Poll: MK1 owners, 1024 User 2 cab slots or 32 FullRes cab slots?

MK1 owners, 1024 User 2 cab slots or 32 FullRes cab slots?


  • Total voters
    536
  • Poll closed .
Forum trivia question...
<MACHINE>, fremen, javajunkie, and guitarnerdswe have all been around since July 30, 2008. Is that just a coincidence, or is that when the forum started?

Just noticed FractalAudio "joined" on July 29, 2008, so I guess that answers my question. :)
 
It still amazes me that Cliff is even willing to listen to our opinions in that regard.
He is listening and taking good care, indeed
Some answers:

1. This will currently only be available on the Axe-Fx III Mark II. Our other products do not have the NV memory to store the large IRs. I will look into ways of possibly supporting this on the other products. The Mark II has double the NV memory of the Mark I. All the NV memory on the Mark I is allocated. If the demand is great enough one possibility is to reduce the number of slots in the User IR banks and allocate the freed memory to FullRes slots.

2. The CPU usage is not too bad. A FullRes IR uses about 10% more CPU than a regular IR. I haven't done that much work on optimization so it may be possible to reduce this.

3. The primary use is for "room mics" and short-to-medium convolution reverbs. The two clips I posted were done using room mic IRs from Celestion. Those IRs were 500 ms.

4. I'm hoping IR vendors will embrace the technology and start offering room mic IRs with at least one second of response time. This assumes they use a suitable live room to do their captures.

5. We are going to our local studio in the coming months and will shoot a bunch of room IRs there. They have a very nice live room with good acoustics.

6. A new version of Cab-Lab is in the works that supports the creation of FullRes IRs.
 
If it somehow happens with us Mark I owners who hopped on the waitlist at 5 o'clock in the morning, then awesome. If it doesn't, I still got my money's worth. I hope it happens but if not...then it doesn't. It's not like I got screwed over in the deal. I do, however, hope that this may be the only exclusion that surfaces as updates may or may not roll out.

When accuracy updates roll out, I do feel happy and have a basic consumer based satisfaction that product precision exists and we are able to be the recipients for updates. When it comes to extras, that were never listed in the details when initially bought, I don't think that I have a strong argument. Iunno, I want my unit to be forever relevant, but it's not going to happen. At some point, it's going to be a relic. Fractal or someone else will make it obsolete at some point but that's alright. I still have a mean machine with great capabilities and I know I got my money's worth.

With that said, you know there has to be a Axe-Fx IV in the works, at least in conception alone, that will probably ruin everything we have but that's the game we play. It will be another event that breaks records and barriers. If I go broke tomorrow, I'm fine with what I got right now. It covers what I need.
 
Forum trivia question...
<MACHINE>, fremen, javajunkie, and guitarnerdswe have all been around since July 30, 2008. Is that just a coincidence, or is that when the forum started?

Just noticed FractalAudio "joined" on July 29, 2008, so I guess that answers my question. :)
My understanding is that there was a prior forum not run by Fractal... And I think a number of long time users migrated here when this one opened and the other was shut down.
 
My understanding is that there was a prior forum not run by Fractal... And I think a number of long time users migrated here when this one opened and the other was shut down.
I created that forum when there was no information about the Axe-FX anywhere, except one user review at Huge Racks Inc forum. I though it was too good to be true, so I started that forum to attract other users.

For several years there was no publicity or famous users, but the Axe-FX became very popular through the user's enthusiasm at that forum. I did buy my Axe-FX standard (the 1st one in Europe. G66 didn't exist) and the Ultra through a friend from the US I made at the forum. The rest is history

I closed it when this official forum started. One day setbb, the forum host, dissapeared without notice and the contents was lost 😭
Axe-FX __ View Forum - Axe-FX General Discussion.png

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/the-old-axe-fx-forum-is-dead.102998/post-1233462
 
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Maybe it would be good to first create the function that an IR can be saved and reloaded with the preset. No matter what a user IR Type and the FX3 manages the required user memory itself. And stores this independently accordingly. The factory IRs are only linked in the preset, as now.
 
There should be a way to store both type of IR is the same bank independently of their size, potentially with the restriction to have 32 continuous slots available to store a FullRes IR.
 
I created that forum when there was no information about the Axe-FX anywhere, except one user review at Huge Racks Inc forum. I though it was too good to be true, so I started that forum to attract other users.

For several years there was no publicity or famous users, but the Axe-FX became very popular through the user's enthusiasm at that forum. I did buy my Axe-FX standard (the 1st one in Europe. G66 didn't exist) and the Ultra through a friend from the US I made at the forum. The rest is history

I closed it when this official forum started. One day setbb, the forum host, dissapeared without notice and the contents was lost 😭
View attachment 88791

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/the-old-axe-fx-forum-is-dead.102998/post-1233462
I remember those days of long ago. I was one of those original members from that old forum. I got my first AxeFx (Ultra) back in Dec 2007. I've been reading this forum most days since back then. Good memories.
 
