Audio Damage Axon 2

[MitchK1989]

yeah they basically just cut off all upgrades from old plugs with the last site redesign (same time they starting giving away all their discontinued plugs for free)

[plexuss]

Axon updated to Axon 3
https://www.audiodamage.com/products/ad057-axon-3

$89 US reg. $39 update from Axon 2. PB customers have to get the update from PB

I tried the demo and was skeptical of the $40 upgrade price. However I think its worth it because of all the enhancements.

From their site:

A drum sequencer that thinks outside the box, where each beat is a live wire, sparking and connecting to create a rhythm that's alive. That's Axon 3 for you - not just an update but a complete overhaul of our legendary Axon series. This isn't your ordinary drum machine; it's a sonic adventure, blending the familiar with the futuristic.

At the heart of Axon 3 lies a sequencer inspired by the complex workings of artificial neural networks. Picture neurons, buzzing with energy, passing triggers in a dance of precision and chaos. When a neuron hits its trigger threshold, it doesn't just respond; it sings, through its internal synth voice, sends a pulse out into the MIDI universe, or both. The connections between these neurons aren't random; they're the building blocks of a rhythm sequencer unlike any. And with a dash of probability magic, we've introduced a drum programming style that's utterly unique.

But that's not all. Each neuron in Axon 3 comes equipped with a powerhouse of a synth voice, drawing on the best of both subtractive and FM synthesis, supercharged with a model inspired by our Boomtschack analog hardware drum module.

Axon 3 wraps all this rhythmic innovation in a sleek interface complete with a full mixer, crystalline delay, punchy compressor, and multiple outputs. Whether you're crafting yout next IDM masterpiece, scoring a film, or just exploring new sonic territories, Axon 3 is your co-pilot in this thrilling journey into sound.

So, are you ready to break the rhythm barrier? Welcome to Axon 3.

CHANGES FROM VERSION 2
• Greatly expanded synthesizer voice, with a full model of our Boomtschack analog drum synthesizer hardware (RIP).

• Pitch and scale quantizing of the internal synthesizer voices, for easier melodic programming.

• Extensive randomizer for changing some or all parameters.

• Cymbal oscillator from Tattoo added to noise section.

• Rough Rider compressor added to master output.

• Likelihood of trigger event and ratcheting added to sequencer, to greatly expand the rhythmic potential.

FEATURES
• Artificial Neural Network sequencer features seven neurons, and is easily programmed to create strange new repeating rhythms.

• Seven FM/VA percussion voices that also buss together to create a single monolithic complex percussion synthesizer, via AM and FM busses.

• Full mixer with pan, level, mute, and solo on each voice.

• Built-in stereo delay, for live playability.

• Built-in Rough Rider compressor on the main outputs.

• MIDI in and out, for driving Axon's voices from DAW and hardware sequencers, or driving other software and hardware from Axon.

• Internal transport for non-synchronized playback.

• Resizable vector-based user interface.

• XML-based cross-platform, human-readable preset system, with copy/paste, for easy transferring of your own presets and third-party offerings.

Axon 1

Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.32.39 PM.png

Axon 2

Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.32.53 PM.png

Axon 3

Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.33.04 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.54.07 PM.png

[RPH]

Am waiting till they release the new version on Plugin Boutique, haven't gotten a reply on that from Audio Damage. Got Axon 2 from there.

[veloheinz]

Does Axon 3 have any advantages if I only use MIDI ?

[plexuss]

Does Axon 3 have any advantages if I only use MIDI ?

There doesnt appear to be any changes on the MIDI side.

[kraster]

Am waiting till they release the new version on Plugin Boutique, haven't gotten a reply on that from Audio Damage. Got Axon 2 from there.

It's up now.

[LFO8]

Am I dreaming or have the prices of Audio Damage products gone up significantly? I remember Replicant being somewhere alnog the lines of €40 and Axon around €60

[BBFG#]

Not sure if this is a bug or if I'm doing something wrong. After resizing and then closing, when I bring it back up, it's a blank screen and stays that way until reloading it as a new plugin.
Really hate this color too. It looks like dried blood. Any way to change that?

[Echoes in the Attic]

I wish this thing had a built in sequencer, the normal microtonic style. Could even write the weird ai patterns to that. Daw sequencing is fine but can be nice to be self-contained sometimes. I've had v1 and v2 but have no interest in auto generating sequences.

