Replacing Pedals with Axe FX

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itsgoodnow

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Hey all,

I have a large studio rack full of pedals all being fed into multiple RJM effect gizmos and controlled by a large RJM Mastermind. I was thinking of replacing the pedals that go in my loop with an axe fx (to clean up my rig, edit parameters without opening drawers etc). I would still use real amp heads/cabs.

I was wondering if anyone uses an axe fx just for the effects portion and not modeling, and if so, how you like it.

I also wanted to keep 1 of my rjm effect gizmos to just switch boosts. I wanted to link this via midi to the axe fx so I could turn real boosts on/off with the mastermind as well as control the effects in the axe fx. How much of a pain in the ass will that be. Thanks!
 
I have an FM9 I use in a four-cable setup. I don't notice a difference using the modeled pedals versus my actual pedals.

Using the Fractal to control MIDI switching is piss easy too. Hooking up my DSL100 was plug and play.
 
I use it that way. I use the AxeFx as the center piece for routing time-based effects.
I have my Eventide and Strymon gear looped into IN/OUT2 on my Axefx so I can use them when I want or combine with effects from the AxeFx. I can also just use the effects in the AxeFx.

I just setup patches to switch without moving any cables. The AxeFx can also send midi to change patches on the Eventide and Strymon gear too. It’s so flexible.

Lately I’ve been using only the AxeFx and loving it. The effects in the AxeFx are 2nd to none, just stellar. I don’t think you can find so many incredible effects built in one unit with the flexibility.

It can also reamp without any extra DI gear.
If people can afford it, I highly recommend for rack effects.
 
I do the same thing with my AXE 3 as I use it essentially as a hub. I run the following devices into the AXE 3 at once:

Real EVH Stealth 50W head
Kemper Profiler
Tonex

By utilizing the 3 effects loops on the AXE 3 I can run all of these devices into the AXE 3 and with a simple patch change it brings up either the real EVH head, Kemper or Tonex. I basically use the AXE 3 for all pre and post effects and of cab sim (with the EVH head).

The EVH head has a headphone out that allows me to run the tube head without any attenuation.

With a simple patch change I can run either the AXE 3 in its full glory, run the EVH head with pre and post effects of the AXE 3, run the Kemper with pre and post effects of the AXE 3 or run the Tonex with pre and post effects of the AXE 3.

This approach allows me to A/B back and forth between all 4 platforms by keeping the pre and post effects apples to apples and one will clearly find out how close the AXE 3, Kemper or Tonex are to the real tube amp in my case the EVH Stealth.

I also run a few stomp effects in the chain, but you will clearly find out that the AXE3's effects are pretty much spot on to the real stomp box that is being modelled with relatively little tweaking.

For monitoring I run through stereo Atomic CLR FRFR wedges. Best tone I have ever had.
 
I've been using the FX8 as a floor unit to control stereo rig live. I've really been digging it. I love that I can use it 4CM through two amps and control the channel switching with the relays. Effects are great and the utility is top notch.
 
I've been contemplating the same, but getting a VP4 instead to use with my tube amps. It seems like the perfect solution for my needs but if you're running a ton of FX at once then it may not have enough horsepower for you.
 
Good call. I have a few specialty pedals (generation loss, warped vinyl, etc), but usually what I am doing is normal gate, verb, delay, chorus. No soundscapes for me.

My switching system is just extremely complicated and I feel like I spend more time chasing issues than playing. That's kind of what made me consider ripping some of it out haha
 
itsgoodnow said:
Good call. I have a few specialty pedals (generation loss, warped vinyl, etc), but usually what I am doing is normal gate, verb, delay, chorus. No soundscapes for me.

My switching system is just extremely complicated and I feel like I spend more time chasing issues than playing. That's kind of what made me consider ripping some of it out haha
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That's why I switched.

My board had an ES-8 as its main switcher, with a Parallelizer in the effects loop of my IR-200, tons of MIDI connections, loops within loops, a routing nightmare.

Switching to Fractal just simplified everything, it replaced thousands of dollars of hardware. I run my tube head into a Suhr RL and have that in my FM9's loop, so I can seamlessly switch between the head and an amp sim. It's convenient to the point I might just ditch my DSL and run my modded 2203 clone exclusively, and use a simulated JC120 for my cleans. But honestly, most of the time I'm just using the amp sims anyway - they just sound and feel that fucking good.

What's really nice about the Fractal stuff is they never stop updating firmware and adding new gear, or upgrading existing models. And the foot controllers are super versatile.

The fact that it is fully designed to integrate with analog amps is a huge boon too. You can integrate your full head into the unit like I do, or just use it in the effects loop of your amp, or only use the preamps without power amp sims and run straight into your power amp section, or do all of this in one patch.
 
itsgoodnow said:
Hey all,

I have a large studio rack full of pedals all being fed into multiple RJM effect gizmos and controlled by a large RJM Mastermind. I was thinking of replacing the pedals that go in my loop with an axe fx (to clean up my rig, edit parameters without opening drawers etc). I would still use real amp heads/cabs.

I was wondering if anyone uses an axe fx just for the effects portion and not modeling, and if so, how you like it.

I also wanted to keep 1 of my rjm effect gizmos to just switch boosts. I wanted to link this via midi to the axe fx so I could turn real boosts on/off with the mastermind as well as control the effects in the axe fx. How much of a pain in the ass will that be. Thanks!
Click to expand...

