What is up with the AX8?

[Lord Toneking]

I tried a buddy's ax8 and was instantly sold. I gig nearly every Saturday night and sometimes friday and Saturday. The hauling is so much easier, the tones are always consistent, I feel it's more reliable than a tube amp, and the versatility of this thing is insane.
I'm using it with just a CLR wedge for now but have quickly learned that I miss that backline cab. I'm gonna get a Rocktron or an ART 1u power amp and use my Splawn 2x12 for a backline cab and the CLR as a side fill or a wedge up front.

The second show I used it I used my wireless and went out front. I seriously couldn't believe how good it sounded! The feel of it took some getting used to, but I know what's coming out of my CLR is exactly what's coming to the FOH. It's very 'polished'

A lot of great amps/cabs in there too. I'm digging the jumped Plexi marshalls, the 5153 blue, the Divided by13, Dirty Shirley, IIC+... Heck, I could go on and on lol

It's been the perfect tool for me...and it sounds great imo

 

[Chris6870]

I'm digging the hell out of it.Trying to get a lot of different tones out of a 2 or even 3 channel amp is tough. Even with a ton of pedals it's a hassle. The little bit you MAY lose in sound or feel is totally made up for in versatility. I use the Splawn and Mark IV models and they are very close to my real amps. Plus a shit ton of effects that I can have at the tap of a switch.
I use either a Mesa 1x12 or a Splawn 2x12 with a 1U Matrix 1000 watt power amp and the AX8.

 

[GtarLover]

The hauling is so much easier, the tones are always consistent, I feel it's more reliable than a tube amp, and the versatility of this thing is insane.
A lot of great amps/cabs in there too.
It's been the perfect tool for me...and it sounds great imo

Totally agree!!
Easier, quicker set-up, AMAZING tones AND effects, reliable and consistent (that's the key for me).
Love it

 

[thiswaythatway]

How are you guys using it as far as scenes and or presets? There seems to be a few ways to run it. I was going crazy adjusting scenes last night. I wanted to use an expression pedal to control the mix of a delay then switch scenes and have a set mix.....until I realized you can't do that with scenes, only presets.

 

[Zer0th]

^ it sounds like scene controllers might be just what you're looking for. II vid but it's the same functionally on the AX8.

 

[Bishop5150]

I started gigging with it in February and haven't looked back. Load in and load out is a breeze. Especially out of town shows when I gotta also bring it up to the hotel room at 4am. Sound is consistent every time and it sounds amazing out front. Initially I did bring my Matrix power amp and a 2x12 cab but I've sense gone to just using either my XiTone's or CLR's behind me in stereo as my back line and still getting some of my guitar in the front monitors. I love the tone I'm getting with my Fractal gear. I guess they are too since they put me as a artist on their artist page. Pretty cool to be on the same page with some of my guitar heroes. Granted I'm at the bottom of the page but pretty cool nonetheless.
http://www.fractalaudio.com/artists.php

 

[maddnotez]

I started gigging with it in February and haven't looked back. Load in and load out is a breeze. Especially out of town shows when I gotta also bring it up to the hotel room at 4am. Sound is consistent every time and it sounds amazing out front. Initially I did bring my Matrix power amp and a 2x12 cab but I've sense gone to just using either my XiTone's or CLR's behind me in stereo as my back line and still getting some of my guitar in the front monitors. I love the tone I'm getting with my Fractal gear. I guess they are too since they put me as a artist on their artist page. Pretty cool to be on the same page with some of my guitar heroes. Granted I'm at the bottom of the page but pretty cool nonetheless.
http://www.fractalaudio.com/artists.php

Are you getting a discount for that? That is actually really cool being on that webpage with a couple of legends.

Sounds pretty awesome man. I am very interested in one of these.

 

[rsm]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

Very pleased with my more modest Boss GT-100 direct or as effects only into amps which I've been using for over a year so far.

 

[maddnotez]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

For me, the motives are no longer lugging gear and endless amounts of what seem to be killer tones. I still have doubts, mainly can the average sound guy at the shitty club run this FOH without screwing something up.

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

 

[rsm]

I've seen a few pedalboards that likely cost much more than an AX8 or Helix. If the GT-100 didn't work for me, I'd have gone up market, deciding between the AX8 and Helix.

 

[Marshall Freak]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

For me, the motives are no longer lugging gear and endless amounts of what seem to be killer tones. I still have doubts, mainly can the average sound guy at the shitty club run this FOH without screwing something up.

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

I'm planning on buying one, using it 4cm, and using effects and some amp models along with my amps channels.

 

[Bishop5150]

I started gigging with it in February and haven't looked back. Load in and load out is a breeze. Especially out of town shows when I gotta also bring it up to the hotel room at 4am. Sound is consistent every time and it sounds amazing out front. Initially I did bring my Matrix power amp and a 2x12 cab but I've sense gone to just using either my XiTone's or CLR's behind me in stereo as my back line and still getting some of my guitar in the front monitors. I love the tone I'm getting with my Fractal gear. I guess they are too since they put me as a artist on their artist page. Pretty cool to be on the same page with some of my guitar heroes. Granted I'm at the bottom of the page but pretty cool nonetheless.
http://www.fractalaudio.com/artists.php

Are you getting a discount for that? That is actually really cool being on that webpage with a couple of legends.

