How many of you use FM3 as is?

MayPRS

MayPRS

Inspired
I need a compact unit, I need a modeler and I think I wanna go Fractal. Just the sheer almost perfection of the factory presets demonstrated by Frank Mueller makes me dream in owning one - heck I think most people could gig just using the factory presets!

I'm struggling with the purchase, to be honest a bit of FOMO on something newer. I'm at this forum since 2022, I love reading you guys, the amount of knowledge is amazing and the fact that Fractal answers and helps directly here (even if you are not a Grammy nominee) makes me think this is a truly excepcional company that I want to support/use their stuff.

As I said - in need of a compact unit. FM9 is too big for my case scenario. I use a G-System (heavy and big) and a Vox AC30. I need something smaller. I thought going Fender TMP (I had a QC - no thank you, not again!). I did bought a TMP a while ago but wasn't 100% convinced.

We read a lot of stuff online, some of which maybe exaggerated - keep in mind I never tried a Fractal in my life! - but these are my fears on the FM3:

  • Perception of steep learning curve and somewhat complicated UI on the unit itself
  • FM3 "end of life"? With this FW10 - reports of hitting CPU limits, no more Dynacabs...
  • Something with a bit more power about to hit the market?
  • Are 3 switches enough for most of you?

Fire away and be gentle :)
 
Hi there. While I’m not a live player I’ll give you my two cents as an owner of the non turbo fm3

The beautiful thing about fractal is it can sound outstanding with just an amp and cab. But the ability to tweak to your hearts content is always there. You don’t have to learn everything the units offer to get good tone. The factory presets are absolutely incredible and you can save certain things you like to a library for use in your own presets.

Yea there are limitations to the fm3 having the ability to run features its bigger brothers can have. But fractal has shown if it can be done they will add it and it’s incredible how much you can do w an fm3. If you get a turbo you’ll have even more gas than I do and yes you can hit the cpu limit but there’s always workarounds esp with gapless switching

Yes Dynacabs are maxed out on the fm3 but the variety currently available is more than enough for me

There’s always something coming in the future.

I do use a 2 button switch $20 to give me a little less foot dancing but what fractal offers with its layouts built into the unit is incredibly powerful on its own and you can also customize their functions as well.
 
MayPRS said:
Perception of steep learning curve and somewhat complicated UI on the unit itself
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This is of course a matter of sometimes heated debates but IMO this issue is way overblown. The learning curve is something you go through once, and it's not like you need a year to figure things out. So it's the least of the worries you should have, I believe.

MayPRS said:
FM3 "end of life"? With this FW10 - reports of hitting CPU limits, no more Dynacabs...
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It's an old hardware platform which was underpowered even when it was released, let alone now. Firware updates already start breaking things, and it won't get better. So this is a legitimate concern.

That said, what are the options, and are they better? If you need a compact device, and don't want QC or Tonex (which is a very different device anyway), there are the smallish Helixes, FM and the Chinese stuff (Hotone, Nux, and countless others). Out of all these, FM3 will sound better by far. For a while at least, it will also have better effects, although hardware may be limiting sometimes, that largely depends on what exactly you need. It can run some fairly complex presets just fine, just not all combinations of effects are possible.

I bought an FM3 recently, even though previously I used an Axe-FX III, and sometimes even that wasn't enough :D But I need a compact rig now, so there's not much to choose from.

What can you do, it's just not the best time to buy a compact floor modeler. Need great sound from a compact device, it's the FM3.

MayPRS said:
Something with a bit more power about to hit the market?
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Who knows. But if it does, sell the FM3 and buy the new thing. New devices also have issues - early firmwares have teething problems, there's not much difference sonically with older devices initially, there are waiting lists, so you can't buy them as soon as they are announced etc. etc. So even if something is announced tomorrow, it'll likely take some months before you will switch.
MayPRS said:
Are 3 switches enough for most of you?
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I would prefer 5 or 6, but this isn't the biggest problem. I have an expression pedal with a switch, and another standalone switch, so it's 5 overall. Kinda works, thanks to the configuration options in the device.
 
I don't think the learning curve is steep, but I've used Fractal gear for a long time.

I recommend getting the latest FW and factory presets and just scrolling through to find what you like - they are absolutely great and while I have bought other presets in the past, I just don't feel the need any more. Depending on your musical style, you'll probably find something that works in the first 30 or so factory presets.

