so if someone is not very good with "DAW , sound interface, audio card etc.. " the best solution in the 700 $ range is the eleven rack . .cause it serve as soundcard , recording tools etc.. all in one package?? i could use Lepou and other amp sim .. but im not good in cubase and how to configure the whole thing
@Wallimann ok thx .. i think ill go with that over the pod hd etc.. someon is asking 600 with the expansion pack her ein canada . i might grab it . look nice , thx for the great review .
Dude the Eleven Rack is definitely a contender. Axe FX is honestly a waste imo. You can buy the eleven rack with pro tools 10 for 899 and then purchase a nice eclipse ii or horizon with money left over. IMO the Axe FX does not sound any better. I think the e/r sounded richer/ more realistic.
Hi David. Sorry if this comes through twice. I'm thinking of getting rid of my amps( I don't gig at 65) and running an Eleven Rack or something else into my Mac. Can the signal be routed through the Mac to my audio system or does it require separate monitors? I just want to sit and play without having to buy additional equipment. Is it better to run it through my tube amps FX loop and just use the Mac as an editor with PT?
@Wallimann Thanks David. I'm leaning towards the eleven rack on cost alone. Hopefully with a little help from my friend who has his own studio using pro tools, I can set up an old guy user friendly work station for my ever slowing brain and fingers. Life was simpler at 19 with my 65 Tele and Ampeg amp.
@nomadicexplorers Thanks for the encouragement. I don't know whether I get intimidated with technology the older I get or I just don't want to waste the time I have left learning it.
@Taylort3b Its a little discouraging when there are 16 year olds who can tear it up and master pro tools and I'm 33 and just beginning.You can't waste time doing something you love. GL!
@nomadicexplorers All those synapses of youth. When I started university the computer was the size of a bungalow and we were using slide rules. Pro tools would have occupied the entire fourth floor of the library. I still enjoy playing though even though the audience has dwindled to my wife and my dog. Both of whom ask me to turn it down.
you say "if youre not a purist" about the eleven rack. what do you mean here? could you elaborate more on the sound and FEEL of the eleven vs axe 2 and real amps?
@Linqua2112 I can't really talk about real amps. I am not a purist. I know that some players hate modelers. The reason I love the Axe 2 is that it really inspires me to play more. I never really cared if a machine could emulate perfectly a real amp. Does that make sense?
do these machines have any other particular purpose other than making your practice sessions a breeze by them being able to replicate certain amps while playing them at night through your headsets? Maybe for live shows?
That's a really killer trio. I have much lower Digitech RP500 and so far could get any tone or simulation I want, if time spend in tweaking. But to get great or original sound, you have to do that anyway, no matter if it's an Amp or Effects. Anything good comes with time spend on it.
I honestly can't even imagine what any of these three are like, considering that I get any sound with what I got. So anyway, thanks a lot for sharing such a pro gear with us that don't get the chance to do so.
Maybe it's just me...but I thought the clean amp sounds, didn't sound anything like the Deluxe amp(s). At least the ones I've owned, played, and loved, over the years. I'm still curious about the other amp sounds though (Any Magnatones in there?)
As we have a bunch of Axe-Fx cultists everywhere saying the Axe is better than anything else, I can only trust my ears. And as widebllacksky has mentioned, it is hard to tell which unit sounds better by this viideo.
I think it is ridiculous to compare the eleven rack to any of the axe fxs. The sensitivity, feeling, response all is there with the Axe. While the eleven rack may do okay as a synthetic sounding version of guitar amps, the axe FX has achieved detailed emulation of both sound and feel to the point that many cannot hear the difference, meaning you can reproduce hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hardware with one unit. My ultra is amazing, and does so much of what I need nearly perfectly
To be honest, it sounded like there was a blanket over the Eleven rack in comparison to the axe fx's, the axe II was the best for me, better dynamics and a sweeter high end.
When I compared 11R to Axe Ultra (both dialed properly) there was not that much difference. Yes, Axe sounded bit better but definitely not putting 11R out of business.
Being an owner of both and used both in recording, the amount of content in the Axe Fx 2 compared to the 11R or even to the Axe Fx Ultra is just ridiculous.
@iwishicouldplaygtr Not to mention that Fractal has an update every month for the firmware which increases the tone quality of each tone and amp on the Axe Fx 2.
It's great, and the customer support is unmatched.
@Wallimann Even with the same knob settings I could get a good idea on which is the unit I like most. It would take a longer video to dial in a lot of different amps. Maybe you could do that in another video sometime. Great video!
You used the exact same three knob settings on all three machines, which tells us absolutely nothing. This is not how people use gear. People dial in a sound they want, not arbitrarily set the knobs to set values. Use the gear like a musician and test it so that we can compare tones. I want to hear the difference between similarly driven tones, not between arbitrary fixed values on the knobs. I shouldn't need to explain this.
@wideblacksky Oh I see what you are saying... You're right, I didn't try to imitate those tones. Just dialed the tones exactly as far as the knob settings. You're right.
It would be a lot more useful to hear some attempt at matching tones between the three boxes. In every example there was less gain on the eleven, which makes it impossible to compare tones.