Srsly? Unless @FractalAudio and Fractal workers are generously funding the operation of the company with their personal money/labor (and not making enough profits as a company to survive) then it’s us — the Axe FX customers and especially the repeat buyers who at some point flip their older units at a loss — who provide Fractal’s profits and support their continued operation. No, Cliff doesn’t have to listen to anyone at all ever but it would be damned foolish not to — and that’s one thing I am absolutely certain he is not.
Do you know Fractal Audio's history?

Back in the early 2000's, Cliff left his lucrative sonar engineering job to create a revolutionary guitar amp and effects modeling system that ran the most sophisticated code on the best possible hardware. That product, now known as the Axe Fx Standard, has established digital modeling as a viable alternative to analog amps and effects.

He did it all by himself in the beginning, from reading all the necessary books about tube circuits, to engineering the whole unit. He put a very substantial amount of his own time and capital into it and he still listened, on the old setbb forum mind you, to customers in a way that no other company did. And with no other company.... I really mean not a single one.

I agree, it would be foolish to disregard customer's opinions completely, but sometimes, it's not about disregarding opinions, it's about making tough decisions and compromises that might anger some customers and benefit others.

Cliff has released the MK I model 3, almost 4, years ago, and, at that time, he wasn't thinking about FullRes IRs, in fact, he told us in a forum post way back, that he mostly even preferred shorter IRs. That's because he was mainly interested in delivering the best possible studio/recorded guitar tone. Over the years, customers started to long for the amp in the room tone, and, since those customers started to grow in numbers, Cliff took it upon himself to find a way to appease those who are obsessed about the room tone.

He didn't know that he would implement something such as FullRes IRs down the road, especially since we already had UltraRes IRs. The MK II was released in order to provide more memory for these new IRs. There's still the same space for regular FW improvements on both the MK I and II, it's just that the FullRes IRs might not be accesible to the MK I crowd.

How is it not Cliff's full right to release a new hardware unit that better accomodates new technology and offers some code that is only available on the new hardware unit? Why is he obliged to listen to us in that scenario? He isn't actively seeking for reasons and features to profit more off of existing or potential customers in a way a typical corporation would do. He's just pushing the boundaries once again.

In my opinion, Cliff has given us way more meaningful updates to his products than all the other competitors combined, and he shouldn't get ANY backlash for technological progress. Yet, since the days of the standard and the ultra, people have been complaining about minute differences. There are bound to be little differences between the Axe II XL and the + version, the standard and the ultra, the MK I and the II, otherwise, these hardware upgrades would be meaningless. Technological progress happens, and it sometimes needs better/additional hardware to function. That's all there is to it.

If you want 100%, not 98%, of Cliff's cooking, you might need to pony up from time to time and pay that extra dollar.
 
The idea of storing hundreds of user iRs in the AxeFX without providing an efficient way to manage/browse them was probably not a worthwhile feature to begin with.
They are organized by name and if not something you like we can rename them. There's an easy to use browser on the hardware and even easier one in axe edit. May require a little thinking ahead and work on part of the user but definitely don't agree with the above statement. User named subfolders could be useful within the libraries but that could create as many problems as it solves.
 
Do you know Fractal Audio's history?

Back in the early 2000's, Cliff left his lucrative sonar engineering job to create a revolutionary guitar amp and effects modeling system that ran the most sophisticated code on the best possible hardware. That product, now known as the Axe Fx Standard, has established digital modeling as a viable alternative to analog amps and effects.

He did it all by himself in the beginning, from reading all the necessary books about tube circuits, to engineering the whole unit. He put a very substantial amount of his own time and capital into it and he still listened, on the old setbb forum mind you, to customers in a way that no other company did. And with no other company.... I really mean not a single one.

I agree, it would be foolish to disregard customer's opinions completely, but sometimes, it's not about disregarding opinions, it's about making tough decisions and compromises that might anger some customers and benefit others.

Cliff has released the MK I model 3, almost 4, years ago, and, at that time, he wasn't thinking about FullRes IRs, in fact, he told us in a forum post way back, that he mostly even preferred shorter IRs. That's because he was mainly interested in delivering the best possible studio/recorded guitar tone. Over the years, customers started to long for the amp in the room tone, and, since those customers started to grow in numbers, Cliff took it upon himself to find a way to appease those who are obsessed about the room tone.

He didn't know that he would implement something such as FullRes IRs down the road, especially since we already had UltraRes IRs. The MK II was released in order to provide more memory for these new IRs. There's still the same space for regular FW improvements on both the MK I and II, it's just that the FullRes IRs might not be accesible to the MK I crowd.

How is it not Cliff's full right to release a new hardware unit that better accomodates new technology and offers some code that is only available on the new hardware unit? Why is he obliged to listen to us in that scenario? He isn't actively seeking for reasons and features to profit more off of existing or potential customers in a way a typical corporation would do. He's just pushing the boundaries once again.

