Axe Fx II 6.0 firmware mini review

[jabelardo]

I have my Axe Fx II since April 2nd, so I'm basically a newby.

When I received the axe it was loaded with 5.06, I updated to 5.07 and loaded the presets of that version... and after playing with the axe I was pretty satisfied but not blown away.
I used to have a twin reverb and a dual rectifier, and in the digital domain I had a GSP1101 + G-Major rig, and changed it for an Eleven Rack a little more than a year ago.

The 5.07 was very good, don't get me wrong, the fx were outstanding, and the amp simulations were also very good but a little hard to dial in, to my ears the 11R were easier to dial and some of my favourite 11R amps (bogner xtc and fender bassman) didn't sounded as pleasant to my ears in their 5.07 emulations. Of course there were some amazing new emulations: MR Z38, Wrecker, Buttery and my favourite Corncob M50 were pure bliss.

I was also a little disappointed with the looper been so simple...

Fast forward to 6 and ... I'm speechless. Not only my 11R favourites now sound better in the Axe than in the 11R, but every amp sound better and more important to me, easy to dial.

And as a bonus we have a looper overhaul ... now I'm happy

Thanks Cliff and everybody involved In this firmware release. This is amassing.

[pcauchi]

6.0 really is a different ball of wax. 5.06 (the version I had when I got the unit) was great, 5.07 even better, and 6.0 is just a beast. Period. High gain, mid gain, and most improved, cleans are all on another level.

I too thank Cliff & the rest of his team from the bottom of my heart. Can't wait to get home to continue playing.

[shasha]

I think that I rubbed a lot of people the wrong way a few months ago when I basically said that if there is something that you aren't happy with in using the AxeFXII that they should just hold on because its not a complete product yet. I suppose those were a poor choice of words and people threw out the whole "well for twenty billion dollars it should be perfect" argument and crap like that. Then I got hit by the Fractal guys because it sounded like I was slighting the product. Probably one of my least popular posts ever.

But while my word choice may have been questionable I stand by my opinion that the FAS products have a different path of development that is continuous where as some other products may come out and be 100% as far as the company is going to take it....that doesn't mean that there isn't room for improvement or that it's perfect or even done.

And I get that, I mean once the product is developed, marketed and sold they have little to nothing to gain by improving something that is done. They are after all in a business and the point is to make money.

Cliff has a handful of products he sells and whether its pride or the need for a challenge or just a really odd business model he does things differently. Its probably not for everyone because there have been a few people that really just don't seem to latch onto the process. But for a lot of us it's a pretty cool deal to have that much interaction with 'the company' and to really have our ideas addressed and in a lot of cases he implements them (the good, the practical and the possible anyway).

But even after having been through this umpteen times with the Ultra and now the II I find it really amazing that every time that I think that he's really nailed it that he finds a way to make me enjoy it more. I've become a bit more cynical or critical as I've gotten older about a lot of things and to be really honest as much as I was amazed by v.5.07 the thing that really hit home to me was that it was the first time that I really heard the potential of where this thing was headed. I bought into it with v.4.0 on there and it seemed like a logical step up from the Ultra, but shortly after that the v.5's started rolling out and I knew that it was going to get ridiculous.

As it stands I could probably sit there and pick a handful of little things that I think that could be tweaked a bit with this release to improve it, but I know that he's going to take care of them and then some.

That's all I was ever trying to say originally. I suppose that if there is something you don't like you can pretty much bet that he knows about it and is working on it already. That may actually work against him a bit because I know of a lot of other products that have things that could be better and people just work around them all the time because it's just the way it is. Its expected from FAS now. A lot of us are very appreciative to almost disgusting levels of butt kissing and praise and some are just a bit more demanding. It creates a really weird little environment. I can't imagine what people out of the direct loop think of us. :)

The AxeFXII may never be perfect, it may have reached its maximum potential already, it may be another 4 years before he's done making improvements to it, I don't know. But regardless I like the idea that there is a guy that is driven to make the product as close to perfect as he can. I appreciate that a lot.

I know that if it was me, I'd have about 20 different products out there by now and you'd get one firmware version for it and you'd either like it or you'd have to buy the next model. :eeks

[Electric I]

Will there ever be a point in modelling development where it just can't be improved upon ?

