Is it worth it? (Axe FX)

I'd buy a real amp. Axe-FX is just a fucking computer. Modelling is modelling, and t00bz are t00bz.

I guess I can agree with this somewhat.
The AXE FX is no doubt a wicked live solution because it lower stage sound levels if you run it direct to FOH and it also means far less work to setup and less strain on your legs/back from lifting stuff.
But at the end of the day, in the studio, why use an Axe FX that is 95 per cent of the way there to the real tone, when you can just get the real amp and have IT, THAT SOUND, the full 100 per cent?
 
having spent close to $10K on amps since 2000, with only the ability to get basically 1-2 tones out of each...............and spending only $1,500 on an AXE-FX standard.with the ability to get ENDLESS amount of realistic tones..to me its a "NO BRAINER" win for the AXE-FX!

I'd rather do 2 tones brilliantly then 100 averagely.
 
Yeah, the Axe FX can do some stellar tones though.
When I saw Meshuggah live, they sounded ridiculously good using Axe FXs.
I just think though for the Sneap-esque/Jens Bogren type shit, that a real amp is still better.
The Axe FX seems to really suit stuff like Periphery and Meshuggah
 
Axe-fx doing simple non-djenty chordal stuff. (Not my clip by the way)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/790683/Recto Radio rock.mp3

I have an Axe-fx and i dont play djenty stuff at all. My main patch is a 5150 and Recto into an Engl cab. Tones sound very BFMV (tones, not music :D). I also own a 5150 and Engl Pro cab so i also have the "real" version of the patch too. The Axe-fx sounds great, feels great and can be played at sane volumes through studio monitors for practicing at home.
 
Axe-fx doing simple non-djenty chordal stuff. (Not my clip by the way)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/790683/Recto Radio rock.mp3

I have an Axe-fx and i dont play djenty stuff at all. My main patch is a 5150 and Recto into an Engl cab. Tones sound very BFMV (tones, not music :D). I also own a 5150 and Engl Pro cab so i also have the "real" version of the patch too. The Axe-fx sounds great, feels great and can be played at sane volumes through studio monitors for practicing at home.

Wow. That sounds wonderful. That tone is pretty much what I'm looking for.
 
Not exactly a Sneap-esque tone, but this dude really slays with the Axe playing leads (in a Van Halenish kind of way). Yeah - he's old and nerdy, but what can you do...



By the way - I had an Axe and sold it. I don't deal too well with menus, so it was just way too over my head. I'd rather sit in front of an amp and twist a few knobs to get my tone. With the Axe I spent so much time tweaking that I never actually spent any time playing. It did sound great though.

Bobby
 
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I'd rather do 2 tones brilliantly then 100 averagely.

This is pretty much what it boils down to for me and why I sold mine. tubescreamer-->5150-->Mesa 4x12 sounded better than the axe-fx through same setup in a room side by side, and it sounded better mic'd up than the axe-fx going direct.

The only thing I really miss about it are the cool spacey, ambient clean patches... but for the price, it's hard to justify owning it just for that. I can come up with similar patches using a fender style amp sim and SoundToys plug-ins (mainly EchoBoy and Crystallizer) for the effects, but it's a bit harder to pull off those sounds live without the axe-fx. Still though, I think I made the right decision selling mine... The 5150/5150 III + Mesa OS 4x12 just nails the type of rhythm and lead tones I like. I just have to compromise a little with the kind of clean tones I like, but I'd rather compromise with that a little than dedicate $1500-$2000 solely to live clean/ambient tones.

I think if your ideal rhythm/lead tones are the super saturated metalcore/melodic death metal Sneap style guitar tones you'd be happier with a real amp and cab setup.
 
If I were in a pro touring band guitars would be Axe FX and go straight to FOH (only In-Ear-Monitors on stage). Automated patch changes via MIDI are mandatory.
I mean seriously with a real amp so many things can go wrong sound-wise in a live situation... Pretty sure no one would be able to tell if you are playing through a real amp or an Axe FX or even a POD in a full band live concert.
 
