usernametaken
Member
Hello all,
Ok so I have sadly almost made my mind up to send my FX8 back.
Firstly, the good – the unit is built like a tank (really great switches) and many of the FX are stellar. The unit is also very transparent and has great signal integrity. Finally a multi FX that manages to do this. I also managed to figure out how to get a nice modulated reverb sound (thanks to those who helped me with that).
However there are some major issues for me, and a few small ones which stop me from feeling good about keeping it (also factoring in the cost of the unit).
1 – CPU Usage Limits – this is the biggest problem IMHO. It won’t be for everyone. I completely understand that I shouldn’t expect to run many delays and reverbs in a patch without issues. I don’t do this though and I don't think I am being greedy in my needs. I should at the very least be able to run one of any effect in each of the 8 slots without hitting the ceiling. This is meant to replace my pedalboard and having lots of empty slots is frustrating.
My pedalboard needs are pretty simple really. Compressor, two drives, flanger, chorus, pitch shifter, delay and reverb. I can’t run this patch even with reverb density and quality set low. The G3 drives also appear to be CPU hogs and the system keeps locking up and telling me it has disabled the reverb. Sometimes a patch seems fine for a bit then the CPU message comes up and you have to remove a block. Sometimes a patch can be fine then removing a pedal and replacing it with the same effect causes an overload – which makes no sense to me either. It's a nightmare really.
I understand limits in CPU etc – but I don’t think my pedalboard needs are that demanding. I genuinely think this is really a problem this early in the product’s life. If the algos improve at all in the future then this will be more of an issue. The G3 drives combined with one reverb and delay already load the system down hugely – you are asking for problems and probably have to factor in a couple of empty slots.
I know that Fractal has said that it won’t compromise its FX quality. I respect this ethos. But I don’t think that is really addressing why people are upset about this. I think many who are upset about this issue just feel a bit misled about this product. And we are not all users who want to run massive ambient patches – just the basics really. I am holding the product up to high expectations because it is very expensive. It isn’t really a replacement for what I see as a modest pedalboard -which is frustrating.
2 – Switching lag when turning stomps on and off quickly – there are times where the system has to ‘think’ before it disengages or engages an effect (even in pedalboard mode with X/Y turned off). It doesn’t happen always and it is more noticeable for me as I tend to have parts in songs where I switch FX on and off quite quickly. When this happens the lights don’t come on instantly either.
3- Pitch shifter – really disappointed with this - Lots of artifacts and warbling at one octave up – I am sorry to say but my Yamaha Magicstomp has a better pitch shifter. I played with this for hours to get something decent but the tracking was really ragged. Not sure if the Axe is better – perhaps it is the CPU load which is causing this?
4 – Stability – In my first night of editing the screen went blank (still backlit) and the unit locked making a clicking sound until I powered it off. Probably a bug but worrying to find a show stopping one during my first editing session. I also found a few issues where I would switch editing screens but somehow the editing parameters were wrongly named (related to another effect) until I pressed the switch again – hard to explain what I mean without showing you.
5 – Clunky editing with Slow dials (presuming you are away from your PC) – want to turn your mix setting from 20% to 100% - be prepared to turn and turn and turn – its pretty slow and the dials don’t feel that easy to manipulate (I love the soft switches though).
6 – Muff Pi – not great – I have about 4 muffs and it doesn’t come close to any of them in terms of punch and clarity - perhapsneeds to be G3’d? (the G3 Rat sounds great though)
This may sound really negative but I do think that the FX8 has many good qualities. Most of the effects sound amazing. I just want to share my experience for the benefit of everyone. I am pretty sure I will be returning the unit, but I do like a lot about it. I may consider an axe fx now but I really wanted a floor unit to replace my pedalboard. YMMV.
I hope you will not see this as me bashing the product without merit – I am trying to be constructive as I can - and I can see a lot of care has gone into it and I respect the craft and effort. Fractal clearly have a lot of talent and skill.
