Fractal FX8 mk2 vs AX8

thomasw88thomasw88 Frets: 2316
edited October 2016 in FX
Hi,

Long time stomp box user here.   Apart from most of the 90's when I gigged using a yamaha tranny amp, Korg A4 fx unit, jap strat, and crybaby perfectly happily.      

Luckily I came to my senses and have spent the last 15 years buying and selling various amps/pedals/guitars/pickups
 as clearly I'm using the wrong ones.

Kept trying multi fx over the years but never really got on with them.  I always liked to be able to have the flexibility  in sounds/patches that can be got from a multifix unit, plus not having to have loads of potential points of failure, but never found one that sounded particularly good and was easy to use live with other pedals.

I have been playing around with a Boss GT100 for about a month now, and actually its usable. I can see me trying this out for one of my bands at a gig- and sticking a couple of drive pedals with it or using the amp drive channel.
 I think its probably going to be giggable which is quite exciting!!

There are limitations to it, some of the sounds aren't brilliant and its a bit limited in some of the effects options.  I've been reading a fair bit about the fractal stuff and the helix, and both look fairly easy to use, sound good, and more importantly look way cooler than the Boss GT100. 

I want to be able to do tweaks on the fly if need be in gigging situation. For me this is a tool primarily aimed at gigging rather than anything else, I don't want to have spend hours reading manuals and tweaking frequency settings by 1 nanowidget.

I'm angling towards a Fractal FX8 mk2, the unity settings,  great sounding fx, and it seems easy to use.   I have a few good amps that I like  so happy to continue using the amps rather than go totally pedal board.
On the other hand would be good to be able to just plug direct into pa on occasion for a gig or rehearsal, and I do have a bit of a niggle that having to splurge out a huge wad of cash on a multifx that doesnt' do the amp side might not be the best idea.

So is there anything else that stands out between the AX8 and FX8?    Are the effect sounds broadly the same, is one infinitely easier to use than the other, or better sounding?  If i bought the ax8, would I have to spend ages switching off the amps/cab/mic settings?  




0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom

Comments

  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited October 2016
    I think @John_P and @Wazmeister may have had both.

    I own the Axe FX 2 and there is a global cab defeat option in it.  I'm not sure what options exist in the AX8.

    FWIW just in the past week the drive block in the Axe FX 2 got an update and that will be coming very soon to the FX8 and AX8... I've only spent limited time with the SD1 and TS type drives and honestly the SD1 now sounds like my actual SD1 (previously I tweaked the EQ to match it).  The way the Fractal stuff is arranged is in layers so you can stay with basic controls if you want, or dive deeper if you prefer.

    For your uses I also wouldn't rule out the Helix.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    I've had both, a comparison imo

    The effects are the same as I understand it unless the fx8 has changed recently.  

    The ax8 doesn't have relay outputs to switch amp channels so that might be an issue.  

    The ax8 has an extra processor for amp models  but you can disable the power amp and cab and use the preamp section like a drive block that saves a lot of cpu (not that I've ever run out)  and have instant tweaking from the knobs.

    Some people can hear more noise from the ax8 than the fx8 in 4cm  but in practise I can't.    

    There is a quick option to disable the power amp but it's probably easier to just have presets that suit each setup you want to use.

    Even when running into a conventional amp I like the idea of having the ax8 models as a backup to di but increasingly I'm running the ax8 to the pa and having the amp as my monitor or using an frfr cab so that swung it for me but having more knobs has meant quicker edits if I'm adjusting gain, volume or eq. 

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    I have the FX8 and the Axe FX 2.
    For me I will always gig with the FX8 and an amp and use the Axe FX to record with.
    I've tried gigging with the Axe FX- the problem is finding a foldback option that works at volume that sounds as good as a regular guitar amp.

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • kjdowdkjdowd Frets: 852
    I've had an fx8 and currently own an Ax8. If you don't need relay switching for amp channel changes then ax8 is a total no brainer imo. Same fx, pretty much the same price but with amp and cab modelling as well (and the ability to use amp preamp models as dirt boxes even if you aren't using the modelling per se). 

