Fractal Audio Downloads

[Marilu Mandez]

Withthe exception of apparel, software and other electronic downloads and B stock and closeout products, for which returns are not accepted, all Fractal Audio Systems products come with a 15-day money back guarantee. If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase you may return it within 15 days for a full refund (less shipping costs).

Please note that for cash purchases, refunds will be issued via check from our corporate office. The processing of the return and refund check can take 3-5 business days or longer in rare circumstances. Once the check is ready, you will be notified and can either collect it in person or request to have it mailed to your address.

This guarantee is only applicable to new units bought directly through Fractal Audio Systems. B-stock, demo, and all other non-standard products are not covered. If you purchase a particular product and then return it you are NOT eligible for the guarantee on any future purchases of that same product or any derivatives of that product (i.e. you returned an Axe-Fx III previously and now want to return an Axe-Fx III Mark II).

If you are not satisfied with your purchase of a product, please email sa...@fractalaudio.com for a Return Material Authorization (RMA) request within 15 calendar days of the receipt of the product. You must return the product to the address provided with the RMA within 10 calendar days of the issuance of the RMA. Returns not received within 10 business days of RMA issuance may be rejected or assessed a 10% restocking fee.

NOTE: You are fully responsible for any loss or damage to the product during shipping. We strongly recommend that you (1) use a carrier that offers tracking for all returns and (2) insure your package for safe return and declare the full value of the shipment.

Units must be returned in as-new condition. Any products returned that are not in as-new condition may be rejected and returned to sender at the sender's expense or assessed a 10% restocking fee at our discretion. Please allow 3-5 business days for the inspection of any returned products.

I reviewed the unit and the MFC-101 on YouTube and the second I did I was ridiculed to an alarming extent on the fractal audio forum that is managed by the owner/designer of the company. Indeed they used racist words, ageism was rife, extremely derogatory remarks about me and lastly how I play guitar (which was never under review). Remember it was the Axe-FX II was under review not me!

I'm not a complete idiot when it comes down to playing guitar (I have some really great reviews of my albums I wrote and played without a single simulator in sight) and have had at least two tracks within the top 20 on N1M charts for instrumental rock but on equipment reviews I don't always play very well or always get it right, of that there is no doubt. But if the equipment is being reviewed then frankly the playing is another story; its the gear that I have to focus on.

When it comes down to saying racist remarks, expressing rife ageism and that other stuff (which I will not put on this site because I get lots of people visiting whom I don't feel should be subject to that abuse) on that forum I do not accept that sort of thing. Maybe its 'OK' for the OWNER of that company to condone that sort of thing but where I come from its simply bad business practice. A decent CEO with thought for his company would resolve that issue on that forum immediately whereas the other type like the one on there is happy to allow it all. Often you find that what are basically 'engineers' have little business acumen when it comes down to managing a company. Indeed I've seen it before.

Remember I'm probably just like you, I pick up a guitar and play because I like to. And I write reviews because I was sick and tired of seeing reviews that one way or another did not reflect the products that I bought; and there are many that write reviews that are often not a true reflection of the equipment in question. It costs me dearly to buy the gear and to spend untold hours writing about what I find so other musicians can benefit in some way from my experience. Indeed this very website has been continually developed since the 90's.

And that's where I have issues with that company. The forum says welcome and the chimps on there say everything else you could think of; all because I wrote a review that they don't agree with? Reasons why? Well go and figure that one out yourself, but I guess that if you show some things that are irrefutable then they are worried that maybe someone has 'blown' the lid off rubbish.

But as a customer I have been treated like crap. And for a product that is equivalent to $3500 or 2500 in the UK that stinks. Remember (as I have been told by many other guys that have suffered with that company) that it could be you!

I gave the Axe-FX II a reasonable score for what I found when I reviewed that unit. Unfortunately because of those racist comments that were posted and the customer service (remember I'm a customer paying full price) I downgraded the product a little to reflect that the forum where you have to go to get support (I would not go there) and other stuff I have learned since from many other customers that have told me their stories. Strangely enough many reflect the experiences that I had. I have them all on file.

The product rating is 2 out of 10. Why? Well where I come from there is absolutely no excuse for all those comments on their forum, there is no excuse for treating customers this way and there is absolutely no excuse for paying 2500 (or $3500) when you can buy it in the USA with its pedal for substantially ( 1/3 off!) less money, but you do also get zero customer respect thrown in.

I would personally never buy another one of these as long as I live, well at least until I review some new gear they make sometime. I think tube amps eat it for breakfast. Tube amps may be better than the Kemper too, but at least the owner won't call you a 'chucklehead'. It's actually comical the more I think about it. How can an owner of the company call customers that - its ridiculous.

Its that simple really. If you are a PAYING customer of any company, and you are treated extremely badly then sell the gear and walk away; but don't forget to tell your friends how you were treated. I do. Because I don't want other people being called a chucklehead by the company owner or worse getting racist remarks banded about them. Awful.

He clearly does not come from sales and maybe does not want his company to succeed who knows? Calling customers names in this way is bad news for that company. Shhh don't tell him with some luck he may fade away.

At one stage I thought it was just me... but alas not. Read Here:Two Notes Torpedo or Axe-FX II!? - Gearspace.com as these guys also have suffered in many ways not least that appalling attitude when you need support.

There are many others who have suffered in one way or another by rude arrogant people either owning the company, employed by the company or allegedly being upgraded continually with free equipment - hence the aggressive nature on the support forum. Well fancy that!

Don't look for the review because it will never happen on this site (or maybe it will) but please do draw your own conclusions about the equipment and the guy who runs that show not to mention the appalling forum which is the ONLY place to go for help. The 'www.fractalaudio.co.uk' website I closed too. However, you might like to know that I was threatened by 'Fractal Audio' because they said that 'Fractal Audio' was their trade mark. Unfortunately for them, I checked this out on the government trade mark registers worldwide before 'giving' that website to Fractal Audio and you know what? They DO NOT OWN 'Fractal Audio' as a trade mark and never have. They claim other trade marks in the manual for the Axe-FX III too which I checked and guess what... Deja-Vu they don't own those either.

So I told them that they had no right to the domain, which is still in my ownership to this day. I will not buckle from what is actually a bare faced lie. RIP 'Fractal'. I guess what goes around comes around.

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