Fx8 vs Axe fx2 XL in 4CM config

Tahoebrian5

Tahoebrian5

Fractal Fanatic
While the FX8 is awesome, there are a lot of limitations that are keeping me from using it the way I want to. I'm thinking of trading up the the axe fx2 XL. My question is to users that have tried both in a 4CM configuration. Does the axe fx sound as quiet and transparent as the fx8? The fx8 is the quietest most transparent effects system I've ever used and I certainly don't want to sacrifice that. I would like to here any pros or cons that you can share. Thanks.
 
What amp do you use? It can be done and humbuster cables of course help. I have a feeling its not quite as transparent as the FX8. You also may as well wait and see what the AX8 entails too. I used to run a pretty good setup with an ultra and orange rockerverb 50. Plus once you have the Axe FX 2, you might even just want to run straight into the return of your amp. The modeling is quite phenomenal these days with Quantum.
 
Tahoebrian5 said:
While the FX8 is awesome, there are a lot of limitations that are keeping me from using it the way I want to. I'm thinking of trading up the the axe fx2 XL. My question is to users that have tried both in a 4CM configuration. Does the axe fx sound as quiet and transparent as the fx8? The fx8 is the quietest most transparent effects system I've ever used and I certainly don't want to sacrifice that. I would like to here any pros or cons that you can share. Thanks.
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Fx8 waaaaay quieter. I tried everything with the axe fx 2xl. Humbusters, isolation transformers etc. I could not get rid of the hiss when running the axe into the front of my amp on a distortion channel.

Fx8 dead quiet with no noticeable hum or hiss. I do use humbuster cables though.
 
Can't comment on the FX8, but my MK I is VERY noisy via 4cm with my new amp (Mark V:25). Very bad on the gain channel. I've played around with cables etc...extremely annoying.
 
Hmmm, that's what I've feared. I do recall reading one of cliffs posts stating that the input circuitry hasnt changed since mk2. At least that's what I remember, could be wrong. Wonder what the difference is? Is there anyone out there that finds the axe fx to be as good as the fx8 in 4CM? I'm currently playing through an EVH5153, I have a 50 watt and a 100 at the moment. I'll probably end up getting either a pt100 or be100 at some point.
 
Tahoebrian5 said:
Hmmm, that's what I've feared. I do recall reading one of cliffs posts stating that the input circuitry hasnt changed since mk2. At least that's what I remember, could be wrong. Wonder what the difference is? Is there anyone out there that finds the axe fx to be as good as the fx8 in 4CM? I'm currently playing through an EVH5153, I have a 50 watt and a 100 at the moment. I'll probably end up getting either a pt100 or be100 at some point.
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My understanding of the issue is that the axe fx2 xl can be used in 4cm, but the inputs and circuitry are tailored for other setups, like directly into a board. It's fine tuned for those uses at the expense of noise in the 4cm setup with amps.

The fx-8 is specifically designed and tweaked for use with an amp, and so they have been able to eliminate the hiss and hum that is unavoidable with the axe. The biggest issue I had is that with the axe fx 2xl, it was impossible to get rid of the hiss when using it in the 4cm setup, where the amp is set to a gain channel. If you setup the axe in the 4cm, and only use the clean channel, you won't notice the hiss. But if you did that, then you can't use your natural distortion from the amp, unless you can put up with the hiss.

By the way, this problem is not exclusive to the axe fx2 xl. Put almost any digital device before your distortion channel and you'll get it. I put an eventide h9 in front of my amp with the gain channel on. Brutal hiss.

But somehow, the fx-8 doesn't have this problem, and I'm happier than ever.
 
Would love to hear some input on this from someone in the fractal camp. Is there really a difference to the hardware to account for this? And if so could the axe fx be modified to work as good as the fx8?
 
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