AX8 straight into a small tube amp

Pinthar

Pinthar

Member
Greetings AX8 community. There are tons of videos of pros making the AX8 sound great through their million dollar studio, but im just a poor white boy with a simple Les Paul, and AX8 and a Marshall DSL15 Tube amp...and everything I play sound like crap...I can't use the amp blocks because they are supposed to be turned off for direct play into an amp, and I can't use the speaker cabs because same thing...no worries though, the problem I am having is when I set up effects, say distortion, delay, chorus, everything has this "tube" overtone ringing that I can't get rid of. I cannot get that tight sound. everything sounds like its run through a Fender Clean Amp undernieth a giant bell, like I'm playing rockabilly or something. I cannot make any patches that sound anything near like what I want to emulate because the overtones are soo strong. What am I doiung wrong. I just want a nice distortion without blowing my eardrums out. I've tried the EQ PEQ turning down the treble, turning down the mid, turning down th bass, everything, but it still sounds like crapola...Does someone have familiarity with running the AX8 straight into an amplifier maybe can help.
 
Plug the OUTPUT of the AX8 into your EFFECTS LOOP INPUT. Bypasses the front end of the DSL15. You can use the amp modeling and cab emulations as normal on the AX8 then.
 
stratos said:
Plug the OUTPUT of the AX8 into your EFFECTS LOOP INPUT. Bypasses the front end of the DSL15. You can use the amp modeling and cab emulations as normal on the AX8 then.
Click to expand...

Yes. I've been able to get great results by doing this. Only block to bypass is the cab block.
 
stratos said:
Plug the OUTPUT of the AX8 into your EFFECTS LOOP INPUT. Bypasses the front end of the DSL15. You can use the amp modeling and cab emulations as normal on the AX8 then.
Click to expand...
Yeah, most folks recommend disabling power amp modeling and cab sims if you're using a guitar amp/power amp and speaker(s). The later is especially true. YMMV of course but I'd start with cab sims off for sure because if you keep it on you're just running a mic'd cab through a guitar speaker and that's a whole of filtering that isn't necessary.
 
ChristThePhone said:
Do you need to go through your amp ? Headphones @ home sound killer an on stage just go direct into the board.
Click to expand...
using my amp is a must. Last time I plugged into the board, it blew all my tubes and I had to replace them at a high cost. I play for my church, so it's a lot of money for nothing when stuff like that happnes. I rather just use my amp. It's a small church anyway. It's easier just to use my amp on stage, its loud enough at half volume
 
Matt_B_77 said:
Yeah, most folks recommend disabling power amp modeling and cab sims if you're using a guitar amp/power amp and speaker(s). The later is especially true. YMMV of course but I'd start with cab sims off for sure because if you keep it on you're just running a mic'd cab through a guitar speaker and that's a whole of filtering that isn't necessary.
Click to expand...
right now, I use effects without adding a cab or amp block. This creates a volume problem and preamp issues. I'm not that technical.
 
Please tell us precisely what brand and model of amp you are using. That can be a big help.

If the only option you have is to go in the front of amp then you're options are very limited. If you get any distortion from the amp at all, either on purpose or inadvertently, time-based effects, particularly delay and reverb, are going to sound cluttered.

I'd suggest getting an inexpensive solid state amp that has an FX loop (almost all do) so you can bypass the preamp section because you do not need it. Alternatively, if there's a good amp tech in your area you could look into getting an FX loop or even just a power amp in, added to your tube amp.
 
I have a Marshall DSL 15C. I used to have a Line 6 Spider IV, but I plugged it into a 220v outlet and it went snap, crackle, pop. This is driving me to madness. The FX8 should be able to act like a stomp box running direct effects. But it sounds like I'm playing under a bell with whatever configuration I try. If you want to know the sound, pick any 1950s guitarist and you'll know what I mean. I need to be able to deliver that partially distorted guitar sound thats tight and dry. It really sucks that I can't figure it out. The AX8 is the finest, and should be able to do what I want.
 
Bypass all blocks of the ax8.
Plug your guitar DIRECT into Marshall clean channel, set the cleanest sound you will use at the level you will use. Remember the VOLUME. unplug guitar, plug your AX8: you shoul aim for the same direct VOLUME. Do this a couple of time, be sure the volume is almost the same.

Plug ax8. Then, unbypass one block at a time. Check the level: it should be almost the same as unbypassed block.

Use drive block to achieve distortion. If you wish to use amp block, try disabling the power section, or avoid too much bass. I suggest to avoid cab block for the same reason: too much bass will kill tone.
 
I
Smilzo said:
Bypass all blocks of the ax8.
Plug your guitar DIRECT into Marshall clean channel, set the cleanest sound you will use at the level you will use. Remember the VOLUME. unplug guitar, plug your AX8: you shoul aim for the same direct VOLUME. Do this a couple of time, be sure the volume is almost the same.

