Question for FAS: Can you Daisy Chain two AXEFXIIs?

Randy4Guitars

Power User
I'm thinking about getting an XL to replace the Mk1 (or keeping it as a backup), but before I make the purchase, I'm curious: is it possible to link two AF2's together? Forget about the XL vs. Mk1, Mk2 version compatibility for a moment. I know it's overkill, but I've got GAS and have been hitting the CPU limits lately. I'm curious whether it's possible to offload some effects to a second axe, and how that would work with AE and the MFC.

Assuming you can run through one AXE then into a second, what is the best way to link them? Is it limited to audio signal only?

How would you run AE to handle two AF2s? I assume you would need two computers or edit them each at different times.

Is it possible to interface a single MFC to both so that you can switch presets on both units with one click? I assume it's not possible in AXE mode and you'd need to get into midi programming.

What about block instances? How would you handle changing states of "delay1", for example? (i.e., "delay 1" can only exist in one AXE or the other, not both). Again, I assume you'd need to get into some hectic MIDI programming to make this happen.

Any other advice you can offer is appreciated.

Thx!
 
Maybe just the FX-8 is all you would need, unless you're needing more amps.

I'm thinking about getting an XL to replace the Mk1 (or keeping it as a backup), but before I make the purchase, I'm curious: is it possible to link two AF2's together? Forget about the XL vs. Mk1, Mk2 version compatibility for a moment. I know it's overkill, but I've got GAS and have been hitting the CPU limits lately. I'm curious whether it's possible to offload some effects to a second axe, and how that would work with AE and the MFC.

Assuming you can run through one AXE then into a second, what is the best way to link them? Is it limited to audio signal only?

How would you run AE to handle two AF2s? I assume you would need two computers or edit them each at different times.

Is it possible to interface a single MFC to both so that you can switch presets on both units with one click? I assume it's not possible in AXE mode and you'd need to get into midi programming.

What about block instances? How would you handle changing states of "delay1", for example? (i.e., "delay 1" can only exist in one AXE or the other, not both). Again, I assume you'd need to get into some hectic MIDI programming to make this happen.

Any other advice you can offer is appreciated.

Thx!
 
Hmm, 2? You do have gas! Ok, you could use the 1st axe for pre/post fx, the 2nd for the amps. Connect just as you would using the 4cm. Plug Fas link from mfc into the 1st axe to call up presets and control fx on/off x/y then midi out of the 1st into the 2nd. Then coordinate presets between the two units. That's probably a good start, work the bugs out from there!
 
Hmm, 2? You do have gas! Ok, you could use the 1st axe for pre/post fx, the 2nd for the amps. Connect just as you would using the 4cm. Plug Fas link from mfc into the 1st axe to call up presets and control fx on/off x/y then midi out of the 1st into the 2nd. Then coordinate presets between the two units. That's probably a good start, work the bugs out from there!

That would be a bit of a waste, as there are separate CPUs for the amps and for effects. You wouldn't be gaining any power by setting it up that way.

IIRC, Dweezil has two running together in order to do more complex effects, and I think has them both connected via one MFC.
 
Hmm, 2? You do have gas! Ok, you could use the 1st axe for pre/post fx, the 2nd for the amps. Connect just as you would using the 4cm. Plug Fas link from mfc into the 1st axe to call up presets and control fx on/off x/y then midi out of the 1st into the 2nd. Then coordinate presets between the two units. That's probably a good start, work the bugs out from there!

Yes, I hope the gas passes soon! haha. I've been going back and forth over updating to the XL, or something and I'm getting a bit obsessed and want to settle it.

That would be a bit of a waste, as there are separate CPUs for the amps and for effects. You wouldn't be gaining any power by setting it up that way.

IIRC, Dweezil has two running together in order to do more complex effects, and I think has them both connected via one MFC.

Do you recall if the CABs run on the effects side or the AMP side?? I hit the wall just about everytime I use stereo UR cabs and Hi res reverb, so I need to check that.
 
This is something that M@ has written of in the past (not so much the XL part - But the doubling up part yes) - Obviously it is possible no problem. You can do what ever you want as long as electronic reality permits. (And with our Axes, we often do things only which can be done in or boxes and are not possible in an analog environment.
So, explore as you desire, invent, try new things - that's what this is all about (to the extent applicable to an individual user) Do something seemingly crazy - Have fun - trial and error. Blow our minds with what you come up with. There are (almost) NO RULES HERE
 
I'm thinking about getting an XL to replace the Mk1 (or keeping it as a backup), but before I make the purchase, I'm curious: is it possible to link two AF2's together? Forget about the XL vs. Mk1, Mk2 version compatibility for a moment. I know it's overkill, but I've got GAS and have been hitting the CPU limits lately. I'm curious whether it's possible to offload some effects to a second axe, and how that would work with AE and the MFC.

Assuming you can run through one AXE then into a second, what is the best way to link them? Is it limited to audio signal only?

How would you run AE to handle two AF2s? I assume you would need two computers or edit them each at different times.

Is it possible to interface a single MFC to both so that you can switch presets on both units with one click? I assume it's not possible in AXE mode and you'd need to get into midi programming.

What about block instances? How would you handle changing states of "delay1", for example? (i.e., "delay 1" can only exist in one AXE or the other, not both). Again, I assume you'd need to get into some hectic MIDI programming to make this happen.

Any other advice you can offer is appreciated.

Thx!

The easiest signal wise would be to run them in series, Guitar -> Axe 1 -> Axe 2 -> power amp.

Depending how you want to split it, you can run the 2nd one as the main Axe and run Amp, Cab, delays, reverbs and other post amp effects in the 2nd Axe. The 1st Axe you would then use for all pre amp effects so all your drives, phaser, flanger,...

With the MFC and different block types, I would run one Axe as the main one and use the MFC to control that one in Axe mode. In the example above that would be the 2nd Axe with the amps. The 1st Axe I would run on a different amp channel in midi mode and just send midi commands to turn on/off drives and so on.

Programming is going to take a lot of experimentation so yeah. Maybe you can send midi scene commands to both devices in midi mode for instance, that sounds very flexible. Post any findings here and enjoy!
 
Other options would be Eventide or Strymon pedals (or rack if i e choosing Eventide Eclipse). Otherwise, perhaps an second mkI and run them dual. Then you won' t 'loose' amp (CPU) power, will have the same features/limitations and you can patch them into input 2 of each other and get killer fx chains by utilizing fx loop + send/return blocks in clever ways.
 
That would be a bit of a waste, as there are separate CPUs for the amps and for effects. You wouldn't be gaining any power by setting it up that way.

IIRC, Dweezil has two running together in order to do more complex effects, and I think has them both connected via one MFC.

You'd gain cpu just by the fact you've split up amps and effects. That would be pretty powerful, dual amps with dual stereo Ultrares cabs in one leaving the other for some pretty complex fx configurations. You could always move post effects to the axe running the amps which would also simplify the cabling. Really depends on what you plan on doing with all that horsepower.

I was only thinking as far as the mfc is concerned, all your fx could still be controlled easily in axe mode while midi program change commands would handle the amp programs.
 
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You guys got me thinking and after some jr level-testing here I found something funny. If you don't add an amp and a cab, you can fill up the preset with way more effects. I was able to jam a total of about 87% CPU load of effects into a single preset not counting overhead. Total CPU usage displayed 96% with no clipping and everything running at high density except 1 block. My understanding is (was) that the TigerSHARKs are handling separate tasks; one runs the AMPs and CABs and the other handles the effects. I assumed each running at full bore would add about 50% of the total 100% CPU capacity as shown on the AXE. But my test shows that the effects TigreSHARK can handle up to nearly 100%. Perhaps there is a flaw in my thinking but I don't see it.

To test CPU usage I designed a test preset that would run on the first AXE, focused on the AMPs and CABs. The idea was to load the AMP TigerSHARK with everything I could, then adding a few effects to see what else fit (see AXE1 preset image below). With 2 AMP and 2 stereo UR CAB blocks, CPU hits 50% and you have the remaining CPU amount (40%+) to add 2 drives and a few other blocks, even a spring reverb between the amps and cabs, without any CPU clipping. The preset shown below plays fine as would be expected. (I understand there is a tradeoff in AMP resolution when using 2 AMP blocks, but I'm trying to push the CPUs here so I've loaded everything I could into the AMP/CAB TigreSHARK.)

Then I designed a preset for effects that would run on the second AXE. This preset is strictly for effects, so in theory, this AXE does not share the workload with the AMP / CAB TigerSHARK. I figured I would only be able to add effects until the CPU load adds up to about 50% or 60% before the TigerSHARK was at full capacity, and it would start to clip (as the AMP/CAB processor can't share the workload) but that isn't the case at all. I was able to load effects as shown, which display 96% CPU in AE. This preset doesn't clip and actually sounds really cool by itself! I played it about 30 minutes while writing this post.

