So...Now the FX8 is in peoples hands...what do you think?

chrisjnyc said:
Are you able to export the Axe Fx presets, and import into the FX8? Or is it a manual process of creating each preset from scratch?
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You can run Axe-Edit and FX8-Edit at the same time, so I just recreated my favorite effects blocks...
 
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austinbuddy said:
You can run Axe-Edit and FX8-Edit at the same time, so I just recreated my favorite effects blocks...
Click to expand...

OK, sounds like its a manual process of making an FX8 preset based on an Axe II preset.


In other news, I only had a few minutes to check out the FX8 last night. It was pretty sweet... I am using my small Vox AC4, so it has no FX loop. Took a little bit to convert the presets to non 4 cable.

A couple of quick observations:
1. Fairly easy to use out of the box, a lot easier than the Axe FX
2. Some very nice verbs, most seem a lot more subtle than multi pedal FX out there.
3. Didn't hear a lot of crazy sounds from the built in presets (bagpipes, violin, etc)... would like to create a few of those.
4. Most of the delays in the built in presets are very clean, will need to tweak a few to get some tape saturation
5. Takes some getting used to to change between the banks, scenes, and stompbox mode. Wish the indicator light wasn't right next to the foot switch. You can only see the change after you have moved your foot off the pedal.
 
chrisjnyc said:
OK, sounds like its a manual process of making an FX8 preset based on an Axe II preset.


In other news, I only had a few minutes to check out the FX8 last night. It was pretty sweet... I am using my small Vox AC4, so it has no FX loop. Took a little bit to convert the presets to non 4 cable.

A couple of quick observations:
1. Fairly easy to use out of the box, a lot easier than the Axe FX
2. Some very nice verbs, most seem a lot more subtle than multi pedal FX out there.
3. Didn't hear a lot of crazy sounds from the built in presets (bagpipes, violin, etc)... would like to create a few of those.
4. Most of the delays in the built in presets are very clean, will need to tweak a few to get some tape saturation
5. Takes some getting used to to change between the banks, scenes, and stompbox mode. Wish the indicator light wasn't right next to the foot switch. You can only see the change after you have moved your foot off the pedal.
Click to expand...

Have you played any Strymon or Eventide stuff? Can the delays and verbs compete with those? I use a LOT of delay and massive verbs (I play in a fairly loud post rock band). Sounds like maybe the FX8 won't work for me after all?
 
chrisjnyc said:
3. Didn't hear a lot of crazy sounds from the built in presets (bagpipes, violin, etc)... would like to create a few of those.
Click to expand...

This is kind of funny, because there have been quite a lot of "complaints" about crazy, not-practical sounds in factory presets of multi-effects devices, including the Axe-Fx.
Shows that a manufacturer can't please everyone.
 
Excellent. This is my first fairly big money purchase that I'm going in virtually blind (or deaf, rather). I'm used to watching a ton of videos, reading a ton of reviews, and trying gear put before purchase.

I've tried watching Axe Fx videos, but they don't really showcase effects, just the modeling.. and it's usually the same ugly, detuned, chugging metal riff or some dude wanking on a solo for 10 minutes.
 
JeremiahEdward said:
Have you played any Strymon or Eventide stuff? Can the delays and verbs compete with those? I use a LOT of delay and massive verbs (I play in a fairly loud post rock band). Sounds like maybe the FX8 won't work for me after all?
Click to expand...

I have owned the Timefactor, Space and Timeline... and the FX8 is just as good. I know with the Timeline I was able to get some distorted tape delay tones going pretty easy. Need to work on the FX8 to get there.


yek said:
This is kind of funny, because there have been quite a lot of "complaints" about crazy, not-practical sounds in factory presets of multi-effects devices, including the Axe-Fx.
Shows that a manufacturer can't please everyone.
Click to expand...

Yea, 90% of the time those are not really usable tones within a regular band. More for fun at home. My only gripe is that it can take a lot of time to build those complex patches, and would be easier to have them, and then try to almost reserve engineer them for my stuff.
 
I don't understand all the comments about the lack of "crazy sounds". My understanding is that this is a professional pedal for serious guitarists. There's a whole host of other pedals out there if you want keyboards, organ, synth, horn, sax, violin, squashed budgie, strangled cat, whoopie cushion etc, like the Roland GR55. If I wanted a load of really "crazy" sounding presets I'd drop the contents of the cutlery drawer onto the floor and record it!! FFS, where are you performing, a live gig or a circus???
 
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First impressions based on VERY limited experience, played with it for maybe two hours this morning using an Egnater Mod50 connected in 4CM:

1. As easy to use as falling off a log. Granted, I've been using MIDI gear for 20+ years so I'm more experienced than average, but this thing is REALLY simple and intuitive.
2. I'm struck by how organic and natural it sounds. The signal path is more transparent than either the Axe-FX Ultra or the Axe-FX 2. Neither of those units sound good in the effects loop of my amp...there's a surprising amount of compression, a darkening of the tone, and a lack of immediacy. Not so with the FX8. It feels and sounds very much like plugging straight into the amp - retains all that thwack, immediacy, and sparkle that we like about good tube amps.
3. The pre/post thing in 4CM is genius. It's awesome to be able to move blocks in front of the amp or into the loop at the touch of a button - makes sonic comparisons instant and easy.
4. The only REALLY bad thing so far is the crazy obnoxious light that flashes rapidly like an emergency beacon when in sticky Preset mode. I'm a preset guy so I'll probably default to that mode more often than Stompbox mode...but I cannot stand to have that crazy light strobing in my face. Hopefully a firmware update will calm that thing down in the near future.

