I tried an Axe FX III without hearing it

WiresDreamDisasters

Was just browsing a guitar store in Tokyo the day before flying back, and it was sat there along with a rack Helix and a rack Kemper. So I had a fiddle. No guitars there I could play, so didn't bother asking to plug in or anything. I was mainly interested in navigation.

It's much easier to use on the front panel than the Axe FX II was I reckon. The 6 Helix style control knobs below the screen really speed things up. I wasn't au fait with any of the secret button combinations that there might be or anything, but I was able to browse pages and put together a chain very easily.

A marked improvement on the 2nd gen stuff I think. I'd go as far to say that I didn't feel like I'd need a software editor. Much the same first impression as when I tried the Helix for the first time.

sweepy

Funnily enough I sent my Fx3 back as I preferred the Fx2

sgosden

sweepy said:

Funnily enough I sent my Fx3 back as I preferred the Fx2



Sound wise or interface wise? 
Seen a few things say that it's the monumental amount of parameters on fx3 that made getting usable sounds mlre effort. 

mrkb

I find it dead easy to get good sounds with the axe fx3, mostly use the editor but front panel is pretty good and the latest firmware has added a customised performance screen that any 10 parameters can quickly be edited from.

sweepy

The panel on the Fx3 is better, nowhere near as well laid out as the Helix though. I found the Fx3 a lot more synthetic and sterile compared to the Fx2 which surprised me as I was so looking forward to it and once again it uses a stupid bloody fan 

prlgmnr

Transparent tones.

Jonathanthomas83

sweepy said:

Funnily enough I sent my Fx3 back as I preferred the Fx2

Same. And I preferred the sounds of my Kemper at the time too.

WiresDreamDisasters

As I say, I didn't hear it. Although I'm mostly an amp guy anyway. But it felt better and easier to use than the older units.

Jonathanthomas83

True enough. Although, they have a very long way to go from a UI perspective...further than they care to admit. And they're not very open to constructive advice. Which annoys me immensely.

axisus

I still have an original AxeFx. I just use it at home and I love it. I couldn't warrant upgrading

mrkb

Do any of you AXE FX II users want to buy a RAC -12 unit? I have one I don't use now.