost question comes up again and again. Honestly, from a long time FAS player and owner of way too much gear over the years, it seems one of the silliest questions you could possibly ask. I really don't mean that harshly. I just mean that, if you would only read the web site and forum information (let's forget about the freely available manual and Wiki for now), you'd be saying "Hundreds of amps of all types, some you can't buy at all and many that cost multiple times more than the III. Thousands of speaker cabinets, including famous and hard to get models. An insane numbers of effects, with boutique and studio types included. Add in complete control capabilities and interface, recording ready, endorsed by mega-players for sound and quality... all in three rack spaces and currently less than $2400. No brainer." If just one exotic amp... one... lives up to the billing, you're money ahead and everything else is free.

Of course, I am on this side of the door.
 
Good post, John.

The cost question comes up again and again. Honestly, from a long time FAS player and owner of way too much gear over the years, it seems one of the silliest questions you could possibly ask. I really don't mean that harshly. I just mean that, if you would only read the web site and forum information (let's forget about the freely available manual and Wiki for now), you'd be saying "Hundreds of amps of all types, some you can't buy at all and many that cost multiple times more than the III. Thousands of speaker cabinets, including famous and hard to get models. An insane numbers of effects, with boutique and studio types included. Add in complete control capabilities and interface, recording ready, endorsed by mega-players for sound and quality... all in three rack spaces and currently less than $2400. No brainer." If just one exotic amp... one... lives up to the billing, you're money ahead and everything else is free.

Of course, I am on this side of the door.

I was on the other side of that door just last month, and the cost was not an issue for me simply because I sold off a literal ton of gear within the last year, and the prospect of replacing much of that with a single unit was enough for me to go out on the limb. The cost analysis is different when you are on the other side of the door, and you are comparing a dizzying array of options that, to a basic vintage tone junkie such as myself, equate to a complete paradigm shift. I researched and considered all options that are out there for a long time, and I definitely came close to making a completely different decision, and certainly less costly. I don't know if the Axe change is going to "take" over the long haul, but it is going to be a fun and interesting few years at a minimum!
 
Thanks for your contribution!

The only thing I’d say is that for me, the FX alone ARE worth the price of the ticket alone.

You couldn’t get the same high quality fx from the Axefx3 which are also available from dedicated rack units ie lexicon, tc electronics, eventide, etc. without a good sized, liquid stock portfolio. That they fit in 3U is helpful.

That it nails amps ... all gravy. Super groovy gravy. Electric kool-aid acid test groovy. ;)
Hello. I’m thinking about getting the 3. Do you feel the amps really “FEEL” more realistic than in the AXE2? Or AX8?
 
I was on the other side of that door just last month, and the cost was not an issue for me simply because I sold off a literal ton of gear within the last year, and the prospect of replacing much of that with a single unit was enough for me to go out on the limb. The cost analysis is different when you are on the other side of the door, and you are comparing a dizzying array of options that, to a basic vintage tone junkie such as myself, equate to a complete paradigm shift. I researched and considered all options that are out there for a long time, and I definitely came close to making a completely different decision, and certainly less costly. I don't know if the Axe change is going to "take" over the long haul, but it is going to be a fun and interesting few years at a minimum!
The great thing is that it doesn’t have to be the do all, end all forever... you can go back to a regular amp and still use it as a “before the input and in the loop” effects solution with first rate options and sounds. This is one more thing that expands and extends the value. It was the Eleven Rack that sold me on digital being a possible pro option (Dann Huff playing it didn’t hurt), but it was the Axe Fx that delivered on the promise.

Is the value there? Oh yeah. Some say it depends on the player, but it stands on its own merit, and even a beginning player will benefit from the quality. Perhaps the more pertinent question is “can you afford this level of quality?” If you can, the unit will quickly prove itself a bargain.
 
Regarding the cost and if it's worth it, going "Fractal" has actually saved me money and time. Before owning a Fractal device (cut my teeth with the FX8) I spent over 15 years researching, buying and selling different effects and amps, constantly looking for the ideal tone. Spending a hundred bucks here, a few hundred there adds up quickly. Then there's the money lost selling an amp or a pedal when it is no longer deemed necessary.

Since purchasing the FX8 4 years ago, I have not even considered looking at any effects and in the last 2 plus years of owning the AX8 have not played through an actual amp when given a choice. After using the Axe-Fx III for the past couple of months, I'm now wondering why even have any amps at all?

So, from the viewpoint of someone who had perpetual GAS, Fractal has been the cure. Well, until the FM3 was announced but that's more of an itch that may need scratching.
 
Regarding the cost and if it's worth it, going "Fractal" has actually saved me money and time. Before owning a Fractal device (cut my teeth with the FX8) I spent over 15 years researching, buying and selling different effects and amps, constantly looking for the ideal tone. Spending a hundred bucks here, a few hundred there adds up quickly. Then there's the money lost selling an amp or a pedal when it is no longer deemed necessary.

If I had a guitar for every time I tried to justify that a purchase would save me money in the long run...oh wait...
 
Pedals purchased prior to owning Axe: >100. Pedals purchased since buying Axe: 0. Patch cables alone probably cost as much as the Axe.

I believe at one time I had well over $5000 in just patch cables. That wasn’t just a guitar rig, massive Midi rig and mix down capability (pre-digital). Ughh. To see a lot of it on my laptop is unreal.
 
Nice review.

Thanks for staying away from a 'comparison' conversation. They just dilute the argument of just how good this is. Also good to estimate 'real costs' for a full rig.

-R
 
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