@Wallimann the idea of a shootout is to compare similar tones. The only thing we can discern from your shootout is that the amount of drive is different between the three devices in relation to the pot settings. If you had done your best to match tones then we would have a better idea of the sonic quality of each unit.
at around 2:44 where you present the "boogie" tone. you changed the order, so the 2nd one is the axe fx II and the 3rd one is the ultra.
did you name them wrong or is the 2nd really the axe fx II and the last one the ultra? i think the 3rd boogie tone was the best, so is this coming from the ultra?
I'm trying to figure out how you got the Axe-FX to sound so bad, it's almost impossible to make it sound as bad as you made it sound on this video, and the 11R sounds just as bad. How did you manage to do that??? Judging by this video, the Kemper Profiling Amp makes both the 11R and Axe-FX sound like plastic in comparison.
@Fumbly - really? I found the Eleven to be very muddy in the harmonic overtones.
I'm still not convinced any of them beat a genuine tube amp (in the studio I use an ENGL combo, a mid 80's JCM 50w and an early 70s Fender Twin), but based on what I heard here, the Axe II seems to come closest to "the real thing". The Eleven sounds very "digital" - not much different to Guitar Rig or the Line6 stuff.
@ozvoxhumana personal prefs of course ozvox... I just felt the 11R sounded fuller to me...more hair on it. Maybe it's just the way the recording translated. I am sure if I had an Axe FX it'd sound awesome to me. It's what you make of it I reckon.
@plcolsson In terms of realism I can't really talk there because I haven't used real amps enough to speak of it. They are both very good machines. I prefer the Axe 2 though, it seams to inspire me to play more...
Thanks for making this, I think Im going to finance an Axe FX II based on what you have shown me... Like you said, the fact that it acts like a sound card is huge... I have been using a POD X3 unit for so long now, I cant wait to junk it n pick that badass up, thanks again man : D
Wow, I also think that the Eleven Rack sounded better than the Axe, but my opinion is based in 3 cuts without mixing. Maybe with some bass and drums it would change...
I used to go after this kind of machines, i had an Eleven Rack.. then i discovered the analogo modeling world. IMHO, all the sansamp analog modelers of the famous amps, like Twin, JCM, Plexi, Boogie, AC, do an incredible job, way more organic and overtoned and complex than anything i heard here. Go listen to some demos, and most important, PLAY them. Once you get some of that pedals, the cabinet simulation of them is so good you just need to enter your soundcard, add a reverb plugin, that's all.
I don't know how does it sound in person but based in the record I would say that the axe fx utra sounded thin that extremely harsh, the Axe fx sounds the more realistic to me but the eleven rack for the price is unbeatable and the amp model have bassy caracter that I like...
@saicosis2 I thought the same. I don't know how they will fit into a mix, but by themselves I would take the Eleven sounds over te Axe FX ones in the three examples of the video...
He is wrong in saying that the eleven rack cannot record the wet track and the dry track simultaneously in other DAWs. The eleven rack is ASIO compliant and all the imputs can be recognized in any daw.
@Wallimann Im just messing with you man search will it blend here on Youtube and you'll see what i mean.
But yea i'm trying to get get one of these but its hard to decide. The axe fx is just very pricey and ive never owned any type of processor/amp Modeler before so that's why i'm thinking about the eleven rack(since the price and all). I'm not the type of person to just settle on what ever i can get tho if the axe fx is better then i might go for that. Your video helped alot though.
@SouLzZSkiLL Oh I see the reference now. Haha! :-)
I was very happy with the Eleven, but I am not a purist in sound. I hardly never used any real amps in my life so I can't quite compare to the real thing.
Best thing about these, sound is entirely subjective....so that just means there is more possibilities for everyone. I personally prefer the Axe FX II. But, they were all fairly good, so who cares??
Eleven rack still sounds better. Its got a better transfer of a certain amp like feel going on too. That's pretty bad considering how much energy probably went into making the AFX II.
What about Vox middle of the road jangly tone clean/dirty like the DrZ thang. I have all of these amps for all of the options mentioned, depending on the band, gig or whatever. I would n a sec buy an Axe FX if I had the gig the warrented it. In the time I've owned my eleven I have yet to plug it in to a powered speaker. The tones work and feel right to me, especially the Vox, the Marshall 800 the Mesa Tri, Fender Clean, I never even consider miking one of my amps excp my Bogner Ecstasy since 11
For me it's all about what kind of band are you playing with, real drums and a B3-Leslie floored, well that Marshall 800 land or a Bogner Ecstacy for 3 great fundimental tones, just like your shoot out, Fender clean, Marshall Plexi and Mesa Boogie. With Filter Freak in your plugin's (the guys who made Eventide famous) and an Elevin you can record insprational tone and go nuts with EFX on sends just like Axe FX, Axe FX is like an Elevein & FF all in one, but you have to do the work up front. Loo
Hello again all, You know going full circle to real amps the idea behind all 3 of these units. I have learned many things, first you can not make a dirty amp clean. You can make a really good clean amp have a great dirty tone, even with good Marshalls you needed a distortion pedal to get into the MB tri tones. That said, you can not work in many good paying working situations with out a master on your 50 w Marshall 800 and it does not sound like a deluxe ever. 4 recording any of these work great
Hello, To my ears listening with headphones thru my Digi 002 board, when you turned the gtr vol down half way the Eleven was less buzzy thn both of the Axe FX, I do agree with your conclusion. One must also have the patience with the more options to dial it all in correctly. Personally I have not had any inspirational experiences with re-amping, for one thing it complicates keeping track of your tracks. I look for inspiration with my tone to start recording, also replaying is good for total lush
Clean sounds are infinitely warmer on the Eleven to my ear. The Axes (both) sound harsh and digital as hell but can probably be dialled out. Nice objective review man! :)
First off GREAT review. I like how you say " I'm prolly gonna re-sell the axe fx ultra, I don't need both and I might sell the 11 rack. I don't kow yet" IMO the axe fx ultra sounds better than the 2, and the eleven is a great unit for the price. Seeing how its last to go on your list tells me you really like it more then the ultra. I think I'll buy the eleven. THANKS for posting this review.
