Announcing the New FM9 Amp Modeler/FX Processor

Equipped with four processors

The III uses (1) dual-core Texas Instruments DSP.
I'm assuming the cores are hyperthreaded/multithreaded/whatever the comparable term is? I remember reading that one CPU of the III is dedicated to amp modeling, and same with the FM3. Does this mean a whole core or just a thread? With the FM9 I've heard that there's a core dedicated to reverb, is this true? If so, is it a core or a thread?

I'm curious as to how things are layed out in the brains.
 
Other than the stated differences in blocks available, is there a reduction in sound quality as the result of only half the processing power of the III?

I guess I am also concern patches I have that are running at 85% on the III won’t work on the FM9 due to less overall capacity.
That's very good point. I'm having the same concern about the reduction in sound quality due to the DSP in FM9 is different type and less power than Axe Fx III. May be Cliff can comment on this concern.
 
That’s good news.

Could you please also address the CPU question?

Will the FM9 max out earlier? If so, at approximately what percentage of the III?
The FM9 will obviously max out earlier. It is supposed to have about 50% of the III’s power, but given that the FM9’s reverbs do not hog CPU utilization, I’m not sure that you can translate that directly.
 
My most involved fm3 presets hover at about 82%. The fm9 is exactly what the doctor ordered.
 
I signed up.

I've lobbied for a beta tester for years. Giving up on the concept, and downgrading to this. It's perfect for my needs these days. Good work FAS.

Ron
 
Would be handy to have an option for a remote display screen. Perhaps just keeping a remote device with the editor up and running would allow one to read the screen content from a standing playing position.
 
Of course they know, it had to be a development consideration. The reverb was probably moved to its own chip to address this issue.
I heard the same that reverb has its own chip. Leon showed dual reverbs on hi-res with minimal cpu hit.
 
not sure about the complete breakdown of how they are enabled, however as per the wiki, the FM3 is powered by a 3-Core “Griffin” DSP with one ARM and two SHARC+ cores. The FM9 contains four SHARC+ DSP cores which is about twice the power of the FM3. The FM9 has 2 dual core sharcs. whether it is an entire chip or just one core allocated for reverb, I'm not sure.
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM9
 
With the continuing state-of-emergency on Okinawa the live scene has been shutdown for over a year. It has been mostly practice, practice, practice. Now I have something new to look forward to (once I hit the top spot on the FM9 Wait List) during band rehearsals.

FAS ROCKS!!!
 
Hmmm… so I’m on the waitlist for the FM9 but I’m a bit torn. Do I go medium or large. I was all set to pull the trigger on the big daddy rig and grab the FX3+FC12 soon as my FM3+ FC6 and Kemper Stage sold. Well Friday night the FM3+FC6 sold. Saturday morning I see a YouTube notification with FM9 in the title and think… this some kind of a joke? Then I click on it and sure enough it’s real. I immediately proceed to sign up for the waitlist. Then later that day my Kemper Stage sells. So now I have the dough for whatever rig I want. Decisions, decisions. It’s definitely a good time to be a guitarist that’s for sure.

The FM3 was my first Fractal product and was a good introduction to FAS as a company but it just didn’t have the CPU power I required. I picked up a QC and have been really impressed with it. Plenty of CPU and great amp sounds via the capture tech (don’t kill the messenger I’m just calling it like I see it). I do have a special place in my heart though for the “Fractal sound”. Many of my favorite artists use FAS gear exclusively. In fact a great musician/producer I follow just released a preset pack for the FX3 that includes ir’s of his actual rig and utilizes the FC12 for foot-switch functionality. Its kind of the ultimate set up for my “WANTS” (maybe not needs). That’s why I had my other gear up for sale because at the end of the day as much as I’m loving the QC the ultimate modeling rig really is the FX3+FC12 setup.

Buuuuuttt… portability is still in issue with that rig. I had made my mind up that I would just drag around the rack gear deal in exchange for having the ultimate setup at my toes. Then enters the FM9 to complicate things. I’m wondering if this preset pack I’m wanting to grab will even load on the FM9 seeing as how it’s only 50% the juice of its big brother. Sounds like with the dedicated chip for verbs and delays that’s not as cut and dry as it might seem. This preset pack is heavy on the verbs and delays and also utilizes pitch blocks for many of the scenes. Its a bit of a dilemma for me… a good kind of dilemma but a dilemma none the less.
 
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Hmmm… so I’m on the waitlist for the FM9 but I’m a bit torn. Do I go medium or large. I was all set to pull the trigger on the big daddy rig and grab the FX3+FC12 soon as my FM3+ FC6 and Kemper Stage sold. Well Friday night the FM3+FC6 sold. Saturday morning I see a YouTube notification with FM9 in the title and think… this some kind of a joke? Then I click on it and sure enough it’s real. I immediately proceed to sign up for the waitlist. Then later that day my Kemper Stage sells. So now I have the dough for whatever rig I want. Decisions, decisions. It’s definitely a good time to be a guitarist that’s for sure.

The FM3 was my first Fractal product and was a good introduction to FAS as a company but it just didn’t have the CPU power I required. I picked up a QC and have been really impressed with it. Plenty of CPU and great amp sounds via the capture tech (don’t kill the messenger I’m just calling it like I see it). I do have a special place in my heart though for the “Fractal sound”. Many of my favorite artists use FAS gear exclusively. In fact a great musician/producer I follow just released a preset pack for the FX3 that includes ir’s of his actual rig and utilizes the FC12 for foot-switch functionality. Its kind of the ultimate set up for my “WANTS” (maybe not needs). That’s why I had my other gear up for sale because at the end of the day as much as I’m loving the QC the ultimate modeling rig really is the FX3+FC12 setup.

