Fractal AXE-EFX Guitar Simulator/Processor

[HamerHokie]

Line 6 seriously needs to release a Vetta III...

I think they are selling ultra cheap Spider IIIs hand over fist.

[jisham]

Line 6 seriously needs to release a Vetta III...

I think they are selling ultra cheap Spider IIIs hand over fist.

The Spider Valves sell really well too.

[darc]

I think a big enough percentage of the (small to begin with) Vetta crowd was clamoring for a rack-mount, pre-only Vetta to pair with a tube power section, they've decided to go this route instead of a Vetta III:

POD X3 Pro

But I don't think this is going to go toe-to-toe with the AxeFX.

Line 6 seems to have lowered their sights in recent years, targeting the low and mid-end market. From a purely economic standpoint, can't say as I blame them. Guitarists who want to spend serious money generally want to spend it on the tried and the true. The likes of Fractal will have to take up the baton as far as changing everyone's minds about the potential of high-end modeling.

P.S. "mid-end" - is that a contradiction in terms?

[SteveB]

I haven't tried it into a PA yet, but into a QSC PLX and guitar cabs (with cab sims turned off), you promptly forget you're playing a computer.

I think poweramp into guitar cabs that you are familiar with is how everyone should start with AxeFx. Too many variables get introduced by trying to go full range right off IMO. The Axe really does sound fantastic in that kind of setup.

Line 6 seems to have lowered their sights in recent years, targeting the low and mid-end market.

I think Cliff at Fractal was smart by basically shooting for the "Boutique" modelling market, which has the price points to allow him to keep his company small and keep production in the USA. Top of the line converters and processing equipment in the Axe is part of the reason its able to sound like it does, as well as some very creative software engineering.

I plugged in the Mesa IIC+ for the first time in a while, and confirmed that in fact the Axe has a wider range between Clean and Scream on one channel using the guitar volume in it's Mesa models than the IIC+ even can manage, and the IIC+ is probably the best of the Mesa's in that regard. I should do a decent clip, but the Axe goes from Near perfect cleans to over the top metal with just the volume control and pickup changes on my PRS CE-24, and the sound doesn't thin out much even running the volume on 2 or 3. Its pretty damn impressive how well the Axe responds to the guitar.

[darc]

Stop! You're making me want one.

do... not... need... gear... do... not... need... gear...

[silentman]

OK. Spent a few hours just noodling thru the 360!?! presets in this monster. Hooked it up to a TubeWorks Mosvalve power amp into 2 Mesa Theile cabs w/ EVM's. First thing I did was go into the global menu and disable all the cab emulation. I'll echo Steve saying this thing is uber responsive and I was able to get ripping Plexi and Vox tones with ease at bedroom volumes. Mark IV tones, no problem. You like thrash, no problem. And I really didn't even dive into the menu settings much. The only sounds I wasn't digging was the cranked tweed sounds. But so far I'm more than impressed.

[AdmiralB]

The 'tweed' amp is really a blackface Deluxe Reverb, so if you were expecting a 5E3, I can see why you're disappointed.

If you like it with EVM Thieles, try it with some other guitar cabs. I think it sounds terrible through my Thieles (of course, I think just about everything sounds worse through them).

[silentman]

The only other cab I personally own is a Mesa open back 1/12 which has a C90 in it, I do plan on trying it thru a friends Marshall 4x12 this evening.

[AdmiralB]

I haven't played it through 412s yet (moved recently, haven't got everything out of storage).

I have a pair of Crate 112s that are clones of the Bogner Cube (V30s) - they are significantly 'bigger' sounding than the Thieles. But the rig REALLY cooks through a pair of Mesa vertical 212s.

[sw686blue]

Stupid question...this is a pre-amp that basically needs a power amp and a cab and you're ready to go?

[AdmiralB]

It's a preamp/effects device. You can use it as effects-only in the loop of an amp, or you can use it as a preamp to a powered monitor (what the full-range guys do), or use a power amp and cabs.

If you're gonna gig with it, you'll need some kind of footcontroller.

[SteveB]

If you like it with EVM Thieles, try it with some other guitar cabs. I think it sounds terrible through my Thieles (of course, I think just about everything sounds worse through them).

The Axe seems really dark through all my Mesa Cabs. If I'm using my boogies poweramp I use the graphic EQ and Presence to bring the highs in line, otherwise I have to adjust the patches directly. I'm not quite sure why this is, I never thought of EVM's as particularly dark, although the C90's can be dark. What speakers are you having good luck with? I'm thinking of picking up one of those nice compact Hermida 2x12 ported cabs.

[AdmiralB]

I've got eight cabs - two Mesa traditional 412s (one each with V30s and C90s), two vertical 212s (ditto), two Thieles with EVMs, and two the Crate 112s with V30s.

FWIW the ONLY rig that sounds good to my ears through the EVMs is my DG Stomp into a clean power amp (Crate Powerblock, specifically - my living room rig).

The Axe sounds great through all the others (well, I'm assuming on the 412s - what doesn't sound good through a 412?), I'm using a QSC PLX1802 for power.

I think V30s sound great with it.

[SteveB]

I kinda wonder how Eminence Beta12-LTA's would sound. They have old style "whizzer" cones to bring the frequency response up to 8hz, which might make the cab sims more usable.

[silentman]

Played it thru a Marshall JCM 900 cab lat night. The stereo field was not as wide as 2 separate cabs, but it sounded big.

[AdmiralB]

Today I bought a pair of the QSC powered monitors all the Axe Forum guys jizz over. Sam Ash was having a sale - 10% off anything over $499, and 18 months SAC.

I don't have a Sam Ash card, so I went to GC with the postcard. They only had a pair of floor stock QSCs (with some shopwear), but I got them down to $709 each from MAP of $899. They're having a 12 month SAC deal on Gibson/Epi, so they rang up a pack of Gibson knobs at zero cost on the ticket to get me into that deal.

Brought them home, hooked them up so that I could A/B between them and my Mesa vertical 212s....holy sh7t, these sound huge. Hence, the big For Sale post.

Only real drawback is that they run out of power kinda quick, but you are at a totally insane volume when that happens.

[SteveB]

Brought them home, hooked them up so that I could A/B between them and my Mesa vertical 212s....holy sh7t, these sound huge. Hence, the big For Sale post.

Hows the weight of one of the QSC's verses the Mesa Vert 2x12's? about the same?

[AdmiralB]

Hows the weight of one of the QSC's verses the Mesa Vert 2x12's? about the same?

According to the specs, they're 14 pounds lighter (61 for the QSCs, 75 for the Mesas). They're certainly easier to lift and handle, but OTOH since they're not on casters, you DO have to lift and carry them.

[SouthernShred]

I bought a QSC for mine the other day and I'm over the moon...it's phenomenal...combined with some of the user IR's (cabinet models) I've installed, this thing has made me forget about tube amps and I've been a tube snob forever

[SteveB]

I bought a QSC for mine the other day and I'm over the moon...it's phenomenal...combined with some of the user IR's (cabinet models) I've installed, this thing has made me forget about tube amps and I've been a tube snob forever

QSC needs to offer a fractal users discount. Traynor too.