People can look up (or probably already know) the specs, and you can list the settings in the video info or as subtitles. It's so much better when demos are mostly sounds!
at 2:49 for the Mesa amp... you went Fender, FXII then Ultra, while the rest of the video was Fender, Ultra, FXII. Is it the labeling that is messed up or is it the order that changed?
Just curious, why would anyone spend that much on one of these when you can get software that sounds just as good or better? It's basically the same thing, except your computer is powering the guitar sound rather than an external device.
hmm, not to sound like a negative nelly, but neither of those units really nailed the tones of those amps (a comment i see allot as I type this). Surprising, and disappointing since I'd hoped to retire taking a laptop onstage... Im amazed that they cannot get the tones right in these types of units, yet software on PC/MAC can.. very weird...
I went from an AxeFX Ultra (sold it when the II was announced) and bought an 11R in the meantime. The 11R is a lot of bang for the buck once you take PTLE into account, but it's also infuriating to have to use it in order to import a patch. The Ultra was able to dial in the sound that I wanted exactly how I wanted, the 11R is able to dial in some decent sounds that I can use...big difference to me. I'll be getting the AFXII in the near future, it's worth the money to me.
To be honest. These sound samples don't sound realistic at all.
You can get a much better direct recording sound out of a Tube Preamp like the Koch Pedaltone, an additional hughes & kettner red box (try to use it together with the Pedaltones Corrected output) and some EQ Tweaking,
Axe FX is an overpriced hyped-machine and it sounds COLD. Period.
@Wallimann If you can just use the same amps with all the same settings on the AXEFX Ultra and the AFX2 so we can see if there is a real noticeable sound quality difference. I've been on the waiting list since 6/20 and am actually thinking of just buying an Ultra while I'm waiting till 2012 to get the AFX2.
IMHO the Orange unit sounded the best in all 3 samples however the fender delux model on the axe fx2 was pretty good and preferable over the other two - another sample showing more capabilities would really help!
Actually, what you're saying at 1:17 is not true. I'm using Eleven Rack with Ableton and Reaper and I'm able to record both processed signal and DI at the same time, on two seperate tracks. Later, I can use this DI for reamping. So, please, make an annotation regarding this as it can be very misleading. Cheers.
so if someone is not very good with "DAW , sound interface, audio card etc.. " the best solution in the 700 $ range is the eleven rack . .cause it serve as soundcard , recording tools etc.. all in one package?? i could use Lepou and other amp sim .. but im not good in cubase and how to configure the whole thing
MrStratocaster30 14 hours ago
@MrStratocaster30 Yeah! :-)
Wallimann 14 hours ago
@Wallimann ok thx .. i think ill go with that over the pod hd etc.. someon is asking 600 with the expansion pack her ein canada . i might grab it . look nice , thx for the great review .
MrStratocaster30 14 hours ago
@MrStratocaster30 That's a good price, I would get that too. :-)
Wallimann 13 hours ago
Awesome! Thanks a lot for this video!
heliobluesrock 6 days ago
@heliobluesrock Thanks for watching!
Wallimann 5 days ago
Eleven rack sounds better but it lacks a dry output pair
TalkToTheBody 1 week ago
They sound like my computer running GR4, id use the money to buy an amp personally.
WZW1982 1 week ago
Dude the Eleven Rack is definitely a contender. Axe FX is honestly a waste imo. You can buy the eleven rack with pro tools 10 for 899 and then purchase a nice eclipse ii or horizon with money left over. IMO the Axe FX does not sound any better. I think the e/r sounded richer/ more realistic.
nomadicexplorers 1 week ago
Hi David. Sorry if this comes through twice. I'm thinking of getting rid of my amps( I don't gig at 65) and running an Eleven Rack or something else into my Mac. Can the signal be routed through the Mac to my audio system or does it require separate monitors? I just want to sit and play without having to buy additional equipment. Is it better to run it through my tube amps FX loop and just use the Mac as an editor with PT?
Cheers.
Taylort3b 1 week ago
@Taylort3b Either would work...
Plus the Eleven and Axe FX II work as a soundcard so you could just use the headphones out of the rack you pick and hear everything there.
