Tom Quayle is one of the few dudes that can be in an 18 minute video and have my undivided attention throughout the whole thing. Very well spoken and astonishingly good at guitar.
One of the best Axe FX Videos, i remember being quite afraid of the complexities of the unit, but this video made everything seem so simple. I come back to watch it every now and then when i forget things.
I bought one of these and didn't like the sound of it so I bought another one and didn't like that one either so then I bought another one and now I have 6 of them and none of them sound any good. I'm thinking of buying another one to see if that one sounds any good.
I love the AXE FX II but at 6:58 - just something funny he said, "It had over 11" - (reminded me of the movie Spinal Tap when the guitar player kept saying "But my amp goes to 11") ♥♥♥
This is the most in depth analysis of the Axe Fx I've seen. I was always shaky on the possible setups you can implement it with, but everything seems clear now. Thanks for posting.
I have to respectfully disagree. I'm using the Axe FX II and a Matrix solid state power amp with a Port City 2x12 cab and am achieving some of the best tones i've ever had. Bear in mind that I also have two hand wired boutique all tube heads with a $4k pedal board. Cleans, mid gains and high gain tones are fantastic - BTW I'm not endorsed by Fractal so don't have to say this. I agree though that a great tube amp and a 4x12 is fantastic too!
Hey Tom, what about the fx2 quality of sounds in 2024? Is this unit still better than for ex. Boss GX100 or GT1000 what you have tested too? Thank you for answer.
i wish they wouldnt put delay on these demos, makes everything sound chessy, just let me hear the sounds with out the effects, i know what delays sound like. if you slap a thick coat of make-up on the preetiest girl your doing nothing but raising doubts
Ive had many mesa amps...mark 1, mark 3, rectifier, road king and currently own a lonestar which, as lovely as it is gets left at home now as this thing has replaced it with ease. I took an ir of my old setup and the accuracy blew my mind. I wasn't 100 percent sold at first because I'm not really a tweaker. But if you dedicate a couple of days to this thing you will have a friend for life. The accuracy is frightening, the response is flawless and if you disagree then you aint using it right. PEACE!
the device has learning curve that requires you to take the time to adapt to. But tweaking the uint to get tones that sound inspiring and real are simply childs play it is so easy and is a pleasure to go to the studio everyday.
I have one too. My review is just buy the amp you want. Or get a Kemper if you want multiple amp sounds. The FX are okay but wish I have just bough the Strymon pedals for the sounds I wanted. Plus this way you do t have to deal with their forum members and mods who are terrified of any criticism and heavily modify threads to craft the message they want visitors to the forum to see.
As far as i'm able to, I'll try to answer your questions: 1.) You just have to get a MIDI ground control, like e.g. Voodoo Lab Ground Control or Tech21 Midi Moose. Then you just put one effect (or sound) on one of the footswitches on the board - actually quite simple. 2.) You can use the actual pedals with the Axe, but you could also get an expression pedal and connect it to the Axe Fx to give you the wanted effect
3.) The sound is produced digitally via the processor. The Axe FX itself works like a preamp, so you can connect it to your amp. The signal coming from the Axe then runs into your amp, where your amp's character or 'flavour' is added. So if your amp's rather neutral, the sound from the Axe will hardly be altered. You can also connect the Axe straight to a speaker (it will be rather silent though) or to a PA. Then the signal is pure.
I thought that it was too expensive until I sold off my pedalboard and a little one trick pony amp. I basically sold a very limited rig for something that will cover just about everything I could ever dream up. But the biggest thing to me has been the quality and feel of the device. It doesn't matter what it does if it doesn't do it well. When you factor in how many amps and cabs and effects it replaces it makes it a lot more cost effective.
Well, if you can buy multiple Mesas, Marshalls, Fenders, Hiwatts, etc. then by all means, go for it. But in terms of versatility, digital is the way to go. Either that or get a decent 2 channel tube amp and you're all set.
2) What about things like volume and wah pedals? Do I have to get the actual pedals if I want to use them with the Axe? Or is there another way? 3) How is the sound produced? Do I need to connect the Axe to a guitar amplifier? I have a relatively small 30W washburn amp that I use at home for practice. I also have a whole bunch of speakers hanging around my house. If I connect to my amp, won't the final tone sound like my amp? Thank you!
For the folks complaining about the price think about what this thing is offering. -2 very powerful DSP chips (Line 6 uses a very cheap single chip) -The thing is loaded with effects, amp models and cab models -it's built solid -You can use it with an amp, direct into the PA, even use it as a DAW interface. -all the ins and outs are professional grade -built in the USA I can go on but this thing isn't some cheap piece of crap. It's a professional piece of gear. I have seen guitars and amps that go for the same price or more so what is the problem. I guess I better not mention the cost of the floor controller.