I'm not talking added features, but mainly depth of realism in amp/cab sims.

[riffy]

Will there ever be a point in modelling development where it just can't be improved upon ?

I'm not talking added features, but mainly depth of realism in amp/cab sims.

NO, simply because I believe that we haven't reached the point where what we hear recorded is what the gear actually sounds like... There is always something lost via, mic, preamp, interface, or speaker reproduction.

If they improve, even if modeling is at it's zenith, it will then improve as well.

Gary

[Deaj]

Could't agree more.

[Scott Peterson]

Interesting comments above to a positive review.

Personally, I feel this is the best sounding and feeling firmware that Fractal has ever offered and I am enjoying working with it more than ever before.

And with this being the centerpiece of my working rig, it isn't romance or a honeymoon after over 5 years straight being a happy customer of Fractal's.

Being a part of the beta team I am very aware of the amount of work and effort put in to continuously and almost unrelentingly add value to the box through innovations, reinventions and adding functional capability. It's a process and we reap the rewards for it.

Onward progress! Tone for everybody. :D

[stratzrus]

When I received the axe it was loaded with 5.06, I updated to 5.07 and loaded the presets of that version... and after playing with the axe I was pretty satisfied but not blown away.

Fast forward to 6 and...I'm speechless. Not only my 11R favourites now sound better in the Axe than in the 11R, but every amp sound better and more important to me, easy to dial.Glad to hear it.

The list of changes in the upgrade to 6.0 was very impressive but it's great to hear that, in terms of overall tone, there is significant improvement over what I already considered to be great.

I'm looking forward to this weekend when I make the switch but in the meantime will really enjoy user responses to the new firmware. Thanks for posting!

[Eric Thomas]

I think that I rubbed a lot of people the wrong way a few months ago when I basically said that if there is something that you aren't happy with in using the AxeFXII that they should just hold on because its not a complete product yet. I suppose those were a poor choice of words and people threw out the whole "well for twenty billion dollars it should be perfect" argument and crap like that. Then I got hit by the Fractal guys because it sounded like I was slighting the product. Probably one of my least popular posts ever.

I missed that post, but I would say that you are spot on and 100% accurate and would take no issue with your statements. I'm an AxeII owner, and was an AxeI owner starting with FW 9.0. It's always been my opinion that this is an evolving product and not a finished product. How could anyone argue with that given the FW update history? It's a complete product only from the standpoint that it's stable and usable at every FW incarnation, but constantly evolving as the developer strives to improve his product.

And I did exactly what you said - stuck with the hardware platform waiting as the software was improved. I was not happy with the first few FW versions on the Axe II and did not think it had improved over the previous version until it hit FW version 5. Now with 6.0, it's a vastly superior product to it's predecessor. I made the switch to the AxeII specifically for the purpose of continuing the journey with the developer as the product is improved, and taking advantage of the hardware updates to the original. Whether Cliff has reached the summit with 6.0 remains to be seen. I'll bet he's still got a few more tricks up his sleeve....

[TowMater]

I'm a former Axe-Fx Standard owner. I got rid of it because I could never learn to like the "recorded guitar" sound that it produced (using FRFR) over the "amp in the room" sound of a traditional amp. However, all the positive reaction to v6 and the Axe-Fx 2 in general has me considering trying an Axe-Fx again. Has there been substantial improvement in this regard?

[stratzrus]

I'm a former Axe-Fx Standard owner. I got rid of it because I could never learn to like the "recorded guitar" sound that it produced (using FRFR) over the "amp in the room" sound of a traditional amp. However, all the positive reaction to v6 and the Axe-Fx 2 in general has me considering trying an Axe-Fx again. Has there been substantial improvement in this regard?There has definitely been "substantial improvement".

Some would say that the best way to get the "amp in the room" sound is to use an amp in the room (power amp and traditional cab) instead of going FRFR . That's what I'm using and I would not describe the sound as "recorded guitar".

Others have used FRFR and are very pleased with the results but you'd have to read their responses to find out how they feel about the Axe II into an FRFR monitor with version 6.0 firmware.