LOL! I wish. I'm honored just to be on the page. Never thought anything like that would happen to me back when I was 12 and first started playing that's for sure.

 

[ejecta]

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

You should probably not waste your time or money getting one then.

I will say that the AX8 or Helix board I built with my Quilter mini 101 and 3rd Power 2x12 is the by far the most portable, affordable, and lighter weight rig that I've owned when compared to a 50-100 watt head, 4x12, and pedal board with analog pedals. Don't get me wrong I like a more traditional rig the most and I go back and forth on the difference in feel of the two rigs but it's getting really hard to justify the difference when I compare my current rig to a traditional rig.

 

[Alex_S]

Cool video. Thanks for sharing! Cured some gas and created new one ;-)

 

[thiswaythatway]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

For me, the motives are no longer lugging gear and endless amounts of what seem to be killer tones. I still have doubts, mainly can the average sound guy at the shitty club run this FOH without screwing something up.

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

If you were to buy a Strymon TimeLine and Mobius you're at $800 already. Then how about a wah, a drive pedal, a power supply, a board itself. Already over 1k easily and you STILL can't do all that a Fractal unit can.

 

[maddnotez]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

For me, the motives are no longer lugging gear and endless amounts of what seem to be killer tones. I still have doubts, mainly can the average sound guy at the shitty club run this FOH without screwing something up.

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

If you were to buy a Strymon TimeLine and Mobius you're at $800 already. Then how about a wah, a drive pedal, a power supply, a board itself. Already over 1k easily and you STILL can't do all that a Fractal unit can.

Touché

Are the FX on the AX really that good?

 

[thiswaythatway]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

For me, the motives are no longer lugging gear and endless amounts of what seem to be killer tones. I still have doubts, mainly can the average sound guy at the shitty club run this FOH without screwing something up.

Having to buy a power amp and lug my cab or buy more expensive powered monitors would kill the entire idea for me.

No offense to anyone who uses the AX8 with their amps/cabs but having a $1,400 pedal board for effects only seems pretty crazy to me.

If you were to buy a Strymon TimeLine and Mobius you're at $800 already. Then how about a wah, a drive pedal, a power supply, a board itself. Already over 1k easily and you STILL can't do all that a Fractal unit can.

Touché

Are the FX on the AX really that good?

The phase90 and Boss CE2 sound pretty good to me. The BB Preamp works well for me. The delays and verbs are excellent. I'm working with the flangers now, I'm not yet hearing anything as good as the Hartman which is an Electric Mistress clone...sort of.

You can snag an Ax8 for a decent price. I got mine for $1275.

 

[GtarLover]

Interesting to see the acceptance of the AX8 here.

If you were to buy a Strymon TimeLine and Mobius you're at $800 already. Then how about a wah, a drive pedal, a power supply, a board itself. Already over 1k easily and you STILL can't do all that a Fractal unit can.

Touché
Are the FX on the AX really that good?

[/quote]

Yes, I would say the AX8 is that good YMMV

I also totally agree that any "high line" pedal board will cost you very close to the same price in TOTAL, WITHOUT any of the amp or cabs models tha AX8 has inside.
The AX8 has the WHOLE package and gives a TON of options.
Some of those options even go beyond what "real" amp, cabs, and effects are capable of.

If you are happy with your head, cab and pedal board...GREAT...play it and be happy

Yet, if you're looking for versatility, if you're a professional that needs a variety of amps/cabs/effects (options), a gigging player that wants reliable/consistent/tones AND quick/easy set-up, and finally--especially if you travel, the AX8 is simply AWESOME!! It takes the place of quite a bit of gear and can fit in your suitcase with room to spare

There's no argument here, rather a choice.
The Fractal gear is an amazing bunch of tools...are they for everyone, probably not.
However, for many of us, these are KILLER tools

 

[PaulyPanacea]

I'm a die hard tube guy. But having a really bad back led me to try the AX8 with the Friedman ASM12. I was a skeptic but I really dig it. A little hard to understand at first but it's truly a killer unit. Loads of amps cabs etc. and feels like a tube amp while playing... Not 100%. But damn close. Worth a test drive at the least!! Downfall to me is learing the ins & outs but it's life! If I get some clips I'll try n post them here. Good luck in your quest.

 

[geetarmikey]

I'm sure a piece of gear from Fractal can be made to sound as good or as bad as you want - it's all about editing the presets.

When I got my GSP I was shocked as to how bad the presets sounded, but after going into them and turning everything off other than the amp sim and building them back up I was able to get some really good tones out of it and it's stayed in my live rig for every weekend ever since.

If you can't get a Fractal to sound good, then you just need to learn more about the presets and how to edit them I suspect.... or failing that, some near ears