Precedent for full Axe-Fx Plugin?

Personally, I would really like to see a control plug for the Axe. Not so much a fully software version of the modeling, but a way to store a preset, IR, etc. within a DAW project and recall it when I load the project (or even arm a track). It seems like a plugin version of Axe-Edit would be much less work to implement than a full on software-only Axe. Also, this would lay aside piracy concerns. This has been discussed in other wish list threads, and I think many studio pros & session players would find the functionality incredibly useful.
 
Jeries said:
I guarantee you with 100% certainty-
honest and objectively -testing it blindly

you will get a MUCH better sound using the xlr outs into a good preamp, or even decent preamp- maybe even a cheap preamp---
than the digital outs of the axe fx

try it if you don't believe me.

bigly
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This has definitely not been my experience.
 
Jeries said:
I guarantee you with 100% certainty-
honest and objectively -testing it blindly

you will get a MUCH better sound using the xlr outs into a good preamp, or even decent preamp- maybe even a cheap preamp---
than the digital outs of the axe fx

try it if you don't believe me.

bigly
Click to expand...

Pure user preference. The USB/SPDIF/AES data stream is the exact same data that is sent to the analog outputs via the D/A converters. You can't possibly get any more accurate than the source data stream direct from the Axe's processors. If you are hearing a big difference between the digital and analog outputs, then your interface is not flat response or linear. It is coloring the input signal in a way that you personally may prefer.
 
AlGrenadine said:
Even standard desktop cpus of today are a lot more powerful than tigersharcs... Even if not specialized, see how many complex vst plugins you can insert in a 4 GHz 8 core cpu ($250) in your daw without pushing the limits... it's huge...
Click to expand...

It's not an apples to apples comparison. DSP can do some things much better than regular CPUs. Because of their specialized instruction set, they can usually process data streams much more efficiently than CPU's leading to far better real-time processing speed (lower latency). CPU's are good at handling a wide range of tasks, making them great at handling all the different needs a PC presents, but are often slower at certain more specialized tasks. It's like comparing a race car to a dump truck. Both are very powerful, but it's applied in different ways.
 
Don't forget the FAS Reverb VST exists, been out for a long time. Cliff said it's 'superior' to the Axe-II Reverb block, and it runs great in my humble PC DAW along with many other VSTs.

I think porting the rest of the Axe-Fx into VST is quite doable, Cliff was working on that way back in 2009-10 before the II. (Google "Fractal Axe-PC"). As I recall, it was going to be a plugin with an interface box that would also act as a dongle for protection, but all the discussion then was about piracy. I got the impression that's what stopped it, not any DSP/CPU technical limitation.

fractal-audio-systems-axe-pc-87884.jpg
 
AlGrenadine said:
Well Cliff stated few months ago a VST plugin of the AMP block was in the works... Maybe it's a vaporware, we'll see ;)
Click to expand...

if this is indeed happening I can hardly contain myself :) I know it has been considered before, but really hope they reconsider. Hoping that "soon" doesn't mean long after the Helix Native is released. If that gets good reviews(or I can try a demo) it might be too tempting to pass... I'd prefer not to buy both (depending on the price)
 
Robboman said:
Don't forget the FAS Reverb VST exists, been out for a long time. Cliff said it's 'superior' to the Axe-II Reverb block, and it runs great in my humble PC DAW along with many other VSTs.
Click to expand...
Please let us know how many instances of FAS reverb you can run and which cpu you have (or how much % cpu it takes per core) and with a simple math people would be convinced about the enormous power in today's cpus compared to the dsp inside an AXEII.
And no, to be able run plugins at very low latencies in a pc or mac is not a problem from many years now, thats an old old myth I and many musicians do it everyday, the same one which says that a modern cpu cant handle real time complex algorithms, simple take a look about the enormous palette of effects and synths played in realtime or mixed at very low latencies in many musicians pc around.
 
The selling point for DSPs is their high compute power with comparatively low power demand. This is where general purpose CPUs suck.
 
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