Will there be another hardware iteration of AxeFx III or is the next product in that niche going to be the evolution equivalent of ‘AxeFX IV’ ?

E

Enchilada Jones

Roadie
Messages
868
I think I recall someone recently mentioned that there was word through the Fractal grapevine that it will be a major release at the IV level but now I can’t find it.
Anyone know that can say?
 
Enchilada Jones said:
I think I recall someone recently mentioned that there was word through the Fractal grapevine that it will be a major release at the IV level but now I can’t find it.
Anyone know that can say?
Click to expand...
I can’t find the link but from the past products that’s generally what happens the last engine (Ares) from the prior product starts as the beginning of the next product
So if you are going to see a major update to the 3 and FM series like Cygnus X or whatever it called that’s a strong indicator that the next gen will be closer.

There is already hints and things current gen cannot do like
Effects library , Cab Lab , NAM on unit
 
For the record I still believe there could be more smaller pedal product
Like a delay pedal or maybe just an Amp pedal w FAS originals or something
I don’t necessarily think the next products you will see with be Gen4
 
GTR37 said:
For the record I still believe there could be more smaller pedal product
Like a delay pedal or maybe just an Amp pedal w FAS originals or something
I don’t necessarily think the next products you will see with be Gen4
Click to expand...
for me AM4 fits the bill perfectly.
 
Next Gen will transcend all naming and numbering schemes and will only be hereby referred to as

excited man GIF by South Park
 
paisleywookiee said:
It’s going to be a 1U rack mount with a 1” by 16” touchscreen, ARM processors, and 14 fans that sound like a family of hummingbirds. But it’ll be even more realer.
Click to expand...
Or… it’s the size of a 6U shallow rack but the ENTIRE FRONT is a touchscreen.
And it has a super clean power amp.
And there’s a little box that clips off the back and that’s FM0.
And it comes with a 52 button footswitch (no expression pedal though, that’s extra) and all the switches are poo encoders.
It has 0.045ms latency with 296 blocks active.
And it’s $1099.99.
 
Its going to be "interesting" ..... unless they pull a "Kemper Player" ..... what do I mean ?

The VP4 and AM4 are **very** new products.

Lets say the Axe 4 comes out in the next 6 - 12 months with an all new "game-boy-crushing tech" - a whole new much more advanced engine ?

Scenario 1

"The Kemper Player Strategy" ..... the current AM4 and VP4 are already built and capable of running the new more advanced Axe 4 engine ?

Scenario 2

The Axe 4 comes out with all new Amp and EFX engine and in an instant the AM4 and VP4 will be superseded - and possibly soon thereafter replaced with MK 2 versions that can run the new next gen Amps / EFX engine

Scenario 1 => everyone is happy

Scenario 2 => current and on-coming VP4 and AM4 owners will, to some degree, feel "ripped off"

FM3 / FM9 owners will not see it this way as their respective products are - as of today - already somewhat "long in the tooth" ie: the FM3 OG is 6 1/2 years old the FM9 OG is 4 1/2 years old

Personally I think Fractal has already thought about this and the new Axe 4 tech / amp-efx-engine will be able to be "coded" to run on the current / existing VP4 and AM4 ie: Scenario 1

Just speculation of course
 
Ok I should have known my question would have led where it did. My bad, sorry. Entertaining but unproductive for my purposes.

Let me try another way.

I also read around the forums that current DSP chips don’t provide what Fractal would need to create their next ‘flagship’. If that is true then is it reasonable to assume we have at least a year before said device is available to buy?

I’m thinking of making a current version of Axe III the main digital hub of my guitar playing and the AM4 as the mobile version of that. Consolidate my tool chest and stay mostly within the Fractal universe.

I don’t mind if the day after I make those purchases an ‘AxeIII +’ or ‘AxeIII Ultra’ or Twin Titanium Turbo’ or ‘etc’ is announced.

On the other hand, if an Axe IV came out right away, I’d feel some regret..

I think I could get enough to buy AxeFX III and AM4 by selling:
FM3 Turbo, VP4, Kemper powered head, Kemper passive Kab, Kemper player and the result would be a net reduction in time wasting and positive upgrade in consistency tonal pallet.
 
Last edited:
IMO it's going to be a 3U rack unit. The Axe FX 3 rack unit is used by some of the very top touring acts in the world and I'd see the Axe FX 4 as a direct replacement. Pretty much all the primary development is done on the Axe 3 rack unit before it trickles down to other devices. I would bet the Axe 4 would be backwards compatible with the FC units as well.

I wonder if the next gen as well won't simplify the devices further. Say the VP4 and AM4 are the two budget / small units, I'm not sure if there's both a next gen version of the FM3 and FM9...maybe there's just one device to span the two (like the Axe FX 2 had the AX8). I also wonder if that platform might be a hint of the next hardware for foot controllers and floor modelers...

Anyways if you're buying now and worried about value, I think the Axe FX 3 non turbo versions go for pretty reasonable cost compared to the newest ones, and they run all the latest firmware. I don't think the value of the Axe 3 will tank anytime soon because there's almost always a lengthy wait list to get new hardware.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top