Fractal FX8 users question

welshboyo

No hype from me dude, it was big money but I also had a 30 day returns policy, I knew what I wanted it to do and it did and it's stayed..

Wouldn't defend anything if it was shite..

octatonic

meltedbuzzbox said:

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

I'm going to answer this- the cost of the FX8 is, frankly, a bargain- it isn't a lot of money for what it does.

I've spent thousands more in the past trying and failing to get something this good.

It isn't hype- at least not for me.

There is simply nothing that integrates as well as the FX8 with a tube amp.

If there was then I'd be using it.

Wazmeister

meltedbuzzbox 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?

Jack, honestly mate, comparing the M series to the FX8 is laughable. It really IS that superior... And I was surprised at the size, as I thought it would be much bigger.

kjdowd

meltedbuzzbox said:

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. 

I bought an FX8. It is simply awesome, and I've never tried a multi-fx that I like. The quality of the effects is superb and it integrates incredibly well with a tube amp. If that is what you are looking for, there is nothing better. I got it on the Thurs, retired the pedalboard Friday and gigged it on the Monday night. Fantastic. 

I'm not defending it because I want to justify my purchase 'cos I moved it on. Swapped it for Waz's Helix for the simple reason that I just don't get to plug into an amp much and something that would work for me live (prob FRFR, though played the Helix through my Two Rock tonight and it was immense) and at home on headphones would be a better fit for me. If I could have got my hands on an AX8 I would, but the Helix does for now. The Helix - to my ears, and without the luxury of A/Bing - doesn't sound as good as the FX8, but  it is still a fantastic unit and will get a lot more use in my situation.

If you want FX into the front of the amp, though, go FX8. Bloody amazing and changed my mind on multi-fx and modelling overnight.

meltedbuzzbox

Wazmeister said:

meltedbuzzbox 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?

Jack, honestly mate, comparing the M series to the FX8 is laughable. It really IS that superior... And I was surprised at the size, as I thought it would be much bigger.

I hear you, but I know that little unit punches above its weight, even now. 

Would you be that confident with an A/B test Warren?

Moltisanti

Waz how is it behaving with your amps ?

Wazmeister

Moltisanti said:

Waz how is it behaving with your amps ?

Yet to try it in anger really mate... Except thru the Rambler. Sounded amazing.

You know, I plugged it in and messed about for 5-6 mins. Banged the looper on, dropped a reverse track over some chords. Instant Beatles, and sounded incrdeible !!

In a way, I want to be so wrong about this. Ive got a Salvage Custom peodalboard (whch I adore) on its way... But this really could be the end of so many of my pedals.

Wazmeister

meltedbuzzbox said:

Wazmeister said:

meltedbuzzbox 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?

Jack, honestly mate, comparing the M series to the FX8 is laughable. It really IS that superior... And I was surprised at the size, as I thought it would be much bigger.

I hear you, but I know that little unit punches above its weight, even now. 

Would you be that confident with an A/B test Warren?

VERY confident Jack. I reckon ive owned everything Line 6, and I rate them actually. But, man, this FX8 is very mpressive. It seems to be just so versatile, with a great work flow... And Ive absolutely no idea what im doing yet...

meltedbuzzbox

cool, I will be round for tea and crumpets then Waz :-)

Wazmeister

You would be very welcome my friend

Cabicular

@meltedbuzzbox
It took a lot to pry my M13 off my pedal board
Main features were ease of use sounds and workflow (especially with the expression pedals, the M13 is still the one to beat as how it handles them)
FX 8 is smaller than an M13 but bigger than a M9. The drives are fair to good. The delays are nice and the reverbs are great. The modulations are a bit up and down. (Lol) but 8 simultaneous FX and a well thought out 4cm and relay switching (depending on your amp)
Is it better than the M13
Yes
Is it easier to use
No (unless you plug in a laptop)
Is it £600 better than an M13 .... Tentatively
Yes

That's as objective a review as I can give

Have I retired my M13?
Yes but I've replaced it with the Helix
Main reason is the workflow. The fractal is just too finicky and I hate having to attach computers to things just to avoid me scrolling through pages of values

meltedbuzzbox

@Cabicular

thanks for the comments, I appreciate it. 

Its good to hear certain things. Like for instance I rock a single channel amp so stuff like relay switching etc means nothing to me really. 

The one thing that really squeezes my nuts with the m9 is using multiple effects at once. If I try to turn on 2 effects at once I have to plan ahead of time and assign them to 2 specific switches or I will engage the tuner/scenes/config menu. 

There is nothing worse than engaging the tuner when the guitar is meant to be playing by its self in a section breakdown

have you got the FX8 and the helix then?

octatonic

meltedbuzzbox said:

The one thing that really squeezes my nuts with the m9 is using multiple effects at once. If I try to turn on 2 effects at once I have to plan ahead of time and assign them to 2 specific switches or I will engage the tuner/scenes/config menu. 

There is nothing worse than engaging the tuner when the guitar is meant to be playing by its self in a section breakdown

This is why scenes kick ass.

meltedbuzzbox

I have scenes, they come on when I press two buttons at the same time :-S

Cabicular

Yes and it is a simple on off for 8 Fx plus each effect has a second version you access by holding the pedal
I use that a lot more than I thought I would

eg drive 1 Crunch Y position More drive more volume
Delay 1 400ms mix 20% Y position 800 ms mix 40 %
It really makes the unit very flexible

The Helix though
I have one big patch that gives me 10 buttons
Klon (which is on all the time so I might take the button away Gain .5 volume high clean boost
phaser
King of tone through 1 of the ext loops (switch off for clean)
Next switch is a toggle between 2 Drives stacked and the King of tone labelled Crunch-Drive. Then I have a chorus and a flanger on a momentary switch. A pitch whammy which jumps an octave when I hit the foots witch and finally delay and reverb

I should do a video of what I've set up for both units

octatonic

meltedbuzzbox said:

I have scenes, they come on when I press two buttons at the same time :-S

With scenes I can switch from a clean rhythm with chorus and reverb to a drive sound with a short delay to a lead sound, channel switching the amp, with a longer delay and a phaser.

No delay in switching, it is just immediate.

This is just 3 scenes- there are 8 that are available.

I see you are in Northants- if you fancy a trip down to West Ox to check out the FX8 you are welcome.

Cabicular

The scenes are a really good feature of the FX8
If I could combine the best bets of all of these devices .....

meltedbuzzbox

octatonic said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

I have scenes, they come on when I press two buttons at the same time :-S

With scenes I can switch from a clean rhythm with chorus and reverb to a drive sound with a short delay to a lead sound, channel switching the amp, with a longer delay and a phaser.

No delay in switching, it is just immediate.

This is just 3 scenes- there are 8 that are available.

I see you are in Northants- if you fancy a trip down to West Ox to check out the FX8 you are welcome.

I may very well take you up on that sir if you have some free time at some point

meltedbuzzbox

Cabicular said:

The scenes are a really good feature of the FX8
If I could combine the best bets of all of these devices .....

you'd have a Zoom 505? :-D

Cabicular

A what now?