What is everyone doing for AX8 reverb these days ?

Based on all the research I did before purchasing the AX8, I decided to keep my Empress Reverb. I’m into post rock, which utilizes heavy reverb. In my current setup, I’ve got it in the fx loop. This has been good for me, as I can load my patches with all sorts of effects and hardly ever worry about CPU limitations. Seems, though, that most people with this setup have the H9 (as opposed to the Big Sky or Empress Reverb).
 
Sonofiam said:
As far as external units, I'm fortunate enough to have an FX8 as well and have recently played around pairing it with the AX8 ...
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While I'm not in a position to be spending money right now, I'm intrigued with this as an option in the future. If you have a moment to do so, could you talk about your experiences using the two units together, perhaps in a new thread so the current one doesn't get hijacked.

Some of the top of the head questions are, do you run the FX8 in the AX8's loop, and how do you approach changing presets. (I suppose a separate midi controller could be used to change scenes and presets on both units at the same time).
 
David H said:
While I'm not in a position to be spending money right now, I'm intrigued with this as an option in the future. If you have a moment to do so, could you talk about your experiences using the two units together, perhaps in a new thread so the current one doesn't get hijacked.

Some of the top of the head questions are, do you run the FX8 in the AX8's loop, and how do you approach changing presets. (I suppose a separate midi controller could be used to change scenes and presets on both units at the same time).
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I'm still in the 'experimental' stage so I haven't completely figured out how to make everything I need work the way I want it to. As far as configuration, 4CM has been ruled out. Since they share the same effects there would be no need to run a PRE/POST chain in the FX8. I'm leaning toward simply out from the AX8 into the FX8, mainly for setup convenience, but I am going to try the AX8's loop and see which is quieter when it comes to signal-to-noise ratio.

Regarding changing presets, scenes etc..., that's where I'm a bit stuck at the moment. Having practically no experience with MIDI means I'm having to basically start at the beginning in order to understand exactly how it works. A separate MIDI controller may ultimately be the only solution for seamless joint control but I'm still trying to see if it's possible to link them in some way via MIDI. I would at the very least like to be able to sync the tempo between the two.

For now, I've been using the FX8 in stompbox mode and changing presets and scenes on the AX8 since it's the source of the core tones I use. With 2 delay and reverb blocks available in the FX8, I'm able to have just about any additional effect I need using the X/Y states of the blocks. Sticky scenes would be another good option on the FX8. Can't really see needing more than 8 different configurations in addition to the AX8's presets. If I can figure out how to sync the tempo without adding any other gear, I can live with continuing to use either of these methods.
 
I have hit the CPU limit a number of times because of verb blocks, but found that if I back down the echo density it will work fine. I always thought if I needed to drag around a Strymon\Eventide pedal, than the AX8 is not worth it, and just get rid of it. Or if you are set on getting crazy verb tones, just get the Axe FX
 
I think the ax8 is a great form factor for those who want modeled amp tones, lots of effects, and who also use hardware pedals.

I personally switched from my AxeII because the rack form factor, along with the mfc, and then all my fuzz boxes and such was just too much gear and too many cords running everywhere

The ax8 takes up no more space than the mfc, but doesn’t require a rack with it on the other end of the Ethernet cable.

On a modest sized board I can have my hardware pedals, ready and accessible, alongside the ax8 and it’s switches, giving me additional effects and amp and cab models.

The “downside” is the ax8 only can do so much at once so depending on the needs, one might consider external reverb etc. in other cases, some fuzzes like my Chasetone or NKT germaniums just sound too good to stop using.

Ax8 was a brillant way to bring the AxeII into a really portable at your feet form factor. Versatile too, as it can be a complete rig, just an amp modeler, or even just used for effects in front of an amp. Love the versatility it provides and for a great pric
 
I've been using the large spring most of the time, there's something about the..bounciness ( not sure if that's the way to describe it) of spring reverb that I really love, I recently acquired an EarthQuaker Devices Ghost Echo after trading a few drive pedals I didn't use anymore. I've been running it in the FX loop with a TC Electronic Flashback Mini. While the delays and reverbs in the AX8 are top notch, there's definitely something to be said for the ease of turning on a pedal with 3 knobs and getting a great sound. It's all about different flavors after all.

The Ghost Echo is supposed to be sound like a spooky, ambient, vintage spring reverb.
 
Sonofiam said:
I'm still in the 'experimental' stage so I haven't completely figured out how to make everything I need work the way I want it to. As far as configuration, 4CM has been ruled out. Since they share the same effects there would be no need to run a PRE/POST chain in the FX8. I'm leaning toward simply out from the AX8 into the FX8, mainly for setup convenience, but I am going to try the AX8's loop and see which is quieter when it comes to signal-to-noise ratio.

