FX8 vs AX8

Stevel0213

Member
So I've invested in the FX8 and am truly enjoying it. I chose it over the AX8 since I use an Orange TH30C for gigs. I'm now wondering if I should have gone with the AX8 since for the same price I would have the option to play direct through the sound board if/when I so desire. I find myself lost in the FOH mix with my other guitarist who uses a Line 6 Helix (direct). Sound guy is having difficulty blending both of us.

I totally prefer using my amplifier but wonder if I decide to go with the AX8 if it would be very time consuming to set up for use in either case. For example I'd use the modeling for all rehearsals and probably 50% of the small venue gigs. But there will be occasion to use it through my amp. I'm not going to need a to "change on the fly" by any means, so I'd have plenty of time to make the adjustment from modeling to simply FX box. Would that be very detailed and require a lot of resetting of presets or could I have dedicated banks for both scenarios?

Also I pretty much mastered the customization and programming of the FX8 within days of receiving it. Is the AX8 comparable from a usage standpoint or is it more difficult to customize and program?
 
The AX8 is just as easy to program and from my experience just as flexible if you use MIDI to change amp channels, etc. There are no relays to switch channels on the AX8.

I bought the AX8 originally for the same reason as you, wanting to have the option of amp sims, but with the same all in one unit with effects. The reason I returned it and went with the FX8 is that in 4CM with my TC-50 in my condo, it was way to noisy to use. I play at home 90% of the time. There was way too much hum, even with Humbuster cables. If you aren't using 4CM I'm sure it would be much quieter. I know I have read from other users that have had no issues with additional noise even with 4CM.

Would that be very detailed and require a lot of resetting of presets or could I have dedicated banks for both scenarios?
The effects in each preset wouldn't need to change at all, just additional/duplicate presets with the Amp/Cab blocks. Make sure you set your presets at full gig volume. You can even export the blocks in the presets you currently use or use FracTool to convert the presets from your FX8 to the AX8, add the Orange amp sim with your current settings, and off you go.

Try the AX8 before you get rid of your FX8 though, just in case.
 
I'm running a TC-50 with 4CM, no hum or noise whatsoever. There was a little background high gain noise from channel 3. The Gate block before the effects loop took care of that. Before, I was using a Decimator G String. However, after toying with the Gate block, the G String is gone and all is silent, even at very high gain. I use both single coil and humbucker equipped guitars.
 
What is driving the FOH guys problem with mixing your 2 guitars? I'm not sure if dumping the amp and FX8 for a AX8 would make any difference. What is making you "find yourself lost in the FOH mix"?
 
Clearly the problem is not using an amp/AX8 or AX8, both are great options and will BOTH work very well, either direct or with, amps, power amps, and cabs. I have used ALL of the above at one time or another with stellar results.

There is more than likely some sort of USER error on the soundman’s end, or possibly on your set-up.
Is the sound person miking your Orange combo? Do you have any problems when you are playing alone? What do you notice in the live situation?

Best of luck!!!!
 
Couldn't agree more...also tweaking the FX8 as I gain more familiarity with it. But sound man needs to figure out how to bring me up in the mix. With a miked amp, no way I should have problem matching output of the other guitarists Helix.
 
This post is full of a bunch of questions and I’m sorry for that.
How experienced is your FOH guy?
How big of places are you playing?
Is the other guitar player using a speaker on stage or relying on his monitor to hear himself?
Are you using a stage monitor in addition to your amp?
I’m just wondering if there is enough bleed from the monitor set up that is making it hard to get FOH to sound right.
What kind of music are you playing? If you listened from front of house and have the 2 guitars play separately do they seem to be at the same volume?
When you say lost in the mix, what are you meaning?

As a guitar player that loves running sound, that is where I would start looking to find the source of you problem.
With this kind of issue, turning you up may not be the best answer.
 
Hey Nick,
Sound guy has some pretty decent experience. I'm new to the band and he's used to mixing both guitarists running with no back line whatsoever. The guitarist I replaced was running an AXE-FX direct through the board. So I'm chalking this up to an adjustment curve to some extent. We're playing the typical roadhouse clubs; some bigger than others, but nothing humongous. The other guitarist runs simply through stage monitors as does my miked amp. I definitely need to get more of my amp in the monitor mix as well as FOH. Interestingly enough we miked my amp in rehearsal the other night and the mon mix was pristine, so maybe we're over that hump. We'll see this weekend. Yes during sound check the individual guitars seem equal at FOH. We're doing classic/current rock covers, nothing heavy though.
 
In one of my former bands both the other guitar player and I used Line 6 PODs and when we first adopted them it deffentaly took some getting used to. I remember working with the output EQ on the PODs and EQ on the board to get them to naturally fit together. At the time it was quite a challenge.
Without hearing what you are hearing it is hard to guess where the problem is coming from. Maybe dig into the board EQ and see if you can get the separation and balance to improve. Good luck!
 
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