Are buttons a must

If my reading and understanding is correct anyone of these products will allow me to run stereo out to stereo pedals and back in again with no need for an amp or can block them use another out to the amps I have at home. Using those amps or cabs at home at any volume is no issue. Also I could take them on the road with me and have silent practice in hotels with virtually any amp I want the fxiii and fm9 allowing two amps getting me close or damn near there for the set ups I have at home and the fm3 allowing one amp can and with some tweaking at least get close to the tone of my two amp set ups or two channel setups and still use any amp I could ever possibly want and still get stereo effects out. So it comes down to how much I want to spend and if the extra cab block on the bigger two and the tone match on the fxiii are calling me enough to spend more now.

As I’ve mentioned my original idea was stick a toe in and just go fm3 add the extra door controls later and the axefxiii next year but the fm9 may have me satisfied to were I never need to add buttons or the fxiii. I am not a gambler and part of me says test the water first with the fm3 the other part says why spend your money twice. Go all in. The fm9 at its price just makes me think I would be better off with the first option but then if it is a once and done purchase. Ahhhh I will sleep on it. I didn’t expect to win my wife’s approval well bribe it really but either way it worked.
 
skolacki said:
I need to upgrade myself. But I keep buying guitars instead. My original non turbo 3 loses a little every update. Still sounds excellent though. Maybe this year, maybe next. If I was starting new I’d definitely go with the FM9.
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I have a non-turbo Axe 3 (not FM3, apologies for any confusion), and knock everything, I'm doing fine cpu-wise. I just reorganized a preset I've been working on, adding some of my usual toys. It's got 2 amps, 2 drives, 2 delays, DynaCab cab, my usual smorgasbord of pedals and effects, and if I'm remembering right, cpu was under 70%.

I know I could push it over the edge in various ways, some of which might be fun if I had infinite CPU, but I'm good. I've got everything I need, pretty deluxe even. I can share the preset and my standard footswitch layout if anyone's interested.

And for the record, I agree that you only need footswitches if you're gigging, rehearsing with a band, or jamming with people, i.e., in a situation where you really want to switch stuff with your feet. At home at your desk, no need, front panel or AxeEdit is fine.
 
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One thing to consider is the updates. AFX gets the cutting edge of new inventions and discoveries, and they eventually trickle down to the FM9, and possibly to the FM3. The FM3 has quite a different architecture so there’s no guarantee that features like the lovely reverbs will make it there.

Every time there’s a major update, there’s always someone posting in the release thread asking when it will come to the smaller units. It gets a bit tiring tbh. The latest update (25) is a radical leap in modelling and I would not like to be on FM3 with my FOMO.

Sounds silly but I think it’s a serious consideration - some of the updates are truly awesome and if you don’t like waiting… you might become one of those “please sir” posters! 😄

But to take a deep breath and look at it rationally, the FM9 is a perfectly awesome tool and would serve you really well. The real meat is in the modelling algorithms, and I imagine they are the priority for fractal to port, since that is their core product. So you would probably get the really good updates on the FM9 fairly quickly.
 
tysonlt said:
One thing to consider is the updates. AFX gets the cutting edge of new inventions and discoveries, and they eventually trickle down to the FM9, and possibly to the FM3. The FM3 has quite a different architecture so there’s no guarantee that features like the lovely reverbs will make it there.

Every time there’s a major update, there’s always someone posting in the release thread asking when it will come to the smaller units. It gets a bit tiring tbh. The latest update (25) is a radical leap in modelling and I would not like to be on FM3 with my FOMO.

Sounds silly but I think it’s a serious consideration - some of the updates are truly awesome and if you don’t like waiting… you might become one of those “please sir” posters! 😄

But to take a deep breath and look at it rationally, the FM9 is a perfectly awesome tool and would serve you really well. The real meat is in the modelling algorithms, and I imagine they are the priority for fractal to port, since that is their core product. So you would probably get the really good updates on the FM9 fairly quickly.
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I have never bought any tech on the assumption I would get an update, rather on the condition it does what I like, need, or want, when I get it. That way any update just feels like icing on the cake. It is a valid point in this case because it certainly does seem the afxiii gets all the love first. I do not begrudge that product that part as it seems to be part of the value for the cost which is high.
 
Bertotti said:
I have never bought any tech on the assumption I would get an update, rather on the condition it does what I like, need, or want, when I get it. That way any update just feels like icing on the cake. It is a valid point in this case because it certainly does seem the afxiii gets all the love first. I do not begrudge that product that part as it seems to be part of the value for the cost which is high.
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Yeah Fractal really stands out with updates. They’re not just house-keeping though, every now and then it’s like getting a whole new product, seriously. Like 25 might be the most radical change ever, and it’s free.
 
Sounds to me like the FM9 would be perfect for you. Also, the resale value of new ones is very healthy should the need arise.
Jump in the water is fine.
BTW I am some what of an expert on procrastinating so I know!
 
tysonlt said:
Yeah Fractal really stands out with updates. They’re not just house-keeping though, every now and then it’s like getting a whole new product, seriously. Like 25 might be the most radical change ever, and it’s free.
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This... When I got mine, I had no idea, even though I'd been lurking on the forum for a while at that point (about 3.5 years now). I still cannot believe the value added to this product by the constant stream of updates. Could not have said it better than @tysonlt and it didn't sink in (for me) until I heard how major these changes are. And it's not like it was lacking anything before (I was a hard sell and it lived up to the hype), but Cliff and the Fractal team's dedication to excellence continues to amaze.
 
