Review - Axe FX 3 - After a year of using it.

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Omri Bazelet said:
Let me ask you this straight up.

Have you ever read your mobile phone guidebook? Or else your PC one?
Most of the people won't. Because it already so intuitive and explained just by the GUI itself that you don't need to think a lot and read a Huge Phonebook to it.

In my prespective, when a device is advanced and high tech - it's simpler, and not only it's simpler, it allows you to do more than you ever imagined without scrubbing your head and wondering.
"How do I do that"?
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I do not take that approach

When I plan to buy a complex device with multiple configurable parameters, like an effects processor (I am not referring to a mobile phone or a computer), if I have time, I download the user manual and I study it before I have the opportunity to get the equipment on my hands. Because I like to squeeze all the possibilities. I have even read manuals of equipment that I finally didn't buy (very often I've decided not buying thanks to discovering the device limitations at the user manual)

If I get the equipment before reading the user manual in advance, I just plug and play as soon as I unbox it, and I don't RTFM until I need to sit at the toilet. However, one of the first things I do is to navigate through the setup and global settings menus to see what is there.

In the case of the Axe-FX III, you can see the "SETUP" label over the E button as soon as you switch it on. When I got there, the 50HZ/60Hz AC Line switch, the Input Level, and the Pedal Calibration were the first things I changed. That was very intuitive, and it didn't required to read the manual or to watch videos.
 
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Please don't start Axe Edit in full screen as was requested.

I only run Pro Tools full screen across 2 large monitors with Axe Edit and my interface software in windows behind that. I can tweak something quickly with a simple window switch using keyboard keys.

I have had the Axe FX 3 for a little over a month and I had absolutely no issues pulling it out of the box and creating my presets from scratch based on my touring rack and I had my presets setup in a just a few hours. I feel it helps to understand signal flow and if you have ever used a rack unit or two, the Axe Fx is very familiar. I can see how anyone who has used things like the line 6 and other units of that nature may not be familiar with signal flow and creating patches from scratch might feel a bit overwhelmed since there are so many options.

Maybe an official tutorial video series on youtube put out by Fractal that is totally free of charge, might be helpful.
Start with basics like connecting it up for the first time. Things to make sure you check, like AC line frequency for those in other countries and how to change it. Basic amp rig signal flow starting with the guitar and input going all the way through the outputs and setting the proper levels, and why. Difference with levels for recording vs live and why you would want to sync with your interfaces "Zero db" setting (I have mine set @ -18), so when I hit pro tools I make sure I don't go over -22 so I have a little headroom for any post work I may need. Run through some of the reasons you may or may not want a compressor or drive before an amp, VS after, and the effect it can give if done after an amp, etc. And yes there are videos out there for the Kemper, provided by Kemper themselves. I like that others have done some of this, however Not Everyone knows Leon Todd and go check out his videos. I also understand where Cooper Carter is at, but not everyone wants to pay money after spending 2k on the Axe Fx 3, just to get their head around the device.

James
 
iaresee said:
AC Line Frequency
Maybe there should be a quick start section up front for critical settings that need to be made based on the country you're in?
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I added this to the Package Insert sheet under Quick Start Setup:

If you are using the Axe-Fx in a region where the frequency of AC power is 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz, please change the AC Line Frequency setting in SETUP: Global Settings: Confg.

I did this for the FM3 too.
 
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Admin M@ said:
I added this to the Package Insert sheet under Quick Start Setup:

If you are using the Axe-Fx in a region where the frequency of AC power is 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz, please change the AC Line Frequency setting in SETUP: Global Settings: Confg.

I did this for the FM3 too.
Click to expand...
Heh. You know they throw the unread sheet into the garbage in the mad scramble to unpack the unit, right? :)
 
Omri Bazelet said:
Have you ever read your mobile phone guidebook? Or else your PC one?
Most of the people won't. Because it already so intuitive and explained just by the GUI itself that you don't need to think a lot and read a Huge Phonebook to it.

In my prespective, when a device is advanced and high tech - it's simpler, and not only it's simpler, it allows you to do more than you ever imagined without scrubbing your head and wondering.
"How do I do that"?
Click to expand...
Yes, I’ve read manuals for my phones and devices, computers and their operating systems, because I wanted to be aware of their capabilities as quickly as possible. Prior to getting my FM3 and FX3 I read the manuals multiple times, read the tech notes and the wiki for the same reason, to know and hit the ground running. I read the manuals for my amps and pedals multiple times too because they are sophisticated equipment and don’t necessarily behave in a transparent manner.

It doesn’t follow that advanced and highly technical devices are automatically easy to use, and it’s a credit to the teams behind them that they appear to be to you. The interface is another highly advanced and technical layer on top of the functionality of the device that hides the technicalities from you, and it takes years of cognitive science and human interface and design to get the interface to that state; that translates to big, well-funded teams who experiment with multiple designs, applying minor changes and watching test subjects attempt to perform specific tasks to find the best way to help the user accomplish something. Apple, for instance, had well known user-interface authorities on staff just to help guide their efforts, and has teams that are likely the size of Fractal’s entire company. They are able to recoup the cost of their science and studies because they are selling millions of units. For Fractal to mimic that work would take time, money, and effort that they would pass to us in the form of increased prices and longer gaps between updates. Or, they try to capture the information in the manuals and make those available to us so we can teach ourselves.

It’s a trade off; we expect them to try to make the interface cohesive and powerful and flexible and keep the prices reasonable, and in return they expect us to read and learn and use the equipment and spread the word. Of course they will try to improve things to make it easier to use, but they can’t spoon feed us either.
 
Admin M@ said:
I added this to the Package Insert sheet under Quick Start Setup:

If you are using the Axe-Fx in a region where the frequency of AC power is 50 Hz instead of 60 Hz, please change the AC Line Frequency setting in SETUP: Global Settings: Confg.

I did this for the FM3 too.
Click to expand...
I went looking for a quick start PDF because I swore there was one and couldn't find it. Thanks for that change!
 
Omri Bazelet said:
Boss GT5, Kemper Profiler, Helix, Positive Grid BIAS FX, you name it.
All of them, were much easier to learn and way more intuitive and allowed me to do to same procedures in way less time. And I mean significantly less time.
Click to expand...

I think you may be pulling our legs.

Quick: how does the Kemper locking function work without reading the manual? Okay, now explain it after reading the manual. 🤣🤣🤣
 
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