The AXE FX is...

[MesaGod666]

a piece of crap. Returned it within 4 hours of using it. Complete and total garbage. DON'T EVER BUY IT.

 

[LTE]

Like most digital preamps.....

 

[fatoni]

in what capacity did you use it? ive been scoping that thing out for a while and it seems that it would take much more than 4 hours to find some settings youd be happy with. most of the clips i hear are crazy

 

[WillPlayForFood]

OK, flame away...I Love my Axe-FX!! It is NOT a substitute for an amplifier and cab, if that's what you want to hear, get that!! I mean, I still own 2 Marshall 4x12's, a Splawn QuickRod, both my Mark IV's, a bunch of other pre's and power amp's, and I just bought the Mark V. I am NOT selling my amps. I love those sounds and there will never be a substitute for a sweet amp running through a 4X12, blowing my hair back...no substitute :mrgreen:

However, maybe it is useful to think of it in a different way. It is NOT a POD!!! It is so much deeper and so vastly superior to the POD, of which I have owned two, PodXT kidney bean and PodXT Pro rack mount. The Axe-FX is a great way to get world class effects AND a WIDE variety of amp/cabs combinations. I can do things with the Axe-FX that I would have a very hard time doing with amps, cabs and pedals...not to mention how many I would need to even come close to all that is available in the Axe-FX. It gives possibilities that are virtually boundless.

I have played a bunch of gigs using only the Axe-FX, direct to the board and I got some excellent tones!! For that matter, I can't explain what it's like to be able to walk in to the gig with a 4 space rack (Axe-FX, wireless, furman), a midi foot controller (Liquid Foot Pro), and my guitars. Talk about a quick set-up and clean stage. One cable from the Axe to the foot controller, that's it!! 8)

I am not trying to change anyone's mind, about anything. I am simply an owner, not an employee or anything. It's just that I have spent some quality time with this unit and I agree with what has been said, it can't be mastered in 4 hours...probably not in 4 days, at least it took me a lot longer. Think about how long it takes you to tweak your amp sounds?? I know that for me, my Mark IV's took a decent amount of dedicated time. This is simply my experience after spending some time with the Axe-FX and taking the time to learn and dig into its enormous capabilities, really I haven't even gotten that deep yet.

Oh yeah, what's even more important, the Fractal Audio Axe-FX board is active and you can get great info and support there. I hope you got some help before selling your Axe-FX. Another huge bonus is the founder has been providing regular upgrades to the system firmware, FOR FREE!!!! :shock: Who else does that?? I mean you may get one here or there, however, there have been a ton since I bought mine and these updates are often in response to user wishes and individual issues that have come up.

Anyway, I hope this helps anyone looking into this piece of gear. I find it to be a very sweet part of my rig. Recently, I have been using it for effects only with my Mark V, bypassed unless I want something specific. Mainly because I don't want to color the amp's tone, at least until I have had more time to tweak the Mark V. I guess everyone will do what they will do, I am just glad I have the opportunity to have the Axe-FX as a part of my rig.

Rock On!!

 

[t0aj15]

I put no credence what-so-ever in a 'reviewer' who uses something as complex as an Axe-Fx for less then four hours and then proclaims it's "a piece of crap....Complete and total garbage." It takes longer then that just to read the manual. Just because you don't understand the equipment doesn't mean IT'S lacking. The Axe-Fx is finding it's way into the rigs of a lot of professionals lately, people who can buy what ever gear they want and they want the Axe-Fx.

 

[MesaGod666]

I put no credence what-so-ever in a 'reviewer' who uses something as complex as an Axe-Fx for less then four hours and then proclaims it's "a piece of crap....Complete and total garbage." It takes longer then that just to read the manual. Just because you don't understand the equipment doesn't mean IT'S lacking. The Axe-Fx is finding it's way into the rigs of a lot of professionals lately, people who can buy what ever gear they want and they want the Axe-Fx.

Whatever. I know what sounds good and what sounds bad to my ears. I bought into the hype and dropped some cash for it. I read the wiki forums/online manual for about a week and a half, while the AXEFX was in transit, to get a feel for the controls. So, I somewhat knew what I was doing. The digital distortion was complete garbage and I was running it through one of the best power amps on the market (A brand new Mesa 2:90...I also ran it through a Marshall EL34 Dual Monoblock 100/100). It is pure ear candy much like a POD (simulated amp cabs and distortion), no meat. This is a POD on Viagra. The effects were cool, and some of the settings and tones you could achieve were cool for studio work and just plain dicking around, but as far as live erection creating tone goes...piece of garbage. You can waste your cash on this piece of crap if you want, but for $1,800 dollars, I DEMAND MORE. My Rocktron Prophesy II puts this thing to sleep. Thus, back to the dealer.

So suck it T0aj15.

 

[t0aj15]

So suck it T0aj15.

