NAMM 2023: IK Multimedia reckons its new Axe I/O One is “the ultimate affordable audio interface designed for guitar and bass players” – and they might be right
With its low price tag, re-amping functionality and TONEX SE thrown in, IK appears to have nailed the brief
NAMM 2023: IK Multimedia has announced the Axe I/O One, which it’s billing as “the ultimate affordable audio interface designed for guitar and bass players”.
The cut-price design is IK’s most affordable Axe offering yet, bringing many of the features of its top-of-the-line dual-input $399 Axe I/O to a $129 single-input unit.
Returning features include the company’s Z-Tone impedance control, which adjusts the guitar input from from tighter/sharper to thicker/bolder, using IK’s terminology.
There’s also a Class A JFET buffer, which promises “midrange focus, warmth and harmonic excitement”, plus an active/passive pickup selector.
Besides the sonic features, IK has crammed plenty of the Axe series’ smart connectivity onboard, too, including an Amp Out jack for easy re-amping – or to turn your physical amp into a plugin using the included software.
Speaking of which, it’s an impressive bundle, with AmpliTube 5 SE and TONEX SE thrown into the price tag. That includes 80 pieces of already-modeled gear, plus IK’s state-of-the-art AI Machine Modeling to model any real-world equipment you own. Any plugins can be controlled remotely via the Axe I/O One’s external controller input, too.
Other Axe I/O One features include MIDI inputs and outputs, iPad compatibility and a Class A mic preamp with phantom power. Oh, and Ableton Live Lite is also thrown in for good measure. Phewph.
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It’s a comprehensive feature set, and provided you only need to record one instrument at a time, it’s hard to think of any guitar interface that offers more for the asking price of $129.
For more information on the Axe I/O One, head over to IK Multimedia.
This isn’t the only guitarist-focused interface launched this NAMM season: Apogee has also announced the Jam X, which comes with a built-in analog compressor and an extended trial of Neural DSP’s Archetype: Tim Henson software.
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Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.