So far I'm not entirely sold on the Axe Fx 3....

Oh, wait...you don't even have one?

I don't know what styles your into but I have the AX8, Axe2xl+ and have spent some time comparing them over the last couple of days and there's a bigger difference in the 3 sonically than I was expecting...especially in the cleans and chimey-er amp models. The reverbs also sound better to me.
 
One of the most exciting things about the 3 imo is the foot pedal integration, and being able to program it with scribble strips per preset, and hopefully per scene. Add that to the better noise floor and tone, more cpu, future potential... No brainier for me
 
Understood. I invested in the III solely for the effects potential. As an ambient guitarist effects are my bread and butter. The reverb alone in this technology is far superior than any pedal I have come across. The effect potential is going to be huge. Also, as a multi-instrumentalist the ability to have my acoustic, mandolin, banjo, cello, violin, pedal steel, and ukulele running through the III in all their tone matched glory is worth the investment.
 
Ant Music said:
Ok ok ok ok.... I know perfectly well there will be updates with the Axe 3. I am not over looking this at all. What I have alluded to is that I am more concerned with the nature of the updates that will come. I'd simply prefer to know the direction of the updates before I throw down the $$$. I already said I was frustrated with the developments that never came on Axe Fx2 so I wouldn't want to buy a 3 if the things I actually want are still not going to be implemented. That's what I am saying....
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Ok ok ok ok... I get it. You don’t want to buy one. So don’t buy one. You get what you want, and everyone who would have been behind you in line gets one sooner. Win-win.
 
Tahoebrian5 said:
One of the most exciting things about the 3 imo is the foot pedal integration, and being able to program it with scribble strips per preset, and hopefully per scene. Add that to the better noise floor and tone, more cpu, future potential... No brainier for me
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I have an RJM Mastermind so I already have scribble strips. It is very handy.
 
You're buying into an evolving platform. It's as much about the journey as the destination.

Also, Analog Devices no longer produces the TigerSHARC chip. Further production of the AxeFX II would be impossible because of this. It makes sense for Fractal to come out with a new product based on actively produced and supported DSPs.
 
Your minds obviously made up and that's fine. I get that. No problem. Honestly, I do not get the point of your post. I do not get that.
 
Icarusuki said:
I wasn't entirely sold on the III either. I hopped on the wait-list expecting that I would decide not to buy the III. I got my first Fractal product in June of 2016, an Axe FX II XL+. Then I sold my Kemper. Then I bought an FX8 for my JP-2C. Then I got an AX8, because I'm lazy and lugging my rack to practice was annoying. Then I found a super cheap, used Axe FX Ultra (which I ended up selling for profit; because, money.) I'm pretty sure the Axe FX II XL+ would cover my needs for as long as I will be able to play or as long as the unit functions, whichever fails first.

So, when my invite for the III showed up, I had to really think about it. I didn't think it would significantly improve my playing/sound/happiness for the price, over the XL+. But, I realized I would rather spend the next few years on the ground floor of the III, as a platform, with tons of room to grow, than be at the outer edge of the II, making more and more compromises due to the CPU limitations* as time goes on. That's what cinched it.

On the bright side, if you already have a II, you already have a really great piece of gear; so your choice is: a really great piece of gear -or- a really, really great piece of gear. You can't lose.


*(Admittedly, me 'complaining' the "limitations" is pretty silly. I tend to create giant ONE PRESET TO RULE THEM ALL presets, and that's my neurosis, not the XL+'s shortcoming.)
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I have found with the II...and "all in one preset" has its limitations. The three does not. It was designed for this.
 
Stratman68 said:
Your minds obviously made up and that's fine. I get that. No problem. Honestly, I do not get the point of your post. I do not get that.
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I believe @Ant Music is asking/saying "Will future updates concentrate on improving FX or adding new types of FX, rather than more amp modeling updates as was the case in the Axe-Fx 2? If it's FX, I'll buy."

It's a valid question.

The Axe-Fx 3 already got a Tri-Chorus so that's neat. I'd like to see a "True Stereo" Reverb block, just like their FAS-FX Reverb plugin.

I'd like to see up to 128 point modifier curves (instead of the current parameter based setup) so that we could easily sculpt the curve without flipping parameter knobs and not getting exactly what you want.

I certainly understand the OP, my preference for updates would be in the FX/UI, FX modeling category (The Tri-Chorus is a perfect example of what I mean by FX modeling). Even better would be introduction of never-before-seen FX algorithms.
 
