Not answerable yet, probably won’t be until @AlGrenadine gets his hands on a working unit or FW.I don't know if this has been answered before but can the presets from AX8 be ported or transferred over to FM3 so you don't have to start completely over? Yeah, I know that's the fun of it, but I really dig my sound that I've crafted for myself. It took me almost 2 years to get there and of course I'm still tinkering. But jamming last night put a big smile on my face. AX8 is still money, babies.
Then the choices are clear: Figure out how to make the new size work or find another product that does the same thing in the size you want.
I agree, any guitar player could figure out how to add more switches (foot controllers, MIDI, FC-6, FC-12)....
Or at least until someone sends me a fm3 presetNot answerable yet, probably won’t be until @AlGrenadine gets his hands on a working unit or FW.
It's been posted in a few different places now that external switches will have the same functionality as the built-in switches.want the switches to have exactly the same functionality as the on-board switches
It did happen, just in a different form factor and different name. The FM3 has all of the Ares modeling and most of the effects from the Axe-Fx III. With the FC controllers, the FM3 can become an FM9, FM15 or any combination thereof.
The FM3 and FC6 together only cost $200 more than the initial price of the AX8 so my presumption is this was their thinking as the "upgrade" to the AX8.
All one has to do is go through the AX8 Wish List and look at how many boxes the FM3 check off:
Ares Modelling - Check
Tri Chorus - Check
Multi-Compressor - Check
Pitch Block from Axe-Fx III - Check
Ability to name Scenes - Check
Add Scribble Strips - Check
and so on.....
Didn't say it had all of the the Ares options, just that it will have all of the Ares modeling technology, in other words the full version, as the III. Not some ported portions like the AX8 and Axe Fx II.Just for the sake of total fairness: FM3's Firmware don't has ALL of the Ares options but not like it's gonna sound different. What I mean is that Cliff already stated that the FM3 FW shares the 'Core' elements of Ares, but had to cut out some deep parameters (just some of the ones you normaly use to 'mod' the original amp architecture) in order to work with the DSPs.
Only mention that because, just like the relation between AX8 and AXE FX II, there are some aspects of the firmware that are not ported. Whether you need those options or not, it's fair to know the info beforehand to avoid false expectations thinking all of the extreme amp 'tweakability' of the III is available in the FM3.
I'm not devaluing your stance, because your situation is your situation, and I'm right there that 22" might be too wide when they are side-to-side. I certainly like the AX-8 footprint much, much better than the 22" Helix or the even wider aircraft-carrier-sized Headrush.One big deterrent here is that the FM3+FC6 is 22" long with 9 switches vs the AX8 being 16" long with 11 switches. That 6" is a big deal to many.
That's all well and good should Fractal decide to do something with a different form factor in the future. Who knows, they may be working on one right now. At the moment the FM3 and FC controllers are what they're offering, therefore either adapt or pass on it.OR....express other ideas that FA might see as insight into what customers might want in the future as stand alone or modular enhancements to an existing or upcoming product...
When it comes to tone, I've never let form factor or size deter me from getting and using the best available gear for my needs. My switching to the AX8 live was not out of convenience over amps and pedals, it was simply the better sounding option. Now it's the Axe-Fx III with an FC6. More to carry and setup than the AX8 but it provides a better tone which is the most important thing to me. The FM3 is going to provide another layer of versatility and flexibility either at home or on the road. If that means going back to a 32" board or two smaller boards to make it work, that's exactly what I'll do.
I've played at many dive parts and small spaces, FM3 will fit fine, if it's even tinier space I don't think any musician should take those kinds of gigs, period.
i try not to take gigs where they've determined the amount of space needed for 3 musicians by having 3 people stand shoulder to shoulder.I've played at many dive parts and small spaces, FM3 will fit fine, if it's even tinier space I don't think any musician should take those kinds of gigs, period.