Agreed. The people criticizing the price of this unit do not realize the value that the folks at Fractal are putting into these things. To have the sheer number of amp and effect models the Axe FX has and to have the processing horsepower to make the amp and effect models sound like they do AND to have LIFETIME firmware updates shows that Fractal is all about giving guitarists a singular tool to create any kind of a tone they can conceive of. When you have a shredder / tonemaster like Vai using one, you KNOW the thing is good. He can play any rig he chooses to and uses the Axe FX. 'Nuff said.
Yes, it's called AxeEdit. It's under a complete rewrite because the hardware part has developed so far beyond it's original incarnation that it's created some issues. They stripped back the old version in the interim and it works pretty well right now, but the new version is going to be rock solid. It's a lot nicer to edit from the computer than from the front panel for sure.
I wonder how this compares to the StompIO modeler which gives you tons of mics and you can move them in real time around the cabinet and tons of amps, stomps, racks etc plus a stomp controller to call them up. I have seen a few guys using them on stage and their sound was amazing through a PA.
I sold my Ultra and went with the 11R until the II was available. Nothing against the 11R but it was a major step backwards. The advantage with the II over the Ultra is that the models are so much closer to real amps that it takes very little to dial in; no more PEQ's, filters, etc and the parameters are closer to the real amp. And it's gotten a lot better sounding even since this video and we've got v10 coming out which is supposed to be pretty significant.
Just picked one of these for 1300 bucks! I hope since it has been out a while and already has a couple older brothers, it was worth the buy. Is anyone running it through a MOTU via S/PDIF?
I owned the Axe FX II before i sold it just recently. All i can say is no matter how i set it up with a Matrix power amp or even a mesa tube power amp, it sounded digital at band volumes. It doesn't stand a chance against my Mesa Mark V. The effects are great though. I think its a great practice or room amp for low volumes. If Fractal would start putting tubes on that digital unit, i think it would solve the problem. This unit should only cost $1000 for what it does... My opinion.... I swear it won't sound the same like the youtube videos here at loud volumes. Try it and you'll know what i mean. But if you want to record direct to a laptop, the results are great...
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funny thing is that both you mention are using axe fx 2 with the gear they have. some use it only for earpluggs aswell on the scene while real amps are for the public when they are playing live.
I have one. The effects are amazing. So good that I sent the aux out to it & used the compressors and reverbs during mastering. But plugged it into a Mesa power amp & a pair of 2x12's with the cab/mic & effect models turned off, it lost something. Using it in mono actually sounded better. But my amp heads sounded better. They are much more sensitive, rounder in tone. It's worth the money for the effects alone, but as a studio device. I'm not spending $1k on a foot pedal. That's just insane.
It reminds me of the Digitech GSP 2101 from the 90s as a concept but at least that one had some real tubes in it...I haven't tried the Axe but all I can say is that to me nowadays the only rack it's worth to be on stage is a Reverb unit. No pedal plays as good as a Lexicon, if one wants to have that kind of quality. On stage I would never rely on a rack unit to be the source of my entire processed sound, should I own a second unit as a back up? I don't think so! :)
Because they have a lifelong relationship with Carvin and Mesa that they won't let go. If you've been with any company for a very long time and you have a great relationship,you won't let go even if something better comes out. There are many other great players that use this as their complete rig,why look at only Petrucci and Vai. The Axe FxII is phenomenal.
If you wish to use the unit AS your amp you will need a power amp to drive your speakers. However, without a power amp you can still record with it, or play with headphones for practice. But if you want to use it live, you will either need a power amp & speakers, or go through the house PA system, and get your sound through the monitor wedge.
Yes, it's lots of money. It's a pro rig, not for Guitar Center customers. It's made with the best parts money can buy. It can hold up to 385 patches on board. There will always be people that have requirements that this unit cannot meet. But for sound quality, it's the top dog right now.
1) Axe FX II and he Kemper Profiler have made it very difficult for professionals to tell the difference in A/B tests. 2) Pros use their favorite gear they have developed because they have a "sound". A lot of us use a modeler to try to imitate their sound for gigs. 3) Some Pros are moving to the Axe because of the ability to travel with less equipment. Some of these amps are extremely valuable and they would rather record with them and not tour with them because of damage or loss.