Both are great solutions in my opinion. :-)
Wallimann 1 week ago
@Wallimann Thanks David. I'm leaning towards the eleven rack on cost alone. Hopefully with a little help from my friend who has his own studio using pro tools, I can set up an old guy user friendly work station for my ever slowing brain and fingers. Life was simpler at 19 with my 65 Tele and Ampeg amp.
Cheers
Taylort3b 1 week ago
@Taylort3b I am getting my eleven rack today and brand new in the music recording technology at 33. You'll do fine
nomadicexplorers 1 week ago
@nomadicexplorers Congrats on the Eleven!!!
Wallimann 1 week ago
@nomadicexplorers Thanks for the encouragement. I don't know whether I get intimidated with technology the older I get or I just don't want to waste the time I have left learning it.
Have fun with the ER.
Taylort3b 1 week ago
@Taylort3b Its a little discouraging when there are 16 year olds who can tear it up and master pro tools and I'm 33 and just beginning.You can't waste time doing something you love. GL!
nomadicexplorers 1 week ago
@nomadicexplorers All those synapses of youth. When I started university the computer was the size of a bungalow and we were using slide rules. Pro tools would have occupied the entire fourth floor of the library. I still enjoy playing though even though the audience has dwindled to my wife and my dog. Both of whom ask me to turn it down.
Taylort3b 1 week ago
no modeling rack mount unit will EVER accurately simulate a tube amp.
Ever.
theGodSeat 2 weeks ago
@theGodSeat I think if we can develop technology that makes human limbs grow back, I guarantee tube amps can accurately be simulated.
nomadicexplorers 1 week ago
The eleven rack sounds like it's midscooped out...it sounds cool and thick by itself but in a mix it would disappear, i bet a million bucks
MawBTS 2 weeks ago
it's funny i thought the eleven sounded best
nomad100hd 3 weeks ago
th amp eleven sounds thicker...
jacktheguitarman 4 weeks ago 8
@jacktheguitarman
sounds muddy to me - though both AFX units were a little thin. I get better sounds form both units TBH.
paulmapp8306 1 week ago
you say "if youre not a purist" about the eleven rack. what do you mean here? could you elaborate more on the sound and FEEL of the eleven vs axe 2 and real amps?
Linqua2112 4 weeks ago
@Linqua2112 I can't really talk about real amps. I am not a purist. I know that some players hate modelers. The reason I love the Axe 2 is that it really inspires me to play more. I never really cared if a machine could emulate perfectly a real amp. Does that make sense?
Wallimann 4 weeks ago
do these machines have any other particular purpose other than making your practice sessions a breeze by them being able to replicate certain amps while playing them at night through your headsets? Maybe for live shows?
TooleralusAEnima 1 month ago
@TooleralusAEnima They are used live and also for recording.
Wallimann 1 month ago
Please have a drink of water. The sound of your mouth creeps me out. Cool vid tho haha
rikosimmo 1 month ago
@rikosimmo I sel earplugs on guitarplayback(dot)com :-D
Wallimann 1 month ago 7
That's a really killer trio. I have much lower Digitech RP500 and so far could get any tone or simulation I want, if time spend in tweaking. But to get great or original sound, you have to do that anyway, no matter if it's an Amp or Effects. Anything good comes with time spend on it.
I honestly can't even imagine what any of these three are like, considering that I get any sound with what I got. So anyway, thanks a lot for sharing such a pro gear with us that don't get the chance to do so.
checkie4ever 1 month ago
Maybe it's just me...but I thought the clean amp sounds, didn't sound anything like the Deluxe amp(s). At least the ones I've owned, played, and loved, over the years. I'm still curious about the other amp sounds though (Any Magnatones in there?)
ravenslaves 1 month ago
you want to sell axe Fx ultra?
omarchod 1 month ago
How do you connect the Ultra to your computer/DAW?
What is the most efficient way to do this?
Thanks, you're a killer player BTW!
MetalMikeCass 1 month ago
@MetalMikeCass Thanks a lot for the nice comment! I use the line out going into my soundcard (which was an Eleven Rack...)
Wallimann 1 month ago
Hello Wallimann can you tell me is you iMac enough for home recording? Which model you have? Thinking about switching to Mac form PC
Thanks
Greetings from Croatia
MareGitara 1 month ago
@MareGitara Yeah it is. It can do anything I ask pretty much. :-)
Wallimann 1 month ago
Great video, you should see if you can buy or at least borrow a pod HD pro to try, it seems really promising.
PPPatrickWWW 1 month ago
@PPPatrickWWW Will do!
Wallimann 1 month ago
Did you use the exact same settings for the axe ultra and the axe fx II?
in my opinion the ultra sounds better except for the fender deluxe preset!!
samoht500 1 month ago
@samoht500 Yeah I did, but I should have tweaked those sounds to give a better idea of the machines...
Wallimann 1 month ago
As we have a bunch of Axe-Fx cultists everywhere saying the Axe is better than anything else, I can only trust my ears. And as widebllacksky has mentioned, it is hard to tell which unit sounds better by this viideo.
fottolini 1 month ago
Sorry if you've been asked this before but, how much did you pay for them?
MaggotBrandyBacardy 1 month ago
@MaggotBrandyBacardy Eleven Rack was about $750.
