FM3 purchase intention

MayPRS

MayPRS

Member
Hi,

new to the forum - apologies for any newbie mistake :)

Since I've heard the FM-3 I can't stop thinking about it... the amps sound SO REAL...

Background: I always use an amp playing live and my current unit is a Line6 HX Effects (just because I only need the effects). The FM-3 is somewhat quite an investment but it sounds amazing from the demos online. My only doubt its the practical part of the 3 switches: on the HX I have 4 switches to change between Snapshot (same as Scenes on Fractal) and, in some songs, I do use them all... Getting a FC-6 is out of the question at the moment, just don't have the budget to do so and even getting the FM-3 will be a stretch...

For a traditional amp player: it is worth the leap? I know this is a Fractal forum yes... but neverthless would like to hear your experience and thoughts on this.

Many thanks!
 
you can toggle between 2 scenes with a tap and still have 5 other functions available with the same 3 switches (tap and hold functions on each switch). This could give you access to 4 scenes on just 2 switch tap functions, with their hold functions available and a 3rd unused switch.

You can change what the switches display with Views and Layouts if you’re ok with doing that, for 198 total functions (3 switches, 2 functions each, 4 views, 8 Layouts, not including the 9th master layout).

Lots of ways to do things on here.

As for the leap, it depends on why you want the FM3.
 
You can also add an external momentary switch that can perform the same functions as the onboard switches. As far as being worth the leap for effects only? IMO, yes. The effects in the FM3 are in another league.
 
You can use any generic switch. There are actually two jacks for external devices. Each jack (via TRS jacks) allows two external switches, or one expression pedal. So, you could have up to four external switches, or two external switches and one expression pedal, or just two expression pedals. There are two limitations to the external switches though (compared to the three onboard switches): they will have no LED feedback to let you know their state, and they are global. By global I mean that they cannot change function based on footswitch layout or by preset. They will always perform the same function (where the onboard switches can change function based on footswitch layout, or by preset). So, if you set one up to be for tap tempo and tuner on hold. It will always do those functions regardless of the footswitch layout or preset you are on.
 
I use an external 2-button switch for preset up/down (on the hold functions), tap temp and tuner, which saves the FM3's switches for scene changes, and occasionally a per-preset effect switch. When playing live, I often would like just one or two more switches (I use the 2nd switch jack for an expression pedal), but there are enough options for switch configurations to make it work. Nine switches on an FM9 would be overkill for me, and I much prefer the smaller FM3 form factor, so I 'get by' with 5 switches.
 
If you read the one page double sided manual that comes with the FM3, you will see how incredible the switches can be on the FM3. They designed a great bank shift mode. Even if you don't use it, there is tap and tap hold so you really have 6 switches right out the gate.
 
MayPRS said:
My only doubt its the practical part of the 3 switches
Click to expand...
The explanation for the default factory footswitch layout is worth looking at; It's very flexible, lets you do everything, and, using the FC Edit section of the FM3-Edit application, is easily adjusted to your needs.

On that page you'll see the "Master Layout Menu (MLM)" mentioned. It's an overarching layout that makes it easy to jump directly to any other.

Using the FM3+FC6 combination opens up a lot of extra functionality, either using that default combination or by using the "OMG9" layout. Yeah, the FC6 is an additional expense but it's worthwhile.
 
While the 3 built in switches are very programmable they are just not a great experience to me because you end up basically running a navigation system with them which is the opposite of what you want when playing live. Reconfiguring them on the fly is also nowhere near as easy as it is on the HX Effects.

It's just easier to add for example a MIDI controller that can do preset/scenes changes for you and use the built in switches for something else. There's tons of options for these for various budgets.

OP, what's your intended use case for the FM3? Do you want it to replace the HX Effects or do something else?
 
laxu said:
OP, what's your intended use case for the FM3? Do you want it to replace the HX Effects or do something else?
Click to expand...
Replace the HX Effects but with added functionality of playing directly to FOH - or even both: my amp on stage but XLR outs to FOH with the FM3 amps.
 