I own the XL model and I love it for what it does and you can make it sound like a vintage amp with lots of tweaking for your particular guitar. But the looper is a big let down. I do think that they are over priced though and especially the foot controller. I figure a reasonable price would be $1000 for the box and $400 or $500 for the foot controller.You can bet Fractal makes a very healthy profit.
when i get lazy and dont want to warm up the tube amp i turn on pro tools and use the new th3 from overloud and that alone has every effect you would ever need and is a great simulator..probably the best ive heard and runs around $350.00. but wouldnt work for playing gigs (unless you want to drag your computer and sound card around) im not a big effects guy..the most i use is a little reverb,delaychorus.this axe fx sounds like the real deal for someone who plays in a band touring alot the only thing i noticed that i didnt like is the on board screen...its pixelated and blocky..why? you would think in 2016 it would be like a computer screen or touch screen 1080p
I just drag my macbook pro along with me and plug it in via the fractal bot software (that is free) and us it for modding presets on the big screen. I guess if one is that bent on wanting the nice display, there is always the Line 6 Helix Rack that has a ridiculous display, but jumps you into a 3u rack and doesn't have quite the tweak ability as the Fractal :)
You can run anything in front of an amp, but, your amp will color the tone not to mention delays, modulations, etc. won't sound as good as when run through an FX Loop.
It really depends on what you want it for. If you have an amp that you love and want a ton of effects without carrying around a bunch of pedals then this unit is great. Or, if you want to get rid of your amp/effects and strictly use this for all of your guitar sounds, it will sound good enough that only the greatest tone buffs will be able to tell it's not a true tube amp/high end effects pedal. You can also just use it as a pre-amp and get a tube power amp for more convincing tones.
Having owned several pieces of high end guitar gear over the years. I consider my opinion to be well educated. My main rig is an older preamp made by Digitech. The 2120 Artist to be exact. Its powered with a Marshall Valvestate amp running into a Mesa 4x12 3/4 back cab. I loved this unit for all the years I have owned it mainly because of the actual tubes inside the unit and the sounds it can produce. Now after years of abuse it is showing wear and it needs to be fixed or replace. After a few estimates on repair I know it needs to be replaced. I have played every preamp and floor system out there and have been thoroughly disappointed. Nothing seems to have what I crave. What happened to tone and versatility? I have been greatly impressed with the Axe FX II from the dozen or so videos I have seen online. I can't wait to finally be able to get my hands on one of them and be able to play through it. Sadly, that may never happen until I break down and order one for myself. Thanks for the great review
Chris, I've been looking at this unit for a while now and have pretty much decided to get one when I have saved the money to buy one. I know the value of a good tube amp and pedals; I own a sweet early 70's Fender amp that is a tone monster. however, the Axe FX II amp models sound really close to tube amps, at least from the YT vids I've seen where they present clean and overdriven/distorted tones without all the grease (chorus/delay/reverb). You just have to know how to get the tone you are seeking after and some patience gets you to where you want to be.
My cousin recently got an Axe fx 2, before that he had an axe fx original first gen which I wasn't overly impressed with to be honest he was using it with his ENGL tube pwer amp, which has now been replaced with the matrix GT800FX which he swears sounds better, although I haven't heard it myself yet anyway it sounded amazing through the ENGL into an orange 2x12, so if it sounds even better now with the matrix then I'm a convert, I never thought I would ever say it but there you have it
I owned one. I think a solid state Fender amp sounds better for cleans. For high gain metal, it doesn't sound as good as ENGL, Diezel, Mesa, or Orange amps. Try it out and find out for yourself.
I know that. Dude good for him,like I said he has a life long relationship with Carvin that's why he uses them still. They are great amps but the Axe FxII can easily do what those amps can. There is enough proof out there,honestly I am sick of this childish argument. Play whatever works for you man,be it the Axe FxII as the entire rig,or a tube amp;or an Axe FxII as an effects unit with an amp. Cheers :)
I have not tried one of these yet and it's a bit too much money for me. I would like to know if it has the flexibility of Guitar Rig software. I'm big on strange patches with up to 60 or 70 pedals on at once all being modulated by lfos and sequencers. Or split channels each running 10 dist pedals and like 70 pedals on each channel.This thing seems flexible but it seems like it does have a limit.I'm sure it sounds better and most dont use 60 fx at once like I do.I understand it has 4 by 12 cells?
Well that's a different thing, solid-state vs. tube depents on ear if it sounds better or not. But records are proven to sound better. That's because the holes that are made in a record are the direct representation of the soundwaves of the music played, whereas CD's get a loss of signal because the music is first transferred to binaire code and then back to the holes in a laser and back to binaire via the laser of the cd-player. Whilst records go sound waves -> holes in record -> needle ->sound
6 years later and all the hate comments on fractal is laughable.... If only we knew how many gr9 albums would be recorded with this. For all wondering - still worth the buy even with the fx III out
There's so much hype for these. I'm assuming they have been giving them out to artists to try as there's tons of people using them currently. I have seen a few live bands with them and from my experience, they don't get over that hurdle sounding good when mixed with the rest of a live band. Any amp/pedal can sound good playing alone by yourself. When the drums , bass and other things going on at the same time, it sounds like a wall of tin and doesn't have the warmth and 3 dimensional sound that tube amps do. Again just in my opinion. The most blatant comparison I saw recently was Memphis May Fire all had these and as mentioned, it was just thin and static tinny sounding. Then Killswitch Engage played with both tube amps, and every note cut through the mix with nice bright clarity and warmth, even when the drums are going off like bombs. Granted they're the kings of live tone but it still was quite the noticeable difference.
