X-Mann
Experienced
Sup my gear modeling brothers? I know that you guys are already "in the know" about the AX8 & I'm still waiting for my X-mail to arrive.................but I wanted to share this little adventure with you guys......& I'll join in a lot more here once I own the precious too!
I went to Akron Ohio this weekend to watch Neil Zaza perform a concert w/ his brand new Fractal Audio AX8.
I'm a student, long time fan & fellow Kiesel Guitar (aka Carvin) lover & now professed Fractal fanatic (but I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested)!
Neil's newest CD titled "Peach" is a true master piece & a work of art. If you love great compositions, great tones & stellar/inspiring playing, then I say buy it ASAP.
Here's the stage set-up & Neil's back line too.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F8C3D2090-DE95-4B04-BDF0-A13E7AB9E0D2_zpsvjmogqf5.jpg&hash=e9197262dc89c2d0ce2de0611c0145a0)
Mark Day helped Neil get the routing of his AX8 correct for what he wanted to do & I will only comment a little bit about it. Maybe Mark will chime in w/ more details down the road.
The AX8 outputs were split & sent out different signals from what Z told me. One output was dry w/ no FX or cab modeling & went to a Matrix power amp & Wizzard guitar cab. The other had full FX & cab modeling.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F78C77E9A-A59E-4054-813E-A4B44DF6F52B_zpsxwedbxfz.jpg&hash=5d829a565c984aa827ab7c14e24519a5)
I sat front row center & the AX8 Friedman HBE guitar tone was to die for & then some. When Neil noodled around between songs, his delay setting was nothing short of perfect in my eyes!!!
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F2FA37157-9902-437E-AC7F-344818AB30BF_zps1fnvegpj.jpg&hash=9b022e102eab46d785130160712f8f69)
Zaza's using a brand new Kiesel Aries guitar built directly by Master Builder Jeff Kiesel. I knew that Neil played w/ 11's & I didn't realize what a big deal that really was....until after the concert when he said "X, you gotta play this thing" &......well....I almost couldn't! It made me rethink the awesome evening I had just witnessed too.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F628C4B42-1EC9-4CEE-A6C2-AE66901014B5_zpszekzbgzu.jpg&hash=7abfbef512305cf417fd6d12c1a3bc9e)
The AX8 tone was everything that I hoped & wanted it to be & 10x more. It's a Pro level device that was crystal clear & 110% amp like.
I may not know a lot, but I can tell when a guitarist is really feeling his tone & gear. The look on Neil's face says it all here to me.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2FC9B6E815-D853-460C-B000-E335BDD5284B_zpskr1xv97x.jpg&hash=ba5d3a160e22d5d234d6b2472bcb8d48)
I'm still patiently waiting for my name to be called & just know that it's worth the wait. The price is also right on point & where it needs to be.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F992BE267-9520-4738-9AD4-E57FD126A77E_zpscqotc8t5.jpg&hash=25c37655fb8ddb6c7c5a1ea0d4fc1baa)
I did a Kiesel guitars forum meet-up & Neil treated the boys like family.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F3B4CDFF1-8A01-4BFB-B6F4-44458EF1F7FB_zpsiyz82nsp.jpg&hash=24f49c351e5bea8c85c319d8c250cc8d)
We even carried out all his gear after the show too. He puts the AX8 is a bright orange plastic flight case w/ wheels that looks like it should transport a heart or something too. Maybe it does, since the AX8 is the heart of his new stage rig?
He's very excited to travel overseas & just take this single small AX8 board w/ him.
Peace! X-Mann
I went to Akron Ohio this weekend to watch Neil Zaza perform a concert w/ his brand new Fractal Audio AX8.
I'm a student, long time fan & fellow Kiesel Guitar (aka Carvin) lover & now professed Fractal fanatic (but I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested)!
Neil's newest CD titled "Peach" is a true master piece & a work of art. If you love great compositions, great tones & stellar/inspiring playing, then I say buy it ASAP.
Here's the stage set-up & Neil's back line too.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F8C3D2090-DE95-4B04-BDF0-A13E7AB9E0D2_zpsvjmogqf5.jpg&hash=e9197262dc89c2d0ce2de0611c0145a0)
Mark Day helped Neil get the routing of his AX8 correct for what he wanted to do & I will only comment a little bit about it. Maybe Mark will chime in w/ more details down the road.
The AX8 outputs were split & sent out different signals from what Z told me. One output was dry w/ no FX or cab modeling & went to a Matrix power amp & Wizzard guitar cab. The other had full FX & cab modeling.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F78C77E9A-A59E-4054-813E-A4B44DF6F52B_zpsxwedbxfz.jpg&hash=5d829a565c984aa827ab7c14e24519a5)
I sat front row center & the AX8 Friedman HBE guitar tone was to die for & then some. When Neil noodled around between songs, his delay setting was nothing short of perfect in my eyes!!!
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F2FA37157-9902-437E-AC7F-344818AB30BF_zps1fnvegpj.jpg&hash=9b022e102eab46d785130160712f8f69)
Zaza's using a brand new Kiesel Aries guitar built directly by Master Builder Jeff Kiesel. I knew that Neil played w/ 11's & I didn't realize what a big deal that really was....until after the concert when he said "X, you gotta play this thing" &......well....I almost couldn't! It made me rethink the awesome evening I had just witnessed too.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F628C4B42-1EC9-4CEE-A6C2-AE66901014B5_zpszekzbgzu.jpg&hash=7abfbef512305cf417fd6d12c1a3bc9e)
The AX8 tone was everything that I hoped & wanted it to be & 10x more. It's a Pro level device that was crystal clear & 110% amp like.
I may not know a lot, but I can tell when a guitarist is really feeling his tone & gear. The look on Neil's face says it all here to me.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2FC9B6E815-D853-460C-B000-E335BDD5284B_zpskr1xv97x.jpg&hash=ba5d3a160e22d5d234d6b2472bcb8d48)
I'm still patiently waiting for my name to be called & just know that it's worth the wait. The price is also right on point & where it needs to be.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F992BE267-9520-4738-9AD4-E57FD126A77E_zpscqotc8t5.jpg&hash=25c37655fb8ddb6c7c5a1ea0d4fc1baa)
I did a Kiesel guitars forum meet-up & Neil treated the boys like family.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi12.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa222%2FUDAMANN%2F3B4CDFF1-8A01-4BFB-B6F4-44458EF1F7FB_zpsiyz82nsp.jpg&hash=24f49c351e5bea8c85c319d8c250cc8d)
We even carried out all his gear after the show too. He puts the AX8 is a bright orange plastic flight case w/ wheels that looks like it should transport a heart or something too. Maybe it does, since the AX8 is the heart of his new stage rig?
He's very excited to travel overseas & just take this single small AX8 board w/ him.
Peace! X-Mann
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