Any anti modelers have religious conversion?

I am in my 60's. I have many hand-wired tube amps. I mod them extensively. I have very specific capacitor and resistor preferences that vary depending on the circuit and the place in the circuit. I have used LTSpice since the 90's to examine tube circuits -- for FFT results, Tone Circuit Contours, Slew Rates. I have always wanted to know, as objectively as possible, what it is that I like about certain circuit mods and designs. I have experimented with modelers before. But, I found it necessary to use parametric EQs to take out extraneous squeaks and whistles. And, I was also not very impressed by the amp models. Now, suddenly, I am quite happy with my FM3. I originally bought the FM3 for the convenience and quality of the IR's, reverbs and delays. Initially, I intended to use it as an effects/IR unit -- possibly even for a Quad Cortex (still waiting for that.) However, after exploring the amp and cab tweak options -- and after digging into the Fractal Amp-Block Wiki - I am seriously enjoying myself. I can even have subtle 50-cycle-modulated ghost-notes. It has been one month, so far. And now, I'm running the 3.03b firmware and loving the wide range of high-res IR's and the High-Quality, Transformer Mic-Preamp in the cab block and looking forward to the FM3 Cygnus models. The convenience of exploring and modifying so many complex, high-quality sounds, so quickly and easily, in the FM3, has won a very big and very solid place in my heart. I now prefer to use my FM3 CPU power for the amp and cab models over the effects -- and the effects are great. I really did not expect this. I will never completely abandon tube amps and analog pedals. But, I will certainly be using analog less and less often.
 
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The fm3 has eliminated my need for owning a tube amp. I no longer have gas for the latest thing, be it amp or pedal. I can honestly get any type of tone I'm looking for, and at a more than reasonable volume for the house, which is particularly helpful with a wife and kids. First modeling product I've owned, and it is by far the best piece of equipment that I've purchased, aside from my guitars. Through frfr monitors, any difference in sound when compared to a tube amp are negligible, and the convenience factor when paired with the vast amount of options available more than make up for any slight differences one may hear. Feels and sounds amazing. Cygnus will be great, I'm sure, but the current ares fw doesn't leave me feeling like I need to have it either.
 
I wouldn't say religious conversion but i'm finding this fm3 to be quite acceptable and to have a lot of upsides where as when i had my ultra back in the day it didn't really sway me. It was cool and a fairly huge leap from previous digital units over the years that i hated but my old tube gear still destroyed it. I decided to try the fm3 in large part to hearing some of the cygnus stuff starting to be demonstrated. To be honest a lot of the "comparison" type videos of version 3 didn't sound all that great compared to some of the cheaper options. It seems to require a fair amount of tweaking and there is a deep learning curve but once you start getting in the ballpark it definitely can sound excellent even without cygnus. The ammount of time and effort though makes me feel like once i get a patch little tweaks feel tedious so that you don't want to change anything. Though im starting to utilize the blocks library and eventually will get into the flow so there is that. If it were practical and cost efficient i would still go with a tube and and a pedal or two to be honest. But yes i am somewhat converted, though it may be more of it gets the job done for my needs and does sound convincing. Feel maybe not, but even there its maybe improved.
 
Well guys and maybe gals. I didn’t come back to look at any posts since my last post. I should have because the last couple were mostly what I was looking for!

Mainly, I’m here to say I just ordered a FM3 and EV-1!!🤩🤩🤩

Now the hard part...Waiting.😵‍💫

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.
 
Never really understood (cared for) these types of threads. What is the point? Actually don't answer that please. Like this is a really deep subject (nope). You use what works for you-period.
I just couldn’t let this go. Yeah, “you use what works” at the cost of $1200. I’m not a frivolous person and neither am I privileged with money to throw at stuff as an experimental exercise.
 
I just couldn’t let this go. Yeah, “you use what works” at the cost of $1200. I’m not a frivolous person and neither am I privileged with money to throw at stuff as an experimental exercise.
Uh, OK. Neither am I. So what is your point here? My point was\is amps\modelers\ transitor radios, whatever.....

Anyway, glad you bought the FM3. I am sure you will be happy with it :)
 
Well guys and maybe gals. I didn’t come back to look at any posts since my last post. I should have because the last couple were mostly what I was looking for!

Mainly, I’m here to say I just ordered a FM3 and EV-1!!🤩🤩🤩

Now the hard part...Waiting.😵‍💫

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply.
I'm confident you'll really like what you hear. Takes a little getting used to as far as user interface, but the amp models honestly respond much like their real life counterparts when adjusting knobs. Find a couple of factory presets you like, and basically use those as a starting template when you begin to create your own.
 
Short answer: I like both.
I use my FM3 for effects and IR's with my Port City Pearl and Suhr Reactive Load
I run the FM3 through the Pearl's effects loop for a bit of reverb and delay - with a Port City OS 2x12 cab
I use the FM3's effects, amp sims, IR's for jamming to YouTube backing tracks through my computer
I have fun just farting around - building new presets
The amp sims are convincingly good and the effects are outstanding
Every few weeks, we get a bonus with a new firmware update
Something that I love about FM3 over tube amps is that you don't have to crank it to get great sounding/feeling tones
For an old-fart who has tinnitus - that's a big plus.
We need a Port City Pearl amp model. I miss mine which I had to sell like crazy. I was about to buy another instead of waiting for the FM3 when the invite came.
 
We need a Port City Pearl amp model. I miss mine which I had to sell like crazy. I was about to buy another instead of waiting for the FM3 when the invite came.
In keeping with the religious/non-religious thread title, what I'm about to say may seem sacrilegious to some .... but I'd put the Port City Pearl up against any clean amp I've owned in the last 40 years. For reference that list includes '71 Fender Twin, 20th Anni Shiva and a Two Rock Studio Pro 35 - among others. All of those have - what I consider to be - the best clean tones out there .....and I'd take the Pearl over them any day.

It is so pure, clean and chimey. It is monkey-simple to dial a great tone. To top it off, it is an outstanding 'platform-amp'. It takes on the character of whatever drive pedal you put in front of it. I played a number of gigs using the Pearl, an Andy Timmons @ with a Timmy for a solo boost and a Strymon Timeline. It sounded phenomenal. I had two when I was gigging and sold them when I stopped. I bought the one I have now about six months ago. I just got a Walrus Audio Ages to run through it ....again ....phenomenal. I have a Revv G2 on the way now for heavier drive (great pedal). The Fender, Bogner and Two Rock liked some drives and not others. The Pearl takes whatever you give it and makes it shine.

If Cliff and Co. could get the magic of the Pearl into the FM3 ....that would be something very cool indeed.
If it can be done, they'd find a way.
 
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