Fractal FX8 users question

Moltisanti

for those interested you can now assign the footswitches to do pretty much anything, e.g. split them and have 50% as scene selection, and 50% as instant Access

Wazmeister

So, my FX8 has arrived...

I bought it second hand, a few months old, and it is mint. Thing is, I'm a huge pedal (board) fan and I'm taking a risk here.

AND, I'm away from home in a hotel room, with no guitar and amp. I'm thinking... "might as well have a play with it then..." (the FX8..)

First thoughts - the FX8 is beautiful to behold; stunning build quality, incredible switches and the display is surprisingly clear. And, after a few minutes (and I'm not a tweaker) I've got it. The work flow is simple and natural, and the x/y may prove to be life change. I've downloaded FX8 Edit onto my Macbook Pro, and it is seamless with the unit.

This is gonna be fun !

Now, I just need to plug it in

meltedbuzzbox

Wazmeister said:

So, my FX8 has arrived...

I bought it second hand, a few months old, and it is mint. Thing is, I'm a huge pedal (board) fan and I'm taking a risk here.

AND, I'm away from home in a hotel room, with no guitar and amp. I'm thinking... "might as well have a play with it then..." (the FX8..)

First thoughts - the FX8 is beautiful to behold; stunning build quality, incredible switches and the display is surprisingly clear. And, after a few minutes (and I'm not a tweaker) I've got it. The work flow is simple and natural, and the x/y may prove to be life change. I've downloaded FX8 Edit onto my Macbook Pro, and it is seamless with the unit.

This is gonna be fun !

Now, I just need to plug it in

Let us know what you think after you have had a play

dindude

Wazmeister said:

So, my FX8 has arrived...

I bought it second hand, a few months old, and it is mint. Thing is, I'm a huge pedal (board) fan and I'm taking a risk here.

AND, I'm away from home in a hotel room, with no guitar and amp. I'm thinking... "might as well have a play with it then..." (the FX8..)

First thoughts - the FX8 is beautiful to behold; stunning build quality, incredible switches and the display is surprisingly clear. And, after a few minutes (and I'm not a tweaker) I've got it. The work flow is simple and natural, and the x/y may prove to be life change. I've downloaded FX8 Edit onto my Macbook Pro, and it is seamless with the unit.

This is gonna be fun !

Now, I just need to plug it in

Cool, would be interetsed in your thoughts compared to the Helix.

Wazmeister

Bit scared by this... this really could be a game changer, if it sounds like I hope...

welshboyo

Wazmeister;940924" said:

Bit scared by this... this really could be a game changer, if it sounds like I hope...

It will.....at least I'll be surprised if it doesn't..

Moltisanti

i rehearsed again with mine last night and it sounded really good in front of a clean amp. I have another rehearsal tonight where it will run in 4CM.

Scenes are such a great idea, MUCH easier than having a million presets

Wazmeister

Well, briefly plugged in the FX8 for the first time tonight..

Initial thoughts - absolutely mind blowing...

dindude

Only absolutely mind blowing, now let's see, I calculate that at 10 days before classifieds.

Really though, in the words of JohnTravolta's cronies, well-a well-a well-a huh, tell me more, tell me more.......

DavusPG

@Waz
I said I'd be surprised if you didn't end up keeping it. Have you updated to Firmware 3.0?

John_P

At the risk of going against the majority of fractal users I'm still not convinced of the need for scenes rather using presets.   I can see on the amp modelling units that using scenes can avoid the lag when switching created by changing the amp type and settings but the fx8 doesn't appear to have that problem.    

I have mine set up with a bank of presets for the amp and band I'm using it with.    One preset wouldn't be enough so I don't want to have to remember which preset and then which scene I want and the suggestions to use a preset per song just sounds like a nightmare for balancing levels and changing setlists.    Perhaps I'm missing something?

meltedbuzzbox

I am intrigued by the FX8. The one sticking point is the size.

It seems massive compared to my m9 and it only offers 2 extra presets. 

Is it that much better than the old line 6 m series sounds?

welshboyo

meltedbuzzbox;943297" said:

I am intrigued by the FX8. The one sticking point is the size.It seems massive compared to my m9 and it only offers 2 extra presets. 

Is it that much better than the old line 6 m series sounds?

Different league mate...

meltedbuzzbox

@welshboyo but is it really?

I know the drive sounds aren't exactly hard to beat but the delays and the filters etc were pretty vast and unique in some instances. 

what makes it so much better? 

welshboyo

Quality of the FX mate, the way it interfaces in 4CM, the unity levels, lack of noise, workflow, amount of presets, scenes (OK, M could do similar), on board relays for amp switching, firmware updates, build quality..

Do you want me to carry on?

octatonic

meltedbuzzbox said:

@welshboyo but is it really?

I know the drive sounds aren't exactly hard to beat but the delays and the filters etc were pretty vast and unique in some instances. 

what makes it so much better? 

Scenes, XY, Relays, audio quality, the quality of the reverb, the quality of the pitch effects and the drives are on a completely different level.

And the looper.

And the 4 cable implementation

And humbuster.

But also the implementation- it is the effects unit I always wanted but no-one made- they have thought of everything a guitarist needs to integrate a multi effects unit with a tube amp.

It is stellar.

meltedbuzzbox

I will have to hear one I guess A/B

I know the  m series is seen as cheap tat now but it still does hang with the big boys when you have it on the same board with the other stuff. The delays are better than many high end delay units etc

can't say I have ever nooticed level issues or noise. Workflow is simplistic etc

octatonic

meltedbuzzbox said:

I will have to hear one I guess A/B

I know the  m series is seen as cheap tat now but it still does hang with the big boys when you have it on the same board with the other stuff. The delays are better than many high end delay units etc

can't say I have ever nooticed level issues or noise. Workflow is simplistic etc

It depends on your needs, I guess.

None of the M series do what I need them to.

The FX8 does everything I need.

welshboyo

In all fairness the M13 I had was a great little unit, hummed though in 4CM and I had to run a hum eliminator to get rid of it, also had to switch amp channels via midi which meant buying one of those amp gizmo things.

Sounded good I admit but the FX8 does it all better and more in my eyes.

meltedbuzzbox

definitely does depend on what you want. 

I would love a multi that did it all as lugging a pedal train pro can be tedious. 

but I guess I am trying to gauge whats legit and whats hype etc. 

When we all pay big money for something we are bound to defend it and insist its awesome etc.