Axe FX 2

[dmock66]

I've seen some other clips of that guy playing the original AXE - he, IMO, is a pretty solid player. I didn't think that was a bad clip at all.

However, I will say that you could put a great number of modelers in front of that power amp and 2 4x12 cabs, using that guitar, and get that tone. No disrespect intended at all, as I know the AXE products to be high quality gear - but at the same time, I think I could coax a tone out of my RP1000 that would fool people in a blind taste test running through the rest of that rig. To me, the true test of a modeler is how does it sound going direct. Many modelers can work with a power amp (especially tube power section) into a guitar cab (let alone 2 nice 4x12s). Yes, that clip will work wonders to convince players to get out their check books - but I also contend it's a bit misleading. I've seen Singtall put together some VERY CONVINCING tones running a number of digital preamps into a tube power stage and cab... but they're not nearly as convincing going direct to the board (as he freely admits).

So - where I believe that is a clever marketing approach - it's an unfair representation, again - IMO... and again, no disrespect intended, just one guy's opinion.

[derker]

Just wanted to drop this in here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNjoyEiyuM

...damn.

[Benoni]

Originally Posted by derker

Just wanted to drop this in here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWNjoyEiyuM

...damn.

Sounds good, but I didnt hear anything special or revolutionary.

No doubt you can get great tones from the Axe FX, just as you can the 11R or Guitar Rig 4. Amps sims have come a long way in a short time.

[derker]

Originally Posted by Benoni

Sounds good, but I didnt hear anything special or revolutionary.

It was more about the player than the raw tone, even though I think it sounds really good.

[Infiltrator]

Originally Posted by Benoni

Sounds good, but I didnt hear anything special or revolutionary.

No doubt you can get great tones from the Axe FX, just as you can the 11R or Guitar Rig 4. Amps sims have come a long way in a short time.

Ok, 11R, I can understand, but when you also threw in Guitar Rig 4 in the mix on par with the same level as these two machines - was the point at which there was confirmation that you need to get your hearing checked.

GR4 does not sound like real amps, only sounds like it models about one tube gain stage, albeit very poorly and, it just sounds less convincing and more artificial overall - more like annoying bees. If you are going to pick something non-dsp based that comes close - perhaps something from softube, but NI does not have good guitar amp simulation programmers. its not their forte at all. The strengths of Native Instruments are sequencing, sampling, and some creative multi-effects, Kore 2, Digital DJ-ing, and some good sample libraries - and maybe Absynth as their best synth .. but other than that - the majority of their synth engines for the most part and their guitar rig 4 amp engine sounds thin. (and even Absynth as a synth is not quite to the level of something like an Access Virus, Omnisphere, Korg Digital synths, or Uhe Zebra).

Basically in my experience over the last 5 years with Native Instruments - they basically go more fore quantiy over quality - to just cover everything and excel in a few things.... but for the most part - synthesis and guitar modeling are not really among of those excelled-in things - especially not guitar modeling - thats their worst product! The only thing usable in Guitar Rig 1-4 are the effects... but even these are definetly no eventide or TC powercore - thats for sure.

I can't believe I spent so much money on the NI company. This was surely a learning lesson.

[Chris Townsend]

Originally Posted by Vercingetorix

I think it's been said of writing, that good writers borrow from others, the best writers steal .

I think this is just another case of that . Chris Townsend the creator of True-Z might well be chuffed with himself saying, yep, I got it first, and he stole it from me and now more guitarists get to benefit from my idea. Though he might be a 'tad' miffed also .

It's also been said that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

[Benoni]

Originally Posted by Infiltrator

Ok, 11R, I can understand, but when you also threw in Guitar Rig 4 in the mix on par with the same level as these two machines - was the point at which there was confirmation that you need to get your hearing checked.

GR4 does not sound like real amps, only sounds like it models about one tube gain stage, albeit very poorly and, it just sounds less convincing and more artificial overall - more like annoying bees. If you are going to pick something non-dsp based that comes close - perhaps something from softube, but NI does not have good guitar amp simulation programmers. its not their forte at all. The strengths of Native Instruments are sequencing, sampling, and some creative multi-effects, Kore 2, Digital DJ-ing, and some good sample libraries - and maybe Absynth as their best synth .. but other than that - the majority of their synth engines for the most part and their guitar rig 4 amp engine sounds thin. (and even Absynth as a synth is not quite to the level of something like an Access Virus, Omnisphere, Korg Digital synths, or Uhe Zebra).

Basically in my experience over the last 5 years with Native Instruments - they basically go more fore quantiy over quality - to just cover everything and excel in a few things.... but for the most part - synthesis and guitar modeling are not really among of those excelled-in things - especially not guitar modeling - thats their worst product! The only thing usable in Guitar Rig 1-4 are the effects... but even these are definetly no eventide or TC powercore - thats for sure.

I can't believe I spent so much money on the NI company. This was surely a learning lesson.

Well perhaps we like different tones.

I have lots of experience with NI Products, and they make some great stuff, namely Kontakt, I use Kontakt constantly with many libraries.

Guitar Rig 3 was not very good IMO, version 2 was better, but Guitar Rig 4 is very nice. Rammstein and Deftones use Guitar Rig as well as other bands, so I am not alone in thinking it is capable of good sounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gqCt...8F6CFE316C0A1E

[Vercingetorix]

Originally Posted by Chris Townsend

It's also been said that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

.

So do you feel flattered? Or, do you feel something else completely unrelated to flatterey?

[Karl Houseknecht]

Originally Posted by Infiltrator

And Cliff keeps lifting the ban. Karl H was banned too. Can you believe it? A friendly guy like Karl H? LOL. like wtf??? lol!

Please do me a favor and don't include me as an example. Unlike you, I haven't gone back to that forum, nor will I ever. And I certainly won't be extolling the virtues of any Fractal device. I'm sure it will be great, but I'll never own one again because of how that company treated a paying customer.

[singtall]

personally, i think that playing an axe-fx through a poweramp and cabinet is pure marketing. i can make almost any modeler sound good through that setup. i have several videos on youtube where i did just that. until the eleven rack, that was really the only way i could get decent tone. going direct IS the real test of a modeler (in my world at least).

i know the axe-fx does sound decent direct because i have heard some clips (not many mind you but they are out there).