Preset changing - slower than anything I had before

So maybe you don't agree with me, but I think, AX8 is A UNIT. Software and hardware in one peace. So we don't need to care about the processing, and so on! It should have work fine, fast.
 
For me, the learning curve has been steep at times and often frustrating. Honestly, there are aspects of the AX8 that aren't intuitive for me, like the up switching on the pedals instead of switching on the downstroke. I choose to leave it this way because I like the functionality of being able to hold the switch down for additional features. It doesn't change the strange timing for me though. - Just something I need to keep working on to make it feel natural. ... I'm getting better at it.

In my experience over the past three months there is also a contrast between, "The way I want it to be done," and, "The way it needs to be done". This is another (sometimes frustrating) learning curve. But possibilities are there.

My recent understanding of assigning controllers to the amp's gain and the guitar input level on different scenes, as well as X/Y switching on amps in one patch has revealed virtually infinite possibilities for tonal changes within one patch. But this requires the use of scenes.

Sounds to me like the o.p. has two choices:
1. Learn how to access your tones the way it can be done - not the way you want it to be done.
Or
2. Sell the AX8 (for virtually the same price you bought it for) and move on to a unit that will function the way you want it to.

This is not meant to sound snarky, although I'm sure it does. It just seems like the reality you're dealing with.

Adam Papp: I wish you all the best with whatever you decide to do.
 
Adam Papp said:
So maybe you don't agree with me, but I think, AX8 is A UNIT. Software and hardware in one peace. So we don't need to care about the processing, and so on! It should have work fine, fast.
Click to expand...

Yes - you've made your point by now I think ... but it won't change the hardware in any way by keeping on saying it!!

Now you should be trying out the configuration suggestions people are starting to give you to try and see if they help - I can't be much practical help because I'm an AxeFX user ... but other AX8 users will go out of their way to help you here as best they can.

But my bottom line opinion is ... you have the wrong device for what you want to do - (3-5 presets per song with no gaps) so work out a compromise or change it.

.
 
Hi @Adam Papp. Welcome to the forum. Since @bradlake tagged me, I will give my thoughts.

First, I understand your disappointment about the preset switching gap. It is always there, but there are several things that can cause it to be worse.
  1. Being connected to AX8-Edit. (already mentioned)
  2. Presets switching on the up-stroke by default. (already mentioned)
  3. Delay and Reverb spillover not turned on.
  4. High CPU. (use standard quality Reverbs and Cabs when necessary)
Your old rig used only one amp and it apparently worked for you? Try recreating your old rig. Using a Drive block and the guitar volume knob, you can get a lot of gain variations. And use the foot-switches as stomp-box on-off switches.

Using scenes live will feel exactly the same as changing presets. Change the presets in between songs (when needed), then use 3 to 5 scenes, setup in the same order as the presets were...(clean, crunch, solo 1, solo 2. or intro, verse, chorus, solo, etc..........)

It takes a different approach, a different way of thinking. Using some blocks to do double duty to save on CPU. Using a combination of parallel and series routing when needed. Using some blocks for a different purpose than they were originally intended (Delay as a second Flanger/Chorus or as a lower CPU Reverb). Using 'X/Y' states of certain blocks that are exact copies with the exception of the level parameter for volume boosts or cuts. etc..............I try to stay away from 'X/Y' switching of Amps, Cabs, and (completely different) Delays and Reverbs when possible. The other blocks with 'X/Y' are very usable.

You can get a lot of tonal variation from a single Amp block using 'X/Y' Filter blocks before and after the Amp/Cab blocks for pre and post EQ as well as gain/volume changes on a per scene basis. Using the correct 'Bypass' states are important on Reverb and Delay type block.

Using the Scene Controllers to modify multiple parameters across multiple blocks simultaneously is incredibly powerful and completely seamless.........

The tools are there, but it can be intimidating at first. That's why many players buy presets that already take advantage of these techniques. Adjust them (if needed) for their needs and gear or use them as learning tools to see how they are constructed. Some are willing to pay people like myself to make or re-dial presets for them and/or do on-line training sessions for those that want to learn how do it for themselves.
 
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I bet if you posted a sound clip of these “radically different” sounds someone on here could likely figure out how to change between them with scenes thus minimizing or eliminating the audio gap.

