# Best audio interface for axe fx 2



## charles22880 (Aug 18, 2012)

can anyone give me some solid recommendations on some audio interfaces that work best with the axe fx 2. im going to be recording through spdif or with the axe fx 2 can i monitor levels when recording with the usb port. im new to it and want to know the in/outs before i purchase


----------



## TGN (Aug 18, 2012)

The Axe FX 2 is a usb audio interface, so unless you want to record other things than your guitar you don't need a separate audio interface. 

If you need more inputs/outputs you could get a separate audio interface and either go digitally from the Axe to the interface (spdif), or connect through the audio out on the Axe to the audio in on the interface (this has the downside of two extra ad/da conversions).


----------



## Speculum Speculorum (Aug 18, 2012)

The problem with going completely USB is if you reamp you can't listen to your mix. Only the part that's being reamped, which is about as useful as tits on a board in my opinion. I couldn't use Spdif because when reamping you have to clock to the Axe-fx and my Saffire Pro 14 will not do it. At all. Ever. If you use Spdif with the Saffire line you HAVE to clock to the Saffire. Believe me, I'd rather use Spdif as it would make my workflow a bit quicker, but alas.

So what I do is record wet and dry tracks via USB, change the DAW output on my dry tracks, send it out through my interface's output 3 into the rear output of my Axe, and then send the signal back in via USB. It's a little more effort but it gets the job done with no audio quality loss.

So if you want to go Spdif, just make sure that whatever interface you are using can clock to an external drive. Really, as much as I love my Axe-fx, I think they screwed the pooch on the whole USB 2.0 aspect of the unit and sold people on a non-truth about the Axe-fx II - that USB would allow for easy and quick re-amping while mixing.


----------



## WiseSplinter (Aug 20, 2012)

I'm using a MOTU 828 mkii, seems to work alright, though I've only tried re-amping once just to see that it worked, and haven't touched it since. I recorded the dry with a separate DI box though, not through output3 as is usual when using the axe as the interface.

A friend is using an MBOX (not sure which one) to do the same, but is apparently using output3 from the axe through the s/pdif. He has indicated that its working well but I haven't seen/heard it myself.


----------

