Axe FX or TriAxis?

[thiswaythatway]

We had a TriAxis rig last week....the dude is buying an AxeFx. The TriAxis didn't cut it at all and noisy too. I'd get a JMP1 way before a TriAxis. I'd still choose an AxeFx of course. If I thought the TriAxis sounded good I would tell you....it simply doesn't.

Mark

What power amp was it on? Those preamps sounded best on the 2:90. However, I think the Mesa Quad kicks the Triaxis in the gut and steals it's lunch money.

 

[Bob Savage]

I'd wait for the Axe...

 

[Mark Day]

We had a TriAxis rig last week....the dude is buying an AxeFx. The TriAxis didn't cut it at all and noisy too. I'd get a JMP1 way before a TriAxis. I'd still choose an AxeFx of course. If I thought the TriAxis sounded good I would tell you....it simply doesn't.

Mark

What power amp was it on? Those preamps sounded best on the 2:90. However, I think the Mesa Quad kicks the Triaxis in the gut and steals it's lunch money.

2:90

Our rigs are as quiet as we can make them. The TriAxis was not quiet, but more than that it just didn't sound great. There are much better sounding pre's out there. Again IMHO.

Mark

 

[Bob Savage]

We had a TriAxis rig last week....the dude is buying an AxeFx. The TriAxis didn't cut it at all and noisy too. I'd get a JMP1 way before a TriAxis. I'd still choose an AxeFx of course. If I thought the TriAxis sounded good I would tell you....it simply doesn't.

Mark

What power amp was it on? Those preamps sounded best on the 2:90. However, I think the Mesa Quad kicks the Triaxis in the gut and steals it's lunch money.

Agreed on the Quad preamp. I've had it and the Triaxis and preferred the Quad by far. The Triaxis was cool but never really rocked my world.

 

[mentoneman]

We had a TriAxis rig last week....the dude is buying an AxeFx. The TriAxis didn't cut it at all and noisy too. I'd get a JMP1 way before a TriAxis. I'd still choose an AxeFx of course. If I thought the TriAxis sounded good I would tell you....it simply doesn't.

Mark

What power amp was it on? Those preamps sounded best on the 2:90. However, I think the Mesa Quad kicks the Triaxis in the gut and steals it's lunch money.

2:90

Our rigs are as quiet as we can make them. The TriAxis was not quiet, but more than that it just didn't sound great. There are much better sounding pre's out there. Again IMHO.

Mark

howdy mark

what mixers are you guys putting in rigs these days?

 

[stephen sawall]

I owned a Triaxis, JMP1.... both are OK. But I preferred the full amps by far. I was thinking about picking up a Quad just the other day.... using it with my IV so I would have the II, III & IV preamps.

 

[steve_k]

To answer your other question David, there is a great Mk1 green (clean), IIC+, IV, IV Lead and several old and modern Recto models in the AFX2. They all need a bit of tweaking on the EQ. The MkIV is one of the the best kick ass rock tones in the box.

You are limited like I said with the Triaxis. The Axe has another decade of technology in it. But, I will disagree with Mark's assessment above. I didn't find a Triaxis noisy. Probably needs services or roll some tubes. It's a Mesa thing. Anything with tubes though will never be as quiet as digital.

I have to disagree with the noise comment. I work with two guys that have been doing this a long time and they both said they are noisy. I have tried a few of these over the years and I've used other Mesa products in my rigs.....the TriAxis is not a shining star among Mesa's other products IMHO. The JMP1 walks all over it.

I thought you were using an AxeFx? Did I miss something? I don't read much here anymore due to time available, but I remember you saying the AxeFx was your new rig and how happy you were with it?
Did you ditch it? What are you using now?

You can disagree. Was just answering David's question about the Triaxis. I am not a Fractal salesman....

Not sure why he is having trouble getting one. Buy off the Fractal site. For the money though, the AFX2 is undisputed winner for recreating anything on the Mesa. But, $2200 vs. $800 used, if he's into a Mesa tone, that may be a selling point.

Yes, the AFX2 is bliss. But, my amps and the Two Notes Torpedo live is better..... when all the FX aren't required.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

If you're using a 4x12 and a tube poweramp, Triaxis. Everything else, Axe.

Bingo

+2

 

[rupe]

I thought the Triaxis was cool (and mine wasn't any noisier than any other tube pre at similar levels of gain) but ultimately pulled in from my rack in favor of my old MP-1 after a few months. That said, it will certainly do what you need of it. There are several different versions and I don't recall which one I had, but my experience differs from the Tone Merchants crowd.

Don't you have an X-99? Run that into the Torpedo, add an effects unit in a lightweight 4 space rack...done, and your wife will have no issues.

 

[thiswaythatway]

We had a TriAxis rig last week....the dude is buying an AxeFx. The TriAxis didn't cut it at all and noisy too. I'd get a JMP1 way before a TriAxis. I'd still choose an AxeFx of course. If I thought the TriAxis sounded good I would tell you....it simply doesn't.

Mark

What power amp was it on? Those preamps sounded best on the 2:90. However, I think the Mesa Quad kicks the Triaxis in the gut and steals it's lunch money.

