Unless Cliff (the guy that designed the AxeFx etc etc) decided to screw with everyone on the Fractal forums this is real. No guarantee it will be released anytime soon, but it is definitely coming.
Fractal Announces AxeFx AX8 Floorboard With Amps & Effects - $1399
- Thread starter technomancer
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
Unless Cliff (the guy that designed the AxeFx etc etc) decided to screw with everyone on the Fractal forums this is real. No guarantee it will be released anytime soon, but it is definitely coming.
This site may earn a commission from merchant links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
cardinal
Buys guitars, sometimes plays them
I dig it. I'll be shocked if it's less than $2k, but this could be the Fractal for me. Specially, I love how it has the traditional tone stack knobs right there. So you don't have to go into an editor or scroll through a menu, which will keep me the hell away from all the damn submenus and keep me just playing instead.
Shask
Well-Known Member
I prefer rack units, so I am happy with the Axe-FX II, but I am glad to see them release something everyone has been wanting for years!
sevenstringj
Banned
OP like
OP like
Not really, I don't own any Fractal products and am not really likely to buy any of them in the near future but knew there were guys on here that would be interested
Nice try though
Andromalia
Pardon my french
Nice, but not something I'd buy if I didn't have an AxeII already. The primary goal of going rack for me is not to have expensive electronics stuff on the ground and just have controllers there. I had some accidents with floor units in the 90es ^^
DC23
Well-Known Member
Pretty great addition to their product line! I also can't see this being less than $1700 given the features. I can already feel the back pain from tweaking though haha.
Sumsar
Well-Known Member
"These DSPs are slower than the ones in the Axe-Fx so it won't be able to do two instance of amps."
Am I the only one thinking that the Axe-Fx has been out for some years now, and in that timespan surely DSP's have become faster and cheaper? From the viewpoint of axe-fx I can see that they don't wanna make the rack version obsolete by putting all the things in the floor version, but still it seems pretty stupid?
Am I the only one thinking that the Axe-Fx has been out for some years now, and in that timespan surely DSP's have become faster and cheaper? From the viewpoint of axe-fx I can see that they don't wanna make the rack version obsolete by putting all the things in the floor version, but still it seems pretty stupid?
I've seen this argument a lot and looking into it, it's pretty obvious that you're not paying for the hardware with the Fractal stuff, you're paying for the proprietary algorithms (what makes the AxeFx special) and the great, continuous support. Not to say they're ripping anyone off, because they're not, but you have to realize that it's just a small, limited computer running some secret sauce.
I can see them building in some obsolescence into these cheaper units. While I'm sure the technology is out there to make these floor units just as, if not more powerful than even the last generation rack stuff, at not a significant cost. That's how it works though. It's the same reason the PRS doesn't have full carved top SEs. They could totally do it and they'd be great, but they'd be undercutting themselves, as well as alienating their large existing fan base.
If you want something cheaper, you need to cut features. It's just how it goes. Though, as I said, as a current AxeFx user I don't feel I'll be missing anything with just running a single amp, or without some of the goofy effects. I'd say 90% of my patches would work just fine on the AX8, and that's more than good enough for me.
September is bonus time, and I have two bank weeks then. Here's hoping it's out in time.
axxessdenied
Arium Addict
No one would buy an Axe FX 2 XL + MFC 101 if the AX-8 did everything the axe fx 2 could. The decision to use slower DSPs so you can't use multiple amps and cabs is probably more from a marketing standpoint.
I might be wrong, but it makes sense.
I might be wrong, but it makes sense.
Sumsar
Well-Known Member
Yeah I completely agree with you guys, it just seems a bit retarded that axe-fx says that the processors are worse to make it cheaper when that is clearly not the case. Anyway I am not an axe-fx owned and will properly never be, I just find it interesting that it is actually not the amount of computer power that determines how expensive a modelling unit is now adays but the "power" of the algoritmes run by the in principle very cheap hardware
Sooo maybe le physicist here should remember all his days of programming convolution signal treatment (for images but the principle seems pretty much the same) and earn shitloads amount of money by making amp sims
decreebass
Business Secrets of the Pharoahs
The only thing that comes to mind when looking at this is: sore back. I have a great back but what stops me from messing with my GT-100 more than just what is necessary to get a usable tone and what I disliked about my Pod HD500, is that it's just not comfortable to use while on the floor; or make tweaks on the fly at rehearsal when you've got an 8-string guitar strapped on.