I think its cool, some bands are switching to this technology like deftones and meshuggah, but, u need the controller to play live, cuz i dont see me movin the dial vale to find my fav patch on a gig...
Exactly, that why I play records and never listen to mp3's or CD's. I also depend on a dial up phone and wrote this out on paper then had it scanned in. Nothing like the real thing. Coke!
I know he's playing in G Lydian in the beginning, but does anyone know what style/genre of music he's playing there? Would really appreciate if someone told me; would love to learn how to play riffs in that style. Thanks!
I totally love the whole FX package. Still a bit too pricey for us ol sods who do not have any endorecments. No pun intended.I do however beleive that they are worth every penny. No doubt. But here's a thought. Maybe one day Fractual might even consider making a down sized version of the mighty AXE- FX ll Now that would rock!!!
how does this thing work ? do i just power it up, and plug it in to my computer like a medikeyboard with usb and run it through, your daw ? or do I need something to run it through? like a computer with extreme cpu power or something ? I mainly want to use it to create studie quality rock riffs and songs.
You can use it as a stand alone, yes. When I am just laying down guitar riffs, I run it straight into my iMac via USB into Logic Pro X. Logic does see it as a stereo input. If you want to use those same tones live, you can run it mono or stereo into a power amp and cab, a powered speaker, or direct to board (PA). It is EXTREMELY flexible with its outputs and what you can run it thru. With all the guitar processing being done within the Axe Fx, if your computer can run the DAW, you should have no problems running this into it successfully.
He clearly said you could. it;s no different than an amp head. Just has muuch more features. You just need to get a power amp to power the cab. No real point when you can run this directly to the pa system. And they work much better with studio/flat response speakers if your using the cabs built in.
YAY!! A video that starts with the actual playing..!!!
No intro bullshit, no company promotion video jingle, just what we came after :-)
Tom Quayle is one of the few dudes that can be in an 18 minute video and have my undivided attention throughout the whole thing. Very well spoken and astonishingly good at guitar.
One of the best Axe FX Videos, i remember being quite afraid of the complexities of the unit, but this video made everything seem so simple.
I come back to watch it every now and then when i forget things.
I bought one of these and didn't like the sound of it so I bought another one and didn't like that one either so then I bought another one and now I have 6 of them and none of them sound any good. I'm thinking of buying another one to see if that one sounds any good.
wot
Loooooooooooool
But have you tried it with the prototype Black Beauty Les Paul that you recently bought in the auction from Tom Doyle? ($3335,500!!!) ;-)
J Ro In AK Yes, didn't like the sound of that either so I'll have to pop down the shops to buy another one.
Oops! I put too many 3's there...No matter...it's only money.
I love the AXE FX II but at 6:58 - just something funny he said, "It had over 11" - (reminded me of the movie Spinal Tap when the guitar player kept saying "But my amp goes to 11") ♥♥♥
I`m a tweaker ! And this unit is just ... there is not words to describe how good it is !
I just bought the AXE FX 2 today!!!
Yeeeeeah, boy!!!
Please follow up with a comment describing your impressions of the AXE FX2 so far.
@@mosesbullrush8051 its been six years i wonder if he likes it
Now it's AXE FX 3
He probably got a guitar string caught when he plugged it into the wall and exploded- that's why no update.⚡
This is the most in depth analysis of the Axe Fx I've seen. I was always shaky on the possible setups you can implement it with, but everything seems clear now. Thanks for posting.
Eric Johnson called and wants his style back :P mint playing dude!
I have to respectfully disagree. I'm using the Axe FX II and a Matrix solid state power amp with a Port City 2x12 cab and am achieving some of the best tones i've ever had. Bear in mind that I also have two hand wired boutique all tube heads with a $4k pedal board. Cleans, mid gains and high gain tones are fantastic - BTW I'm not endorsed by Fractal so don't have to say this. I agree though that a great tube amp and a 4x12 is fantastic too!
Hey Tom, what about the fx2 quality of sounds in 2024? Is this unit still better than for ex. Boss GX100 or GT1000 what you have tested too? Thank you for answer.