I've just rejoined a Thin Lizzy tribute. I scanned the Marshall factory presets mainly to find a cab that I liked, and then used that with the FAS Crunch and FAS Hot Rod amp models. Those FAS models are excellent. I don't need any drive pedals or boosts in my main preset at all, those amp models provide all the gain and dirt that I need.

One kitchen-sink preset running at about 70% CPU (on an original non-Turbo FM3), and that's only because I had so much spare CPU that I decided to put the Reverb on max quality just because I could. Wah, Chorus, 2 delays (one in front of the amp and one after), a filter or two to allow for flexible lead break voume boost.

I couldn't be happier. Paired with a Fender FR-10 FRFR cab for on-stage monitoring (which is by far the best I have ever tried), and it is the perfect rig for me. Over the years, I have learned that less is more, and this rig draws compliments all over the place for tone.

Now that I am gigging again, I will most likely buy a Boss GX-100 as a backup. That is a great backup unit for the price, but the FM3 with FW 10 is untouchable for tone and feel. Or then again, perhaps when I finally sell my Soldano, I might, just might, buy a FM9 and relegate the trusty FM3 to backup status.
 
I can give you my personal pov:
MayPRS said:
Perception of steep learning curve and somewhat complicated UI on the unit itself
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I found this to be very very simple. I was watching videos from Leon Todd and Marco Fanton and as soon as the device came home I was already creating presets out of the box.
Let's say that this is also the only modeler where you put an amp + cab and it's already sounding glorious!

MayPRS said:
FM3 "end of life"? With this FW10 - reports of hitting CPU limits, no more Dynacabs...
Click to expand...
Hitting CPU recently is mainly because people forgot to update the presets after upgrading to FW10.
You need to take care of some little details and try avoid unnecessary blocks for the sake of "more is more"
This little box is pure magic, I don't see how it can sound bad in the future!

MayPRS said:
Something with a bit more power about to hit the market?
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FM9 then... there's no competitor for the Fractal units

MayPRS said:
Are 3 switches enough for most of you?
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I play original music... in my case yes because I have 8 sounds already available with 3 footswitches
[clean - crunch - lead] main 3 taps
[clean delay - crunch delay - lead variation] secondary 3 taps
[special 1 - options - special 2] long press 3 taps

I'm using occasionally a:
  • 2 footswitches controller (tap tempo / tuner) (20 €)
  • 4 footswitches Bluetooth controller (40€)
but most of the times only the FM3 alone..
 
Riccardo Ros said:
Hitting CPU recently is mainly because people forgot to update the presets after upgrading to FW10.
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It's not as easy as that, but it is indeed possible to never encounter any issues. It's a bit hard to predict though, depends on the combination of effects.
 
vangrieg said:
It's not as easy as that, but it is indeed possible to never encounter any issues. It's a bit hard to predict though, depends on the combination of effects.
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of course... but there are tons of resources on how to save cpu on presets.
Given the OP is not an owner and only reads this forum, sometimes users go crazy for no reason, so my point is that you should not think about power limitations when buying an FM3.
That depends also on the personal usage and preset needs... but a quick search on the forum will give a lot of information
 
Anything worthwhile is worth learning...

Guitar would have had a steep learning curve when you first began ...

Lots of people here will help you...

More footswitches are good, but the three on board can do a great deal, plus you can significantly enhance the functionality by adding a cheap external footswitch. Nothing else does as much and sounds as good in this sized form factor (IMHO!)

My FM3 does more and sounds better than when I first bought it. Whilst I can't speak for Fractal, I believe the FM3 will continue to get better as long as Fractal can shoehorn more goodness into the current CPU limits (they have been doing this for years).

There will always be something better coming out, but if you wait, you'll miss out on what is available now. If the Fractal meets your needs now, take the leap and don't look back ...
 
Riccardo Ros said:
tons of resources on how to save cpu on presets.
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Yes but they involve either compromises with effect sound or getting rid of some effects altogether. Which makes the value proposition less obvious. To me the sound of amps in Fractal products is by far the best, so there's that, but they have also been touted as the ones with the best effects. You can save CPU by removing a drive block and replacing it with the amp block's drive, but it's not quite the same. You can remove a reverb block and replace it with the cab block's room parameter to a degree, but again it's not the same. And further firmware upgrades will force you to make more and more compromises like that.

