Axe-Fx III MKII Preamp/FX Processor

So many beautiful sounds. The textures are richer than the II. The user interface is much easier to navigate though you still have the awesome Axe Edit to utilize. I love this tool and it was worth every penny. I had never owned a great amp and had spent many years without one, period, largely playing unplugged with acoustic and electric. I owned the Axe FX II for a year but had to sell it during some tough times. So obtaining the III was that much better. I'm not bad just strings and me, but with all the sonic possibilities you can expand your self expression to limitless dimensions. If you are seeking a one stop source for all your guitar sounds then this is it. Perfect for the musician working from home or going on the road. Thank you Fractal Audio, this is truly a powerful device.

Why spend thousands of dollars on a tube amplifier when you can spend twenty-five hundred dollars on an Axe-Fx III and get a "laundry list" of great tube amplifiers and more; much more. Anyone who says the Axe-Fx III doesn't compare with an "amp in the room" isn't pairing it with the right equipment. The Axe-Fx III checks all the important boxes: eliminate high gain fizz - done; gain structure analysis and control - done; delay and reverb tail spill over - done; seamless signal chain switching - done; cabinet impulse responses - done; flexible signal chain routing - done; many exquisite and complimentary effects - done; full featured computer interface - done; world class support - done. If ever there were a "no brainer" for the modern guitarist the Axe-Fx III is it. Seriously, whether for studio or stage, sell all of your tube amps and cabinets then use the money to buy an Axe-Fx III and some good quality powered speakers and never look back ...

This unit has exceeded all expectations i had. Great tone, Great UI, Great editor ! Support from Fractal has been 1st class, and the forum is an incredible resource. Most of all GREAT TONE!!

Amp modeling and all in one effects units have always been attractive to me from a theoretical standpoint but the products that I've tried over the years (Line6 POD 2.0, pocket POD, and POD HD400) have left me unsatisfied. The modeling units lacked in dynamic range and amp-like response to pick attack and guitar volume adjustments, the effects were acceptable but not great, and the interfaces (HD400) were clunky and convoluted. The end result was an uninspiring musical experience especially when compared to my tube amplifiers and pedals. Those products all ended up collecting dust and were eventually sold. Fast forward several years and I the Axe-Fx III has provided a very different experience. Adjustments to pick attack and guitar volume knob changes cause a response that I've only previously experienced with tube amplifiers with respect to gain, volume, and compression. The effects (particularly the reverb and delay algorithms) are jaw dropping good. The end result is an immersive playing experience that makes you forget you're plugged into a digital device. I honestly think it sounds just as good (possibly even better) than one of my tube amps into a reactive load box with an IR. The Axe-Fx III has left me nothing to be desired in terms of raw tone. The routing possibilities and unique effects combinations possible with the Axe-Fx III are pretty much only limited by your imagination. This unit is flexible enough to fit almost any use case. The processing headroom for building complicated presets is plentiful as well. The only real drawback of this unit is the user interface. The software editor is very good and I expect that most users will prefer to edit their sounds on a computer because the on unit interface is more difficult to navigate. The color display and five soft button / knobs are great, but some of the navigation through the menus is not intuitive and has taken some time to get used to. I still find myself instinctively reaching for the large value knob when I actually need the nav arrows for what I am trying to accomplish. I hope that the Fractal team consider a re-design of their hardware interface for the next generation of the Axe-Fx. The build quality of the hardware is at a level that you would expect given the price point. The jacks are and knobs are well seated and fell like they'll be reliable for years of use. My overall conclusion is that this black box is truly a modern marvel. I can understand why so many people have sold all of their amplifiers and converted to an Axe-Fx rig. The theoretical advantages of an all in one modeling rig have finally been realized.

It has some good sounds when tweaked, Stock sounds are so so. It's a lot like a Helix with a better sound engine, Not quite as good as a kemper's Sound but much easier to use than a kemper. A little overpriced for what it does.

If it's not the best guitar sound you ever heard your not using it properly.

Having a great time so far, but still just trying out amps and cabs mostly. The clarity of the lead tones and reverbs is a great improvement over my Ultra, and I still think my Ultra is pretty darn good. I love the patch/ scene/ channel feature. Having clean to dirty sounds with different fx in a single patch is great.

The Axe-Fx III surpasses my wildest dreams. I've purchased and built a lot of amps in my lifetime, searching for the ultimate tone. This product has them all. There are a few notable events in my life. My first Stratocaster at age 14. My first sold out gig in my twenties. That 1983 Precision Bass that I found the day after receiving my tax refund. And now this product. Anyone want to buy my huge pedalboard? I don't need it anymore.

The amp models on this product are on another level. As are the quality of the effects. For example, on a lot of devices, running a virtual OD into a virtual amp on most modellers doesn't quite seem to respond the way you would expect. With the Axe FX 3 it's incredibly realistic. Even though the interface can be complicated until you get familiar with the product, dialing in a great tone is easy just because you're starting with a great tone, so a few minor tweaks to suit your pickups and you're done. There's a learning curve to get into the deeper features but that's the cost of having a device that is super flexible. My only gripe is the fact that it doesn't do midi in and out over USB and doesn't appear to pass the midi in signal from the USB IN to the through or out midi DIN ports on the back of the Axe FX 3. This is presenting challenges trying to integrate it into my live rig which relies heavily on my iPad. I'm hopeful that this will be addressed in the near future. But again as far as straight up amp modelling quality, this is the best device I've ever played through... I absolutely love it.