[masterhiggins]

Am I dreaming or have the prices of Audio Damage products gone up significantly? I remember Replicant being somewhere alnog the lines of €40 and Axon around €60

Nope, not dreaming. Their upgrade from axon 1 to 2 was $10 as was the upgrade from replicant 1 to 2. That inflation’s a bitch.

[zerocrossing]

Axon updated to Axon 3
https://www.audiodamage.com/products/ad057-axon-3

$89 US reg. $39 update from Axon 2. PB customers have to get the update from PB

I tried the demo and was skeptical of the $40 upgrade price. However I think its worth it because of all the enhancements.

From their site:

A drum sequencer that thinks outside the box, where each beat is a live wire, sparking and connecting to create a rhythm that's alive. That's Axon 3 for you - not just an update but a complete overhaul of our legendary Axon series. This isn't your ordinary drum machine; it's a sonic adventure, blending the familiar with the futuristic.

At the heart of Axon 3 lies a sequencer inspired by the complex workings of artificial neural networks. Picture neurons, buzzing with energy, passing triggers in a dance of precision and chaos. When a neuron hits its trigger threshold, it doesn't just respond; it sings, through its internal synth voice, sends a pulse out into the MIDI universe, or both. The connections between these neurons aren't random; they're the building blocks of a rhythm sequencer unlike any. And with a dash of probability magic, we've introduced a drum programming style that's utterly unique.

But that's not all. Each neuron in Axon 3 comes equipped with a powerhouse of a synth voice, drawing on the best of both subtractive and FM synthesis, supercharged with a model inspired by our Boomtschack analog hardware drum module.

Axon 3 wraps all this rhythmic innovation in a sleek interface complete with a full mixer, crystalline delay, punchy compressor, and multiple outputs. Whether you're crafting yout next IDM masterpiece, scoring a film, or just exploring new sonic territories, Axon 3 is your co-pilot in this thrilling journey into sound.

So, are you ready to break the rhythm barrier? Welcome to Axon 3.

CHANGES FROM VERSION 2
• Greatly expanded synthesizer voice, with a full model of our Boomtschack analog drum synthesizer hardware (RIP).

• Pitch and scale quantizing of the internal synthesizer voices, for easier melodic programming.

• Extensive randomizer for changing some or all parameters.

• Cymbal oscillator from Tattoo added to noise section.

• Rough Rider compressor added to master output.

• Likelihood of trigger event and ratcheting added to sequencer, to greatly expand the rhythmic potential.

FEATURES
• Artificial Neural Network sequencer features seven neurons, and is easily programmed to create strange new repeating rhythms.

• Seven FM/VA percussion voices that also buss together to create a single monolithic complex percussion synthesizer, via AM and FM busses.

• Full mixer with pan, level, mute, and solo on each voice.

• Built-in stereo delay, for live playability.

• Built-in Rough Rider compressor on the main outputs.

• MIDI in and out, for driving Axon's voices from DAW and hardware sequencers, or driving other software and hardware from Axon.

• Internal transport for non-synchronized playback.

• Resizable vector-based user interface.

• XML-based cross-platform, human-readable preset system, with copy/paste, for easy transferring of your own presets and third-party offerings.

Axon 1
Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.32.39 PM.png


Axon 2
Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.32.53 PM.png


Axon 3
Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.33.04 PM.png

Screen Shot 2024-02-27 at 10.54.07 PM.png

$40 seems OK, considering how much they seemed to have added to it. I’ll probably go for it. I still spark up v2 from time to time. It’s really good to use as a percussion source when doing on-the-fly ambient tracks and you don’t want to use a step sequencer or presequenced sounds.

[plexuss]

Am I dreaming or have the prices of Audio Damage products gone up significantly? I remember Replicant being somewhere alnog the lines of €40 and Axon around €60

Nope, not dreaming. Their upgrade from axon 1 to 2 was $10 as was the upgrade from replicant 1 to 2. That inflation’s a bitch.

Yes their prices have gone up significantly as of a few years ago, IIRC. To me it looks like they went "boutique" after taking a break from software to work on hardware. Maybe that inspired them to approach their software in the same way prompting them to do major UX/UI updates and some new products. I think they were successful in this. Although I do prefer cheaper plugins, I think their products are still worth it considering they work they put in to updating and aligning them.

[CrystalWizard]

I used Axon v1 years ago for the sequencer. Seeing it expanded would had been nice. As it it v3, i don't see much desire to use it.