Yet again, another update, - PSA: New Axe-FX stuff is out

digitalkettle

Handsome_Chris said:

Good news everyone, FW 11.02 is out.

Goddamn...I think I work for my computer sometimes...every now and then it lets me do some music.

Handsome_Chris

LOL duly awarded, and wisdom added to previous post.

Si_

I'm thinking about dumping my Matrix amp and going for a nice 1u valve amp instead. Just need to fins a Matrix or Mesa 20w for sale somewhere..

Van_Hayden

Si_;27120" said:

I'm thinking about dumping my Matrix amp and going for a nice 1u valve amp instead. Just need to fins a Matrix or Mesa 20w for sale somewhere..

I was thinking of doing the same, the matrix I'm finding a bit hard and unresponsive. But then again it's light & loud.

chrispy108

This free GAS you get with the AxeFX makes me want one.

Is the original version still getting updates?

digitalkettle

chrispy108 said:

This free GAS you get with the AxeFX makes me want one.

Is the original version still getting updates?

No...they've max'd out...only the AFXII gets updates now.

octatonic

digitalkettle said:

chrispy108 said:

This free GAS you get with the AxeFX makes me want one.

Is the original version still getting updates?

No...they've max'd out...only the AFXII gets updates now.

Actually there is still a bit of space for some future amp models- but Cliff hasn't been too concerned with them/has been busy with the II.

digitalkettle

octatonic said:

Actually there is still a bit of space for some future amp models- but Cliff hasn't been too concerned with them/has been busy with the II.

Yeah, feels unlikely...but if there's one guy who would go back and spruce up an older product, it's Cliff.

I seem to recall him levelling them up on an early AFXII release...so he owes nothing in my book.

Bottom line: if I were buying an older Fractal product, I'd consider it mature and as-is...and that could be a very good thing 

digitalkettle

Handsome_Chris said:

Good news everyone, FW 11.02 is out. 

And now FW 11.03 along with AE 3.0.1 >:D<

digitalscream

Bloody hell...this thread alone is putting me off the idea of an AxeFX. 3 point releases of the firmware in a week? Sorry, but that's just shit software development and makes me question whether I could really trust it in a critical situation.

And to think...the Fractal fanboys (and Cliff himself) were all over Kemper about exactly the same thing when it was first released... 

Van_Hayden

It is a pita but then I don't moan too much cause I don't have to upgrade.

Although there's something going wrong at the beta stage, either Fractal don't listen to the testers, the beta phase is too short or the beta testers don't so their job properly. Add that to the pressure they're under to bring the new release forward - they've created an expectation of regular updates which must put a lot of strain on the process.

If you want a finished product save a load and get an Ultra - they still sound great and haven't changed for a couple of years.

Roland

Van_Hayden said:

If you want a finished product save a load and get an Ultra - they still sound great and haven't changed for a couple of years.

If anyone wants an Ultra I'll sell them mine at "forum rates".  I really can't justify keeping it as a backup, especially when having a complete hot backup would mean taking a second rack to a gig.

Si_

That's what I said above, they need to re-think their software release policy. I think Cliff has done a great thing with the AxeFX, however he's still treating it like his little lab toy rather than a professional product. Firmware releases are way too fast and often buggy, they should stick to a quarterly release schedule (or longer) rather than trying to keep pushing it out when Cliff thinks it's "good enough". They also need proper beta testers who spend a lot of time with it before it goes to public release, months ideally, and not just the mates from the Fractal forums, it should go through proper testing and quality assurance before being released. 

Taking Paulmapps analogy above about Microsoft, often major Microsoft releases are in beta for well over a year before they even get to public beta never mind full release.

If you look at the professional players using the Axe (and the serious amateurs), most that i've seen are at LEAST 1 major firmware revision behind the bleeding edge, they can't afford to be installing buggy software. I read somewhere that some of them are several releases behind.

FW 11 brought in a new issue that I believe none of the other FWs have had. patches created in FW 11 are NOT backwards compatible to earlier revisions, even if you make a slight change and save it then you can't regress the FW version without re-creating the patch (or hoping your last backup works). 

octatonic

Si_ said:

That's what I said above, they need to re-think their software release policy. I think Cliff has done a great thing with the AxeFX, however he's still treating it like his little lab toy rather than a professional product. Firmware releases are way too fast and often buggy, they should stick to a quarterly release schedule (or longer) rather than trying to keep pushing it out when Cliff thinks it's "good enough". They also need proper beta testers who spend a lot of time with it before it goes to public release, months ideally, and not just the mates from the Fractal forums, it should go through proper testing and quality assurance before being released. 

The fractal beta-testers are actually pretty good but there are simply too many releases for them to do a proper job.

I agree they need to calm down on their release schedule- it is great to get loads of new toys but I need things stable more than I need more amp models.

Drew_TNBD

This is probably the first time I've seen criticism for their software update policy. Generally people are schlurping at Cliffs dong because of all the free updates.

3 point releases in a week to fix some silly little bugs that snuck in... that's better than anything Digidesign/Avid ever did/do!! They leave you hanging for months with stupid bugs.

Handsome_Chris

Drew_fx said:

This is probably the first time I've seen criticism for their software update policy. Generally people are schlurping at Cliffs dong because of all the free updates.

3 point releases in a week to fix some silly little bugs that snuck in... that's better than anything Digidesign/Avid ever did/do!! They leave you hanging for months with stupid bugs.

I think it was the best part of a year before Roland released an update for the GR-55.  I believe that this is standard, as Roland have a broad product range where as FAS only have two products that they focus on so bugs get sorted very quickly. 

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

This is probably the first time I've seen criticism for their software update policy. Generally people are schlurping at Cliffs dong because of all the free updates.

3 point releases in a week to fix some silly little bugs that snuck in... that's better than anything Digidesign/Avid ever did/do!! They leave you hanging for months with stupid bugs.

The problem is one thing gets fixed but something else then breaks.

I think there is a middle path between Fractal and Avid.

Handsome_Chris

Guess what?!  FW 11.03

Handsome_Chris

Fixed reporting wrong firmware revision to Axe-Edit. 

Fixed certain amp models referencing wrong MIMIC data structures. 

Fixed Amp block Master Volume capacitor value (MV CAP) not sticking. 

Handsome_Chris

And here is  Axe Edit 3.0.1 .