# No more stomp box....Fractal Audio FX8



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Well..like the title sais, No more stomp box....Fractal Audio FX8 is IN DA HOUSE. Since the unit was annouced i was checking reviews, the possibilities and such. So, after discussing a lot with Mark Day, decided to take the chance. AND DID IT PAY OFF. A-) no more freaking tap dancing...the amount of possibilities is endless. It uses the 4 cables methode, and it's clean..VERY clean, no tone changing and all. It even changes channels on my amp. 

Before getting it i tried a TC Electronic unit...did'nt quite like it, programming the FX was a nightmare basicaly. With Fractal's software..i was up and running withing 20 minutes...then i spent an evening having fun creating my different patches/scenes for my songs. 

So, my verdict is that to get the possibilities this unit you would need to spend 2 to 3 more on so many stompbox or switchers and all. REALLY great product and well built..


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

sweet! congrats.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Congrats bud.

I want one, but I don't think I can get away with it haha. Give it a couple years.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Budda said:


> Congrats bud.
> 
> I want one, but I don't think I can get away with it haha. Give it a couple years.


 Strangely once i sold my stompboxes....it ended up even..


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

"you would need to spend 2 to 3 more on so many stompbox or switchers and all"

Yep, the switcher component is underrated and a good one will set you back. I love my FX8 as well. I bought mine with the intention of trying it out and flipping it but i simply can't do that - i expected really good from Fractal but some of the features are just incredible (the OD's for medium and pushed clean tones are stellar, the Scenes option, full blown looper and the time based and modulation effects are as expected, outstanding).

enjoy.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Man, I really want one of those! I realize I have more than enough sitting around in pedals on my pedalboard, but unfortunately, I gig often and can't afford to start parting out my pedalboard. I guess I'll just have to start saving my pennies!!


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Like hollowbody, I can't wait and part mine out either.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

Welcome to the club. I've had mine since June last year. No more GAS for pedals, the FX8 has it all for me. The effects are stellar and plentiful. And presets and setting up scenes are a big reason I would never go back. Gigging has been made much simpler.








Here's a pic of my board/roadcase that I put together recently.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Only thing i need now is 2 expression pedals... would love the Fractal one...but god damn Money exchanges makes them at around 200$


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Bob, I also have the Polytune and curious to know why you prefer it over the tuner in the FX8?


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

al3d said:


> Only thing i need now is 2 expression pedals... would love the Fractal one...but god damn Money exchanges makes them at around 200$


and $US60 for shipping....They can't/won't change the shipping cost. great pedal though, enjoying mine.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

Alex Dann said:


> Bob, I also have the Polytune and curious to know why you prefer it over the tuner in the FX8?


I'm so used to the Poytune. And there's also the fact that I have the FX8 set to Sticky Scenes. Basically, my set list for the evening is stored in the FX8. I just push up or down to move through the presets. Each song is configured for the required tones and effects with scenes within a preset. Therefore, using the Polytune just simplifies the switching. And the EP Booster is there to provide a little more volume if I need it on the fly. The only other pedal is the EHX B9 to simulate some organs sounds (which sounds incredible using the FX8 Rotary block with the expression pedal for speed control, you'd almost think there's a Hammond B3 on stage) . Also, the FX8 relays are set to switch channels on my Boogie Mark V. Best rig for me, so far.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Got it, makes sense.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

al3d said:


> Only thing i need now is 2 expression pedals... would love the Fractal one...but god damn Money exchanges makes them at around 200$


I was on the wait list for the Fractal EV-1s. It was taking forever and I couldn't wait any longer. The spring loaded Mission pedal is used for wah and rotary and the BOSS is set for Global volume. Both are built like a tank.They work great for me.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

335Bob said:


> Welcome to the club. I've had mine since June last year. No more GAS for pedals, the FX8 has it all for me. The effects are stellar and plentiful. And presets and setting up scenes are a big reason I would never go back. Gigging has been made much simpler.
> View attachment 17343
> 
> Here's a pic of my board/roadcase that I put together recently.


Nice rig! Love the master power switch on the top right! This is pretty much exactly what I would end up with. FX8, B9, solo boost and a wah. Beauty.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Nice rig! Love the master power switch on the top right! This is pretty much exactly what I would end up with. FX8, B9, solo boost and a wah. Beauty.