Just how old are you anyway, because you sound very childish to me. :roll:

 

[MusicManJP6]

in what capacity did you use it? ive been scoping that thing out for a while and it seems that it would take much more than 4 hours to find some settings youd be happy with. most of the clips i hear are crazy

I have to agree... 4 hours is not alot of time for such a complex piece of gear.

 

[iFreedom]

Just listen to the clips on their website. For me that was enough. To my ears, it sounds terrible. I think 4 hours is plenty of time for that thing.

 

[MesaGod666]

So suck it T0aj15.

Just how old are you anyway, because you sound very childish to me. :roll:

Whatever...I'm probably younger than you, so you can still suck it.

 

[MusicManJP6]

So suck it T0aj15.

Just how old are you anyway, because you sound very childish to me. :roll:

Whatever...I'm probably younger than you, so you can still suck it.

Hey, dude - this forum is respected by most because of it's maturity and lack of 'flame wars' compared to other forums. Let's keep it that way. Everyone has opinions - that's what makes a message board so great!

So you didn't like the AXE FX and prefer your Mesa's tube tone. Not that surprising (regardless of the time you spent with it) because modelers will always have a 50/50 mix of opinions. Tube purists will always be pro-tube and anti-modeling while modeler fans will always be anti-tube and pro-modeler. The AXE FX is a step in the right direction for sure, but the technology is so new that it is still absorbantly expensive. I'll wait until the next 'latest and greatest' modeler comes out - where, as a result, the AXE FX will be more affordable. Until then, i'll stick to my Mesas...

 

[MesaGod666]

Hey, dude - this forum is respected by most because of it's maturity and lack of 'flame wars' compared to other forums. Let's keep it that way. Everyone has opinions - that's what makes a message board so great!

So you didn't like the AXE FX and prefer your Mesa's tube tone. Not that surprising (regardless of the time you spent with it) because modelers will always have a 50/50 mix of opinions. Tube purists will always be pro-tube and anti-modeling while modeler fans will always be anti-tube and pro-modeler. The AXE FX is a step in the right direction for sure, but the technology is so new that it is still absorbantly expensive. I'll wait until the next 'latest and greatest' modeler comes out - where, as a result, the AXE FX will be more affordable. Until then, i'll stick to my Mesas...

You know what, you're right. I apologize. I am pretty angry when it comes to the AXE FX and I absolutely agree with you 100%. I'm not a purist per se, I'm willing to give solid state a shot...I do own and use a Keeley Metal Zone occasionally...but the AXE FX, to me, is definitely not worth the price...at least for my studio and live applications.

 

[MusicManJP6]

You know what, you're right. I apologize. I am pretty angry when it comes to the AXE FX and I absolutely agree with you 100%. I'm not a purist per se, I'm willing to give solid state a shot...I do own and use a Keeley Metal Zone occasionally...but the AXE FX, to me, is definitely not worth the price...at least for my studio and live applications.

It's all good.

I've not heard an AXE in person, but most of the clips I've heard sound pretty convincing. If I had plenty of money to spend on gear then I'd have one just for the hell of it. One of my main influences, Ty Tabor of King's X, now endorses the AXE so I'm curious to say the least. But, as you saw in my 'Updated Rig Pics' thread I prefer simplicity and ease of use over more tone options than you can shake a stick at. LOL. I'd spend more time tweaking than playing if I had an AXE I think. The GT-8 has just enough features to be useful, but not so many that I get stuck tweaking anything for hours on end. The AXE seems like a tweakers paradise! They are the ones that can make it sound amazing I bet.

 

[EdgeOfDarkness]

So you owned it longer than most people own the mark V. :lol:
Love my Axe FX ultra.
4 hours ? Give me a break dude, its effects are on par with eventide and tc electronics, it is a very indepth processor hence the name Axe "FX" ,it just also happens to model extremely well.
You sound like one of those guys that try a amp out at GC for 10 mins then come online to give your great review on it.

PS 295/strat 500 > 2:90

 

[rsf1977]

well these Axe clips doesn't sound like garbage:

:twisted: http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1826
:twisted: http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2372&start=0
:twisted: http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5212
:twisted: http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5130
:twisted: http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5499

Meshuggah, who plays them exclusively, also doesn't think they sound like garbage lol. :wink:

I've owned a Dual Rectifier 2-Channel for 10 years which I loved and now it sits on a shelf. The Axe has a very step learning curve and requires a lot of experimentation and research in how to exploit it's capabilities. I've owned an Ultra for 4 months and I'm finally getting tones that impress me. Also, the clips on the Fractal site are kind of shitty go into the forums and see what the users are doing. I think you might have a different opinion of what is possible.

And don't get me wrong I love my dual rectifier but i also love my axe-fx I think I can get tones very similar out of it with a FRFR QSCHPR122i powered speaker. I didn't like the Axe at all through a guitar cab and power amp and i tried a few. Some people say they like it better, but to me it always sounds fake like a POD in that setup. But to each there own if it doesn't fit ditch it, but calling it a piece of crap is a bit much.

