Announcing - FX8 Mark II Multi-FX Pedalboard

Is it possible to swap the bezel? I like the black one better. It looks like it's just a plate screwed to the chassis, but I realize it might be more complicated than that.
 
Definitely a beautiful unit. Love the new footswitch layout. It's also nice that the preset import from the original FX8 lays out the effects blocks the same even though the footswitch layout is reversed. It makes for easily recognizable scene changes instead of having to relocate blocks. There is less noise, but I have to say the original FX8 was pretty damn quiet.
 
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Viewed side-by-side, there's a unique beauty to both the Mk II and the Mk I.

The Mk I's brushed-metal finish is sharp and formal, and it's right at home with an Ernie Ball pedal.

The Mk II, on the other hand, is sleek and black, like a rock star with sunglasses and a leather jacket. Everything that doesn't have to be clearly visible just blends into the stage.
 
I like the dedicated and labeled F buttons on the Mark 1 better than the generic F buttons on the Mark II.
 
Looks great.. I used black gaffer tape to cover the brushed metal surround on my Mk I MFC display to lower the reflections and add a little more contrast to the screen. That pic above of the two FX8's side-by-side shows that "improvement" well.
 
I've been beating the living crap out of my Mark II since I got it. It almost makes me want to use an amp again! I recently ran it through my XL+ while disabling the effects....and I can't even tell. I don't have the first version to compare, but if I was using an amp or couldn't afford an XL+, this would definitely be a killer consideration.

My biggest issue (if I had to say anything) is I often press the wrong pedal because I look at the screen. I wish the screen were bigger. I see a lot of wasted real estate on the chassis where the "Fractal" information is and then where F1 and F2 are, the screen could have definitely stretched out further giving me more to look at.

Though we have incredible software to run these insane processors Fractal has given us, in the field, most of us will not be bringing a laptop or tablet to control/edit. If a lot of you do, I do not simply because less gear on stage for me, means less things to worry about. I can set up any rig I have in 2 minutes or less. I like it that way. I like looking at the screen of my processor and knowing what and where to go. The smaller the screen, the harder it is to get around.

I've had to spend time in my XL+ using the front panel controls just so I knew where to go if I'm on stage and absolutely NEED to touch something. Those who use the software alone are in for a rude awakening if you are unfamiliar with front panel or even control knobs on the XL+ or FX8. I spend the same amount of time using the software as the front/knob controls.

I was able to run it without the manual, however....there were a few confusing things that MADE me read the manual and set it up for my needs. Part of it was me not being familiar with the unit....the other, it's just so loaded with stuff, you HAVE to read the book to understand it.

That said, this is a serious and powerful piece of gear. The price is insanely affordable for what you get in my opinion. If I had this, I probably would have never abandoned my amps. But I've never been a fan of pedals and hated lugging my amp racks. Boss, Ibanez, boutique pedals....to me, they have always made my sound dirty in a way I was not happy with. Power packs that made my system hum at times, batteries dying on me unless I found some type of board that powered them (and there would always be one or two pedals you couldn't power) and I just HATED having freaking cables connected everywhere...even though they were super short.

Going with a rack system not only made my life easier, it made my sound better once I got all the right stuff. Add in that I now have Fractal doing everything for my tone, and I couldn't be happier. My point in saying that, the FX8 is every bit what my XL+ is minus the amp blocks and a few other things. It's like having a full rack on the floor in one box.

I made a cable snake, put it in a nice plastic harness, and was able to hook it up along with my amps, power, speaker cables in under two minutes taking my time. That's leads to the amp, and send/return lines in a stereo environment.

If you have an amp that you love, this gives you everything you'd ever need to turn your amp into a steroid monster....and it truly is built like a tank. I've beat my girlfriend with it, and hit my rottie with it just so he knows I'm still the boss. ;) (I kid, I kid.....the rottie is too big...he'll eat me and the FX8) :p

After experimenting with my XL+ and the FX8, I dug some of my amps out of storage. I have this old Peavey Ultra 120 watt tube head that in my opinion, was way before its time. To this day, that is one of the best amps I have ever plugged straight into, that gave me a sound I loved in seconds. 3 channel....loud as hell, but never lost the tone even at lower volumes.

The FX8 ate that amp and made it sound even better both in the effects loop as well as direct into the amp. Of course some of my old Marshalls that don't have good pre-amp front ends really benefitted from the FX8. This is where it shines in my opinion....direct into an amp. It's analog sounding as far as the "front end effects" go.

You know, compression, eq, drive, rotary, wah....stuff you plug direct into an amp. That all sounded insane. We know how cool the digital effects from Fractal transfer in a loop or in a stereo situation. No different than my XL+!

Now keep in mind, you guys that knew all about the FX8, know all this stuff. Me, I never knew about it and jumped in after playing with my rack stuff ( MKII and an XL+) so I'm pretty blown away by this technology. Heck, I come from the Bradshaw Switching system days.....this stuff gives you everything you could ever want in a (roughly) 18 inch chassis. It's the size of my MFC but does so much more.

In a nutshell, if you want something badass while you still have that amp you refuse to part with, this is the icing on the cake. I don't make a dime for saying that and definitely wouldn't say anything at all if this piece was just hype. My only argument is like I said, I wish it had a bigger screen. Other than that, performance, options, sound, switching ability...it's freakin sick and I'm glad I got a chance to beat up on it.

The worst part about the FX8? Really want the truth? I'm gonna have to give it back once testing is completely over. Now that I can talk about it, I'm sending my bud's with huge pedal boards full of "wtf", pictures of this thing. When you think about how this little board nearly gives me everything my XL+ does in one little box.....it's scary. REALLY scary! If you're in the market for something like this, don't procrastinate...it's all that...seriously.
 
This looks very nice. I'm in the market for one as I'm moving back to a "normal" rig. Signed up on the wait list and am patiently awaiting the arrival of my invite. Sweet!
 
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