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Brucegregori said:
I have found with the II...and "all in one preset" has its limitations. The three does not. It was designed for this.
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Yeah, that was a major selling point. I'm one of those that had a second guitar player running through my XL+... I doubt I'll do that again (he's using my AX8 Live for now), but if they ever decided to do something like 4 amps with 2 channels instead of 2 amps with 4 channels, I would consider it. Especially, if they could add something like a switching block (like a virtual A/B/Y box), that could divert signal from one path to another via midi.
 
Seems like the best thing to do in your situation would be to hold back on a purchase until you see how the firmware is panning out as far which direction it is going. You might as well avoid the waitlist scramble and initial bugs. Once development is further along and all of the supply / demand issues are worked out, you can make your decision with less stress lol.
 
I'm in a similar camp as the OP regarding "wait and see". I use the Axe as a tool to earn a living. So, while frequent firmware updates on a new platform are fun to install and explore, they are a gigging musician's worst scenario. I'm actually relieved that the II is approaching maturity. I'm waiting for what I suspect will be the final firmware update before I do final tweeks to a couple hundred presets and can finally put them to rest.

In time (and funds permitting), I'm sure I will buy a III exclusively for home use. By that time, it will no doubt have been developed far beyond the II. Of course, the IV will be out shortly after that, and I'll write another post just like this one.
 
Icarusuki said:
Yeah, that was a major selling point. I'm one of those that had a second guitar player running through my XL+... I doubt I'll do that again (he's using my AX8 Live for now), but if they ever decided to do something like 4 amps with 2 channels instead of 2 amps with 4 channels, I would consider it. Especially, if they could add something like a switching block (like a virtual A/B/Y box), that could divert signal from one path to another via midi.
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I have a patch now I based off of one from @austinbuddy but used an acoustic amp (tube pre for one scene) and another dirty amp for another since I really don't do "dirty rhythm sounds" that much. So all in all I have a fender twin...an acoustic amp, a marshall plexi all in one patch plus all reverbs and delays i want...I mean its like a dream rig in a preset. lol The IIXL+ couldn't do that...but the III does.
 
AlbertA said:
I believe @Ant Music is asking/saying "Will future updates concentrate on improving FX or adding new types of FX, rather than more amp modeling updates as was the case in the Axe-Fx 2? If it's FX, I'll buy."
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Like others, I think this thread is a good one, and a healthy conversation to have.

I guess where I am a bit confused...and forgive my lack of effects experience...but what other effects are there to add? Doesn't the Axe FX III do pretty much every effect we need already?

I guess there could be a billion other synths added, so maybe that is it?

Mind you, I use limited effects beyond dynamics (e.g. compressor).
 
Basically it comes down to one camp of "super users" that is already pushing the limits of their II and see the III as opening up a lot of new options for them, another camp that simply enjoys the "ride" of all the new updates (some of these people may also be super users), and a last camp that loves their II (or 8) and would take a III in a heart beat if it were an even dollar exchange, but don't see the currently available upgrades as warranting the extra money - which is more than a grand as the XL+ is currently fetching around 1300-1400 and the III is 2500.
 
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steadystate said:
I'm in a similar camp as the OP regarding "wait and see". I use the Axe as a tool to earn a living. So, while frequent firmware updates on a new platform are fun to install and explore, they are a gigging musician's worst scenario. I'm actually relieved that the II is approaching maturity. I'm waiting for what I suspect will be the final firmware update before I do final tweeks to a couple hundred presets and can finally put them to rest.

In time (and funds permitting), I'm sure I will buy a III exclusively for home use. By that time, it will no doubt have been developed far beyond the II. Of course, the IV will be out shortly after that, and I'll write another post just like this one.
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Regardless of how often new firmware is released, you have the option to choose when you want to update. Unless there is a needed bug fix or new feature, you could still use FW15.
 
There's no harm in asking where the Axe FX III will go, but the truth is that Cliff himself probably doesn't know yet. That's the nature of creation and discovery and the man has done it with every FAS product I have owned.

As far as moving the bar up, and Axe FX III certainly has for me. The addition of channels is already as big a deal as the first Boogie switching amps were for me. It's huge. Really. And, guess what? It wouldn't have been as big a deal on the II because there wouldn't have been enough CPU to support it. It would still be cool, and I hope that possibility is ported to Quantum, but it is the way it is implemented in the III that makes it as cool as it is.

It is these sort of things that make the III worth it for me. And I forgot to mention, at essentially the same cost as the II was new years ago! How often does that happen?

In the end, it's up to you. If the II does what you need, don't change. If you're only going to do the same thing with it, why waste the time? But... how do you know you won't create something better if you have the capability to do something you can't do now?
 
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