What to buy cliche thread

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niko5899

Member
Greetings Axe fx pros!

im a noob in the fractal world, but ive read a whole lot about it.
I want to buy an axe fx 2 but I dont know if I should buy axe fx II mk. I(used) or axe fx II XL+(new)

I've found a used axe fx II mk. I including mfc-101 for 1.600 euros
on g66(im in europe) the price of an axe fx II XL+ including mfc-101(mk. III) is 3.500 euros.

what concerns me the most is i cant use presets made by others on the XL+ on the Mk. I
I dont know if this is a problem or if its normal to be downloading a lot of presets(but i would imagine that i would download presets a lot though).

What do you think is the wiser choice, and why? are there anything more I should know?

Best regards from Denmark,

Nikolaj.
 
Today its not a problem to share presets from mk versions xl and xl+.
if you have the money amd can miss it i would go for the xl+ and mfc101 mkiii
it has more cpu power and little more functionality and faslink
and if you can even spent some more there is also a mastermind with scrible lcd and more flexibility.

so it depends mainly how much money you can spend. if i had the money and could easily spend it i would go for big mastermind and axe fx XL+ specially if you want seemless preset with scenes and with different amps and cabs etc... ax8 is also posibility, but when you want homerecording i would again choose axe fx2.

but in general you can almost do everything with mk version. i have axe fx 2 mkii version and mfc101 mki and in some cases i wished i had the xl+ and mastermind but its definitely enough for coming years. not fully sure what difference mki is to mkii....

good luck with decision & whatever you choose: you will not regret nor is it waiste of money as axe fx still goes pretty stable prices in 2nd hand. ultra for 1000 euro, mk versions between 1500-2000 etc...

cheers
musicman

edit: for preset sharing check for fractool in forum or wiki, one can interchange presets from mk versions with xl and xl+
 
I actually would not worry too much about sharing presets. They rarely share well unless you are using the same amplification system as the creator. Plus the best preset creators use purchased Cab IRs (impulse response files) that you may not have, so they don't sound the same. Best thing to do is look at how the preset was created and then adjust that for your own guitar and speaker.

Ultra is still great for studio. Requires a little more tweaking to sound like amp in the room. The Mark I has plenty of memory for me.
 
All Axe II models including the XL have the same CPU power so rule that out. The biggest benefits of the XL units is the extra space for IRs which I use a lot of. You have to be more thoughtful on ir use on the MK1/2 units.

Either will be excellent. I went XL but would have still been happy with the standard. The MFC is really really worth having though. Both for 1600 seems pretty good!
 
zerolight has a good point, i thought there was more cpu power as the newer models have more possible amps and cabs and delay choosings in one preset, but when i look for differences i get this overview:

Axe-Fx II (original) - Dual TigerSHARC, 384 presets, 100 User Cab Slots, RJ45 MFC-101 port, Mechanical main encoder, MIDI IN and OUT/THRU jacks, Single "Pedal" jack, 60mm fan.

Axe-Fx II Mark II - EtherCON port for connecting MFC-101. 60 or 80mm fan

Axe-Fx II XL - As above, but upgraded as noted: memory Increase to 768 presets, 500 User Cab Slots, EtherCON and FASLINK connectors, optical main encoder, dedicated MIDI THRU, lower noise floor, 80mm fan. "Secret Sauce III" input circuitry, flash ROM preset storage, built-in recovery firmware, dual onboard Expression Pedal jacks, "XL only" firmware features (such as XY on a greater number of blocks.)

Axe-Fx II XL Plus - All of the above, plus a brighter sharper display, and an even lower noise floor.
 
right now im leaning towards buying the used axe fx mki(+mfc-101) and an atomic clr active wedge(neo version), which i can get for 3000 euros approx. But its tempting to buy the xl+ :cool:
 
but then again, if it has to be bedroom volume most of the time, i might as well use yamaha hs8 monitors...i think
 
If you can get a good deal on a MK I or II, that might be a better value. They have fewer preset and cab spots, but with Axe Edit, it's so easy to swap out cabs and presets as needed, it's really a non-issue for the most part. You pretty much have unlimited cab and preset storage capabilities with Axe Edit either way. It's pretty unlikely you would ever need more than the basic 384 slots on hand in the unit at one time anyway. Axe Edit is just a USB cable away.
 
mr_fender said:
If you can get a good deal on a MK I or II, that might be a better value. They have fewer preset and cab spots, but with Axe Edit, it's so easy to swap out cabs and presets as needed, it's really a non-issue for the most part. You pretty much have unlimited cab and preset storage capabilities with Axe Edit either way. It's pretty unlikely you would ever need more than the basic 384 slots on hand in the unit at one time anyway. Axe Edit is just a USB cable away.
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For example the top sticky in the For Sale sub forum...
 
