Gassing for an axe fx for no reason :/

1nten5e

I'm drawn to the lack of gear I would need if I got one of these..I could stick it in a rack with the AR2412 stage box and my wireless (leaving it all connected) and have a monitor feed back from the desk for the guitar..........very tempting

matt1973

It's certainly possible. In that instance you would need to be playing through a pro level PA. As good as the Axe is, I wouldn't want to play a gig through a Wharfdale monitor. 

Also your signal is mixed in with all of the other things coming through you monitor. I found that a bit weird tbh.

1nten5e

hmmm, worth pondering over though

octatonic

matt1973 said:

It's certainly possible. In that instance you would need to be playing through a pro level PA. As good as the Axe is, I wouldn't want to play a gig through a Wharfdale monitor. 

Also your signal is mixed in with all of the other things coming through you monitor. I found that a bit weird tbh.

Agree.

IMHO the only way that works is to use in-ear monitoring.

Often circumstances don't allow for this so I use one in-ear for my guitar tone and stage monitoring for everything else.

Drew_TNBD

I played a gig last night. Tiiiiinnnyyy little place full metal heads and cute little goth chicks.

The PA would've barely handled vocals if we had any to throw at it, much less getting an Axe-FX up to the level required to be heard over acoustic drums.

It's really about what you're doing I think. If you're playing large stages and need to bring the stage volumes down, use an Axe FX. If you're playing sweaty little dive joints, then an Axe FX is massive overkill both in terms of time, budget, and tonal variety.

If you're at home, then the world is your oyster. I don't see the need for an Axe FX in a recording situation when I've got all the VST plugins I could ever need. I've got two good amps at the moment, and a range of guitars and pedals.

I've gassed for four years or more over the Fractal stuff... but it's never really been an option for me without a lot of wastage being involved.

ToneControl

I had every plugin you could get, and never really touched any since the day I got my AF2

octatonic

ToneControl said:

I had every plugin you could get, and never really touched any since the day I got my AF2

Me too.

Actually I use Amplitube on drums sometimes.

Drew_TNBD

I'd rather use LePou's plugins, Space Designer or CSR for reverbs, various delays and mod effects, etc.. etc...

Plus I use Plogue Bidule quite a bit too. If I want the whole Axe FX Edit experience... I've got it there.

The more time has gone on, the more I've realised that the Axe isn't for me. What would interest me is an fx-only floorboard unit that didn't cost 2 grand and was easy as pie to use. That would replace my entire floor setup in a heart beat.

Nothing else out there does it right now - too many compromises. Cliff should totally kill the HD500 and the GT-100... that I would buy.

ToneControl

I have bidule, doesn't really compare with AF2 I think - since AF2 is finely tuned to be guitar-specific, if generic FX did as well, I would have just strung my nice plugins together too

octatonic

Also worth mentioning is since I got rid of the multitude of amps I now have a lot more guitars.

fretmeister

At some point they are going to do proper bass amp models (not just SVT) and then I'm fucked.

Roland

Drew_fx;211062" said:

If you're playing sweaty little dive joints, then an Axe FX is massive overkill both in terms of time, budget, and tonal variety.

That's exactly what I use it for. Places that are too small for more than 50w, and too cramped for a 4x12. ... and I do want that tonal variety. Last week's landlady booked again, and recommend us to other venues because we weren't too loud and we played a wide variety of music.

ToneControl

octatonic said:

Also worth mentioning is since I got rid of the multitude of amps I now have a lot more guitars.

also guilty

ToneControl

Roland said:

Drew_fx;211062" said:

If you're playing sweaty little dive joints, then an Axe FX is massive overkill both in terms of time, budget, and tonal variety.

That's exactly what I use it for. Places that are too small for more than 50w, and too cramped for a 4x12. ... and I do want that tonal variety. Last week's landlady booked again, and recommend us to other venues because we weren't too loud and we played a wide variety of music.

Sounds like what I'd expect - flexibility and quality

If someone only wants one amp's sounds - at whatever volume the amp kicks out, plus a few pedals - and is prepare to carry the kit, fine, but an AF2 would be a serious live option for most players I think

Si_

My experience with the AxeFX is well known/documented. In the right hands there excellent, and can sound as good as almost any amp setup.. BUT you really do have to put the time into it, it's not plug and play so don't expect it to be. I never got on with FRFR at all so always used an amp and cab setup so it didn't really save much space over a good valve amp. We also never had a good enough PA to trust sending the AFX direct to FOH. 

I concur with what others have said, it really comes to life with the MFC controller, and although there bloody expensive they are a perfect match (obviously) and highly recommended. Using an FCB10101 is so limiting it's almost pointless. 