Or you could continue to type in ALL CAPS and keep telling us in every post that the audio gap is UNACCEPTABLE!

Seriously take a chill pill, no one made you buy the AX8.
 
I want to be sympathetic but it sounds like you're not even willing to try and make it work for you via scenes etc. Nothing about what you're describing doesn't seem achievable with scenes, scene controllers, control switches, x/y & all the other preset crafting tools available in the ax8. I've set up one preset that can hit clean/crunch/high-gain along with your standard smattering of fx (reverb, chorus, delay) without any hint of an audio gap, and there's still room for more fx should they ever be desired.

You could probably accomplish what you need to on the ax8, you just have to be willing to rethink your approach to it. You can set up a preset with 8 scenes and hop between them on the footswitches and it will be 100% identical to setting up 8 presets in a bank and hopping between them on the foot switches. So I'm not really understanding your unwillingness to give it a shot.

Like bo13bo said, if you can post clips of the sounds you use or at least type out a description (i.e. high-gain with chorus and reverb, clean with delay and phaser, etc etc) I'm sure a lot of us here would be perfectly willing to slap together a preset demonstrating the possibility of it.

All that said, all of your responses in this thread make it seem like you're only interested in complaining, not in finding a solution to your problem.
 
correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't there also be a slight delay in switching from one channel to another on a real amp? every option has some limitations. would it be great if they could fix this on the ax8, absolutely but if not remember the real amps have limitations as well.

as for solutions, I use the morgan ac-20 model which is very similar to the vox type amp. you can do clean to dirty with just modifying gain and using scene volume to handle the differences in volume. you can modify the gain using a modifier with scenes. it is really the only solutions for no gaps at all that I have found. Even with the gaps if you are experiencing gaps that last over a second I would think maybe you have another issue.
 
Adam Papp said:
So maybe you don't agree with me, but I think, AX8 is A UNIT. Software and hardware in one peace. So we don't need to care about the processing, and so on! It should have work fine, fast.
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Fractal could have designed it to work just as you want, but the price would have been much higher, and one of the goals for AX8 development was to have an aggressive price point.

I'm not clear on why you don't want to use scenes. Changing scenes takes one stomp of a footswitch—just like changing presets. :)
 
facts:

there is an audio gap when changing presets on the AX8.

using Scenes can help reduce or eliminate gaps - these are easy to setup.

other gear that doesn't do as much processing doesn't have gaps because they aren't doing as much.

---
all of this has been said over and over in this thread. if the AX8 isn't working out for you, you can return it. there isn't one piece of gear for everyone.

sure, it'd be great if the AX8 hardware - or any hardware for any system ever - had unlimited resources and could do everything we all want. but there are limitations to everything.

so please, try out the suggestions coming your way. but saying the same thing over and over here really won't do much except excite emotion.
 
Adam Papp said:
So maybe you don't agree with me, but I think, AX8 is A UNIT. Software and hardware in one peace. So we don't need to care about the processing, and so on! It should have work fine, fast.
Click to expand...
You need to consider that there are several serious musicians on this forum using Fractal products live! Some of them do exactly what you intend to do. I also owned Ann tried several piece of equip that you may think and the quality and flexibility this unit have is second to none. Other "multi-effects" units sound like toys (second or third league) when comparing to the sounds you can get with this single unit. But the most important is that you need to understand the product philosophy and do it differently. You will not get the results in terms of "audio gap" you want, doing the way you were used to do with other products. I am convinced like several people here mentioned to you that you can achieve your goals using different approach and amps...but if you don't want it, don't waste your time. If you was in love with the sound quality of you previous system and its audio gap characteristics you had no reason to replace it, right? I dont have intention to be offensive, but writing unacceptable or other words will not help you get there. Send us the songs and concrete examples you are trying to do and we can help you or give the best of our knowledge...than you check if that works for you or not. This is the intend of this forum.
 
Thank you for all your answers, and the depth-in helps, guys, you are fantastic! I don’t want to be your enemy, I just wanted to explain my point of view: I think this working of the preset change is a mistake by Fractal, and perhaps they need to pay attention to it for the next release, whatever it is! I don’t want to send back the unit, I bought it as a second hand, and I don’t want to loose a lot of money. Some of you told me, I should have to read after this things. Telling you the truth, I have watched a tons of reviews, but none of them mentioned this gap. And to be honest, who think of it in a high-end stuff? Helix is not my way, I had Line6 before, and now I have watched a lot of videos about it – this kind of digital sound what Helix gives you, I just simply don’t like, not my taste.