Hotdogs said:
For example the top sticky in the For Sale sub forum...
Click to expand...

i dont want to buy from the top sticky in the for sale sub forum, because they're all from outside of EU, so there will be customs and duties etc. I have already found one for sale here in Denmark though but im thinking about busting the bank and buying the xl+ and mfc-101 mkiii new and the atomic clr active wedge neo version.. the only thing that concerns me is that the axe fx III will probably be released right after i buy and thus making my new gear lose value very quickly..but i dunno, more opinion on this matter are more than welcome :D
 
niko5899 said:
i dont want to buy from the top sticky in the for sale sub forum, because they're all from outside of EU, so there will be customs and duties etc. I have already found one for sale here in Denmark though but im thinking about busting the bank and buying the xl+ and mfc-101 mkiii new and the atomic clr active wedge neo version.. the only thing that concerns me is that the axe fx III will probably be released right after i buy and thus making my new gear lose value very quickly..but i dunno, more opinion on this matter are more than welcome :D
Click to expand...
if your busting the bank check Yek for his midi interface video, its expensive but you will have way more flexiblity ;) i wished i could bust my bank

greetings from a jalous dutch guy
 
how much of a difference is there between studio monitors like yamaha hs8's and an atomic clr active wedge - for practice at home use(most of the time with pretty low volume)? Are atomic clr's and matrix q12a's mostly for live use, or do they make a big difference compared to yamaha hs8's(fx) when used at home for practice? ... dunno if its a stupid question, sorry :)
 
niko5899 said:
how much of a difference is there between studio monitors like yamaha hs8's and an atomic clr active wedge - for practice at home use(most of the time with pretty low volume)? Are atomic clr's and matrix q12a's mostly for live use, or do they make a big difference compared to yamaha hs8's(fx) when used at home for practice? ... dunno if its a stupid question, sorry :)
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It's not a stupid question at all. Typically the CLR is used for live higher volume applications. If you are not playing out then purchasing a pair of monitors for stereo use might be a better investment. If you are playing out then you will need some method of amplifying and monitoring your guitar signal. CLRs are very highly regarded as excellent monitors. I've read some comments saying that they are so good that they compete with quality studio monitors. I owned one briefly that I bought used at Guitar Center (a big chain in the USA). I returned it because it was damaged prior to my purchase. However, it sounded terrific. It also was the size of a floor monitor. Not huge, but big enough that it wouldn't work in my space as a stereo pair of desk monitors. So a couple of questions that might be helpful to consider:

Do you intend to perform live?

Do you want stereo?

How much do you want to spend?

If you are going to use the CLR at home primarily for practice and you don't intend to move it much it might make sense to get the standard version instead of the neo. The two models sound identical. The neo is just 12 pounds lighter than the standard. The neo also costs quite a bit more. So if you aren't moving it much you could save a few hundred euro buying the standard without any sacrifice in sound quality.
 
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at some point i intend to perform live and to also be playing with my friends in a practice room, so yes(but its not the primary purpose)

i think i want stereo

i dont want to spend 3 times as much money on a couple of q12's (matrix) if the difference isnt that big from a couple of yamaha hs8's(when used at home for practice and stuff that is). Maybe i need to buy a couple of yamaha hs8's and one atomic clr(for live stuff and practice with friends etc). what do you think?
 
You will be fine with any Axe-Fx 2 version. I have used the MK1 for years and only thing I've had to replace is the fan on it (it's just a regular computer fan really).

Btw if you're interested I have an Atomic Reactor FR (the all-tube predecessor of the CLR essentially) that I'm considering selling as I no longer play live. Of course no stereo but personally I don't consider that important for guitar sounds as the vast majority of real amp rigs are mono anyway.
 
laxu said:
....... Atomic Reactor FR (the all-tube predecessor of the CLR essentially)
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Saying this is the predecessor of the CLR is misleading. They are 100% different.

It is the prior speaker sold by that company.....but they don't have a single common component....other than the logo.
 
Call me kooky.. but I am very happy with the cheapo Behringer FCB1010 MIDI foot controller.. plus you don't have to buy two volume/wah sweepie pedals because they are included. I think I'm going to drill holes in the plastic pedals soon and put in SPST silent switches on them to make it easier to press, the plastic pedals sometimes need a bit of extra pressure to get it to respond at times.
(SPST is the correct switch for this project right? DPDT is not needed in this case, i'm pretty sure there is just two wires going to each pedal.)
Truth be told though, If money wasn't so tight and we weren't living check to check, I would definitely buy myself a MFC-101 and two mission pedals. Perhaps even the added extra third party 4 buttons for the mfc. Perhaps If I get this job I just applied for today works out.. I'll be an MFC owner in a couple months.
Also GASsing for the friedman FRFR wedge. The new atomic powered that are a bit lighter and cheaper also look pretty good to me. Am I even answering any of your questions? I forgot what I'm even talking about at this point. ahh. Lemme go play with my axe.
 
niko5899 said:
at some point i intend to perform live and to also be playing with my friends in a practice room, so yes(but its not the primary purpose)

i think i want stereo

i dont want to spend 3 times as much money on a couple of q12's (matrix) if the difference isnt that big from a couple of yamaha hs8's(when used at home for practice and stuff that is). Maybe i need to buy a couple of yamaha hs8's and one atomic clr(for live stuff and practice with friends etc). what do you think?
Click to expand...

I hesitate to make a recommendation because what you are considering is based upon personal preference. For example, while many, if not most people, rave about how great the CLR sounds, there are many who prefer other options. XITONE, Matrix, QSC, etcetera. There are many others that could be added to the list. In the end it comes down to what sounds best to you given what you want to spend.

I've never used Yamaha HS6 monitors so I don't have an opinion about them. I ended up returning my used CLR and buying a new JBL Eon610. It definitely doesn't sound as good as the CLR. But it is good enough for me to gig with, it's light, and it is plenty loud.

Unless money is no issue then it comes down to what compromises you can live with. And that is completely personal.
 
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BBN said:
Saying this is the predecessor of the CLR is misleading. They are 100% different.

It is the prior speaker sold by that company.....but they don't have a single common component....other than the logo.
Click to expand...

Now I realise it could be read wrong. I mostly meant that it is the previous product meant for the same use.
 
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