Will you buy an Axe FX II?

[Lkdog]

So I'm curious how people are getting these. I signed up to be notified by email when they were available. Are these showing up intermittently at Fractal Audio Systems (Yahoo store) page and I'm just not being lucky enough to get one or are people getting them via other channels?

I checked my spam filter and although my "funds have been released", I've got two final notifications from the "national lottery", one urgent message from the US Ambassador to Nigeria, and any number of pharmacy-related ads, there are no "We Are Now Taking AxeFX II Orders" emails to be found. :roll

Seriously- the business process they chose was to NOT allow any orders to be filled on a waiting list/unit production queue.

You must not only have $2200 to give them, but you must first show your worthiness to be sold a unit by sitting in front of your computer screen all day and refreshing the Yahoo Store page.
If you are lucky-you get one of the handful they are selling that day.

No, I am not joking.

 

[or8ital]

So what's the difference. Some people have to wait one way or another. You can wait on a waiting list which Cliff could spend a bunch of time administering (instead of making more units). Or you can just wait for the frenzy in the first week to die down and purchase one off the store as it becomes available more often and in greater quantities.

 

[Lkdog]

So what's the difference. Some people have to wait one way or another. You can wait on a waiting list which Cliff could spend a bunch of time administering (instead of making more units). Or you can just wait for the frenzy in the first week to die down and purchase one off the store as it becomes available more often and in greater quantities.

You are right.
This is working smoothly.
Customers are loving it.
Couldn't be better.

 

[or8ital]

Some folks are going to complain no matter what so what difference does it make. Are you going to complain because someone was sitting at their computer when Cliffs announces the waiting list and as a result you are number 1000 on the list?

Cliff can either produce 100s of them and make everyone wait or just trickle them out and at least some people get them earlier. No matter what either all or some subset of users will have to wait and be disappointed.

 

[Jazzertron]

It just feels hopeless. At least with a waiting list, people know where they stand. For all we know, it could be weeks before the average person with a life can get their hands on one.

 

[lizzieusedaaxe]

The part that puzzled me is the people that think that if you wait a few weeks it will be so much easier to get one. I think it will take quite a long time before you can leisurely just go to the yahoo store and click purchase then it be there. The demand will continue to grow constantly when advertising and word gets out. Fractal is a small company and my guess they wish to stay that way which is quite understandable to me, so I don't look for the numbers to go from 10 to 50 or more available each day or they would already be doing it.

 

[jdolll]

The part that puzzled me is the people that think that if you wait a few weeks it will be so much easier to get one. I think it will take quite a long time before you can leisurely just go to the yahoo store and click purchase then it be there. The demand will continue to grow constantly when advertising and word gets out. Fractal is a small company and my guess they wish to stay that way which is quite understandable to me, so I don't look for the numbers to go from 10 to 50 or more available each day or they would already be doing it.

There was no point where you could leisurely stroll into the store and buy a ultra. They would come in stock and for the most part sell out same day all the way up to the axe 2 announcement. I'd wager it will be more than a year until we get to the point where they come in stock for more than a few hours at a time. At that point though they become fairly easy to buy if you're paying any kind of attention

What I find most amazing about this after release period is the number of brand new forumites coming on and posting mega complaint tirades within their first five posts. Post count doesn't mean much but you'd maybe want to wait more than 48 hours after joining a forum to show everyone that you're not going to contribute anything. This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, i've just seen a lot of this in the past few days.

 

[Lkdog]

People can handle waiting. Use a waiting list-stop wasting people's time.

Asking them to repeatedly login to a website the next several months (yes I said months) and check availability for a product that is apparently released in quantities of 4-5 at a time in a completely random timeframe every few days is absolutely the most chaotic and bizarre process I have ever seen.

You could not intentionally think of a worse way to do business online.

