Ax8 with guitar power amp and cab - any experience?

M

Myxu

New Member
Hey there guys - short background for my question - I have never had any FAS unit, but I had both Kemper and Atomic Amplifire - first one for 1.5 year, and second one for two week testing period. I am pretty traditional in terms of my rig, and after using these two units I know that going direct or using my own FRFR isn't what I really enjoy - what is annoying me is that listening to my rig through speaker and mic sim isn't as joyful as playing through traditional tube amp and cab. As long as it doesn't really bother me to go direct on stage (really doubt if audience can feel that difference between digital cab and mic and "real" miced cab - ofc sound guy can fuck up the sound, but they can sa well fuck up the sound with traditional micing) I would really prefer to play my rehersals through traditional power amp and guitar cabinet. My experience is that Kemper was literally indistinguishable to a classic amp with such setup, and AA was like 97% of real deal, so I assume that FAS Ax8 will as well be like the real deal.

My question is - how many of You actually use setup like that? What is Your experience with it? Have You spotted any problems, pros and cons? Which PA do You use?

What is GASing me right now is to buy AX8, and make myself 112 guitar cabinet with built-in power amp - I hesitate if I want to use traditional tube PA or something like Matrix GM50 - I suppose I could find more joy with tubes, but Matrix really speaks to me in terms of weight. Building the cab around Bogner 112 Shiva size - which I had and concider as ultimate 112 guitar cab - with addition of matrix and a bunch of engineer material tricks (some composites) I could have something like 22-28 pounds of an active cab, which is something like FRFR weight with - in my opinion - a much more sound potential in it.
 
I've had my AX8 for 3 weeks only, so I just scratched the surface, but I'm using it most of the time as you idealised.

I plug the OUT 2 to my Koch Studiotone Return IN.

I make every preset with the FX LOOP block so that I can use at the same time OUT 1 with cabinet and reverb simulations direct to FOH and my Koch studiotone power amp and cabinet on stage.

I DO LOVE THE SOUND I get from the AX8 + analog power amp/cab setup. And the cool thing is that some amp simulation sounds cool with the cab block even if I'm using a real cab too. So I just let my ear decide without prejudice.

Honestly I'm still not 100% satisfied in direct mode only, but I think I just have to find the right amp/cab combination.
I still haven't gigged or rehearsed yet. My idea is to have the traditional amp on stage and mic it or having the amp as monitor and going direct to FOH.
 
I'm using the AX8 exclusively in my live and rehearsal rig. Live, it doesn't matter to the house (audience) what is on stage…they don't hear the stage sound, so I recommend you work on getting the sound you want out of the PA, and getting used to the AX8 sound out of a house-supplied stage monitor. From night-to-night, the PA varies from venue-to-venue, just like when a traditional amp is mic'd by the sound man / sound system, so expect some variance that you and the sound guy will tweak at the venue. In this set-up, I also like not having to bring an amp/cab/monitor/FRFR/etc…..really minimized my hauling of heavy gear.

When I absolutely have to have a stage set-up, a 1x12 works great. I have several amps (Marshall, H&K, Matrix) and they all sound great with the AxeFx…but, I keep going to simple, and for me, I like the Teh21 Power Engine for my 'electric' shows, and an AER (Compact 60) for acoustic. Both of these set-ups are super light and very easy to transport.
 
Yeah - for the gigs going direct with in ear monitor is my default setup. I concider using the cab I mentioned for sound-on-stage but I suppose that default giging setup would be only AX8 with expression pedal - but I'd like to use traditional cab for rehearsals and bedroom playing.
I am a "hobby musician" - because I can't even dream about making money with my music, I have to have fun from it - minimal rig for playing live and best sound at the rehearsals is a part of it, and that's how I see setup I mentioned earlier :)
 
I go from my AX8 into the effects return of a Line6 Flextone 3 for a stage monitor. Pretty happy with the sound I get.
 
I am still new to the AX8 having only received it about a month ago. For now, I am using the AX8 directly into JBL Eon 610s.

Still have my GK3 equipped Strats and Boss GP10 which pales to the AX8 in terms of amp models and effects. Super handy though for playing alternate tuning and guitar models.

