Ax8 or keep Axe Fx II ?

bleedthefreak

bleedthefreak

Inspired
Does anybody know if it would be better to have the Ax8 over the II mk2?

I just purchased a used MKII but I received an email for the ax8.

I don't know if it is worth selling and buying the Ax8.
 
bleedthefreak said:
Does anybody know if it would be better to have the Ax8 over the II mk2?

I just purchased a used MKII but I received an email for the ax8.

I don't know if it is worth selling and buying the Ax8.
Click to expand...
Keep The Mk2! Way more than AX8 in many ways unless the compact size of the AX8 is more important.
 
Really depends on your use. I ended up with both with the expectation that I decide on one or the other. The reality is that if I was only gigging one or twice per month and was not recording at home I would probably go with the AX8 and a CLR Neo. I have gigged the AX8 about 4 time now and was able to build presets that easily covered what I needed for the gig.

If I was mostly playing at home and recording with less than 1 gig per month I would definitely opt for the additional horsepower of the AxeFX.

My issue is that I play the same 2 venues every week (with about an hour to travel and setup between gigs) and have a weekly mid-week rehearsal at one of the venues as well so currently I have AxeFXII rigs with MFCs installed in each venue so all I do is grab my guitar and go.

Ultimately I am probably going to keep both because we are doing some offsite gigs and in these settings it has worked out really nicely.
 
bleedthefreak said:
Does anybody know if it would be better to have the Ax8 over the II mk2?

I just purchased a used MKII but I received an email for the ax8.

I don't know if it is worth selling and buying the Ax8.
Click to expand...
I retired my MkII to my recording rack at home, and use the AX* for live gigs now. MUCH prefer the AX8 for live application - just that much less to set up.
 
AxeFX II for sure... I'm sure the Ax8 is getting better with every update but I returned mine for a second Axe FX....wish they would come out with a AX8 XL with full power LOL
 
What I have appreciated most about the AX8 has been the ability to quickly make adjustments to the main tone shaping parameters. While I can do this on the AxFX it is just simpler with the dedicated knobs. Also having the visual layout of the stomp switches on the screen has been a real help. Again these features are probably more important when gigging.
 
If you were on the edge for the Axe II OR Te AX8... the only plus of the Ax8 is the factor
But if you now have the Axe Fx II... keep it!
 
cander328 said:
What I have appreciated most about the AX8 has been the ability to quickly make adjustments to the main tone shaping parameters. While I can do this on the AxFX it is just simpler with the dedicated knobs. Also having the visual layout of the stomp switches on the screen has been a real help. Again these features are probably more important when gigging.
Click to expand...
Okay, this makes sense. It's what I was thinking may be the advantage over the rack mount. Interesting to hear how users find it advantageous for gigging mostly.
I'll keep the rack mount.
 
bleedthefreak said:
Does anybody know if it would be better to have the Ax8 over the II mk2?

I just purchased a used MKII but I received an email for the ax8.

I don't know if it is worth selling and buying the Ax8.
Click to expand...

I got my AX8 yesterday and owning the AxeFX i can say the convenience of an all in one solution like the AX8 makes it a real hard decision going back to the rack unit, it's such a perfect compact lightweight unit to take anywhere with everything you need on a single bag.

My opinion is that for most guitar players needs the AX8 has everything and then some.
 
An important consideration for me, and perhaps no one else, is that with the Axe II, I can have the cabling for power and audio all on the side or back of the stage, and the one and only cable I need running across the stage is the ethercon cable for the MFC. Totally clean stage setup that way.

AX8 on the other hand, requires having a cable for power running to it, and then cables for audio, monitors etc. Now for some setups this isn't much of an issue, but other times, where its a small setup, various foot traffic in the area etc, I feel its more of a problem.

I honestly wish my MFC could be wireless and run off a battery. Then I could just put it down wherever and be totally wireless on any stage. Of course I do have a couple of short cables from my MFC to my EXP pedals.


At home as well, the Axe II keeps everything very tidy in my music room/study. I put the rack on a shelf, and all the cables are hidden behind the back, its connected to the PC via USB for easy recording, and all I do I pull the MFC out a little from the wall when I want to play, put it back when I'm done.

AX8 again seems like it would be more cabling to deal with as you'd need to have audio hooked up for recording, audio for monitors, power etc. Not horrible by any means, but with just a single cable for the MFC I think it keeps things far neater.
 
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