More to come later, but very excited and impressed so far.
 
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Thanks for sharing your experience! I was wondering if I should go with the Axe FX II, but now I know that the FX8 is what I was hoping it would be (a super clean, non-tone suck, multi effect board). So looking forward to getting my invite!
 
JeremiahEdward said:
Excellent. This is my first fairly big money purchase that I'm going in virtually blind (or deaf, rather). I'm used to watching a ton of videos, reading a ton of reviews, and trying gear put before purchase.

I've tried watching Axe Fx videos, but they don't really showcase effects, just the modeling.. and it's usually the same ugly, detuned, chugging metal riff or some dude wanking on a solo for 10 minutes.
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Great comment! Would be nice for once just to be able to hear what these units can actually do instead of some egotistical 'demo'.
 
To those who have now experienced the FX8, how will it change your stage setup? I hope to mothball my current effects pedals.
 
bkd_guitarist said:
2. I'm struck by how organic and natural it sounds. The signal path is more transparent than either the Axe-FX Ultra or the Axe-FX 2. Neither of those units sound good in the effects loop of my amp...there's a surprising amount of compression, a darkening of the tone, and a lack of immediacy. Not so with the FX8. It feels and sounds very much like plugging straight into the amp - retains all that thwack, immediacy, and sparkle that we like about good tube amps.
Click to expand...

Thanks for pointing this out. This is a plus for the FX8 over the Axe fx II. Since the effect section is the same.
 
I spent about an hour yesterday setting the FX8 up and played a gig last night. I ran it in front of a Boogie Mark III. The FX8 is fantastic! Here are my initial thoughts:

1. Incredibly easy to set up, I checked the level with a true bypass box and it was at unity gain out of the box.
2. With the editor building presets is super easy.
3. The effects sound great, I was able to set up a whammy, wah, drive (X/Y), phaser (X/Y), flanger, reverb, and delay (X/Y) in about an hour.
4. The FX8 has a great feel to it, this is a little hard to explain but compared to my HD500 it feels better, more natural.

Using it live:
1. Pretty much like a normal pedal board, switches are easy to get too and I very rarely stepped on two at a time.
2. The X/Y switching function will take a little time getting use to but is a really cool feature. I found myself turning on/off the effect by accident when switching between X and Y. Sometimes it was hard switching on the fly.
3. The display is good; however, the last effect you used stays highlighted, I don't know why but this was really odd in a live situation. Since I just set up the FX8 I was more reliant on the display to determine where the effects were so this may be temporary.
4. The unit comes stock with the effects configured 1>2>3>4...and to the corresponding switch. So the order was not ideal live but there is a way to change the order so you can configure the location of the effects on the pedalboard.
5. I set up a Mission SP1 as a wah pedal, I should have turned on the motion activation but controlled on/off via a switch on the board. This was awkward; however, there is a way to use the toe switch on the SP1, I just need to figure it out.
6. The tuner worked great and is easy to use.

All in all, I'm impressed. In about an hour I was able to configure and play a gig with it. I haven't went through any of the presets but I may try to run through them later today. I can imagine a couple more sessions dialing it in and creating a few more presets and I will be set. Congratulations to Cliff and team, this seems to be another winner.
 
Had my first Gig last night with FX8.

I was able to carry the Fx8 in the soft case for the Pedaltrain PT Jr. with my guitars on my back and walk into club in one trip. I was playing a G&L Legacy and the back-lined amp was a tweed hot rod deluxe 1x12.

My thoughts:

1. everyone should make themselves spend an hour with the Fx8 without the GUI editor. The FX8 is surprisingly easy to use from just the front panel and it really helped that I knew my way around it.
I ended up needing to edit 'verb depth (was too dry) solo boost (too quiet) and fuzz level (too quiet) and was able to do that easily during soundcheck.

2. tuner works really well.

3. All the effects sounded great to my ears at gig volume but the fuzz just wasn't as interactive with my guitar as I'd like it to be. I'm going to keep chasing it though.

4. I find it a little difficult to time the switches right. They engage once you're foot is OFF the switch.

5. I only engaged the y function accidentally once.


For this gig I used the FX8 like a conventional board with Fuzz> OD> Trem> Verb> Slapback> Tap Tape delay> Para EQ used for solo boost

I'm looking forward to using the scenes more to do more complicated effects switching. Overall great first outing.
 
Originally Posted by N.Phaneuf

4. I find it a little difficult to time the switches right. They engage once you're foot is OFF the switch.


Surely that's something that can be fixed in an update?
 
prsaxeman said:
I don't understand all the comments about the lack of "crazy sounds". My understanding is that this is a professional pedal for serious guitarists. There's a whole host of other pedals out there if you want keyboards, organ, synth, horn, sax, violin, squashed budgie, strangled cat, whoopie cushion etc, like the Roland GR55. If I wanted a load of really "crazy" sounding presets I'd drop the contents of the cutlery drawer onto the floor and record it!! FFS, where are you performing, a live gig or a circus???
Click to expand...

I was referencing some of the more intricate patches that are possible with the Axe Fx. I could have said pitch shifting\harmonizing patches that use parallel routing with multi tap and reverb blocks... but I think everyone got what I was talking about with just mentioning "bag pipes\violin\etc." These are fairly complicated and requires an intimate knowledge of the Axe FX to create. Since the Fractal guys would be the most capable to build these patches for the FX8, it's not an unreasonable request to ask them to provide these. I don't know who is serious guitarists and who isn't, but having used some of these complicated patches with my band (using an Axe FX), I would prefer not purchase a Roland unit if the FX8 can cop these tones.
 
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