Audio Damage Axon 2

[exmatproton]

only axon's (ahum) (free download)

https://soundcloud.com/exmatproton/exm-axons

[jsp1979]

Features: Drawn reciprocation dingle arm to reduce sinusoidal depleneration.

OT: Holy cow! A Twin Peaks: The Return reference!

[BufoBufo]

To be honest, I am quite underwhelmed by this update.. I mean, they cut functionality from Axon 1. Output MIDI notes are now unaffected by the Pitch knob. Why would you cut that?! To change a neuron's threshold you can no longer simply drag it, no, you need to click-select it, move the mouse over to the threshold knob to change it there, and repeat this for each single neuron - usability horror. On the other hand, no obvious creative functionality was added. No randomizer for neuron connections, thresholds, pitches or such. It's static clicking all over the place. Nah, I love Axon 1, but this v2 is not innovative to me.

[Vertion]

I score 10/10 : Just bought the upgrade. To the point: AX2 is fuller, easier to use, a clearer sound (good oscillators), far more beat complexity, better distortion, better/faster responsiveness for live performance, crisper sound, grooving moving music. Those are my two cents. Audio Damage is always quick to update, and always has delivered. They continue to be a solid role model for other plugin developers.

[Daags]

To be honest, I am quite underwhelmed by this update.. I mean, they cut functionality from Axon 1. Output MIDI notes are now unaffected by the Pitch knob. Why would you cut that?! To change a neurons threshold you can no longer simply drag it, no, you need to click-select it, move the mouse over to the threshold knob as nd change it there, and repeat this for each single thing - usability horror. On the other hand, no obvious creative functionality was added. No randomizer for neuron connections, thresholds, pitches or such. It's static clicking all over the place. Nah, I love Axon 1, but this v2 is not innovative to me.

that blows.

I'm not really interested in any sonic changes that may exist, my main interest in axon is as a sequencer.

[BufoBufo]

far more beat complexity

Can you elaborate on this? As far as I've seen (and I may be wrong), the number and behavior of the neurons are exactly as in Axon 1. So how do you generate any note sequences Axon1 could not?

[pekbro]

Too bad about the multi-out, although IME, that only ever worked
correctly in Ableton Live. Still, its a nice modernization, and to me
it does seem a bit easier to use. I do prefer the original UI, the new
version seems to have some minor UI bugs as well.

Anyway, its definitely a lot of fun, especially when you start modulating
the clock and 'pitch per oscillator'. Sure, they could have done more
with it, at least they did something, and are moving forward.

$10 well spent IMHO.

[JoeCat]

I thought with the modular gig Chris might be done with the plugs, so glad to see there stuff like this being resurrected. As much as I like "big" products like zebra, falcon, etc., there's a place for (relatively) inexpensive plugs that do one thing well, especially something like Axon where the workflow is somewhat unique.

Any sounds generated by Phosphor and Axon I can probably get from Ableton Operator, but there's no way I'd arrive at them the same way - to me that's where the value is. Sugarbytes is similar in that respect.

Which reminds me to try running Axon in Obscurium!

(why does that sound like a line of dialog in a Transformer's movie?)

[Vertion]

far more beat complexity

Can you elaborate on this? As far as I've seen (and I may be wrong), the number and behavior of the neurons are exactly as in Axon 1. So how do you generate any note sequences Axon1 could not?

Thresholds go up to 16. I score 10/10 again and again, with a whole new rhythm each time. Go in deep, past the presets, and a whole new world of rhythm appears. I paired this up with my drive and my delay of choice, instant bliss. My DAW has a preset hybridization, so that helps.

[Echoes in the Attic]

far more beat complexity

Can you elaborate on this? As far as I've seen (and I may be wrong), the number and behavior of the neurons are exactly as in Axon 1. So how do you generate any note sequences Axon1 could not?

Thresholds go up to 16.

What did they go up to in V1?

[dark water]

$10 looks tempting to me for a new version.
Going from the comments above, there are some major advantages and disadvantages to V2, but I can run both versions together so all is good.

[BufoBufo]

far more beat complexity

Can you elaborate on this? As far as I've seen (and I may be wrong), the number and behavior of the neurons are exactly as in Axon 1. So how do you generate any note sequences Axon1 could not?

Thresholds go up to 16. I score 10/10 again and again, with a whole new rhythm each time. Go in deep, past the presets, and a whole new world of rhythm appears. I paired this up with my drive and my delay of choice, instant bliss. My DAW has a preset hybridization, so that helps.

16 instead of 6 is a nice improvement, indeed. Hadn't noticed that, thanks.

Still a questionable decision of theirs to remove midi out pitch flexibility. Intentionally cutting existing features for no reason is a nasty move, methinks.

[crawlingwind]

So it doesn't overwrite v1? That would be cool.

$10 looks tempting to me for a new version.
Going from the comments above, there are some major advantages and disadvantages to V2, but I can run both versions together so all is good.

[exmatproton]

So it doesn't overwrite v1? That would be cool.

$10 looks tempting to me for a new version.
Going from the comments above, there are some major advantages and disadvantages to V2, but I can run both versions together so all is good.

No. All their new plugins install next to the 'original' ones.

[dark water]

^^ Absolutely, which makes me wonder why some people are so fussed about this $10 update (which doesn't overwrite the previous version).
I take the point that usually you'd expect an update to improve on the features of the previous version, maybe introduce something a bit new and sexy, and also perhaps lose some of the least effective features, but even so...
I just look at these two Axon versions as two different, but closely related Axons. I can use both.