The Axe-Fx III is a Happiness Box

AndrewJay

Inspired
Hello everyone,

I am a long time watcher of the forum and an infrequent poster from the Ultra days (this is a new account). I rarely participate in social things in general, but in an attempt to adjust that, I thought a few thoughts on the III would be a good place to start. I don't particularly want to review the technology or accuracy since I quite frankly don't have enough knowledge or experience to be an authority on those subjects. However, I do feel like I can push myself to express what the III provides on a certain human level.
I think that music provides us with a vehicle of expression to say what we may otherwise not be able to or when words just aren't the right way. A very large part of musical expression is tone. And as a writer may spend hours in the pursuit of the right adjective, guitar players will do the equivalent with their guitar sound. Our tone is a reflection of ourselves to a certain extent and it's important to me that the tone I hear in my head is accurately portrayed by my gear. I recognize that tone is subjective and in order for me to have a more objective goal, I need to listen to a variety of gear and learn as much as possible about it. I'm not sure how else I would be able to really help myself find what I am looking for unless I broaden my field of vision and compare and contrast what I know with the new information coming in.
That is precisely what the III allows me to do. In real life I would never be able to try the overwhelming majority of these amps, let alone in an idealistic setting (ie. cranked, with a band, etc.) but with the Axe I can sample to my heart's content a vast array amps and effects that will influence my ear. I am a very indecisive person and the III allows me to be that without any truly negative consequences. Some days I want to hear a cranked British amp, others I am attracted to more American flavored overdrive, but no matter how indecisive I am, the III follows my ear without judgment. The ability to go where ever my ears takes me tone wise is very important to me, and I do not feel compromised in any way with the III. Whether an amp is accurate or not is fairly irrelevant to me because of my lack of real world experience, I just need to feel like the tone I am playing through is appropriate for the message I am trying to convey. If the III never received more amp models or effect models, I feel like the freedom to find the tone I want with the feel I want is there, it's just up to me to know what I want, ask the right questions, and be vigilant about getting it.
Moving forward, the III's reliability, much like the Ultra's, has provided an incredible amount of relief from stress in those areas. Fractal gear is quite an expense for me, and the fact that I have never had a hardware or software problem means the world to me. As it stands, my confidence in Fractal's ability to make quality gear is pretty solid and I feel like I can trust their products based on their construction, the thought put into their products, and Cliff's ongoing support for them. The quality of the III also means I spend more time playing and writing music than fighting it like I have with quite a few household appliances.
The last point I would like to talk about is the emotional reward that the III has become. When the world's noise becomes deafening, to be able to drown it out with a beautiful guitar tone for a little while helps to stay off the ledge. Music is a powerful experience and the III is a wonderful tool to help us get there.
I look forward to my continued journey with the Axe FX III, where ever it may take me. Thank you to Fractal Audio for the wonderful products, support, and moments verging on peace.




PS: On the more gear nerd side, the next Fractal product for me will certainly be a FC-6.
 
I couldn’t agree more with the it being called a happiness box. The cook said to me the other day, “I wish you looked at me like you look at your bloody Fractical (intentionally spelt wrong cause that what she calls it)😂
Myself being fortunate enough to own a lot of high end tube heads I purchased the Axe Fx 3 without ever trying one myself. My own curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to hear just how good or bad this thing sounds compared to the real deal.
After purchasing all the required FRFR monitors etc which in my case being indecisive and wanted to experience all it had to offer I bought a PA system, power amp for traditional guitar cabs and studio monitors.

Within in the first minute of playing my critical mind set had fallen to the way side as I immediately got immersed in its awesomeness. I was no longer worried about how it stacks up compared to the real deal because I realised it’s actually far superior sound wise to anything I own.

The best thing I have ever purchased by far! If my house was burning down I would save the Fractal before the cats.
 
I couldn’t agree more with the it being called a happiness box. The cook said to me the other day, “I wish you looked at me like you look at your bloody Fractical (intentionally spelt wrong cause that what she calls it)😂
Myself being fortunate enough to own a lot of high end tube heads I purchased the Axe Fx 3 without ever trying one myself. My own curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to hear just how good or bad this thing sounds compared to the real deal.
After purchasing all the required FRFR monitors etc which in my case being indecisive and wanted to experience all it had to offer I bought a PA system, power amp for traditional guitar cabs and studio monitors.

Within in the first minute of playing my critical mind set had fallen to the way side as I immediately got immersed in its awesomeness. I was no longer worried about how it stacks up compared to the real deal because I realised it’s actually far superior sound wise to anything I own.

The best thing I have ever purchased by far! If my house was burning down I would save the Fractal before the cats.

Thank you for your story Barry. I remember my first day with the Axe III, just a few minutes earlier I was playing my Ultra. It was a dramatic different in all around quality and any hesitation that I may have had, similar to you, just disappeared.
 
I know one thing...the POD XT LIVE I used to have was a UNHAPPINESS box!
I used a POD XT Live for years. It was good for what it was good for, but it just can't keep up with the crazy jump in quality we've had since the introduction of the original Axe FX. Right now it is being used as a controller for the III.
 
