Pragi


Hi stratman,
you´re right, I never played an axe fx ii. But
had the kremper amp here, which is unbelievable 
good sounding. But still not as "good" as a good mic-ed
amp.If you are  happy with the axe ii and you have the bucks........
congratulations....This is a personal decision.
To me this is not "good"enough,which is again  personal
decision.Additional I don´t see to spend thousands of bucks for a
simu.It´s just really expensive .
I have the opportunity to record (loud)in my studio.
If I could not have this possibility,I would buy and try an 
axe fx or kremper.
Have a nice day! 

Thje kemper is NOT the Axe FX-by far How much do you spend on amps, mics to mic it, How about FX? Reverbs delays? Foot pedals, flanger, distortion, etc, etc, add it up.Just sayin- You cannot say someday or not good enough when you never have played thru an AxreFX. I mainly use the mesa boogies and the Trainwreck amps along with s few Fender cleans and now a badger and a divide/13. Those arre my go to amps-in the axeFXII. The linbe has been crossed between modlers and amps-now , not someday.
It's just amazing that you guys can say with certainty someday maybe, or never-when you have not had the device that has bridged that gap.That is all I was saying

stratman70


I do apoligize to all in this thread for taking it in a different direction-I am sorry :-(

No need to apoligize.  This is all in the same vein actually and great stuff.  TH2 is one of the promotional tidbits Cake is using to garner more sales.  I think it's perfectly legit to discuss all of the alternatives around this subject, i.e., amps, moddlers and plugins.

clintmartin


I received my new Audio Technica ATH-m50 headphones yesterday and now I believe the HD500 sounds better. I will keep testing and tinkering untill X2 comes out and then probably upgrade TH2. I wish Cakewalk would tell us more about the effects that come with TH2 producer...? Will X2 be here before the blog?

I have those headphones also and they are great. Suggested by fellow forumites here

stratman70

amiller


'Just food for thought:
 
The hardware solutions, AxeFX, Kemper and others are really just dedicated processors running an amp sim.  I've heard clips from these units and they sound amazing.  I believe as PC processors, memory and IO get faster the PC will be able to run software amp plugins as convincing as the Kemper and it's ilk.  As the sim technology gets more sophisticated, I really do think, at some point, the amp sim will render the tube amp obsolete.  'Just my humble opinion.

I agree 100%. While IMHO (30+years playing guitar) the axe has equaled it, but it will be a long while before tube amps are absolete. Too many folks just cannot believe that anything could equal them-but no harm there-that's the way they feel.. Evidence is in this thread all over. You have to do what works for you. The AXe, THD, Gutar rig, etc are not for everyone
Youtube videos do no justice for audio as you all know I am sure. Right now my go to amps are a Trainwreck, Mesa Boogie Lonestar, Boogie IIC+ and Fender Vibro. Just started getting into the the Suhr Badger 18 and divided/13.
You have to FEEL the AXeFXII and work the volume control-then you know.
Not bad for the pricxe.

 
Yep, I agree.  The thing for me is being able to get my real amp tone recorded as it sounds in my meager home studio.  For instance, my Bogner 101b sounds amazing when I play it live in my studio but I can never capture that sound to "tape."  Of course, that has to do with the room, mic and mic placement and so on.  To be able to bypass all of those variables and get a great recording would be ... bliss!

clintmartin


Well, without a doubt the HD500 is far better than TH2. I deleted my demo and will continue to try and get something useable with TH2 producer...Later. It's still a great freebie from Sonar, but it's not to the HD500 level. I agree the Fractal Axe fx II is as good as anything a amp and mic has to offer. The Kemper may be too. I actually think we should be beyond the comparisons. They are different technologies and yield different results, but I don't think one is better than the other anymore. It depends on what your ears want to hear.

I agree about the comparisons-Because the Axe and the Kemper are completely different. The HD500 is more like the Axe as far as what it does and it's purpose.What many don't realize about the axe fxII is that the FX are right up there with the Eventides-you know how much they cost. The AxeFXII also has tone matching now-yup, match any guitar tone you want. Also has amp matching-yup-mic your favorite amp and match the tone. You also can create (match) IR;-like your favorite Boogie 2X12 cab, etc. But the biggest thing is the feel ans volume control of the amp is all there. The pick attack etc.
The HD500 is a nice unit-it bloews away the software imho and I don't even own one but a friend does and I have played thru it.
 
So it's all good. And like I said a while back-I still like using guitar pro 4 with my laptop-did that a jam session-it was very nice. My axeFXII stays in my Studio-since I do not make $$ playing live anymore-25 years or so was enough. I am sure I will find a use for the THD also. But I won't buy the upgrade-I'll just use the freebie.

I would love to have the Axefx II, but for now it's out of reach. I wonder how good some of the other modelers are...The digitech stuff, Zoom G5, Fender Mustang floor. I won't consider the Eleven Rack ( I hate Avid). I like having the modeler in a hardware format. It just avoids so many problems with latency. I wish Fractal would come out with a scaled down floor version with 20 amps, 20 effects, 20 cabs, and 20 mics. They could call it the Axefx 20! $999 sounds like a good price.

