What do you miss about the Axe-Fx III now that you have the FM3?

Tremonti

Fractal Fanatic
My FM3 is on the way and building a secondary hybrid rig with FM3, EVH EL34 50 watt 2x12 combo and an FC12 to control it. FM3 will stay back on top of amp. Anyways, besides no Vocoder and 2 amp blocks, what else is really missing of note?
 
Nothing critical, but it was nice to have all that extra power to audition different things in a preset. Like using the second amp block to try a different amp, or having four cab slots, etc.

Global blocks and performance page were both handy too.
 
I have started using the FM3 for a hybrid rig as well. I am using it to replace an aging FX8 and also use it instead of my Ax3 in the hybrid application. I also like the idea of leaving the unit back with the amp and just having one cable running out to a foot controller. What I do miss so far is:
  • the relays of the FX8 to switch tube amp channels. I may look for a standalone midi controlled relay switch
  • the virtual capo capability (aka the quality) of the AX3 Virtual Capo
  • performance page

Those are the major things for the hybrid application. It would be nice to have the updated Pitch block of the AX3 but I can work with the FM3 way it is now.

I don't miss anything about AX3 as I still have it, but to answer your question from another angle, if I found myself without the FM3 and AX3 and could only replace one (and price was not a governing issue) I would go with the AX3. The form factor of the FM3 is super convenient (size and built in switches) but not a show stopper for me over the AX3. For my uses the big advantages of AX3 (or the thing I would miss) over the FM3 are:
  • the I/O capabilities of the AX3 (really like the 4 outputs)
  • the processing power of the AX3 for complex presets and the new blocks that require that CPU power
  • four cab slots
  • dual amps
 
Nothing critical, but it was nice to have all that extra power to audition different things in a preset. Like using the second amp block to try a different amp, or having four cab slots, etc.

Global blocks and performance page were both handy too.
Could you not change the amp among the scenes, and then simply flip the scenes to find the amp you like best? I'm just getting into this now, and so I may be wrong.

I prefer a rack mount, as it sits on my computer desk (rather than on the floor), but the Axe III (I had the II - Mark II) doesn't have footswitches, so that's handy. I wish it had more processing power, as I tried to add a delay or something to a preset and could not. Very impressed with the sound. I look at the FM3 like the Line 6 Pod Go. It's a reduced package at a reduced price, but with the same sounds, and so... there is a tradeoff of money vs. some missing items. The FM3 is a 'budget' form of the Axe III, besides being a floor modeler version.
 
the only thing I miss, or rather would like, more I/O to run more loops

And likewise the improved drive algorithms, but that's not really a biggie

Apart from that, using an external reverb, I couldn't be happier - I think it sounds better than I ever did on the III to be honest, maybe I'm more constrained so have to make better choices, maybe I just prefer the external reverb sounds, maybe I just got better at programming etc.
 
Could you not change the amp among the scenes, and then simply flip the scenes to find the amp you like best? I'm just getting into this now, and so I may be wrong.

I prefer a rack mount, as it sits on my computer desk (rather than on the floor), but the Axe III (I had the II - Mark II) doesn't have footswitches, so that's handy. I wish it had more processing power, as I tried to add a delay or something to a preset and could not. Very impressed with the sound. I look at the FM3 like the Line 6 Pod Go. It's a reduced package at a reduced price, but with the same sounds, and so... there is a tradeoff of money vs. some missing items. The FM3 is a 'budget' form of the Axe III, besides being a floor modeler version.

Yes that's how I do it. The only kicker is when I have a patch where I've got different amps I'm using for different tones but want to A/B with a different amp for one of them. For instance if you have like a Fender Deluxe, AC30, Plexi, and BE100 in a single preset but want to try a Vibrolux instead of the Deluxe.

I don't expect that to be something that could be "fixed" on the FM3 but it's one of the small things.

I will say this, the fan noise of the Axe 3 always drove me a little nuts. The FM3 is silent which is really nice.
 
There’s no ultra res IRs on the FM3? I have that currently on axefx2. I have an FM3 on order so I’m learning about it, I thought it had the Horizon drive? Oh well no biggie.
 
There’s no ultra res IRs on the FM3? I have that currently on axefx2. I have an FM3 on order so I’m learning about it, I thought it had the Horizon drive? Oh well no biggie.
No Ultra Res yet , not sure if that will be added at any point maybe @BryantP would be able to answer if it is on the list still , also the drive block is a little different between the full 3 and FM3 so SOME of the models are not present like the Horizon , OCD , crunch box
 
Nothing, I have both!! <<EVIL CACKLE>>
Same here.

The AF3 is next to my desk and I use it to tweak and adjust, then I push things to the FM3 for when we can finally play "outside" once again. And I periodically swap their priority and go through the newer presets on the FM3 to make sure they sound right, and push them back to the AF3 if I tweaked them.

So, I rarely miss anything because the FM3, even with its "little sibling" status, is still a killer unit. I've found few presets that are on the AF3 that don't sound as good on the FM3 with a bit of adjusting.

They're different animals with different purposes and patches that run on both sound great.
 
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