The AXE FX is...

[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.

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.

Don't get me wrong, if you like it, more power to you. I guess that I am too picky when it comes to my tone.

 

[madryan]

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

So what you're saying is that despite costing a third of what a comparable eventide costs it's pure ***, and I'm not even talking about the modeling, I'm talking about the effects.

It's pretty much the nicest effects unit you can buy at any price right now so your statement, while obviously your opinion, is wrong.

Try to think outside the box.

Also, from the gigging musician standpoint (do you gig?) The Axe FX is a godsend. If you heard the sound I dial in every week for gigs you'd think it sounded like ***. Sitting in my living room it does. Mic'd up running through a hundred thousand dollars worth of PA gear it sounds like the voice of God which is really all that matters. Your FOH mix is going to dictate the tone you dial in at your amp, not what sounds good coming out your cab so your sound coming out your cab is going to need to sound midrangey and trebly with the bass dialed way down. When it comes through the mains tho it's going to sound killer.

So you might amend your statement to "For sitting around wanking in my bedroom This thing sounds like ***"

Don't get me wrong dude... I'm with you on the whole modeler vs. real amp thing. I plug into either my boogie stuff or my Orange and just jam. I almost never use any effects at all. So for me the Axe FX would be a total waste of money. But, I understand the utility of such things and understand why people use them.

 

[Tesseract]

I'm sorry but i just signed up to express a big fat ROFLMAOLOL and if you're only prepared to spend 4 hours with it, then you've done the right thing in selling it.

 

[EdgeOfDarkness]

everything single tracked..direct to my crappy onboard pc soundcard into the line in 1/8in jack. :lol:

these are the odd effects i found stock in the unit.

Horror Movie

http://www.netmusicians.org/files/38-Horror%20Movie.mp3

capricorn effect

http://www.netmusicians.org/files/38-capricorn.mp3

Lunar Eclipse.

http://www.netmusicians.org/files/66-luner eclipse.mp3

The planets

http://www.netmusicians.org/files/34-ThePlanets.mp3

the planets ver 2.0 , i added some cello (also axe fx)


http://www.netmusicians.org/files/100-untitled.mp3

 

[Mesa4x12er]

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

Save your breath man. The axefx people don't take your opinion lightly. If left up to them you'll be burned alive for your blaspheming.

Hi HCAFers. Remember me? Banned for over a month for talking bad about the axefx. Weird how that works out eh?


Also I'd add that it cracks me up when I hear the "effects are on par with" statements. They may very well be on par with eventide and tc stuff but I keep seeing the statement come from chumps that've never touched a unit from either company. Not pointing at anyone in this thread, but just in general.

 

[Mesa4x12er]

I'm sorry but i just signed up to express a big fat ROFLMAOLOL and if you're only prepared to spend 4 hours with it, then you've done the right thing in selling it.

I'll see your ROFLMAOLOL and raise you a BS. :wink:

While 4 hours is not going to be enough time to get really in depth with something, it is more than enough time to decide if you like anything about it.

If after 4 hours I can't get a sound I like I wouldn't keep it either. Sure tweaking and refining can always get you a better result, but getting a core tone you like shouldn't take that much work. With enough work and tweaking anything can be made to sound good. Give the guy a break, he didn't dig it.

 

[EdgeOfDarkness]

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

Save your breath man. The axefx people don't take your opinion lightly. If left up to them you'll be burned alive for your blaspheming.

Hi HCAFers. Remember me? Banned for over a month for talking bad about the axefx. Weird how that works out eh?


Also I'd add that it cracks me up when I hear the "effects are on par with" statements. They may very well be on par with eventide and tc stuff but I keep seeing the statement come from chumps that've never touched a unit from either company. Not pointing at anyone in this thread, but just in general.

really? was it for talking bad about the axe fx or from starting more and more parody threads ?
20 + threads a day about the axe fx, all parodies, was getting out of hand.

when is the ban lifted ?
I knew you were banned but didn't know what got you banned.

this is the stock plexi 1 setting "hells bells" so i did hells bells..
mid gain i guess.

levels were a little too hot in reaper.
http://www.netmusicians.org/files/5-hellsbells.mp3

 

[Mesa4x12er]

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

Save your breath man. The axefx people don't take your opinion lightly. If left up to them you'll be burned alive for your blaspheming.

