I posted last week about trying to decide between a Line 6 Helix and Ax8. After some thinking I realized that what I really want is a Fractal device, with all the amps it offers, etc. I am trying to build a home studio/practice area that will allow me to easily recording at a moments notice, play along to backing tracks, and to be able to practice late night at very low volumes while still achieving a great tone.
Playing out for me is very rare. Occasionally I will jam with a friend, but I no longer play in a band, and don't expect to be in one any time soon. (although who knows). So with that said I am 95% of the time a home player.
I currently have a hot rod deville, roland cube 30x, and a Fender Gdec. Both the cube and Gdec allow me to practice at low volumes, but the tone isn't very inspiring. The deville needs to be cranked up to get good tone but I can't do that anymore with my living situation. Using pedals at low volume doesn't sound good to me. The Gdec has USB recording capability, but it sounds like crap. I tried to use the usb interface capability to run Amplitube and TH2 but didn't like the tone of either.
This leads me to going with a dedicated processor. This is a large purchase for me, and it has been something I have been thinking about doing for a couple of years actually. I could possibly spend a lot less money to solve my problems outlined above, but I want to do this right. I have carved out a budget of a little over $3k to do this.
A few months ago, it would have been an easy decision because there was only 1 choice. The Axe Fx 2. Now with the addition of the Ax8 it is harder. I am aware of the differences between the two, and I am aware that the Ax8 was designed to be a unit for performing musicians. The problem for me is that since I am brand new to Fractal products, I cannot really determine how extensively I will use the different features. I know that the Ax8 has a less powerful CPU which doesn't allow as much flexibility as the Axe Fx, but I am not sure if that will be enough for me, or if I will want more.
The Ax8 is $1000 cheaper. I would be able to get an Ax8, studio monitors, and an audio interface with SPDIF input, all for the same price as a brand new XL+, with money to spare.
With the XL+ I will still need to buy studio monitors, and a rack case to hold it. This will come out to be around $700-800 more than the Ax8 option.
I actually have another option because a local guitar store near me has an older Axe Fx 2 in stock that they briefly used for their store studio to record product demos. This unit has been sitting untouched locked in a rack case in their studio for the last year, and they told me they would sell it to me for $1800. I am weary of buying devices like this used, because who knows how they took care of it, and it would have no warranty. This option would put me slightly above a brand new XL+ if you factor in the studio monitors.
The Ax8 would be the cheapest option, on paper give me what I am looking for, and I would still have money left over. It would also be portable for the times when I do jam with friends, and it would be gig ready if I ever do play in a band. What I am worried about is if the limitations of the Ax8 would end up annoying me. I don't play with really complex tones, but the tones that I do like include Eric Johnson's clean and lead tones, Van Halen's tone from the first 2 records, George Lynch, Andy Timmons, SRV, and cool funk clean tones such as "One Thing Leads To Another" by The Fixx.
Some of those require heavy reverb and delay, plus a sprinkling of other effects. I have dug around in the Ax8 section of this form and I have seen people complain about hitting max CPU just trying to set up a standard Amp, Cab, Boost, Delay, and Reverb chain. People tell them to lower reverb settings or use spring reverb. Well for things like Van Halen or Lynch, spring reverb doesn't cut it.
The thing is that if I am spending a lot of money like this, I don't want to have to compromise on anything tone wise. I guess the problem is that I don't know if I will have to, based on my needs. The only way I can know is if I either sit down with an Ax8, or someone reassures me that I can get those tones with CPU to spare, and maybe even proves it to me by posting pics/clips.
One thing that appeals to me with either unit is that I can virtually recreate any rig I want. It would be colt watch those Rig Rundowns on Youtube knowing that I can go into Axe Edit and recreate the rig using the same amp model, and try to recreate the tone. Although I think the Axe Fx is more flexible in that sense than the Ax8 is.
In the end I really don't know which way to go, which is why I want to hear opinions from others. Preferably those that own both.
Even with a $3k budget, there is a part of me that feels guilty somehow going the Axe Fx direction because even though it doesn't hurt me financially, it seems like it is overkill for someone who just noodles around at home. Although I do understand the importance of having inspiring tone that makes you want to play/practice.
