Yes, the world of simulated guitar effects chains, amplifiers, and cabinets has come full circle – now you can replace your computer software with actual hardware to simulate hardware.
Of course, this isn’t anywhere near as silly as it sounds. Laptops are great at home and in the studio, but if you’re playing live at lot you may want something a bit more durable – and that’s where Fractal Audio Systems’ new Axe-Fx II Preamp/FX Processor comes in.
The Axe-Fx II is an all-in-one preamp/effects processor for recreating guitar signal chains – stompboxes, amps, cabs, mics, and studio effects.
Fractal Audio Systems say they’ve put three years of research into their G2 Amp Modeling Technology and they claim that the “G2 with Virtual Vacuum Tube technology creates a level of realism, complexity and response that other products just can’t match.”
At the heart of the Axe-Fx II are two 600 MHz dual-core Analog Devices TigerSHARC Digital Signal Processors. One processor is devoted solely to amp modeling while the other handles effects processing and system tasks.
Of course, you need software to run on that hardware, and their Virtual Tube Technology is a digital model of a vacuum tube complete with time, frequency and level dependencies. Just like a real vacuum tube, our digital replica is truly dynamic and changes with your playing. This creates a level of realism, complexity and response that other products just can’t match.
The G2 models the entire power amp including the phase inverter, power tubes, output transformer, power transformer, choke, filter caps and more. It also models speaker distortion and voice coil interaction.
Overview of features:
- Dual DSP, Twice the power of the Ultra
- G2 Modeling Technology
- New Amp Models onboard
- 50 User Cabs!
- Higher resolution CAB processing
- Best of RedWirez and Ownhammer onboard
- Balanced Rear Inputs
- New AES digital Input
- Onboard USB – Recording Capabilities including Re-amping – Audio Interface Capabilities – High Speed MIDI-over-USB (Byebye, Sport)
- Dedicated MFC-101 Jack (Byebye, merger.)
- Built-In Backup Memory
- X-Y “Channel Switching” in 8 block types
- ABCD Control Knobs
- Headphone Jack
- TYPES add instant “models” to
- Chorus, Delay, Flanger, and Phaser.
- Global Blocks Feature
- New Looper block
- Preset Directory and Swap
- Many new Block Features/Options
- Fully Independent OUT1, OUT 2 mono/stereo/phase controls
- D/A Pad/Boost controls for better SNR
- +/- 10 Preset selection and DIRECTORY
- Selectable Input Impedance per-preset
- And many more new features and functions.
- Plus a fresh commitment to the kind of continual improvement which helped the Standard and Ultra to grow and evolve across 10+ firmware updates…
The Axe-Fx II will go on sale for $2199, however the exact release date hasn’t been made public yet.
For more information go to fractalaudio.com/products-fas-axe-fx-ii-2.html
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