I'm thinking of purchasing an AX8, do you reckon there could be a mkII soon?

We have several exciting products coming out soon but none replace the AX-8. The AX-8 is still a relatively young product.

The much rumored Axe-Fx plugin will be one of them is my guess......I wonder how the security of it will be handled??? Helix Native is already cracked & available on some torrent sites, but I suspect if Cliff is releasing an AFX plugin &/or standalone, he knows what he's doing..
 
The much rumored Axe-Fx plugin will be one of them is my guess......I wonder how the security of it will be handled??? Helix Native is already cracked & available on some torrent sites, but I suspect if Cliff is releasing an AFX plugin &/or standalone, he knows what he's doing..
I will need some new underwear if that happens. Native plugin for me was exactly as I expected it would be.
 
I have been using my AX8 for some 15 months now and never had any device that incorporated so much power and outstanding tone. The only gripes I have and the are minor have more to do with usability. They really are not a major issue but more of a comment.

- I find the display and controls the greatest weakness which is why to this day, I still connect either via AX8-Edit or FracPad to do any minor tweaking. Laziness on my part? Possibly but in this day and age of cheap color touchscreens with high resolution, it would probably have been easy at minor cost to reduce the number of mini-switches and put a much larger display.

- Lag times between presets. Yes I use X/Y and scenes to pretty much handle the lag but there are still some presets which still make changes noticeable. Perhaps a faster CPU? Faster RAM and more of it? Faster eMMC storage on board for the next great FAS product?

- CPU load is probably the greatest weak point. I understand the workarounds and use them myself however, it is a little frustrating when you get that ultimate mix of amp, IR, FX, and reverbs only to have the latter shut of as a form of punishment for not planning out the CPU load properly. Somehow getting an external effects (ie: H9 or Strymon) seems to kill the original goal as the ultimate amp & effects all in in unit.

I agree that this pedal delivers first and foremost, incredible tone and effects and I can't see a day where I would put this AX8 up for sale. It is just too good at too many things and the software front end is better than any other that I have tried.

As a proud owner of an FAS product, I don't report the above as a means to put down my AX8 but rather the combination of comments from myself and others will help Fractal stay on top.
 
I heard it was going to have a pedal like the Helix and drag and drop like the Headrush. The new case will be the size of a postage stamp for easy transport.

Just get it because I luv mine!!!!!!!!
 
We have several exciting products coming out soon but none replace the AX-8. The AX-8 is still a relatively young product.

In other news:
- Microsoft and Logitech see sudden spike in keyboard shipments
- Quality engineers mystified at sudden rash of function key F5 failures
 
Hi has any one considered that rather than a mk2 AX8 being revealed, perhaps an iPad editor might be developed that would provide grab and drop control similar to the head rush and this would level the field of play between theAX8 and the helix in terms of UI.?
I am aware that Fracpad exists but I am thinking about an iPad connected via the CCK with nice graphical images of the amps, cabs and effects. It would be magnificent to have something like this.
 
AX8 mkII? Depends on the definition of soon: 2nd quarter of 2020? Maybe something that will run off a lithium rechargeable as the new DSP won't have the power requirements. I don't see a cost/benefit of putting $ into an application specific whiz bang display, when it can be accomplished with a commodity device like a computer, phone or tablet, still, there will be more capable displays that meet Fractal robustness/longevity requirements by then.

As far as plugins: Imagine the ease of plugging in the AX8 with a USB-C cable and being able to use the amps & effects in a DAW: AU/VST/AAX interfacing in future AxeFX & AX8 type products? I'm thinking along the lines of the UAD Apollo model: with all the DSP handled by the outboard device: that would take care of CPU and latency issues: and the device is the dongle. (While the AxeFX can accomplish a lot of audio functions with AxeFX I/O routing as is stands - DAW integration seems to me to be a useful goal - now that the USB-C/Thunderbolt3 dust seems to be settling for both Mac/PC.)

heh; I'm just riffing
 
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I bought an early gen Axe-Fx. Despite the years that have passed, Fractal continues to support it and found a way to keep the upgrades coming. And it still sounds amazing. And still makes me a very happy man. You will love the AX8 (which has effectively replaced my Axe-Fx). It's fun to hear how it sounds just like my rack setup. And how great it is for live performance.
 
Hi all, I am thinking of getting a AX8. I have an AXE FX II XL but need something handy to grab for gigs that come in - unexpected, I fill in on guitar and bass with groups who's guitarist or bassist is ill etc.

Prior to buying my AXE FX II XL, I had only just purchased the MKII (without the XL) when the MK II XL came out, had I known a new version was just about to be released I would have waited.

My fear is of this happening again with the AX8, buying it and a new version being released a few weeks later. Given that the AX8 is out a while now do you reckon there is a chance of an AX8 mkII being released any time soon?

What do you think?

Thanks.....................
I bought one from G66, it will be with me Friday for gigs that night in Belfast and 2 further shows at d weekend :)
 
Part of putting my faith in Fractal and in purchasing my AX8 was the belief in their customer service and support of their products.

As a result, I'm optimistic that someday when a replacement is introduced into their product line, that they won't leave all of us 'old' AX8 owners out on the lurch with a completely outdated product.
 
There's a $100 sale on Axe-Fx II XL+, maybe it's related to the several exciting products coming out? :p
 
Part of putting my faith in Fractal and in purchasing my AX8 was the belief in their customer service and support of their products.

As a result, I'm optimistic that someday when a replacement is introduced into their product line, that they won't leave all of us 'old' AX8 owners out on the lurch with a completely outdated product.

if you ask these other guys on this forum who bought early gen Axe-FX, they are still getting updates and support until now. So, no, Fractal never leave their customers. who do you think they are, Line 6? the worst company ever when it comes to costumer support. they just abandon all their line of effects unit/ processor. just look at the hd 300 to 500x, that was not so long ago (2010) that it was released, yet no more update or support. That's why fractal will always be on the very top of the Effects Processor Units. and why almost all bands and artists will keep using them.
just my two cents!
 
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if you ask these other guys on this forum who bought early gen Axe-FX, they are still getting updates and support until now. So, no, Fractal never leave their customers. who do you think they are, Line 6? the worst company ever when it comes to costumer support. they just abandon all their line of effects unit/ processor. just look at the hd 300 to 500x, that was not so long ago (2010) that it was released, yet no more update or support. The Fractal's first version, called simply Axe-Fx, was introduced in 2006 and until now people still get help and support and updates. goes to show you that fractal love's their users/community and their dedication to their product is superior to any other companies out there. That's why fractal will always be on the very top of the Effects Processor Units. and why almost all bands and artists will keep using them.
just my two cents!
I believe, the last firmware for the ultra and standard models was released in 2011. They cannot run the current firmwares
 
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