I use the same poweramp now in 2024 with my axe fx III, great video :)
i wish they wouldnt put delay on these demos, makes everything sound chessy,
just let me hear the sounds with out the effects, i know what delays sound like.
if you slap a thick coat of make-up on the preetiest girl your doing nothing but raising doubts
Ive had many mesa amps...mark 1, mark 3, rectifier, road king and currently own a lonestar which, as lovely as it is gets left at home now as this thing has replaced it with ease. I took an ir of my old setup and the accuracy blew my mind. I wasn't 100 percent sold at first because I'm not really a tweaker. But if you dedicate a couple of days to this thing you will have a friend for life. The accuracy is frightening, the response is flawless and if you disagree then you aint using it right. PEACE!
But... does it go up to 11?
I have never understood what do these do and how do they work, so I hope this video helps me to understand.
I don't remember leaving that comment. The sound is superb. The playing is lovely, too :)
the device has learning curve that requires you to take the time to adapt to. But tweaking the uint to get tones that sound inspiring and real are simply childs play it is so easy and is a pleasure to go to the studio everyday.
I have one too. My review is just buy the amp you want. Or get a Kemper if you want multiple amp sounds. The FX are okay but wish I have just bough the Strymon pedals for the sounds I wanted. Plus this way you do t have to deal with their forum members and mods who are terrified of any criticism and heavily modify threads to craft the message they want visitors to the forum to see.
As far as i'm able to, I'll try to answer your questions:
1.) You just have to get a MIDI ground control, like e.g. Voodoo Lab Ground Control or Tech21 Midi Moose. Then you just put one effect (or sound) on one of the footswitches on the board - actually quite simple.
2.) You can use the actual pedals with the Axe, but you could also get an expression pedal and connect it to the Axe Fx to give you the wanted effect
3.) The sound is produced digitally via the processor. The Axe FX itself works like a preamp, so you can connect it to your amp. The signal coming from the Axe then runs into your amp, where your amp's character or 'flavour' is added. So if your amp's rather neutral, the sound from the Axe will hardly be altered.
You can also connect the Axe straight to a speaker (it will be rather silent though) or to a PA. Then the signal is pure.
Point still stands. But that makes a lot of sense. His live tone does seem so different and now I get why. Thank for the info.
the next one they are working on actually plays your guitar for you as well.
The Axe FX hands down is singly the best piece of gear I have ever bought. I love It. Check it out and you will not be disappointed.
I thought that it was too expensive until I sold off my pedalboard and a little one trick pony amp. I basically sold a very limited rig for something that will cover just about everything I could ever dream up. But the biggest thing to me has been the quality and feel of the device. It doesn't matter what it does if it doesn't do it well.
When you factor in how many amps and cabs and effects it replaces it makes it a lot more cost effective.
I've seen this video like 10 times...... someday I'll be able to own one.
Well, if you can buy multiple Mesas, Marshalls, Fenders, Hiwatts, etc. then by all means, go for it. But in terms of versatility, digital is the way to go. Either that or get a decent 2 channel tube amp and you're all set.
2) What about things like volume and wah pedals? Do I have to get the actual pedals if I want to use them with the Axe? Or is there another way?
3) How is the sound produced? Do I need to connect the Axe to a guitar amplifier? I have a relatively small 30W washburn amp that I use at home for practice. I also have a whole bunch of speakers hanging around my house. If I connect to my amp, won't the final tone sound like my amp?
Thank you!
For the folks complaining about the price think about what this thing is offering.
-2 very powerful DSP chips (Line 6 uses a very cheap single chip)
-The thing is loaded with effects, amp models and cab models
-it's built solid
-You can use it with an amp, direct into the PA, even use it as a DAW interface.
-all the ins and outs are professional grade
-built in the USA
I can go on but this thing isn't some cheap piece of crap. It's a professional piece of gear. I have seen guitars and amps that go for the same price or more so what is the problem.
I guess I better not mention the cost of the floor controller.
Agreed. The people criticizing the price of this unit do not realize the value that the folks at Fractal are putting into these things. To have the sheer number of amp and effect models the Axe FX has and to have the processing horsepower to make the amp and effect models sound like they do AND to have LIFETIME firmware updates shows that Fractal is all about giving guitarists a singular tool to create any kind of a tone they can conceive of. When you have a shredder / tonemaster like Vai using one, you KNOW the thing is good. He can play any rig he chooses to and uses the Axe FX. 'Nuff said.
Yes, it's called AxeEdit. It's under a complete rewrite because the hardware part has developed so far beyond it's original incarnation that it's created some issues. They stripped back the old version in the interim and it works pretty well right now, but the new version is going to be rock solid. It's a lot nicer to edit from the computer than from the front panel for sure.
I wonder how this compares to the StompIO modeler which gives you tons of mics and you can move them in real time around the cabinet and tons of amps, stomps, racks etc plus a stomp controller to call them up.
