Brand and model of FM3, FM9 and AxeFX III CPU

[Shahar]

Processor performance is only as good as the code it runs. If the code is bloated and inefficient, the extra power of a faster chip can be wasted. Same goes for Cache and RAM amounts too. You have to look at the performance in the context of its intended use instead (audio fidelity, modeling accuracy, latency/feel, etc.). The FM3 has less than half of the power of the Axe III, yet it is able to produce pretty much the same output quality in its amp models, so it all depends on how you look at it and what specifically you are comparing.

Please read the subject of this message thread, its not “What are the contributing factors to performance?”

 

[Larry Largen]

Wow, the guy just asked a question and got hammered!!! lol. What a bunch of cyberbullies, lol

 

[mr_fender]

No one is getting "hammered". I'm simply replying in support of what Chris said that specs don't tell the whole story. The code itself is just as if not more important when it comes to proprietary embedded systems, so he was right on the money. No guff intended.

 

[Shahar]

No one is getting "hammered". I'm simply replying in support of what Chris said that specs don't tell the whole story. The code itself is just as if not more important when it comes to proprietary embedded systems, so he was right on the money. No guff intended.

Maybe “hammered” isn’t the right word, but I am getting a lot of responses but not a lot of answers.

 

[GlennO]

AFAIK, FAS has no policy guarding the identity of the hardware components. For that matter, anybody can open these devices up and look inside. There are YouTube videos that do just that. The OP is asking a simple question. Curiosity is generally held to be a virtue.

 

[ruso]

This is what I found from a brief search. Not willing to open my units, so it’s the best I’ve got:

https://www.ti.com/product/66AK2G12

https://www.analog.com/en/products/...ocessors-dsp/sharc-audio-processors-socs.html

 

[SweetPete]

Kind of related - new, short article from Premier Guitar about the chip shortage and guitar gear:

https://www.premierguitar.com/pro-advice/state-of-the-stomp/semiconductor-shortage

 

[mr_fender]

Yek posted a link to the Wiki in the very first response to the thread. All the info is there to be found.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM3
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM9
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Axe-Fx_III


FM3 has an Analog Devices ADSP-SC587 DSP
FM9 has two of the SC587's
Axe III has two Texas Instruments TMS320C66x DSPs
Correction: the Axe III has one TMS320C66x chip (dual cores).

The regular Axe III runs them at 1 GHz while the Turbo runs them at 1.25 GHz.

 

[Shahar]

This is what I found from a brief search. Not willing to open my units, so it’s the best I’ve

Yek posted a link to the Wiki in the very first response to the thread. All the info is there to be found.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM3
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM9
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Axe-Fx_III


FM3 has an Analog Devices ADSP-SC587 DSP
FM9 has two of the SC587's
Axe III has two Texas Instruments TMS320C66x DSPs

The regular Axe III runs them at 1 GHz while the Turbo runs them at 1.25 GHz.

Thank you!! I went through the wiki, still don't know where you found that, but glad you did.

 

[Joe Bfstplk]

Yek posted a link to the Wiki in the very first response to the thread. All the info is there to be found.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM3
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=FM9
https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Axe-Fx_III


FM3 has an Analog Devices ADSP-SC587 DSP
FM9 has two of the SC587's
Axe III has two Texas Instruments TMS320C66x DSPs
Correction: the Axe III has one TMS320C66x chip (dual cores).

The regular Axe III runs them at 1 GHz while the Turbo runs them at 1.25 GHz.

IIRC, the Turbo is a different chip in the same range that is rated for the higher 1.25GHz speed, and there is a 1.5GHz chip also available in that range....

 

[Shahar]

IIRC, the Turbo is a different chip in the same range that is rated for the higher 1.25GHz speed, and there is a 1.5GHz chip also available in that range....

The FM3 and FM9 seem to be running only at 500 MHz, but I see a newer chip in that range that runs at 800Mhz. Maybe a FM9 Turbo is on the horizon, but not until these frigging shipping delays come to an end.

 

[Mr_Scary]

I was also curious about the chip/s in the Axe-FX III MKII. If it's the same chip for the overclocked unit or not.
I mean the price difference reflects a hardware upgrade, surely its not charged for a simple firmware clock & voltage setting.
Unless maybe it has an upgraded cooling device.

I would like to know more information about the hardware & software in the Turbo DSP vs Stock as well.

Maybe each unit requires some time & labor to assess the correct voltage and stability.

 

[Mr_Scary]

I was also curious about the chip/s in the Axe-FX III MKII. If it's the same chip for the overclocked unit or not.
I mean the price difference reflects a hardware upgrade, surely its not charged for a simple firmware clock & voltage setting.
Unless maybe it has an upgraded cooling device.

I would like to know more information about the hardware & software in the Turbo DSP vs Stock as well.

Maybe each unit requires some time & labor to assess the correct voltage and stability.

Nevermind I found this in the Wikki .

Everything is the same except the processor speed. The Turbo module has a 1.25 GHz processor. The standard module has a 1.00 GHz processor

So I'm assuming the CPU is either rated and tested for higher clocks, or is different.

 

[Shahar]

Not sure where it was mentioned, but Cliff & Co do not overclock their CPUs. I think it's ill-advised as it shortens the life of chip, and they seem to take pride in their reliability.

 

[Mr_Scary]

Not sure where it was mentioned, but Cliff & Co do not overclock their CPUs. I think it's ill-advised as it shortens the life of chip, and they seem to take pride in their reliability.

Good news, that's what I wanted to hear.

 

[Rex]

Not sure where it was mentioned, but Cliff & Co do not overclock their CPUs. I think it's ill-advised as it shortens the life of chip, and they seem to take pride in their reliability.

This.

 

[Dave Merrill]

Nevermind I found this in the Wikki .

So I'm assuming the CPU is either rated and tested for higher clocks, or is different.

Pretty sure I remember that the reason a mk I can't just be upgraded to a mk II is that the processors are a different physical package.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Not sure where it was mentioned, but Cliff & Co do not overclock their CPUs. I think it's ill-advised as it shortens the life of chip, and they seem to take pride in their reliability.

From the Wiki:

Mark II TURBO​

Made available from September 2021. A TURBO module is available as an option when buying a new Mark II. This provides a 25% higher clock speed allowing for more complex presets which would exceed the limits of the standard DSP module. Existing Mark II units can NOT be retrofitted with the module.

"Everything is the same except the processor speed. The Turbo module has a 1.25 GHz processor. The standard module has a 1.00 GHz processor. Some of the supporting components (power supply stuff) are also different but that's not visible to the user." [44]

[…]

"It's a new processor. We do not and would not overclock anything. No OEM would ever do such a thing." [46]

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Pretty sure I remember that the reason a mk I can't just be upgraded to a mk II is that the processors are a different physical package.

That plus the added memory.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

The FM3 and FM9 seem to be running only at 500 MHz, but I see a newer chip in that range that runs at 800Mhz. Maybe a FM9 Turbo is on the horizon, but not until these frigging shipping delays come to an end.

They're creeping up on 1G versions it looks like. If they were going to add a Turbo that's the one I'd want to see.