[hippietim]

shasha - the way I've always viewed the Axe-FX and now the Axe-FX II is that it is a platform - not unlike a PC.

Once I got a sense of what the original Axe could do and saw the rate of Cliff's innovation and engagement with the community it was clear that this thing was going to evolve into something special. And it has.

Line 6, Digidesign/Avid, Boss, Digitech, Vox, etc. have all released fine products but they are not evolving them like Fractal (and now Kemper).

[Matticus]

Thanks for your review, jabelardo.

Do I understand correctly that the "tone matching" is exclusive to the Axe-Fx II?

[jabelardo]

Thanks for your review, jabelardo.

Do I understand correctly that the "tone matching" is exclusive to the Axe-Fx II?

yes, "tone matching" is exclusive to the Axe-Fx II

[BCnSTL]

Will there ever be a point in modelling development where it just can't be improved upon ?

I'm not talking added features, but mainly depth of realism in amp/cab sims.

Well, if they'd just stop changing those 30,40,50-year-old-amps they're trying to emulate it'd be quite a bit easier.

[aleclee]

Will there ever be a point in modelling development where it just can't be improved upon ?

I'm not talking added features, but mainly depth of realism in amp/cab sims.Define "realism". If you're simply looking to replicate tones of existing amps, at some point we'll hit a point of "close enough". It's my hope that we (guitar players) get to the point where we stop trying to ape boxes with glowing bottles and adopt a mindset of seeking sounds in our heads rather than sounds of amps that already exist, many of which are decades old.

Personally, some of my favorite AxeFx amp models are the "FAS" ones: amps that are inspired by physical amps but tweaked and "improved" over the originals.

[French Fry]

I'm new to Axe FX as of 5.07. I didn't really deep dive into making my own presets as I decided to wait until the release of 6.0

I'm blown away at how deep the Axe FX platform goes.
Great stuff.

[chrishurley]

It's my hope that we (guitar players) get to the point where we stop trying to ape boxes with glowing bottles and adopt a mindset of seeking sounds in our heads rather than sounds of amps that already exist, many of which are decades old.

Agreed. I'd like to see more stuff that doesn't exist in the real world in these boxes.

Models of real-world amps probably make selling your product easier though because there is a frame of reference for the buyer.

[ptgold]

I have my Axe Fx II since April 2nd, so I'm basically a newby.

When I received the axe it was loaded with 5.06, I updated to 5.07 and loaded the presets of that version... and after playing with the axe I was pretty satisfied but not blown away.
I used to have a twin reverb and a dual rectifier, and in the digital domain I had a GSP1101 + G-Major rig, and changed it for an Eleven Rack a little more than a year ago.

The 5.07 was very good, don't get me wrong, the fx were outstanding, and the amp simulations were also very good but a little hard to dial in, to my ears the 11R were easier to dial and some of my favourite 11R amps (bogner xtc and fender bassman) didn't sounded as pleasant to my ears in their 5.07 emulations. Of course there were some amazing new emulations: MR Z38, Wrecker, Buttery and my favourite Corncob M50 were pure bliss.

I was also a little disappointed with the looper been so simple...

Fast forward to 6 and ... I'm speechless. Not only my 11R favourites now sound better in the Axe than in the 11R, but every amp sound better and more important to me, easy to dial.

And as a bonus we have a looper overhaul ... now I'm happy

Thanks Cliff and everybody involved In this firmware release. This is amassing.


My thoughts exactly....I also have an Eleven Rack and I liked the SLO and XTC models just a bit more on there, seemed a bit warmer too before 6.0

What many people dont know about the 11Rack is that since its birth they got the tone controls right and matched to their real life counterparts!

with 6.0 on the AXE2 we dont have to worry about that anymore though.....tone controls matched!

Every time Im reminded of the 11Rack I keep remembering how great a unit it actually is.

[rcl]

I havent had much luck with TMs posted. Sounds distant and fake, so I must be doing something wrong. I've really been enjoying the orange which is ballsy. Feels like the real deal. I also like having 2 JVM models so I can set up the X/Y amp. I don't remember my JVM that well, but I am liking these tones. Anyway, havent had time to mess with grabbing tones-having even tried yet-too busy playing! Full volume tonight at practice with the full setup will be the real test. The KPA has been holding it's own, but I need some violin and cello for a few tunes.