Axe Ultra: $1600 and Axe II $1900 I think...
Wallimann 1 month ago
@Wallimann ok thanks man
MaggotBrandyBacardy 1 month ago
I think it is ridiculous to compare the eleven rack to any of the axe fxs. The sensitivity, feeling, response all is there with the Axe. While the eleven rack may do okay as a synthetic sounding version of guitar amps, the axe FX has achieved detailed emulation of both sound and feel to the point that many cannot hear the difference, meaning you can reproduce hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of hardware with one unit. My ultra is amazing, and does so much of what I need nearly perfectly
jesussaddle 2 months ago
To be honest, it sounded like there was a blanket over the Eleven rack in comparison to the axe fx's, the axe II was the best for me, better dynamics and a sweeter high end.
stetyrrell132 2 months ago
axe fx II is a killer machine!!!!!!!!!
Dimitribujiashvili 2 months ago
When I compared 11R to Axe Ultra (both dialed properly) there was not that much difference. Yes, Axe sounded bit better but definitely not putting 11R out of business.
iwishicouldplaygtr 2 months ago
@iwishicouldplaygtr I really should do that to be fair. Thanks for the comment!
Wallimann 2 months ago
@Wallimann I really like your Parker.
Ever tried the Parker w/ MIDI?
Been thinking about picking one up.
I think they sound GREAT with a dry distortion setting; great for jazz.
Genoc1deP7 2 months ago
@Genoc1deP7 No, I never tried a Midi fly. Always been curious though!
Wallimann 2 months ago
@iwishicouldplaygtr The Axe Fx 2 is by far better than the 11R.
Being an owner of both and used both in recording, the amount of content in the Axe Fx 2 compared to the 11R or even to the Axe Fx Ultra is just ridiculous.
Genoc1deP7 2 months ago
@iwishicouldplaygtr Not to mention that Fractal has an update every month for the firmware which increases the tone quality of each tone and amp on the Axe Fx 2.
It's great, and the customer support is unmatched.
Genoc1deP7 2 months ago
Cool demo, i think ill stay analog for now though
nbarra101 2 months ago
@nbarra101 Glad you liked that!
Wallimann 2 months ago
@Wallimann Even with the same knob settings I could get a good idea on which is the unit I like most. It would take a longer video to dial in a lot of different amps. Maybe you could do that in another video sometime. Great video!
metalfiend124 2 months ago
With a limited budget, should I go with eleven rack or pod hd pro ? >_<
sidedead92 2 months ago
@sidedead92 I haven't tried the Pod HD but heard good things about it...
Wallimann 2 months ago
huge price difference and both still sound like shit lololol
christianplysgtr 2 months ago
my opinion, the axe ultra is at this time bether as the axe 2!
spawette 2 months ago
You used the exact same three knob settings on all three machines, which tells us absolutely nothing. This is not how people use gear. People dial in a sound they want, not arbitrarily set the knobs to set values. Use the gear like a musician and test it so that we can compare tones. I want to hear the difference between similarly driven tones, not between arbitrary fixed values on the knobs. I shouldn't need to explain this.
wideblacksky 2 months ago
@wideblacksky Oh I see what you are saying... You're right, I didn't try to imitate those tones. Just dialed the tones exactly as far as the knob settings. You're right.
Wallimann 2 months ago
@wideblacksky And I'm glad you did explain this too. :-D
Wallimann 2 months ago
It would be a lot more useful to hear some attempt at matching tones between the three boxes. In every example there was less gain on the eleven, which makes it impossible to compare tones.
wideblacksky 2 months ago
@wideblacksky I used the same exact settings on all 3 machines. :-)
Wallimann 2 months ago
@Wallimann the idea of a shootout is to compare similar tones. The only thing we can discern from your shootout is that the amount of drive is different between the three devices in relation to the pot settings. If you had done your best to match tones then we would have a better idea of the sonic quality of each unit.
wideblacksky 2 months ago
hey i got a question:
at around 2:44 where you present the "boogie" tone. you changed the order, so the 2nd one is the axe fx II and the 3rd one is the ultra.
did you name them wrong or is the 2nd really the axe fx II and the last one the ultra? i think the 3rd boogie tone was the best, so is this coming from the ultra?
freakguitar1 2 months ago
@freakguitar1 Sorry, I messed up the titles. Order is always Eleven - Axe Standard - Axe FX 2 :-)
Wallimann 2 months ago
@Wallimann should be "Eleven - Axe ULTRA - Axe FX 2" haha but i got the point and thanks for clearing this up!
i wanted to buy the axe fx 2 but the 1k more cash is a lot at the moment... :/
freakguitar1 2 months ago
thanks man <3
i think i can now get the axe fx 2. good arguments going on here, much better than reading unspecific retarded posts in a forum!
freakguitar1 2 months ago
Great demo! The Eleven rack did sound more muffled than the Axe FX racks in the sound trials. Thanks again!
danceofthedruids 3 months ago
I'm trying to figure out how you got the Axe-FX to sound so bad, it's almost impossible to make it sound as bad as you made it sound on this video, and the 11R sounds just as bad. How did you manage to do that??? Judging by this video, the Kemper Profiling Amp makes both the 11R and Axe-FX sound like plastic in comparison.
