My final word on the new Axe II thingy

zentman

zentman

Experienced
had some fun trolling a bit lately to make a point. I even stated so in every one of my threads recently.

If you have an Axe Fx and you loved it, nothing has changed for you. You weren't going to sell it, you were going to play it. It doesn't matter if you now think it's worth 400 bucks less, it is still the same as it was yesterday.

I have an Ultra, I play church gigs. I do amazing things with effects and my core tones are awesome in the house. I hardly think people are gonna start coming up to me after the gigs and say "I can hear the difference between your tones and the new Axe Fx II". It seems to be squishier because of it's tube modeling.

Lots of new interface features in the new unit but I don't record at all. I play live and practice here in my studio period so they are lost on me.

With what I currently have, I get excellent cleans, great crunches, and searing leads. I also get huge ambient patches that sound as good as anything I ever heard on anybody's recordings.

Unless you need the new interface features or a hundred cabs ( I use about three) keep your Ultra and be happy. Read and listen to the new gizmo and if you hear something you just can't do, then sell your current model or keep it for a back-up and get the new one.
 
I like the way that you think zentman...

I get excellent cleans, great crunches, and searing leads. I also get huge ambient patches that sound as good as anything I ever heard on anybody's recordings.
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After all, when you are listening to a Mesa MKIII with a 412 or a Plexi59 and 412... then that is what you should be hearing, and not "which Axe-Fx" you own. Whilst there might be subtle differences, most people will never know. Its about the tone, not the black box. Either way, you get the best you can and tweak it until you have the sound just right.

Unless you need the new interface features or a hundred cabs ( I use about three) keep your Ultra and be happy. Read and listen to the new gizmo and if you hear something you just can't do, then sell your current model or keep it for a back-up and get the new one.
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Exactly... As for the ancillary features, if you need it, then sure the II is your cup of tea.

Cheers
 
Can't wait to hear the new amp modeling, it must be that technique cliff talked about some time ago when he said it needed a new processor, turns out it is using one processor just for it, I guess
 
My Concerns, come from the fact that "I don't love this unit yet. I've just been learning it still. I bought the Ultra 2.5 months ago because it was "The best" that is the only reason I bought it, and didn't try a Line 6, or Eleven Rack, I decided to throw all my money into the best item possible. So it is a little frustrating that now, 2.5 months later (plus however long it is before they actually ship) I didn't get what I hoped for, the best. It just leaves a little sour taste in my stomach.

It seems like most of your post is based on an extended amount of time you have had and used your Axe. I don't know what inputs/outputs i need, i don't know what amps will or won't work for me, same as what cabs and effects. I'm still learning the unit to see if it is the right unit for me. In the back of my head, i have been able to go "Nothing is better than this, so figure out how to make it awesome for you". Now I can't say that and will question every attempt at making good patches with the "I wonder if this is a limitation of the Ultra, man, I wish I could get the Axe II"

Now, saying that, I don't feel Fractal owes me any sort of trade-in obligation. Does it bum me out? Yes it does. I am very tempted to try to sell my Ultra to buy the II. And I probably will. I mean, the plastic is still over the screen mine is so new. I want to learn to work from the best item, and now once the Axe II is available, the Ultra is 2nd best.
 
i agree with the ts.....ive heard this quote used several times lately and more people need to listen to it that are complaining.....

your axe sounds the same it did yesterday right?
 
wake911 said:
My Concerns, come from the fact that "I don't love this unit yet. I've just been learning it still. I bought the Ultra 2.5 months ago because it was "The best" that is the only reason I bought it, and didn't try a Line 6, or Eleven Rack, I decided to throw all my money into the best item possible. So it is a little frustrating that now, 2.5 months later (plus however long it is before they actually ship) I didn't get what I hoped for, the best. It just leaves a little sour taste in my stomach.

It seems like most of your post is based on an extended amount of time you have had and used your Axe. I don't know what inputs/outputs i need, i don't know what amps will or won't work for me, same as what cabs and effects. I'm still learning the unit to see if it is the right unit for me. In the back of my head, i have been able to go "Nothing is better than this, so figure out how to make it awesome for you". Now I can't say that and will question every attempt at making good patches with the "I wonder if this is a limitation of the Ultra, man, I wish I could get the Axe II"

Now, saying that, I don't feel Fractal owes me any sort of trade-in obligation. Does it bum me out? Yes it does. I am very tempted to try to sell my Ultra to buy the II. And I probably will. I mean, the plastic is still over the screen mine is so new. I want to learn to work from the best item, and now once the Axe II is available, the Ultra is 2nd best.
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I hear you. I just checked and I actually ordered my Ultra on April 25th! 2 weeks to the day. . . . . . .that sucks.

