Announcing the New FM9 Amp Modeler/FX Processor

Interesting the patch change time is important to you. Can I ask why? With 8 scenes it would never occur to me to change patches mid song
Yep, fair question :) I've always run rigs where I can switch between complex patches and then use controllers to access fx. I run my Axe2 with a Voodoolabs ground control which gives me direct access to banks, patches, controllers, exp pedals, tap etc. The patch change time on the 2 is practically instant so that's what I've been used to. I'll use 4 patches per song (clean, edge, drive, lead) and turn pre programmed fx on and off. Honestly I don't know how to change scenes from the ground control so that's why I've stuck with the work flow I like.
With my new FM3 (which mainly I bought for fly gigs) I wanted to do a similar thing, 3 patches and external switches and exp pedal for FX. However I've been diving into the world of scenes as a work around and getting used to using them via the 'performance' setup.
Like I said, I like direct access, not pages. The delay between patches is shockingly bad on the FM3 but it's the kick I probably need to get creative making patches with exp pedal morphing and scenes.
 
...what is so hard about carrying an AXE FX3 in a 4 HE rack and a FC12 in a soft bag?

It's not hard, but carrying a FM3 in a Gator bag and a guitar on your back in a gig bag is much easier to transport in situations where you don't need the power of the III or 12 footswitches.

I like to vacation in Europe during the summer, attend the North Sea Jazz Festival, do some hosteling and visit friends. Same with South America in the winter. The FM3 rig I described above is much more user friendly in that context than an Axe III and FC-12.

Don't get me wrong, I have a III and a FC-12 and they're great but they aren't the ideal grab-and-go when you want to travel light.

I'm thinking of making the FM9 my stage rig since it can replace my FX8 using the 4CM and leave the III in my home studio. Each one has its place.
 
With 33 pages now I may have missed the information: how about the cooling solution?
I have not found a picture of the FM9's bottom side. Is the cooling solution similar to the FM3 (fan based if necessary), or completely passive like the AX8?
 
With 33 pages now I may have missed the information: how about the cooling solution?
I have not found a picture of the FM9's bottom side. Is the cooling solution similar to the FM3 (fan based if necessary), or completely passive like the AX8?

Fan on LHS drawing from underneath like the FM3
 
Is that with Ultra Reverb and High Res cab? If not could you see what it drops down to if you adjust those, I'm curious as to what CPU you can free up if you needed to be frugal.
On the FM3 it is:
  • Reverb: Economy
  • Cab: Standard
If I increase the Cab to Ultra-Res I reach 88%
If I increase the reverb to "Normal" I reach 86-87%
 
It's not hard, but carrying a FM3 in a Gator bag and a guitar on your back in a gig bag is much easier to transport in situations where you don't need the power of the III or 12 footswitches.

I like to vacation in Europe during the summer, attend the North Sea Jazz Festival, do some hosteling and visit friends. Same with South America in the winter. The FM3 rig I described above is much more user friendly in that context than an Axe III and FC-12.

Don't get me wrong, I have a III and a FC-12 and they're great but they aren't the ideal grab-and-go when you want to travel light.

I'm thinking of making the FM9 my stage rig since it can replace my FX8 using the 4CM and leave the III in my home studio. Each one has its place.
That's a point.

I am traveling with a big van and three or four guitars usually ;-)
And FRFR wedges, and .... and...
So in this case it doesn't matter the extra bag 😀

But we share the same idea. So we can switch between AXE and FM3. And soon FM9. 🙂
 
Now would be a great time for a Fractal branded carrying bag. Something similar to the kemper stage bag.
They would have to make something different about it. Kemper, helix and headrush bags are basically the same. I got the headrush because it was cheapest
 
Yes, 4CM should work great. The FM9 uses the same "flagship" analog processing as the Axe-Fx III which evolved from the FX8.

The FX8 was the best analog path I'd ever designed but the product, unfortunately, did not sell well. I took that design, tweaked it a bit and used it in the Axe-Fx III.
If I am to understand, based on this statement and clear omission of the FM3 above, that the FM3 does not have the same "flagship" analog processing that the FX8 had, the Axe-Fx III has, and the FM9 will have? Please correct me if my assumption is incorrect. I'd love to be wrong. But I know others have had issues with the FM3 in 4CM and it seems less people have issues with the FX8 and Axe-Fx III in 4CM.

I had been debating switching from the III to the FM3 since I just use effects but I've been hesitant to do so.
 
Why am I excited and grateful for the FM9?

I became a Fractal user in 2012 with the purchase of an Axe FX II. My experience with it was nothing less than awesome. In 2020, I decided to strive for a more minimalist guitar rig for ease of transport and also due to lack of space in my home now that I have a full house. In doing so, I decided to take a chance on the new Quad Cortex from Neural DSP, mostly due to being a happy user of their plugins in my studio, so I parted with my old trusty Axe FX II to come up with the funds. I waited an eternity to receive my pre-ordered Quad Cortex unit. Once I got it, of course I was excited and maybe even a little impressed, until I calibrated an expression pedal with it and attempted to use a whammy pedal effect, playing along to some old recordings. The expression pedal latency was terrible when I made quick movements of the pedal. So wah and whammy were at least temporarily useless. I was also intent on using the Quad Cortex as an audio interface, but their Windows driver is trash. Very disappointed that they shipped out their units with very obvious shortcomings. Sure, they will probably get fixed with new drivers and a firmware update, but then I got the word that Fractal was releasing the FM9, so I added myself to the wait list and put my Quad Cortex up on Reverb and the listing wasn't even active for 5 minutes before I sold it. I'm grateful to be coming back home to Fractal. Here's to hoping that my wait is followed by bliss.
 
Wow, super cool. I have absolutely no need, since I have an Axe-Fx III and FC-12, but this is such a great balance of form and function. Kudos on an awesome product announcement!
 
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