CrazyDiamond1968 3 months ago
he winked at me
guitarguy87 3 months ago
Very nice demos, well done, thank you very much!
drkam6 3 months ago
@drkam6 Thanks for watching!
Wallimann 3 months ago
I trusted you as soon as I saw the Egnater
XxHxcHansxX 3 months ago
@XxHxcHansxX Haha! Thanks!
Wallimann 3 months ago
test started at 2:11
teokiatuan2 3 months ago
Eleven Rack sounded way better.
Fumbly 3 months ago
@Fumbly - really? I found the Eleven to be very muddy in the harmonic overtones.
I'm still not convinced any of them beat a genuine tube amp (in the studio I use an ENGL combo, a mid 80's JCM 50w and an early 70s Fender Twin), but based on what I heard here, the Axe II seems to come closest to "the real thing". The Eleven sounds very "digital" - not much different to Guitar Rig or the Line6 stuff.
ozvoxhumana 3 months ago
@ozvoxhumana personal prefs of course ozvox... I just felt the 11R sounded fuller to me...more hair on it. Maybe it's just the way the recording translated. I am sure if I had an Axe FX it'd sound awesome to me. It's what you make of it I reckon.
Fumbly 3 months ago
I tryed the Eleven rack a G center and was amazed at the realistic sound quality
ManuelBetten 3 months ago
@ManuelBetten It is a very cool piece of equipment.
Wallimann 3 months ago
Good demo.. I have the Eleven Rack.. based on sound only, do you think the Axe FX is better?
plcolsson 3 months ago
@plcolsson In terms of realism I can't really talk there because I haven't used real amps enough to speak of it. They are both very good machines. I prefer the Axe 2 though, it seams to inspire me to play more...
Wallimann 3 months ago
........one word - TONELAB LE !!!! :D
6paidaa 3 months ago
@6paidaa u can wipe ur ass with that
ryurookie 3 months ago
I'm surprised to say that I liked the Eleven Rack better - to my ears it was richer.
Muggwhumpp 3 months ago
Thanks for making this, I think Im going to finance an Axe FX II based on what you have shown me... Like you said, the fact that it acts like a sound card is huge... I have been using a POD X3 unit for so long now, I cant wait to junk it n pick that badass up, thanks again man : D
LazNeedsABand 3 months ago
@LazNeedsABand Cool man!
Wallimann 3 months ago
Wow, I also think that the Eleven Rack sounded better than the Axe, but my opinion is based in 3 cuts without mixing. Maybe with some bass and drums it would change...
Anyway, incredible toys there!
Jotun6662 3 months ago
i absolutely loved watching your video. thanks for the clean layed out presentations :)
surfacexmusic 3 months ago
@surfacexmusic Thank you very much for your comment! ;-)
Wallimann 3 months ago
i wish Fractal will make Axe FX floor pedals to compete with the Line 6 POD HD series.
BTXXXXXXX 3 months ago
@BTXXXXXXX That would be cool!
Wallimann 3 months ago
I used to go after this kind of machines, i had an Eleven Rack.. then i discovered the analogo modeling world. IMHO, all the sansamp analog modelers of the famous amps, like Twin, JCM, Plexi, Boogie, AC, do an incredible job, way more organic and overtoned and complex than anything i heard here. Go listen to some demos, and most important, PLAY them. Once you get some of that pedals, the cabinet simulation of them is so good you just need to enter your soundcard, add a reverb plugin, that's all.
YetAnotherBeginner 3 months ago
Free VST plugins FTW.
LePou SoloC with KeFir + Cab Impulse: $0
Axe FX: $2599
tkdman45 3 months ago
I don't know how does it sound in person but based in the record I would say that the axe fx utra sounded thin that extremely harsh, the Axe fx sounds the more realistic to me but the eleven rack for the price is unbeatable and the amp model have bassy caracter that I like...
Crystaldichotomy 3 months ago
cranked marshall + palmer pdi-03 nothing more to say........!
johnny1e 3 months ago
Is there something wrong with my computer or does the eleven sound much warmer, richer and fuller? And more convincing on the distortions?
saicosis2 3 months ago
@saicosis2 I thought the same. I don't know how they will fit into a mix, but by themselves I would take the Eleven sounds over te Axe FX ones in the three examples of the video...
dregen77 3 months ago
He is wrong in saying that the eleven rack cannot record the wet track and the dry track simultaneously in other DAWs. The eleven rack is ASIO compliant and all the imputs can be recognized in any daw.
xWOMBOCOMBOx 3 months ago
In general, I'd say the FX II is fairly obviously the best sounding - shame about the 48k limit though, they gotta do something about that.
CusterFlux 4 months ago
axe sounds thin
RythemGuitarist 4 months ago
Wait for the Axe FX lll - LOL
666patrickbateman666 4 months ago
Very informative! Thanks, Walli!!!
Tubember 4 months ago 4
@Tubember Thanks for watching!
Wallimann 4 months ago
Will it blend?
SouLzZSkiLL 4 months ago 13
@SouLzZSkiLL I'm not sure what you mean?