I used a lot of live rigs over the last 30 years. None of them were considered "high end" at the time I bought them, but they included all sorts of stuff that is incredibly desirable nowadays. Not much got kept - over time until about 10 years back I sold 2 great sounding Vox AC30s, a Hiwatt DR103, one of my Marshall JMP2203s, a couple of JTM 1962 BB RIs and set off on a quest to try to get a single amp rig that could sound good and versatile when I played out. Matamp got closest, Orange was definitely "no cigar", 65 Amps were onto a very cool thing but not quite there yet. And I thought to hell with it, let's try Fractal.

Got an Axe FX II XL and and MFC used - and with a bit of homework, they lasted a whole gig with me loving the sound (the Orange Rockerverb version of the story involved me driving home in the between sets interval to get a Marshall head so my own head wasn't to screwed with by what I could hear... great sounding amp, but not for me, I hate not being able to express myself!)

I have now moved on to the Axe FX III, and the firmware got better, the usability got better, the sounds got better, but this is from the baseline of a Marshall 2203, Marshall 1987, Fender Deluxe and Fender Princeton Reverb user, and quite diehard with it. The only amp I have gigged with in preference for a long time is the Princeton Reverb, but I know I can get close enough with the Axe FX, just haven't figured out a smaller rig yet. All of my old favourites are "on tap". Plenty of new stuff to try too, but if I just needed an acoustic guitar preamp with a little EQ and reverb, I know the Axe FX III would deliver.

Between Cliff and all at Fractal, Ownhammer, and ML Sound Labs this has been a journey and an epiphany. There is no point in going back.

Andrew, your post brought home to me how important Fractal Audio has become to my own musical experience. Tube amps and effects pedals have been part of it for about 40 years, and I'll keep a load of them, but will at most seldom use them. This has just turned out to be a better way of doing things - if I still need solder fumes I will figure it out some other way...

Liam
 
I used a POD XT Live for years. It was good for what it was good for, but it just can't keep up with the crazy jump in quality we've had since the introduction of the original Axe FX. Right now it is being used as a controller for the III.

I got major ear fatigue with its distortion tones. I probably didn't spend enough time tweaking it tho, perhaps. You're probably better at that than I was.

Also I was using a pair of Behringer Truth Monitors with it. I know those didnt help things AT ALL!

I wasn't even truly happy with the AXE FX II.

I now have the III and a pair of Dynaudio LYD 48's or I'll use Adam A7x's. Happier than a pig n sh**!
 
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I used a lot of live rigs over the last 30 years. None of them were considered "high end" at the time I bought them, but they included all sorts of stuff that is incredibly desirable nowadays. Not much got kept - over time until about 10 years back I sold 2 great sounding Vox AC30s, a Hiwatt DR103, one of my Marshall JMP2203s, a couple of JTM 1962 BB RIs and set off on a quest to try to get a single amp rig that could sound good and versatile when I played out. Matamp got closest, Orange was definitely "no cigar", 65 Amps were onto a very cool thing but not quite there yet. And I thought to hell with it, let's try Fractal.

Got an Axe FX II XL and and MFC used - and with a bit of homework, they lasted a whole gig with me loving the sound (the Orange Rockerverb version of the story involved me driving home in the between sets interval to get a Marshall head so my own head wasn't to screwed with by what I could hear... great sounding amp, but not for me, I hate not being able to express myself!)

I have now moved on to the Axe FX III, and the firmware got better, the usability got better, the sounds got better, but this is from the baseline of a Marshall 2203, Marshall 1987, Fender Deluxe and Fender Princeton Reverb user, and quite diehard with it. The only amp I have gigged with in preference for a long time is the Princeton Reverb, but I know I can get close enough with the Axe FX, just haven't figured out a smaller rig yet. All of my old favourites are "on tap". Plenty of new stuff to try too, but if I just needed an acoustic guitar preamp with a little EQ and reverb, I know the Axe FX III would deliver.

Between Cliff and all at Fractal, Ownhammer, and ML Sound Labs this has been a journey and an epiphany. There is no point in going back.

Andrew, your post brought home to me how important Fractal Audio has become to my own musical experience. Tube amps and effects pedals have been part of it for about 40 years, and I'll keep a load of them, but will at most seldom use them. This has just turned out to be a better way of doing things - if I still need solder fumes I will figure it out some other way...

Liam
Thank you Liam for telling your journey. It is a great read. Also, what a killer experience with those amps! Wonderful.
 
I got major ear fatigue with its distortion tones. I probably didn't spend enough time tweaking it tho, perhaps. You're probably better at that than I was.

Also I was using a pair of Behringer Truth Monitors with it. I know those didnt help things AT ALL!

I wasn't even truly happy with the AXE FX II.

I now have the III and a pair of Dynaudio LYD 48's or I'll use Adam A7x's. Happier than a pig n sh**!

I doubt I was better at it, but thank you. Those units definitely had a cap to how good you can make them sound, unlike the Fractal gear. Those are great monitors, I hope one day to have a great set like that. I am glad that you are having a great time with the Axe. Cheers.
 
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