Hi HCAFers. Remember me? Banned for over a month for talking bad about the axefx. Weird how that works out eh?


Also I'd add that it cracks me up when I hear the "effects are on par with" statements. They may very well be on par with eventide and tc stuff but I keep seeing the statement come from chumps that've never touched a unit from either company. Not pointing at anyone in this thread, but just in general.

really? was it for talking bad about the axe fx or from starting more and more parody threads ?
20 + threads a day about the axe fx, all parodies, was getting out of hand.

when is the ban lifted ?
I knew you were banned but didn't know what got you banned.

this is the stock plexi 1 setting "hells bells" so i did hells bells..
mid gain i guess.

levels were a little too hot in reaper.
http://www.netmusicians.org/files/5-hellsbells.mp3

Sounds good man!

I didn't start any parody threads. Not one at any point actually. I posted a truce/apology thread after my 3 day ban and then got hit with a 1 month ban within 15 mins that said "reason : apology accepted". It'll be up on the 23rd at some point. Lame ****.

 

[EdgeOfDarkness]

Sounds good man!

I didn't start any parody threads. Not one at any point actually. I posted a truce/apology thread after my 3 day ban and then got hit with a 1 month ban within 15 mins that said "reason : apology accepted". It'll be up on the 23rd at some point. Lame sh!t.

doh !

 

[fatoni]

if youve spent any time with the axefx you would know that four hours is not nearly enough time to even find your sound let alone dial it in. maybe with conventional amps but not the axefx. there are just too many variables...

 

[Kazak]

I have heard an awful lot of horrible Mk V tones lover the last couple of months.

 

[ursinus]

Look, the AxeFX is a really great piece of sound equipment. All I'm saying is that at the end of the day, after almost a year of owning it, it feels like a toy to me. After I finish playing through it, I look forward to getting on a real amp and playing. Maybe it psychological, maybe there is something sonically happening that I miss, but can't express with words. The bottom line is I like my regular tube amps better. I think I have the right to express my opinion about this unit, don't I?
It's like some guys like Marshall's better than Mesa's. Or some guys like Vox's over Fender's. No big deal is it?
I just can't bond with my AxeFx....

 

[MesaGod666]

I didn't start any parody threads. Not one at any point actually. I posted a truce/apology thread after my 3 day ban and then got hit with a 1 month ban within 15 mins that said "reason : apology accepted". It'll be up on the 23rd at some point. Lame sh!t.

Oh man, that's hilarious!

 

[skracus]

I've owned an Axe-Fx for a few years now. I have one of the very early Ultra's when they were first released in 2007. I also have a new Mark V. I don't ever see myself selling the Axe-Fx unless it's to buy the next generation Axe-Fx :wink: I bought the Mark V because I'm always changing things up and was ready to try something different and go back to an all tube amp again. I'm still using the Axe-Fx as my post effects processor. You won't find a better processor for that. At some point I'll sell the Mark V and who knows I may end up using the Axe-Fx as my total rig again. I'll tell ya though. It's been over two years and I still continue to learn. The value added after the initial sale has been flat out ridiculous and it hasn't cost me a dime. It's a staple in my rig whether I'm using amp sims or just effects.

Some guys rave about using the Axe-Fx in a FRFR situation. I never tried that. I always ran it into a VHT 2/50/2 and a Mesa 2:90 before that. Didn't like the 2:90 at all with the Axe-Fx. In my studio through my monitors (direct) it's incredible and an incredible recording tool. Even at 10 watts my V isn't usable when the kids are asleep so I don't see the Axe-Fx being replaced in the studio either.

On a separate note the aggression from both camps about the Axe-Fx is hilarious and can be very entertaining. :lol: It never ceases to amaze me how worked up people get over this piece of gear.

Steve