I've had my Axe-FX Ultra for about 3 years and have been thinking about going back to a valve amp rig. Until and unless I have reason to believe the Axe II makes it easier to dial in the feel of a valve amp in the room and get controllable feedback when I want it from an onstage FR monitor (which are major bugbears for me at the moment) I see no immediate reason to trade up.
Still happy with the Ultra?
Sure.
Why buy the Axe-fx II then?
As a way to thank Cliff for the numerous free firmware updates and stellar support.
That's why.
I did not vote since there was no category I identified with. Being a techie and early adopter with the money available, I could get one as soon as they are available. However, I'm quite happy where I'm at with my Standard so I will take a wait and see approach. I don't personally need or want updates or support, although updates are always fun. Time will tell if there is any personal advantage to motivate me.
enjoy
I totally agree. My Standard does everything I need for now, so I'll just sit back and watch the show. It will be interesting when the reviews of the new unit start flowing in. More importantly, let's see if the sound clips of the new unit sound superior to the Standard and Ultra, and whether it would justify the higher price. I think, even the Standard gives you enough tools to mold a perfect tone, and it's more in the hands of the user, than a limitation of the gear. If a user couldn't get a great tone out of a Standard or Ultra, they're probably not going to do much better with the new unit.