Have you played AX8 live with no issues on the lag; without compensating in anyway?

[Nero]

I think a great first step would be to change the way footswitches behave, specifically for scene footswitches, it FAS can make it so footswitches assigned to scene or preset are engaged when you press and not when you release the switch that would change the feel and that LAG that we sometimes feel, you can currently do this by disabling X/Y switching under setup but since scenes and presets dont need a HOLD function they should ignore a hold and just run their function on press.

While this is not the main reason there is an audio drop when XYing the amp block it would change the feel when you switch from clean to dirt and remove the delayed feel

 

[John Atanasoff]

What you might try is an Axe FX II in the loop of an Ax8 If you have the cash. That would give you two extra cabs and amps that you could switch seamlessly!! And it would only be an additional $600 compared to an Axe FX + MFC 101!!!

AX8 would replace MFC right? 2 amps in AX, 2 amps in AXE = 4 seamless switching amps.
This is actually a briliant idea!

Have you heard folks using this method and satisfied?

 

[brokenvail]

I think a great first step would be to change the way footswitches behave, specifically for scene footswitches, it FAS can make it so footswitches assigned to scene or preset are engaged when you press and not when you release the switch that would change the feel and that LAG that we sometimes feel, you can currently do this by disabling X/Y switching under setup but since scenes and presets dont need a HOLD function they should ignore a hold and just run their function on press.

While this is not the main reason there is an audio drop when XYing the amp block it would change the feel when you switch from clean to dirt and remove the delayed feel

It has nothing to do with activating on release. The Axe has gap and MFC does not activate on release

 

[Danny Danzi]

I have a glitch free method that works pretty well for guys that may be having problems.

This will make you laugh....but honest when I tell you, it works and works quite well.

OK, just try this. Delete the amp block.

Wah, compressor, drive, cab effects.

If you need an eq you can add one of those too.

OK, now mess with the drive blocks along with your cab of choice. O had no problems getting killer sounds just like that. In scene mode, I'd kill the drive block and boom....instant clean with 0 glitch.

I know....totally defeats the purpose of the killer amps we have. BUT....if you choose the right drive block and tweak it it's madness in a good way!

Certain drive pedals sound super transistor of course, but others are definitely more tube oriented to where it's acceptable to me. Now I've not tried this through my cab yet, but so far, it's been awesome in the studio and patch changes are instantaneous.

If you're not quite following me and would like me to create a video, I can. I can literally go through a few drive blocks and tweak in seconds getting results from clean, raspy, dirty and super heavy and in one button press, change without a single lag.

But try this yourself and see how you fair. I always leave power amp and cab modeling on for live and studio. Again I've not tried this through my cab yet...but I'm.positive it will sound good for me.

See how to guys fair and if you want me to make you a video showing what I'm talking about, I will. I should do it anyway just so you see how and what I tweak.

 

[SoProg]

I have a glitch free method that works pretty well for guys that may be having problems.

This will make you laugh....but honest when I tell you, it works and works quite well.

OK, just try this. Delete the amp block.

Wah, compressor, drive, cab effects.

If you need an eq you can add one of those too.

OK, now mess with the drive blocks along with your cab of choice. O had no problems getting killer sounds just like that. In scene mode, I'd kill the drive block and boom....instant clean with 0 glitch.

I know....totally defeats the purpose of the killer amps we have. BUT....if you choose the right drive block and tweak it it's madness in a good way!

Certain drive pedals sound super transistor of course, but others are definitely more tube oriented to where it's acceptable to me. Now I've not tried this through my cab yet, but so far, it's been awesome in the studio and patch changes are instantaneous.

If you're not quite following me and would like me to create a video, I can. I can literally go through a few drive blocks and tweak in seconds getting results from clean, raspy, dirty and super heavy and in one button press, change without a single lag.

But try this yourself and see how you fair. I always leave power amp and cab modeling on for live and studio. Again I've not tried this through my cab yet...but I'm.positive it will sound good for me.

See how to guys fair and if you want me to make you a video showing what I'm talking about, I will. I should do it anyway just so you see how and what I tweak.

If I cared so little about getting a good accurate amp tone,
I'd just have saved a ton of money and gotten a different modeler, or preamp pedal, which doesn't have a gap between settings.

 

[John Atanasoff]

I have a glitch free method that works pretty well for guys that may be having problems.

This will make you laugh....but honest when I tell you, it works and works quite well.

OK, just try this. Delete the amp block.

Wah, compressor, drive, cab effects.

If you need an eq you can add one of those too.

OK, now mess with the drive blocks along with your cab of choice. O had no problems getting killer sounds just like that. In scene mode, I'd kill the drive block and boom....instant clean with 0 glitch.

I know....totally defeats the purpose of the killer amps we have. BUT....if you choose the right drive block and tweak it it's madness in a good way!

Certain drive pedals sound super transistor of course, but others are definitely more tube oriented to where it's acceptable to me. Now I've not tried this through my cab yet, but so far, it's been awesome in the studio and patch changes are instantaneous.

