AX8- For all you live performers... AX8 with Real Amps, and AX8 with Monitors, PA, FRFR etc

dsouza

dsouza

Experienced
Ok so I got the AX8 setup with AX8-Edit love it and I have a Vox AC4C1 tube amp I connect to.. Lovely.

But the thing is if I ever go on stage I may need more volume.

The AC4 over 2 watts gets cloudy.... It's also a very bright amp.. You don't watch that kind of high pitch at auditorium volumes.

My question is I have now got my AX8 being fed through my laptop 4" MACKIE Monitors. I'm testing them. I'm sure I'll love them too.

But the sound is quite low volume.

What should I do on stage?. Buy bigger monitors (If so how big for a large concert hall (wedding hall, auditorium etc) ?) Do I need two 10" Mackie Monitors to run in stereo or would you just buy one? etc or buy a a real TUBE Vox AC10, AC15, AC30 for auditoriums and feed the AX8 into it?

Also if monitors are not the best solution for the on stage auditorium , bar , cafe, wedding hall, small concert venues, would you rather go with a PA or a FRFR.. I don't know too much about the latter two except they are more specialized and very expensive.

P.S. I crank up my tube AC4C1 and record off it with the SM57 which needs it at least at 2 watts to pick up good quality output. How do I record off my 4" Mackie Monitors? The sound is much softer than my 10" speaker on my tube AC4... It doesn't make sense cranking up my monitors in my home studio as I'm in a condo... Is there a way I can still record with the SM 57? or a way to bypass it completely? I use Ableton Live 10.

Thanks for all your help!
Please advise!
Adrian
 
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Turn the Treble on the AC4 all the way down, then add more as needed. I had an amp that needed the Treble set to 1.0 with the AX8.

As far as recording, don't try to mic the Mackie monitors, use the direct signal going to the laptop from the AX8.
 
I tried out my MACKIE monitors (4") with the AX8 and it sounded like crap. Literally no life. Flat. Like a lifeless beer. I had the volume up halfway on my monitors too. The distortions, shimmers etc didn't feel real.. Felt almost toyish.

I then fed it through my AC4 and I'm in tube heaven. Yeah I cut the treble from noon to 9 am and it sounds beautiful.

I'm thinking if I ever play on stage either I'll use an AC10, or AC15... I would love an AC30 but it's very expensive and very big and heavy for me to carry. Nothing like an AXE going through an all tube saturated amp. Oh yea my AC4 has gain at just over 9 am and it's CLEAR so I am using all amp models and cabs through it and loving it!

You don't need monitors, FRFR units, PA systems etc to work the AXE effectively. Not at all.

Just curious how many others on here are going through a live tube amp for a setup , both in the studio, and on stage?
 
Using the same preset through an amp and monitors is usually going to sound very different. The amp and cab colors the tone, the monitors don't typically color the tone as much. The Mackies are multimedia speakers so they're not going to be as flat as most studio/nearfield monitors. Stepping up to entry level 6.5 inch monitors like Kali LP 6 or Behringer B2030a will make a big difference in the tone you hear.

When moving from amps to modeling- again -I went through the process of using the AX8 with an amp, then eventually direct to FOH. For both live and studio, I currently use the Axe III direct exclusively. Unless you need the amp's volume, there's really no reason not to use the AX8 direct for any playing environment. Remember that the IR plays a significant role in the overall tone.
 
JoKeR III said:
Using the same preset through an amp and monitors is usually going to sound very different. The amp and cab colors the tone, the monitors don't typically color the tone as much. The Mackies are multimedia speakers so they're not going to be as flat as most studio/nearfield monitors. Stepping up to entry level 6.5 inch monitors like Kali LP 6 or Behringer B2030a will make a big difference in the tone you hear.

When moving from amps to modeling- again -I went through the process of using the AX8 with an amp, then eventually direct to FOH. For both live and studio, I currently use the Axe III direct exclusively. Unless you need the amp's volume, there's really no reason not to use the AX8 direct for any playing environment. Remember that the IR plays a significant role in the overall tone.
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Both! I need the great studio sound and the amp's volume for live performances. So for me tube is the way to go. I also record off my Tube ac4 with an sm57 so I get a pristine clean to distorted studio quality sound when I'm ready to upload some songs to YT or Bandcamp or whatever. With the tube amps and the AX8 I get the best of both worlds. Tame Studio and cranked live performances. I see no reason to go for a studio type sound when playing live. Unless you're performing at an event where very low volumes are crucial. I know guys even in church who use an Ac4 live. (albeit not with a Fractal Audio ). 1 watt seems to suffice plenty in my home. For a gig I may be able to use it at 2-4 watts but overall I think if I needed to max out the volume I'd rather invest in an AC10 or AC15 instead of pushing the tubes and speaker to such an extent on the ac4. But I see how tube is not needed for everyone! Cheers! Adrian
 
Give the FOH or an FRFR. The HeadRush 112 will give you plenty of volume. Not expensive either.

My setup is FOH and two (2) HR 108s. Or FOH and the Electro Harmonix Magnum 44 to a regular cab.
 