Ok so I have sadly almost made my mind up to send my FX8 back.
Firstly, the good – the unit is built like a tank (really great switches) and many of the FX are stellar. The unit is also very transparent and has great signal integrity. Finally a multi FX that manages to do this. I also managed to figure out how to get a nice modulated reverb sound (thanks to those who helped me with that).
However there are some major issues for me, and a few small ones which stop me from feeling good about keeping it (also factoring in the cost of the unit).
1 – CPU Usage Limits – this is the biggest problem IMHO. It won’t be for everyone. I completely understand that I shouldn’t expect to run many delays and reverbs in a patch without issues. I don’t do this though and I don't think I am being greedy in my needs. I should at the very least be able to run one of any effect in each of the 8 slots without hitting the ceiling. This is meant to replace my pedalboard and having lots of empty slots is frustrating.
My pedalboard needs are pretty simple really. Compressor, two drives, flanger, chorus, pitch shifter, delay and reverb. I can’t run this patch even with reverb density and quality set low. The G3 drives also appear to be CPU hogs and the system keeps locking up and telling me it has disabled the reverb. Sometimes a patch seems fine for a bit then the CPU message comes up and you have to remove a block. Sometimes a patch can be fine then removing a pedal and replacing it with the same effect causes an overload – which makes no sense to me either. It's a nightmare really.
I understand limits in CPU etc – but I don’t think my pedalboard needs are that demanding. I genuinely think this is really a problem this early in the product’s life. If the algos improve at all in the future then this will be more of an issue. The G3 drives combined with one reverb and delay already load the system down hugely – you are asking for problems and probably have to factor in a couple of empty slots.
I know that Fractal has said that it won’t compromise its FX quality. I respect this ethos. But I don’t think that is really addressing why people are upset about this. I think many who are upset about this issue just feel a bit misled about this product. And we are not all users who want to run massive ambient patches – just the basics really. I am holding the product up to high expectations because it is very expensive. It isn’t really a replacement for what I see as a modest pedalboard -which is frustrating.
2 – Switching lag when turning stomps on and off quickly – there are times where the system has to ‘think’ before it disengages or engages an effect (even in pedalboard mode with X/Y turned off). It doesn’t happen always and it is more noticeable for me as I tend to have parts in songs where I switch FX on and off quite quickly. When this happens the lights don’t come on instantly either.
3- Pitch shifter – really disappointed with this - Lots of artifacts and warbling at one octave up – I am sorry to say but my Yamaha Magicstomp has a better pitch shifter. I played with this for hours to get something decent but the tracking was really ragged. Not sure if the Axe is better – perhaps it is the CPU load which is causing this?
4 – Stability – In my first night of editing the screen went blank (still backlit) and the unit locked making a clicking sound until I powered it off. Probably a bug but worrying to find a show stopping one during my first editing session. I also found a few issues where I would switch editing screens but somehow the editing parameters were wrongly named (related to another effect) until I pressed the switch again – hard to explain what I mean without showing you.
5 – Clunky editing with Slow dials (presuming you are away from your PC) – want to turn your mix setting from 20% to 100% - be prepared to turn and turn and turn – its pretty slow and the dials don’t feel that easy to manipulate (I love the soft switches though).
6 – Muff Pi – not great – I have about 4 muffs and it doesn’t come close to any of them in terms of punch and clarity - perhapsneeds to be G3’d? (the G3 Rat sounds great though)
This may sound really negative but I do think that the FX8 has many good qualities. Most of the effects sound amazing. I just want to share my experience for the benefit of everyone. I am pretty sure I will be returning the unit, but I do like a lot about it. I may consider an axe fx now but I really wanted a floor unit to replace my pedalboard. YMMV.
I hope you will not see this as me bashing the product without merit – I am trying to be constructive as I can - and I can see a lot of care has gone into it and I respect the craft and effort. Fractal clearly have a lot of talent and skill.