Re: the boost, another feature of the FX8 is each switch has 2 modes ex. if i hit footswitch 3 and it's an Overdrive, if i press it again and hold, it's the same #3 footswitch but in a different mode (yellow "Y" LED lights up ) which i can set up as the same OD but with more gain, more treble, act as a clean boost or even a different OD. It works flawlessly. I understand each person has the preferences but the unit is really a kitchen sink on its own with multiple combinations and permutations. An expression pedal (two if you prefer) and ready to go.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Alex Dann said:


> Re: the boost, another feature of the FX8 is each switch has 2 modes ex. if i hit footswitch 3 and it's an Overdrive, if i press it again and hold, it's the same #3 footswitch but in a different mode (yellow "Y" LED lights up ) which i can set up as the same OD but with more gain, more treble, act as a clean boost or even a different OD. It works flawlessly. I understand each person has the preferences but the unit is really a kitchen sink on its own with multiple combinations and permutations. An expression pedal (two if you prefer) and ready to go.


I'd read that and it may work for me, but it's a matter of ergonomics and muscle memory. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

I get the urge every once and a while to plug my Strymon Deco in the FX8 but i know it's in there…..just got to work it out : - )


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

hollowbody said:


> Nice rig! Love the master power switch on the top right! This is pretty much exactly what I would end up with. FX8, B9, solo boost and a wah. Beauty.


Thanks! The switch is mounted on a flip-back lid on a piano hinge. Easy access to wiring under the board.


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

Alex Dann said:


> I get the urge every once and a while to plug my Strymon Deco in the FX8 but i know it's in there…..just got to work it out : - )


The new firmware is about to come out. There are supposed to be some additions to capabilities. Right now, I'm still learning something new all the time with it.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

335Bob said:


> The new firmware is about to come out. There are supposed to be some additions to capabilities. Right now, I'm still learning something new all the time with it.


thx, good to know


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## 335Bob (Feb 26, 2006)

FX8 3.0 Public Beta Firmware is out.
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fx8-3-0-public-beta.109424/


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Spent a bit of time setting up my presets and tweaking a few. I continue to be blown away by this unit. I'm going to download the new firmware in the next day and continue the journey....


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## danielSunn0))) (Dec 28, 2015)

RESURRECTING! I'm very interested in buying one of these units, just curious if anyone can tell me how it does with a bunch of amp distortion. If I were to get it I would probably not use any drive effects, because I'd be playing through the front end of my Morris head that is pretty much always gained out, full crunch. How does this massive pedal react with an amp that is at all gain? Thanks in advance!

Also, if anyone here has or is considering selling, please let me know.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

danielSunn0))) said:


> RESURRECTING! I'm very interested in buying one of these units, just curious if anyone can tell me how it does with a bunch of amp distortion. If I were to get it I would probably not use any drive effects, because I'd be playing through the front end of my Morris head that is pretty much always gained out, full crunch. How does this massive pedal react with an amp that is at all gain? Thanks in advance!
> 
> Also, if anyone here has or is considering selling, please let me know.


A good chunk of the Fractal users are from the metal scene - you will be mighty fine and I wouldn't discount the overdrives in the unit, they sound really good. I saw a used FX8 on TGP for less a $US1K.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

It would act the same as any board out front of a high gain head. Time based effects sound different out front versus in the effects loop.


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## danielSunn0))) (Dec 28, 2015)

Alex said:


> A good chunk of the Fractal users are from the metal scene - you will be mighty fine and I wouldn't discount the overdrives in the unit, they sound really good. I saw a used FX8 on TGP for less a $US1K.


I have noticed this from my looking into it, but I was still curious anyway just based on the type of gain. I feel typical metal gain may fair better just based on how tight everything is, or that is the general consensus. The Morris gained out is much hairier, like a 'roided Marshall more comparatively. I thought that bit of hectic characteristic may be problematic.



Budda said:


> It would act the same as any board out front of a high gain head. Time based effects sound different out front versus in the effects loop.


That's true, but funny enough I was watching a video that actually showed how even if you run the pedal strictly out of the front of the amp, they have a setting that allows you to choose where in the signal chain the amp comes in. So you can put the amp in front of your delays and such so they don't distort heavily with the signal. 