If size/weight is no issue, then sure, go for the big boy and have all the luxury that is available (including tone match, latest updates, full blocks, etc). You have absolutely nothing to wonder about then and will never have FOMO come knocking. You could get by with any old midi controller until you save up for an FC unit - some of us have even made our own!

However the FM9 is ready to go today and super easy to transport.

The reason I will not use the floor version is because more than once some idiot has spilled beer on our stage 😡 (and sometimes that idiot is not an audience member 😎) FC12 is a lot easier to replace or find an alternative while waiting to replace it. Also my feet which have been all over the grotty venue toilet go all over it 😂

But I would definitely love an FM unit for smaller cafe gigs! Just can’t justify buying it and they’re hard to come by here in Australia.
 
IMO the FM9 is the sweet spot product in the current lineup where you are not left wanting for more processing power or footswitching. I'd go with that.
 
Dave Merrill said:
I have a non-turbo 3, and knock everything, I'm doing fine cpu-wise. I just reorganized a preset I've been working on, adding some of my usual toys. It's got 2 amps, 2 drives, DynaCab cab, my usual smorgasbord of pedals and effects, and if I'm remembering right, cpu was under 70%.

I know I could push it over the edge in various ways, some of which might be fun if I had infinite CPU, but I'm good. I've got everything I need, pretty deluxe even. I can share the preset and my standard footswitch layout if anyone's interested.

And for the record, I agree that you only need footswitches if you're gigging, rehearsing with a band, or jamming with people, i.e., in a situation where you really want to switch stuff with your feet. At home at your desk, no need, front panel or AxeEdit is fine.
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Sorry Dave I should have added the FM and not just the 3 lol. I edited my post. My buddy has the original Axe 3 and can put whatever he wants in it. I’m waiting to see what the gapless cost is for the FM3. I love it but it would be awesome to have more juice.
 
skolacki said:
Sorry Dave I should have added the FM and not just the 3 lol. I edited my post. My buddy has the original Axe 3 and can put whatever he wants in it. I’m waiting to see what the gapless cost is for the FM3. I love it but it would be awesome to have more juice.
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Edited mine too for clarity, oops, sorry for the derail.
 
tysonlt said:
Yeah Fractal really stands out with updates. They’re not just house-keeping though, every now and then it’s like getting a whole new product, seriously. Like 25 might be the most radical change ever, and it’s free.
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What’s so radical about 25? I agree that fractal stands out with the care and updates and they do also radical changes/improvements such as adding scenes, dyncabs etc but with this update I migh be missing the radical part.
 
unFILTERed said:
I might be missing the radical part.
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Subjective responses. For some it's incrementally better, for others it's radical.

tysonlt said:
Every time there’s a major update, there’s always someone posting in the release thread asking when it will come to the smaller units. It gets a bit tiring tbh.
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Agree... @Bertotti, if you do get an FM, I recommend not reading AF3 threads as it seems to invariably generate FOMO for the FM folks who get very impatient with them getting the same goodies very shortly thereafter.

OTOH, if you have a monk-like disposition (or want to cultivate one), it is a great practice in non-attachment and letting go (b/c whatever particular AF3 improvement might not ever get to the FMx). 🧘‍♀️

EDIT: Well, slap my ars and call me Betty, FM3 just got a big update including gapless and CX3! I might need to grab one now.
 
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unFILTERed said:
What’s so radical about 25? I agree that fractal stands out with the care and updates and they do also radical changes/improvements such as adding scenes, dyncabs etc but with this update I migh be missing the radical part.
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Certainly, the definition of radical and the threshold for what meets that qualification varies. For me w/25, it was the new version of Cygnus that was the radical update. The addition of the Class-A 30W Brilliant model was a very nice bonus, too.
 
yyz67 said:
Subjective responses. For some it's incrementally better, for others it's radical.


Agree... @Bertotti, if you do get an FM, I recommend not reading AF3 threads as it seems to invariably generate FOMO for the FM folks who get very impatient with them getting the same goodies very shortly thereafter.

OTOH, if you have a monk-like disposition (or want to cultivate one), it is a great practice in non-attachment and letting go (b/c whatever particular AF3 improvement might not ever get to the FMx). 🧘‍♀️

EDIT: Well, slap my ars and call me Betty, FM3 just got a big update including gapless and CX3! I might need to grab one now.
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Hey Betty! Honestly my original plan was to go FM3 for portability, add a fc6 or 12 on a few months and add the fxiii next year. Or do it backwards. I honestly want both one for the best portability one for home. FM3 is a bit easier on my available budget currently but switching it up would he possible sadly I would need to put off a dust collection upgrade in my woodshop. Not that big of a deal really. Just changes my timeline a few months. But at about 16lbs hauling the fxiii around is perfectly doable maybe eliminating my desire for the ultra portable fm3. I’m of a mind to just go fxiii at the moment. I’m sitting here eyeing my wallet. If I miss buttons they can be added later. Seems I’m trying to talk myself into it.
 
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