Regarding changing presets, scenes etc..., that's where I'm a bit stuck at the moment. Having practically no experience with MIDI means I'm having to basically start at the beginning in order to understand exactly how it works. A separate MIDI controller may ultimately be the only solution for seamless joint control but I'm still trying to see if it's possible to link them in some way via MIDI. I would at the very least like to be able to sync the tempo between the two.

For now, I've been using the FX8 in stompbox mode and changing presets and scenes on the AX8 since it's the source of the core tones I use. With 2 delay and reverb blocks available in the FX8, I'm able to have just about any additional effect I need using the X/Y states of the blocks. Sticky scenes would be another good option on the FX8. Can't really see needing more than 8 different configurations in addition to the AX8's presets. If I can figure out how to sync the tempo without adding any other gear, I can live with continuing to use either of these methods.
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My experience with this setup as well as advice from Matt some time ago lead me to believe that going from he AX8mains out 1 to FX8is the optimal setup rather than the FX loop.
 
bradlake said:
My experience with this setup as well as advice from Matt some time ago lead me to believe that going from he AX8mains out 1 to FX8is the optimal setup rather than the FX loop.
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Cool, thanks. It works and sounds great, didn't hear anything detrimental added to the signal configured this way, but I felt it only wise to explore all options. Downside to using the loop of the AX8 would be having to add the loop block to existing presets. If it turns out to be the better option though, so be it.
 
Sonofiam said:
Cool, thanks. It works and sounds great, didn't hear anything detrimental added to the signal configured this way, but I felt it only wise to explore all options. Downside to using the loop of the AX8 would be having to add the loop block to existing presets. If it turns out to be the better option though, so be it.
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I often use OUT 2 on my AX8 to route a DI guitar signal out to other gear, so that is the other reason I prefer it.
 
I stopped using reverb live a long time ago (completely unnecessary, I found) and in the studio I've always recorded dry and used the reverbs in ProTools. It is fun to crank up the reverb and pretend you're Devin Townsend sometimes though, but you can dedicate a few patches to that :)
 
GnarlyVomit said:
The Ghost Echo is supposed to be sound like a spooky, ambient, vintage spring reverb.
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I had a Ghost Echo as well, loved the artwork on the V3 version, just very cool look and style, really fit the sound/vibe of the pedal. It isn't really a spring emulation, although they call it one, it doesn't have any real "drip", and its actually much darker than most reverbs. Its closest to an old recording studio echo chamber than anything, with a little bit of a delay effect with it, which is what gives that psuedo "drip" sound on percussive notes.

Trick to getting the sound of the Ghost Echo in the Axe/AX8 is to add a delay block, with a very short slapback echo, in front of the reverb. I didn't save any blocks, but you can dial it in with a little tweaking to sound near indistinguishable from the Ghost Echo.
 
I run my Ax8 into my Behringer Xair12 and use the mixer's reverb. Not as convincing but very adjustable and more than adequate for the bars I play in. No one has ever commented either way on the reverb. it was just eating up all my CPU on the AX8.
 
lqdsnddist said:
I think the ax8 is a great form factor for those who want modeled amp tones, lots of effects, and who also use hardware pedals.

I personally switched from my AxeII because the rack form factor, along with the mfc, and then all my fuzz boxes and such was just too much gear and too many cords running everywhere

The ax8 takes up no more space than the mfc, but doesn’t require a rack with it on the other end of the Ethernet cable.

On a modest sized board I can have my hardware pedals, ready and accessible, alongside the ax8 and it’s switches, giving me additional effects and amp and cab models.

The “downside” is the ax8 only can do so much at once so depending on the needs, one might consider external reverb etc. in other cases, some fuzzes like my Chasetone or NKT germaniums just sound too good to stop using.

Ax8 was a brillant way to bring the AxeII into a really portable at your feet form factor. Versatile too, as it can be a complete rig, just an amp modeler, or even just used for effects in front of an amp. Love the versatility it provides and for a great pric
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Ultra was a modulation (reverb) demon and AX8 outperforms it with a better/faster processor AND the infinite power of intra-preset scene-switching to perform all the gapless tone and effect changes your heart could desire.
 
DrFunOne said:
Ultra was a modulation (reverb) demon and AX8 outperforms it with a better/faster processor AND the infinite power of intra-preset scene-switching to perform all the gapless tone and effect changes your heart could desire.
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As much as I do like the AX8, it certainly has limitations on its CPU power, and it does NOT have gapless switching, nor does scene switching resolve CPU limitations as the effects take CPU if they are active or not.

Now what your saying about the new Axe III is largely going to be true, as that should have seamless switching between 4 channels per effect block, the ability to run multiple of each block, etc. I'm on the waiting list and can't wait!
 
I used the reverb mainly to simulate a room for the IRs, now I do it with a dedicated delay so my only use for reverbs is to simulate a spring reverb eventually. If I need more reverb I usually tie a modifier to diffusion in another delay block and play with that parameter. I often use a delay block with many modifiers that turn it either into a delay, or a chorus, or a reverb. I don't need a very refined reverb.
 
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