Bucking the Helix trend.....

Beexter

Well, I've gone and done it. After selling off a load of pedals, I've just ordered an AX8 from G66. 

Most expensive music related purchase I've ever made but looking forward to it.

Much as I loved the interface on the Helix, it was the sounds of the AX8 that drew me in.

We'll see.

guitarfishbay

Cool.

How are you going to be using it, and what sounds do you tend to go for?

Beexter

The ultimate aim is to go direct to the PA, using a powered FRFR speaker as my monitor. I have a fairly simple rig at the moment, a few pedals into a tube amp (mainly an Orange Rocker 30 head)

However, lugging a pedalboard (two actually as I have a looper, Superego etc on a smaller satellite board), amp head and large 1x12 cab to practise every week is becoming a bit of a chore - although it sounds great!

I'm hoping I can just rock up with guitar and AX8, plug into the PA and go!

THe band does basic rock/pop covers. Thing is , the Orange cuts through the mix like a champ and my previous attempts with modellers (POD, RP500) haven't had that cut. I'm hoping the AX8 changes that but it'll have it's work cut out.

thomasw88

Good man!  I'm a convert to the FX8 -  trying to get a good solid state amp as well , currently working with a Quilter Problock. which is very good.

I'm very interested in the AX8 tho.

Roland

AX8 works well directly to PA. It might take you some time to select an amp and speaker IR which will give the penetration you want, at all the right frequencies, at gig volume. The biggest problem I've had (with an AxeFX) is that some amps, such as the Dumbles, need a much higher live volume setting relative to a clean amp than they do at rehearsal volume. My second problem was with PA EQ. You've got more control in the AX8 than most PAs do. I ended up using an output EQ which brings the PA close to the sound of my monitor, and developing patches which sound good in the monitor.

Beexter

Of course, the other option is to run it straight into the front of the Orange without a cab/amp block. Doesn't solve the issue of lugging all that gear back and forth though. There's no effects loop on the Orange but the "Natural" channel is apparently incapabable of preamp distortion - it just runs straight through to the power amp (like coming into an effects return)

kjdowd

You'll absolutely love it. Let us know how you get on. 

John_P

I think you'll love it.    I've had a fair amount of different amps and modellers over the years and my ax8 has consistently sounded great.   
I found making the change over to frfr monitoring made setting up my in stage sound  easier though.  

cbellanga

Another one here..after a bit of back and forth!

Put an order to hotrox a week ago for helix when they were selling it for £1099, then canceled it as I found a used one local to me, then again the seller changed his mind so I headed back to hotrox. They were great and kept the price I paid initially even though the site was already updated back to £1224 so nice one.

Got it today but after spending the whole day testing it (against my axe fx II+) I will return it.

I guess the store guys won't be happy and although the Helix UI is miles and miles better, the fractal just sounded better to my ears.

I'm considering the AX8 now as I need the pedalboard factor. I already have the FX8 but the additional amp modelling is definitely a plus.

Still, feel a bit shit for returning it after the guys kept the original price for me

RandallFlagg

I had an AxeFX II and now have a Helix. You will love the sounds the AX8 makes I'm sure, but I didn't like the endless pages of parameters for the amps and effects, had no idea what some of them did and it felt like programming a synth at times, midboggling. Helix has less depth of parameters but is more friendly to a simple guitarists brain. 

Also, I struggled to get a higher gain sound I was happy with on the Axe, yet others get them quickly and easily, find it in seconds on the Helix. The Helix scribble strip LCDs amd coloured LED rings around the switches are a superb advantage over the AX8.

Beexter

@RandallFlagg  - I think the "endless pages of parameters" issue is valid and certainly where the Helix UI is streets ahead. However, my plan is to set patches up on the computer (AX8 edit looks fairly straightforward - it's just the mind-boggling number of options!)
The main "amp" controls are right on top of the unit and the main effect parameter controls are one button press away (if I've got it right) so I'm hoping it'll be reasonably straightforward to make minor tweaks on the fly.

guitarfishbay

I'm really surprised you struggled with a high gain sound, IMO the typical high gain amps (Peavey, EVH, Mesa, Engl etc) are one of its strong points. I find they dial in pretty similarly to the real amps.

Just for the sake of discussion I have found that the default master volume settings are too high for most high gain amps. With most stuff I find myself setting it between 3 and 4 (and not 5 as default), and certain bassier amps really low like between 1.5 and 3 (Rectos usually). Its a taste thing though YMMV, you can feel the difference in response as you play.

Jonathanthomas83

cbellanga said:

Another one here..after a bit of back and forth!

Put an order to hotrox a week ago for helix when they were selling it for £1099, then canceled it as I found a used one local to me, then again the seller changed his mind so I headed back to hotrox. They were great and kept the price I paid initially even though the site was already updated back to £1224 so nice one.

Got it today but after spending the whole day testing it (against my axe fx II+) I will return it.

I guess the store guys won't be happy and although the Helix UI is miles and miles better, the fractal just sounded better to my ears.

I'm considering the AX8 now as I need the pedalboard factor. I already have the FX8 but the additional amp modelling is definitely a plus.

Still, feel a bit shit for returning it after the guys kept the original price for me

Good luck with that, Hotrox are absolutely the worst company I've ever dealt with in terms of getting money back within any reasonable time period. They take a very long time and keep needing reminding...and then they take a long time after that. I'll not buy from them again unless I genuinely can't get something elsewhere.

kjdowd

Beexter said:

@RandallFlagg  - I think the "endless pages of parameters" issue is valid and certainly where the Helix UI is streets ahead. However, my plan is to set patches up on the computer (AX8 edit looks fairly straightforward - it's just the mind-boggling number of options!)
The main "amp" controls are right on top of the unit and the main effect parameter controls are one button press away (if I've got it right) so I'm hoping it'll be reasonably straightforward to make minor tweaks on the fly.

