Canadian Musician September / October 2019 | Page 22

ROAD
TEST
IK Multimedia Axe I/O Audio
Interface with Guitar Tone Shaping
By Omar Shabbar
T
he AXE I/O from IK Multimedia is a
two-channel USB interface designed
to make home recording as easy as
plug-and-play for any guitar player.
In conjunction with the provided
software, you can track authentic guitar tones
using nothing more than your guitar, a patch
cable, and a set of headphones.
The timing for this review was perfect for me
as I’m currently tracking a solo record. I consider
myself lucky to have access to a professional
recording studio where I can choose between
a dozen amps, pedals, and mics to get some
killer sounds. What better opportunity to test
out the sonic capabilities of the AXE I/O than
by pitting it against an actual studio with high-
end gear? I’m going to record all my guitar and
bass parts with the AXE I/O and see if the tones
are good enough to meet my high standards
for guitar tone.
Overview
First, let’s have a look at the unit itself. The AXE
I/O covers the basics of any standard home stu-
dio interface: two inputs, a headphone output,
a set of stereo outputs, and MIDI in and out. The
unit also boasts some really cool guitar-centric
features. There’s a built-in tuner, an amp out to
reamp your guitar, expression/footswitch in-
puts, and the Z-Tone section. The Z-Tone allows
you to adjust the impedance of your guitar sig-
nal, choose between active or passive pickups,
and add a JFET preamp into your signal path.
These three features help shape your guitar sig-
nal to best work with the amp simulators found
in the software.
In Use
Where this package really shines is in the soft-
ware. IK Multimedia has included the newest
version of its AmpliTube guitar and bass tone
studio, 10 mixing and mastering plug-ins, and
22 C A N A D I A N M U S I C I A N
Ableton Live Lite – everything you need to start
recording.
The highlight of the batch is AmpliTube,
which is the amp and effects modelling soft-
ware. It is phenomenal. The layout will be fa-
miliar to most guitar players as it’s essentially a
standard signal path: tuner, pedals, amp head,
effects loop, cab, mics, and rack gear. In each
step of the signal path, you can choose be-
tween a few dozen simulations, all sounding
and feeling authentic. You can even mix and
match different preamps, EQ sections, power
amps, and cabs from different amps. The cab
simulation is particularly impressive; you can
choose the cab type, the speakers, the mics and
their positions, and even the type of room. The
possibilities seem endless but never feel over-
whelming because of the software’s easy-to-use
and familiar interface.
What’s really impressive is the partnerships
with third-party companies. Where most amp
simulations would take famous amps and
change the name slightly to avoid copyright
issues, IK Multimedia has invited these compa-
nies to make their own simulations, which can
be purchased as add-ons to the software. You
can buy amp, pedal, cab, mic, and rack simula-
tions from the likes of Fender, ENGL, Ampeg,
Orange, Dr. Z, Soldano, Wampler, Fulltone, Mor-
ley, and more.
Bottom line: does it sound good? Yes, abso-
lutely. Like most guitar players, I’m hesitant with
amp simulations but this unit feels and sounds
like the real deal. When I first tried the unit, I kept
taking off my headphones because I thought the
amp sound was coming out of my speakers and
reverberating in the room. That’s how good the
room mic simulation sounded. To my ear, which
I’d like to think is rather picky in regards to guitar
tones, this sounds like you’re in the studio with
headphones on, listening to your amp being
miked in another room. It’s that convincing.
As mentioned before, I’m trying to use AXE
I/O in lieu of real amps on my upcoming record.
Will the AXE I/O be on the record? Absolutely.
Will it be the only guitar tones on the record?
No. There are two reasons for this: first, I haven’t
found a clean sound I’m absolutely in love with
in AmpliTube. I’m sure this could change by pur-
chasing one of the Fender amp simulations but
in the stock amp sims alone, I’m not finding my
ideal clean sound. Secondly, my Fender Deville
is part of my sound. Its character is part of my
music and that’s not something I can emulate
in the software.
Conclusion
I have been reviewing gear for a few years
through different outlets. I’ve had some great
experiences, but this is the first time I’ve actually
gone out and purchased the unit after review-
ing it. Unless you have unlimited access to a
studio and an engineer, you should get the AXE
I/O. It’s easy to use, you can track massive amps
using headphones, and the tones are there. I
won’t be using this on every track I record, but
it’ll be on most of them and I’ll also use it for all
my writing and session work.
Whether you’re just starting your recording
career or you’re a seasoned session musician, the
AXE I/O should be on your home studio desk.
Omar Shabbar is a gigging musician
based out of Toronto. He’s also an onsite
guitar tech at The Root Down Studio
(www.therootdownstudio.com) and a
self-proclaimed gear head. In the rapidly
changing industry of modern guitar gear,
Omar attempts to discern innovation
from distraction. Check out his YouTube
channel, featuring dozens of gear reviews
and performance clips, at YouTube.com/
OmarGearReview.