If you add up the effect's component CPU load contributions (i.e. CPU required for each effect block), you get about 87%, which jives with what is shown in AE and the AXE after you include overhead! It's a lot of effects.

In both cases below, I used the highest CPU load settings I could find in every case except the MDLY, for which I used the Diffusor. All the other blocks are running the highest CPU load effect type. Stereo UR cabs and HI res everything. I did not turn on amp compression as it started clipping. But I think this is redundant compression anyway.

I don't know how the CPU % age is calculated, but it seems you can get alot more out of 2 axes than just 1/2 of one axe, and this may be the result of overhead. I guess the TigreSHARK are really only running at a portion of there capability when the axe is running them in parallel, but it seems that when you limit the processing needs to just the effects, it is way more efficient. This in very encouraging and I think I'm gonna get the second axe. Maybe a temporary fix for the AXE III is 2 AXEFX IIs!

Please let me know nicely if you find a flaw in my thinking here.

CaptureAXE1_zpsafb43118.jpg
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CaptureAXE2_zps810b192c.jpg
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Sorry for the long post above. I tried to wordsmith it so it's easy to read, but I think the info is worth it, if you can wade through my crummy english.

Oh one other thing. The spring reverb is not Hires as it doesn't matter with those, as I understand.
 
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Do you recall if the CABs run on the effects side or the AMP side?? I hit the wall just about everytime I use stereo UR cabs and Hi res reverb, so I need to check that.

One of the CPUs is completely dedicated to amps. The only possible benefit ampwise with two AxeFXs is to run two amps in hi-res mode, instead of having to use low res mode in one Axe. That said, my ears can't hear the difference between hi and low res amp sims. That's not to say it's not there, but I don't hear it.
 
I'm thinking about getting an XL to replace the Mk1 (or keeping it as a backup), but before I make the purchase, I'm curious: is it possible to link two AF2's together?

Have been hitting the CPU limits lately. I'm curious whether it's possible to offload some effects to a second axe, and how that would work with AE and the MFC.

Assuming you can run through one AXE then into a second, what is the best way to link them?

Is it possible to interface a single MFC to both so that you can switch presets on both units with one click? I assume it's not possible in AXE mode and you'd need to get into midi programming.

Any other advice you can offer is appreciated.

Thx!

I’ve also been hitting the CPU limits lately and have considered getting a second Axe FX or the FX8, but only if I knew exactly how they’d interface and work together. I asked similar questions a while back and never really got an answer.

From watching the two videos from Dweezil Zappa below it appears that you can hook up two Axe FXII’s and control them from one MFC-101. As far as I know, no one on the forum explained exactly how to do it.

Can you use an FX8 with an Axe FXII and MFC-101, and how would you change the presets on both units at the same time. How would you set them up to work together using a pair of powered PA speakers?

Dweezil Zappa - Interview Gear Tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeHSM2sbnRU

Dweezil Zappa Rig Rundown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvok4jEH4hE
 
I've been searching for these things for a few days now. Thx for posting.

You can use an FX8, but I don't know about preset switching. I started another thread a couple days ago about the FX8, but I'm thinking of just getting an XL and see if I can make it all work, and sell the MK1 if it doesn't work out, or if I don't use the extra space.

Try putting some effects only in a preset. You'll be amazed at how many blocks you can fit.
 
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I run 2 XLs but separately or in "paralel" I guess. Both also have POD HDs feeding them in series. I can add echolution 2, big sky, mobius, Hog2, or Adrenalinn to the loops of either axe and one of the PODS. Run two amps on both axes. Still hit DSP limit once in a while, lol.


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i'm hearing more and more that people are hitting cpu limits, probably why some are asking for a single space rack mount version of the FX8. maybe axe 3 isn't that far off. FAS could certainly offer a new flagship and keep the xl going too.

as far as the question; is there a way to link 2 axefx to the mfc while maintaining axe-mode, i don't know, you'll have to dig in to the manuals! can you use ethernet and fas link simultaneously?
 
I run 2 XLs but separately or in "paralel" I guess. Both also have POD HDs feeding them in series. I can add echolution 2, big sky, mobius, Hog2, or Adrenalinn to the loops of either axe and one of the PODS. Run two amps on both axes. Still hit DSP limit once in a while, lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Do you control with MFC? AXE mode or midi gymnast mode? Is there a problem with dup block names?? (e.g. delay 1 on which AXE)
 
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