I don't touch any of the endless pages of parameters and get a great sound out of mine. 

cbellanga

Jonathanthomas83 said:

cbellanga said:

Another one here..after a bit of back and forth!

Put an order to hotrox a week ago for helix when they were selling it for £1099, then canceled it as I found a used one local to me, then again the seller changed his mind so I headed back to hotrox. They were great and kept the price I paid initially even though the site was already updated back to £1224 so nice one.

Got it today but after spending the whole day testing it (against my axe fx II+) I will return it.

I guess the store guys won't be happy and although the Helix UI is miles and miles better, the fractal just sounded better to my ears.

I'm considering the AX8 now as I need the pedalboard factor. I already have the FX8 but the additional amp modelling is definitely a plus.

Still, feel a bit shit for returning it after the guys kept the original price for me

Good luck with that, Hotrox are absolutely the worst company I've ever dealt with in terms of getting money back within any reasonable time period. They take a very long time and keep needing reminding...and then they take a long time after that. I'll not buy from them again unless I genuinely can't get something elsewhere.

I've been buying from them for years and never had any problem but thanks for letting me know, hopefully that won't be the first

Bobmob

Jonathanthomas83 said:

cbellanga said:

Another one here..after a bit of back and forth!

Put an order to hotrox a week ago for helix when they were selling it for £1099, then canceled it as I found a used one local to me, then again the seller changed his mind so I headed back to hotrox. They were great and kept the price I paid initially even though the site was already updated back to £1224 so nice one.

Got it today but after spending the whole day testing it (against my axe fx II+) I will return it.

I guess the store guys won't be happy and although the Helix UI is miles and miles better, the fractal just sounded better to my ears.

I'm considering the AX8 now as I need the pedalboard factor. I already have the FX8 but the additional amp modelling is definitely a plus.

Still, feel a bit shit for returning it after the guys kept the original price for me

Good luck with that, Hotrox are absolutely the worst company I've ever dealt with in terms of getting money back within any reasonable time period. They take a very long time and keep needing reminding...and then they take a long time after that. I'll not buy from them again unless I genuinely can't get something elsewhere.

I'll second that. Endless phone calls to get a refund for an item I didn't actually receive as I cancelled the order.

Vibetronic

Beexter said:

@RandallFlagg  - I think the "endless pages of parameters" issue is valid and certainly where the Helix UI is streets ahead. However, my plan is to set patches up on the computer (AX8 edit looks fairly straightforward - it's just the mind-boggling number of options!)
The main "amp" controls are right on top of the unit and the main effect parameter controls are one button press away (if I've got it right) so I'm hoping it'll be reasonably straightforward to make minor tweaks on the fly.

I got one of these just before Christmas - I think you'll love it, it's definitely one of the best purchases I've made and saves a lot of time and effort. I've previously just used amps - I've messed about with multi-fx/racks/amp sims before, but have generally got rid after a while as I find them fiddly,  and more importantly the sound has never felt quite right. The AX8 sounds great out of the box (to me) - I run it through monitors and/or a separate FRFR extension cab at home, and the PA/FRFR at band. I've done as you intend to - set up patches on the computer - and then tweaked at band, as it does sound slightly different through the PA for whatever reason. I've found that just using the controls on the front and dialling back treble/drive fixes things. AX8-edit is really simple to use; there's a lot of depth in there, but you get used to it and the Fractal forums are pretty good. Hope you enjoy it

(The other guitarist in the band has a Helix - also sounds great, and the editing display looks amazing and (as has been said countless times) loads easier to use than the one on the AX8. I slightly prefer the sound from the AX8, but in fairness neither I nor the other chap have spent much time with the Helix as yet, so I reckon they are almost certainly on a par).

John_A

As a Helix owner I thought me it's a good thing there are products like the AX8 out there which do sound amazing, it'll keep Both companies development teams on their toes

Beexter

@Vibetronic - thanks for the reassurance. I currently use a bunch of pedals straight into the front of an Orange Rocker 30 Head.
At rehearsals/ gigs,  I only ever make minor tweaks to volume,  gain, tone and delay feedback / mix - all of which should be just as easy to adjust directly on the AX8 from what I can tell. 

I've had my tracking update from UPS - it's on it's way.... 

DavusPG

I'm a few weeks into switching to an AX8 from an FX8 & valve amp. Unfortunately getting it has coincided with the busiest period I've had at work in several years so I've barely spent any time on it - literally a few hours.

Every time I have plugged in though I've got some wonderful sounds out of it - and some shocking ones! 

I'm not delving into the all the sub menu parameters as I've never needed them in the real world. I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible and am prepared for the fact that when it comes to full band rehearsal I'll probably need to make changes and again when it comes to gigging. 

Am thinking I'll go direct to PA and monitor with a Friedman ASM eventually. 

My motivation was similar to yours: Less gear, less setup and also the ability to use the unit every time I play.  

@Roland your output EQ trick so that patches can be dialled in with a monitor is a great idea.

cbellanga

I've created a preset today that mirror my current main patch on the FX8. It took me literally 20min.
Then I've added a nice clean amp / cab to match my sound while adding a parallel FX send.

So now I can use it with my current amp as a normal pedalboard and/or to monitors / FOH with the amp/cab simulation.

All in a few hours so very happy with that!