If you're not quite following me and would like me to create a video, I can. I can literally go through a few drive blocks and tweak in seconds getting results from clean, raspy, dirty and super heavy and in one button press, change without a single lag.

But try this yourself and see how you fair. I always leave power amp and cab modeling on for live and studio. Again I've not tried this through my cab yet...but I'm.positive it will sound good for me.

See how to guys fair and if you want me to make you a video showing what I'm talking about, I will. I should do it anyway just so you see how and what I tweak.

Thanks!
But i really want to be able to switch from my favorite clean amp, to fav crunch amp, to fav lead amp.
Can pedals sound killer and be in a different sound territory, as if you're with a different amp? Yes! But the reason i am buying fractal is to be able to switch presets on my fav amps. This is like a dream come true, to me!

 

[vick1000]

I have a glitch free method that works pretty well for guys that may be having problems.

This will make you laugh....but honest when I tell you, it works and works quite well.

OK, just try this. Delete the amp block.

Wah, compressor, drive, cab effects.

If you need an eq you can add one of those too.

OK, now mess with the drive blocks along with your cab of choice. O had no problems getting killer sounds just like that. In scene mode, I'd kill the drive block and boom....instant clean with 0 glitch.

I know....totally defeats the purpose of the killer amps we have. BUT....if you choose the right drive block and tweak it it's madness in a good way!

Certain drive pedals sound super transistor of course, but others are definitely more tube oriented to where it's acceptable to me. Now I've not tried this through my cab yet, but so far, it's been awesome in the studio and patch changes are instantaneous.

If you're not quite following me and would like me to create a video, I can. I can literally go through a few drive blocks and tweak in seconds getting results from clean, raspy, dirty and super heavy and in one button press, change without a single lag.

But try this yourself and see how you fair. I always leave power amp and cab modeling on for live and studio. Again I've not tried this through my cab yet...but I'm.positive it will sound good for me.

See how to guys fair and if you want me to make you a video showing what I'm talking about, I will. I should do it anyway just so you see how and what I tweak.

If you don't have an amp block, you don't have poweramp modeling.

 

[mr_fender]

Make sure you switch just before the downbeat. Trying to switch right on the downbeat is always going to be more noticeable with any rig. Before the days of inexpensive programmable switching loops, folks that used real amps and old school pedal boards were quite versed on tap dancing to change sounds. Even with a tiny dropout, one button tone changes are a dream compared to juggling half a dozen different stompbox switches.

 

[REDD]

I'm thinking about using my AxeFxII again live and having my Ax8 for backup. I use too many amp changes and the gap is bothering me.

 

[Danny Danzi]

Thanks!
But i really want to be able to switch from my favorite clean amp, to fav crunch amp, to fav lead amp.
Can pedals sound killer and be in a different sound territory, as if you're with a different amp? Yes! But the reason i am buying fractal is to be able to switch presets on my fav amps. This is like a dream come true, to me!

Totally with you and understand. I also mentioned before that I knew this sort of went against the grain. I was just offering an alternative method that definitely can help. I use an XL+ and use my AX8 as a backup as well.

 

[John Atanasoff]

I'm thinking about using my AxeFxII again live and having my Ax8 for backup. I use too many amp changes and the gap is bothering me.

can't you use AX8 to replace MFC and have 4 cab blocks?

Totally with you and understand. I also mentioned before that I knew this sort of went against the grain. I was just offering an alternative method that definitely can help. I use an XL+ and use my AX8 as a backup as well.

can't you use AX8 to replace MFC and have 4 cab blocks?

 

[philipacamaniac]

AX8 has 1 cab block, Axe-Fx II has 2 cab blocks, so you'd have 3 cab blocks total available for seamless switching. Not 4.

I assume you were referring to the amp block though, but the math is the same there. The cab block is actually more flexible because it can run two IRs at once in stereo mode (so each XY state of each cab block can have two separate IRs).

You'll be sorely disappointed with the AX8 as an MFC replacement for controlling the Axe-Fx II. It can only send MIDI PC messages, and only one per scene. That means no access to Axe effect blocks, no access to Axe tap tempo, and you'd have to use Custom Mapping to access Axe scenes (limited to 128 combinations total, or 8 scenes across 16 presets). FX8 would be more suitable to combine with the Axe-Fx II since it at least has MIDI blocks that can send PC and CC messages. Still doesn't hold a candle to a full controller like the MFC, RJM Mastermind, or even a mini controller like the MC6.

 

[Davus PG]

I'd be interested to know how many pro users of AFX gear change amps and cabs during songs. It's fantastic that we have this technology whereby we can have all these amp & cab options, but that doesn't mean you have to load every preset with two amps and two cabs.

I'll admit the lack of "channels" on the amp block (like on a real one) is a little frustrating, but prior to modelling some of the greatest players of all time got by with one amp and a bunch of effects pedals.

Sometimes I think part of the problem is that we're spoilt with so many options.

On the other hand I am also sometimes guilty of wanting to have the unit do everything it possibly can!

