sandman
Well-known member
So many different modelers on the market and with the Line 6 Helix Stadium being released soon, any thoughts on when a new Fractal Axe Fx model may be released? The axe fx iii has been around quite awhile now.
roodboy
Well-known member
The day after I upgrade my fm9 to the axefx III
gbsmusic
Well-known member
That's how it works I was going to say the day after you say fUCK it I'll just buy an axefx III the axefx IV will come out
tallcoolone
Well-known member
AXEIII came out the day after I sold my AXEII
rsm
Well-known member
I sold my Axe-FX Ultra a few weeks before the next model was released. They still had long wait lists, so used could be sold at new / near new prices, IIRC, I got most of my money back.
I recently sold my FM9 MkII Turbo, so I beat that loss; I still have a Helix Floor and HX-Effects that lost market value.
The hardware upgrade cycle, even one as long as Helix, is still a concern; this is why I moved back to tube amps, ISP Theta Pro, and to computer plugin rigs.
Most of the software plugins provide free upgrades; for just guitar, I don't need a powerful gaming computer, I use a refurbished Dell Rugged Extreme Tablet with touchscreen and an Arturia MiniFuse: 1 without any latency issues.
I'm done with hardware modelers. I'd like to see a Windows-based computer in a floorboard format with integrated audio interface and expression pedal, where we can load our plugins of choice, and MIDI map the controls for each.
I recently sold my FM9 MkII Turbo, so I beat that loss; I still have a Helix Floor and HX-Effects that lost market value.
The hardware upgrade cycle, even one as long as Helix, is still a concern; this is why I moved back to tube amps, ISP Theta Pro, and to computer plugin rigs.
Most of the software plugins provide free upgrades; for just guitar, I don't need a powerful gaming computer, I use a refurbished Dell Rugged Extreme Tablet with touchscreen and an Arturia MiniFuse: 1 without any latency issues.
I'm done with hardware modelers. I'd like to see a Windows-based computer in a floorboard format with integrated audio interface and expression pedal, where we can load our plugins of choice, and MIDI map the controls for each.
rsm
Well-known member
no, because it would be a Windows computer in a floorboard format; open to the user / owner to install the software plugins of our choice. If it is a PC inside using standard PC hardware components, you could also have user upgradable memory, storage, etc.
Hardware modelers are closed systems, you have to use the modeling software they provide in their hardware, and they control the hardware components that are not user upgradable/replaceable.
TheGreatGreen
Well-known member
Cliff mentioned on the Fractal forums that the company hasn’t been sitting around doing nothing while all these other guys are releasing new products, and that their new stuff is going to be really cool, but no release date. I can’t imagine it will be too crazy long from now though, just feeling how the wind is blowing.
It’s fun to speculate about what might be different about it. As modeling goes forward, each new step representing an improvement or increase in “realism” gets smaller and smaller, I have to imagine the selling points have shifted. For me at least, I’d be interested in usability / quality of life improvements. Bigger grid, more instances of effects per patch, a 5th set of ins and outs, that kind of thing.
It’s fun to speculate about what might be different about it. As modeling goes forward, each new step representing an improvement or increase in “realism” gets smaller and smaller, I have to imagine the selling points have shifted. For me at least, I’d be interested in usability / quality of life improvements. Bigger grid, more instances of effects per patch, a 5th set of ins and outs, that kind of thing.
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
I wouldn’t expect to see one in the next 2 years. When they released the VP4 Cliff said they had more plans for the smaller pedal format and where the III is still getting regular updates with zero signs of slowing down I don’t think they’re in a rush to get a IV out. Right now the only thing that’d be pushing a new release is the DynaCabs and having the ability to load a shitload of them on a new unit, where the III can only fit so many.
What’s particularly crazy is even the FM3 has been able to keep up with all the updates and many thought that was going to fall by the wayside a while ago. The fact they got gapless switching on that thing is pretty insane considering all the memory it has to reserve to pull it off.
