FM3 Firmware Version 8.00 beta 1

Status
Not open for further replies.
I use a feature of the editor very often, that may not be known to everyone.

That is: holding SHIFT while clicking a field such as the Dyna-Cab selection field:

1.png

When you click, you'll get this:

2.png

But if you hold SHIFT and click, you get the picker-style window below, that lets you search and 'pin' the window.
That's extremely handy for large lists such as the SIC list (Amp block > Speaker) which is not a picker window by default.

3.png
 
Last edited:
Have a couple of shows this weekend. Was planning on taking my Axe fx 3, mainly due to gapless switching and the 2203 models. But now, I think I’m just going to do the beta update and go with the FM3. Don’t see any real issues reported, thanks to all of you early adopters.
 
OK, so I got a few more hours with this tonight. I am mostly a high gain chunk and crunch guy. I generally dont like playing into IRs, but tonight I think I had the best direct sound I have ever had.

The bass is clearer and punchier. The lower mids are less cardboardy. I usually EQ everything to death. I mess with the input EQ, cut 500hz after the amp because of those gross mids, and I normally had to high cut everything above 6000hz. I also had to crank the depth and 100hz or so.

Tonight, reset amp block, several of the go-tos (5153, Recto 1, FAS Modern, HBE, 6505, etc...). All of them sound great even at stock settings. A little basic EQing. Way more treble and presence than in the past. Very little extra graphic or parametric EQ. Very little input EQ. I still like a little output compression, feedback or gain enhancer. The amps sound more distinct. I found the controls more effective.

I have had Fractal units back to the Axe-FX Standard, and this is one of the most noticeable changes I can remember in regards to focusing on the chugability.

Of course, the gapless changes are cool.

And a shout out to Yek for mentioning that pin icon in the cab page that I have somehow never noticed before, lol. This makes me want to play with Cab Lab 4.
 
I had a bug happen but only once and haven’t been able to reproduce it since then:

Using FM3 Edit I build a completely new preset using quick build. Very basic in1, amp, cab, reverb, out2.

There was no sound coming from the amp block. When I put it to bypassed on either FM3 Edit or the device the sound went through. The incorrect bypass state was shown in FM3 Edit and on the device consistently.

I saved the preset and restarted the device, everything was back to normal.
 
Boot up time is 48seconds on FW8. roughly about the same as before really.
not sure how they can get that down really, as it needs to unpack Dynacabs every time it boots.
the only time boot was an issue for me, was when it crashed on fw7 and I was just standing there pretending to tap dance whilst it did its thing.
no biggie, and eventually, I'll pick up a few more FM3's as they're perfect for my needs.
 
Finally got the beta all setup and it’s pretty darn awesome!!🤩 I spent the last 5 hrs. non stop playing. Now I’m up past my bedtime. lol

I wanted to go through all the new additions, but put together a quick preset with the (Class A 30watt Brilliant) added the Nobelium OVD 1, did a bit of tweaking and 5 hours later I was still there. The Nobelium took a little fiddling about, but I like it. I was getting nice rock tones. Definitely the “feel” is really beyond anything I would have dreamed of 5 years ago when I still was a modeling skeptic. Well really it’s just like playing with a tube amp only without the constant drifting as the tubes, etc. age.

I also love the Dyna Cabs.At first I looking for a Cab IR and couldn’t decide. I just flipped off legacy and put a SM57 and Ribbon on, did some quick placement and some EQ cuts and I was set. I guess it just seems natural because that was the only way to setup a mic’d cab all my life.

So thank you FAS and @FractalAudio for all the hard work and dedication. This has been my first experience with Fractal and it has been a customer experience I thought was gone and never to return.

Sorry for the long post. It’s 2:00 AM and I’m on a playing buzz!
 
yek said:
My guess is that those who are reporting large CPU decreases, were using Amp blocks with CPU-heavy tweaks, such as some Speaker parameters, Output Compression etc.

By resetting the amp block, as advised in the current release notes, those parameters are reset to default, and therefore release the CPU load.

IF that's the case, the reports are based on incomparable situations.
Click to expand...

That’s not the case for me. I only use the drive and master volume controls, most of my presets have the Amp tone controls at default values, and I don’t tweak anything else.
 
Shask said:
I still don't love it through the IRs into monitors though. I wish we had IR technology that didn't neuter the sound and feel compared to in the room, lol.
Click to expand...
You might try those tone factor XR IRs. Specifically the 2x12 AC30 Greenback stuff. Dunno what it is but some of those really worked well for me in that regard.
 
I usually wait for the full release but I got too excited for the new features. I spent a few hours earlier today messing around with presets and I think FW7 sounded quite a bit better. Every time I played FW7 I was simply floored. The SLO100 was incredible, basically the only amp I've been playing since the DC launch. Now it just sounds off (lost it's "chewy" feel and punch), massive difference to my fingers and ears for sure.

With FW8, I'm finding amps to have more low end "chunk" for sure, but they are also quite muddy and have a general harshness that I'm struggling to dial out. I reset all of my amp blocks and set them the same as I had on FW7 (Pretty simple, I set saturation to ideal and adjust depth to taste, never felt the need to change much more as everything just sounded great at default). With FW8, the saturation switch seems like an instant mud switch.