So if I will have time, I will post videos and screen shots about my presets, perhaps you can join me and help how to keep it simple.

In the weekend we will have shows (with the band “Tweed”), I am looking forward my experiences with AX8 on stage. One pro for sure: the set up and transportation will be much more simple than ever! :)
 
Adam Papp said:
Hi!


I changed my previous gear (G-System, analogue pedals, VOXAC30 amp) because all the web was full with very nice reviews about the AX8’s sound quality. Trusted in the good reviews, I sell the G-system in a very low price level.


I began to set up the AX8, and really enjoy the sound quality of it, but at the first rehearsal I was shocked: the preset changing is so-so weak and slow, that I have to say, it is unacceptable! I’ve had many-many gears before, including Korg, Boss, Line6, TC floor multi-effect units, and never-ever had a problem with the sound in between changing the preset. And now: preset changing is breaking the sound, you can hear a short silence between the two preset, it is not continuous! With the G-system, controlling analogue pedals and many-many effects, preset changing was continuous, you never heard even a bit of silence, to sound just went on its way!


HOW CAN IT BE with a pricey unit, like Fractal? Is there any solution to it? If not, I claim an update to solve this!
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I see this complaint pop up From time to time in discussions about AX8/AXFX , Helix, and Kemper. People list G Systems (not close to the same as it is not a modeler), Boss etc. The fact is those products are not in the same class. It requires a lot more processing power to do everything Ax does. Analogue pedals mentioned? Why? They are analogue as mentioned. There is nothing for them to, cause a lag as there is no processor. As far as line 6 then you must be talking the lines below the Helix. These products can be mdeto sound ok but are far below AX , Helix and Kemper. The more complicated a path is on these products then the more it going to take to switch patches. It is still negligible unless you are trying to switch mid song.. That is what scenes are for. Even Line 6 realized how powerful nd important scenes are and added snapshots. You said later people are not listening and you want it kept simple. It can't be much more simple that scenes. Once the concept is grasped there is a ton you can do. You still male a per song patch but all switching is controlled with in that patch. There is just no such thing as zero latency with these high end products. It should be very minimal if properly set up though. If it was not would so many top artists use them. I always point to Brit Floyd since they use AXFX and Pink Floyd uses so many reverb, delay and vibey effects. Everything flows perfect. It also takes work from the rest of the band if you are trying to run a zero gap set. Iif you do no want to embrace the scene concept them I am afraid the Ax8 is not for you.
 
Adam Papp said:
I don't think, that you have to choose between the poor sound quality or the fast working. For e.g. G-System.
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I understand that is how you feel (others before you have thought similar) I am just trying to save you a headache. The unit will not do seamless switching for what you need.
 
Adam Papp said:
Thank you for all your answers, and the depth-in helps, guys, you are fantastic! I don’t want to be your enemy, I just wanted to explain my point of view: I think this working of the preset change is a mistake by Fractal, and perhaps they need to pay attention to it for the next release, whatever it is! I don’t want to send back the unit, I bought it as a second hand, and I don’t want to loose a lot of money. Some of you told me, I should have to read after this things. Telling you the truth, I have watched a tons of reviews, but none of them mentioned this gap. And to be honest, who think of it in a high-end stuff? Helix is not my way, I had Line6 before, and now I have watched a lot of videos about it – this kind of digital sound what Helix gives you, I just simply don’t like, not my taste.

So if I will have time, I will post videos and screen shots about my presets, perhaps you can join me and help how to keep it simple.

In the weekend we will have shows (with the band “Tweed”), I am looking forward my experiences with AX8 on stage. One pro for sure: the set up and transportation will be much more simple than ever! :)
Click to expand...

Don't hold your breath. While they may be able to slightly shorten the gap, there will likely always be one unless they significantly lower the amp/effect quality which I feel is highly unlikely. Posting your presets and what you're going for is a much better approach as many here are willing to help other members of the community.
 
Think of scenes as being just like your old rig. Essentially they are different setups for the same rig, that change with the press of a single button. You should be able to do everything you did with your old rig with the use of scenes. You just have to learn how to set them up for each tone you are after, there is a distinct learning curve.
 
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