[ejecta]

It's my hope that we (guitar players) get to the point where we stop trying to ape boxes with glowing bottles and adopt a mindset of seeking sounds in our heads rather than sounds of amps that already exist, many of which are decades old.

Interesting point but I view tone generators as tools so for me I could care less if it's digital or tubes as long as I find my sound. However to say artists need to "adopt a mindset" that embraces new tech and they should get away from using tools that have existed for a long time in order to be able to find their sound is a rather silly idea IMHO.

That's like saying a painter should stop using brushes and use Photoshop. I think it could be very easily argued that new and creative art could be made with either one. No new "mindset" needed.

IMHO an artist can express himself or herself with any tool they wish and create fresh and new no matter their tool of choice.

[aleclee]

Interesting point but I view tone generators as tools so for me I could care less if it's digital or tubes as long as I find my sound. However to say artists need to "adopt a mindset" that embraces new tech and they should get away from using tools that have existed for a long time in order to be able to find their sound is a rather silly idea IMHO.

That's like saying a painter should stop using brushes and use Photoshop. I think it could be very easily argued that new and creative art could be made with either one. No new "mindset" needed.

IMHO an artist can express himself or herself with any tool they wish and create fresh and new no matter their tool of choice.Did I say any of that? I don't recall advocating that anyone give up on analog tech. I simply suggested that they stop trying to ape that which already exists. If an artist considers himself a creative person, he should be creative, not derivative.

To use your artist's analogy, they should embrace whatever tools are appropriate to pursue their vision. More importantly, stop limiting yourself to the colors that Georgia O'Keefe used. Try using some colors that aren't found in nature. Put down the oil paints and pick up a spray can if it inspires you. Just remember that the Mona Lisa's already been painted. If you want to be truly creative, at least try to make your own masterpiece.

[ejecta]

Did I say any of that? I don't recall advocating that anyone give up on analog tech. I simply suggested that they stop trying to ape that which already exists. If an artist considers himself a creative person, he should be creative, not derivative.

To use your artist's analogy, they should embrace whatever tools are appropriate to pursue their vision. More importantly, stop limiting yourself to the colors that Georgia O'Keefe used. Try using some colors that aren't found in nature. Put down the oil paints and pick up a spray can if it inspires you. Just remember that the Mona Lisa's already been painted. If you want to be truly creative, at least try to make your own masterpiece.

The "tube" remark made it sound that way to me so I apologize if I misunderstood.

Interestingly enough along the lines of what you are saying about guys not being creative in the tone quest..... people sure are going all "ape" sh#t over this tone matching thing. :D

[7StringJazz]

Will there ever be a point in modelling development where it just can't be improved upon ?

I'm not talking added features, but mainly depth of realism in amp/cab sims.

No. Algorithms, can always be improved. But you can get into diminishing returns at some point where perceived improvements are not worth additional effort. Also the DSP chosen to implement the algos impart their own signature to things regardless of the algo.

And when it comes to the 'absolute sound' of a tube amp in the room, we still have lots of room to go IMO.

NO, simply because I believe that we haven't reached the point where what we hear recorded is what the gear actually sounds like... There is always something lost via, mic, preamp, interface, or speaker reproduction.

If they improve, even if modeling is at it's zenith, it will then improve as well.

Gary

I agree. And that has been true since the dawn of audio. The AXE is an audio device that depends on a chain of things before you can hear anything and each one does something to the signal. (See DSP signature above)

Interesting comments above to a positive review.

Personally, I feel this is the best sounding and feeling firmware that Fractal has ever offered and I am enjoying working with it more than ever before.

And with this being the centerpiece of my working rig, it isn't romance or a honeymoon after over 5 years straight being a happy customer of Fractal's.

... :D

When have you not said that Scott? Just sayin. ;)

Define "realism". If you're simply looking to replicate tones of existing amps, at some point we'll hit a point of "close enough". It's my hope that we (guitar players) get to the point where we stop trying to ape boxes with glowing bottles and adopt a mindset of seeking sounds in our heads rather than sounds of amps that already exist, many of which are decades old.

