AX8 vs Atomic Amplifire

Sjomli

New Member
Hi just joined today. I've been trying choose either one for the last month and I haven't been able to come too a conclusion. Is there anyone here who has had both of these units? Which do you like better? Are there any significant pros or cons to these units?
 
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I have owned both.
They are both excellent products, as is the Helix. (which I have also tried.)
The Amplifire has great modeling, instant preset changes, can load IRs, and never has a dsp issue.
This is because it has a limited tool set.
The AX8 has more of everything. The only con with the AX8 is it doesn't have instant preset changes. There is an audible gap.
If money is an issue the Amplifire 12 could be a great compromise solution for someone wanting pro level modeling.
If you can afford the extra $500 the AX8 is well worth it. That was my choice.
 
I haven't owned an amplifire but I have played through one and it is a pretty nice modeler for the money. It will be a back up to my Ax8 for sure as soon as I have the extra funds!. I don't think you can really do any better for pedal that's in that price range.
 
One thing I can objectively say that the AX8 offers is that the models sound and perform just like the amps they represent. If other modelers sound different from the AX8, and I know the AX8 sounds like the amps (ask @Larry Mitchell about our experience shooting a video together last week.) one can draw certain conclusions from this. While the next statement is subjective I believe it is also true: I think most people will tell you that Fractal Audio is widely recognized as having the best amp modeling in the industry.

Another thing that's objectively better on the AX8 than on all other similar products is the quality of many the effects. You can experience this yourself, for example, by listening to the reverbs, multitap delays, or pitch shifter set to 100% wet. The number and style of effect offerings is also extremely impressive in my opinion.

Finally, the one thing that no competitor can offer is Fractal's undying commitment to continual improvement, backed by a community of artists and customers that genuinely care about great tone and gear that is inspiring to play. This makes owning an AX8 exciting. It has great compatibility on many levels with the Axe-Fx II: cabs, amp and effect block settings, the concept of the grid, so there are a lot of fantastic resources you get from this overlap as well.

Please recognize that I work for Fractal, but I was a customer here first.
 
For me it's never been a question which one is best. The sound is always king. And the fractal products sound amazing. The effects are simply great. In fact stunning some are. And yet always improving. That's the level of commitment at Fractal. As for the amp sims. They've always sounded damn good to now absolutely great. Or however you want to dial them in. I've always gone for the sound that hits me, not how close the model sounds to the real amp. Well last week I found out it in a tight test running both the real amp and the model through the same cab with the knobs set in the same position that they sound exactly the same. EXACTLY. I could pick which one I was playing through going back and forth between the two but not being able to see which one I was on. And I was playing! Every one else on the room was stumped too.

With the amount of amp sims in the Axe FX or AX8 you should definitely be able to find a few you like that resonate with you. I have my favorites. And I've been learning that when I don't like the sound of one of the models, it turns out I don't like that amp in the real world either. Some real amps speak to me and others don't some models in the Fractal products speak to me and others don't. :0)

I have tried a few of the other units out there mostly while helping people set up their Axe Fx or make their decision. All I can say is, it's a great time to be a guitar player. There's done amazing technology out there. Nothing's made me want to change from the Axe FX or my AX8. Nothing.

I play around the USA and as much of the rest of the world as I can. My rig turn lots of heads wherever I go! Musicians, engineers, all usually very impressed, curious and usually stunned. Stunned with how it sounds with such ease and how many sounds I can pull up. It's a huge box full of tones that's allowed me to get pretty much any sounds I've need for any situation.
Been using Fractal products since I bought my first Ultra I think back in 2008.

Oops sorry for the long post. Haven't had coffee yet. :0) this was more in response to Matt's post . Above. :0)

Have fun and keep the tone alive!
Larry
 
One thing I can objectively say that the AX8 offers is that the models sound and perform just like the amps they represent. If other modelers sound different from the AX8, and I know the AX8 sounds like the amps (ask @Larry Mitchell about our experience shooting a video together last week.) one can draw certain conclusions from this. While the next statement is subjective I believe it is also true: I think most people will tell you that Fractal Audio is widely recognized as having the best amp modeling in the industry.

Another thing that's objectively better on the AX8 than on all other similar products is the quality of many the effects. You can experience this yourself, for example, by listening to the reverbs, multitap delays, or pitch shifter set to 100% wet. The number and style of effect offerings is also extremely impressive in my opinion.

Finally, the one thing that no competitor can offer is Fractal's undying commitment to continual improvement, backed by a community of artists and customers that genuinely care about great tone and gear that is inspiring to play. This makes owning an AX8 exciting. It has great compatibility on many levels with the Axe-Fx II: cabs, amp and effect block settings, the concept of the grid, so there are a lot of fantastic resources you get from this overlap as well.

Please recognize that I work for Fractal, but I was a customer here first.

^. .....obviously, this........^.

And the writer of this post, a mr. @Admin M@ , should be recognized as one of the great resources that so many (well ALL of us) , have at our disposal, and who has lured so many of us into this little fiefdom to which we shall continue to pay tribute, both financial (my XL+ , fourth iteration of FAS goodness arrives today), and in these pages and the glorious sounds we all create and share.
 
- The Amplifire amps will never be powerful enough to be 100% "there" ; the AX8 amps already are.

So I want to ask you, how long does it take you to get the extra $$ for an AX8 vs how long can you be satisfied with an Amplifire in that situation?
 
I 100% agree with the 'Admin' statement Amazed people mention the Ax8 with Helix, or Amplifire in the same sentence. The only way you could compare them is if your pre sets in the Ax8 are not dialed in for optimal tone and possibly using it with poor quality monitors.
Case in point, I feel like my pre sets are awesome, but getting the right IR as well as this past weekend buying some pre sets from @SilentUnderground and starting to apply his GEQ before the amp trick instantly made all my pre sets sound tighter fuller and cut through the mix better!
 