I don't feel all warm and fuzzy about learning all the tweaking tricks and creating a bunch of patches if some where down the road I may just have to redo them on the new box.
 
terdfurgunson said:
i agree with the ts.....ive heard this quote used several times lately and more people need to listen to it that are complaining.....

your axe sounds the same it did yesterday right?
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Typically that quote is coming from guys that have had the Axe for several months or years and it is easier to make. I have had mine less than 2 weeks. Of course it sounds the same as it did yesterday. I ordered it 2 weeks ago but didn't get it till april 27th. Toyed with it a few days. Ordered MFC, then flew to the US on business, and picked up the MFC. I am now on vacation so have maybe 10 hours of time on the Ultra.

Obviously if I had a clue the II was coming I would have waited. . .. .wouldn't you? Waiting 2 weeks is a no brainer. 6 months, maybe not. 2 Years doubt it.

A cool converter built into Axe edit to allow patches created on Ultra to load into II even if it then involved some tweaking would make it less painful.

So are you really saying you don't get how someone that bought a month ago would be bumming?
 
terdfurgunson said:
i agree with the ts.....ive heard this quote used several times lately and more people need to listen to it that are complaining.....

your axe sounds the same it did yesterday right?
Click to expand...

Typically that quote is coming from guys that have had the Axe for several months or years and it is easier to make. I have had mine less than 2 weeks. Of course it sounds the same as it did yesterday. I ordered it 2 weeks ago but didn't get it till april 27th. Toyed with it a few days. Ordered MFC, then flew to the US on business, and picked up the MFC. I am now on vacation so have maybe 10 hours of time on the Ultra.

Obviously if I had a clue the II was coming I would have waited. . .. .wouldn't you? Waiting 2 weeks is a no brainer. 6 months, maybe not. 2 Years doubt it.

A cool converter built into Axe edit to allow patches created on Ultra to load into II even if it then involved some tweaking would make it less painful.

So are you really saying you don't get how someone that bought a month ago would be bumming?
 
actually....ive had mine a month....and i am bummed....im not saying being bummed is wrong because i deff understand that....but to some of the people that are going on and on about how bad cliff has wronged them and what not is what im referring to

edit: and im deff not trying to step on toes....cuz man i want the AxeII lol....i thought i cured the g.a.s. and its come back
 
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If I had bought recently, I'd most certainly be bummed. And I also agree that the countdown thing (which has been very successful at creating buzz) might feel like salt in the wounds of recent buyers. I don't see how a small company like Fractal could cripple their sales for 6 months by announcing a next gen Axe-FX months in advance.

The bottom line IMO (and I realize it's easy for me since I've had a Std. for over 3 yrs) is that that Axe has had an almost obscenely high resale value due to it's amazing sound, support and limited supply. But it was never realistically sustainable in the long term because you are essentially buying technology. And there will eventually have to be a refresh. There's no other options. Those buying the Axe based on it's historic resale value have been living on borrowed time for a while now, and the clock just struck 12.
 
toasterdude said:
Typically that quote is coming from guys that have had the Axe for several months or years and it is easier to make. I have had mine less than 2 weeks. Of course it sounds the same as it did yesterday. I ordered it 2 weeks ago but didn't get it till april 27th. Toyed with it a few days. Ordered MFC, then flew to the US on business, and picked up the MFC. I am now on vacation so have maybe 10 hours of time on the Ultra.

Obviously if I had a clue the II was coming I would have waited. . .. .wouldn't you? Waiting 2 weeks is a no brainer. 6 months, maybe not. 2 Years doubt it.

A cool converter built into Axe edit to allow patches created on Ultra to load into II even if it then involved some tweaking would make it less painful.

So are you really saying you don't get how someone that bought a month ago would be bumming?
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I do feel your pain, but there's a difference between released and readily available. I have a feeling that if the past is a guide that many of us who would purchase the Axe-FX II today if it were available will be waiting months to get a hold of the new unit. I can't say whether that will be 1-2 weeks or 6 months, but I think it's highly unlikely that all but a lucky few will get a hold of early production units. I certainly hope to be proved wrong. Then, there's the bugs that have yet to be discovered. Although with the quality of Fractal Audio's products, I am pretty sure that count will be low. Until they are readily available, we can both enjoy the tried, true, and great sounding Axe-FX Ultra for a while longer until we can make a transition to a much improved Axe-FX II.
 
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