Fractal Axe-Fx : instant JB tones ~ multi amp style rig

Sounds cool. Why don't you hit us up with some sound clips?

If it seems to good to be true, it probably is, so prove me wrong

No, they have recently hooked up with Atomic to build an FRFR cab, but other than that they are light years ahead of anything LINE6 can imagine.  You are correct, the cabs you linked to were designed specifically for amplifying PODs, but this long predated Fractal.  Some pretty well known guys are ditching entire rigs for these.  But again, you need to play it yourself.  I was ready to laugh in my buddies face. 

I would not hesitate to gig anywhere with this setup, and I guarantee you blindfolded you would not be able to tell the difference.  A POD sounds and feels like a transistor radio to me - the Axe sounds and feels like my Bogner(s)

dude morphing between two amps with a volume pedal, very EJ ish:
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single … ffle=false

some good VH and Beck tones here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmXAeu9i … re=related

same dude Tele twangin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWIwPyWp3b8

Brad Paisley-ish tone (all AxeFx)
http://www.jocce.net/Start_a_band.wav

Will this replace tube amps? No
Does it sound and feel like a tube rig in person? Yes
Will it work for everybody? Not a chance...

What it will do is provide you with another killer tool in your arsenal, and thats what its really all about.   There isn't a tone or combination of tones I don't have covered now and its working

One more good demo I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCnvQR5z … re=related

I would replace my rig with an AXE-FX in a heartbeat... they're THAT good.  Price is keeping me away and I have alot into my GT-10 rig.

Yes, with their own independent signal chain,  effects or summed together.  I've got a Budda / Plexi setup and a Plexi / ODS set that sounds pretty amazing.  The Budda is set to run pretty clean just under the Plexi which is being hit with a TS808 - gives it this girth that makes you grin.  Another Blackface / Brownface setup thats great for cleans with a bit of dirt.  Roll back the volume on the guitar a hair and it cleans right up...

The EJ clip above ?  thats actually two amps the guy setup on the same patch but is using a pedal to morph between the two - no channel switching.

This is a list of the amp sims lurking inside:

Axe-Fx name ~ Amp simulated
TUBE PRE - Generic Tube Preamp
JAZZ - Roland JC120
BROWNFACE - Fender Vibroverb
BLUES - Fender Bassman
TWEED - Fender Deluxe Reverb Model AB763
BLACKFACE - Fender Twin
CLASS A - Vox AC30
TOP BOOST - Vox AC30TB
PLEXI 1 - Marshall '1959'
BRIT 800 - Marshall JCM800 2204
BRIT 900 - Marshall JCM900
BROWN - Eddie's Modded Marshall
BOUTIQUE 1 - Matchless Chieftain
BOUTIQUE 2 - Matchless Chieftain w/ Booster
HIPOWER 1 - Hiwatt 'Normal' Channel
HIPOWER 2 - Hiwatt 'Brilliant' Channel
USA CLEAN - MKIV and Triaxis Clean
USA RHY1 - MKIV Crunch
USA RHY2 - Triaxis LD1 Green
USA LEAD - MKIV Lead
USA LEAD 2 - Triaxis LD2 Yellow
RECTO Orange - Mesa Dual Rectifier (version 1)
RECTO Red - Triaxis LD1 Red w/"recto mod". The power amp portion is identical to Recto1.
SOLO 100 - Soldano SLO100
SPEC. OD 1 - Dumble Overdrive Special Clean
SPEC. OD 2 - Dumble Overdrive Special Lead
EURO 1 - Bogner Ecstasy w/ Gain Boost Off and Structure Off
EURO 2 - Bogner Ecstasy w/ Gain Boost On and Structure On
UK GC30 - Laney GC30V
BUTTERY - Loosely based on a Budda Twinmaster
METAL - FAS Custom Model
BIG HAIR - FAS Custom Model
HELLBEAST - FAS Custom Model
SUPERTWEED - FAS Custom Model
FUSION - FAS Custom Model
FAS CLEAN - FAS Custom Model
FAS CRUNCH - FAS Custom Model
FAS LEAD 1 - FAS Custom Model
FAS LEAD 2 - FAS Custom Model
FAS MODERN - FAS Custom Model
JR BLUES - Fender Blues Jr.
BRIT PRE - Marshall JMP-1 preamp. The power amp is from the JCM 800
ENERGYBALL - ENGL Powerball Lead Channel
RECTO NEW - Mesa Dual Rectifier with an extra "cap" in it which gives it more sizzle.
HAD ODS 1 - Dumble Overdrive Special (Based on a real amp, the others were based on schematics)
WRECKER 1 - Trainwreck Amp
BRIT JM45 - Marshall JTM-45
DAS METALL - Diezel VH4 (needs confirmation that it's the VH4)
PLEXI 2 = Similar to Plexi 1 but with a different “bright cap” value and different transformer
model. Lower gain and more “vintage” sounding.