MayPRS said:
Replace the HX Effects but with added functionality of playing directly to FOH - or even both: my amp on stage but XLR outs to FOH with the FM3 amps.
Click to expand...
So depending on if you are using them at the moment, here's some of the things you will be missing. I haven't owned the HX Effects but did have a Helix Floor for a few years.
  • Pedal edit mode. This is the mode where you can use the footswitches and an expression pedal to edit any fx settings without crouching down to turn knobs. This is one of my favorite featuers on the Helix stuff and there is nothing comparable on Fractal.
  • Easy rearrangement of footswitches. On the HX Effects you can just touch two footswitches to get the system to ask if you want to swap them. The footswitches on the FM3 are easy to rearrange from FM3-Edit via drag and drop but to my knowledge there is no such functionality from the onboard UI. You can copy/paste functionalities but those will overwrite rather than swap a switch. So it's best to pre-program your footswitch functionality when you have all the time in the world to do so.
  • Fast navigation to specific blocks. On HX Effects you can touch any capacitive footswitch assigned and instantly select that block for editing. On Fractal you only have preset options: double clicking the A-E knobs will take you to Amp, Drive, Cab, Delay and Reverb respectively. Any other navigation to block editing has to be done with the Edit button or from the Layout view. Press Edit once to go to next block, double click to go to previous block. Which block is next block is not always intuitive if parallel routing or the send/return blocks are in use. Send/return blocks are used when your signal chain doesn't fit nicely in a single row, this is not an fx loop.
  • Separate fx loops. I don't know if the HX Effects supports this, but on the Helix you could put e.g Send 1 in one place and Send 2 in another and the same for their Return blocks. The FM3 has a single stereo IN2/OUT2 as additional I/O which you can use as two separate loops but IN2 and OUT2 blocks have to be in one place in the signal chain.
  • Stereo main input. FM3's IN1 is mono for your guitar. You could use IN2 for stereo but then you lose having a stereo fx loop. Unlikely to matter for most uses tho.
  • For effects you are limited in the number of the same effect type you can put in a preset. The biggest limitation here is the single Reverb block. But you do have 4 channels in each block so basically 4 completely different sets of settings (including the model) so it's less of an issue, you just can't put a reverb in two different places in the signal chain.
What you will gain with the FM3:
  • The best amp and cab modeling in the business.
  • Better parallel routing capabilities.
  • Great headphone amp.
  • More versatile global EQ. Not sure if the HX Effects has global EQ in the first place.
  • One of the best software editors on a digital modeler. HX Edit is ok, Axe-Edit/FMx-Edit is better.
  • Slightly better pitch effects.
  • Better delay, reverb and modulation effects.
  • Routing is visually easier to comprehend as the HX Effects' displays are not the best for showing this.
  • More parameters on screen at once when editing.
  • Perform view to assign controls from any block for quick access. This can only be edited with FM3-Edit though which is a minus.
  • Stereo SPDIF output. No SPDIF input though.
 
laxu said:
So depending on if you are using them at the moment, here's some of the things you will be missing. I haven't owned the HX Effects but did have a Helix Floor for a few years.
  • Pedal edit mode. This is the mode where you can use the footswitches and an expression pedal to edit any fx settings without crouching down to turn knobs. This is one of my favorite featuers on the Helix stuff and there is nothing comparable on Fractal.
  • Easy rearrangement of footswitches. On the HX Effects you can just touch two footswitches to get the system to ask if you want to swap them. The footswitches on the FM3 are easy to rearrange from FM3-Edit via drag and drop but to my knowledge there is no such functionality from the onboard UI. You can copy/paste functionalities but those will overwrite rather than swap a switch. So it's best to pre-program your footswitch functionality when you have all the time in the world to do so.
  • Fast navigation to specific blocks. On HX Effects you can touch any capacitive footswitch assigned and instantly select that block for editing. On Fractal you only have preset options: double clicking the A-E knobs will take you to Amp, Drive, Cab, Delay and Reverb respectively. Any other navigation to block editing has to be done with the Edit button or from the Layout view. Press Edit once to go to next block, double click to go to previous block. Which block is next block is not always intuitive if parallel routing or the send/return blocks are in use. Send/return blocks are used when your signal chain doesn't fit nicely in a single row, this is not an fx loop.
  • Separate fx loops. I don't know if the HX Effects supports this, but on the Helix you could put e.g Send 1 in one place and Send 2 in another and the same for their Return blocks. The FM3 has a single stereo IN2/OUT2 as additional I/O which you can use as two separate loops but IN2 and OUT2 blocks have to be in one place in the signal chain.
  • Stereo main input. FM3's IN1 is mono for your guitar. You could use IN2 for stereo but then you lose having a stereo fx loop. Unlikely to matter for most uses tho.
  • For effects you are limited in the number of the same effect type you can put in a preset. The biggest limitation here is the single Reverb block. But you do have 4 channels in each block so basically 4 completely different sets of settings (including the model) so it's less of an issue, you just can't put a reverb in two different places in the signal chain.
What you will gain with the FM3:
  • The best amp and cab modeling in the business.
  • Better parallel routing capabilities.
  • Great headphone amp.
  • More versatile global EQ. Not sure if the HX Effects has global EQ in the first place.
  • One of the best software editors on a digital modeler. HX Edit is ok, Axe-Edit/FMx-Edit is better.
  • Slightly better pitch effects.
  • Better delay, reverb and modulation effects.
  • Routing is visually easier to comprehend as the HX Effects' displays are not the best for showing this.
  • More parameters on screen at once when editing.
  • Perform view to assign controls from any block for quick access. This can only be edited with FM3-Edit though which is a minus.
  • Stereo SPDIF output. No SPDIF input though.
Click to expand...