I originally planned on using the AxeFX for this purpose as well. I wanted to run my loaded down amp into the AxeIII for effects and then out to a power amp and guitar cab. Then I found that the modeled amps were so close to my own amps' sound but at a lower noise floor. Now it's just the Axe into a SS power amp into a 4x12. It cured all of my cable and patchbay issues at once.
 
chumbucket said:
I originally planned on using the AxeFX for this purpose as well. I wanted to run my loaded down amp into the AxeIII for effects and then out to a power amp and guitar cab. Then I found that the modeled amps were so close to my own amps' sound but at a lower noise floor. Now it's just the Axe into a SS power amp into a 4x12. It cured all of my cable and patchbay issues at once.
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Which SS power amp are you using?
 
In case it helps, here is my chain. I think it’s incredibly flexible and I don’t have to mess with cables or rearrange anything for different sounds. I’m lazy and like to flip the power button and just go.

Guitar ->
-> Pedalboard (I use a simple American Looper 8 loop switcher with an EQ and 7 OD’s)
-> KHE Amp switcher ( I have 8 amps and a pair of SYN2 with 4 modules to switch between)
-> Redseven EVO Reactive Load or Suhr Reactive Load (both already plugged into the AxeFx, KHE can switch between up to 4 speaker loads)
-> AxeFx (with outboard gear connected)
-> UA Apollo Interface
-> Studio Monitors

Without changing any cables I can switch between 7 OD pedals, 12 amps if I count Synergy as 4 amps/modules, IRs and effects.
To record, no changes just start up my DAW and hit record.

To Reamp, I come out of the 2nd output on my pedalboard buffer straight into the AxeFx to record the DI track. After recording the DI track, I come out of Output3 on the AxeFx (made for DI) into my pedalboard and record the path I laid out above

So I never have to swing a cable or anything and every sound I need is a foot tap away. Can still mess with knobs on pedals and amps for fun too.
 
I'll give a dissenting opinion lol...I went the FX8 route for awhile and my experience? For Vibe, a Phase 90 and MXR Flanger it couldn't quite get there. Even with the help of the Fractal forum I always thought it was missing just a tad. Close but just a tad different. The rest was great in fact I'm looking at going the VP4 route replacing the Timeline and Mobius on my smaller board. Still will keep my 90, my Vibe and Flanger though.
 
jabps said:
I'll give a dissenting opinion lol...I went the FX8 route for awhile and my experience? For Vibe, a Phase 90 and MXR Flanger it couldn't quite get there. Even with the help of the Fractal forum I always thought it was missing just a tad. Close but just a tad different. The rest was great in fact I'm looking at going the VP4 route replacing the Timeline and Mobius on my smaller board. Still will keep my 90, my Vibe and Flanger though.
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Just playing devil's advocate here...the FX8 was discontinued about 5 or 6 years ago? The algorithms are constantly being updated. You should check out the new versions of these and report back. You might be able to find some niche effects that are hard to duplicate in the Fractal environment, but I think that the staples are covered well IMO.
 
stratjacket said:
In case it helps, here is my chain. I think it’s incredibly flexible and I don’t have to mess with cables or rearrange anything for different sounds. I’m lazy and like to flip the power button and just go.

Guitar ->
-> Pedalboard (I use a simple American Looper 8 loop switcher with an EQ and 7 OD’s)
-> KHE Amp switcher ( I have 8 amps and a pair of SYN2 with 4 modules to switch between)
-> Redseven EVO Reactive Load or Suhr Reactive Load (both already plugged into the AxeFx, KHE can switch between up to 4 speaker loads)
-> AxeFx (with outboard gear connected)
-> UA Apollo Interface
-> Studio Monitors

Without changing any cables I can switch between 7 OD pedals, 12 amps if I count Synergy as 4 amps/modules, IRs and effects.
To record, no changes just start up my DAW and hit record.

To Reamp, I come out of the 2nd output on my pedalboard buffer straight into the AxeFx to record the DI track. After recording the DI track, I come out of Output3 on the AxeFx (made for DI) into my pedalboard and record the path I laid out above

So I never have to swing a cable or anything and every sound I need is a foot tap away. Can still mess with knobs on pedals and amps for fun too.
Click to expand...
With a nice and big setup like that I'm wondering, which monitors do you use?
 
jchrisf said:
With a nice and big setup like that I'm wondering, which monitors do you use?
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I have a pair of Focal Trio6 monitors.
I got them pre-covid open box from Vintage King at a great price. Still expensive but half of the new cost these days. But they are incredibly sounding. I hear shit in songs that I’ve never noticed after I’ve listened a thousand times before.
 
stratjacket said:
I have a pair of Focal Trio6 monitors.
I got them pre-covid open box from Vintage King at a great price. Still expensive but half of the new cost these days. But they are incredibly sounding. I hear shit in songs that I’ve never noticed after I’ve listened a thousand times before.
Click to expand...
I always loved the mids on Focals. The trio6 are great monitors
 
stratjacket said:
I have a pair of Focal Trio6 monitors.
I got them pre-covid open box from Vintage King at a great price. Still expensive but half of the new cost these days. But they are incredibly sounding. I hear shit in songs that I’ve never noticed after I’ve listened a thousand times before.
Click to expand...
Wow.. $7K today for those. I bet the do sound nice. I didn't figure you'd cheap out after reading about your other gear but wow.
 
jchrisf said:
Wow.. $7K today for those. I bet the do sound nice. I didn't figure you'd cheap out after reading about your other gear but wow.
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I paid about $3700 (open box and a phone call with the rep who gave me extra discount) for them in 2019. That was expensive, but not crazy when you figure how much we pay for amps and guitars and I thought these monitors are just as important in the chain.
$7k new today, I don't know if I'd do that, doubt I would.
 
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