Trying to get my AX8 sounding good.

Maybe you just like the Helix better. It happens.
I had one and have tried the Native software also.
Actually much harder to find usable tones out of it, but it is good gear.
 
Do the global reset as Chris and others suggested. I’m 2 months into my first modeler vs tube head and cab and while there are so many things you can adjust with AX8, there’s not many you have to adjust outside of preset output levels and your output 1 knob. You may not love the presets as stock due to your gear and taste, but it want be awful. Then out of the 60+ presets you should find one close to your desired sound and slowing tweak from there. After a few weeks, you will be tweaking everything as you get more comfortable. Then you might tweak more than actually play.
 
I did the global reset, started from scratch... Im embarrassed to say I'm not vibing with it,... Feel like I'm the only guy that can't get this thing rockin.. I've watched all the videos.. I want to like it ..so badly...I have hours on hours trying to find and program up something inspiring... It's me I'm sure of it...I'm a gear head and love tweeking knobs and dials, and I just gets beyond frustrated..I was going to pay $50 or whatever just to download some Freman presets or something, but I think I'm just going to sell it..
 
steve bernstein said:
I did the global reset, started from scratch... Im embarrassed to say I'm not vibing with it,... Feel like I'm the only guy that can't get this thing rockin.. I've watched all the videos.. I want to like it ..so badly...I have hours on hours trying to find and program up something inspiring... It's me I'm sure of it...I'm a gear head and love tweeking knobs and dials, and I just gets beyond frustrated..I was going to pay $50 or whatever just to download some Freman presets or something, but I think I'm just going to sell it..
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sell it if you want, but it sounds like something is just setup wrong.

any way you can post a recording of what you're getting now, something you don't like? we can suggest all day, but hearing it would go a long way. also uploading a preset of yours so we can see the settings may help.

i get an instantly "good" tone by using the Friedman HBE amp at default settings, and any of the ML cabs in the 55-59 range (can't remember exactly right now). it's a usable rock tone without any adjustments. does this sound good at all to you?
 
Chris. Thanks... I just made a preset using your suggestions..Added a noise gate to the front, some delay after the cab..This is the best Ive gotten it to sound. I think I get discouraged since I have to bust out the laptop for most changes ( I assume this happens less and less the more it gets dialed in..) I also think I was expecting the AX8 to floor me right out of the gate with "God's tone" so to speak.... It's in here (I think), just need a ton of patience and willngness to have to tweek and tweek..
 
steve bernstein said:
Chris. Thanks... I just made a preset using your suggestions..Added a noise gate to the front, some delay after the cab..This is the best Ive gotten it to sound. I think I get discouraged since I have to bust out the laptop for most changes ( I assume this happens less and less the more it gets dialed in..) I also think I was expecting the AX8 to floor me right out of the gate with "God's tone" so to speak.... It's in here (I think), just need a ton of patience and willngness to have to tweek and tweek..
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and it was just default settings.

i always say that if you load an amp and you feel you want to change all the advanced settings, you probably have the wrong amp to begin with. the IR affects the tone too. there are so many amps, i think it's good to quickly try them all and see if any resonate with you. you may be a marshall guy, but maybe some other amp does the trick.

honestly, i only change the Basic controls, and maybe some GEQ in the Amp block. i can't tell you what most of the Advanced controls do because i don't know and don't use them.

so you got your "best sound" by simply loading the amp and cab at defaults. you may not need to tweek and tweek...
 
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steve bernstein said:
Chris. Thanks... I just made a preset using your suggestions..Added a noise gate to the front, some delay after the cab..This is the best Ive gotten it to sound. I think I get discouraged since I have to bust out the laptop for most changes ( I assume this happens less and less the more it gets dialed in..) I also think I was expecting the AX8 to floor me right out of the gate with "God's tone" so to speak.... It's in here (I think), just need a ton of patience and willngness to have to tweek and tweek..
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Huh. One of the things I love about the AX8 is how little I have to tweak it to get good tones. Very rarely have to do anything weird or hit any of the advanced parameters, just load up an amp, adjust gain and EQ a bit and it sounds great.
 
steve bernstein said:
Chris. Thanks... I just made a preset using your suggestions..Added a noise gate to the front, some delay after the cab..This is the best Ive gotten it to sound. I think I get discouraged since I have to bust out the laptop for most changes ( I assume this happens less and less the more it gets dialed in..) I also think I was expecting the AX8 to floor me right out of the gate with "God's tone" so to speak.... It's in here (I think), just need a ton of patience and willngness to have to tweek and tweek..
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Hey OP, follow this video step by step and see if it sounds good:


This video helped me get a good sound out of this particular amp.
 