Wow... many thanks for this wonderful insight!!! Very clear - I can now see what I'll gain and what I will lose... Many many thanks!!!!
 
See? If you join our cult, you not only get the best tone, but also a wonderfully knowledgeable and helpful community!

For real, though, don't expect to be 100% convinced overnight. There's definitely an adjustment from going pedals>tube amp to all digital (or even the hybrid sort of rig you're thinking about). But since you already use the HX Effects, it won't be that big of a stretch. I went all digital back in 2016 or so and, while I've kept a few amps, really have no desire to ever go back. Hell, I have a closet full of REALLY nice pedals that I basically never use or even tinker with because it's such a hassle to power them and run stereo cables (reverb and delay) or, for drives, I don't want to bother with setting gain levels and running the extra power and signal cables.

I guess that's the gist; the FM3 has made me an incredibly lazy musician...
 
MayPRS said:
Wow... many thanks for this wonderful insight!!! Very clear - I can now see what I'll gain and what I will lose... Many many thanks!!!!
Click to expand...


Every few years I'll go back and buy a tube amp just to get the 'experience' and compare with the Fractal. Just to ground myself in reality every now and then.... each time I've done it, I've come away very impressed with the Fractal amp models. They are top notch and I always end up selling the tube amp I bought because I don't want to deal with all the hassle, noise, idiosyncrasies, etc.... and ultimately everything that's packed into the FM3, FM9, or AXE 3 is way cheaper than buying those amps/pedals new - so yes it's a lot of money but in the realm of guitar gear, it's actually pretty cheap and a great value.

Buying used is also another way to get a great deal ;) (Shameless plug)
 
JRod4928 said:
Every few years I'll go back and buy a tube amp just to get the 'experience' and compare with the Fractal. Just to ground myself in reality every now and then.... each time I've done it, I've come away very impressed with the Fractal amp models. They are top notch and I always end up selling the tube amp I bought because I don't want to deal with all the hassle, noise, idiosyncrasies, etc.... and ultimately everything that's packed into the FM3, FM9, or AXE 3 is way cheaper than buying those amps/pedals new - so yes it's a lot of money but in the realm of guitar gear, it's actually pretty cheap and a great value.

Buying used is also another way to get a great deal ;) (Shameless plug)
Click to expand...
Exactly. With pedals being $150-$250+ EACH (not to mention the $500-$1000 boutique pedals) and amps being $1000-$3000, it's impossible not to save money by buying a modeler... At my peak "analog" rig, I was rocking a Terra42 board with nearly $7k in pedals, plus a Mark V head and a 4x12 recto cab. With the guitar, it was nearly a $15k rig. Now, with my FM3 and Variax, I've scaled down to about a $2k rig. Much easier to replace and much easier to transport :)
 
MayPRS said:
Hi,

new to the forum - apologies for any newbie mistake :)

Since I've heard the FM-3 I can't stop thinking about it... the amps sound SO REAL...

Background: I always use an amp playing live and my current unit is a Line6 HX Effects (just because I only need the effects). The FM-3 is somewhat quite an investment but it sounds amazing from the demos online. My only doubt its the practical part of the 3 switches: on the HX I have 4 switches to change between Snapshot (same as Scenes on Fractal) and, in some songs, I do use them all... Getting a FC-6 is out of the question at the moment, just don't have the budget to do so and even getting the FM-3 will be a stretch...

For a traditional amp player: it is worth the leap? I know this is a Fractal forum yes... but neverthless would like to hear your experience and thoughts on this.

Many thanks!
Click to expand...
You have a lot of threads on the foot switches, also check out the user manual. You can configure each footswitch to go from one scene or preset to another scene\preset. Thats 6 different tones at your disposal, before you even use the tap and hold options. Also, dont forget about using 1 or 2 exp pedals. You could have one set to the delay mix level, which is turned on, but you would need to bring up the delay mix when you need it... giving you more options on how you use the FM3 FX.

Personally, I added a 2 button Mosky footswitch for $17 which gives me 5 scenes for all my presets.
 
MayPRS said:
For a traditional amp player: it is worth the leap? I know this is a Fractal forum yes... but neverthless would like to hear your experience and thoughts on this.
Click to expand...

What reference song are you looking to recreate? I'll build you a preset and record me playing it to demonstrate to you if it's worth it or not. This is an open offer for you to show the flexibility and amazing-ness of the platform.

LMK, thanks.
 
PRSfreak4 said:
What reference song are you looking to recreate? I'll build you a preset and record me playing it to demonstrate to you if it's worth it or not. This is an open offer for you to show the flexibility and amazing-ness of the platform.

LMK, thanks.
Click to expand...

In general, Brian May's base tone (Treble Booster + Vox AC30)... if I could get an approximate tone I would be more than happy. You would do that for me? Wow.. what a great community you have here... many thanks!

For reference: I usually use a Red Special with middle + bridge pickups in phase, which can be very similar to an humbucker sound :)
 
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