Members BrendanO Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 what percentage of axe fx's are purchased by actual gigging musicians, though? i'd say less than half. since it's already been ported to a PC, all they have to spend money on is packaging and burning discs. the profit margin would be significantly higher ( i assume ) than the hardware units, and they could better serve their customers. i don't see how it's not a win/win solution. and at a price point of $500, that's still what i consider high end for software. but i don't have a dog in the race, so no biggy to me You have PC software, and it'll get bootlegged with a quickness. Keeping it in a piece of physical hardware is a pretty good way to prevent that; that'd be my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimSG Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 You have PC software, and it'll get bootlegged with a quickness. Keeping it in a piece of physical hardware is a pretty good way to prevent that; that'd be my guess. Yes -- the hardware is the dongle in this case. Plus they can make money on the HW and having control of the run time environment goes a long way to ensuring that the SW operates correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MatchFive Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 the simple solution is to release it as software that you use on your PC... they could sell it for $500, and probably make more than they do selling the hardware. This.. A high powered laptop on top of a power amp.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MatchFive Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Yes -- the hardware is the dongle in this case. Plus they can make money on the HW and having control of the run time environment goes a long way to ensuring that the SW operates correctly. I have seen software dongle emulators before with Steinberg Cubase cracked software.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Valtiel Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 I like that word......Dongle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BrendanO Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 I like that word......Dongle. It sounds dirty, but isn't. Like {censored}-willow, or mukluk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jimSG Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 I have seen software dongle emulators before with Steinberg Cubase cracked software.. Doesn't that reinforce the point that selling only the software may actually reduce Fractal's profits due to theft? There are a lot comments here about how much more money fractal could make selling only the software. I suspect that the hardware serves several purposes: security and a consistent HW environment for the SW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LaXu Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Latency is also extremely low on the Axe-Fx. Far lower than you could ever get on the PC. And like I said, a laptop even with a Core i5/i7 probably would barely run it since the laptop chips are not as fast as their desktop counterparts. It seems they have the units flying off shelves as they are so they have zero incentive to release anything cheaper. For what it is (amp simulator with top shelf effects) the Axe-Fx is not really expensive. You can easily spend as much or even more on an Eventide or Lexicon processor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xautumnsashesx Posted March 3, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Latency is also extremely low on the Axe-Fx. Far lower than you could ever get on the PC. And like I said, a laptop even with a Core i5/i7 probably would barely run it since the laptop chips are not as fast as their desktop counterparts.It seems they have the units flying off shelves as they are so they have zero incentive to release anything cheaper. For what it is (amp simulator with top shelf effects) the Axe-Fx is not really expensive. You can easily spend as much or even more on an Eventide or Lexicon processor. It's a great product, worth what they are charging. For my use, and what I can tell, other peoples as well, even the standard version has way more futures than many players will utilize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elric Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 The problem is that one of the keys to the Axe is the bitchin' DSP which adds a *ton* to the final cost of the unit (this info is from Cliff/Fractal). If those awesome models' minimal CPU requirement cannot be met by a cheaper CPU that the code can be easily ported to there's no way to mitigate that cost and still meet the existing quality standard. Also, the rest of the Axe's hardware is pretty premium stuff which comes into play in not only the cost but the sound of the unit. So, if none of the stuff they could cut provides a significant savings it's just not profitable for the manufacturer. So, basically, quality costs. Go figure. That thing is a beast and a hellacious value as is, so man up and save some money for it. We're just conditioned to prices on technology dropping like a rock these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ~Abstract~ Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 I'm waiting for v2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Markdude Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Axe FX Lite -- you get all of the amp models and effects of the Ultra, but you are not able to load your own cabinet impulses, and instead have to use Klops Drums ones. 20 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pamackie Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Axe FX Lite -- you get all of the amp models and effects of the Ultra, but you are not able to load your own cabinet impulses, and instead have to use Klops Drums ones.20 bucks. Ripoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Nerine Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Axe FX Lite -- you get all of the amp models and effects of the Ultra, but you are not able to load your own cabinet impulses, and instead have to use Klops drums ones. 20 bucks. Bwaaaaaaahhhhhhahahahahahaaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OverDriven Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 the simple solution is to release it as software that you use on your PC...they could sell it for $500, and probably make more than they do selling the hardware. Cliff is too busy worrying about who might steal his software to do something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members knucklefux Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Cliff is too busy worrying about who might steal his software to do something like that. ironic, innit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Valtiel Posted March 3, 2011 Members Share Posted March 3, 2011 Cliff is pretty protective of it, hence why (IIRC) there is no direct line into the Virtual Power Amp section (the thing he seems to be most protective of) i.e. a power amp in which actually would have been cool and really useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rampage Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 Then we'll just get a downpour of, "Should have bought the standard," threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members saxxamafone Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 I thought Cliff said the cost in building FX only VS the current axefx is very little If the cost barely differs then you might as well get an axefx and have all the amp/cab stuff that goes with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Anomaly Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 Lots of good points already about how/why it wouldn't cost much less at all when cutting features. OP, you could also look at it like this. Just like others have said, you'd have to start cutting components and operating power to cut features and cost, and then it wouldn't be nearly the same product. Kind of like a Bogner Alchemist isn't really 'almost' like one of Reinhold's high priced Bogners. I'm not sure how many Alchemists are flying off the sales floors, but I imagine it isn't a ton, and those peeps probably don't think they got a "stripped down" high quality Bogner at a bargain price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members drewl Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 A bunch of youse guys chip in, buy one, take it to China and have them make clones. Musoland will probably do it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nateispro Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 if i remember correctly there releasing a unit that has just the effects sometime this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeadNight Warrior Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 if i remember correctly there releasing a unit that has just the effects sometime this year Can't remember if Cliff actually said that, or if he only said they were working on something new but that it wasn't going to directly compete with their existing products. I hardly use FX in my Axe-FX, mostly just amp and cab stuff... maybe a bit of EQ and delay. I still think it's well worth the money, and all that other stuff is there if I do decide I want to piss about with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zhorellski Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 Floor unit ala POD HD with limited Amp (32) models and (16) effects!! under a grand!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nateispro Posted March 4, 2011 Members Share Posted March 4, 2011 Can't remember if Cliff actually said that, or if he only said they were working on something new but that it wasn't going to directly compete with their existing products. I hardly use FX in my Axe-FX, mostly just amp and cab stuff... maybe a bit of EQ and delay. I still think it's well worth the money, and all that other stuff is there if I do decide I want to piss about with it. for people like me who love there amp and cab setup right now a effects model would be perfect, especially if it could do channel switching on your amp as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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