 

[lizzieusedaaxe]

You are right about it will be months for most that are wanting one if not longer. Like I said above, they are limited by their companies size and can only produce a certain number of units, don't expect this to change. Look how many just in this poll are looking for one and many more that did not enter in it, then there is also the G66 Europe orders that never have been filled since last December that now will be filled with the Axe II instead of the Ultra (wonder if they have to pay the price difference). Time for many to settle into a long wait including me.

 

[Rotaholic]

Heres an idea, HIRE MORE STAFF........... just saying

 

[jdolll]

You have to train new staff, at this point it would slow them down, and by the point they were trained and up to speed they may not need them anymore

 

[LMO]

If there really are only something like five units available per day, I don't understand that at all. FAS is not a one man shop by any means; and these things shouldn't require a tremendous amount of labor to assemble. Perhaps the daily going rate will increase as they get more experience with the new design.

I hope so anyway... at five per day it won't do any good to be patient and wait for the initial demand to be satisfied.

 

[gpz]

I hope so anyway... at five per day it won't do any good to be patient and wait for the initial demand to be satisfied.

There is also the huge g66's waiting list. From what g66 folks said earlier in May, I think they expected several units to arrive very soon after the official launch and then on a regular basis.

 

[b3john]

Some folks are going to complain no matter what so what difference does it make. Are you going to complain because someone was sitting at their computer when Cliffs announces the waiting list and as a result you are number 1000 on the list?

Cliff can either produce 100s of them and make everyone wait or just trickle them out and at least some people get them earlier. No matter what either all or some subset of users will have to wait and be disappointed.

Didn't I sign up for an email alert when these were first coming available? Did I just imagine that?

 

[Lkdog]

You have to train new staff, at this point it would slow them down, and by the point they were trained and up to speed they may not need them anymore

Technology companies hire short term contract help for assembly all of the time.
Part of doing business.
All of the highly technical work is already done.
These are simple mobos into a chassis; test, and burn in.

You will probably have a better chance of getting one on the used market in 3-6 months and the next two years than ever getting a new one from FAS.

There is absolutely no rational reason to not take orders and use a waiting list.

I am moving on at this point. I will check back in 6 months and it will be the same BS.

 

[banjoze]

It just feels hopeless. At least with a waiting list, people know where they stand. For all we know, it could be weeks before the average person with a life can get their hands on one.

How do you know where you stand? Is Fractal publishing / notifying folks as to where they are on the waiting list? I'm on it (I sent the email to be on it at least) somewhere, but have no idea where. I'm not at all worried about my placement. Your post just made me curious.

 

[Charlie Wardick]

I won't be buying an Axe 2 until I personally A/B' it against my Ultra. There's nothing I've heard to date, audio/video clips or otherwise that have yet to convince me of the Axe 2. Had Fractal produced serious demos (as they did with the Ultra when it first came out), my decision would have been a lot easier.

I agree. I still have my Ultra, but just using for the tuner at the moment. I've been using other stuff lately. Do they still have 15 day return policy? If so I may hang on to Ultra before trying further to sell it.

It might be easier decision if firmware 10.x and prior didn't send subliminal message that the Axe is effing great, it don't get any better and v11 saying sell now, sell low, buy the II.

 

[bufon63]

I agree. I still have my Ultra, but just using for the tuner at the moment. I've been using other stuff lately. Do they still have 15 day return policy? If so I may hang on to Ultra before trying further to sell it.

It might be easier decision if firmware 10.x and prior didn't send subliminal message that the Axe is effing great, it don't get any better and v11 saying sell now, sell low, buy the II.

Just using the Ultra as a tuner lol! Wow! Yes, I believe thay do operate a 15 day trial period so you can a/b the hell out of the Ultra and the Axe 2 and then make a more informed decision. Who knows, we might be blown away by the Axe 2. It's not just about how it sounds but how it feels and the Axe 2 might have that edge. But then again, the difference may be so negligible that to you it won't warrant changing over to the Axe 2. Who knows? But you!