Hello.
I am interested in knowing if MG3 Hex is better (more faithful) than MG3. But first I would like to know if, with the MG3 license that I already own, I can qualify for MG3 Hex without any additional cost?
I have a guitar with the Axon Hex pickup and since I have it I would like to know if it is better in terms of note reliability compared to a guitar with normal pickups and with MG3.
I already have the hex pickup so the investment is already made. I just need to know if it’s better.
Thank you very much to those who have stopped by here before and helped.
Does the Axon enable you to output multichannel audio (send 8 channels) to MG3? I would assume it doesn’t but I could be wrong. You’ll need that to get started. So far, the BOSS GP-10, SY-1000, GM-800 and VG-800 support multichannel audio over USB in conjunction with a hexaphonic pickup/13-pin cable. Or you can use a breakout 13-pin cable and an audio interface with multiple inputs.
But to answer one of your questions: Yes, MG3 Hex does enhance the capabilities of MG3. It’s a significant performance upgrade.
i’d first compare mg3 standard to the axon. unless you find you really prefer the way mg3 works it’s probably not worth the expense to modify your guitar for mg3hex.
if the following tests are accurate, then the axon has superior latency (~11ms) vs both mg3 standard and hex by a large margin.
in terms of playability, mg3 might still win you over, but in terms of latency you already have a faster solution.
Unfortunately, I do not have any of the Axon pitch-to-MIDI converters. As of 2012, the company is out of business, which is really unfortunate. The Axon gear was always pretty hard to find in the United States. However, I was able to pick up a Yamaha G50 pitch-to-MIDI converter, which licensed the Axon technology. From what I have learned from searching the web, the Yamaha G50 has the same design as the Axon NG-77. The Yamaha G50 smoked all the competition in the Pitch-to-MIDI speed tests, scoring an average amazing 11.47 millisecond response across all the strings.
Just to make sure I was not imagining things, I did the Yamaha G50 test with four guitars, two with a whammy bar, two with a fixed bridge. I used both Roland GK-2A and GK-3 pickups. And the results were consistent, 11 milliseconds average. If you want fast Pitch-to-MIDI, find yourself a Yamaha G50 or an Axon converter.
To anwser the cost question, the HEX is a “paid upgrade” after you purchase the MG3 so you need to buy both.
The good part is that a free demo is available for both so you can test before you invest.
