I wanted to hate the AX8

K Paul said:
Agree with a lot of this. For home studio recording I use a UAD Apollo and monitor through HR 824's and NS10M's; I would say so far I like Fractal's models better than the ones on offer from UAD,despite the latter's highly touted Unison Technology modelling of the input phase. I think FAS does this better for guitar amps. My experience with the Ax8 through a FRFR began when I scored a Yamaha DXR10 floor model for $350. At band volume and above I start to hear some speaker coloration even with that, but you have to get some decibels just to hit the Fletcher-Munson sweet spot. During tracking and monitoring while recording through the UAD I think I miss this; not sure if this accounts for the differences I am hearing.
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Hello, all FRFR speakers I know about use Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to compensate for shortcomings in the physical performance of the speakers and the box. These FRFR speakers are therefore only as good at the DSP software and some are betters than others when it comes to the interpretation of what the 'right' amount of EQ compensation should be. Also the DXR10, like a lot of the PA based FRFR units, has a separate woofer and horn, to which the DSP applies compensation for phasing. Close up it is possible to hear the separation between the two speakers as the compensation is optimized for PA use (some FRFRs have a floor monitor setting). Coaxial speakers overcome this in a more natural way.

There is also the issue of coupling effects with adjacent walls and floors as well as room acoustics, for which (as far as I know) there is no FRFR speaker that has inbuilt auto adjustment. The same applied to studio monitors. You could use your AX8 global EQ to compensate for this effect which should help you get better results.

Finally, all of the great guitar sounds we hear on albums and at gigs are miked and compensated, so the AX8 will not sound like your favorite back-line amp. If you have to have that physical connection to an amp to feel connected to the music, then run your AX8 through the effects loop on one of your value amps. You can experiment with cab and power amp on or off to get the sound that you like whilst still making best use of what the AX8 can offer.

Best of luck
 
I know is it a bit off topic, but when you put all the above info into the mix (financial, flexibility, space saving, effects chain, etc) the last factor is your audience. Besides a couple of people in the crown that are in the know, the vast majority of your crowd will not care or notice if you lugged a huge tube amp + cab to the gig or if you are going direct FOH with an AX8. The hundreds of tone compliments I have received confirms it's good enough for me.
 
I'm in a similar boat with the OP. I am also a new user with experience using a Redplate amp, largely for its clean capabilities, for the last year (most of my playing is live-- gigging in local clubs and private parties). I've been playing in an 8-piece r&b band where I totally rely on that big, fat, warm clean sound (which actually isn't all that clean when you push it a bit...though it still comes across as pretty clean.)

I started with the AX8 about a month ago so I'm still quite a novice. But I wanted to try it because I'm in a second band now that is doing an absolutely HUGE variety of stuff, from Beatles to 80s pop to 90s hard rock to metal. I loved using my full w-d-w rig (50W Marshall +2x12 for dry) with this band because the band is a 3-piece and the sound was utterly huge...but it's just too impractical to drag around. So something like the AX8 seemed like it might be a good compromise.

I've gotten past the "live in the room" thing that you get with the amp next to you vs. the AX8. I'm using an Atomic CLR and going into the FOH and it's a winning combination to my ears. The main place where I still haven't found the AX8 to be as good a choice (sonically) as the Redplate is in the feel/sound of the big cleans I can get from the RedPlate (I'm using a BlackLine). I'm really knocked out with the sounds I'm getting overall with the AX8 and very much enjoying the versatility and very small footprint in my car and on stage.

What I've found so far with the Fractal cleaner models (that I've tried) is that they almost all have a unnatural type of breakup...they all strike me kind of like tube amps with cold bias. The guys at RedPlate have really perfected the ideal "big fat clean" to my tastes. This is not the pristine clean of a JC-120 or something like that...it's basically a more refined Fender type of clean that still seems essentially clean, even after the wave form has started to square off. It's somehow round, rich, clear with little or no "crackle" but with a rubbery, bouncy feel. You can dig in and the notes just ring out and sustain; back off a little on your attack and it sounds pretty clean. It's a fantastic "clean" sound and I haven't found other tube amps that do it this well, let alone anything in the AX8. So, it's a very high bar, IMO.

BTW, so far I've had my best luck replicating this sound/feel with the AX8 USA Clean model. I also like the Brit JTM45, CA3+ Clean, the 6G4 Super and the Band-Commander to varying degrees. All of these others produce too much "crackly" (harsh?) breakup if you push them a bit though. The USA Clean seems to hold up a bit better in this regards. But I'm all-ears re: your suggestions. What I long for is being able to set the preset so that I can back off my guitar volume/attack and get a big, clear--but not sterile--Fender type clean that's plenty loud for comping rhythms...but still has enough headroom to produce an even bigger, cleanish tone with absolutely no HARSH breakup when you open the guitar all the way up.
 
I would differ with your point about the clean of the AX8 I did a AB comparison with the AX8 against my Blackface Super Reverb Non Reissue I could not tell the difference and I sold my Super Reverb Settings are everything and knowing how to get Clean headroom and also you must use Good Equipment you will never get good clean headroom out of Altos Speakers I have Ab comparison s with Blackface Fender Super reverb Mesa MARK IV]
Mesa LoneStar Classic 212 Winner AX8 when I setup a Rig with the AX8 I would be willing to bet Audience members would not be able to tell the difference
 
Super Reverbs can be great amps. I've owned and played through several. That said, Super Reverb ≠ RedPlate Blackline. If you haven't tried a Blackline or other good sized Redplate, you have no experience of the difference. As for the audience...jeez...at my gigs, they are not refined music-listeners, they are typically half-drunk (or more?) partiers who wouldn't care if we all showed up with a back line of SS Peaveys. I give little weight to what the audience thinks when it comes to gear choices.
 
LeonC said:
Super Reverbs can be great amps. I've owned and played through several. That said, Super Reverb ≠ RedPlate Blackline. If you haven't tried a Blackline or other good sized Redplate, you have no experience of the difference. As for the audience...jeez...at my gigs, they are not refined music-listeners, they are typically half-drunk (or more?) partiers who wouldn't care if we all showed up with a back line of SS Peaveys. I give little weight to what the audience thinks when it comes to gear choices.
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I had a sound man at a large church tell me that Fractal sounded bad compared to a real amp and all the amps he mixed were in a separate sound room I made a few changes and now the sound guy can't tell the difference it is about knowing what you are doing and knowing how to get there seems like you may be short in that area
 
Funny, the tones I get from my AX8 into a DXR10 are close enough to my own all-tube amp that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference in a blind playing test. Doesn't that mean it's nailed the amp in the room thing?
I've said it before and I'll say it again, we don't buy gear and invest in great tone for the benefit of the audience. We do it for ourselves, for feel and tone that inspire us and make us play better.
 
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