What’s particularly crazy is even the FM3 has been able to keep up with all the updates and many thought that was going to fall by the wayside a while ago. The fact they got gapless switching on that thing is pretty insane considering all the memory it has to reserve to pull it off.
tallcoolone
Well-known member
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
The next AxeFX is going to be the one that determines Cliff’s target market with Fractal gear; I’ve speculated for a while that he has zero interest in breaking into the general consumer market, or he’d be more focused/concerned about UI updates rather than figuring out the interaction between pedals and amps to model it properly.
If the next unit comes out and doesn’t have the easiest UI to use any modeler has seen yet, I won’t be surprised. The UI can certainly be a barrier for the less-technically inclined, or those who are too lazy to read a manual and want all the work done for them.
If the next unit comes out and doesn’t have the easiest UI to use any modeler has seen yet, I won’t be surprised. The UI can certainly be a barrier for the less-technically inclined, or those who are too lazy to read a manual and want all the work done for them.
rsm
Well-known member
It just needs a MIDI patch management software...
I use BlueCat Audio's PatchWork to organize my patches. I create a patch map for up to 10 patches in my KMI SoftStep2 MIDI floorcontroler where each patch is a PatchWork patch, then it uses MIDI program change to switch the different patches. Within each PatchWork patch, I can use any software plugins I want, and it has many utilities I use such as noise gate and gain.
Using the PatchWork gain and noisegate utilities means I can level set/unity gain across all my patches without having to deep dive into each plugin editor; this also makes it easier to reuse the same plugin patch in multiple patch maps.
Essentially, when I'm using my computer rig, it looks like a set of PatchWork patches irrespective of what's inside of each patch, making it easier to manage.
I also have several patch maps (Classic Rock, thrash, hair metal, prog,, fusion,...) with different patches for my SoftStep2, I load one of those patch maps into the SoftStep2 and get direct MIDI program change access to 10 different PatchWork patches. Each time I change a patch map, I have to load each patch once, after that they load faster until the patch map is changed.
Pretty simple and basic, once you understand it.
TheGreatGreen
Well-known member
I hope the next Axe-Fx doesn't have a touch screen that only lets you control like 3 or 4 parameters at once and that gets gummed up every time you touch it, or that has large graphics for every amp, cab, pedal, and effect. Seems like unnecessary bloat. I'm not saying the UI couldn't be streamlined in some ways but I hope it's more catered toward usability and fast editing rather than flash for people who like pretty pictures. Not saying you said that, just my thoughts.
The biggest hardware feature I've wished for with Fractal stuff is for the flagship devices to include a row of 8 or 10 physical knobs like you'd find on a tube amp with digital scribble strips so you can program a row of instant access knobs right there on the front of the unit, ready to go at all times, zero menu diving required whatsoever. Give that row of knobs a set of Page Forward and Page Back buttons so you can program multiple pages of knobs per patch. That's the best way I can think of to improve the user interface experience of basically any modeler.
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shar-vell Dan
Well-known member
With tariffs 2028+.
E
erniecaster
New member
Cliff is still trying to add more amps, cabs and effects. The deep parameters are not deep enough and the UI needs to be more complicated on a newer model.
RevDrucifer
Well-known member
Hell, the only thing I want to do is control the USB In volume from a knob on the front panel. I’m fairly UI blind; I can’t wrap my head around the gripes about it outside a couple instances when editing from the front panel. If I were told the UI would never be updated in any way I wouldn’t be bummed.
I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea above though, that’d be pretty slick.
It’s going to take a lot to get me to buy a IV, this thing is already doing what I want it to while still giving me surprises after 7-8 years. I’m uncertain how much better the tones can really get and really think the only area left in modeling to improve is the playback system.
C
chumbucket
Well-known member
I'd bet that Fractal's next move is an amp/cab version of the VP4.
pipelineaudio
Member
https://paintaudio.com/products/computer-effects-ce1
I'm not thrilled with some of the hardware choices, but this still seems pretty awesome. Give me RME drivers and a much more powerful CPU and I'd be on it in a second