The literal knobs on the front and the Performance Pages don’t really do it, no. Kinda feels like you’re using the word “literal” to imply that it’s somehow my problem that I don’t think the Performance Page is the perfect solution for interfacing with the Axe.
The problem is the knobs don’t tell you what your settings are from just looking at the unit, and using them can still require having to push multiple face buttons two or three times before the right knob corresponds to the intended parameter. Yes, using those parameters is easier than hitting the layout button and going block spelunking, but it’s still got nothing on traditional always-right-there tube amp controls.
And while we’re talking about it, the front knobs on the Axe are very small and are the same color as the unit itself so they can be pretty tough to see to grab, especially in a dark environment.
Yes the Axe-Fx is easily the best guitar purchase I've ever made, with or without amp-style knobs. I’m just saying that a hardware rack unit row or two of physical knobs and LED labels actually would bring the Axe up to parity with tube amp usability, and an official product doing that would be a godsend.