What would the new-gen even have that the current gen doesn’t?

dr bonkers said:
Stereo Tape drive block.
User uploadable impedance curves.
Ability to institute a a second envelope follower controller with different settings on a single preset.
Variac for the drive block.
Pitch to midi note block.
Click to expand...

Seems reasonable for the current DSP. Pitch to Midi though...probably not.
 
swiss studio said:
Of course, everyone loves the idea of capturing tones — but honestly, it’s not that essential. Personally, I use both the ToneX pedal and the NAM Player pedal by Dimehead into my Axe-Fx III, and it works flawlessly. I also use their plugins.

To me, Fractal is arriving way too late in this game to seriously hope to compete or create its own standard. The competition is just too far ahead. If you wanted an Axe-Fx to run NAM natively, you’d need a powerful DSP (like the one already in the AF3) and a high-end ARM Cortex neural processor — and that would easily push the price of an Axe-Fx IV to around $5K.

Keep in mind: NAM can’t run on a traditional DSP — it needs a CPU architecture closer to a computer. So far, only Dimehead has managed to make true 1:1 hardware NAM playback. The others rely on conversions or workarounds (like the Anagram, which uses Olifan’s trick).

Between the high hardware cost and expensive development, it’s clear that many Axe-Fx III users — who aren’t always pros or making money with their gear — wouldn’t follow. They can’t justify dropping company money on a new unit. But for pro studios or touring acts, $5K could make sense.

Another major challenge for Fractal is the ecosystem. NAM, ToneX, and Neural Capture (via Cortex Cloud) already have tens of thousands of profiles and captures, including tons of pro-level ones (like ToneJunkie, among others). That’s a massive head start.

What could make the Axe-Fx IV appealing is a radical redesign: make it smaller, lighter, and more practical. It’s currently way too bulky and heavy. I don’t care about a huge screen — I’d rather have a streamlined, app-based interface.

My ideal Axe-Fx IV:
  • 1U rack format, passive cooling, no built-in screen
  • Full control via iOS/Android app or optional touch screen remote
  • 96kHz USB audio interface
Click to expand...
I like my screen... Its nice for last minute edits during a gig.
 
SinglecutGuy said:
A touch screen with Axe-Edit as the UI.

This is how it should be.
Click to expand...
Fuck no!

Edit: Or, to be more precise, not without physical knobs as well. Anyone familiar with the Roland Fantom-8 will know what I mean: It does have a touch-screen, but it also has physical knobs and, more often than not, several ways of selecting/adjusting parameters using the screen and knobs in different combinations.
 
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swiss studio said:
Of course, everyone loves the idea of capturing tones — but honestly, it’s not that essential. Personally, I use both the ToneX pedal and the NAM Player pedal by Dimehead into my Axe-Fx III, and it works flawlessly. I also use their plugins.

To me, Fractal is arriving way too late in this game to seriously hope to compete or create its own standard. The competition is just too far ahead. If you wanted an Axe-Fx to run NAM natively, you’d need a powerful DSP (like the one already in the AF3) and a high-end ARM Cortex neural processor — and that would easily push the price of an Axe-Fx IV to around $5K.

Keep in mind: NAM can’t run on a traditional DSP — it needs a CPU architecture closer to a computer. So far, only Dimehead has managed to make true 1:1 hardware NAM playback. The others rely on conversions or workarounds (like the Anagram, which uses Olifan’s trick).

Between the high hardware cost and expensive development, it’s clear that many Axe-Fx III users — who aren’t always pros or making money with their gear — wouldn’t follow. They can’t justify dropping company money on a new unit. But for pro studios or touring acts, $5K could make sense.

Another major challenge for Fractal is the ecosystem. NAM, ToneX, and Neural Capture (via Cortex Cloud) already have tens of thousands of profiles and captures, including tons of pro-level ones (like ToneJunkie, among others). That’s a massive head start.

What could make the Axe-Fx IV appealing is a radical redesign: make it smaller, lighter, and more practical. It’s currently way too bulky and heavy. I don’t care about a huge screen — I’d rather have a streamlined, app-based interface.

My ideal Axe-Fx IV:
  • 1U rack format, passive cooling, no built-in screen
  • Full control via iOS/Android app or optional touch screen remote
  • 96kHz USB audio interface
Click to expand...
I doubt 1U would ever work with the amount of I/O unless there was a breakout box which would be a nice add on.

Seems odd that profiling/captures after people saying they don’t need it or “when it’s added it will destroy the completion” still seems to bubble to the surface. At least one beauty is fw updates in other units won’t alter that snapshot if it’s something you were 100% happy with.

Personally a very well thought out UI with a “Dave Grohl” basic mode that buries all the advanced parameters would be the best addition.
 
axl-fx said:
I doubt 1U would ever work with the amount of I/O unless there was a breakout box which would be a nice add on.

Seems odd that profiling/captures after people saying they don’t need it or “when it’s added it will destroy the completion” still seems to bubble to the surface. At least one beauty is fw updates in other units won’t alter that snapshot if it’s something you were 100% happy with.

Personally a very well thought out UI with a “Dave Grohl” basic mode that buries all the advanced parameters would be the best addition.
Click to expand...
Perhaps. But I have a 1U patch baby with 16 XLR Ins/Outs. It could get pretty close with 4 XLR Outs, 1/4" balanced Ins/Outs, Midi and some creativity.

ESPECIALLY if these were software assignable, like most modern mixers.

If not, so be it, a 2U would work.
 
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Network connectivity! This could allow:
  • the ability to run Axe-Edit on wireless devices
  • network MIDI
  • backups and preset loading to/from multiple Axe units via a single computer for touring band racks, church installations, etc.
  • Dante (standard or internal/external option) for 8x8 audio I/O via network. This would be huge for pro-level touring bands. It would also open up some really cool options for integrated and installed setups with very low latency and no AD/DA loss.
 
Peavey Herman said:
Fuck no!

Edit: Or, to be more precise, not without physical knobs as well. Anyone familiar with the Roland Fantom-8 will know what I mean: It does have a touch-screen, but it also has physical knobs and, more often than not, several ways of selecting/adjusting parameters using the screen and knobs in different combinations.
Click to expand...
Was the expletive necessary?
 
ApocalypticKatana said:
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Get the Axe-Fx 4. It’s not just an upgrade—it’s a lifestyle enhancement system disguised as an audio device.


Supplies limited. Sanity not included.
Click to expand...
It will definitely need a flux capacitor to power this new unit!
 
Built in power amp, prettier case (different colour options- I want a white Axe FX) modern UI with ability to select different themes/skins, Bluetooth control, no touch screen, 3 amp blocks, Profiling/Capturing, aux input, channel strip/studio preamp block, usb slot to make backups, acoustic sim block, more focus on dyna-cabs and visual tweaking rather than endless lists of IRs.
 
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