Plug ax8. Then, unbypass one block at a time. Check the level: it should be almost the same as unbypassed block.

Use drive block to achieve distortion. If you wish to use amp block, try disabling the power section, or avoid too much bass. I suggest to avoid cab block for the same reason: too much bass will kill tone.
Click to expand...
Will try. These are good suggestions.
 
DLC86 said:
What did you plug into the board? Your amp output? :eek:

Anyway, in the Ax8 there are no tubes that can be blown, just enable amp and cab simulation and plug output 1 into the mixer. No need to bring your amp.
Click to expand...
I will try this when I have a chance at rehersal tomorrow night. But doesnt it need an amp of some sort...I'm guessing there is an amp at the board because the speakers are nice Bose, so something has to be running them as well as the mics. If that's the case, then I can use the amp and cab blocks. Only downside is I practice at home where the sound will be different. But this is a great idea so I dont have to lug around my amp.
 
Pinthar said:
Greetings AX8 community. There are tons of videos of pros making the AX8 sound great through their million dollar studio, but im just a poor white boy with a simple Les Paul, and AX8 and a Marshall DSL15 Tube amp...and everything I play sound like crap...I can't use the amp blocks because they are supposed to be turned off for direct play into an amp, and I can't use the speaker cabs because same thing...no worries though, the problem I am having is when I set up effects, say distortion, delay, chorus, everything has this "tube" overtone ringing that I can't get rid of. I cannot get that tight sound. everything sounds like its run through a Fender Clean Amp undernieth a giant bell, like I'm playing rockabilly or something. I cannot make any patches that sound anything near like what I want to emulate because the overtones are soo strong. What am I doiung wrong. I just want a nice distortion without blowing my eardrums out. I've tried the EQ PEQ turning down the treble, turning down the mid, turning down th bass, everything, but it still sounds like crapola...Does someone have familiarity with running the AX8 straight into an amplifier maybe can help.
Click to expand...
I have run the AX8 into the front of a couple of amps, using the amp models, with great results. The physical amp that worked the best was a plexi variant and the trick for me was using the drive channel and setting the amp for a slightly dirty clean, not pristine but not edge of breakup either, and turning the treble on the amp all the way down. I would recommend setting the rest of the tone controls at 50% to begin with. If it's still too dark, slowly bring the treble up until you get the brightness you need. I don't think any amp I used had the treble set higher than 2 when it sounded best.

One other suggestion is to experiment with the Power Amp sim on/off. Going into the front of a guitar amp, some AX8 models sound better with it on others with it off. I found most of the clean models reacted better with it on. I know it's not what you're supposed to do but it worked for me. Your experience may differ but you'll never find what works if you don't ignore the "rules" and try different things.
 
Pinthar said:
I will try this when I have a chance at rehersal tomorrow night. But doesnt it need an amp of some sort...I'm guessing there is an amp at the board because the speakers are nice Bose, so something has to be running them as well as the mics. If that's the case, then I can use the amp and cab blocks. Only downside is I practice at home where the sound will be different. But this is a great idea so I dont have to lug around my amp.
Click to expand...
The amp is probably inside those bose speakers if they're active. Anyway the sound guy will (hopefully) know how to take care of your signal.
 
I hope I don't sound like 'that guy' but to be honest, you're just going to be struggling to get good results the way you are describing.

I'd honestly sell the dsl15 and get a cheap frfr system - you will have a LOT better sounds and flexibility, you tone will be more consistent in both your practice area and church, and you will save a LOT of time instead of tweaking as well.

That amp has no fx loop, and it will just sound like that speaker it has no matter what you do.

If you want to keep the amp, you can look at a cheap PA - while not FRFR, it will sound a lot better and help you with your tone quests a lot more.

I haven't really heard a bose system that impressed me, but what you can do is hook up direct to the bose or mixer with the AX8 and set your sound there - that way you can know what I sounds like at showtime. You can save the patch, and if you want, you can make a new completely different patch for use with your amp for practice, or use the AX8 fx loop to bypass the amp and cab, sending the output of the drive or whatever you need to your amp.

Best of both worlds.

Using the ax8 like you are now really will only give you a good drive pedal and wah, everything else will just not sound right.
 
When i first got my ax8, about a year and a half ago, i had a small fender blues jr (no fx loop). While i tried a bunch of different techniques to get a good tone, only thing that wold give me a half decent tone was to leave amp and cab ENABLED and an eq to try and shape the tone.

I used this setup for a couple months, while i was saving for an frfr. I now have a friedman asc10 wich i strongly recommend you get, if you have the means.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom