Blindtest: FW9 vs FW11

[DTS]

Fractal forum have had some talk about which firmware version is "better". So i decided to make a little blindtest. I won't tell you which sample is which firmware. Just pick your favourite.

You first hear SAMPLE-A with drums, then SAMPLE-B with drums. After that you'll hear SAMPLE-A guitars only and then SAMPLE-B guitars only.
Guitar tracks are double tracked and hard panned to L and R.

Both amps have the same factory settings and cabs, but of course the FW9 version have to have these changes done:

-MIMIC™ to off
-Triode hardness to 0.0
-Increase transformer matching to 1.2 or so
-Set power supply type to DC
-V9 Cabs



You can comment which one you like or think is FW9 or FW11.

I'll let you know which sample is FW9 and which is FW11 later. :encouragement:

 

[AlGrenadine]

I don't get it, is it all FW1 but one sample with "MIMIC™ to off
-Triode hardness to 0.0
-Increase transformer matching to 1.2 or so
-Set power supply type to DC
-V9 Cabs" or is it really FW9 and FW11 used ?

 

[chris]

i like the one that's firmware 11.

 

[Tonic]

I prefer first one...
It sounds clearer, more dynamic .
I have the same effect when bypassing mimic, triode hardness at zero...

 

[DTS]

I don't get it, is it all FW1 but one sample with "MIMIC™ to off
-Triode hardness to 0.0
-Increase transformer matching to 1.2 or so
-Set power supply type to DC
-V9 Cabs" or is it really FW9 and FW11 used ?

Yes. This is all done from fw11, but as Cliff have said. Making those changes you'll get the fw9 tone.

 

[CyrielLenting]

I'd say A = 9 and B = 11.
A sounds more polished.

 

[AlGrenadine]

Yes. This is all done from fw11, but as Cliff have said. Making those changes you'll get the fw9 tone.

Ok
I like the first one better too.

 

[chris]

Yes. This is all done from fw11, but as Cliff have said. Making those changes you'll get the fw9 tone.

Not exactly. I think people may not recognize this as a valid test.

 

[Narzugon]

In this context taking it at face value I prefer A.

 

[claxor]

I'd say A = 9 and B = 11.
A sounds more polished.

I second that.

 

[DTS]

Not exactly. I think people may not recognize this as a valid test.

I trust Cliffs word on this. If he says, that those are the parameters that differ between the firmwares, i have no reason to doubt it. But i do see your point. At this point it is obvious, that those parameters change the tone a lot.

 

[Kriig]

First part is prefereble to me.

 

[Sted]

First one for me too.

 

[Brick_top]

so both parts use the same IR but one is the V9 version?

 

[swervedriver]

With drums I prefer sample B, on their own I prefer sample A.

Pretty sweet riff too.

 

[DTS]

With drums I prefer sample B, on their own I prefer sample A.

Pretty sweet riff too.

Thanks man!
The riff is from one of my "work in progress" songs.

 

[chris]

I trust Cliffs word on this.

me too. technically he said "You can make V11 sound nearly identical to V9 with just a few adjustments." i think to those who want to argue, the "nearly" is enough to say the test is invalid because the "nearly" is missing that magic that made 9 sound better than 11 as a "fact."

now, someone's preference of 9 vs 11 is a whole different story. anyone can prefer anything. it's the people who have stated that 9 IS in fact better than 11 (in effect making the axe worse with 11) i have issue with.

again, it seems that v12 will solve all of this silliness.

 

[DTS]

so both parts use the same IR but one is the V9 version?

Yes! On FW9 tone i used the cab (V9) versions.

 

[jakel]

I like "A" better, and bet that's V11.

 

[R.D.]

In the full mix, I couldn't really tell where the A sample ended and the B sample began ? But "solo'ed" out I definitely preferred A over B ... !