Ax8 seems like a better bang for the buck, but I am afraid that ultimately it will block me with its limitations.
This is a very long post, but I really want to make sure I do this purchase right.
Playing out for me is very rare. Occasionally I will jam with a friend, but I no longer play in a band, and don't expect to be in one any time soon. (although who knows). So with that said I am 95% of the time a home player.
I currently have a hot rod deville, roland cube 30x, and a Fender Gdec. Both the cube and Gdec allow me to practice at low volumes, but the tone isn't very inspiring. The deville needs to be cranked up to get good tone but I can't do that anymore with my living situation. Using pedals at low volume doesn't sound good to me. The Gdec has USB recording capability, but it sounds like crap. I tried to use the usb interface capability to run Amplitube and TH2 but didn't like the tone of either.
This leads me to going with a dedicated processor. This is a large purchase for me, and it has been something I have been thinking about doing for a couple of years actually. I could possibly spend a lot less money to solve my problems outlined above, but I want to do this right. I have carved out a budget of a little over $3k to do this.
A few months ago, it would have been an easy decision because there was only 1 choice. The Axe Fx 2. Now with the addition of the Ax8 it is harder. I am aware of the differences between the two, and I am aware that the Ax8 was designed to be a unit for performing musicians. The problem for me is that since I am brand new to Fractal products, I cannot really determine how extensively I will use the different features. I know that the Ax8 has a less powerful CPU which doesn't allow as much flexibility as the Axe Fx, but I am not sure if that will be enough for me, or if I will want more.
The Ax8 is $1000 cheaper. I would be able to get an Ax8, studio monitors, and an audio interface with SPDIF input, all for the same price as a brand new XL+, with money to spare.
With the XL+ I will still need to buy studio monitors, and a rack case to hold it. This will come out to be around $700-800 more than the Ax8 option.
I actually have another option because a local guitar store near me has an older Axe Fx 2 in stock that they briefly used for their store studio to record product demos. This unit has been sitting untouched locked in a rack case in their studio for the last year, and they told me they would sell it to me for $1800. I am weary of buying devices like this used, because who knows how they took care of it, and it would have no warranty. This option would put me slightly above a brand new XL+ if you factor in the studio monitors.
The Ax8 would be the cheapest option, on paper give me what I am looking for, and I would still have money left over. It would also be portable for the times when I do jam with friends, and it would be gig ready if I ever do play in a band. What I am worried about is if the limitations of the Ax8 would end up annoying me. I don't play with really complex tones, but the tones that I do like include Eric Johnson's clean and lead tones, Van Halen's tone from the first 2 records, George Lynch, Andy Timmons, SRV, and cool funk clean tones such as "One Thing Leads To Another" by The Fixx.
Some of those require heavy reverb and delay, plus a sprinkling of other effects. I have dug around in the Ax8 section of this form and I have seen people complain about hitting max CPU just trying to set up a standard Amp, Cab, Boost, Delay, and Reverb chain. People tell them to lower reverb settings or use spring reverb. Well for things like Van Halen or Lynch, spring reverb doesn't cut it.
The thing is that if I am spending a lot of money like this, I don't want to have to compromise on anything tone wise. I guess the problem is that I don't know if I will have to, based on my needs. The only way I can know is if I either sit down with an Ax8, or someone reassures me that I can get those tones with CPU to spare, and maybe even proves it to me by posting pics/clips.
One thing that appeals to me with either unit is that I can virtually recreate any rig I want. It would be colt watch those Rig Rundowns on Youtube knowing that I can go into Axe Edit and recreate the rig using the same amp model, and try to recreate the tone. Although I think the Axe Fx is more flexible in that sense than the Ax8 is.
In the end I really don't know which way to go, which is why I want to hear opinions from others. Preferably those that own both.
Even with a $3k budget, there is a part of me that feels guilty somehow going the Axe Fx direction because even though it doesn't hurt me financially, it seems like it is overkill for someone who just noodles around at home. Although I do understand the importance of having inspiring tone that makes you want to play/practice.
Ax8 seems like a better bang for the buck, but I am afraid that ultimately it will block me with its limitations.
This is a very long post, but I really want to make sure I do this purchase right.