 

[MesaGod666]

Alright...to each their own, but to me...this thing is pure ***.

 

[MesaGod666]

You know what, you're right. I apologize. I am pretty angry when it comes to the AXE FX and I absolutely agree with you 100%. I'm not a purist per se, I'm willing to give solid state a shot...I do own and use a Keeley Metal Zone occasionally...but the AXE FX, to me, is definitely not worth the price...at least for my studio and live applications.

It's all good.

I've not heard an AXE in person, but most of the clips I've heard sound pretty convincing. If I had plenty of money to spend on gear then I'd have one just for the hell of it. One of my main influences, Ty Tabor of King's X, now endorses the AXE so I'm curious to say the least. But, as you saw in my 'Updated Rig Pics' thread I prefer simplicity and ease of use over more tone options than you can shake a stick at. LOL. I'd spend more time tweaking than playing if I had an AXE I think. The GT-8 has just enough features to be useful, but not so many that I get stuck tweaking anything for hours on end. The AXE seems like a tweakers paradise! They are the ones that can make it sound amazing I bet.

I thought it was **** convincing...that's why I bought it. It just didn't sit well with my rig and I don't think I should have to tweek the Hell out of something that just doesn't fit with what I got rollin in my rig.

 

[ursinus]

Overall, I don't care for the AxeFx myself. I have had one for almost a year and update it regularly and it still sounds like a modeller to me. It is probably the best modeller, but still a modeller. I love it for its effects, though. It has a very steep learning curve. It has so many options that you really have to spend time with it. Let me give you an example:

1. You have to decide early if you are going to go the power amp route with guitar speakers or full range.
a. If you go the power amp route to guitar speakers, then you have to find speakers that are the best for the type of amp models you will use most often (herein lies a comprimise at best).
b. And, of course, you now have to decide if your going to use a tube or a solid state power amp
c. If you go full range, you have to decide if you want powered speakers or non-powered with a power amp. If you go non-powered, then you have to decide what type of power amp again!
2. You have to start with the amp models and spend time with the parameters within the amp models and play around with the settings.
3. You have to decide what effects and play with the parameters of each and then deal with the proper mixes for each program slot
a. You can set stomp box models and post gain effects at this stage. These have parameters that can be adjusted too.
b. You can play with the chains of effects here as well, ie. order of effects.
4. If you are going to go Full range, you now have to decide what speaker cab model type, speaker type sim, and mic type sim, and impulse sim you want and play with the parameters of each of these until you are satisfied.
5. You also have to set the volumes for each program setting to levels you can use live.
6. You have to get some type of midi controller to change your settings.

Then you can play!

There are other things I might have missed, but the ones I listed should give you some idea of what you have to go through to get your tone. for some it is worth it, for me, no thanks...
Don't ask me to sell mine, one of my friends is buying it off me in payments.

 

[CudBucket]

The Axe may not be for everyone but IMO, it's an amazing piece of gear. If it sounds like "***" at any time, I'm going to put the blame on the player/user. Not the gear.

 

[CudBucket]

Overall, I don't care for the AxeFx myself. I have had one for almost a year and update it regularly and it still sounds like a modeller to me. It is probably the best modeller, but still a modeller. I love it for its effects, though. It has a very steep learning curve. It has so many options that you really have to spend time with it. Let me give you an example:

1. You have to decide early if you are going to go the power amp route with guitar speakers or full range.
a. If you go the power amp route to guitar speakers, then you have to find speakers that are the best for the type of amp models you will use most often (herein lies a comprimise at best).
b. And, of course, you now have to decide if your going to use a tube or a solid state power amp
c. If you go full range, you have to decide if you want powered speakers or non-powered with a power amp. If you go non-powered, then you have to decide what type of power amp again!
2. You have to start with the amp models and spend time with the parameters within the amp models and play around with the settings.
3. You have to decide what effects and play with the parameters of each and then deal with the proper mixes for each program slot
a. You can set stomp box models and post gain effects at this stage. These have parameters that can be adjusted too.
b. You can play with the chains of effects here as well, ie. order of effects.
4. If you are going to go Full range, you now have to decide what speaker cab model type, speaker type sim, and mic type sim, and impulse sim you want and play with the parameters of each of these until you are satisfied.
5. You also have to set the volumes for each program setting to levels you can use live.
6. You have to get some type of midi controller to change your settings.

Then you can play!

There are other things I might have missed, but the ones I listed should give you some idea of what you have to go through to get your tone. for some it is worth it, for me, no thanks...
Don't ask me to sell mine, one of my friends is buying it off me in payments.

Wow. I totally disagree. I took mine out of the box and plugged it in and played. I didn't have to "decide" anything. I already had a guitar cab and power amps. Took 2 seconds to turn remove cab sims and I was off. My Mark IV patch into a Mesa 2:90 and 2x12 cab was every bit as good as my real Mark IV.