Personally, some of my favorite AxeFx amp models are the "FAS" ones: amps that are inspired by physical amps but tweaked and "improved" over the originals.

IMO we are already there (close enough) if recorded/produced tones is your benchmark.

I hope they never stop trying to get it right. But thats just me. Cause before I sell off my tubes, it will have to -to my ears anyway- sound like the real thing in a real space. I'll know we have gotten there when after a session with the modeler, I then go to the actual rig and not notice the difference. YMMV etc.

All that said, the AFXii (v6) its an amazing piece of kit and I'm glad I upgraded over the original. And I add my thanks and admiration to the Fractal team. (good idea putting a credits page in the ultilities section BTW)

There is progress but still everything has a sameness to it regardless of the patch. I take this sameness to be the Sharc signature on the proceedings. But thats JMHO. YMMV etc.

[BCnSTL]

One more "Get off my lawn!" comment.
I can't read any "Firmware N.N is the bestest EVAH!" stuff without dismissing it.
We've been on this treadmill since the first POD.

We should comb through the TGP archives and read the gushing reviews of the first AXE and the subsequent updates, how it blew everything else away and was nearly indistinguishable from this-or-that. Through the introduction of the AXE II that "Blew THAT away" and on we go.

We're we disingenuous then, or now? Or have we lost all perspective? Is the OMG reaction a Pavlovian response to the novelty of a new version of X? I'm including myself here, I'm as guilty as anyone.

Are there forums where Sax players talk about a new kind of valve-pad or violin players debate the merits of different brands of bow rosin?

But seriously, I love this sh!t. What an awesome time to be an electric guitar player.

[zentman]

How does a DSP chip affect binary data? It goes in...it comes out. Is it adding code? Is it rounding of the 1's and 0's? Something about that statment just doesn't wash. I really don't think you can hear the affect of whatever chip is used.

[Scott Peterson]

There is progress but still everything has a sameness to it regardless of the patch. I take this sameness to be the Sharc signature on the proceedings. But thats JMHO. YMMV etc.

Ummm, no. IMHO, your HO is BS. ;) :D (Meant in good humor). If you are being serious and not pulling legs with this... you can't be serious. The processor chip has a 'signature' sound? Come on man. That's... funny... right? You are joking... right? So anything with a digital processor will have a similar 'signature' sound assuming they use the same chipsets?

You can't really mean that. There is no such thing. Killer strawman fallacy though, really. Just sayin'. :roll :roll

Regarding firmware and my opinion; sorry if my opinion pisses you off but this is a new way of working guys - Fractal doesn't stop. He won't stop at 6.0 either. I have no doubt it will get even better than it is now. Dismiss it at your own peril. I don't have to sell you anything, I've nothing to hide either. This box is a freaking beast and sounds insanely good. IMHO. YMMV. But I don't care if you disagree any more than I care if you do agree. I just speak for myself, no one else.

[wenbinbin2010]

If money is an issue, but I could probably scrounge up enough money, should I spend the extra ~$900 for an AxeFX II with this new amazing firmware, or keep my current Ultra which I picked up for $1350? If I keep the Ultra, I would be saving money to spend when needed for other things (better monitors, guitar upgrades/repairs, etc.). Basically, is 6.0 FW that much greater than everything in the old AxeFX Ultra?

[aleclee]

Interestingly enough along the lines of what you are saying about guys not being creative in the tone quest..... people sure are going all "ape" sh#t over this tone matching thing. :DYes they are. And there's a great example of the gap between art and commerce. FAS will sell a lot more AxeFx's having added that feature.

[octatonic]

Interesting comments above to a positive review.

Personally, I feel this is the best sounding and feeling firmware that Fractal has ever offered and I am enjoying working with it more than ever before.

And with this being the centerpiece of my working rig, it isn't romance or a honeymoon after over 5 years straight being a happy customer of Fractal's.

Being a part of the beta team I am very aware of the amount of work and effort put in to continuously and almost unrelentingly add value to the box through innovations, reinventions and adding functional capability. It's a process and we reap the rewards for it.

