Ax Fx ultra

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mjk

Babyface
Joined
Aug 28, 2005
Messages
18
Location
ireland
I'm thinking of getting this unit with the mfc all for 1200 Euro my question is this is it a good setup for u2 I know loads of guys who swear by them, for those of you that might know me from u2 sound forum and YouTube as mjk40 will understand what gear I used to use,
I am also thinking of the fx8 mk11
So I will still be using my vox for live shows and a3 so would the ultra and mfc be a good combo
Thanks
 
Tough call. €1200 for an Ultra and MFC is a good deal, on the other hand, since you still plan to use an amp, €1400 for an all in one FX only unit that is more modern and has more modern features might be a good investment too.

Pro of the Ultra, you're going to bring along a 19" rack along anyway for the A3, so its not like you have to get one extra for the Ultra. It can go straight into a mixing desk if you ever desire so, as it got amp sims. It's €200 cheaper.
Con of the Ultra. It's a legacy product. It will never be updated again and your editing software might no longer work on new operating systems. It doesn't have some of the new cool features of the current Fractal modelers, like X/Y switching. It may or may not have scenes either. Those are features I've really come to like and use a lot. On the plus side. what you never had you'll never miss anyway. As its an old unit if it breaks down you're boned as you will have no warranty. Fractal can probably still fix it, but it will cost you. On the plus side Fractal gear seems to be well made though.

Pro of the FX-8, new top of the line unit, which latest features like X/Y switching, 8 scenes per presets (which means you have 8 sub presets for every preset). It will still receive new upgrades, updates, new FX being added and improved, the whole shebang. It's a stand alone unit. No need to bring along a big 19"rack with the processer stashed in it. You can run the A3 from it in the FX loop. As its new you'll have a few years warranty as well in case something happens.
Cons, FX only, so no going straight into a mixing desk if you ever desire or have too. You still have to bring along a small 19" rack for the A3 and run cables to and from it to the FX-8. And its €200 more expensive, so you're not saving that much stuff that you have to bring along for a show, plus 2 more cables for the A3 = more cable spaghetti on stage. Also I'm not sure how you can send MIDI orders via the FX-8 to the A3. If its possible, it probably is, somewhere buried deep in the manual, it doesn't appear to be a feature of Axe-edit as I don't have it on the Axe-FX and AX-8. If its not possible you'd have to switch presets on the A3 manually. But I assume you only use it for Mysterious Ways, as most guitarists seem to do who still use the A3 together with an Axe-FX, so this may not be such a big problem after all.

Anyone feel free to add.

Edit: I just remembered some stuff. With the MFC you can give the A3 MIDI commands for sure. The major con is that while the regular editors for all the Axe-FX, old and new, AX-8 and FX-8 is free to download and use, you have to pay $30 to download and unlock the editor for the MFC. Which is a kind of scam in my opinion. I can understand that additional DLC for the gear you're selling might be costing something. New stuff you're adding for a product that is already sold costs money, it has to be recouped at some point. But its optional content. You shouldn't have to get it. Basic editors you HAVE to get. And charging for them is wrong. Then again, the guy whose selling the MFC to you might already have both the downloaded MFC editor and the registration key. Be sure to ask for them if he hasn't mentioned them yet.
 
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You're welcome.

If its not too much trouble, could you post some pics of your current setup? It helps to advise if I know from which situation you are coming. And also because I'm a huge gear slut. :D
 
Hey I sold all my gear a few years ago, I had a 16 unit rack with pop up shelf for pedals, ok I had korg sdd300- Tc 2290 -eventide eclipse eventide -h3000 se -korg a3 -sound sculpture switchblade GL- and akg wireless for guitars, on top I had line6 dm4 -pro co rat-ts9 tubesceamer- tc phaser- sometimes they changed on top, on the floor I had the exess fx1 and expander, wh1- Morley wah-rabfuzz pedal- boss tuner
Voxac 30?and fender bassman 59 reissue, now I sold all that, now I use boss gt10 with eventide space in the send and returns, I had to change rig was too big to be just gigging in Ireland now that we gig all over the place world I can bring everything simple, gt10 I hear you ask well if you know what your doing it's alright not high end I know but the eventide space gives you pro reverb and shimmering type sounds,
I have the ax Fx ultra now with the mfc so I have a bit of work to do
 
Selling all of that must have hurt. I know it would have hurt for me. That list made me drool just reading it. I still have my 16u rack with top shelf. It was my dream rig and I never got to use it. It's just not smart to have something so big in a building that has no elevator. :D

So you went with the Ultra/MFC? I guess I would have gone for that one as well, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense if you wanted to control the A3 as well. I hope it works out for you and if your band ever gets to do a gig near Nijmegen, the Netherlands, send me a message and I'll try to come by and check you guys out.
 
I would've gone for second had Ax8, tho. not because Ultra sucks, but because newer units seem more convenient and companies tend to support them.
 
Cheers we might be playing in Antwerp this year some time


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I would've gone for second had Ax8, tho. not because Ultra sucks, but because newer units seem more convenient and companies tend to support them.

True, but he plans on still using an AC-30 so he needs FX only. And since he's still hauling the A3 around as well it does make sense to go for the Ultra/MFC combo. Yeah, its out of production and no longer supported, but plenty of people are still using such gear.
 
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