SV BASS - Ampeg SVT
CA3+ RHY - Custom Audio Electronics 3+ SE preamp, channel # 2 (crunch)
CA3+ LD - Custom Audio Electronics 3+ SE preamp, channel # 3 (lead)
Eggie R20 - Egnater Rebel 20
USA MIIC+ 1 - Mesa Boogie MkII Lead Pull Bright off
USA MIIC+ 2 - Mesa Boogie MkII Lead Pull Bright on
Fryer D60L - VHT Deliverance 60 Less switched
Fryer D60M - VHT Deliverance 60 More switched
Mr. Z 38 SR - Dr. Z Maz 38 SR
Euro Uber - Bogner Ubershall
PVH 5105 - Peavey 5150
Solo X99 Clean - Soldano X99 Clean Channel
Solo X99 Rhythm - Soldano X99 Rhythm Channel
Solo X99 Lead - Soldano X99 Lead Channel
Corncob R100 - Cornford RK100

Every parameter you can imagine can be adjusted within, including bias, sag,  tone stack type and placement, transformer frequency cutoff points, cabs, mic type, mic placement direction...sky is the limit.

Well, its all relative...first, its not a toy - its not something designed to simply be convenient for jamming in headphones.  Also - with all due respect, at $1500 for the Standard model and $1900 for the Ultra you're barely in the ballpark of what you're going to pay for high quality amplification.  That's not to say that I can't make do and have not made due with basic Fenders, Marshalls and pedals, absolutely.  But 30 yrs into playing I've figured out what works for me and with the exception of the Dumbles have owned nearly every amp on the list above.  I've spent more on shipping amps in the last two years than the AxeFx cost me ;)

Penciling out JB's multi amp rig:

Marshall Jubillee :  $ 1500 - 1800  used market
Bogner 100b: $2800 - 3000  used market , if you can find one....
Carol Ann JB100 or OD100 $2600 - 3000 used market
Category 5:  $2500 - 3000 (guestamate )

Using the low end figures you're at $9400 for the heads alone, not including shipping, not including pedals, not including cabinets...

So yeah, the appx $2400 I've got into the AxeFx and the VHT power amp is a pretty darn good bang for the buck for me.

Again, to stress  - this option is working out for me, it may not work for everybody else - and I'm pretty stoked to know that this same time next year I'll probably be able to buy another R9 based on the money I'll be saving not buying more amps 

I'm not trying to turn anybody into believers or convince anybody of anything - but the following goes miles to support my own views...

Check out what Category 5 Amplification's Steven Scott has to say about his own experience with the AxeFx...same guy that developed JB's signature amp...

http://www.fractalaudio.com/forum/viewt … amp;t=5880

Nothing more needs to be said

This AxeFx is a big thing over here too.
I would be more than curious to try it but i'm afraid of the gazillion
buttons, patches, parameters and sub-parameters. 

I once played  a Vox Valvetronix AD120.
For rehearsal and practicing it was great but on gigs it lost
the power. I couldn't feel the amp in a way, if you know what I mean.
I like the tube stuff live better...
But whenever I can try this AxeFx I will do.

Alex

Hey Alex -

Yeah, there's a bunch going on with this but once you use it for an hour its simple, really.  You adjust all the same things you would on your regular amp, they're just in a different location.  I use a Ground Control Pro to switch through a couple of banks of amps.  Bank one has two dirty rigs, a semi clean rig and very clean rig.  Bank two has a couple of EJ patches, a CAE 3+ patch and Cornford RK100 patch.  Super easy to go back and forth between these and thats really as far out as I need to take it.

Having played the Vox you refer to I can pretty well assure you that none of what you experienced is present in the Black Box

There are a bunch of guys in Germany and Sweden using them - should be easy to track someone down in your area for a demo.  I'll also throw out that anybody in the Portland, Or. USA area is welcome to contact me to check this thing out - sometimes its nice to have another perspective when you really may need to be told you're crazy (or not )

BTW - really like the tones you're getting from your Ceriatone / Budda rig.

Steve E