I have seen a few guys using them on stage and their sound was amazing through a PA.
Tom thank you for this excellent review. I as huge fan of your playing as well, you should be out there with some of the very best.
John and vai actually both use axe fx now as well.
But they use it in their rigs as an effect loops etc.
I sold my Ultra and went with the 11R until the II was available. Nothing against the 11R but it was a major step backwards.
The advantage with the II over the Ultra is that the models are so much closer to real amps that it takes very little to dial in; no more PEQ's, filters, etc and the parameters are closer to the real amp. And it's gotten a lot better sounding even since this video and we've got v10 coming out which is supposed to be pretty significant.
Just picked one of these for 1300 bucks! I hope since it has been out a while and already has a couple older brothers, it was worth the buy. Is anyone running it through a MOTU via S/PDIF?
I owned the Axe FX II before i sold it just recently. All i can say is no matter how i set it up with a Matrix power amp or even a mesa tube power amp, it sounded digital at band volumes. It doesn't stand a chance against my Mesa Mark V. The effects are great though. I think its a great practice or room amp for low volumes. If Fractal would start putting tubes on that digital unit, i think it would solve the problem. This unit should only cost $1000 for what it does... My opinion.... I swear it won't sound the same like the youtube videos here at loud volumes. Try it and you'll know what i mean. But if you want to record direct to a laptop, the results are great...
honestly i look pretty dumb coz i bought another one but its an xl+ and i did do the effects loop thing. i really regreted selling the first one, lol
Ry Kharl what effects loop thing?
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funny thing is that both you mention are using axe fx 2 with the gear they have. some use it only for earpluggs aswell on the scene while real amps are for the public when they are playing live.
And now it’s antiquated, gotta love the tech money sponge
Furryz it's still being updated regularly years and years later and lots of bands are still using it our starting to use it. Even Metallica uses it
what an excellent review, great explanation of the difference between I and II. Cheers mate!
I have one. The effects are amazing. So good that I sent the aux out to it & used the compressors and reverbs during mastering. But plugged it into a Mesa power amp & a pair of 2x12's with the cab/mic & effect models turned off, it lost something. Using it in mono actually sounded better. But my amp heads sounded better. They are much more sensitive, rounder in tone. It's worth the money for the effects alone, but as a studio device. I'm not spending $1k on a foot pedal. That's just insane.
It reminds me of the Digitech GSP 2101 from the 90s as a concept but at least that one had some real tubes in it...I haven't tried the Axe but all I can say is that to me nowadays the only rack it's worth to be on stage is a Reverb unit. No pedal plays as good as a Lexicon, if one wants to have that kind of quality. On stage I would never rely on a rack unit to be the source of my entire processed sound, should I own a second unit as a back up? I don't think so! :)
Great video. Buying one this weekend.
Lucky for some..
Because they have a lifelong relationship with Carvin and Mesa that they won't let go. If you've been with any company for a very long time and you have a great relationship,you won't let go even if something better comes out. There are many other great players that use this as their complete rig,why look at only Petrucci and Vai. The Axe FxII is phenomenal.
Tom, How in the hell is your guitar tuned ? its driving me nutz !
If you wish to use the unit AS your amp you will need a power amp to drive your speakers.
However, without a power amp you can still record with it, or play with headphones for practice.
But if you want to use it live, you will either need a power amp & speakers,
or go through the house PA system, and get your sound through the monitor wedge.
I will keep my StompIO by IK it has new model sounds coming out all the time.
I agree. I feel like I'm the only one that would still prefer a tube amp over this. Nothing can sound like Mesa other than mesa. Marshall as well.
Yes, it's lots of money. It's a pro rig, not for Guitar Center customers. It's made with the best parts money can buy. It can hold up to 385 patches on board. There will always be people that have requirements that this unit cannot meet. But for sound quality, it's the top dog right now.
They use the Fractal mainly for delays and reverbs. Still have the same rig otherwise. Adrian Belew uses it a bit more for overdrives etc apparently.
You can control the Axe-Fx from the computer too. Much easier.
1) Axe FX II and he Kemper Profiler have made it very difficult for professionals to tell the difference in A/B tests. 2) Pros use their favorite gear they have developed because they have a "sound". A lot of us use a modeler to try to imitate their sound for gigs. 3) Some Pros are moving to the Axe because of the ability to travel with less equipment. Some of these amps are extremely valuable and they would rather record with them and not tour with them because of damage or loss.
Amazing sound and even better playing! There is a reason why these are so expensive.
So if you don't have a power amp unit you can't use this? I didn't get that very clear, great review anyway.
