IV anywhere on the horizon?

Wheez said:
I don’t see how you guys don’t get this. Post a sound byte of your Axe and see how many people can tell you it’s an AxeFx. Post a clip of a Marshall or a Vox or whatever and everybody will know. (Don’t say you can post a Marshall tone with your Axe, that’s exactly my point). That’s what I mean by unique. It’s a recognizable tone. Modelers don’t have a recognizable tone that I’ve ever heard (yet). Maybe somebody will get creative and use the tool to make one. Modelers are digitally emulating what a physical electronic component is doing in the physical world. The tweaks you reference are things that are done to real amps. There’s nothing wrong with that and the reasons for doing it are why I am interested in it. It’s more cost effective and more convenient. And quieter which unfortunately seems to be the way things are going these days. I appreciate the replies, you are all obviously are very happy with the device.
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Modelers aren't meant to have a recognizable tone as devices. But they do have custom models that sound different from what you can find in a real world amp.

A huge amount of real amps on the market are nothing more than variations of about a dozen different archetype sounds. Feature sets might be a bigger reason to buy one over another.

As an example, a Mesa Lonestar Classic clean channel is not all that different from a Fender Twin, but the whole amp modernizes the concept by providing a second channel capable of higher gain, power scaling etc. But totally unique sound is not what most amps do because guitarists don't buy amps that sound unique or operate in a different manner. They buy amps that sound familiar.

Unsurprisingly modeler users also chase those same tones or we would have modelers with nothing but unique digital amp models.
 
laxu said:
Modelers aren't meant to have a recognizable tone as devices. But they do have custom models that sound different from what you can find in a real world amp.

A huge amount of real amps on the market are nothing more than variations of about a dozen different archetype sounds. Feature sets might be a bigger reason to buy one over another.

As an example, a Mesa Lonestar Classic clean channel is not all that different from a Fender Twin, but the whole amp modernizes the concept by providing a second channel capable of higher gain, power scaling etc. But totally unique sound is not what most amps do because guitarists don't buy amps that sound unique or operate in a different manner. They buy amps that sound familiar.

Unsurprisingly modeler users also chase those same tones or we would have modelers with nothing but unique digital amp models.
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Yep. Instead of unique let’s call them recognizable. It’s amazing that for all these years we’ve been trying to recreate or improve on tones that were probably a happy accident from combining a limited number of resources. Amps, pickups … were made from parts that were readily available. Manufacturers didn’t even consistently put the same parts in the same product model.
 
Wheez said:
I guess I don’t have that insight because I haven’t experienced an AxeFx since the original one. I’ve tried Helix, Kemper and Quad Cortex. Not that they couldn’t get good tones but none of them really did it for me. If the Axe3 could replace my tube amps, that would be awesome, I’m all in. If not maybe an FM3 or FM9 would be cool for an additional portable rig, but not a replacement.

A question I had in mind was, how long are discontinued products supported? You gotta admit it would suck to buy a 3 now and it be EOL in 6 months.

Thanks for the info.
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Here's an idea.....why don't you go ahead and buy one to try.......I think they still give you the option of returning it.
If it works for you, keep it....even if a IV comes out, the III will still sound great for a long time. If you can't live without the newest thing,
offload it and get another. Pretty simple, really.
 
The IV is not anywhere close because Cliff has been alluding to new major features for the current generation. If a new generation were all that close, there would be radio silence, like there is about CabLab right now.

The whole thing about taking care of potential customers is laughable, though. Buy one or don't. Buy used if you're worried about paying full price for something that will be obsolete in a month. These are luxury goods, not food or insulin. If you can afford an Axe-FX to begin with, you'll be fine either way.
 
deathbyguitar said:
The IV is not anywhere close because Cliff has been alluding to new major features for the current generation. If a new generation were all that close, there would be radio silence, like there is about CabLab right now
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Hmmm…
Yes Cliff talked about something coming in the cab section but he doesn’t say if it is a add-on like cab lab, or if it concerns this gen or … 🤷
When the turbo version of the 3 and fm9 came, there was no “silence” before it. Even if ,ok, that’s not like a 4 announcement but … It looks like they like doing surprises
 
A long time ago he talked about something “better than profiling” and we still don’t know what is was, if it is aborted or ?
 
My name is mud said:
Hmmm…
Yes Cliff talked about something coming in the cab section but he doesn’t say if it is a add-on like cab lab, or if it concerns this gen or … 🤷
When the turbo version of the 3 and fm9 came, there was no “silence” before it. Even if ,ok, that’s not like a 4 announcement but … It looks like they like doing surprises
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I'm gonna guess that this will be a complete redesign of the cab block alongside CabLab 4. I feel like it's gonna launch very soon, maybe in the next month or so. Historically, whenever Cliff starts teasing something with audio clips or downloads of something, it usually means they're close to unveiling a new, big deal feature or modelling advancement. Let's see how much of this pans out.
 
Animated GIF
 
bebaldwin said:
I really can't understand how anyone could want more than what the AxeFx III has to offer. It's head and shoulders above the rest and I should know because I own the three major ones minus the Kemper, as I never liked that one.
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That’s what people said about the Axe fx II too, yet almost everyone who said that now has an Axe fx III......just saying.
 
FractalAudio said:
SpectrumTrack(TM) ensures that the frequency response of the model matches the real amp at all levels of input excitation.

If you've played other products you may notice that the response deviates if you roll down the volume on your guitar. For example, the ****** gets noticeably more midrangey when you roll off your guitar volume. The ***** gets thinner. Etc, etc. This error in response also manifests when varying your picking intensity, especially for low- to mid-gain tones.

SpectrumTrack(TM) compares the model to the reference amp at a wide range of excitation levels and ensures that the model's response matches that of the reference amps.
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Oh this was missed by many many i guess.
 
Bodde said:
That’s what people said about the Axe fx II too, yet almost everyone who said that now has an Axe fx III......just saying.
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Well, I just bought mine a little over a year ago and at this point really can't see what more they could add. I never had a Fractal Product before this. The thought of coming out with a IV when the FM9 orders can't even be filled doesn't seem likely. Also given the fact that there are electronic supply shortages in Asia makes it even less likely. The AxeFx III is more than capable and most of it is in the programming anyway.
 
You can wait forever. IF the IV ever comes out, you’re back where you started waiting for the V. Personally I think there is a limit on just how much hardware you really need, when the goodness is in the software. I have a Mark I and I don’t think I use more than 10% of the features. So many big names are happy with a III and I still would be totally satisfied even if a IV came out tomorrow.

But Cliff said “No”, like ages ago, so the answer is NO, there is not a IV anywhere on the horizon. (I think it’s hard enough to get enough silicon to keep making IIIs!)
 
bebaldwin said:
Well, I just bought mine a little over a year ago and at this point really can't see what more they could add. I never had a Fractal Product before this. The thought of coming out with a IV when the FM9 orders can't even be filled doesn't seem likely. Also given the fact that there are electronic supply shortages in Asia makes it even less likely. The AxeFx III is more than capable and most of it is in the programming anyway.
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Sure. I still have the Axe fx II and still happy with it. It’s not a must for me to have the III. But maybe I will go for the FM9 one day, or just wait for the IV or whatever. I find the III too big and prefer two 19” units.

There is always something to add to any machine, just look at the wish topics.
 
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Greg Ferguson said:
End of life for a modeler isn't the same as something organic. It will continue to work and sound just as good. It might lose a little value, but who buys guitar gear as a financial investment?
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Looking at the used market and what’s happened to Klon prices, apparently a lot of people are now buying guitar gear as financial investments. 🙄

As an aside, if the IV came out I would definitely spring to get one, and be excited that my III Mkii could live in my home studio setup and not move and be used more frequently for not just guitars but also outboard gear as inserts in the DAW for effects. But as it sits now, I will gladly wait for the IV and use the III live. Cliff said the IV was not on the imminent horizon and that is okay to me. Almost every guitar model I have is discontinued, but it doesn’t make it worse when the new one comes out. They still bring me joy for what they are. And a decade from now, my Axe III will still bring me joy in sound and tones, and to me that’s what matters most, is that it keeps guitar fun for me!
 
What is a newer piece of hardware going to accomplish? Is a newer 8 space rack unit with a 12" touchscreen display going to make you sound better? The AXE 3 MK1, MK2 and Turbo have a ton of headroom, CPU and processing power to allow for many software tweaks and updates for years and years to come. Just play and enjoy.
 
Simpler UI means fewer things to tweak. I thought the point of goin all out with a fractal unit is to have the possibility of great detail controll. I'd rather learn the gear i acquire and get the sound i actually want. I don't want a bunch choices made for me. I want to take them my self. That's why I bought the Axe FX 3.

When it comes to using the unit on the fly, if you find it cumbersome to use in a live environment and such, add global performance controls. And even per preset controls.

Sure there are ways to make things better. (Seems like it always is) but I really appreciate the vast amount of things to modify and how one can do so with the current unit. To me, the Axe FX III are superior to most other gear I've ever owned or could afford.

And the big pluss on the side, is things like this forum. Where people give advice and help. The only thing I want is another fractal unit. The fm9 for portability reasons.

Other companies may make good sounding stuff. And that's great. But I want the detailed controll. Hence I bought the fractal. I do not regret at all.
 
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