For better or worse I do think FW8 sounds more like a real tube amp. The gain is drier and the low mids are muddier just like my actual amps. The FM3 with FW7 and DC actually got me hating on my real amps. With most tube amps I've tried, I feel like I'm constantly tweaking and never really happy which led me down a speaker quest that I can no longer afford haha. FW8 has moved me into the same camp. I sat tweaking various amps for the past hour and gave up (tried 3 different guitars). I only briefly compared saturation on vs off (think it might sound better with it off now but I'll need more time to test). I had to shut it down as the general harshness got my tinnitus flared up real nice which is something I didn't have a problem with on FW7.

I kept my DC block the same, maybe that's the problem. Orange 412 on the left, Mesa 412 on the right. Think I need to spend some time trying different mics and positions.
 
Boy_Narf said:
I usually wait for the full release but I got too excited for the new features. I spent a few hours earlier today messing around with presets and I think FW7 sounded quite a bit better. Every time I played FW7 I was simply floored. The SLO100 was incredible, basically the only amp I've been playing since the DC launch. Now it just sounds off (lost it's "chewy" feel and punch), massive difference to my fingers and ears for sure.

With FW8, I'm finding amps to have more low end "chunk" for sure, but they are also quite muddy and have a general harshness that I'm struggling to dial out. I reset all of my amp blocks and set them the same as I had on FW7 (Pretty simple, I set saturation to ideal and adjust depth to taste, never felt the need to change much more as everything just sounded great at default). With FW8, the saturation switch seems like an instant mud switch.

For better or worse I do think FW8 sounds more like a real tube amp. The gain is drier and the low mids are muddier just like my actual amps. The FM3 with FW7 and DC actually got me hating on my real amps. With most tube amps I've tried, I feel like I'm constantly tweaking and never really happy which led me down a speaker quest that I can no longer afford haha. FW8 has moved me into the same camp. I sat tweaking various amps for the past hour and gave up (tried 3 different guitars). I only briefly compared saturation on vs off (think it might sound better with it off now but I'll need more time to test). I had to shut it down as the general harshness got my tinnitus flared up real nice which is something I didn't have a problem with on FW7.

I kept my DC block the same, maybe that's the problem. Orange 412 on the left, Mesa 412 on the right. Think I need to spend some time trying different mics and positions.
Click to expand...
Try reducing master volume.
 
I have just tried the new 2203 and 2204 models, complete with my newly installed new PAF style pups (Les Paul).

With the amps set to Joe Bonamassa settings (Presence 5, Bass 10, Mid 7.5, Treble 4.5, Master 10, Gain 5) (thanks to @yek for his superb amp model write-ups) I think that if Joe was playing a small club he could take an FM3 and play to his hearts delight. It would save his back too as he would not have to carry all of those old Marshall, Dumbles, and Fender amps with him. He could just stick them all up for sale on eBay or Reverb and pocket some cash.

So, so far I have tried the new Vox AC30 and with these, I feel like I can just plug in and play. My hours of tweaking, head scratching and not quite getting the sound I want are over. And I have not even tried any other amp settings!

I love Fractal and I love my FM3.

Now, my ADAM T5V monitors sound cool. And I have never liked them ever since buying them.

I don't have time to type... I am off to play some blooze! (With a happy face!). :)
 
Last edited:
Boy_Narf said:
I usually wait for the full release but I got too excited for the new features. I spent a few hours earlier today messing around with presets and I think FW7 sounded quite a bit better. Every time I played FW7 I was simply floored. The SLO100 was incredible, basically the only amp I've been playing since the DC launch. Now it just sounds off (lost it's "chewy" feel and punch), massive difference to my fingers and ears for sure.
Click to expand...
That's funny how subjective things are, the SLO is one amp I've never bonded with, but last night I spent an hour playing with it and really digging it for the first time since I have a Fractal device.
 
so first band practice with the new update and running a stereo preset into stereo IEMs was awesome 🥳

I have no idea how they did it, but considerable CPU savings on my main preset (dropping 3-5% ) means more space for say adding a modulation block if i feel like, but it translates to being able to use two ultra-res cabs on the stereo preset and sit around 71-73% as opposed to 77-79 prior

the gapless update is huge, after 2 years of using control switches/programming gapless changing , using a different amp channel instead with no gap is awesome, everything feels snappier as well, as if you'd just done a fresh install of windows on a new PC

i made a video on the changes with the d60 mark II model as the d60 is the main tone i use but what i'm hearing:

-a slightly different voicing in the mids (less hollow ? more low mid chunk in there and more bass/depth)
-more gain/saturation (can definitely dial things back here, although the previous model needed a higher input trim to better match the real amp)
-amp level has been 'fixed' i guess, the firmware 7 model had a ton of level compared to other amps
-darker sounding, can push the treble or particularly presence more

i tried a different cab mix of something slightly brighter to better match as well, sounding great in any case
very curious to try out more tones later today

incredible work FAS 🙌 thanks
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom