professional touring experience with AX8

an_haus

an_haus

Member
Hey everybody,

I'm new to the modelling world, currently having a classic amp + pedalboard setup. I've been touring for couple years with a bigger european act. It's always stressfull with fly ins and rented backline, you always have to hope that you get what you ordered. So I'm considering in getting an AX8 and playing without an amp.


So I want to ask you guys what your experiences are in professional touring with the AX8 and completely playing without an amp straight to the board. (dealing with stressfull short linechecks at festivals, monitoring, any dropouts/ major problems with the ax8)


I'm looking forward to hear from you guys!
 
Welcome to the machine!

Though I'm not a touring pro I feel I can comment as I have had enough time in the seat to share my experiences. I have been using FAS products for 10+ years and I can say that I have not had any issues on any of my gigs other than the ones I created (massive facepalm)

Direct to the board no other monitoring gear other than what was supplied by the venue as long as your presets are dialed in at gig volumes and I can't stress that enough, you should be fine!

That said no two monitors are the same but if the venues you are playing supply good quality monitors you should be good to go!

Other than that aside from the sound person that hasn't come up against an AX8 yet you will get some of the strangest looks when they go looking for your cab to mic it.
 
Thank you very much, thats very informative. What does your setup look like?
I am playing with IEMs and considering to have a setup like this: Stereo to PA -> monitor sound on in ear -> maybe the guitar signal also on a floor wedge in case of in ear dropouts

Has anybody got a setup like this?
 
As long as they have stage monitors and a separate mix gor you. All is pretty go,den. Some times you can ask fir a powered stage monitor for your back line separate like a keyboard player. I've been doing it around the world fir awhile now. First with the Ultra. Then Axe Fx II. Then the AX8. :0)
 
Search for user name Fremen on here. I "think" he uses the AXFX live but I know has probably tested his AXFX patches as well.
 
I was about to say, page Larry Mitchell. but no need I see ;)

That said, if its your work, life and bread and butter... buy two... or have some kind of backup!! As flawless as it will be, at some point Mr Murphys law is going to hit... and hit bad...
 
Ive been on "tour" since 2015 when I got picked up in a regional country band. We do something like 120-140 dates a year with most being travel on a renovated school bus around the country. I have a Matrix FR12 in a road case that is more often just staying in the bus unless we play somewhere very tiny, but normally on big truck fold out/assembled stages, ill just bring my AX8 and a guitar...its pretty awesome.

Only downsides to not running your own monitor/relying on stage monitors is that the soundguy may have some sort of eq/compression/tone shaping on the monitors more suited for vocals and feedback suppresion which can cause some issues and you wont be able to get more of you without finding a spot to wave at the guy or in between songs.

Your idea of ears for monitoring yourself is gonna be the easiest, but unless you get a feed from the FOH/monitor board, you wont hear anybody else.
 
andihausi said:
Thank you very much, thats very informative. What does your setup look like?
I am playing with IEMs and considering to have a setup like this: Stereo to PA -> monitor sound on in ear -> maybe the guitar signal also on a floor wedge in case of in ear dropouts

Has anybody got a setup like this?
Click to expand...

I only play 20-40 dates a year in a geographical area of less than 100 miles, but I use the exact setup you describe. My band uses a Presonus RM32AI, so I control my own mix in my in ears. I use a floor wedge, a powered PA speaker, to get interaction between my guitar and my "amp" so I can get note blooms and feedback. The set-up works really well. The sound is uber consistent and I get positive comments on my tone everywhere I go. The best part is the set-up and break down. I am both up and down in less than 15 minutes each. And that is from the truck to being ready to play.
 
dpeterson said:
I'd research the switch gap to make sure you can get by with it.
Click to expand...

So you mean the little delay in switching and loading presets?

The whole band plays with iem and we have our own soundguy with his own mixing desk, so the in ear mixes are saved in the desk, so this should be fine.

Since I can exactly create the sound I want, the guitar sound in the iem should be much more pleasant, am I right?

Another question would be, how the audio engineers work with the modelled amps. Are there any downsides for them in your opinion? Cause I cant seem to find any :D
 
Tell FOH and monitor world that you're sending a balanced, line-level signal that's pre-EQ'd with no need for any compression or outboard effects. They'll love it.
 
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Been using the AxeFx for a few years live but went to AX8 last year for the gigs. Works great. I don't do IEM like you, I just go straight to FOH and monitors. Works great.
For all our gigs but especially festivals, we have a 2 minute intro to sort our onstage levels out.
 
Get a loom from www.mystarsound.com.
My loom is made up of 4 cables (2 x XLR's for FOH & monitors, and 2 x 1/4" smart cables for promoter provided backline) all wrapped into one tangle-proof sheath.
It's cut my setup time down to less than a minute. Great for those 15 minute change-overs.
 
The AX8 has been a God-send for road gigs..heck, really for EVERYTHING! I've done about 120 shows all over the country, all without incident. After hearing it for a few shows, our other guitarist got one too, so he's got about 115 shows, with ONE incident - with literally 2 minutes before opening a show for Boston last year, he had no sound...then (and after a 911 call to Mark Day!) our tech realized the wireless channels were the same - and off we went. Can't blame Fractal for that one :)

We both have units for home/local gigs as well, and a spare on the truck that has all of our patches saved IN CASE something goes awry with either of ours. The consistency of sound (as well as of course the quality!) and ease-of-set up is just fantastic.

We both run XLR to FOH, with IEM's and no wedges or cabs onstage. Mixes are cleaner, and our FOH could not be happier. He's a long-time died-in-the-wool tube snob, but we broke him. Fractal for the win. "The most satisfying piece of gear I've ever owned".
 
If you are used to mic your amp off-stage and going IEM the AX8 will perform egually good if not better. Keep it simple: 2-3 Amp sims and the same IR for all. Choose the IR accordingly, this will be your main sound. Keep your sound mid-focused applying low and hi cuts (the cab block has them built in), this will prevent you from being lost in the mix.
Bear in mind the AX8 will never react like a real amp next to you but like a miked one far away from you and everything will be fine.
 
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