Newbie with some questions

N

neilli

New Member
Folks, I've decided I need to make the jump into the digital modelling world and the AX8 seems to tick all my boxes - one piece of usable hardware that can be used at home or for jamming, with more than enough functionality to get me started. But I have a few questions to get me started:

I am planning to run into a Scarlet 2i2 using an XLR - this goes into my PC (running 32 bit windows 7) and then I have an Onkyo home cinema amp connected to 2 polk bookshelf speakers. I appreciate this isn't really a proper home studio setup, but will this 'do' for now? Or do I 'need' to be getting monitors right away?

From some research in this forum, it seems there is discussion about a 'lite' version of the AX8 that might be happening. This seems to be a mix of hope and speculation, but do fractal have an 'annual' release pattern (i.e. NAMM?) or are new releases more random than that? I don't want to buy more than I need if a stripped down version is coming, and of course I'd rather wait to either get a new version of the AX8, or to pick up the current one NOS.

How 'plug and play' is the AX8? I appreciate that there is a ton of customisation available, but how usable are the factory presets in the short term, just to get me going and functioning? I like the idea of gently tweaking existing profiles, rather than starting from scratch right out of the gate..

Thanks in advance!
 
The Scarlett 2i2 is a good interface. No issues with using that.

Not sure about the Onkyo home cinema. I would suggest that you invest in a good set of studio monitors.

No impact, no idea about the AX8 lite.

All the stock presets are ready to use with little or no tweaking. Yes, it is plug and play.
 
The Scarlett 2i2 is what I use along with the setup you describe. I use a Yamaha receiver though. Just make sure it's set for standard stereo output and not on any of the surround settings. As was mentioned above, your speakers will make or break this setup.

The AX8 mini is just rumors and people wanting one. To my knowledge, nobody here knows anything beyond what they wish Fractal would do.

The AX8 can be as plug-and-play as you want it to be. Setting up presets with basic blocks and minor tweaks is pretty easy, but there is a getting to know you process involved with this. And knowledge a few deeper than basic tweaks are nice adjustments to familiarize yourself with. But once you have a preset sounding the way you want it to, all you need to do is turn the unit on, plug in and start playing.

Sounds like you've got a good vision for what you want to do and the AX8 will fit that just fine.
 
the Scarlett 2i2 cannot monitor real-time sound in stereo - it's mono only, even if you use both inputs. this causes so much trouble for people.
 
chris said:
the Scarlett 2i2 cannot monitor real-time sound in stereo - it's mono only, even if you use both inputs. this causes so much trouble for people.
Click to expand...

So if you feed the Scarlett a stereo signal split L & R it sums to mono in both outs?
Edit: some quick googling confirms that direct monitoring is mono but you can use your DAW software to monitor in stereo if that’s an option.

To OP: You’ll love it. It’s a no brainer.
 
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Bman said:
So if you feed the Scarlett a stereo signal split L & R it sums to mono in both outs?
Click to expand...
you cannot pan the inputs for real-time monitoring. so it's no really summing, it just isn't panning ever. you can assign tracks in your DAW to go left or right, but that's for playback. this is a long-standing problem with the 2i2, and there have been recent threads and complaints about this very thing.
 
With the 2i2 ,which I have also ,the only way to get stereo is on play back with a DAW. Can’t monitor with stereo. A bit disappointing
 
With the setup the OP is outlining, I believe he can monitor in stereo through his studio speakers, but not headphones. 2i2 has RCA stereo out which he'll run to his amp and speakers.
 
hbucker said:
With the setup the OP is outlining, I believe he can monitor in stereo through his studio speakers, but not headphones. 2i2 has RCA stereo out which he'll run to his amp and speakers.
Click to expand...
But the INPUT of the Axe in real time will not be stereo. Only what is recorded (if panned). It’s been mentioned a few times.
 
Will the Komplete Audio 6 monitor real time in stereo? I am thinking of buying a recording interface with some Christmas gift cards :)
 
WhiteSpace said:
Will the Komplete Audio 6 monitor real time in stereo? I am thinking of buying a recording interface with some Christmas gift cards :)
Click to expand...
According to the manual I think it does:
(2) MONITOR section: The ON switch turns direct monitoring on/off. With direct monitoring activated, the unaffected input signal will be heard with zero latency. The ON switch also doubles as a monitor selector switch. When held for one second, it cycles through three monitor modes: monitor signal to outputs OUT 1/2; monitor signal to outputs OUT 3/4; and monitor signal to both output pairs OUT 1/2 and OUT 3/4. The LEDs from the MONITOR section on the device's top panel display which monitoring mode is currently active. The MONO switch toggles the monitor output selection between a mono signal and a stereo signal. Switching to a mono setting aids in monitoring a mono signal, such as a guitar’s mono input
Click to expand...
 
I'd skip the PC and home theater thing and get a decent used powered monitor. I got a pair of the Event 20/20 a while back for a fair price. I think it was around $300 for the pair. But if you're talking about jamming or playing live in a gig situation you need something more. There are probably about 10,000 threads about monitors and PAs on this forum so lots for you to look into. Also, a lot of the old timers on this forum (like Chris who posted on this thread above) know a lot about this stuff and it's smart to listen to their advice.

If you want to go into the home theater on the cheap you might be able to run the AX8 into a cheap little mixer to get your levels right then into the Onkyo? Not sure about that tho, as I got rid of all my hifi stuff a few years back. Just use the Events with a 32 track machine now. All my CDs are stored on a HD/DAC that goes into the mixer.

As far as the factory presets, between them and axechange you're sure to find some stuff you like. Use that as a starting point for creating your own presets. The amps models are so good now it's not too hard to get a good sound, in fact it's easier than using a real amp. For me the biggest challenge is dialing things in for the volume I'll be gigging at. Cool thing about the AX8 tho is the amp gain and tone controls are right there, so you can just reach down and adjust things. It doesn't really get in the way of playing too much.
 
Wow, thanks for all the comments guys - really helpful stuff here!

Running in stereo is something I used to do back in my rack days, but it's not any kind of priority for what I want to get going here, certainly not in the short term anyway. I really just want to get a decent 'tone' signal into the computer so I can record direct. And having the hardware gives me the option to 'carry' those tones around with me to jams, so it's not a one trick pony.

Because I have the home theatre amp and speakers set up at the moment, I'll probably delay the cost of getting powered monitors for a little bit, unless it truly sounds terrible of course!

When it comes to any 'lite' version of the AX8, or a new hardware version, that was really just a case of scoping the landscape a bit - not wanting to pay effectively full price for something that's shortly to become outdated.
 
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