Buuuuuttt… portability is still in issue with that rig. I had made my mind up that I would just drag around the rack gear deal in exchange for having the ultimate setup at my toes. Then enters the FM9 to complicate things. I’m wondering if this preset pack I’m wanting to grab will even load on the FM9 seeing as how it’s only 50% the juice of its big brother. Sounds like with the dedicated chip for verbs and delays that’s not as cut and dry as it might seem. This preset pack is heavy on the verbs and delays and also utilizes pitch blocks for many of the scenes. Its a bit of a dilemma for me… a good kind of dilemma but a dilemma none the less.
Most of my axe3 patches work on my fm3. Not the crazy ones but most. You may have to adjust the grid but I had a kitchen sink preset that runs in the mid 80% range. Flanger, pitch, phaser, chorus, amp with 3 channels, dual cab hi res, send, return, enhancer, 2 delays and an economy reverb. The fm9 should have no problem and the grid is the same size as the AX3.
 
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@Admin M@ @iaresee @FractalAudio

I would understand, if possible, in practice how much the extra DSP (compared with the FM3) will impact on a preset. So, just to have an example, if you port (or duplicate) as is FM3 factory preset "090 Bludojai - S02 Lead 1x12", that on my unit reach 82-83% CPU, how much CPU uses on the FM9?

Schermata 2021-08-30 alle 09.18.52.png
 
Have to admit I’m very excited for this but I haven’t owned any new product since the Axe FX II. I’m really concerned about being able to read the scribble slips with my older eyes especially during the day. I already have problems with my Helix in certain situations and I think their strips are bigger? Can anyone comment about the ability to read the strips for older people without the use of a magnifying lens? That would be weird to have to mount some contraption above the unit just to read the print. Maybe I could also mount a cane holder, a denture cleaner and good hearing aid connection while I’m at it. 😉

Can someone comment on the stage visibility of the preset names (main screen) and the strips? Would like to know this as well.

And one other question: how many expression pedals can I use? Can it do three? The talk about the connections got me confused.
Thanks.
 
Hmmm… so I’m on the waitlist for the FM9 but I’m a bit torn. Do I go medium or large. I was all set to pull the trigger on the big daddy rig and grab the FX3+FC12 soon as my FM3+ FC6 and Kemper Stage sold. Well Friday night the FM3+FC6 sold. Saturday morning I see a YouTube notification with FM9 in the title and think… this some kind of a joke? Then I click on it and sure enough it’s real. I immediately proceed to sign up for the waitlist. Then later that day my Kemper Stage sells. So now I have the dough for whatever rig I want. Decisions, decisions. It’s definitely a good time to be a guitarist that’s for sure.

The FM3 was my first Fractal product and was a good introduction to FAS as a company but it just didn’t have the CPU power I required. I picked up a QC and have been really impressed with it. Plenty of CPU and great amp sounds via the capture tech (don’t kill the messenger I’m just calling it like I see it). I do have a special place in my heart though for the “Fractal sound”. Many of my favorite artists use FAS gear exclusively. In fact a great musician/producer I follow just released a preset pack for the FX3 that includes ir’s of his actual rig and utilizes the FC12 for foot-switch functionality. Its kind of the ultimate set up for my “WANTS” (maybe not needs). That’s why I had my other gear up for sale because at the end of the day as much as I’m loving the QC the ultimate modeling rig really is the FX3+FC12 setup.

Buuuuuttt… portability is still in issue with that rig. I had made my mind up that I would just drag around the rack gear deal in exchange for having the ultimate setup at my toes. Then enters the FM9 to complicate things. I’m wondering if this preset pack I’m wanting to grab will even load on the FM9 seeing as how it’s only 50% the juice of its big brother. Sounds like with the dedicated chip for verbs and delays that’s not as cut and dry as it might seem. This preset pack is heavy on the verbs and delays and also utilizes pitch blocks for many of the scenes. Its a bit of a dilemma for me… a good kind of dilemma but a dilemma none the less.
I often read about the importance of portability. Then I see FM3 pedalboards with additional stomp boxes and fancy bags. But what is so hard about carrying an AXE FX3 in a 4 HE rack and a FC12 in a soft bag?

In the last ten days I played four open airs. It was raining on all events. And although the stage was covered properly, we all know that the front of stage always will get wet ;-)
No deal with the FC12. It was wrapped in plastic foil while the AXE sat 4-5 meters behind me.
Not speaking about the danger of wet power strips!!!

I also like to adjust the AXE live using the Perform Tab feature. So my AXE is sitting on a case ( borrowed from the tech crew) like a tube head in the old days.

I would never use a Quad Cortex live. Speaking about rainy open airs. You can’t avoid
things like muddy shoes. Sometimes you need to go to the restrooms and later you hit the buttons with your feet. And then you need to adjust parameters touching those buttons with your fingers? I leave that to your imagination ;-) The QC should come with 10 liters of hand sanitizer and shoe covers ;-)

I do have a FM3. For me it is fantastic for small club gigs, rehearsals, as backup. Or when playing in an orchestra pit. And when practicing at home, it is mainly my FM3 I’m using.
 
Can someone comment on the stage visibility of the preset names (main screen) and the strips? Would like to know this as well.

And one other question: how many expression pedals can I use? Can it do three? The talk about the connections got me confused.
Thanks.
3 expression or 3 switches, or a combination of 3 maximum.
 
The Revival has power amp modeling?
Yes indeed and it's amazing. Check out their in depth youtube clips. The next closest is the Mad Professor loud and proud which has a fet based push pull power amp simulation but not the reactive load the Revival drive has. I've got both.
 
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