Axe-FX (A Love Story?) Rd.1

[JiveTurkey]

On-device is bearable with enough time put into it, but clunky no matter how one tries to spin it.

Just trying to move blocks back and forth is excruciating. I've tried to explain it to people, and it always sounds like:

"Oh, easy peasy....just press the encoder to enter the Layout view, then arrow over to the block you want to effect, THEN page over twice to Tools, THEN twist the encoder knob until you get to the move right/left/move row/etc. action you want to execute, then switch to a different encoder knob and press Execut....hey, where are you going?!?!?!"

I still compare it to the AX8 experience and it is miles better. Still room for improvement; but so much better.

 

[SeeD]

On-device is bearable with enough time put into it, but clunky no matter how one tries to spin it.

Just trying to move blocks back and forth is excruciating. I've tried to explain it to people, and it always sounds like:

"Oh, easy peasy....just press the encoder to enter the Layout view, then arrow over to the block you want to effect, THEN page over twice to Tools, THEN twist the encoder knob until you get to the move right/left/move row/etc. action you want to execute, then switch to a different encoder knob and press Execut....hey, where are you going?!?!?!"

hihi

 

[mikah912]

I still compare it to the AX8 experience and it is miles better. Still room for improvement; but so much better.

I repressed any memories I had from trying to do it on that hardware.

But ultimately, I just don't see why a simple process like that is so convoluted on FM9, whereas Helix - with the same encoder knob and arrows - lets you press the Action button on the block, arrow it where you want it to go, then and press again to be done with it. I try to do as much pre-prep as I can at home with FM9 Edit so I never have to, but that's still absurd.

 

[Whizzinby]

On-device is bearable with enough time put into it, but clunky no matter how one tries to spin it.

Just trying to move blocks back and forth is excruciating. I've tried to explain it to people, and it always sounds like:

"Oh, easy peasy....just press the encoder to enter the Layout view, then arrow over to the block you want to effect, THEN page over twice to Tools, THEN twist the encoder knob until you get to the move right/left/move row/etc. action you want to execute, then switch to a different encoder knob and press Execut....hey, where are you going?!?!?!"

The first time I tried use the on device controls on a preset, I bonked it and lost all audio.

Scroll knobs that don’t scroll, nav arrows with page arrows directly beneath it, all with their own context for usage I managed to get to the amp block I was trying to simply modify the tone stack on, clicked enter (ya know, presumably enter would make sense) and then I lost all audio. Needless to say FM3 Edit got fired up within 60 seconds. Ha

At some point I will read the manual for on-device controls, but today will not be that day.

 

[mikah912]

The first time I tried use the on device controls on a preset, I bonked it and lost all audio.

Scroll knobs that don’t scroll, nav arrows with page arrows directly beneath it, all with their own context for usage I managed to get to the amp block I was trying to simply modify the tone stack on, clicked enter (ya know, presumably enter would make sense) and then I lost all audio. Needless to say FM3 Edit got fired up within 60 seconds. Ha

At some point I will read the manual for on-device controls, but today will not be that day.

Sounds like you killed one of the shunts in your signal chain, which is another pain point with manual patch creation/block movement.

Anyway, its faults are openly known. Cliff has heard these complaints too. Maybe it'll get dealt with in the next generation? It's not stopping me from using and enjoying it now.

 

[Whizzinby]

Sounds like you killed one of the shunts in your signal chain, which is another pain point with manual patch creation/block movement.

Anyway, its faults are openly known. Cliff has heard these complaints too. Maybe it'll get dealt with in the next generation? It's not stopping me from using and enjoying it now.

That’s exactly what happened I just didn’t know it at the time. I thought hitting enter would open the block but I think it went into shunt modification. I panicked and went back to the editor. lol

That said, the Edit experience is beyond badass, so you take the good with the bad. The channels and library options, within the larger scene layouts is ridiculously awesome, and I’m just starting to scratch the surface with that.

