A little background first: I've had an AxeFx Std a few years ago, I have a bunch of tube amps (Mesa Dual Rec, Marshalls, Bugera, Engl, Kitty Hawk), I have almost all the Amplitube stuff now from the Olympic deal (and I had 100 credits from a previous deal left, so I got the whole thing for like €50) and I have the Redwirez BigBox and some Kalthallen and Ownhammer IRs as well as a selfmade IR from my Mesa 4x12 cab.
What's the best for you depends on a couple of things:
THE AMP SIMULATION:
AxeFx: The AxeFx is probably one of the most advanced modellers in regards to amp simulation. The endless options (amps and parameters) make it a tweakfest, though. My brain exploded from these many options and I ran in circles around a good tone without hitting it (not saying that the tone is not in there somewhere). This had been the main reason to sell it. Still, if I listen to some recordings I did back then, they sounded pretty darn good.
Amplitube: I really like a lot of the newer models and some of the older ones are gems, too. I fell in love with the Orange models and the Fender VibroKing Custom is great, too. But I don't have a direct comparison to the real deal, which makes it easier for me
. The Recto model ("Metal T" or something) is very close to my Dual Rectifier, but not as versatile.
THE CAB SIMULATION:
The cabs are the most important thing when it comes to modelling amps, IMHO. Far more important than the amp model to get a convincing sound that sits right in the mix.
AxeFx: I am one of the few that liked the stock cabs from the AxeFx the most. Particularily when I mixed two cabs. I ended up with a 2x12 and a 4x12 most of the time. If you find that those don't do it for you, check out Redwirez, Kalthallen and Ownhammer.
Amplitube: The stock cabs - despite their endless versatility with placement and mics and whatnot - never did it to me. None of them. The lack of low-mid and bass body make them sound thin and a bit sterile for me. Once I shot an IR from my own cab, I am very happy with it and it's scaringly close to my own cab. The Kalthallen IRs are great, too. But it's always a matter of taste.
THE WORKFLOW:
I'd say that this is the most important factor.
AxeFx: If you play live or with your band in a rehearsal room, the AxeFx might be the best choice. Reamping and auditioning different sounds is not as straightforward as with a software sim, because you have to run each guitar track seperately through the unit to get the final result.
Amplitube: If you want to record at home in your DAW, Amplitube might be the best choice. Flicking a cab on the left guitar track to see if it gels nicely with another one on the right is quick and easy, for example.
Currently, I am getting back to Amplitube and I am on a very good way to get very good sounds out of it. The convenience (for MY workflow, which is recording and composing at home mostly) is what makes it a winner for me.
And I can always reamp the final tracks through my real amps if I want to do so later.
You have a few days left, so why don't you grab some Kalthallen or Ownhammer IRs, get Amplitube Free, try out a few models (Orange Rockerverb, Thunderverb, Fender VibroKing, German Gain would be on my list) to see if they hold up to your AxeFx? If you want to try the Redwirez, check out the Bogner 4x12/SM57/CapEdge ones.
Good luck!
