AX8 or Axe-Fx III for Live Applications

Akstrat

Akstrat

Experienced
I have had the AX8 for a couple of years since they first came out and really have bonded with it. I play out mostly in a cover band and never spend time in a recording environment.

Those of you who own both the AX8 and the AXEIII, what do you use when you gig? Are there those of you who have sold off your AX8 for and AXEIII and use it on the road with good experiences?

I could own them both, however, it may be a waste of money if I mainly use my AX8 for gigging? I guess there may be some of you who think that Fractal will come up with a different all in one floor model with the new more powerful technology and maybe I should wait for that? I guess I have a bit of GAS and looking for ideas??
 
I have ax8 and axe fx2... for live i use mostly ax8... axe fx ( home recording Andrea backup)
 
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There's a recent thread in the AxeIII forum discussing this. You might find that helpful.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/upgrade-ax8-to-iii.147766/

I bought the AxeIII last year and continued to use the AX8 until the FC controllers finally became available. During that year, I contemplated selling the AxeIII many times. Financially, I can afford to keep both, but it didn't make sense for me to have money tied up in two units when one could meet all my needs. In the end, I sold the AX8 but I do miss the all-in-one convenience. Had I never bought the AxeIII, I would be perfectly happy to continue using the AX8. The AxeIII is a LOT more powerful, does sound better, and most importantly to me it feels better to play. Recent FW updates to the reverb, drive block, and amp modeling have widened the gap.

I'll be very interested to see what Fractal brings to the table in the coming year or two for the next generation AX8...
 
ethomas1013 said:
I'll be very interested to see what Fractal brings to the table in the coming year or two for the next generation AX8...
Click to expand...

I have both, and use both. The AX8 is perfect for quick gigs/jams/small stages. Using it this thurs when I sit in for a small 5 song set with some old friends...throw it in the backpack, grab a guitar, and good to go.

Full night with three-four sets? AXEFX III all the way. Power, sound, flexibility are just amazing.
But I do have the FC12 and love the control.

The more I look at the FC12 and FC6, it's not hard to see the next all-in-one sitting in this case.
AX6 / AX12 seems likely to me at some point.
 
I guess the FC is on back order? Not sure I want to make a move, only to have Fractal come out with a newer type AX8. Soon...
 
Akstrat said:
I have had the AX8 for a couple of years since they first came out and really have bonded with it. I play out mostly in a cover band and never spend time in a recording environment.

Those of you who own both the AX8 and the AXEIII, what do you use when you gig? Are there those of you who have sold off your AX8 for and AXEIII and use it on the road with good experiences?

I could own them both, however, it may be a waste of money if I mainly use my AX8 for gigging? I guess there may be some of you who think that Fractal will come up with a different all in one floor model with the new more powerful technology and maybe I should wait for that? I guess I have a bit of GAS and looking for ideas??
Click to expand...
The FC, especially the FC12, is a waitlist item right now. If you’re not already on the waitlist, it could be a while. Perhaps that waiting period will reveal whether or not the next iteration of the AX8, should it even be in the works right now, is to arrive or be announced.

I had both, and traded the AX8 for other gear. It had limitations the III didn’t, and once I added the foot controller (I use the RJM Mastermind GT) I could do everything I wanted to do without compromise. Because of that the AX8, which is a great device for what it was designed to do, just felt limiting to me because I wasn’t playing any gigs that were too small to fit the III. I’ve had no regrets, but am still looking forward to the next AX??. Should it turn out to be an AX12, or better yet AX16, with more processing power, I’ll likely be very interested. So, to get back to your current conundrum, I think I’d sit tight and see if anything materializes. Your other “play today” option involves a III and an RJM, which is no small combined investment!
 
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I think the answer is easy.

-Do you need more CPU?

-Don't you worry about carrying the III, its foot controller, the cables and setting it all and then packing it all after the soundcheck/gig?

I don't need that extra CPU nor the extra features it brings. And I'm very worried about carrying all that gear in airplanes and setting and packing everything again and again.

Some days I have two gigs in different places, sometimes in different islands.

With the AX8, the Boss WL20, and my guitar (and my inerar headphones), I'm ready.
 
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