In my opinion, Cliff has given us way more meaningful updates to his products than all the other competitors combined, and he shouldn't get ANY backlash for technological progress. Yet, since the days of the standard and the ultra, people have been complaining about minute differences. There are bound to be little differences between the Axe II XL and the + version, the standard and the ultra, the MK I and the II, otherwise, these hardware upgrades would be meaningless. Technological progress happens, and it sometimes needs better/additional hardware to function. That's all there is to it.

If you want 100%, not 98%, of Cliff's cooking, you might need to pony up from time to time and pay that extra dollar.
Great post! It's also worth noting, as nobody ever seems to mention it, Mk1 users paid $300 USD less for the Mk1 than the Mk2 currently sells for so it's not like Mk2 owners got a free upgrade.
 
Back in the early 2000's, Cliff left his lucrative sonar engineering job to create a revolutionary guitar amp and effects modeling system that ran the most sophisticated code on the best possible hardware. That product, now known as the Axe Fx Standard, has established digital modeling as a viable alternative to analog amps and effects.

He did it all by himself in the beginning, from reading all the necessary books about tube circuits, to engineering the whole unit. He put a very substantial amount of his own time and capital into it and he still listened, on the old setbb forum mind you, to customers in a way that no other company did. And with no other company.... I really mean not a single one...
FAS is a company selling you a product, friend. The Axe FX is the best piece of music equipment I’ve purchased and I’m extremely happy with the continuous support the product has received over the years, it truly is an ever-improving unit that was already a market-beater, but don’t get it twisted. You are a customer consuming a product being sold to you. Cliff has made a brilliant product no doubt, but this kind of worship for someone who built an amp modeler is a bit much.
 
I'm remembering now in the early days when I first became aware of the Standard. I don't recall exactly how I stumbled on it as it was this enigma out on the deep webs. Pretty sure it was a Mark Day youtube clip where I heard this magical juju. I was immediately a fanboy from that day forward and got my first Ultra. Good times. It all started with Line 6 kidney bean and glad to have found my way here.
 
FAS is a company selling you a product, friend. The Axe FX is the best piece of music equipment I’ve purchased and I’m extremely happy with the continuous support the product has received over the years, it truly is an ever-improving unit that was already a market-beater, but don’t get it twisted. You are a customer consuming a product being sold to you. Cliff has made a brilliant product no doubt, but this kind of worship for someone who built an amp modeler is a bit much.
I am well aware that FAS is a company and as such needs to turn a profit in order to exist.

My point wasn't that FAS is not a company. My point was that FAS is a unique and spectacular company.

I truly believe that Cliff's primary motive isn't financial gain but the betterment and ultimate perfection of digital guitar tone. You might call me naive or whatever, but, in my opinion, these types of people are very rare, which is why you might think that Cliff's just like everybody else and only in it to make a buck. Linus Pauling was rich, and he deserved it, but he didn't conduct his vitamin c studies in order to get rich, he did it because he truly loved organic chemistry. Same goes for Louis Pasteur, Donald Knuth, Linus Torvalds, Luc Montagnier, Grigory Perelman etc. etc.

Notice that I only listed scientists? They're about the only breed of people who truly care about their field of knowledge. Sure, they'll earn something along the way, as they should, but it's far from being their number one motive, it's more like a tedious side aspect. Just talk to a mathematician. They care more about their erdos number and their contributions to god's book of mathematical proofs than their bank account. Jim Simons, the famous statistical arbitrage Hedge Fund billionaire, was once asked if he would give up a vast amount of his wealth just to see his name written below the Q.E.D of the Riemann hypothesis and his answer, and the time it took for him to ponder it, would truly astound you. I consider Cliff to be in that category as well. I'm naive like that, I'd love to think that mental accomplishments transcend worldly riches at least for some tiny portion of humanity. Otherwise, we'd just be ordinary businessmen and this would put humanity below the rungs of animals.

Don't misunderstand me, any owner needs to look after the financial aspects of his company, no doubt about it, but is this company defined by its financial aspects or not? I don't think FAS is defined by its profit margin and free cash flows and, as evidence, I present you Cliff's posting history on this forum. You just don't see that type of engagement with normal companies and that alone should tell you that you're not dealing with a normal company.
 
Just a quick informal poll to test the waters if most MK1 owners would rather replace the existing 1024 User 2 cab slots with 32 FullRes slots for FW 17.0 and up or to keep the User 2 bank the way it is in leu of FullRes support.

This is of course IF Cliff decides that is ultimately an option, so don't expect anything to happen unless Fractal says it will.
I voted :8ball: for 32 on User 2. But would like if this could a user option to turn on and off. My User 2 is 90% "EMPTY"
 
Not true! I paid $2499US for my mk1, $200 more than the price of the current mk2 - prices dropped some time after release of the mk1
Damn! I didn't know that. It was only $1999 when I was looking last year. That's one hell of a price drop since it was first released.
 
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