My hope is to be as comfortable with the AX8 as I am with my Boss/Roland gear but not there yet. That being said, tweaking the presets and amp models already make it hard to use the Boss gear as the sounds are just great.
 
I have been using an AX-8 into a Matrix GT800FX power amp into a guitar cab (usually a 1x12 open back) for my live performance stage rig. I send a separate output with cab simulation on to the board to go into mains and monitors. This setup is fantastic. Really wonderful. You are limited by the sound of your speaker and cabinet, but if they are delivering the tones that you want then it will be an excellent setup.
 
The sound is like a great amp into a cabinet: An old Carvin DC150 SS power amp and an open back 1x12 with a Celestion A type is ideal with any amp model that works with that combination: which is a lot of them, and making some adjustments in the AX8 amp block's speaker can tailor it further. Not as versatile or "authentic" as FRFR and matched IR, but a lot more so than one amp into a cabinet.
 
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i use mine with the Mission Gemini 2 stereo powered cab. it destroys!! Works great for low volume and high volume consistency in tone.
 
wangusmcgee said:
i use mine with the Mission Gemini 2 stereo powered cab. it destroys!! Works great for low volume and high volume consistency in tone.
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Just out of interest, do you primarily use your Gemini with an AX8 cabinet block and the speaker in FRFR mode? Or do you forgo the cabinet block and put the Gemini in Empower (non-FRFR) mode?
 
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I would go all modeling or all amp with the FX from the AX8... going back and forth is just going to be hassle. I did setup some patches to use on the AX8 with my Hayseed amp, but found it easier to just stick with all the amps tone and FX coming from the AX8.
 
I use an AX8 and Matrix GT1000 FX with conventional 412 cabinet onstage with a mic on the cabinet going to FOH. I have used this setup for the last 3 gigs and it has worked out fantastic. I am ready to transition to still having a cabinet onstage in most cases but also using the second output direct to FOH. Best of both worlds. Best rig I have ever used bar none.
 
So if you DO want to bypass the cab block, where do you put the Effects Loop block? Anyone have a screen shot?

Then is there any global parameter to set?

Thanks.
 
JerEvil said:
So if you DO want to bypass the cab block, where do you put the Effects Loop block? Anyone have a screen shot?

Then is there any global parameter to set?

Thanks.
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You should put the cab block at the end of the signal chain before the output block. Then branch out before the cab block to another row and add the FX block. No global setting requiring any changes. If you like to control your monitor volume using an expression pedal then put in a corresponding volume block before the FX block (after the branch point).

foh-amp8.png
 
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I have started setting mine up similar on each preset to have both options - FOH and playing through a cab (using Output 2 volume control). I set more space before the Fx loop in case I need to make any eq adjustments for one versus the other. I can add a GEQ into one of the available blocks. The upper Loop is the Looper.Template.jpg
 
bshaw92 said:
I have started setting mine up similar on each preset to have both options - FOH and playing through a cab (using Output 2 volume control). I set more space before the Fx loop in case I need to make any eq adjustments for one versus the other. I can add a GEQ into one of the available blocks. The upper Loop is the Looper.
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Make sure to turn down the volume of the FX loop row in the output block to avoid noise being picked up by the FX loop return.
 
Thanks all! Seems simple enough.

Dumb question. Any effect I place after the amp block is treated as though I am running through and amps "effects loop" correct? So essentially a 4CM with drives in front of the amp block and mod/time based after?
 
Correct. I find the results from the AX8 into a power amp and cabinet to be great. Having had some speaker carryover before when trying this on another product I was skeptical. I am not Skeptical anymore. I would say it was a wow moment for me and that's why I started using my template setup and including it in my presets. If I play at home I can quickly connect and play either. When playing out I go to FOH and done. Very pleased with the results to say the least.
 
JerEvil said:
Thanks all! Seems simple enough.

Dumb question. Any effect I place after the amp block is treated as though I am running through and amps "effects loop" correct? So essentially a 4CM with drives in front of the amp block and mod/time based after?
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That's a valid way of thinking of it. However, every grey line on the grid is effectively a "cable" and in contrast to a physical 4CM you can place any block anywhere. Since we're talking about digital representations of an analog signal and not currents/voltages you could even place a cab block in front of all other blocks if you like.
 
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