MKeditor
Experienced
2018 marks my first decade with the Axe-Fx. In 2008 I had an 11 space rack with state of the art rack gear. A Custom Audio Electronics 3 channel preamp, Eventide Eclipse, Lexicon MPX1, Roland SDX-330, Boss SE-50 with a VHT 2502 poweramp into two CAE 1X12s loaded with Vintage 30's. Switching was via a Digital Music Corp GCX. The shock mount Kriz-Craft rack weighed 100 lbs empty. Loaded it was 200lbs.
I was a member of the now defunked Huge Racks message-board. There I had learned of the Axe-FX Ultra. Most of the leaders there scoffed at this digital abomination but I thought the sound clips sounded pretty good. There wasn't any place where I could try one. Eventually I decided to pony up and try it. Either I would be convinced or sell it right away. In those days the black box required a lot more tweaking. I spent a lot of hours going back and forth between my preamp and the Ultra though the VHT and 1X12s. When it got to the point where I would get confused which one I was playing through, I knew I was on to something. After a few days I decided to go against the current mind set and do the unthinkable. Keep the Axe-FX and sell my preamp and some of my rack gear. Everyone thought I had lost my mind. There were a handful of us that switched to the Axe-FX but trying to say that this digital demon was equal to tubes was blasphemy. Therefore a non-starter conversation. Some swore us off as an apostates.
My first Axe rig was using the VHT and 1X12s:
This was good but a lot of the amp sims sounded similar. For example, I couldn't get a spanky Fender clean or a proper VOX. The FRFR gurus talked about how guitar speakers colored the tone and that the only way to get the full meal deal was to use monitors. At that time QSCs were the big deal. I took my rig down to a music store and plugged them in. It was night and day difference. It was like putting ketchup on every meal. That Celestion flavor was on everything. It was time to sell the VHT and speakers.
Axe rig #2:
The QSCs were a good and major step forward. There still was a slight tone to them that wasn't reproducing audio honestly. So in 2009 I bought the new big deal: FBT 12MA.
This photo is actually from 2010. By then I had switched to the Liquid Foot controller and added a rack interface to make cabling easier. FBT is no longer in vogue but the serve me just fine.
That same year I flew to Kenya Africa where the electricity is sketch. I used a voltage regulator and the Axe performed without a hitch. I used a Liquid Foot mini. EAW monitor not included. Fly rig:
My rig today:
Over the next few years I upgraded to II XL+, an MFC 101, added a DBX IEM processor that is providing room simulation to give depth and less isolation with IEMs and a Shure PSM900 to transmit to my IEM pack. Actually this photo is from 2015 but nothing has changed.
Every once in a while I daydream about getting a tube combo and a pedelboard but every time I think it through, it doesn't make sense. The Axe-FX is still the best solution for me for the type of gigs I play. It's not that I'm loyal to Fractal. I would switch if something were better. But until that day comes, I'm sticking with the black box.
Enjoy!
I was a member of the now defunked Huge Racks message-board. There I had learned of the Axe-FX Ultra. Most of the leaders there scoffed at this digital abomination but I thought the sound clips sounded pretty good. There wasn't any place where I could try one. Eventually I decided to pony up and try it. Either I would be convinced or sell it right away. In those days the black box required a lot more tweaking. I spent a lot of hours going back and forth between my preamp and the Ultra though the VHT and 1X12s. When it got to the point where I would get confused which one I was playing through, I knew I was on to something. After a few days I decided to go against the current mind set and do the unthinkable. Keep the Axe-FX and sell my preamp and some of my rack gear. Everyone thought I had lost my mind. There were a handful of us that switched to the Axe-FX but trying to say that this digital demon was equal to tubes was blasphemy. Therefore a non-starter conversation. Some swore us off as an apostates.
My first Axe rig was using the VHT and 1X12s:
This was good but a lot of the amp sims sounded similar. For example, I couldn't get a spanky Fender clean or a proper VOX. The FRFR gurus talked about how guitar speakers colored the tone and that the only way to get the full meal deal was to use monitors. At that time QSCs were the big deal. I took my rig down to a music store and plugged them in. It was night and day difference. It was like putting ketchup on every meal. That Celestion flavor was on everything. It was time to sell the VHT and speakers.
Axe rig #2:
The QSCs were a good and major step forward. There still was a slight tone to them that wasn't reproducing audio honestly. So in 2009 I bought the new big deal: FBT 12MA.
This photo is actually from 2010. By then I had switched to the Liquid Foot controller and added a rack interface to make cabling easier. FBT is no longer in vogue but the serve me just fine.
That same year I flew to Kenya Africa where the electricity is sketch. I used a voltage regulator and the Axe performed without a hitch. I used a Liquid Foot mini. EAW monitor not included. Fly rig:
My rig today:
Over the next few years I upgraded to II XL+, an MFC 101, added a DBX IEM processor that is providing room simulation to give depth and less isolation with IEMs and a Shure PSM900 to transmit to my IEM pack. Actually this photo is from 2015 but nothing has changed.
Every once in a while I daydream about getting a tube combo and a pedelboard but every time I think it through, it doesn't make sense. The Axe-FX is still the best solution for me for the type of gigs I play. It's not that I'm loyal to Fractal. I would switch if something were better. But until that day comes, I'm sticking with the black box.
Enjoy!
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