I own the XL model and I love it for what it does and you can make it sound like a vintage amp with lots of tweaking for your particular guitar. But the looper is a big let down. I do think that they are over priced though and especially the foot controller. I figure a reasonable price would be $1000 for the box and $400 or $500 for the foot controller.You can bet Fractal makes a very healthy profit.
Great tones....can you run this unit in front of an amplifier without an effects loop?
Often times in these product demos the player is not good enough to really display the virtues of the product but this guitar player is excellent.
when i get lazy and dont want to warm up the tube amp i turn on pro tools and use the new th3 from overloud and that alone has every effect you would ever need and is a great simulator..probably the best ive heard and runs around $350.00. but wouldnt work for playing gigs (unless you want to drag your computer and sound card around) im not a big effects guy..the most i use is a little reverb,delaychorus.this axe fx sounds like the real deal for someone who plays in a band touring alot the only thing i noticed that i didnt like is the on board screen...its pixelated and blocky..why? you would think in 2016 it would be like a computer screen or touch screen 1080p
I just drag my macbook pro along with me and plug it in via the fractal bot software (that is free) and us it for modding presets on the big screen. I guess if one is that bent on wanting the nice display, there is always the Line 6 Helix Rack that has a ridiculous display, but jumps you into a 3u rack and doesn't have quite the tweak ability as the Fractal :)
You are correct. An Axe-FX II is the real thing and nothing beats it.
the tone is so beautiful
when you say you have a tubedriver tuck in the front of it, what does that mean? is that an effect setting on the Axe or some other hardware?
You can run anything in front of an amp, but, your amp will color the tone not to mention delays, modulations, etc. won't sound as good as when run through an FX Loop.
It really depends on what you want it for. If you have an amp that you love and want a ton of effects without carrying around a bunch of pedals then this unit is great. Or, if you want to get rid of your amp/effects and strictly use this for all of your guitar sounds, it will sound good enough that only the greatest tone buffs will be able to tell it's not a true tube amp/high end effects pedal. You can also just use it as a pre-amp and get a tube power amp for more convincing tones.
where does one buy this unit, cause it sounds really amazing!!
Dat intro was sick asf
can you send your signal to a cabinet without a power amp?
Having owned several pieces of high end guitar gear over the years. I consider my opinion to be well educated. My main rig is an older preamp made by Digitech. The 2120 Artist to be exact. Its powered with a Marshall Valvestate amp running into a Mesa 4x12 3/4 back cab. I loved this unit for all the years I have owned it mainly because of the actual tubes inside the unit and the sounds it can produce. Now after years of abuse it is showing wear and it needs to be fixed or replace. After a few estimates on repair I know it needs to be replaced. I have played every preamp and floor system out there and have been thoroughly disappointed. Nothing seems to have what I crave. What happened to tone and versatility? I have been greatly impressed with the Axe FX II from the dozen or so videos I have seen online. I can't wait to finally be able to get my hands on one of them and be able to play through it. Sadly, that may never happen until I break down and order one for myself. Thanks for the great review
gravity strings in st Louis.. they got watcha need dude. ask for jimmy..
Chris, I've been looking at this unit for a while now and have pretty much decided to get one when I have saved the money to buy one. I know the value of a good tube amp and pedals; I own a sweet early 70's Fender amp that is a tone monster. however, the Axe FX II amp models sound really close to tube amps, at least from the YT vids I've seen where they present clean and overdriven/distorted tones without all the grease (chorus/delay/reverb). You just have to know how to get the tone you are seeking after and some patience gets you to where you want to be.
Would I be able to play the Axe Fx 2 directly through a cab?? Or not please answer
Yeah, and Vai has an Axe and uses it live, and John uses it on his B rig live for the effects. :)
dope tone. Do you have any tones for download?
So, is this better than Guitar rig software? Reason i ask is that the "meets metal" guy on youtube actually uses guitar rig for his tone.
Great demo Tom.
These things are nice, I've been playing around with one the last few days, but it still doesn't *feel* like an amp.
Incredible tasteful player. Great vid!
My cousin recently got an Axe fx 2, before that he had an axe fx original first gen which I wasn't overly impressed with to be honest
he was using it with his ENGL tube pwer amp, which has now been replaced with the matrix GT800FX which he swears sounds better, although I haven't heard it myself yet
anyway it sounded amazing through the ENGL into an orange 2x12, so if it sounds even better now with the matrix then I'm a convert, I never thought I would ever say it but there you have it
I owned one.
I think a solid state Fender amp sounds better for cleans.
For high gain metal, it doesn't sound as good as ENGL, Diezel, Mesa, or Orange amps.
Try it out and find out for yourself.
I know that. Dude good for him,like I said he has a life long relationship with Carvin that's why he uses them still. They are great amps but the Axe FxII can easily do what those amps can. There is enough proof out there,honestly I am sick of this childish argument. Play whatever works for you man,be it the Axe FxII as the entire rig,or a tube amp;or an Axe FxII as an effects unit with an amp.