Maybe I missed it but you keep answering the question "what are you playing thru" with studio monitors. Which studio monitors is an important factor.
 
All I would say is persevere... there's a leaving curve and I think an acceptance that it will never be identical to what you had, but the sounds are 100% in there - and in my case they're better and more diverse than I had before

I also have no understanding of what the advanced parameters do, nor do I use them.

Following one of Leon's videos where he builds a basic preset from scratch should help.

Stick with it!
 
Thanks for all of the helpful answers. For studio monitors, Im using Yamaha HS8 8". Keep in mind I have other modelers that I run and record with, so this part is not new. I 've actually gotten very comfortable in the last 3 days with programming , getting around on Axe Edit.. Still struggling to find tones. I can find decent "ok" tones, but not getting, let's say Periphery-esque super high gain yet very very tight (yet organic at the same time). I can get some great cleans, decent rock sounds (Still all sound very flubby after hours of tweeking, trying to find a good cab..) but I'm just not hearing and feeling it. Have a buddy who has an Ultra, came over last night...He runs through a QSC power amp into a recto cab... Sounds amazing. We were able to dial up some sounds easily.. Tried the same with AX8 (turning off cab and power amp sims)...Getting close, but still can't seem to dial out loose buzzy flubbiness...I
ve tried ALL of the pre-amps in front of Recto/Mark IV,Frieman amps, various recto/Uber/TV 4 x 12 cabs) Watched Leon's video tutorials (great!)....What am I missing?? I hear guys like Larry Mitchell getting KILLER sounds out of this unit...frustrated..
 
Maybe all you need is a strong clockwise pick attack. Because getting the AX8 to be much tighter and compressed than a real amp is the easiest thing. Or maybe you got used to see some Ultra's flaws as a virtue. But it's useless to guess in thin air so why don't you post some pre-cab tone samples you get from the Ultra, and from the AX8? Asking for help and not posting samples and patches isn't respectful of those who spend their free time to figure out the issue.
 
steve bernstein said:
Thanks for all of the helpful answers. For studio monitors, Im using Yamaha HS8 8". Keep in mind I have other modelers that I run and record with, so this part is not new. I 've actually gotten very comfortable in the last 3 days with programming , getting around on Axe Edit.. Still struggling to find tones. I can find decent "ok" tones, but not getting, let's say Periphery-esque super high gain yet very very tight (yet organic at the same time). I can get some great cleans, decent rock sounds (Still all sound very flubby after hours of tweeking, trying to find a good cab..) but I'm just not hearing and feeling it. Have a buddy who has an Ultra, came over last night...He runs through a QSC power amp into a recto cab... Sounds amazing. We were able to dial up some sounds easily.. Tried the same with AX8 (turning off cab and power amp sims)...Getting close, but still can't seem to dial out loose buzzy flubbiness...I
ve tried ALL of the pre-amps in front of Recto/Mark IV,Frieman amps, various recto/Uber/TV 4 x 12 cabs) Watched Leon's video tutorials (great!)....What am I missing?? I hear guys like Larry Mitchell getting KILLER sounds out of this unit...frustrated..
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I use HS8 monitors. They are excellent.
I have had an Ultra, a Mark II, an XL, and have an Ax8.
Have never really had major issues getting usable tone out of stock presets with minimal tweaks.
Most users really don't and most everybody finds or creates other presets they really like.

I can go through Yek's amp guide and get very close to the real amp tone in most all cases without too much effort.
Never touch advanced parameters.
I have had quite a few of the actual amps modeled in the AXE and can match the tones easily.
I have used monitors, headphones, floor monitors, power amp and CABs, tube amps and CABs-you name it.
Some setups sound better than others-but all are very usable with tweaks.


You said you love the Helix LT. You have other modelers you use and like.
My suggestion is to sell your Ax8 and go back to those.
 
If your tones are fluby here are the usual causes

1) master volume too high. Try turning it down and compensate with the amp level control to maintain a constant volume. A good way to here what this is doing is, in Axe Edit, right click the amp X/Y buttons, then choose copy amp X to Y, now They are both the same. Now make the master adjust ment on the Y model and use the X as a baseline.

2) many amps need a tube screamer in front to tighten them up. Use the TS808, drive at 0, level around 7 or set to taste for desired gain. This will instantly tighten up the low end

3) add more low cut in the cab block. If you need to go much higher than 150 something else is wrong.

Another general tip, put a looper block before the amp and record a phrase. Now you can put your guitar down and dial in your tone without distraction.

Best luck!
 
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