I've had 3 in total and had various levels of success (Standard, Ultra and II). When I sold my latest AxeFX II it was actually sounding great, and got good comments from people, but it took a lot of blood sweat and tears to get it there. I went back to valve amps so simplicity and love it, just having 6 knobs to tweak is really liberating If you're looking for something less than 50w for smaller places there are loads of options on the market now to suit all tastes. 

(saying that, I'm thinking of picking up my 4th AxeFX soon)

Drew_TNBD

ToneControl said:

I have bidule, doesn't really compare with AF2 I think - since AF2 is finely tuned to be guitar-specific, if generic FX did as well, I would have just strung my nice plugins together too

I disagree. You're fetishizing the AF2.

Don't get me wrong, I do think it's a good unit. That and the Kemper have really changed the world of guitar for a lot of people.

But for FX, I don't think the AF2 is particularly world changing. Hold it up to Valhalla reverbs, Soundtoys delays, hell even the Audio Damage stuff for the crazy effects.... there just isn't a comparison. VST's offer better sound quality, more variety, and more instances.

And in a recording situation, where I am using amp models... that's the direction I would go. In a live situation... I prefer a real amp.

ToneControl

Drew_fx said:

ToneControl said:

I have bidule, doesn't really compare with AF2 I think - since AF2 is finely tuned to be guitar-specific, if generic FX did as well, I would have just strung my nice plugins together too

I disagree. You're fetishizing the AF2.

Don't get me wrong, I do think it's a good unit. That and the Kemper have really changed the world of guitar for a lot of people.

But for FX, I don't think the AF2 is particularly world changing. Hold it up to Valhalla reverbs, Soundtoys delays, hell even the Audio Damage stuff for the crazy effects.... there just isn't a comparison. VST's offer better sound quality, more variety, and more instances.

And in a recording situation, where I am using amp models... that's the direction I would go. In a live situation... I prefer a real amp.

doesn't the latency bother you ?

I was running TDM initially, but then most amp sims went to native, and I didn't like it

Moving to the AF2 or KPA got rid of that horrible delay

Drew_TNBD

ToneControl said:

Drew_fx said:

ToneControl said:

I have bidule, doesn't really compare with AF2 I think - since AF2 is finely tuned to be guitar-specific, if generic FX did as well, I would have just strung my nice plugins together too

I disagree. You're fetishizing the AF2.

Don't get me wrong, I do think it's a good unit. That and the Kemper have really changed the world of guitar for a lot of people.

But for FX, I don't think the AF2 is particularly world changing. Hold it up to Valhalla reverbs, Soundtoys delays, hell even the Audio Damage stuff for the crazy effects.... there just isn't a comparison. VST's offer better sound quality, more variety, and more instances.

And in a recording situation, where I am using amp models... that's the direction I would go. In a live situation... I prefer a real amp.

doesn't the latency bother you ?

I was running TDM initially, but then most amp sims went to native, and I didn't like it

Moving to the AF2 or KPA got rid of that horrible delay

Nah. I run at 32 or 64 samples all the time. I never change it. I don't get any perceptible latency. You'll have some latency in the AF2 as well, around 2ms according to the Axe FX wiki. I don't know if that is round-trip or not. My setup has a roundtrip latency of 6ms. Nothing to worry about at all.

I should probably preface all of this with the fact that I only use amp-sims for demo work. I don't use them for stuff we release, for those I use real amps.

I would love an Axe FX truth be told, because I am a gearslut and I do like tweaking things. But since live use is always the priority for me (right now anyway!) I've never dived into that pool. I've tried Jim's setup and it slays. That was back in firmware 10 days I believe. But he'd invested a lot of time and money, and I'm just not prepared to do that.

"If it aint broke then don't fix it" comes to mind.

ToneControl

that 6ms not going to be the latency once you run it through the sims & FX though, and straight-through DI-Guitar monitoring is unlikely to please the ear

However, if it doesn't affect your playing, it's not an issue

Getting back to cost - the AF2 as freed up cash for me

I'd advise anyone making a living from music to have one - the flexibility in sound and portability are major advantages. It is true though, that I find my favourite 4 amps more intoxicating to play, but they are rather special

Drew_TNBD

Sure, I'd probably agere the flexibility and portability are massive advantages. I'm not making my living from music. I'm a bedroom warrior who happens to have a pretty good band! We're all in the same boat actually.

Looking at my rig as it stands, there is a lot of money tied up in it already! I've gone through countless numbers of amps, and pedals. I'm at a good place right now.

The GAS never stops though - now I'm looking at guitars and basses!! *groan*