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Hi just joined today. I've been trying choose either on for the last month and I haven't been able to come too a conclusion. Is there anyone here who has had both of these units? Which do you like better? Are there any significant pros or cons to these units?

Yes I have had both. There is no contest between the AF and AXe. BUT it depends on your needs. The AF is good and not really a direct competitor but, to take a specific example of where it failed for me, and why the AXE has been a revelation, was the dynamic control. The Recto sim on the AF suffers from too much sag and compression most noticeable in the bottom end playing rhythm parts requiring a lot of articulation. You can't rid the AF of this as you don't have the deep access to the amp simulation controls that you do on the AXE. Because I knew roughly where the problem lay I was able to completely dial out the 'sag' from the Recto patch on the AXE, in about 30 mins of tweaking (this did not simply require changing the Sag setting, but a lot of other parameters). Bearing in mind I'd only had the unit for a day, and how complex it is, it speaks volumes for how intuitive it is given its complexity.

I was deeply skeptical of it given my AF experience and only bought it to try as a replacement for my FX board....not my amp... yet here I am heading to first rehearsal today with the AXE as my main 'amp'. We'll see if it works out...
 
and starting to apply his GEQ before the amp trick instantly made all my pre sets sound tighter fuller and cut through the mix better!

Funny you mention this, after selling my Ultra and going back to the normal rig, I imposed myself THREE sine qua non reasons to buy another modeler :

1) perfect amp sims
2) having the right type of GEQ to program in front of the amp (80-160-320 etc)
3) Pedalboard.

So it's only till recently that all three conditions were reunited in a simulator and I decided to give the AX8 a try. For a decade I ditched all the pedal boosts to use that type of GEQs instead, my favorite is the Ashdown, perfect to balance a pickup, albeit a bit noisy and not programmable. Fortunately it isn't hard to simulate it with the AX8.
 
I had an amplifier before I've got the AX8. I can tell you that each has unique advantages:
1) AX8: FAR more refined, sounds, effects, everything.
2) Amplifire: Cheaper, smaller, lighter. It is more convenient.

I personally think the AX8 is far superior because of the software underneath and the support, but I have to say that the Amplifire support is amazing, they are very responsive. Not fractal level, but really nice :D
 
I have an AxeFx2 and Amplifire. I've had the AF for a couple of months now.

I am quite disappointed by the amplifire's modeling (probably because I have used Fractal products for too long) and cannot believe how much undeserved love this thing gets on TGP. It is 'stiff' feeling, lacks the full spectrum response of the AFX (not sure how else to describe this; maybe lively or "3D") and by far the worst thing is for anything heavier than crunch it has a 'signature' like they were all built from the same model but tweaked here and there (many Line 6 products and POD era products did this). With the Axe every model is a snow flake. They are all different and have their own sound and response and feel 'alive'. The AF feels like in actuality it only has about four models with a bunch of EQ goop and that base model feels flat/fake. I'm amazed at people classing this thing with FAS and Kemper; they have to be at least partially deaf.

I use it as an FX processor and as a clean/crunch channel provider in a 4CM tube amp setup and am relatively happy with it for that use, an AX8 or similar would have been overkill as expense and space were being spared on this rig... but I am thankful I have an AxeFx. I would place it above the POD HD and below the Axe Ultra in terms of modeling quality based on devices I've owned and played extensively.
 
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I have an AxeFx2 and Amplifire. I've had the AF for a couple of months now.

I am quite disappointed by the amplifire's modeling (probably because I have used Fractal products for too long) and cannot believe how much undeserved love this thing gets on TGP. It is 'stiff' feeling, lacks the full spectrum response of the AFX (not sure how else to describe this; maybe lively or "3D") and by far the worst thing is for anything heavier than crunch it has a 'signature' like they were all built from the same model but tweaked here and there (many Line 6 products and POD era products did this). With the Axe every model is a snow flake. They are all different and have their own sound and response and feel 'alive'. The AF feels like in actuality it only has about four models with a bunch of EQ goop and that base model feels flat/fake. I'm amazed at people classing this thing with FAS and Kemper; they have to be at least partially deaf.

I use it as an FX processor and as a clean/crunch channel provider in a 4CM tube amp setup and am relatively happy with it for that use, an AX8 or similar would have been overkill as expense and space were being spared on this rig... but I am thankful I have an AxeFx. I would place it above the POD HD and below the Axe Ultra in terms of modeling quality based on devices I've owned and played extensively.
Bang on about the AF signature. I tried to use it just for FX in the loop of my real amp, there was that signature sound again. I think it may be the converters.
 
I have both, the Amplifire is there as a backup. I prefer the Ax8, the Amplifire does seem to have a signature sound that is hard to dial out even when using third party IRs. I can't find any fault with the Ax8. The amp models, on board irs, effects and ability to use eq are all superior to the Amplifire in my opinion. They are all top notch. The Amplifire is limited in how many presets you can use, the amount and quality of the effects, and using eq takes much more work. All that being said, I think the Amplifire is a great little unit and you should be able to get great sounds out of it with not much effort. I would have no problem using it live or in the studio. It is just hard to compare to a unit like the Ax8. I have clips of both, pm me know if you want to hear them.
 
I had both and used the Amplifire for many months in a live setting with a slew of pedals. Always felt the tone was a compromise. Effects were not on par with the pedal platform I had and modeling was decent but still not as good as my amp. Moving on to the AX8, I'm in heaven. I love the real amp tones and amazing effects. Would not go back for anything!
 
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