    I got the ax8 planning to mainly use a tube amp and ax8 fx with the models only as a back up to the amp, but am now using the ax8 for everything (into a fryette power station and cab for on-stage sounds as I'm not a huge fan of frfr). 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasw88thomasw88 Frets: 2316
    edited October 2016
    hmmm interesting, thanks chaps.

    I'm on the list for the FX8 now, so will continue the research until that comes to decision..


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MoltisantiMoltisanti Frets: 1131
    Firmware 4.0 Beta for the FX8 was just released, apparently it contains major improvements to the drive block

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • DavusPGDavusPG Frets: 446

    Soooo tempted to chop my FX8 in for the AX8....purely so I get to use the damn thing more, but the ballache of redoing all my presets and losing a chunk of wedge on the FX8 is putting me off. 

    Presumably I'd need to save all my effect blocks from each preset on the FX8 and build new ones using those blocks on the AX8 but with the addition of an amp and cab block?

    And there was me thinking the FX8 had cured my GAS


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Firmware 4.0 Beta for the FX8 was just released, apparently it contains major improvements to the drive block
    Yup- big step up with the drives.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MoltisantiMoltisanti Frets: 1131
    i had the old Ruckus sounding ace! took some tweaking but the new one sounds even better now

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    i had the old Ruckus sounding ace! took some tweaking but the new one sounds even better now
    It is my favourite drive in the FX8.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • MoltisantiMoltisanti Frets: 1131
    i have mine with a nailed on EVH tone into a dead clean amp, it sounds frickin ace

    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • WazmeisterWazmeister Frets: 9448
    @thomasw88 - so, I understand that you have bought a FX8 mk1 mate ?

    I have the same model, amd I truly love mine ! 

    With the arrival of the Redplate amp, Im thinking of using the 4CM with the FX8.

    Sadly, this means that my AX8 may be up for sale :(

    How are you finding the FX8
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • thomasw88thomasw88 Frets: 2316
    edited January 2017
    @thomasw88 - so, I understand that you have bought a FX8 mk1 mate ?

    I have the same model, amd I truly love mine ! 

    With the arrival of the Redplate amp, Im thinking of using the 4CM with the FX8.

    Sadly, this means that my AX8 may be up for sale

    How are you finding the FX8
    I really like it so far. Not gigged with it yet tho will be soon.  Sold virtually all my pedals so need to get this to work!  ordered a couple of humbuster cables from award session so will try that as well.

    I've found that you really need to use the scenes to make it work -  but that means in a band situation  making sure all the levels are right.   Slight dilemma I have is that means ideally trying to  finetune patches/scenes at rehearsal would be the best way,  but that means  not using the FX edit software which in general is much nicer to tweak the sounds than using the board.

    What I don't like is the massive difference in volumes between the different drives which is very irritating.   It would be really handy to be able to specify that level 5 is at unity volume?
    Some of the drives I just can't work out how to make sound good tbh!  

     Plus I'd like the FX editor to be a bit easier to organise patches.  I can't find a way of swapping two patches around  -  for setting up patches for a gig so they're in sequence this is a right ball ache - as in effect the only I've found to do it is to overwrite the patches after copying them to another patch.

    I'm swithering whether to use my CAE wah pedal rather than an expression pedal, and possibly keeping a drive pedal on my board as well..  I like the onboard wah';s but the CAE is really good.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Anybody got any tips for the drive tones? I think the effects are great but also struggling with the drives. Any deep parameters that are useful.

    What's everyone using for mid gain and high gain etc?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_PJohn_P Frets: 2744
    Anybody got any tips for the drive tones? I think the effects are great but also struggling with the drives. Any deep parameters that are useful.

    What's everyone using for mid gain and high gain etc?
    It's been a while since I edited them but the quickest improvement I found was from adjusting the high and low pass filters. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • kjdowdkjdowd Frets: 852
    John_P said:
    Anybody got any tips for the drive tones? I think the effects are great but also struggling with the drives. Any deep parameters that are useful.

    What's everyone using for mid gain and high gain etc?
    It's been a while since I edited them but the quickest improvement I found was from adjusting the high and low pass filters. 
    Seconded. Also make sure you're on the latest firmware. Big difference in the drives imo
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.