IV anywhere on the horizon?

I used to think, ads, commercials, marketing, it's all so cringe how could people fall for it....

Then you look at the guitarist community. Company says we do "profiling" or "capturing" your amp and it SOUNDS EXACTLY THE SAME!!!

It doesn't actually clone the sound exactly but the fact they say that it does? Seems to be enough. Why does our unit have non captured amp models instead of them all just being captures? Don't worry about it...
 
decent numver of users at least on TGP say they prefer what Helix offers
If I had followed TGP's views:
  • I would not have bought my favorite guitar because it is not "vintage"
  • I would have sold a wonderful LP that sounds dreamy because it's not an R9/8/0...it’s “just” a Traditional.
  • I would have continued to use Helix even though I kept telling myself I wasn't convinced by it

Sorry, it would have been a great forum, but it is run badly and overcrowded with toxic posts.

So no, don't let it affect you. You can try helix native for free. Try it and then tell us what you think.
 
The only product I'd like to see FAS release is a VST3 plugin to compete with the Line 6 Helix Native and Neural DSP Plugins. Even if it only had stripped down versions of their FAS Drives and FAS Amp Models. I always used FAS models to try and get my own signature tone because most people are trying to sound like something that already physically exists. Now would be the best time to release a plugin because then you wouldn't have to worry about the current or future chip shortages.

I've owned a FAS Axe-Fx II MKI and XL+, MFC-101 MK1, Axe-Fx III MKI and a FC-12 MK1. I'll admit I now mainly use my Helix Floor because of it's seamless integration with the Helix Native Plugin and ease of use when recording and re-amping but FAS products function and sound superior.
 
No.

Okay seriously though.. New UI? Been hearing this over and over for like 5+ years. I have been using fractal since I was like 17 with the Axe II. Maybe it's a generational thing but using the unit is extremely easy and I have always wondered why people feel the need to complain about it. It comes across to me almost like fanboy wars or something. Like people with other units trying to justify to themselves why they didn't go full on with a fractal product. I haven't played a Helix myself, but I have used the native software. The axe editor is vastly superior to me. The front panel on the fractal is extremely easy for me to use. I just cannot understand this.

Smaller floor units.... FM3 comes out, everyone says it's TOO SMALL with NOT ENOUGH switches now it's too big.. God you just can't make everyone happy can you? Why would line 6 come out with the HX Stomp XL and POD GO if smaller is so in demand?

And the last argument you have there, confused me a little but it sounds like you are saying the drive pedals in the helix are better than fractals? That is absolute insanity. Not even trying to be a fanboy but that is crazy.

Got it. The products are 100% perfect and there's no room for improvement.
 
Seems like you are basing your opinion on what you read (on TGP). That's not really the benchmark.

I was reporting what I read.
I'm not part of Fractal's marketing or R&D team. I'm a user that reads forums, and I'm reporting what I read on another forum.
User opinions on TGP are no less valid than the ones here. Though it seems here if you say anything that seems like the slightest hint of criticism (totally wasn't criticizing though) it is tolerated like a chugged gallon of milk.

On TGP you get a variety of opinions and maybe those are the voices Fractal should listen to if they want to keep advancing over the coming years.
 
I was reporting what I read.
I'm not part of Fractal's marketing or R&D team. I'm a user that reads forums, and I'm reporting what I read on another forum.
User opinions on TGP are no less valid than the ones here. Though it seems here if you say anything that seems like the slightest hint of criticism (totally wasn't criticizing though) it is tolerated like a chugged gallon of milk.

Nope. You have to put everything in perspective. For example, when some players write on TGP that Fractal's drive models trail behind those in the Helix, they possibly got that impression from old / earlier experiences, and haven't played around with recent firmware. So the information you're passing on may not be correct or actual. The only experience worthwhile is your own.

You'll find all kinds of requests and wishes on this forum, which are welcomed and discussed.
 
Axe Edit is already the ultimate UI.

The only think a III needs to be almost perfect is an ADA MP1 model.

Other than that, connection wise, workflow, flexibility and even DSP except for edge cases, let alone sheer algorithms quality, the actual flag ship is really withstanding the test of time very well. The current technology is already a dream come true, let's enjoy it and never mind a future that does not exist, and whoever prefers other product, that is the great thing of an open market: it is just some mouse clicks away.
 
Perhaps if TI or other develops a quantum DSP, 256-core processor ..... I believe Mr. Chase would take on that challenge.
 
Tube amp emulation is an unambiguous target, so it's possible to say the technology is pretty close to reaching that target. We're definitely in the phase of rapidly diminishing returns for the effort.

On the other hand, guitar modelers are in the stone age when it comes to user experience, particularly for studio use. It's easy to imagine countless significant improvements for an editor app. To just name a few: plugin version of the editor so you can store the preset used on a track in your daw, proper preset browsing, IR organization/management, graphical interface for IR selection, I/O routing matrix, drag and drop block insertion, bluetooth mobile device editing, etc. It's a pretty long list.
 
