The Fractal Audio Systems FX8 is a multi-effects pedalboard: a floor unit that runs up to eight simultaneous effects using the algorithms made famous in the company's rackmount Axe-Fx II line of processors1. Where the Axe-Fx II is a rack unit with amp modeling, the FX8 is an effects-only floor unit, taking just the effects from the rackmount box and putting them at your feet2. It is aimed at players who want to keep their own amp and drive pedals but replace a board of individual pedals with one programmable unit.
The FX8 is discontinued. Guitar World reports that the eight-footswitch unit was most recently available in Mark II guise but has since been discontinued3. Fractal's current compact effects unit is the Fractal Audio Systems VP4.
What it does and how it sounds
The FX8 runs up to eight simultaneous effects at once, drawn from the Axe-Fx II's effect algorithms1. MusicRadar's reviewer Trevor Curwen described it as "a pedalboard with eight simultaneous, instantly available effects blocks, each home to an effect of your choice"5. The unit is designed for unity gain and offers true bypass, so an effect that is switched off is out of the signal path entirely1.
Fractal says the signal path is extremely high quality, delivering ultra-low noise and pristine sound quality. The maker's own words for it: "No tone suck!"1. Onboard preset memories let you create 128 totally different pedalboards, each one a separate configuration of the eight blocks1.
The unit is suitable for guitar, bass, and other instruments, according to Fractal's product page for the Mark II6.
Controls and switching
The front panel is built around five knobs beneath a bright display1. The Mark II's product page describes it as easy to use, with a 160x80px display, 6 buttons, 5 knobs, and minimal menu diving6.
Switching is handled by eleven quiet, durable solid state footswitches with no mechanical contacts to fail1. Two modes cover how you use them:
- Stompbox Mode for traditional effect switching, turning individual blocks on and off like separate pedals1
- Preset memories for switching whole pedalboard configurations at once1
Connections and amp control
The FX8's rear panel gives it several jobs beyond effects:
- Two switch/expression pedal jacks for external pedals1
- Dual TRS relays for amp switching, so you can change channels on your amplifier from the unit64
- USB, MIDI and more4
- A dedicated, global 4-minute stereo looper built in1
The dual TRS relays are a notable feature for players with multi-channel amps: the FX8 can switch the amp's channels as part of a preset, alongside the effects14.
Where it came from
Fractal Audio Systems announced the FX8 in October 2014, with Premier Guitar reporting that shipping was expected to begin in Q4 20141. Guitar Interactive Magazine's Jonathan Graham covered the announcement the same month, describing it as "an effects-only floor unit" built around the Axe-Fx II's algorithms4.
The unit was later updated as the Fractal Audio FX8 Mark II, which Fractal's product page described as "a new multi-effects pedalboard designed to deliver Fractal's signature quality without compromise"6. The Mark II added an 18dB instrument input pad option compared with the original FX86.
Launch prices and the Mark II
The launch pricing picture:
| Date | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 2014 | $1349.95 direct (US)1 | Premier Guitar announcement |
| November 2018 | $999.99 list (US)7 | Bass Gear Magazine |
| 2026 review | over £1,100 (UK)2 | MusicRadar |
Bass Gear Magazine's Sean Fairchild, comparing Fractal's floor units with the Line 6 Helix in November 2018, noted that Fractal offered the FX8 for $999.99 list at that time7. MusicRadar's reviewer put the UK cost at over £1,1002.
The Mark II kept the original's rugged steel chassis with aircraft aluminum end-panels and convenient top handle6, and Fractal says its high quality converters deliver ultra-low noise and pristine audio6.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen reviewed the FX8 and called it "the most comprehensive and best-sounding all-in-one effects processor you can currently buy today"5. His review framed the unit's concept as "Taking just the effects from the rackmount Axe-Fx II, the FX8 is a pedalboard"2.
Guitar World's later coverage places the FX8 in Fractal's history: the eight-footswitch unit was most recently available in Mark II guise but has since been discontinued, with the compact VP4 now carrying the effects-only role in the company's lineup3.
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Questions
Is the Fractal Audio Systems FX8 true bypass?
Yes. Fractal designed the unit for unity gain and it offers true bypass, so when an effect is off the signal passes through without processing. The maker describes the signal path as extremely high quality, delivering ultra-low noise and pristine sound quality.
How many effects can the FX8 run at the same time?
The FX8 runs up to eight simultaneous effects. MusicRadar's reviewer described it as a pedalboard with eight simultaneous, instantly available effects blocks, each home to an effect of your choice, using the algorithms made famous in the Axe-Fx II line of processors.
What did the FX8 cost at launch?
At announcement in October 2014 the direct price was $1349.95 USD. By November 2018 Bass Gear Magazine listed the FX8 at $999.99. In the UK, MusicRadar's reviewer put the cost at over £1,100 GBP.
Does the FX8 have a built-in looper?
Yes. The FX8 includes a dedicated, global 4-minute stereo looper, so you can record and play back loops without giving up one of the eight effects blocks.
Can the FX8 switch an amp's channels?
Yes. The FX8 has dual TRS relays for amp switching, so you can change channels on a compatible amplifier from the unit's footswitches rather than reaching for the amp's own controls.
Can you use an expression pedal with the FX8?
Yes. The FX8 has two switch/expression pedal jacks, so you can connect expression pedals for continuous control of effects such as volume, wah or delay, or add external footswitches for more switching options.
Sources (7)
- Fractal Audio Systems Announces the FX8, Premier Guitar, 2014-10-03
- Fractal FX8 review, MusicRadar, 2015-09-07
- Fractal Audio VP4 review, Guitar World, 2025-01-13
- Fractal Audio Systems Announces the FX8 Multi-Effects Pedalboard, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-10-06
- Fractal Audio FX8 review, MusicRadar, 2015-10-09
- FX8 - Multi-FX Pedalboard - Fractal Audio Systems, Fractal Audio Systems, 2020-09-07
- Fractal Audio Systems AX8 and Line 6 Helix, Bass Gear Magazine, 2018-11-27
