Please stop me from buying an AXE FX III

  • Keep the kemper. Buy a tube combo amp instead of the axe 3. :) Keep it simple.

    Yes, rather than an Axe fx, buy a Mesa Boogie 1 x 12 or an Engl 1x12 combo, and 'yes', keep the Kemper!!!

    He can't "keep the Kemper" because he doesn't currently own one. He's a former Kemper owner who's trying to decide whether to buy another one or try the Axe FX III.

  • There have been several people who've claimed the Axe FX has a signature sound over the years, however none of them have ever been able to correctly identify it in a blind test.

    I played the AXE FX II before I bought the Kemper, and I can still identify the high Fi signature sound that's more synthetic exaggerated overproduced guitar sound that might work for experimental synthetic guitar sound but not authentic realistic tube amp sound. I know real big names use it for effects, but not for amp modeling. Actually I found S-gear software to sound superior to the AXE FX Platform in regard to natural authentic guitar amp sound.


    I honestly don't think the AXE Platform really cuts it for me in regards to amp tones, there is something fake and plastic like in all the AXE FX II and III clips that I hear all over the web. I have to admit I didn't test the effects as much but for amp modeling, its extreme hi fi is very noticeable in the mid gains. Truth be told, the mid gain AXE FX I heard, are inferior to most software plugins even. It just doesn't have the weight you'd expect with edge of break up tonea that you would get from real tube amps or even the KPA.. You don't believe me, look up edge of break tones of AXE FX II and III clips and anything you find, will show how terrible the amp modeling is.

    Edited once, last by Dean_R ().

  • I am going to keep it simple so we can all go home and have a beer (priorities first).


    Depending on what your needs are, if its just about TONE (lets face it that always wins , beer and tone is all we care about)
    IF it is just about tone then you can have BOTH with a kemper, in fact i have many Axe rigs already profiled and Tim from live ready has plenty also.


    Get a kemper, you can have the kemper tone and AXE...tone
    if its not about tone and is about functionality or what ever.
    You should already know the strengths with the kemper?
    Then its really gonna come down to a tone comparison and functionality of the axe 8 vs the kemper


    Personally i think your going to miss out on not getting the kemper.
    Tone wise that would be what would do it for me.


    So , you are Herby stopped from getting an Ax8
    Grab 6 beers and a kemper then tell us we are wrong :P:D


    Ash

    Have a beer and don't sneer. -CJ. Two non powered Kempers -Two mission stereo FRFR Cabs - Ditto X4 -TC electronic Mimiq.

  • I played the AXE FX II before I bought the Kemper, and I can still identify the high Fi signature sound that's more synthetic exaggerated overproduced guitar sound that might work for experimental synthetic guitar sound but not authentic realistic tube amp sound. I know real big names use it for effects, but not for amp modeling. Actually I found S-gear software to sound superior to the AXE FX Platform in regard to natural authentic guitar amp sound.

    Like I said, there are people who've claimed the Axe FX has a signature sound, and none of them could identify it in a blind test. I'd take such claims seriously if someone could, though. On the other hand, there are quite a few people who can consistently identify the Kemper in blind tests.

  • I rarely chime in but I feel I should here! I literally have bought the axe fx iii twice. Both times I bought it for its amazing features, such large selection of inputs and outputs, huge number of effects, usb audio interface...pretty screen etc....both times I sold it because I felt the spent more time tweaking, choosing cabinets, changing amp settings etc and not playing.


    So what I do now is play me Kemper and avoid fractal’s forum because so many people love it there and rave about it and sucks me in again and again...but I love my Kemper...it sounds great through headphones, great front of house, great through monitors with easy and quick tweaking...let alone it sounds like an amp much more to me than axe fx...I’m sure the ace fx is amazing if you’re patient to create those tones you want but with work and kids, I just want to play ;)


    Lastly, for less than the price of the axe fx iii you can get a Kemper unpowered rack or head plus remote and even less money for a good used one which still has a transferable warranty I believe...while the axe fx warranty isn’t transferable and the foot controller isn’t out yet and isn’t cheap.


    I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m whining but having Been there over and over again..I know what “the grass is greener” effect can do and thought I’d let you know my story. Either way, rock on!

  • With all of the available parameters in the Axe FX, it's easy to spend more time twisting knobs than playing, however you definitely don't need to spend a lot of time tweaking to get good tone. You just need a couple of good IR's and everything else will often fall into place. If you doubt this, try swapping the cab from your favorite Kemper profile with an Ownhammer IR or a random cab from another profile.

  • I own both. I’m the sort that always wants a back-up. I didn’t want two of the same. V8guitar is spot-on about the powered unit. If you buy a KPA, get the powered version.


    Of course there are pros and cons for both, they take a different approach. That said, both are great. At this moment, there isn’t an Axe-FX III foot-controller - but it will ship in autumn. There isn’t a software editor from Kemper for the KPA. Yes, differences with fx. But I don’t use them much. I can get a cranked amp sound, by crankin the profiled/modeled “amp”.


    Both devices sound terrific. Really, terrific. For what it’s worth, I run both using the same strategy: I use their main outputs to FOH, usually using the Ownhammer JBL D120 IR. Also for both units, I send a monitor-out to a SS amplifier. In the case of the KPA, it’s the integral SS Class D amp. For the Fractal, I’m using a Crown. For both, I use a Z-Best 2x12 cabinet loaded with two JBL D120 speakers. Therefore, except for the different SS amps, my comparison is apples-to-apples.


    Bottom line: I love the Kemper KPA and I love the Fractal Axe-FX III. I’m a die-hard amp guy, and have a roomful of amps purchased originally, for next to nothing (which is why I first bought the KPA). Both Kemper and Fractal units sound great night-after-night. On the other hand, my amps have always sounded different night-after-night, presumably affected by the barometric pressure, lol?

    When will my talent upgrade be released?

  • Yes, this thread must die.


    Some folks have bought an Axe FX twice?
    Take it from an old swine who has been round the block a few times - Buying one for a second time is like taking back your ex; You know it's capable of playing a good tune on, and getting your fun with, but sooner or later you'll remember why you originally traded it in... lol

  • I played the AXE FX II before I bought the Kemper, and I can still identify the high Fi signature sound that's more synthetic exaggerated overproduced guitar sound that might work for experimental synthetic guitar sound but not authentic realistic tube amp sound.

    You can identify the hi-fi signature sound here: Profile the Axe ?

  • Yes, this thread must die.


    Some folks have bought an Axe FX twice?
    Take it from an old swine who has been round the block a few times - Buying one for a second time is like taking back your ex; You know it's capable of playing a good tune on, and getting your fun with, but sooner or later you'll remember why you originally traded it in... lol

    Oh we know this one.


    Axe and Kemper are both excellent, each to his own...now I think I'll catch a flight to go and see if Ash has any beers left!