Stratman:
I have played all of them-except the Kemper and the zoom. The axe is just in another league.


It's just amazing that you guys can say with certainty someday maybe, or never-when you have not had the device that has bridged that gap.That is all I was saying.

Its also  amazing that you guy can say with certainty that the kremper is not as good as the axe,read your own post.

If one has spent 2000 bucks and more for an emulation,
sure this person defends his decision.But it´s still an simulation.
 
The line has not been crossed between modlers and amps-now,cause 
this technology is still used for simulation.
If the digital technology will once be used for new,original
(then digital- ) sounds it will be accepted as a step forward.
cheers

Hi mikey,
no, my Dan Paula is the best guitar in the world,
I  play Es 335, the Strat and Yamaha TVL, Gibsons and PRS,forget them..... 
but the Dean Paula is the best.
best regards 

Pragi


Stratman:
I have played all of them-except the Kemper and the zoom. The axe is just in another league.


It's just amazing that you guys can say with certainty someday maybe, or never-when you have not had the device that has bridged that gap.That is all I was saying.

Its also  amazing that you guy can say with certainty that the kremper is not as good as the axe,read your own post.

If one has spent 2000 bucks and more for an emulation,
sure this person defends his decision.But it´s still an simulation.

The line has not been crossed between modlers and amps-now,cause 
this technology is still used for simulation.
If the digital technology will once be used for new,original
(then digital- ) sounds it will be accepted as a step forward.
cheers

So you cannot tell by ear, or by the feel and dynamics the difference of 2 recorded songs-one with an amp and one with an simulation of that amp- That's abad thing? No it means modellers are there. Go listen to some of the tests.
 
I guess you need that amp visual for your insecurity. Your digital dribble is a joke. What the heck is the difference what they call it. If I can have a modeller that lets me have the SAME SOUND,same feel, same pick dynamics as an amp and then gives me a ton of exotic amps I never, ever would have been able to afford, I'll take it. I don't need the visual. Gives me delays and reverbs and choruss, etc that are on par with Eventides, I'll take it. Gives me a multitude of Speaker cabs. I'll take it.
 
I create MUSIC-I don't care what I am playing thru, what it looks like or smells like. If it is the sound and feel of my favorite amps, but not my amps-I'm in. When the simulation becomes = to the actual amp___why bother carrying the heavy amp. mics. speaker cabs, etc. To be cool?
Do your homework Smug and Smug jr 

It's amazing how much of a heated debate people get into over the Axe-FX.  And it varies from forum to forum as well.  It seems like the recording forums are full of people who balk at the price or try to say that it can't sound as good as a tube amp, whereas the forums for true afficianados of guitar gear seem to give the Axe-FX a lot more love.  

Many of us who have gone the Axe-FX route end up selling more in amps and pedals/FX than we spent on the Axe-FX, which really makes the cost much less of an issue.  And even if you don't factor that in, I feel that the Axe-FX is worth it.  I started with an Ultra and ended up selling that when the II was announced because I wanted to stay cutting edge.  In the time I was on the waitlist for the II I tried to get by with the software plugins, but they just didn't cut it for me.  Even at the lowest latency they didn't have the feel of the Axe-FX and the sound wasn't there either.  (I wish I could sell the plugins now and get anything near the resale value I got from my Ultra, LOL.)  I really hoped that they would work for me, but when my number came up on the list I was happy to get the Axe-FX II. 

Haven't tried the Kemper, but amp matching really doesn't interest me very much.  (I've used the matching features in the Axe-FX and while nice, I've gone back to turning knobs to get the sound I want.)  I have heard it's very nice and on many of the guitar forums it is ranked up there with the Axe-FX.  It seems to be more along the lines of which workflow you prefer as to which you like better.

Playing a guitar live and recording a guitar are two different things.

Among other amps, I use a 1964 Super Reverb a lot. It is simply gorgeous, both clean and cranked. I'm always fiddling with bias, tubes, etc. Tons of fun, and you can hear the difference.

But recordings don't capture the three-dimensional tube mojo. Using the SPDIF out on my Cyber Twin sounds every bit as good in a mix as the Super Reverb, or my Mesa Lone Star, or my former Bassman, or anything else I've used. But I wouldn't use it live.

Be careful,what you write here bout my dearly Dean,,
otherwise Stratty will swing his rectal axe , mikey!

And back to topic.
:
I hope the TH2 is the best amp simulation,many fans here 
and I´m getting curious about more AND MORE!

How does TH2 compare to Guitar Rig?  Or are they completely different?

"otherwise Stratty will swing his rectal axe"

Run away from the BIG rectal axe !!!!!!  

Got myself into a nice thread where I kind of pushed the AXeFXII into the thread. But it was and is a very civil and friendly discussuon.

And it would have stayed that way had you not blamed us for ribbing you about all the self back slapping you were doing to yourself by owning a Axe FX II. Damn I thought the helicopters were landing...