Blue Cat Audio Axiom V2

What Blue Cat Axiom V2 Is For

Blue Cat Axiom V2 is an amp simulation and multi-effects software designed for guitarists and bassists who want to go from idea to final sound without multiplying tools. It is suitable for home studio use for recording and reamping as well as live use as a digital rig, featuring a pedalboard logic and parallel chains to build complex sounds. Axiom fits rock and metal genres (gain, fuzz, gates, boosts) as well as ambient textures (creative delays, reverbs, modulations) and sound design thanks to its routing and integration of external plug-ins.

Main Features

Two amp channels for realistic blends

The core of Axiom is based on 2 amp simulation channels usable in parallel, each with effects before and after amplification. This architecture allows mixing, for example, a dynamic clean sound with a more compressed saturated channel, or combining two amp characters to recreate sensations close to a mic + DI setup. The result is a livelier playing experience, with a refined response and "feel," while maintaining very fine control over settings.

A powerful and highly customizable amp engine

Based on Blue Cat Destructor technology, the amp module emphasizes advanced customization: you can start from a ready-to-play preset or dive into deep editing to shape the grain, dynamics, and saturation structure. Axiom also supports loading and manipulating impulse responses (IR) within the amp simulator or via the EQ plug-in, useful for refining the speaker cabinet and mic combination and placing your guitar in the mix.

Over 100 effects and classic Blue Cat integrations

Axiom includes more than 100 effects: wah, delays, reverbs, EQ, filters, distortions, compressors, gates, and a wide range of modulations (chorus, flanger, phaser, etc.). It also features built-in versions of Late Replies (creative delays), Destructor (saturation and shaping), and Re-Guitar (signal transformation and optimization, useful for "cleaning" or adapting takes and enhancing acoustic sounds).

A standalone playing and recording station

In standalone mode, Axiom facilitates practice and production: backing track playback, one-click recording, and dedicated tools for playing with virtual instruments (metronomes, drum machines, sequencers, synths, audio player). A built-in high-precision tuner speeds up setup, while a brickwall limiter on output secures levels to prevent clipping.

Control, MIDI, and professional workflow

Axiom is designed for controlled rigs: MIDI Learn, automation, configurable macros to simplify controlling multiple parameters, and section locking to preserve parts of the sound when switching presets. Ergonomically, the interface is adjustable with an EZ mode and deeper views, featuring transparency and zoom. The engine also optimizes CPU load: no CPU usage at idle (processing stops during silence).

New Features and Improvements (Version 2.2)

Version 2.2 notably brings an update to Miaow Wah (new LFO modulating the filter with optional sync, new presets and colors), a new phase flip plug-in, latency display in the status bar, support for SysEx MIDI events, a MIDI loopback port to send events from hosted plug-ins back to Axiom's input, as well as options to ease preset management (current preset highlighting, next/previous cycling in the bank, display in Finder/Explorer). Transport and tempo synchronization is also possible via MIDI Clock and MIDI Timecode (MTC) for sending and receiving, with sync for recording and backing track playback.

Technical specifications

Type

Full software

Downloadable

Yes

Mac	OS X / macOS 10.9 or later (Intel or Apple Silicon processor)	Third-party plug-in hosting	VST, VST3, and Audio Unit (AU)
Windows	Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10 (SSE2-compatible processor, Pentium 4 or newer)	More than 100 built-in effects	wah, delays, reverbs, EQ, filters, distortions, compressors, gates, chorus, flanger, phaser, etc.
Audio interface (standalone application)	Core Audio (Mac); ASIO, MME or WASAPI (Windows, ASIO recommended)	CPU optimization	processing stops during silence
Sample rates	all supported	Built-in Blue Cat effects	Re-Guitar, Destructor, Late Replies
Latency	none	Tools for playing with virtual instruments	metronomes, drum machines, sequencers, synthesizers, audio player
Standalone application	yes	Application features	backing track playback and one-click recording
macOS	VST-2, VST-3, AU, AAX