AX8 disappointment

livian

livian

Member
hello, I'm a new possessor of AX8 but I admit to have some problems with the sound. I use two small solid state heads connected to two 1x12 speaker for stereo playing.
I tried all possible configurations:
-I used only the final stage of the heads (using the return and disabling/enabling the cab simulation, and the simulation of the final);
-I used 4cm (disabling/enabling the cab simulation);
-I used the input of the two heads (disabling/enabling the cab simulation).
In all cases I don't like the sound, especially for all amp simulations with medium / high gain.
The fender style amp simulations are very convincing.
Can you give me some advice to how to connect/set the instrument to improve the result?
Unfortunately if it does not change anything I will sell the AX8 and return to my beloved FX8.

THANKS GUYS!!!!
 
Are you only using the presets? The presets are usually created with FRFR in mind and with a flat poweramp which your solid state heads probably arent.
 
Yes, such an odd ball setup is doable with all the tone shaping tools in the device but expecting it to be a slam dunk is unrealistic. You are going to have to build stuff from scratch most likely... You might also want to consider a dedicated power amp or monitors to do the AX8 justice.
 
Solid State is most certainly flat - not in 100% of cases, but in most, especially in instrument amplification.

Describe what you don't like OP :). I found that the factory presets are *very* bass heavy.
 
Only a few years designing them, and working directly with ICE 500A and 1000A modules.
They look pretty flat to me:
Screenshot_5.png


Preamps and cabs? Nope, not even close. Half way decently designed power section? Absolutely.
 
Also, if you can post a preset and maybe a quick recording, that may help as well - especially if you can articulate what you're not liking :)
 
I only tried the presets. I also tried the studio monitors and in that case comes out a great sound. when I say that I don't like the sound I refer only to the ampli sim of mid and high-gain amps as well as almost all the drive block. the sound is grainy, acid, compressed, unrealistic. This does not happen when I activated the cab simulations (even if in this way, the sound seems to come from the apartment below mine). Do you know what are the parameters to change to try to improve the result?
 
A lot of the magic is, in my opinion, in the cabs for guitar. If you bypass those, you're taking a lot of tone shaping out. Not to say you can't, or shouldn't, disable them. If you're running with traditional guitar cabs, it can go either way - if you get tone you like with it off or on, roll with it. There's not really a "right".
With that said, it sounds like you just need some tweaking help. Pick one preset and come to the chat perhaps, and people can help :). It'd be super helpful if you could post up a clip on SoundCloud or similar so we can hear exactly what you hear. At least let us know one factory preset you want to work on so other folks can pull it up to help. The simpler the better so there's less variables to try to troubleshoot.

Did you buy the AX8 new? It'd likely be worth making sure your firmware is up to date.
 
I am a med-high gain guy and I really dig the tones of the ax8. However, adjusting to taste is important. What heads? What cabs? If I am at a gig, my ax8 is FX only (marshall jvm halfstack) unless monitoring system is good enough to support ax8 all by itself. If monitoring system is good, I bring ax8 and NO amp. IMHO, if Im bringing an amp, might as well bring my marshall so Im not big into personal FRFR monitors. The most likely setup would be main outs of ax8 into the fx returns of your heads (to get poweramp only). However, putting a simulated amplified guitar into a guitar power amp and guitar speaker still would be like "double dipping." your guitar rig will add a second poweramp tone and your cabs will add a second cab tone. With your current rig, I think you will need to do some experimenting due to the coloration of your amps and cabs. As far as solid state poweramps being flat, well of course, unless they are in a guitar amp, and if in a guitar amp the engineers are PROBABLY trying to mimic a tube poweramp.
 
livian said:
hello, I'm a new possessor of AX8 but I admit to have some problems with the sound. I use two small solid state heads connected to two 1x12 speaker for stereo playing.
I tried all possible configurations:
-I used only the final stage of the heads (using the return and disabling/enabling the cab simulation, and the simulation of the final);
-I used 4cm (disabling/enabling the cab simulation);
-I used the input of the two heads (disabling/enabling the cab simulation).
In all cases I don't like the sound, especially for all amp simulations with medium / high gain.
The fender style amp simulations are very convincing.
Can you give me some advice to how to connect/set the instrument to improve the result?
Unfortunately if it does not change anything I will sell the AX8 and return to my beloved FX8.

THANKS GUYS!!!!
Click to expand...

What are the two amps you are using exactly?
 
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