Wallimann 4 months ago
@Wallimann Im just messing with you man search will it blend here on Youtube and you'll see what i mean.
But yea i'm trying to get get one of these but its hard to decide. The axe fx is just very pricey and ive never owned any type of processor/amp Modeler before so that's why i'm thinking about the eleven rack(since the price and all). I'm not the type of person to just settle on what ever i can get tho if the axe fx is better then i might go for that. Your video helped alot though.
SouLzZSkiLL 4 months ago
@SouLzZSkiLL Oh I see the reference now. Haha! :-)
I was very happy with the Eleven, but I am not a purist in sound. I hardly never used any real amps in my life so I can't quite compare to the real thing.
Wallimann 4 months ago
Comment removed
SouLzZSkiLL 4 months ago
Best thing about these, sound is entirely subjective....so that just means there is more possibilities for everyone. I personally prefer the Axe FX II. But, they were all fairly good, so who cares??
fughe 4 months ago
what about podHD 500 !??!
gosu1234 4 months ago
@gosu1234 Never tried it but heard very good things about it...
Wallimann 4 months ago
Eleven rack still sounds better. Its got a better transfer of a certain amp like feel going on too. That's pretty bad considering how much energy probably went into making the AFX II.
ShivaTheAuspicious 4 months ago
The eleven rack sounded better to my ears...
shreddingjoris 4 months ago
Which is better for recording/practicing, PC/windows or Mac?
prabowoputra 4 months ago
@prabowoputra I think they are as good. It's just a matter of personal preference. I love working on Macs since I switched from PC a few years ago.
Wallimann 4 months ago
What about Vox middle of the road jangly tone clean/dirty like the DrZ thang. I have all of these amps for all of the options mentioned, depending on the band, gig or whatever. I would n a sec buy an Axe FX if I had the gig the warrented it. In the time I've owned my eleven I have yet to plug it in to a powered speaker. The tones work and feel right to me, especially the Vox, the Marshall 800 the Mesa Tri, Fender Clean, I never even consider miking one of my amps excp my Bogner Ecstasy since 11
loowood2 4 months ago
For me it's all about what kind of band are you playing with, real drums and a B3-Leslie floored, well that Marshall 800 land or a Bogner Ecstacy for 3 great fundimental tones, just like your shoot out, Fender clean, Marshall Plexi and Mesa Boogie. With Filter Freak in your plugin's (the guys who made Eventide famous) and an Elevin you can record insprational tone and go nuts with EFX on sends just like Axe FX, Axe FX is like an Elevein & FF all in one, but you have to do the work up front. Loo
loowood2 4 months ago
Hello again all, You know going full circle to real amps the idea behind all 3 of these units. I have learned many things, first you can not make a dirty amp clean. You can make a really good clean amp have a great dirty tone, even with good Marshalls you needed a distortion pedal to get into the MB tri tones. That said, you can not work in many good paying working situations with out a master on your 50 w Marshall 800 and it does not sound like a deluxe ever. 4 recording any of these work great
loowood2 4 months ago
Hello, To my ears listening with headphones thru my Digi 002 board, when you turned the gtr vol down half way the Eleven was less buzzy thn both of the Axe FX, I do agree with your conclusion. One must also have the patience with the more options to dial it all in correctly. Personally I have not had any inspirational experiences with re-amping, for one thing it complicates keeping track of your tracks. I look for inspiration with my tone to start recording, also replaying is good for total lush
loowood2 4 months ago in playlist More videos from Wallimann
Those distorted tones ALL sound really really......bad.
danyeo 4 months ago
Clean sounds are infinitely warmer on the Eleven to my ear. The Axes (both) sound harsh and digital as hell but can probably be dialled out. Nice objective review man! :)
bufon63 4 months ago
@bufon63 Thanks for watching this!
Wallimann 4 months ago
How much do you want for the Eleven Rack?
CristianoLionHeart 4 months ago
@CristianoLionHeart I think I might keep it...
Wallimann 4 months ago
First off GREAT review. I like how you say " I'm prolly gonna re-sell the axe fx ultra, I don't need both and I might sell the 11 rack. I don't kow yet" IMO the axe fx ultra sounds better than the 2, and the eleven is a great unit for the price. Seeing how its last to go on your list tells me you really like it more then the ultra. I think I'll buy the eleven. THANKS for posting this review.
jongillardmusic 4 months ago
@jongillardmusic Thanks for watching! The Eleven is awesome, you'll love it.
Wallimann 4 months ago
how much you want for the eleven rack? lol
museman91 4 months ago
@museman91 I might have sold it, not sure yet. I'll let you know!
Wallimann 4 months ago
Love this video. Great comparison! If you haven't sold the ultra yet and would like to, I'm in the market for one!
DreamTheater96 4 months ago
@DreamTheater96 I might have sold it.. Will keep you posted.
Wallimann 4 months ago
Getting my Axe Fx II in about 10-20 days. cant wait!!
OndskapensHersker 4 months ago
@OndskapensHersker You're gonna love it!
Wallimann 4 months ago
Hey bro, if you could do a metal or down tunning demo of the eleven rack with only the guitar sound, it would be really helpful, thanks!