At the moment I'm trying to approach it as I would a real rig based around one of the celestion creamback IRs (although I may also try the greenbacks). Maybe that's a limiting approach but I think with some tweaking I should be able to get any amp model sounding great with it. Perhaps I'm limiting myself, but at the end of the day these things are designed for us to play our guitars through, not obsess about the shortcomings.

 

[Danny Danzi]

I'd be interested to know how many pro users of AFX gear change amps and cabs during songs. It's fantastic that we have this technology whereby we can have all these amp & cab options, but that doesn't mean you have to load every preset with two amps and two cabs.

I'll admit the lack of "channels" on the amp block (like on a real one) is a little frustrating, but prior to modelling some of the greatest players of all time got by with one amp and a bunch of effects pedals.

Sometimes I think part of the problem is that we're spoilt with so many options.

On the other hand I am also sometimes guilty of wanting to have the unit do everything it possibly can!

At the moment I'm trying to approach it as I would a real rig based around one of the celestion creamback IRs (although I may also try the greenbacks). Maybe that's a limiting approach but I think with some tweaking I should be able to get any amp model sounding great with it. Perhaps I'm limiting myself, but at the end of the day these things are designed for us to play our guitars through, not obsess about the shortcomings.

My biggest issue is not changing amps and cabs, but being forced into doing so. I can't approach it like you because we're missing something important....

Most of my amps in real life have channel switching to clean in the same amp. This is where we are missing out for me personally. I just need a one touch clean and this is where adding the other amp via Y helps but hurts due to the lag.

I actually get faster performance changing to a clean preset over trying to do a clean in scenes mode. So I've been using a hybrid method. Scenes for dirty rhythm and lead sounds as well as effect changes, and a full blown preset change to a clean when I need that. The lag is way less that way.

This also pushed me into tweaking extensively with drive blocks without amps. I've been working on this for three days now and can honestly say it rivals quite a few of my tones that use amp blocks and I get 0 gaps.

Thankfully for me, I always sound like me no matter what I play through...tube amp, transistor, micro amp, VST. It's part of my curse. I created a killer tone and sent it to a bud via MP3 who also has an AX8 and he said "dude that's sick...what amp is that?"

I said "there isn't one". He was dumbfounded....and actually, so am I. Moral of the story....good tone....amp or no amp, favorite amp or whatever....I wanna love what I hear without a gap in my patch change and I got that now.

It was easy to set up amp on x, amp off on y with drive block editing so that I could compare and try to match what the amp was doing to make the drive block sound closer.

It's not for everyone, but I'm completely happy with the results and had to make due with what I have. So I'll bow out of this one respectfully.

 

[barhrecords]

@Danny Danzi I would love to see a vid on the ampless solution.

What I do is put a drive block in my clean preset. I engage / bypass the drive block for fills, pre chorus rhythm, and other "dirty bits" that I need to go quickly from clean to dirty. It doesn't sound as good as some of the high gain amps, but its good enough for background bits.

Then for the "big LA solo" I switch presets.

Definitely would like to study your solution of drive blocks.

 

[Danny Danzi]

@Danny Danzi I would love to see a vid on the ampless solution.

What I do is put a drive block in my clean preset. I engage / bypass the drive block for fills, pre chorus rhythm, and other "dirty bits" that I need to go quickly from clean to dirty. It doesn't sound as good as some of the high gain amps, but its good enough for background bits.

Then for the "big LA solo" I switch presets.

Definitely would like to study your solution of drive blocks.

Sure, I'll put something together for you in a few days and will create a thread for it. I'm kinda doing the same as you. Kill the drive block and you get instant clean.

I just found it amazing how good these drive blocks sound on their own. With one cab I can cycle through several drive blocks that literally sound very similar to some of our amps.

The fuzz drives sound so close to the 1970 plexi, it's scary. Other pedals sound really close to amps also. Not perfect, and sometimes not as tube oriented as using an amp. But the tone in my opinion, is highly acceptable for live.

I'll be in touch in a few days and I'll show you what I mean. Between the drive block controls, a compressor and the cab block hi cut and low cut, we can carve this stuff up pretty good and eliminate the gap for good even with AX8 edit open and connected!

 

[John Atanasoff]

AX8 has 1 cab block, Axe-Fx II has 2 cab blocks, so you'd have 3 cab blocks total available for seamless switching. Not 4.

I assume you were referring to the amp block though, but the math is the same there. The cab block is actually more flexible because it can run two IRs at once in stereo mode (so each XY state of each cab block can have two separate IRs).

You'll be sorely disappointed with the AX8 as an MFC replacement for controlling the Axe-Fx II. It can only send MIDI PC messages, and only one per scene. That means no access to Axe effect blocks, no access to Axe tap tempo, and you'd have to use Custom Mapping to access Axe scenes (limited to 128 combinations total, or 8 scenes across 16 presets). FX8 would be more suitable to combine with the Axe-Fx II since it at least has MIDI blocks that can send PC and CC messages. Still doesn't hold a candle to a full controller like the MFC, RJM Mastermind, or even a mini controller like the MC6.

Exactly, i was referring to the amp block, but people usually mention cab bocks together with amp blocks. But as you said same math.
Well, it's really a no brainer to me; i must use MFC.