The Fractal FX8 is a multi-effects pedalboard from Fractal Audio Systems, announced in October 2014 and expected to begin shipping in Q4 of that year1. Where Fractal's rackmount Axe-Fx II combines amp modeling and effects, the FX8 takes just the effects and puts them into a floor unit that works like a pedalboard: "taking just the effects from the Axe-FX II and putting them into a floor unit that has a basic working format of a pedal" is how MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen described it2. It runs up to eight simultaneous effects using the algorithms made famous in the Axe-Fx II line of processors3.
The FX8 was most recently available in Mark II form and has since been discontinued, as Guitar World reports4. Fractal's current compact effects unit is the VP4.
Built on Axe-Fx II effects
The FX8's reason for being is its effect library. Fractal positioned it as a "multi-effects pedalboard" designed to deliver the company's "quality without compromise" in an effects-only floor unit3, and the press releases emphasized that it runs up to eight simultaneous effects using the state-of-the-art algorithms made famous in the Axe-Fx II line of processors1. Fractal says the high quality converters deliver ultra-low noise and pristine audio, summed up on the product page as "No tone suck!"5.
The unit is designed for unity gain and offers true bypass5, which matters to players running it alongside individual pedals or in front of a tube amp: when an effect is off, the signal passes through without loading it down. Fractal describes the FX8 as suitable for guitar, bass, and other instruments5.
The enclosure is a rugged steel chassis with aircraft aluminum end-panels and a convenient top handle5.
Controls and footswitches
The FX8 has eleven quiet, durable solid state footswitches with no mechanical contacts to fail5, arranged in two tiers so that you can easily hit the right one without a problem, as MusicRadar's reviewer noted315. Editing is done through five knobs beneath a bright display3; the Mark II's product page specifies a 160x80px display, 6 buttons, 5 knobs, and minimal menu diving5.
The footswitches divide the work:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Eight effect footswitches | Two tiers of switches for the effects blocks and presets2 |
| Bank/tuner switches | Two of the extra footswitches select preset banks, call up the onboard tuner, operate tap tempo or turn on the looper6 |
| Scene footswitch | Selects among eight scenes per preset; a scene can make several effects blocks active at once, with a stored X and Y setting6 |
The FX8 can store 128 virtual pedalboards, in banks of eight, to be recalled at will6. The scenes system is the deeper layer: each preset holds eight scenes, and a scene can switch several effects blocks on at once, each with a stored X and Y setting, so one press can change a whole combination of effects rather than one block at a time6.
There are also sockets to add footswitches or expression pedals, which can be assigned to effects2.
Amp switching, PRE and POST placement, and connections
The FX8 is designed to sit around a real amp as well as replace a pedalboard. Using the optional "four cable" setup, you can place each effect "PRE" (between guitar and amp, where pedals go) or "POST" (in the amp's send/return loop)3. That means time-based effects such as delay and reverb can run after the amp's preamp, as they would with a traditional loop, while drives and filters stay in front.
For controlling the amp itself, the FX8 has dual TRS relays for amp switching3, so it can change amp channels as part of a preset or scene rather than needing a separate footswitch.
Rear-panel connections include two switch/expression pedal jacks, USB, MIDI and more5. MIDI makes it possible to integrate the unit with other rack gear or a controller.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen reviewed the FX8 twice. His verdict on the unit as a whole:
"What you are buying into is pro-level gear in a unit that's built like a nuclear bunker, with unsurpassed audio quality6."
MusicRadar6
In the second review he went further, calling it "the most comprehensive and best-sounding all-in-one effects processor you can currently buy today"2. The UK price at the time was over £1,1006.
The FX8 and the Mark II
The FX8 can store 128 virtual pedalboards, in banks of eight, to be recalled at will56. Fractal describes it as an extremely high quality signal path delivering ultra-low noise and pristine sound quality, with "no tone suck!"5. The enclosure is a rugged steel chassis with aircraft aluminum end-panels and a convenient top handle5.
One UK reviewer's overall verdict on the FX8 was:
"What you are buying into is pro-level gear in a unit that's built like a nuclear bunker, with unsurpassed audio quality."6
At launch in the UK it sold for over £1,1006. The unit also offers USB, MIDI and more for connectivity315.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Fractal FX8 still made?
No. The FX8 was most recently available in Mark II form, and Guitar World reports that it has since been discontinued. The original FX8 was announced in October 2014 and expected to begin shipping in Q4 of that year.
Is the Fractal FX8 true bypass?
Yes. The unit is designed for unity gain and offers true bypass, so an inactive signal path leaves the tone alone. Fractal also describes the signal path as extremely high quality, delivering ultra-low noise and pristine sound quality.
Does the Fractal FX8 have an expression pedal input?
Yes. It has two switch/expression pedal jacks, and footswitches or expression pedals connected to them can be assigned to effects. USB and MIDI connectivity are also on board.
How many effects can the Fractal FX8 run at once?
Up to eight simultaneous effects, using the algorithms made famous in the Axe-Fx II line of processors. MusicRadar's reviewer called it the most comprehensive and best-sounding all-in-one effects processor you could buy at the time.
What is the difference between the FX8 and the FX8 Mark II?
The Mark II carried over the same core design, including the eleven solid state footswitches and true bypass, with an improved top-panel silkscreen design versus the original. Fractal's product page also lists an 18dB instrument input pad option for the Mark II.
Does the Fractal FX8 model amps?
No. The FX8 is an effects-only floor unit: it takes just the effects from the rackmount Axe-Fx II rather than its amp modeling. Players who want Fractal amp modeling in a floor unit would look at the AX8 or FM3 instead.
Sources (6)
- Fractal Audio Systems Announces the FX8, Premier Guitar, 2014-10-03
- Fractal Audio FX8 review, MusicRadar, 2015-10-09
- Fractal Audio Systems Announces the FX8 Multi-Effects Pedalboard, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-10-06
- Fractal Audio VP4 review, Guitar World, 2025-01-13
- FX8 - Multi-FX Pedalboard - Fractal Audio Systems, Fractal Audio Systems, 2020-09-07
- Fractal FX8 review, MusicRadar, 2015-09-07
