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

[sprint]

The funny thing is, more than half of the stuff on this list could easily be done by the Axe-FX III.

Care to point out which ones? Unless I'm missing something, my Ax3 does none of the items I listed there in the format I've specified them.

 

[Roby Rocks]

Care to point out which ones? Unless I'm missing something, my Ax3 does none if the items I listed there in the format I've specified them.

“Could easily be done”…

 

[sprint]

“Could easily be done”…

Right-y-o then! I'll reallocate my saved up Ax4 loot to beer and cheeseballs supply

 

[Peavey Herman]

Right-y-o then! I'll reallocate my saved up Ax4 loot to beer and cheeseballs supply

I need some kind of cheeseball launcher that I could aim at myself, and all I'd need to do is turn my open-mouthed face in it's direction every, say, 8 seconds or so. Needs a 'volley' or 'burst' mode, too. Or a footswitch.

And an upside-down beer keg with a hose/tube, like a hamster's water bottle.

No hamster wheel, though.

 

[rog]

I really do not want a touch screen at all. It leaves too much that can go wrong.

Like it or not, I just about guarantee you're going to get one on the next version.

 

[trixdropd]

Goodness, how many more do you guys need and what the hell for

There isn’t a single Randall amplifier. Dimebag Darrell- Def Leppard- George Lynch - Kirk Hammett - Scott Ian - Nuno Bettencourt

I long for a century 200 and rg100es, along with an mxr flanger doubler (mostly the doubler)

 

[vangrieg]

There isn’t a single Randall amplifier.

I realize there are amps and pedals that aren’t modeled. But I’ve never encountered a situation when I couldn’t get the sound I needed with stuff that’s already there.

Yet there are basics that need work, like pitch shifting algorithm or midi implementation, these are hard to compensate.

 

[My name is mud]

Am I strange that I don’t feel the need of an axe 4?

At the moment it is the unit that sound the best, many fixed has been done .. yes you can dream of other things but in the end axe edit work well, no gap, good tone … what else I mean ?

I hope we don’t have a new product soon personnaly .

First, wait to hear the tone of the new profiling announcement (kemper) and how the stadium (line 6) sounds
Then we will see

Maybe the axe 3 already compete with their « new « tones

But personally I can achieve most of the tone I want to have with the axe 3 so


I agree that the new line 6 is « impressive » with all the functions etc, but I want to hear it !
And see if it doesn’t freeze every 5 minutes .

 

[danielworks]

After 3 years with the Axe-Fx III, I still can’t use it live without a laptop. The front panel editing is just too clunky — I’m completely dependent on Axe-Edit. That’s why, for a future Axe-Fx IV, I believe usability should be the main focus.

What would really change the game:
1. Large Touchscreen Interface
A high-res 7" (or bigger) touchscreen with drag-and-drop signal chain editing, tap-to-adjust parameters, and quick access to scenes and presets — no more deep menu diving.

2. Native Mobile Editing (No Laptop Needed)
Axe-Edit for iOS and Android. Direct editing via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth using your phone or tablet. Just like managing your tones from a DAW, but in your pocket — imagine adjusting amp settings during soundcheck from the stage.

3. Performance Mode
Customizable live layout: access your most-used presets, scenes, and effects in one screen. Switch between sounds instantly without dealing with submenus.

4. Cloud Preset Syncing
Automatic backup and sync of presets and scenes to a Fractal cloud account — so no more lost settings, and easy transfers between rigs.

 

[vangrieg]

But personally I can achieve most of the tone I want to have with the axe 3 so

I don’t care all that much about the tone improvements, although they are always nice to have. However, there are frustrations with the current gen that I do have:

1. The virtual capo is an important thing for me that’s very bad, possibly needs better hardware
2. Limitations on the number of blocks, especially on the floor units, can be a bummer sometimes
3. MIDI capabilities are extremely limited
4. I certainly need more control switches, especially in relation to point 3.
5. Would welcome non-sound processing capabilities improve in general, to have more automation options, more capable per preset overrides with multiple actions (like, switch scene AND stop looper).
6. Setlist/Song functionality needs much more love for sure, it is promising but extremely limited. An ability to play backing tracks would be nice, but that should also come with I/O expansion, so barring that some way to trigger automation events at certain moments, maybe running a tempo map, stuff like that would make my life much better.
7. The display customization would be great. And I’m not talking about showing an image of an amp or such silly stuff, but showing current song, tempo, in bigger fonts, things of that nature.