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Really the next wave of products will need:
-New UI (this is by far the #1 reason I read online where people chose a competitor's product)
- Much smaller form factor for floor units. Definitely gotta keep up with the likes of HX Stomp and QC here. I personally just can't lug the FM9.
-A suite of fullres IRs - maybe not a MUST but a great selling point
-Either profiling capability to profile pedals like the QC, or an update for pedal offerings. While I love what Fractal has, a decent numver of users at least on TGP say they prefer what Helix offers.

I agree that this generation is truly "there", but I think they can keep advancing and offering more.
Okay... I feel compelled to comment. I can be sarcastic... I'll try to refrain from that

-New UI ....
Why? Because the one in the III is to complicated to learn? This IS a professional piece of audio gear, the best available... not a consumer plastic toy. The UI WILL have more menus and navigation availability. I suck at computer stuff... but it's really not that hard to learn.

-Much smaller form factor for floor units. ...
This is a good one. Smaller? How small? "I personally just can't lug the FM9." Like a FAS Pocket Buddy small? I'm going to sound old now. Back in my day we carted around big heavy amps. We had a backline, our car was full of gear.... and we didn't complain.... until we got old lol. Things sure have changed. It's humorous to hear about all these guys whining today about the gear being to big, and I need a smaller gig rig with IEM's. Many are young dudes too. IMO it looks weird and lame to see nothing on stage. I'm not saying to have a whole wall of Marshall stacks on a bar gig... that's totally overkill, and something Yngwie does... but c'mon. Yeah, I'm old fashioned I guess.

-A suite of fullres IRs. ...
Not sure why considering the thousands of ones already in the box, and the millions of 3rd party ones. I gravitate towards the York's. I'm not convinced an IR will ever match the whole experience of a guitar cab in the room, or on the stage. But the right one for the job can sure sound damn good IMO.

-Either profiling capability to profile pedals like the QC, or an update for pedal offerings.
How many things does the III need? Everything ever made? There's already tons of great high quality effects in the box. Who offers more?


I only wish I had the flexibility and tones I have today 38 years ago when I started gigging.

This is not an attack on you (OP)... but we are seriously spoiled.
 
Does TI or Analog Devices release the roadmap for DSP chips as Intel, AMD, and other CPU/GPU chip vendors do?
I expect it helps us to speculate the options for DSPs in IV at least
You can look on both companies websites for the chips they offer at the moment and try to gauge what next gen stuff might use. ARM is also gaining traction in digital effects/modeling.

Having looked at TI's offerings, they seem to mostly have chips with multiples of the DSP the Axe-Fx 3 already uses. The caveat is that the price of those chips goes up exponentially and remember the pricing is for 1000+ units at once. That's a lot of money to tie into a DSP chip alone.

So all digital modeler manufacturers are a bit reliant on what DSP manufacturers put out and at what pricing.

I picked up an Axe-Fx 3 this year because I felt confident Fractal is not going to replace it in the next few years. They are just starting to get the FM9 out and want to sell these for as long as they can. Obviously as competition heats up other manufacturers might push them to put out something new with a more modern feature set. Fractal has already put themselves into a hard spot by having excellent modeling and effects so their next gen products can't quite wow people in the same way purely based on sound quality.

To me the next gen Axe-Fx should have some of these things:
  • Wireless connectivity via BT/Wifi. This makes controlling the unit, firmware updates etc less reliant on having a computer at a nice USB cable's length away. MIDI over BT is also great for wireless control and could be expanded to work with the FC units' control systems.
  • Axe-Edit that runs also on tablets but preferably also on a phone. Phone would probably need a different UI to work well. Fracpad is a valiant start but not quite there yet, though I definitely wish Fractal worked with its developer to make an official mobile app.
  • Better external MIDI knob controller support. This is more of a personal wish as to me controlling the Axe-Fx via Axe-Edit + physical knobs would be excellent. Now this is not sensible to do due to various limitations.
I'd probably ditch the front panel UI altogether. It's been the weakest part of Fractal's system for years and a polar opposite to how good Axe-Edit is. To me an Axe-Fx 4 that has some onboard knobs and buttons you can map to anything and a small display for preset/scene/tuner/meters display would be enough, do the rest via your laptop/tablet/phone. Could probably shrink the unit back to 2U for the rack format.
 
I don't see profiling as something missing that needs to be added - rather I see it as a less accurate, less flexible, less complete, more expensive alternative to fully functioning amp models. Personally, I have no interest in it, and, even if Fractal added it to function within existing hardware, I'd be disappointed at losing the unknown full amp modelling related improvements that were sacrificed to provide it.
 
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