Skip to 23:25 in to get what I mean


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

The FX8 and other similar units act as a type of buffer and help when using modulation effects in front of the amp. I found the same when using a thegigrig switcher - it made the effects sound "better". The other option that works for me (especially with conventional pedals) is turn down the mix of the effect - I usually set the mix at 9 o'clock on a delay and it works really well in through the preamp of an amp.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Alex said:


> The FX8 and other similar units act as a type of buffer and help when using modulation effects in front of the amp. I found the same when using a thegigrig switcher - it made the effects sound "better". *The other option that works for me (especially with conventional pedals) is turn down the mix of the effect* - I usually set the mix at 9 o'clock on a delay and it works really well in through the preamp of an amp.


+1 to this. I haven't used the Fractal, but my Helix has the mix turned wayyyy up on delays/choruses/etc by default. I have to turn them down quite a bit so they're not as overwhelming. 

If your Morris has an FX Loop, you can use the 4 Cable Method to have some effects up front and the rest in the loop.


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

danielSunn0))) said:


> RESURRECTING! I'm very interested in buying one of these units, just curious if anyone can tell me how it does with a bunch of amp distortion. If I were to get it I would probably not use any drive effects, because I'd be playing through the front end of my Morris head that is pretty much always gained out, full crunch. How does this massive pedal react with an amp that is at all gain? Thanks in advance!
> 
> Also, if anyone here has or is considering selling, please let me know.


Which Morris head are you using?


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## danielSunn0))) (Dec 28, 2015)

NB_Terry said:


> Which Morris head are you using?


I'm using an old head that Glen has had back a couple times over roughly 8 years, where he has endowed it with newer mods and such. 50 watts. I've been told that the main channel is based off of the clean channels of his SX series amps he used to make, but I am shocked it's based off of a clean channel because it has heaps of gain on tap. On top of that, over the years he has added 3 voicing switched on the front panel, two knobs on the back that I actually can't say what they do.. One knob has no name and the other knob just says "Raw" above it. He also added a two-knob second channel that is certainly cleaner than the first, but gets nasty if you just crank the volume. I love it so much that as soon as I played it I traded my '83 jcm800 for it without hesitation, then proceeded to sell off the bulk of other heads I own, because they do not equate to this amp by any stretch.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Sounds like a no-brainer.


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## filmosound (Feb 27, 2006)

Cool. You mean the XS series Morris amps. I have a RAW control on a different Morris amp -- it varies the amount of negative feedback.


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

Question for FX8 users - do you use the drive and/or distortion in the FX8?


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

doriangrey said:


> Question for FX8 users - do you use the drive and/or distortion in the FX8?


Yes, some of the virtual drives are as good as the real thing (BB Preamp is remarkably the same as my Xotic pedal). There is no need for me to use any pedals with the FX8.


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## doriangrey (Mar 29, 2011)

Alex said:


> Yes, some of the virtual drives are as good as the real thing (BB Preamp is remarkably the same as my Xotic pedal). There is no need for me to use any pedals with the FX8.


Are you running the FX8 in 4 cable mode?


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

doriangrey said:


> Are you running the FX8 in 4 cable mode?


No, straight to the amp.


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## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

The new FX8 MKII is on sale right now at Fractal, $999. Killer deal, I just had to buy one. I've been throught the AxeFX, AX8, Helix, Kemper, and Amplifire, started using amps again a couple months ago, the FX8 MKII is killer 4CM into an amp, I started on the pedal purchasing expedition and got about 4 pedals in and then hit the brakes, been there before and it quickly gets out of hand. The Fractal unit has everything you need and the effects quality are top notch.


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## Mr Boggie (Dec 4, 2012)

I have had an fx8 for about 3 months now. I realize that I am useless at making patches, but some of the patches I've acquired from the fx forum have made my collection of amps sound like nothing else. It's the combination of a few of them that I wouldn't of set that way in a million years. But now it's rather unreal. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

I spent a fair amount of time over the weekend editing patches and now that my new amp has an FX loop, using the 4 cable method with the FX8. It works great but the other feature I played around with today is the Relays. This is the icing on the cake as I can now switch amp channels or add the 2 boost functions that are footswitchable via the FX8. Very cool and works perfectly. As much as I give praise to the effects in the FX8, the other features like the switcher and relays system make this a great value (not to mention the great looper that comes with it as well). And it will only get better!


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