Onward progress! Tone for everybody. :D

I've been quiet on 6 basically because Ive been busy working- re-amping tracks through the Axe FX for an album I'm producing.

It is really on a completely different level- totally fantastic stuff from Fractal.
I really couldn't be happier.

[stratzrus]

It's my hope that we (guitar players) get to the point where we stop trying to ape boxes with glowing bottles and adopt a mindset of seeking sounds in our heads rather than sounds of amps that already exist, many of which are decades old.
Agreed. I'd like to see more stuff that doesn't exist in the real world in these boxes. Models of real-world amps probably make selling your product easier though because there is a frame of reference for the buyer.I'm pretty much where Alec described and have been there since day one with the Axe Fx. I've never tried to duplicate a given amp but have always thought of a tone I needed and then used the box to get that tone. I have a few "decades old" amps and can play through them when I want those tones, but these days the tones I want are coming out of the Axe II.

I think that models of real world amps "make selling your product easier" because that's what most people want and it's why the Kemper has so many fans. I've read so many posts where people have said "It doesn't sound exactly like my..." or "It sounds exactly like my..." For many people that's their frame of reference and the yardstick by which modelers/profilers are measured.

For me though it's a non-issue. There are only a couple of tube amps I want these days; my Super Reverb and Sig:X are two and I have a strong suspicion I'd like the PT100 but at this point I'm just not all that interested in the rest, as wonderful as they may be. Past those three amps, give me the Axe II and I'll probably play through the Axe 95% even if I had all three of those wonderful amps because with the Axe I can create the tones I want, not just play the tones I've been given.

To me, that is the great gift of the Axe FX, it enables you to be your own tone sculptor and not be limited to someone else's vision. I'm sure that replicating specific tube amps can be very useful, it's just not my bag.

[7StringJazz]

One more "Get off my lawn!" comment.
I can't read any "Firmware N.N is the bestest EVAH!" stuff without dismissing it.
We've been on this treadmill since the first POD.

We should comb through the TGP archives and read the gushing reviews of the first AXE and the subsequent updates, how it blew everything else away and was nearly indistinguishable from this-or-that. Through the introduction of the AXE II that "Blew THAT away" and on we go.

We're we disingenuous then, or now? Or have we lost all perspective? Is the OMG reaction a Pavlovian response to the novelty of a new version of X? I'm including myself here, I'm as guilty as anyone.

Are there forums where Sax players talk about a new kind of valve-pad or violin players debate the merits of different brands of bow rosin?

But seriously, I love this sh!t. What an awesome time to be an electric guitar player.

In the new new world, newer is ALWAYS better. Just sayin. ;). In this case it is.

How does a DSP chip affect binary data? It goes in...it comes out. Is it adding code? Is it rounding of the 1's and 0's? Something about that statment just doesn't wash. I really don't think you can hear the affect of whatever chip is used.

If we take your point literally and reverse it, all DSP chips sound the same given the same numbers. They don't. Of course there is more to it than that. The algo, chip and associated circuitry all play a role in what you hear. This is not new news.

Ummm, no. IMHO, your HO is BS. ;) :D (Meant in good humor). If you are being serious and not pulling legs with this... you can't be serious. The processor chip has a 'signature' sound? Come on man. That's... funny... right? You are joking... right? So anything with a digital processor will have a similar 'signature' sound assuming they use the same chipsets?

You can't really mean that. There is no such thing. Killer strawman fallacy though, really. Just sayin'. :roll :roll

Regarding firmware and my opinion; sorry if my opinion pisses you off but this is a new way of working guys - Fractal doesn't stop. He won't stop at 6.0 either. I have no doubt it will get even better than it is now. Dismiss it at your own peril. I don't have to sell you anything, I've nothing to hide either. This box is a freaking beast and sounds insanely good. IMHO. YMMV. But I don't care if you disagree any more than I care if you do agree. I just speak for myself, no one else.

Why would you leap to the conclusion of your opinion pissing me off? Its your opinion. I'm just pointing out that it has never wavered in this regard with each new release going back a few years. Ok, it was snarky. But yes it was in jest.

