The IK Multimedia Axe I/O is a professional 2-in/5-out audio interface -- and controller -- designed specifically with the needs of the recording guitarist in mind, providing best-in-class sound quality and powerful features aimed squarely at making your recordings faster, easier and better than ever.

See how guitar guru Joe Satriani uses the AXE I/O and AmpliTube in the studio:

Guitar Channel with Switchable Circuit Topologies

AXE I/O’s main channel offers 3 different circuit topologies. That means you have 3 different options to adapt to any type of guitar, pick-up and style so you can always dial in the perfect tone from any instrument:
- PURE: The Pure setting offers a completely transparent and ultra-accurate instrument preamp that won’t color your sound in any way.
- JFET: a Class A JFET input buffer to add subtle harmonic enhancement. A slight midrange focus adds warmth, giving you more tonal options from the same instrument.
- ACTIVE pickups don’t require a Hi-Z input, so this setting bypasses unnecessary gain stages to keep your signal path as direct, transparent and clean as possible.

All three stages offer 117 dB dynamic range to ensure the cleanest signal. And the 3 Hz – 32 kHz frequency response preserves the full sonic impact of your instrument.

AXE I/O’s patent pending Z-TONE circuit lets you dial in impedance from 1 MOhm (“sharp”) down to 2.2 kOhms (“bold”) that interacts with your pick-ups. At the maximum impedance, you’ll find… read more your sound tighter, sharper and more precise. Lighten the load and the sound becomes more thick and bold.

Two Microphone Inputs

When it comes to recording with microphones, AXE I/O offers two PURE mic preamps designed for transparent and clean recording. These mic pres offer a wide, flat frequency response: 5 Hz to 32 kHz (+/- 0.5 dB at 96 kHz) to avoid unwanted coloration and perfectly preserve the sonic character of your acoustic guitar, piano or other instrument, and maintain the character of whichever mics you connect.

They offer 116 dB of dynamic range, for ultra-quiet sound perfect for recording even the most delicate instruments, but make it easy to also pull back and record the loudest amp stack.

Re-Amping Made Simple

AXE I/O offers a simple, streamlined re-amping setup in a single box, to save you time, money and energy and open up unlimited sonic flexibility for all your guitar recordings. Just record a track with a clean copy of your guitar’s signal. Now you can use the Amp out to experiment with different amp, stompbox and microphone settings, or swap out a whole new rig!

Plays Well With AmpliTube Software

For those who prefer in-the-box modeling, AXE I/O also offers a range of useful features. First, a Preset knob lets you quickly and easily scroll through AmpliTube presets. The Preset knob can be freely assigned to any CC so you can have direct control of your preferred virtual rig. Second, two dedicated controller inputs let you connect up to two expression pedals or two single/double switches to control AmpliTube, or any other software, in real-time without putting your hands down.

Software Control Panel

Axe I/O also includes a powerful, convenient Control Panel application to manage inputs & outputs, assign routing & controller inputs. In the INTERFACE tab, you can select the active inputs digitally from the front to rear panels, so you can leave all your devices connected and switch between them from your laptop. Control gain, metering behavior, and more for both inputs and outputs, without ever needing to touch the physical unit. The CONTROLLER tab gives you control over the preset knob and 2 controller inputs. Set behavior, MIDI channel, MIDI CC #, minimum and maximum values, and more, to dial in the best settings for whatever application you want to control.

Includes AmpliTube Deluxe and More

AXE I/O offers a massive bundle of over $/€1,000 of software and plug-ins, so you have everything you need to track, mix and master your music right out of the box. The included AmpliTube Deluxe offers over 140 ultra-accurate models of guitar and bass amps, cabs, pedals, mics and more. You’ll also receive a selection of 10 of our most popular and best sounding T-RackS 5 Singles, covering the most popular processors for mixing guitar, bass, vocals and any other instrument, and mastering full tracks with a world-class sound.

AXE I/O also includes Ableton Live Lite, a fresh and easy way to write music, record audio and produce your own songs.

Connections:

- 2-in / 5-out (one low-noise Amp out)
- 2 ultra-low noise mic in/balanced line in
- Triple topology guitar input with Z-TONE
- 2 balanced monitor out / 2 line out
- Reference headphones out
- 2 fully configurable external control input
- MIDI input/output
- USB 2.0 compatible with Mac/PC

Software Included:

- AmpliTube 5 SE: Guitar amp & FX modeling software with 77 essential gear models.
- AmpliTube 4 Deluxe: Hyper realistic guitar amp and FX software with over 140 pieces of gear.
- Ableton Live Lite recording software.
- TONEX SE: Standalone application and plug-in to create, play and share Tone Models. Includes 200 Tone Models.

Model the sound of any amp, cabinet, combo or pedal, and turn it into a plug-in to use on both Mac/PC or iPhone and iPad for the ultimate mobile experience. Explore ToneNET and play with thousands of the most sought-after amps right from your mobile device.

Features:

- Selectable Active/Passive/discrete JFET/Pure instrument preamp
- Patent-pending Z-Tone variable impedance Hi-Z input re-shapes the sound of instruments to dramatically re- shape the tone of your guitar, or precisely match the impedance of a virtual gear model
- Front-panel Amp Out for easy re-amping, with no need for a direct box and no ground loops or noise
- Front-panel 1/4" return lets you add external pedal FX without the need to re-wire rear inputs -- connect up to 2 expression pedals, single and double-switches
- Fully assignable data-knob to scroll through presets in AmpliTube 4 and other plug-ins, with freely assignable CCs 2 inputs for expression pedals or single/switches for real-time control over virtual rigs
- Built-in Tuner
- Rugged/compact metal housing
- High-resolution ultra low-noise Class A microphone preamps
- Best-in-class conversion and superior analog design
- Asynchronous USB audio, ultra low conversion jitters for premium quality
- 117dB dynamic range
- Includes control software
- Up to 192 kHz sampling rate

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