Not exactly a Sneap-esque tone, but this dude really slays with the Axe playing leads (in a Van Halenish kind of way). Yeah - he's old and nerdy, but what can you do...

YouTube AxeFX Lead Tone Sample

By the way - I had an Axe and sold it. I don't deal too well with menus, so it was just way too over my head. I'd rather sit in front of an amp and twist a few knobs to get my tone. With the Axe I spent so much time tweaking that I never actually spent any time playing. It did sound great though.

Bobby

That guy is awesome.
And about the nerdy part; His job is building rigs for other metal bands.. so yeah. :lol:
 
Totally worth it for me, in fact I just bought a 2nd which I've NEVER done with a piece of gear before, but I needed it both at home and in my live rig.

I first got mine just for FX and that alone was totally worth it. Eventide quality FX with way more flexibility and so much more intuitive to program. Which wouldn't matter if the sound quality wasn't there, but it is, in every effect.

Then I started getting into the amp models and was blown away by that too. I still use a real amp live and for some recordings but with the 4 cable method live the Axe replaced an entire huge rack and pedalboard, and kicks fucking ass for recording with as well.

ALL the FX are superb quality including the wahs, whammys and boosts that nobody else has gotten right in an all in one box (that i've tried).

You can also count on constant free upgrades adding new amps / FX and awesome customer service and support.
 
Everything I've heard from the Axe-FX sounds good... but it all sounds like Meshuggah's Catch 33. It *IS* a good sound. But in a high-gain situation, it always seems to sound like that album.

Maybe the people who buy the Axe-FX are predisposed to that kind of sound, I dunno... I wanna hear some Tool, some deftones, some Pink Floyd, and some ambient type shit through the thing before I totally make my mind up. But I'm not convinced by the stuff I've heard so far.
 
There are TONS of ambient clips out there. Id say thats the main type of clip you hear from the axe-fx. Spacey stuff to U2 type stuff to Pink Floyd

Heres a good Pink Floyd one with the Axe-fx. The solo tones at the end are :headbang:

Theres is also a good few Tool ones floating around. Heres one http://www.netmusicians.org/files/81-Tool - Axe.mp3 There are better Tool ones out there but thats the first one i could find.

At this stage there really is clips of almost everthing out there from the axe-fx now from jazz, to early blues, to pop, to 80s metal to modern djenty metal to effects laden ambient stuff. Dwezil Zappa even has a clip of the Axe-fx doing a cello on his site :D

Maybe if all your hearing is Messugah type clips is because of where you are hanging out or what forums you are hearing the clips in ? Between the recording section of the Axe-fx forum and youtube there is probably every type of axe-fx clip you could ask for......
 
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Hmmm. That Tool example is pretty close, definitely listenable, and doesn't have the fizz-factor like most digital modelling does. I guess I need to expand where I'm looking.
 
Has anyone tried recording the Axe-FX through a poweramp > cabinet? I'm considering this box for my studio, paired with a Randall RT2-50 (6L6s + EL34s) going to a Marshall 1936 2x12 (G12T-75Ws) and a Mesa Boogie Rectifier 2x12 (Vingate 30s).

Would love to hear some clips from a similar setup (i.e. Axe-FX > poweramp > cabinet).
 
Has anyone tried recording the Axe-FX through a poweramp > cabinet? I'm considering this box for my studio, paired with a Randall RT2-50 (6L6s + EL34s) going to a Marshall 1936 2x12 (G12T-75Ws) and a Mesa Boogie Rectifier 2x12 (Vingate 30s).

Would love to hear some clips from a similar setup (i.e. Axe-FX > poweramp > cabinet).



I'm not of the impression that the sun rises and sets with this video -
but going though the Axe FX --> Power Amp --> Cab is precisely what they are doing in this video ... sounds fairly decent, IMHO.
Take care

Scott
 
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