I'm sure it will have Axe Edit software, but I hate clicking knob graphics, sliders, and buttons instead of turning real knobs, moving real sliders, and pushing real buttons. I guess I want my cake and I want to eat it too lol. It'd be nice if the controller portion of this was removable and/or came with a tethering cable so you could tweak stuff at a comfortable level but still have access to use the footswitches with your feet (novel concept, I know).
Oh well. A boy can dream. All this means for me is that there will be more Axe IIs available for me to buy second-hand
I'm sure it will have Axe Edit software, but I hate clicking knob graphics, sliders, and buttons instead of turning real knobs, moving real sliders, and pushing real buttons. I guess I want my cake and I want to eat it too lol. It'd be nice if the controller portion of this was removable and/or came with a tethering cable so you could tweak stuff at a comfortable level but still have access to use the footswitches with your feet (novel concept, I know).
Oh well. A boy can dream. All this means for me is that there will be more Axe IIs available for me to buy second-hand
crg123
SS.orgLocalArchitect
I'm just laughing at the guys I'm seeing in different places going, "ZOMG if this is less than $1k I am so buying one!!!" Seriously, the effects-only unit is $1349.95, this is in all likelihood not going to be cheaper than that.
Still not a bad deal for what it is if it comes in around $1500, but the guys that think it's going to be priced to compete with a POD are delusional
haha #Metalguitarist.org
I posted the AX-8 over there and that seems to be the general response lolol.
SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
I almost never used dual amps or cabs in my AxeFX II patches, and always wanted a floor unit above all else. I ended up selling the II last month and just purchased the Atomic Amplifire - It's just very interesting that Cliff decided to announce this literally the day before Atomic began shipping the Amplifire - but I bet that was a coincidence between Atomic being delayed.
I plan to see how the Atomic works for me and if I find it severely lacking from my AxeFX II, I'll upgrade to the AX8 when it comes out.
I plan to see how the Atomic works for me and if I find it severely lacking from my AxeFX II, I'll upgrade to the AX8 when it comes out.
sage
twerk twerk thall
I'm 6'4". It's a long way to the floor. When I had the HD500 and the G-System before it, I would hook up a cheap netbook via USB and keep it on a little stand. That way I could mess with patches while standing up. Super convenient. I'd way rather edit on a full size screen than one of those tiny LCD jobs anyway. For me, they could do away with everything but the footswitches and the patch indicators and I'd be a happy guy.
Sumsar
Well-Known Member
What is this atomic amplifire that people talk about here and there? Found a few vids on youtube, but it is had to tell from such videos, I can see that it is 600$ but in terms of quality where is it on the pod - kemper - axe-fx scale? (where say pod hd is 1 and kemper and axe-fx is 10)
SnowfaLL
Well-Known Member
People who have used it (such as endorsees like Rob Balducci and Nick Sterling) claim it is every bit as good as the AxeFX II or Kemper, but its difficult to say since they are endorsed. The premise of the Atomic though, is a very very barebones unit that focuses on sound quality above all else, which is why it has little features and a $599 price point, so its possible it does actually sound that good.
Even if its just between the Pod HD and AxeFX, I'll be happy, because the only issue I had with the Pod HD is the cab sims, where as the Amplifire has custom IR loading (which is a huge part of the sound).
I just ordered mine so I'll try to comment in 2 weeks when it arrives.
Electric Wizard
it's my first day
^Yeah I'm interested in the Amplifire as well. I've only seen demos of generic rock kinds of sounds, which are all similar to my ears. I've read claims that it's as good as Fractal though. Hopefully somebody does a metal demo.
As for the AX8, I dunno. I haven't tried anything by Fractal so perhaps there is that magical x-factor to it. As far as I'm concerned, you can still get a Pod and an EPSi or Two Notes for a lot less, which is a very capable setup if you absolutely need a floorboard. Otherwise if saving money is so important, just buy a used Axe.
I guess I just don't get what niche it fills if it isn't meant to compete with Line 6 and will be priced similar to a used AxeII. Are there that many people that are absolutely set on an AxeFx but can't wait and save for a foot controller as well?
As for the AX8, I dunno. I haven't tried anything by Fractal so perhaps there is that magical x-factor to it. As far as I'm concerned, you can still get a Pod and an EPSi or Two Notes for a lot less, which is a very capable setup if you absolutely need a floorboard. Otherwise if saving money is so important, just buy a used Axe.
I guess I just don't get what niche it fills if it isn't meant to compete with Line 6 and will be priced similar to a used AxeII. Are there that many people that are absolutely set on an AxeFx but can't wait and save for a foot controller as well?