I'm saying there is a sameness to the sounds. Its a quality that I've noticed. That's all. No biggie. No reason to freak. It reminds me of the differences between synth families. There is the Korg sound, The Yamaha sound and the Virus sound. And yes now there is the Fractal sound. Others have heard it as well. Its easily masked in recordings and why I use it the most there.

Finally, I'm on the treadmill because I genuinely use it AND, believe it or not, I enjoy it. And believe it or not have heard progress. Bravo to the Fractal team.

Sorry to OP for the derail. I now return you to your regularly scheduled program. :)

[Scott Peterson]

Why would you leap to the conclusion of your opinion pissing me off? Its your opinion. I'm just pointing out that it has never wavered in this regard with each new release going back a few years. Ok, it was snarky. But yes it was in jest.

I'm saying there is a sameness to the sounds. Its a quality that I've noticed. That's all. No biggie. No reason to freak. It reminds me of the differences between synth families. There is the Korg sound, The Yamaha sound and the Virus sound. And yes now there is the Fractal sound. Others have heard it as well. Its easily masked in recordings and why I use it the most there.

Finally, I'm on the treadmill because I genuinely use it AND, believe it or not, I enjoy it. And believe it or not have heard progress. Bravo to the Fractal team.

Sorry to OP for the derail. I now return you to your regularly scheduled program. :)

I didn't leap to any conclusion, I wasn't even referring to you specifically (or I'd reference your name) and I'm not pissed nor did I think you are pissed off - note the smilies. Relax man. Everything's cool.

[zentman]

7 string....the chip has zero affect on the sound .... absolutely nada, zip, zilch. Code is not affected by a processor, it is simply processed. What goes in comes out. The chip does nothing to the code but process it.

The stuff people make up to sound like they know something amazes me sometimes.

[bsic]

The algo, chip and associated circuitry all play a role in what you hear. This is not new news.




Algo, sure. The sound is created by the algorithms. But if you can hear the "difference" between a Sharc and a C64x or some other DSP, you have a very active imagination. :)

[zentman]

Here you can really hear that Fractal signature sound. The Sharc chip adds so much color the difference is obvious.:

http://soundcloud.com/aeonix/axefx-ii-fw6-0-end-of


:sarcasm

[jabelardo]

My Protools Mixes sounds so much better in AMD than in INTEL !!!
:sarcasm

[hanales]

This box is a freaking beast and sounds insanely good. IMHO. YMMV. But I don't care if you disagree any more than I care if you do agree. I just speak for myself, no one else.

I'm confused, could you quantify that in percentages of realness?

Tone matching is something that makes me actually think about purchasing an AxeII. I can't wait to start hearing matches after the feature has been out there a while.

[Scott Peterson]

I'm confused, could you quantify that in percentages of realness?

Tone matching is something that makes me actually think about purchasing an AxeII. I can't wait to start hearing matches after the feature has been out there a while.

I don't jump into that cesspool anymore. :barf :horse :D

[stratzrus]

I'm confused, could you quantify that in percentages of realness?I think we're up to 127% realer but I may have lost count.

[CyberFerret]

Predicted conversation on TGP in 2035:

DethMeTLHistorian: "Yeah, I thought that those pre '08 SHARC chips gave the best tone"

TedeschiTrucks'Grandson: "What? Everyone know that the 2012 TigerSHARCs had a more rasterised swirl..."

DethMeTLHistorian: "You're wrong!"

TedeschiTrucks'Grandson: "No YOU'RE wrong!..."

ScottP'sHeadInAJar: "I like Pop Tarts!"

:D

[Gasp100]

One more "Get off my lawn!" comment.
I can't read any "Firmware N.N is the bestest EVAH!" stuff without dismissing it.
We've been on this treadmill since the first POD.

We should comb through the TGP archives and read the gushing reviews of the first AXE and the subsequent updates, how it blew everything else away and was nearly indistinguishable from this-or-that. Through the introduction of the AXE II that "Blew THAT away" and on we go.

We're we disingenuous then, or now? Or have we lost all perspective? Is the OMG reaction a Pavlovian response to the novelty of a new version of X? I'm including myself here, I'm as guilty as anyone.