Just to name a few things.

 

[vangrieg]

After 3 years with the Axe-Fx III, I still can’t use it live without a laptop. The front panel editing is just too clunky

Seriously, are you creating presets while playing live? Isn’t it a bit too late to make drastic changes to presets when you’re already on the stage?

Could never understand this part.

 

[Smilzo]

Strongly disagree, at least personally. I was using pro tool’s avid control iPad app originally, and ended up buying an avid dock as the physical fader beats the touch screen faders x100.

To me it sound like "digital modelers are garbage because I play a POD and the feel is not there". The response of the Axefx knobs was tweaked over many firmware by Cliff, to give as the response we have now. The response of a touchscreen can be programmed, Cliff and Fractal engineer could set a new benchmark in the market.

 

[danielworks]

Seriously, are you creating presets while playing live? Isn’t it a bit too late to make drastic changes to presets when you’re already on the stage?

Could never understand this part.

Yes it is but what if I want to change something? or while touring if I just want to change something in my hotel room or during the sound check? I still can't change things quickly on front pannel

 

[vangrieg]

while touring if I just want to change something in my hotel room or during the sound check?

Hotel room I understand, but I’d guess you have a laptop or an iPad with you anyway, plus the front panel editing is fine for no pressure situations like that in my personal experience, and I still wouldn’t do drastic changes in a hotel room without a way to monitor things properly.

Sound check no, I wouldn’t mess with my presets there for sure, touchscreen or not.

 

[vangrieg]

The response of a touchscreen can be programmed

It can be, but it doesn’t change the fact that a touchscreen requires you to look at the screen carefully, there’s no tactile feedback, no muscle memory in play, small fine adjustments are tricky, plus I truly don’t get why you would ever want to do it on the floor or in a rack. A phone or an iPad you have in close proximity, so there’s no effort needed, with gear like AFX or FM it’s just not the case.

Also, it took years to develop responsive touchscreens, and you can get decent experience with many but not all devices, software relies on third party libraries or OS capabilities to do it well, it’s a skill on its own, and I’m not sure such libraries exist for embedded hardware. Fractal is a small team, it would be great if they focused on important stuff instead of gimmicks (now I do realize of course that my personal assessment on what’s important and what’s a gimmick is just that, an opinion, and your mileage will vary).

 

[Smilzo]

I would find that unlikely...

And as I've already mentioned, sweat, dirt etc will make it worse.

Every device has pros and cons. The analog knob has almost infinitesimal adjustment, and a twist of 270° got from 0 to 10. A digital knob has finite adjustment, a twist of 270° can switch from 0 to 0,5, 1? Then the switch is programmed to react to velocity, but I struggle even with fractal Knob: you are at 5, the tiniest twist go to 5,03, another twist back to 4,98, and you can't really go back to 5 and the edit lit is bleeping... then I go must or recall the patch, or open the editor and digit the value.
The touchscreen could have less feel and response, but you can enter a value, it can adapt to swipe and tap, can change and morphs. It has more versatility, especially when you have more parameters than physical controller. The menu is the fastest way to reach an object IF you know all the menu and content and IF there are few level (2 or 3). If Axefx could have a search, digit or select "level" could show a page with all the level parameters of the current patch/scene, or channels. Then you can adjust with knob. A better interface for the user help all user. If some player do no like touchscreen, don't use. Like advance parameters, or controllers, or parallel rows.

 

[Dave Merrill]

I just can't imagine editing all the amp block parameters (for instance) on a phone. Seems like a nightmare.

 

[vangrieg]

I just can't imagine editing all the amp block parameters (for instance) on a phone. Seems like a nightmare.

Yeah, not just on a phone, but on a phone located on the floor. Or fixed to a vertical surface at some random height.

 

[CrimsonKing]

 

[Rock Chalk]

Yeah, not just on a phone, but on a phone located on the floor. Or fixed to a vertical surface at some random height.

This^....Let's face it, the only place a touchscreen on an Axe IV is going to do you any good is if the unit is on the desktop. At that point, you might as well use the mighty Axe-Edit. Leave the touchscreens to the wannabe's.......