Torqueofficial 4 months ago
@Torqueofficial I'll see what I can do!
Wallimann 4 months ago
People can look up (or probably already know) the specs, and you can list the settings in the video info or as subtitles. It's so much better when demos are mostly sounds!
mooktank 4 months ago
I hate to be critical but behind your voice I can hear your mouth slurping with every word you say and it's very annoying.
profanious 4 months ago
Awesome sharing! Respect.
bobbysbackingtracks 4 months ago
@bobbysbackingtracks Thanks!
Wallimann 4 months ago
at 2:49 for the Mesa amp... you went Fender, FXII then Ultra, while the rest of the video was Fender, Ultra, FXII. Is it the labeling that is messed up or is it the order that changed?
Sawstinker 5 months ago
@Sawstinker You are right! The order should read the same for all 3 models: Eleven, Ultra and Axe II...
Wallimann 5 months ago
Just curious, why would anyone spend that much on one of these when you can get software that sounds just as good or better? It's basically the same thing, except your computer is powering the guitar sound rather than an external device.
maestrojon 5 months ago
I'm a FAS fan boy, but man those tones copped here by the Ultra/II were pretty weak.
LAYG0 5 months ago
Hey, forgot to ask how long it took to get yours. I've been on the waiting list for 3 months and 3 days.
schlagdog 5 months ago
@schlagdog It took about 3 months...
Wallimann 5 months ago
I'm a purist in sound and I just don't like the sound of any Fractal Audio System product !
I'm getting the Eleven for sure !
magicaldog 5 months ago
@magicaldog Glad you found this useful!
Wallimann 5 months ago
I'm a purist in sound and I just don't like the sound of any Fractal Audio System product !
I'm getting the Eleven for sure !
magicaldog 5 months ago
I preferred the eleven rack on all the amp mods...
phlorgan 5 months ago
hmm, not to sound like a negative nelly, but neither of those units really nailed the tones of those amps (a comment i see allot as I type this). Surprising, and disappointing since I'd hoped to retire taking a laptop onstage... Im amazed that they cannot get the tones right in these types of units, yet software on PC/MAC can.. very weird...
Dreamfullofzen 5 months ago
I went from an AxeFX Ultra (sold it when the II was announced) and bought an 11R in the meantime. The 11R is a lot of bang for the buck once you take PTLE into account, but it's also infuriating to have to use it in order to import a patch. The Ultra was able to dial in the sound that I wanted exactly how I wanted, the 11R is able to dial in some decent sounds that I can use...big difference to me. I'll be getting the AFXII in the near future, it's worth the money to me.
ashasha3 5 months ago
To be honest. These sound samples don't sound realistic at all.
You can get a much better direct recording sound out of a Tube Preamp like the Koch Pedaltone, an additional hughes & kettner red box (try to use it together with the Pedaltones Corrected output) and some EQ Tweaking,
Axe FX is an overpriced hyped-machine and it sounds COLD. Period.
MrDemenz 5 months ago
Hello Wallimann,
I would like to know if with 11rack you can split the output sign to:
A--> poweramp with no cab simulation
and
B--> PA sound system with cab simulation
simultaneously ,
this is something that AXE can do but I do not know about 11rack.
can you please comment on this?
bettoyeah 5 months ago
@bettoyeah I never tried it but am pretty sure you can...
Wallimann 5 months ago
11r sounds better.. lol
officialleader 5 months ago
P.S. High Gain channels if you can.
schlagdog 5 months ago
@schlagdog Will do!
Wallimann 5 months ago
@Wallimann If you can just use the same amps with all the same settings on the AXEFX Ultra and the AFX2 so we can see if there is a real noticeable sound quality difference. I've been on the waiting list since 6/20 and am actually thinking of just buying an Ultra while I'm waiting till 2012 to get the AFX2.
schlagdog 5 months ago
For some reason your voice reminds me of Dr. Steve Brule lol
lochnarus 5 months ago 2
@lochnarus Oh no!!!! :-D
Wallimann 5 months ago
Oh I should also mention - good job on the vid!
michaelgjanzen 5 months ago
@michaelgjanzen Thank you!
Wallimann 5 months ago
I would love some AXE II mesa boogie john petrucci kind of sound sample from you playing some leads.
ShredableGuitar 5 months ago in playlist Fler videoklipp från Wallimann
@ShredableGuitar Will do!
Wallimann 5 months ago
IMHO the Orange unit sounded the best in all 3 samples however the fender delux model on the axe fx2 was pretty good and preferable over the other two - another sample showing more capabilities would really help!
michaelgjanzen 5 months ago
@michaelgjanzen I'll post more vids..
Wallimann 5 months ago
Axe FX Ultra, Axe FX II and Digidesign Eleven Rack. You set EQ same?
thank you
pombrunetti 5 months ago
@pombrunetti Yeah, same settings..
Wallimann 5 months ago
Actually, what you're saying at 1:17 is not true. I'm using Eleven Rack with Ableton and Reaper and I'm able to record both processed signal and DI at the same time, on two seperate tracks. Later, I can use this DI for reamping. So, please, make an annotation regarding this as it can be very misleading. Cheers.
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