Should I go III?

T

Tiny64

New Member
Hi,

Way back in December 17 I posted asking about moving to an II XL+ as I was moving home and would not be able to play my Tweeds without a noise issue.

Long story short, I have been in the new place since April and although I didn't pull the trigger on an XL+ I have been using an AX8 (on loan) and Austin Buddy's naked amp pack. All I've used is basically the vintage tweed and Marshall amps - as simple as it gets with a bit of tweaking for room/verb etc. I even go old school and use the volume knob to clean up my tone. I'm really pleased with the natural overdrive I'm getting from AX8 at low/medium dBs through my studio monitors and through headphones. Indeed I've been pretty much amazed what I can achieve being a non tech person!

I know I've only scratched the surface of the AX8, so do I warrant getting a III. Is the III just overkill for a "simple" plug and play home player who at the most records a few tracks and jams away at night and might get a local gig a few times year?

Thoughts?
 
Tweed amps you say? The three really shines on the fenders. If you can afford to get a three you will be very happy. Especially for people that don’t like to tweak knobs too much, it just seems like everything is easier on the three. The good tones just jump out of the box
 
I have a II I use at home and an AX8 that I gig with. I am very tempted by the III, but then I think what am I lacking? The AX8 sounds great for live and with firmware 10 switches fast enough and has plenty of CPU. I have to hand it to Fractal for the way they take care of their customers. Most electronics companies would withhold upgrades to encourage trade ups. Cliff takes the opposite approach. I can't say enough good things about this company to the people in the audience who ask how I get my tone sounding so good. I'll get a III if my II breaks or they do a floor model.
 
I’ve owned four different AxeFX units (so far), with the XL+ and III as the two most recent. I asked myself the same questions, since I already had the XL+, but wanted the upcoming advancements as well as an expected tone improvement, even though I expected it to be small. Boy was I surprised! The sounds and tone coming out of the III are glorious! I’ve been on the ride since my Ultra was state of the art, and it just keeps getting better and better. If you can afford the III, I say do it. I know I’d do it again in a heartbeat!

Cheers
 
If you like the all-in-one form factor and like the tones, stick with the AX8. The Axe3 will still be there if you change your mind and it will be even better by then.

Austin
 
Tahoebrian5 said:
Especially for people that don’t like to tweak knobs too much, it just seems like everything is easier on the three. The good tones just jump out of the box
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. I had the XL+ for a few days before the III was announced. It took me about all of that time (4 days I think) to get it up and running enough to decide to keep it. Once the III wait list email came, I packed up and returned the XL+ and waited for the III. Once I got the III, I had my sound set up in about 30 minutes. Then the next few days was just pure exploration. Its really easy to get a good tone. FWIW i'm going through a power amp/cab.
 
Seems like it would be overkill for you.

I know it's overkill for me too, a bedroom (well office) warrior, but I enjoy the III.
 
Unlike every other post I read on here about comparisons between the 2XL+ and the III where they say it's just subtle differences, I will say that's not true in my case. I heard the comparisons between them on youtube and on there they sounded almost identical. But now that I actually have one, not so. They are night and day difference. Tone & Reverb both are miles apart between the XL+ and the III. The XL always seemed to sound like something that was OK and had a lot of possible potential, however wasn't really as good as the real thing... but the III is that potential finally realized.

I used to own a XL+ and I was very disappointed with both it's tones and its reverb, so much so that I sold it and bought a Kemper. But, the Kemper had it's own set of limitations, so I got rid of that, and I was almost at the point where I was just going to buy 3 real amps, a Fender blues JR, a Marshall Jubilee, and a Victoria Richie Kotzen half stack (to cover all the sonic ground I'd ever need), and then try to use a box or something to record them direct with speaker emulation to not have to play loud.

But I decided to give Fractal another try.
I really wasn't expecting the III to be this good, because most if not everyone on here said so far tonewise it's not much different than the 2XL+....

But I think they were wrong.

I didn't like the XL+ enough to keep it, I was never satisfied with it.

I've had the III a couple weeks now, and haven't even played but mainly on 2 presets for the majority of the time so far... and I'm finally satisfied.

The III is on a whole new level.
Sounds totally different to me, night and day, a dramatic difference.

As far as Overkill... just depends on your hierarchy of priorities...
Music is the most important thing to me, it is above ALL other things in life, it even surpasses life itself for a life without music would not even be worth living.

The Axe 2XL+ = just trying.
The Axe III = actually doing.
 
My AX8 rig was light weight. I wouldn't think twice about taking it out. My Axe3 wasn't complete without a foot controller and rack case. Wait for the FC controllers to be released.
 
Yes. Get it without question.
I've been with Fractal for the whole journey and even I was surprised by how much better the III is over my much loved II.
I agree with an earlier comment that the Fenders are amazing.
Get it.
 
I have owned several IIs, an AX8 and now a III. I was very happy with my IIs, using 2 setups with MFC etc in permanent installs at 2 campuses at weekly church gigs and another at home. It was convenient because I could just show up with my laptop to load the presets and my guitar. I got the AX8 for travel gigs. Both worked great but I sold off the II rigs to try the III. While the III feels and sounds amazing, I now have the AX8 dialed in and sounding fantastic. The AX8 gets played and gigged regularly whereas the III has only been turned on a handful of times over the last 3-4 months. The point here is that the II, AX8 and III are all so good that picking one depends more on the application. If I was just playing at home I would probably get the III but for gigging it is not as convenient as the AX8 until the controller is released. This is not to say it can't be gigged but the convenience of the all-in-one AX8 solution makes it easier for me. We will see what happens when the FC is released!
 
The 3 is killer. Sold my XL+ and no regrets (missing my FC, but it will come “soon”). The 3 is built in typical FAS quality - 1st class all the way.
 
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