Calling all Axe-FX users!!

[MDV]

I havent played through one, and would be very interested to do so, but from the bajillions of clips around I think they have their own sound, and from those clips and the comparison clips with 'real' (i.e. valve) amps among the clips the sound is close, but no cigar.

For me to get one, the sound would have to work for me, and it doesnt. It clearly works for other people though, so I suppose you have to make that judgement for yourself.

What is clear and I think basically inarguable is whats already been said - if you need versatility or low volume high-quality-as-practicable recording, it pretty much cant be beat. I believe it can be rivalled with some of the better VST amp sims out there, including free ones, but for something in one box its looks quick and easy (compared to digging round and gathering VSTs) but expensive. The effects are also obviously excellent. A lot of the 'name' guitarists you see using them are using it for the effects with their favourite amps tones.

It does seem that the hype has died off. I think everyone was just surpised that the 'next step' in amp modelling was such a big one (and it was), but the novelty seems to have worn off: its not 'there' yet, from what I hear (and from what people like hunter that have had one have said; save that he doesnt like engls, he's usually got good taste ;)), and unless you need the versatility or lots of high quality effects, I wouldnt get it unless the sounds you hear really do it for you.

[jonathanf]

Have you seen fearedse on youtube, his clips are great. He has loads of videos of the axe-fx and tube amps. It really depends though, if you are playing live all the time get the tube amps and if you are practicing get the axe-fx.

[Transcend]

For me if they didnt cost the same or more than a really awesome real amp they would be a lot more viable but the cost just seems so unrealistic when you compare the core tones themselves.

But as people have said for versatility it wins

[Slartibartfarst42]

My only experience with modelling is an old Digitech GNX3000 I used to own and a few other, similar models I've tried. I think that like many of us here, I'd really like modelling to work for the variety, practicality and affordability it offers but at the moment, for me it's still too compromised. There are certainly useable tones in there and some decent effects but my real issue at the moment with them is that there's too much cr@p to sift through to get to the decent stuff. There's too many effects that are largely pointless, too many effects that are very poor quality and too many amp models that just sound too digital. If I was to make the move to multi effects it would have to offer a genuinely 'all-in-one' solution and when it does, I will happily make the change but until that point, I'll stick to valve amps.

[llJasonll]

Thanks for all of the input!

It seems that the consensus for Axe FX is:
versatility  +1
"Realness" -1

I think Axe Fx would be cool, but I dont think I am willing to sell my current amps for the Axe FX.  Maybe I'll just pick one up at some point in the future.  Thanks everyone!

[Frank]

If you need MIDI control over preamp sounds and you want it to sound like a real tube amp then really, what's wrong with buying a MIDI tube preampo like the ADA or the Marshall JMP-1? Why make an amp that approximately imitates the sound of tube overdrive when you can have an amp that does genuine tube overdrive?

I just don't understand why anyone wants modelling amps.

[Ribboz]

The big thing holding me back from wanting one would be the feel.
Does it "feel" like the tube amps its imitating?
Is it as touch sensitive/dynamic? All that jazz.

[Transcend]

i cant comment on that aspect as i havent personally played one but every modeller i have played has no feel whatsoever

as for midi control there are a few little gadgets

voodoo lab control switcher £150
rjm mini amp gizmo £230 i think

both do the same thing

hook up a midi board or multi fx (podxt vox tonelab etc)

and it will change the amp channels when you change patches

[rsf1977]

I've been playing an axefx for a few years now and I love it. I've had a voodoo modded dual rectifier, engl fireball, peavey 6505 and the axefx to me beats them all. I won't speak about medium gain because I don't use it much but for high gain it kills. Huge tone with amazing articulation and almost no noise. The thing with reviews of the axefx on the web is you need to remember the firmware has been changing and upgrading for years so a review a year ago on the old firmware is a different animal all together. I'd say since firmware 10 the axefx is pretty close to the real deal.

I don't use FRFR setup I use it more like a traditional amp without cabinet sims. It goes... axefx into a solid-state power amp into 2 4x12s and my rig sounds hugeeeeee! A guy at my last gig couldn't understand how one guitarist sounded that big I talked with him for an hour explaining it lol. I love it but beware there's tweaking for days and days if you get sucked in

[Frank]

I won't speak about medium gain because I don't use it much but for high gain it kills.

So ... it's a £3000 distorion pedal?

[nfe]

I won't speak about medium gain because I don't use it much but for high gain it kills.

So ... it's a £3000 distorion pedal?

That's a bit of a bizarre take on it. Unless you consider a SLO100 to be one, too.

[Frank]

Me, on the internet, not always 100% serious.

[Frank]

Having said that ... if all it really does is high gain sounds .. then isn't that what a distortion pedal does?

I've heard nice cleans and crunches from a Soldano, never from a modelling amp.

[nfe]

He said he didn't use it for anything else, not that it doesn't do anything else. The soldano I picked out of the air, I could have mentioned any fairly dedicated high gain amp, point stands.

And no worries, not serious, just a rubbish gag :lol:

[rsf1977]

Well other guys that use it for medium gain and cleans say it's great, I'm just saying I'm not really after those tones so I'm not going to claim I know much about that side of things. All I know is if you like high gain amps it's killer. The one thing people get turned off by is they go FRFR and then put it side by side with a real amp and wonder why it doesn't sound the same. Well the reason is because they are using a cab IR that has a mic at one spot and it's not really the same result as a full cabinet in the room, and they get let down. But compare a recorded tone to the axefx with a cab IR and they are pretty much the same. But if you do hook the axefx up to a real cab I find it really hard to tell which is which. One thing that sometimes gives it away is that the axefx sometimes sounds too precise and clean, like you know amp X should be noisy and hissing but on the axefx it usually isn't because there is no wiring or components adding noise within it like a real amp,  which is a good thing. I'm not going to say it's the end all for everyone but I think for guys who don't mind tweaking and learning a new concept how amp tones are created and manipulated I think you can get it to do most things extremely well.