I will be using a 3rd Power SV3015 stereo tube amp for EVERYTHING I do live. I will create some cab sims to use when I'm playing around with the AX8 at home, but I want it to move air when it's engaged.
 
An AX8 through a tube amp sounding f'kn great! In fact in home condo my Vox AC4C1 tube amp needs only to be set at 1/2 watt in master volume. In a small hotel lounge 1-2 watts is plenty for an all tube saturated sound! I am actually thinking I won't even need an AC10 or AC15 down the road since I focus mainly on YT, Bandcamp, and small venues like hotel lounges etc. Monitors play a key role in obtaining specific sound arrangements but I agree they are not necessary always an optimal solution for everyone.

I also play my AX8 through my tube Vox AC4C1 using amp and cab modelling. I have the amp set fairly clean. Not pristine clean like but clean enough with just enough dirt... It seems to work nicely with all amps and cab models.
 
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Hey guys… Sorry to jump in on your thread, but I am brand-new to this. I just bought an AX 8 and I’m taking a huge step up from playing straight through a tube amp and looping through small affects in the back like an EQ, chorus, etc. I am still trying to learn all the tech and lingo that I read on this forum, and I was told that if I get some SLR cables and a powered speaker like a Behringer or some Yamaha‘s that would be the right direction.The guy guitar center tried to sell me a head rush speaker today. I have tried this thing through the front of my Blackstar HT 60 as well as looped in through the back, and it just sounds unbelievably crappy. Most of the amp models all sound the same. Any advice would be more than appreciated… Please be gentle LOL
 
The Headrush is not a bad option for the AX8 or any modeler, a lot of guys are using them with great success. What you're looking for is something that doesn't color the tone of the AX8 very much which typically means using a PA speaker (JBL EON), studio monitors (Behringer Truth B2030a) or FRFR speaker (Headrush). These are going to allow you to take complete advantage of the AX8 by using its power amp and cabinet modeling. You can use a guitar amp but there are things you'll need to experiment with in order for it to sound great with a particular amp.

I ran an AX8 into the front of an amp for a few months with great results as well but you may need to try different settings to find what works with your amp. I would start by setting your amp up with a bold clean tone, just before the edge of breakup, EQ flat. On the AX8, leave the power amp sim on and turn the cab modeling off. Tweak the amp(s) in the AX8 as you would any other amp to dial in your tone. I have not had much success using the AX8 or Axe III into the loop of an amp.

If you're still not having any luck getting good tones, turn the cab modeling on and experiment with the different IRs (cabs). The amp I used needed the Treble turned down to 1 in order to get tones I was happy with. I eventually went direct, using studio monitors at home and straight to the FOH board, and haven't looked back.
 
JoKeR III said:
The Headrush is not a bad option for the AX8 or any modeler, a lot of guys are using them with great success. What you're looking for is something that doesn't color the tone of the AX8 very much which typically means using a PA speaker (JBL EON), studio monitors (Behringer Truth B2030a) or FRFR speaker (Headrush). These are going to allow you to take complete advantage of the AX8 by using its power amp and cabinet modeling. You can use a guitar amp but there are things you'll need to experiment with in order for it to sound great with a particular amp.

I ran an AX8 into the front of an amp for a few months with great results as well but you may need to try different settings to find what works with your amp. I would start by setting your amp up with a bold clean tone, just before the edge of breakup, EQ flat. On the AX8, leave the power amp sim on and turn the cab modeling off. Tweak the amp(s) in the AX8 as you would any other amp to dial in your tone. I have not had much success using the AX8 or Axe III into the loop of an amp.

If you're still not having any luck getting good tones, turn the cab modeling on and experiment with the different IRs (cabs). The amp I used needed the Treble turned down to 1 in order to get tones I was happy with. I eventually went direct, using studio monitors at home and straight to the FOH board, and haven't looked back.
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Thank you for this! It is a bit overwhelming at first, but I am committed to learning this. Really appreciate all of your advice.
 
I don't worry about the tube amp coloring my tone because 95% of the time I use the AX8 Vox AC30 amp modeler through my Vox AC10 TUBE amp or Vox AC4C1 TUBE amp.

Vox into Vox is pretty much Vox.
 
IMHO, the best way to take full advantage of the AX8, or any decent modeler...Run it through an FRFR speaker, or FOH and use IEMs to hear yourself. I run my AX8 through a QSC K12 (one of my band's P.A. mains) for band practice. When we play a show, I run direct through the board. We all use IEM's to hear ourselves/each other. We cover a huge range of bands/ songs, so to get as close as I can to the tones, I take full advantage of all the choices of amps.
 
At home i run my ax8 in my ssl 2 and akg k701. The sound is incredible. But i can’t manage having the same sound with my matrix fr10 .i have an alto pro 310 , less expensive than the matrix but i feel the same. Better sound with my akg. I think it s a question of eq.i use à tweed simulation , i love cranking it with my akg.
But my ax8 is a great great tool! Love it!
 
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