You can still have great sound, and may not even encounter big issues, but in some cases it's a problem (like the virtual capo suffered a lot after the last update).

It is what it is, it's an old platform objectively. So a new user should be aware, I think, that there are hardware limitations, and make an educated decision based on what he or she needs.
 
As I and many others have said, the money spent with Fractal has been the best music gear purchases of our lives.

Many people use older Fractal gear without issue today.

Buy one. There is a learning curve with everything. There are Tons of great how to videos and this forum for support.

Life is short, play on!
 
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The FM3 is a great piece of gear, and aside from the FM9 and the Axe, it’s the best guitar gadget there is. I like switches so I bought an FC6. But I could do it with just the 3 switches. Just takes another press or 2 to get there. As for the FOMO don’t worry about that. Jump on it now and sell when the new units are a reality. It will happen sooner or later but no one knows when that will be. Resale prices are good. Look and see how many FM3’s are listed on Reverb and take note of the prices. I have never enjoyed playing guitar more than I do right now and the FM3 is the main reason for that. There is a learning curve but with this forum and all the videos you can learn it just like you learn anything else. I’m on the original FM3 and don’t see a need to upgrade yet. It would be nice to have more juice, but I’m content with what it will do. You’ve been watching videos so you know it’s a great unit. The only other advice I have to offer is this. Don’t be a puss. Buy yourself an FM3. 😄
 
MayPRS said:
FM3 "end of life"? With this FW10 - reports of hitting CPU limits, no more Dynacabs...
Click to expand...
CPU limits are kind of "made up" problem. Some FW decrease CPU usage of certain blocks, some increase. There are ALWAYS ways around it, unless you simply insist of having everything you could possibly need in one preset. Nothing's easier than dealing with this, actually.
MayPRS said:
Something with a bit more power about to hit the market?
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Another "made up" problem. Like most people report then can't hear difference between the "economy" and "ultra" settings for Reverbs. So assume the "more powerful" unit will allow you to run "ultra" for any presets, so what?
MayPRS said:
Are 3 switches enough for most of you?
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Now this is something everyone needs to decide for himself. It certainly more than enough for gigging and studio use. Because of the flexibility, I have all 8 scenes and a tuner available on the first "view" (i.e. "footswitch scene"), all six controllers on the second "view", both drives and filter on the third "view", and three compressors on the fourth "view". On top of that, one of the switches takes me to preset selection "view", another "view" gives me all delays, etc., so yeah, I have all that I could possibly need on three switches only.

But for $20 you can have two more switches, and for $40 - four more switches, making FM3 essentially "FM7" or "FM9" or "FM21" if you'd need to, and it will be way lighter than actual FM9. Now decide for yourself if this number of switches is enough for you :)
 
Can you tell us more about how you will use this and your needs? This is important. For example, if you are playing straight ahead rock, your CPU usage is minimal. If you are doing modern praise and worship, your CPU needs are pretty high.
 
Randall d said:
Can you tell us more about how you will use this and your needs? This is important. For example, if you are playing straight ahead rock, your CPU usage is minimal. If you are doing modern praise and worship, your CPU needs are pretty high.
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Queen tribute band ;)
 
vangrieg said:
I wouldn’t worry too much about the CPU then unless that involves using the pitch block to downtune to accommodate to the vocalist.
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We don't use transpose... songs like The Show Must Go On we played them changing the actual key, not using any transpose.
 
I would think that would be a pretty low CPU demand as I don't recall Brian May using a lot of effects other than the usual delays etc. Here is what my setup looks like, and I have a great deal of switching capabilities in a compact, prewired setup. 20201003_201108.jpg
 
MayPRS said:
We don't use transpose... songs like The Show Must Go On we played them changing the actual key, not using any transpose.
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You should be good then. I don’t see a reason to worry about the CPU in your case. This kind of stuff is easy for the FM3 to handle, even the non turbo older version should be fine.
 
I use the FM3 MKII (or Turbo) every week as is. I play P&W so there are some complex presets and it handles them well (dual delays and lots of reverb). By "as is" I assume you're not disallowing an expression pedal or two stand-in switches? I could honestly do w/o the stand-in switches if needed, and sometimes consider it, but they are very compact so what would be the point?

As for worrying about the "next big thing"...don't. If history is any indicator, you'll be able to sell your unit for a very good price. FAS holds value very well. The AX8 still commands a price north of $600.
 
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