Tom Quayle Reviews the Fractal AX8 Multi Effects Pedal. This demo is from issue 43 of Guitar Interactive magazine. Read the full review here www.iguitarmag.com
I bought one of these and its friggin' badass. My buddy actually has an Axe Fx II, and I've had the privilege to play on both on countless occasions. The amp modeling is absolutely spot on with the Axe FX II. Really the only drawback is that you don't have all of the effects that the Axe II has. That being said, it did include all of the major ones. I'll be honest, I couldn't be happier. I'm not lugging around a heavy amp anymore and I can get any tone that I want. This is def worth every penny
I own this as well as 17 very expensive tube amps. The reason I bought it is I found it actually responded like a tube amp. I was shocked as the others I tried weren't even close. The sounds are really quite good. Maybe 1 day I'll get an AxeFx3. People, this unit is Shockingly good
To correct statements from Tom: the AX8 does have two DSP's, one for the amp simulation, the other for effects and an additional thing that Cliff called a hardware accelerator that was said to handle the cabinet simulation. They are way lower powered DSP's than in the AxeFx, off course. Those wouldn't fit in a floorprocessor without it getting too hot to handle.
Thanks Tom - gear that costs this much and without any UK dealers to provide hands-on experience, good reviews are really important. I suspect there may be people who now want the design and interface of the Helix (& forthcoming Headrush), combined with the sounds of Fractal Audio. Line 6 needs to up its game re. quality of sound and Fractal need to understand that we are all used to large retina displays which help with navigating relatively complex tech. Line 6 have got the design of the Helix absolutely right - large bright display for the stage combined with individual IDs for each pedal. These types of display are not expensive now and I suspect that many guitarists looking for this type of product, particularly those over the age of 40, would happily pay another £30-50 for a display which is large and hi res. The days of Minecraft style pixels for guitar Fx units in this price bracket, targeting gigging musicians, are (thankfully) coming to an end. If Fractal can address this issue, they will have a killer product on their hands. Although sound quality is the overriding priority for most guitarists, functionality in a gig situation often dictates the final purchase. While it's a nice line that Fractal have 'saved money on the display in order to deliver quality of sound', many of us don't believe that it is an 'either/or' situation - we want both.
I don't see this type of product as a replacement for regular setups, but as an extremely nice compliment. I could do many gigs with this easily, both me and the crowd would be just as happy. Also if you're a hobbyist but still want access to a plethora of pro-level amps and effects, this (ax-8, helix etc) is very nice. I'm very happy with my pedalboard and amp, but If I could afford it, I'd buy this in a heartbeat.
This is a good review but In scenes everything is instantiated into memory for that preset it's whether or not the effect is on or off or in an X or Y state, that changes. Instantiation happens when changing presets and different things are loaded into memory. This is why in scenes within a preset the change is seamless whereas when loading a new preset and instantiation into memory for that preset there may be a gap or not as the case may be.
If you didnt read about it in The spec, you wouldt notice anything (i just gotAx8, after ax2) straight out The box i got Great sound and could play, insted of "forever search" after The tone. Buy The way i never would use ax2 like sound card, 2 amp settings, so i dont miss that at all. Ax8 is compact, lightweight, East to use and Great Great sounding piece of gear.
Sounds incredible. Wish they would make an affordable rack mountable version though with a modern OLED screen and interface... I work in a food packing factory i cannot afford these flagship devices... Stuck with my old pod xt pro.
Just purchased this Monday. Sounds amazing, !! Just very frustrating assigning and saving the layout like I like. Most RU-vid videos are about running this pedal through computer, but i'm not wanting to do that, YET. Im used to the zoom and bossme80 processer... where you can easily create and find tones and save it where I want it to go. Thanks for your video. Its 1 out of 3 where someone isnt just showboating and explain what F1, F2, F3 actually does. Maybe you can do another soon man.
Thanks for the actually thorough review. I bought a used ultra last year, I should have waited and also saved up a little more for this instead... Good luck selling an ultra now.