My problem is I let the on device UI influence my opinion of everything else on the platform. I figured it would sound good, but I underestimated how good, and how solid the editor would be. Headlining my gigs at the house, I can live with device UI.

 

[mikah912]

That’s exactly what happened I just didn’t know it at the time. I thought hitting enter would open the block but I think it went into shunt modification. I panicked and went back to the editor. lol

That said, the Edit experience is beyond badass, so you take the good with the bad. The channels and library options, within the larger scene layouts is ridiculously awesome, and I’m just starting to scratch the surface with that.

My problem is I let the on device UI influence my opinion of everything else on the platform. I figured it would sound good, but I underestimated how good, and how solid the editor would be. Headlining my gigs at the house, I can live with device UI.

I think a bit of low-hanging fruit for @FractalAudio in the future to sidestep this for both current and future hardware is to finally bring FracPad in-house and offer a bundle of a Fractal-branded wireless MIDI USB adapter and license for a legit Android/iOS editor. $49.99 sounds about right.

Knowing that's it doable on FM3/9 right now, I'm guessing he's aware of this but simply hasn't made it a priority?

 

[Whizzinby]

I think a bit of low-hanging fruit for @FractalAudio in the future to sidestep this for both current and future hardware is to finally bring FracPad in-house and offer a bundle of a Fractal-branded wireless MIDI USB adapter and license for a legit Android/iOS editor. $49.99 sounds about right.

Knowing that's it doable on FM3/9 right now, I'm guessing he's aware of this but simply hasn't made it a priority?

A USB editor would be great.

Having owned it a grand total of 5 days my current opinion is if the on device UI is the price we have to pay to leave Cliff to making those ridiculously awesome delays and reverbs, then it is Gods Will, and we must suck it up.

I feel like I’m in bizarro world coming to that opinion now lol

 

[yeky83]

I think a bit of low-hanging fruit for @FractalAudio in the future to sidestep this for both current and future hardware is to finally bring FracPad in-house and offer a bundle of a Fractal-branded wireless MIDI USB adapter and license for a legit Android/iOS editor. $49.99 sounds about right.

Knowing that's it doable on FM3/9 right now, I'm guessing he's aware of this but simply hasn't made it a priority?

What are Fractal's plans for the unused USB port?

I thought I had read here that they're looking into having it supply power in a future update? Did they ever explicitly confirm that? Just curious.

forum.fractalaudio.com

 

[mikah912]

What are Fractal's plans for the unused USB port?

I thought I had read here that they're looking into having it supply power in a future update? Did they ever explicitly confirm that? Just curious.

forum.fractalaudio.com

Yup, I started that thread. Shame it drifted into the ether.

 

[yeky83]

Yup, I started that thread. Shame it drifted into the ether.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE FORUM ACTIVITIES IT WOULD GENERATE IF IT CAME OUT

 

[AZG]

I think a bit of low-hanging fruit for @FractalAudio in the future to sidestep this for both current and future hardware is to finally bring FracPad in-house and offer a bundle of a Fractal-branded wireless MIDI USB adapter and license for a legit Android/iOS editor. $49.99 sounds about right.

Knowing that's it doable on FM3/9 right now, I'm guessing he's aware of this but simply hasn't made it a priority?

I would love to see this happen. While the on unit UI is usable with enough time invested, it’s clearly Fractals weak spot and I avoid using it for anything other than minor adjustments. The Edit apps are great, would love to have that kind of functionality on a smart device.

 

[GTR37]

That’s exactly what happened I just didn’t know it at the time. I thought hitting enter would open the block but I think it went into shunt modification. I panicked and went back to the editor. lol

That said, the Edit experience is beyond badass, so you take the good with the bad. The channels and library options, within the larger scene layouts is ridiculously awesome, and I’m just starting to scratch the surface with that.

My problem is I let the on device UI influence my opinion of everything else on the platform. I figured it would sound good, but I underestimated how good, and how solid the editor would be. Headlining my gigs at the house, I can live with device UI.

Their editor is gold
Basically if you took that editor figured out how to implement it in a touchscreen more responsive than
The others , it would be fierce competition, FM0 with axe edit on board touchscreen

 

[laxu]

I would be on board if Fractal just released a desktop controller that is basically Axe-Edit (or a polished FracPad) + touchscreen + knobs.

Right now, the only things that get regular use on the Axe-Fx 3 front panel are the power button and output level controls.

I really don't expect them to do anything with that spare USB-A port on the FM3 though. It doesn't exist on the Axe-Fx 3 or the FM9. Would be nice if they just enabled it for power at least.

 

[Gearzilla]

I’m starting to accept that I was dumb as a bag of bricks to not try it sooner. On-device UI aside, this thing is beast mode in all other respects.

Spoiler

 

[yeky83]

I really don't expect them to do anything with that spare USB-A port on the FM3 though. It doesn't exist on the Axe-Fx 3 or the FM9.

There seems to be enough space for it above the existing USB-B port... bring on the III MkIII!!!

 

[la szum]

I’d want someone who builds amps to be passionate and opinionated about that. Ain’t nothing wrong with people caring about their craft.

Dave has been pretty awesome about giving back to the community, shares a lot of information, helps a lot of users/amp builders/techs, does Q&A’s and chats etc. Fractal uses the Friedman name in their amp list right? If he’s cool with that then I’d imagine he’d be quite chill about schematics - someone in the market for a Friedman amp isn’t suddenly going to change their mind if Fractal add another model.

Yup. Dave's a dude. I bag on him for his ear and some of his choices in amp design and tone,
but not as a passionate dude and someone who gives a damn. He clearly does.

 

[Whizzinby]

Made it through the FAS amps.

These jumped out to me.

FAS Buttery
FAS Brown
FAS Hot Rod
FAS Lead 2
FAS Modern 1
FAS Modern 3

Brown and Hot Rod are just awesome.

Lead 2 is nasty. Modern 1 is nasty.

Modern 3, killer, but not in a chugging way. Back the gain wayyyyy down on that beauty and hit with a touch of the neutral input boost and it’s just really great snappy mid gain rock.

Knowing how to save a cab library is awesome and makes everything so much easier demoing.

I need to go back to Rivendell and hang with the ambient clean tones, the ear fatigue is real plugging away with these higher gain amps. lol

I’m up to about 17 keepers and only made it partially though the letter F.

 

[timbuck3]

since i get alot of crap here i will tell you my thoughts. The tmp gui is cool but the number of amps in tems of variety suks and I am not convinced by the marshal and vox from what i have heard. so.... the fm9t seems a better variety and matured unit BUT..the gui is crap in general. Editor is good but dont want to be tied to a pc or even an small iphone screen to toggle around to edit it.In the end neither really wows me and at this point I am not buying -JUST TO BUY AND TRY AT THIS POINT. yEA you guys can flame me all you want but i am not the on ly one thinking like this about these units.

 

[texhex]

since i get alot of crap here i will tell you my thoughts. The tmp gui is cool but the number of amps in tems of variety suks and I am not convinced by the marshal and vox from what i have heard. so.... the fm9t seems a better variety and matured unit BUT..the gui is crap in general. Editor is good but dont want to be tied to a pc or even an small iphone screen to toggle around to edit it.In the end neither really wows me and at this point I am not buying -JUST TO BUY AND TRY AT THIS POINT. yEA you guys can flame me all you want but i am not the on ly one thinking like this about these units.

It’s all good dude. Use what you like, that’s what matters anyway. Keep in mind, you‘ll never know the real wold usage and how you will get along with any of these unless you give them a try. Just ole Wizz here.

Honestly, I’d like to try a QC now that there is an editor but it’s kinda redundant vs. the stuff I already have, would be fun to try though, and flip.