🔥Introducing ICONS - Amp Modeling + FX - Plugins & Standalone

[vangrieg]

Focusrite Scarlett

They are quite different - Solo, 2i2, whatever they’re called I don’t remember. They also have different generations and those are vastly different as well.

Looks like a lot of people buy those horrible Audients these days as well.

 

[Zang Angelfire]

It's nice to have it in plugin form, but can't I achieve the identical tones with my AXE FX III Turbo ?

 

[FractalAudio]

It's nice to have it in plugin form, but can't I achieve the identical tones with my AXE FX III Turbo ?

Of course you can. Not everyone owns an Axe-Fx though.

 

[nicolasrivera]

The grid is one of Fractal’s most magical features. Why isn’t it included in the plugin, and will it be added in the future?

 

[sprint]

Strumming isn’t the highest output stuff. Hard palm muting produces more voltage

And no, you don’t need super hot pickups, the Gibson 498 thingies clip most interfaces for me.

Got one a those (Gibson SG Standard - 498T bridge). A little hotter than the Carvin (13.5k) - Trying it here also Into FocusRite 18i20 4th Gen Instr In1 w Gain @ 8 - hard strums, palm mutes >> no clipping.

 

[vangrieg]

Well you’re very gentle with strings is all I can say. 12 dBu is very low headroom.

Or you haven’t changed them for like a year

 

[davidespinosa]

The photo of the Vibrato Lux model shows a blackface Vibrolux.
See Leon's video below at time 4:46.

But the model is actually a 6G11 brownface Vibrolux:
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/...2.2F1963_brownface_Fender_Vibrolux.2C_6G11.29

cc: @FractalAudio
(for bug reports and similar, who should I cc ?)

 

[RiffDuck]

Well you’re very gentle with strings is all I can say. 12 dBu is very low headroom.

Or you haven’t changed them for like a year

I play AHB-1 Blackouts through my Volt 1 with gain at 9 o’clock and don’t clip either. And my style of play is very palm mute pedal riffy

 

[vangrieg]

I play AHB-1 Blackouts through my Volt 1 with gain at 9 o’clock and don’t clip either. And my style of play is very palm mute pedal riffy

Aren’t those active pickups? Actives have much lower peak output than passive humbuckers.

 

[RiffDuck]

Aren’t those active pickups? Actives have much lower peak output than passive humbuckers.

Yes. Interesting, I did not know that! I haven't used passives in years, but have a new guitar in the mail with some so perhaps I'll notice more issues then

 

[vangrieg]

Yes. Interesting, I did not know that! I haven't used passives in years, but have a new guitar in the mail with some so perhaps I'll notice more issues then

Yeah, it’s a bit counterintuitive

Active pickups, at least not modded, with the standard 9 volt battery, clip internally in their preamps (in addition to having weaker coil output), so they may have higher average voltage but lower peaks, the signal just hits the rail. But since it’s analog clipping, it’s not too bad and may be even desirable.

I don’t remember exactly but I believe a reasonable hot passive (not a crazy one like an x2n or whatever that nuclear power station is called) can easily produce twice as much voltage peak to peak. It’s these transient spikes that cause clipping.

 

[KFF]

Well you’re very gentle with strings is all I can say. 12 dBu is very low headroom.

Max Instrument Input from manuals in my world...

Apollo X4- +12.2 dBu
Volt 876- +12.5 dBu
Apollo X8 Gen 2- +12.6. dBu
Focusrite Red 16Line- +15 dBu
Fractal FM-3- +16 dBu
Fractal FM-9- +16 dBu
Fractal AXE-FX III- +16 dBu (front), +20dBu (rear)
Fractal AM4- +20 dBu

Inneresting on the AM4!

 

[KFF]

^^^And THAT is why I have never even bothered going direct into UA machines.

I'd use them happily (with Unison) if it was all I had. I just have a different method.

 

[vangrieg]

Inneresting on the AM4!

Yeah, I noticed that too

I could only ever use Fractal products with the highest pad settings (probably it’s not Pad on AFX, don’t remember). And even then I clip the inputs occasionally.

I wonder if that 16 dBu spec is with the maximum pad, or does the pad add headroom to 16 dBu. Also on AFX Input 2 in the back has a much better 20 dBu of headroom.

Anything less than that has always been barely usable for me. I have an Apogee Duet that has a 14 dBu input. Can play it carefully, but could never record without clipping occasionally. 12 dBu or less interfaces have always been completely unusable for me.

 

[KFF]

Also on AFX Input 2 in the back has a much better 20 dBu of headroom.

I went robot-mode.

Corrected above. tnx

 

[unix-guy]

But non-compatible presets. Even with a machine released three months ago... with similar Amp /Cab capabilities... and stripped down Expert modes?

This is a different architecture.

The AM4 and VP4 can't share patches with each other or other Fractal devices, either.

No different than when Axe Fx III was released and presets couldn't (and still can't, officially) be shared with Axe Fx II or AX-8.

Info is patchy. No demo at launch. I think this is why so many people have questions.

Demo version is in the works.

Also posted early in this thread and elsewhere.

You're an "inside" guy. Vast majority are not.

Yes, in this case I was a private beta tester... Which probably makes it more frustrating to me to see all the complaining.

This is a very cool new product(s) that has been asked for over and over for many years (and quite honestly I was incredibly surprised it was actually happening), and I feel like there's a lot of unwarranted complaints about what it can't/doesn't do rather than appreciating what it can do.

We're all (mostly) here because we LOVE Fractal. This is a fairly radical new direction. Will take some time... and clarified info... for people to understand where its all going, and how/if it fits into their world.

Agreed.

Exciting. Plenty of food for thought.

 

[unix-guy]

Did they forget to add the 4x12 greenback cab or two for the Volume 2 Bassguys and more?
The other volumes have 3 to 4 cabs....why only two for Volume 2 ??? Seems many guys would want to use a 4x12 with greenies for that Bassguy stuff......I know, I certainly would.

I think the idea is to present the amps with the cabs they actually came with.

The included cabs are those "matching" the included amps...

 

[Whizzinby]

Is anyone else getting system overload errors in the plug when cycling presets with a track playing?

My computer can run some pretty involved projects and I don’t get this issue with other amp sim plugs when cycling their presets on an active tracks

I have zero issues tweaking a preset live once selected, but trying to click between presets on an active track is consistently throwing errors.

 

[Dennis01]

One thing I have noticed on this forum is that Fractal users really like to responsive feel of the FM9 ( FM3 etc ... ) is anybody noticing a difference in feel of the plug-in ICONS software? I realize this could also be drastically a different experience by latency issues if not properly set up.... just curious.

 

[rossipedia]

Bah, who am I kidding. I'll probably snap up whichever version has the 5150s and Mark amps, ie: all the hi-gain goodies.