Tom, thanks for the great review. Hey guys, I use the Axe-Fx in my studio and the AX8 for live.I couldn´t be happier. The AX8 is absolutely killer. Sometimes I use it with the 4c able method in the stereo loop of my Diezel VH4s. It sounds amazing. You can instantly switch between the modelling amp and the real amp with all the fantastic effects. It´s unbelievable versatile. The price compared to the Axe-Fx is a bargain. It´s € 1699.- in Europe and 1.4k in the USA). I love it!!!. Cheers ;)
HA! I do the exact opposite...live I like to set it and forget it so I use the Axe-FX II XL+ live and I plan to use AX-8 (it's in the mail) for the studio so I have quick knob based access to the amp settings. Also, since I use the speaker sims in the studio I don't have to bring my AxeFx rack with my Matrix poweramp and voltage regulator in it and my Mesa 2x12 cabs...just the AX-8 and a couple of expression pedals and foot switches. Easy peasy. :)
Last year I gave away my boss gt100 pedal to my brother who lives in another state, to help him out.I'm getting a free AX8 next week as a gift.Looks like Christmas came early for me.
I can recognize Tom just by the first notes ...such a great sound ^-6 Actually the first demo on this unit which sounds good in my ears ...more organic N not kinda unreal @lgos
Tom is the best gear seller IMO ^^ N demoing cool dude (( as well as one of the best alive player nowadays )) Damn I think he made me feel like buying this unit ASAP !!!! 'N forget my good old Gt100 ++ Zoom G9 which R so cheap ...sniff :( This is really true that the AX8 has the best dynamic ++ amp-response-feel-like ++ signal processing out there on the market of modelers ....No competitors can beat it until now IMHO [end of 2019]
I sold an Axe Fx II and got the AX8. There is no sound difference to my ears. The only thing I miss is the usb recording. The AX8 is more user friendly with added portability. I'm extremely happy with it :)
When we're talking about technology, if you wait for something "better", you'll just keep on waiting... you can get 3 exp pedals and record with the audio outputs... Or not.... I'm happy with it.
Just editing through usb is apparently way cheaper than both editing and audio. It has spdif out for recording digitally. Most audio interfaces have that. Anyone serious about recording should really have one anyway. Regrettably the AX8 does not have an spdif input, so no digital re-amping. That's about the biggest regret to me. That and not being first in line for firmware upgrades...
Interesting. And yes, if you are my age with poor vision I do need a much larger, more legible display. I own this unit and it is a BITCH to see on stage much less try to make an adjustment on the fly , which can also be difficult. Amp control knobs are fantastic. It sounds great. I also own a Helix. The Helix s normally my life unit just because it is easier to use and I can actually see the display. I hope to get enough patches with scenes set up so I do not need to adjust on the fly so I can use it more.
"You don't need this massive color touch (lcd) screen - (in order to save money)" I see what you did there, but with the product you are referring to here I can actually save money, and actually do all what the big brother of this unit does (AXE-FX II) + a big color lcd screen + much more. So again In simple words: AX8 is half machine for half of the price compared to the AXE-FX II, the other unit you talk about is as good as the AXE-FX II for half of the price and again with a color screen! :)
not even close... i have a AXE FX II mark ii, and i've tryied the HELIX... and is not even close to the Axe FX II, don't get me wrong, it sounds really good, but not as good as the Axe FX II, specially with the last QUANTUM firmware update...
The modelling algorithms are drastically better in the Fractals. Helix is a huge step forward for Line 6, but you're still comparing a Mustang to a Ferrari.
I thought this might do well with my Taylor Acoustic for LIVE sound. WOW did it ever I downloaded a cab/mic impulse and WOW live it sounds like studio. freaking best I have heard in my 30 year career.
Great review, learned some things I didn't know. By the way do play with your pick sideways? The last demo song sound like it's got that extra little pick grit to it, which I really like personally.