Are there forums where Sax players talk about a new kind of valve-pad or violin players debate the merits of different brands of bow rosin?

But seriously, I love this sh!t. What an awesome time to be an electric guitar player.

Why is it so hard to understand that things can get better with new firmware? I personally think with generation 1 AxeFx there were some benchmark or watershed firmware releases that improved the unit immensely, namely firmware 11. Then the II came out with twice the power, higher quality hardware in some respects, even more IO options, the new approach to power amp modeling, built in third party IRs, etc. Since then 3.x was pretty significant, 5.x was better still and 6.0 incorporates a TON of new things and a completely reworked approach to the power amp modeling.
Cliff is learning more as he goes and pushes the envelope and we are the benefactors... So, what is it you don't understand? I compared my previous lightly tweaked handful of 5.07 patches / recordings to more ones that are straight out of the box with 6.0 and the new presets / patches simply sound better, almost across the board.
I also have an older clip of the Buttery sim from firmware 2 or 3 that I recorded and when I compare it to my most recent patch in 6.0 it's simply no contest.
So yes, at that time I was very happy with my preset and probably didn't think it could (or had to) get better for me, but.... It has... For free :)

[Deaj]

Regarding the 'Firmware N.N is the best evah!' type reviews that follow each new firmware update: There really is no equivalent phenomena in the analog guitar electronics market. In fact it's quite the opposite really. Guitar players are a conservative bunch on the whole and most look to the past of 50 years or so to gauge the sound quality and visual appeal of new gear. The current trend in digital guitar tone generation is to replicate the past as accurately as possible and this will continue so long as there is progress to be made. Just as with any other technology the collective advancements of the past accelerate the next advancement ever faster with each new advancement. These advancements have gradually moved from broad-stroke methods to capture the general character of a given sound to ever smaller and more intricate details. As most tube amp enthusiasts are well aware the 'magic' is in the subtle details of an amps tone and some players will pay many thousands of dollars buying custom made or rare, hard to obtain amps in attempts to get the very most from tube amps. Modeling is now advancing to these very subtle details and, although the advancements might seem smaller, they're the most important advancements to date and make all the difference in the world to those who utilize modeling technology. Firmware updates bring improvement in ever smaller detail but the results are sometimes revolutionary in the ongoing effort to close the gap between digital emulation and tube amplification. The 'even more realer' reaction by those watching this process is not surprising. From a short distance it would appear to be a rehash of the reaction following each prior update. From the inside looking out the view is progress at an ever increasing rate. It's all a matter of perspective.

[BCnSTL]

You made an eloquent and compelling case there. It's hard to disagree.

I'm just jaded enough to strongly suspect that the phenomenon of rapid digital gear updates/upgrades is the natural result of the confluence of a willing technology-savvy market (we the modeling-receptive guitar players), maturing digital technology and opportunistic marketing (and I don't mean that in any negative way).

I try (and usually fail) to keep-in-mind that modeling technology has been more than Good Enough for quite some time now. The audience cares about your being in-tune and in-time and playing with feeling and is wholly, and hopefully blissfully, unaware of the extra 2% of realism or magic pixie dust.

I know I know - it's the pixie dust that often enables us to play 'with feeling'.

[mjtripper]

Predicted conversation on TGP in 2035:

DethMeTLHistorian: "Yeah, I thought that those pre '08 SHARC chips gave the best tone"

TedeschiTrucks'Grandson: "What? Everyone know that the 2012 TigerSHARCs had a more rasterised swirl..."

DethMeTLHistorian: "You're wrong!"

TedeschiTrucks'Grandson: "No YOU'RE wrong!..."

ScottP'sHeadInAJar: "I like Pop Tarts!"

:D

Pop Tarts pre '03 taste better :drool

[Scott Peterson]

Pop Tarts pre '03 taste better :drool

Scary thing with pop tarts is that the same pop tart will taste the same in '03 as they would in '12 or '15. :eeks ;)

[mjtripper]

Scary thing with pop tarts is that the same pop tart will taste the same in '03 as they would in '12 or '15. :eeks ;)

That's ok, all my '03 pop tarts will be post processed by then :barf