2:90

Our rigs are as quiet as we can make them. The TriAxis was not quiet, but more than that it just didn't sound great. There are much better sounding pre's out there. Again IMHO.

Mark

When Petrucci used the TriAxis I never liked his tone, thin processed, etc. When he switched to IIC+ amps for the Scenes album his tone was a million times better. I've never owned a TriAxis but my friend had decent results. IMHO, Mesa should have kept the Quad and discontinued the TriAxis.

 

[Sick Michael]

Still running my quad after all these years. Still my favourite....Id put it up against anything....apart from Marshall tones...have to engage an MI Audio crunch box for that!

 

[Sick Michael]

axe II probably double stuffs it like a keebler elf on uppers.

LOL

Pat owns!

 

[shredi knight]

When Petrucci used the TriAxis I never liked his tone, thin processed, etc. When he switched to IIC+ amps for the Scenes album his tone was a million times better....

Switched?

He was using the IIc+ long before the Scenes album. The 2 albums before it, "Awake" & "Falling Into Infinity" were primarily IIc+ (Awake's rhythms were quad tracked IIc+/Dual Recto - solos were all IIc+), and no one knows for sure what was used on "Images & Words" (though the Triaxis didn't come out until after that album was recorded). He did use the Triaxis as part of his live tone for the first few tours though.

Where Petrucci did use the Triaxis (and nothing else) was the first Liquid Tension Experiment album & his instructional video, "Rock Discipline". Many people (including me) think the tones on RD were some of his very best (search "Petrucci Rock Discipline" on YouTube to hear for yourself).

He also recently brought the Triaxis back out for the G3 tour. This is just a couple of videos shot with a digital camera (presumably), but the tone sounds great and far from thin:

(skip ahead to around 2:00)

 

[Shark Diver]

I thought the Triaxis was cool (and mine wasn't any noisier than any other tube pre at similar levels of gain) but ultimately pulled in from my rack in favor of my old MP-1 after a few months. That said, it will certainly do what you need of it. There are several different versions and I don't recall which one I had, but my experience differs from the Tone Merchants crowd.

Don't you have an X-99? Run that into the Torpedo, add an effects unit in a lightweight 4 space rack...done, and your wife will have no issues.

Yeah, I just didn't want to pull it out of the rack I just wired. I had a Triaxis so long ago it's had for me to compare it to what I have today. But I don't remember any noise issues. I'll probably end up with an Axe, and get a Triaxis just for the Hell of it. I played a few years with one and remember digging it.

 

[yngzaklynch]

He also recently brought the Triaxis back out for the G3 tour. This is just a couple of videos shot with a digital camera (presumably), but the tone sounds great and far from thin:

It's the killer guitar that makes him sound so great.

 

[stephen sawall]

He also recently brought the Triaxis back out for the G3 tour. This is just a couple of videos shot with a digital camera (presumably), but the tone sounds great and far from thin:

It's the killer guitar that makes him sound so great.

Tone is in the hands ..... It is kind of amusing I say this & can be found on several "gear" forums.

 

[mentoneman]

axe II probably double stuffs it like a keebler elf on uppers.

LOL

Pat owns!

it's you who have the last laugh my friend-the quad/395 is an amazing cornucopia of mark series tones--the best era mesa had IMO

 

[stephen sawall]

This thread is giving me Quad GAS...

 

[Shark Diver]

Well, I saw this and couldn't resist. Proto X99:

So, Triaxis is a definite no go. Probably will still get the Axe for FX and to check out the sims. Maybe use the Axe sims for things the X99 won't do.


Thanks for all the input

 

[thiswaythatway]

When Petrucci used the TriAxis I never liked his tone, thin processed, etc. When he switched to IIC+ amps for the Scenes album his tone was a million times better....

Switched?

He was using the IIc+ long before the Scenes album. The 2 albums before it, "Awake" & "Falling Into Infinity" were primarily IIc+ (Awake's rhythms were quad tracked IIc+/Dual Recto - solos were all IIc+), and no one knows for sure what was used on "Images & Words" (though the Triaxis didn't come out until after that album was recorded). He did use the Triaxis as part of his live tone for the first few tours though.

Where Petrucci did use the Triaxis (and nothing else) was the first Liquid Tension Experiment album & his instructional video, "Rock Discipline". Many people (including me) think the tones on RD were some of his very best (search "Petrucci Rock Discipline" on YouTube to hear for yourself).

He also recently brought the Triaxis back out for the G3 tour. This is just a couple of videos shot with a digital camera (presumably), but the tone sounds great and far from thin:

(skip ahead to around 2:00)

I saw them in the early 90's and he was using the TriAxis. It was before Images was officially released but they were playing all the songs off the album. It snowed out hard that night and there were maybe 70 people in the club. Fast Lanes in Asbury Park to be exact. I clearly remembering seeing the TriAxis.

And a few months before that night I bought a Rane mixer from some guy named John. I went to his apartment and it was him. He had a stack of Images And Words CD's. At the time I knew them more from the band Majesty.


I wasn't sure what he used on Awake but Scenes to me sounds a million times better than Images, or Awake.


When I was at his apartment he was selling Randall gear because he said he was switching to Mesa Boogie and they weren't giving him any free gear. Imagine that.