Cheers :)
Is there a software component to this that lets you do all this nitty gritty editing on your Mac?
I have not tried one of these yet and it's a bit too much money for me. I would like to know if it has the flexibility of Guitar Rig software. I'm big on strange patches with up to 60 or 70 pedals on at once all being modulated by lfos and sequencers. Or split channels each running 10 dist pedals and like 70 pedals on each channel.This thing seems flexible but it seems like it does have a limit.I'm sure it sounds better and most dont use 60 fx at once like I do.I understand it has 4 by 12 cells?
What immortal said. But also, John Petrucci uses an Axe Fx II, but he uses it for the effects and such.
Well that's a different thing, solid-state vs. tube depents on ear if it sounds better or not. But records are proven to sound better. That's because the holes that are made in a record are the direct representation of the soundwaves of the music played, whereas CD's get a loss of signal because the music is first transferred to binaire code and then back to the holes in a laser and back to binaire via the laser of the cd-player. Whilst records go sound waves -> holes in record -> needle ->sound
Would love to have the preset you have used on this video.
He used Lydian and Mixolydian, maybe on E and F, am I correct?
It's all good no worries man. I am sure the Kemper is cool as well :)
6 years later and all the hate comments on fractal is laughable.... If only we knew how many gr9 albums would be recorded with this. For all wondering - still worth the buy even with the fx III out
That's why you buy the Headrush fx. Great sound, 2000 bucks less and you will be up and playing in ten minutes. No engineering degree required.
Tone is absolutely gorgeous
There's so much hype for these. I'm assuming they have been giving them out to artists to try as there's tons of people using them currently. I have seen a few live bands with them and from my experience, they don't get over that hurdle sounding good when mixed with the rest of a live band. Any amp/pedal can sound good playing alone by yourself. When the drums , bass and other things going on at the same time, it sounds like a wall of tin and doesn't have the warmth and 3 dimensional sound that tube amps do. Again just in my opinion. The most blatant comparison I saw recently was Memphis May Fire all had these and as mentioned, it was just thin and static tinny sounding. Then Killswitch Engage played with both tube amps, and every note cut through the mix with nice bright clarity and warmth, even when the drums are going off like bombs. Granted they're the kings of live tone but it still was quite the noticeable difference.
I think its cool, some bands are switching to this technology like deftones and meshuggah, but, u need the controller to play live, cuz i dont see me movin the dial vale to find my fav patch on a gig...
Exactly, that why I play records and never listen to mp3's or CD's. I also depend on a dial up phone and wrote this out on paper then had it scanned in. Nothing like the real thing. Coke!
Best thing I ever bought musically
I know he's playing in G Lydian in the beginning, but does anyone know what style/genre of music he's playing there? Would really appreciate if someone told me; would love to learn how to play riffs in that style. Thanks!
This is pretty much the decision I made last night. Was gunna get an Orange head and a cab but there's no point any more.
blacksstar id tvp(digital different tube modeling) also change the tone with volume control .its not that uncommon feature
I totally love the whole FX package. Still a bit too pricey for us ol sods who do not have any endorecments. No pun intended.I do however beleive that they are worth every penny. No doubt. But here's a thought. Maybe one day Fractual might even consider making a down sized version of the mighty AXE- FX ll Now that would rock!!!
Can someone tell me what modes/scales/chords he's playing from 00:00-00:42? Sounds beautiful.
how does this thing work ? do i just power it up, and plug it in to my computer like a medikeyboard with usb and run it through, your daw ? or do I need something to run it through? like a computer with extreme cpu power or something ? I mainly want to use it to create studie quality rock riffs and songs.
You can use it as a stand alone, yes. When I am just laying down guitar riffs, I run it straight into my iMac via USB into Logic Pro X. Logic does see it as a stereo input. If you want to use those same tones live, you can run it mono or stereo into a power amp and cab, a powered speaker, or direct to board (PA). It is EXTREMELY flexible with its outputs and what you can run it thru. With all the guitar processing being done within the Axe Fx, if your computer can run the DAW, you should have no problems running this into it successfully.
I bought the Axe and sent it back. I was really thinking it was going to blow me away, but it kind of sucked compared to the Herbert and VH4.
He clearly said you could. it;s no different than an amp head. Just has muuch more features. You just need to get a power amp to power the cab. No real point when you can run this directly to the pa system. And they work much better with studio/flat response speakers if your using the cabs built in.
Does the Axe Fx 1 sound much worse than this? I can't afford an Axe Fx II
Sounds more like G Lydian. And yeah, the playing sounds beautiful :)