How do you save the modifications in the preset if you use the AX8 and make changes rather than AX8 Edit. You hit exit after you finished tweaking the parameters.
There is no way that I have found to SAVE the edits you make with the front panel knobs he’s tweaking at the end of the video, he either just doesn’t mention that or I’m missing something.
Fabio, check out his website, there are tons and tons of EXTREMELY high quality and in-depth lessons on legato and improvisation! Highly, highly recommended!
Dear Tom, unfortunately in YT there's a lot of things lost in sound so I ask you: Would you use the AX8 for live performance and if so, how do you compare the sound with a real analog rig ? thankfully yours; Josh
Sounds fn awesome but damn, I still prefer a straight up tube amp, a filthy distortion pedal, a wah, couple other pedals, and some kick ass humbuckers. Not to mention you can get pretty much everything I mentioned for the cost of this.
Thinking of getting one of these, but how would I go about recording direct into my pc with this? I know I'd need an interface of some kind, but would it require a specific input or something? I'm a noob to all of this, so too much jargon would go over my head.
X and Y. X for me is exit stage left from buying this con fuseing unit. Y because stomp box pedals are much easier for me to understand. But it does sound great.Just not for me.
Putting in USB recording seems silly. This is a unit aimed at pros, who are not going to want some el-cheapo interface. And a hi-grade interface (eg. RME standard) is going to add a few hundred bucks to the price.Most players are likely to have access to a quality recording interface to begin with (so you can connect via S/PDIF). Built-in expression pedals is also a VERY bad idea. Different pedals have different feels - eg. I will only use the Boss FV500 pedals, but I know other players who absolutely hate them. I don't want to pay for some pedal that I don't like.
This way you can add any pedal you want or none at all. There's quite a few players that don't use pedals. And pedals are available from very cheap to very expensive.
The problem with units like these is that they cost too much. You can get individual pedals that sound way better for half the cost and if something gets spilled on them at a live gig you just replace 1 pedal instead of the 3402439843948$$$$ you spent on that thing. Kind of counter productive..
Maybe get better speakers? Kidding. ;) Tom likes his tones pretty strident. Lots of treble. I've noticed that before. With all the EQs in the thing and especially the possibility of loading any available IR in the cab block you can mold the tone any which way you want.
Granted the price is more affordable than the AXE FX II.. But the screen, come on! my 15 year old pod xt has an equivalent screen. perhaps their EDIT software is available as an Android App, so people can control it from a phone or tablet device... You know it makes total sense. Everyone already has a high quality color touch screen its called a "cell phone. Make an App.
Irakli Gogiashvili I don't agree. Because there is no expression pedal the unit is smaller and more portable. If you need, the unit has 4 expression pedals inputs and you can use your favorite pedals.
No we're not privileged, you are just enslaved, if that is the case in your country. We in the UK are merely living on the breadline, and are being forced down to that level because of politics not because we don't have the technology or resources to generate abundance for all people. But you have the attitude of "stop crying" lay down and accept it, thats why your country is 10 x poorer. You should stand up and fight it.
Nice playing I must say,but please forget the cheesy trem stuff, and perhaps beef up the eq.. there is way too much high end with not much else..sounds like a Sears Silver tone through a 70's transistor amp..
It's a very positive review. ;) He obviously likes it a lot. Are reviews only reviews when they bash the subject? He mentioned the lower power dsp and that USB was only for editing, not for audio. That's a drawback. So are the absence of a headphone output and the spdif input. Whether the absence of a pedal is a drawback is personal. Expression pedals are available from low to high prices. So are headphone amps, BTW.
David Garver Depends on what do you prefer. If you want a bigger unit with USB recording and expression pedal, yes. If you want 10x more amp models, no. The Fractal units has FAR more amp models then the Helix. For me, it is purely a matter of taste, both units are awesome!
guitar or fx reviews : -intro play a little bit - blablabla blablabla blablabla (I'm fantastic) blabla blablabla blablabla - Goodbye everyone - play ten seconds - end did you hear the product ? not sure.
