Considering the FM9 - Is scene switching instant and gapless?

[armor.neptune]

Hey all! I am considering picking up a Fractal FM9 MKII Turbo for use in four cable method with my tube amp. Can you guys comment on how instant scene switching is? As an example, if I am playing a clean verse, but want to switch to a distorted sound right on the downbeat of the chorus, is the scene switching “instant” so that as soon as I click the footswitch, the tone changes right on the downbeat? I’m worried about lag or latency between when I press the scene change footswitch and when the sound actually changes. Does me using the four cable method have any impact on how instant the scene changes occur?

Also, I know over the years there have been firmware updates making scene changes “gapless” - are they truly gapless now?

Thank you! And I apologize if this has already been discussed.

 

[scarbodave]

Scene changes are gapless. If you want to switch on pressing the foot switch then you just need to disable the hold function on that switch (have just tap function, no hold function). With both a hold and tap function the switch will execute the tap function when the switch is released, not when pressed.

I have not tried to record a waveform in my DAW to may see if there is a tiny gap when Scene switching, but it sounds gapless to me.

 

[joanesinu]

Hello, I've been using channel switching amps all my life. I tried Kemper, Fender TMP, Tonex Pedal and Fractal FM9. ToneX preset change was instant, no delay. I would say the FM9 scene change is on par. The others are behind.

I will also tell you preset change can be gapless but have noticeable latency. For some it's fast enough, not for me. I always use scene changes within the same song.

 

[unix-guy]

I will also tell you preset change can be gapless but have noticeable latency. For some it's fast enough, not for me. I always use scene changes within the same song.

Then I'm guessing you don't have Gapless completely enabled.

Also, latency is when you hear audio after you play instead of when you play... That's not something you have with switching.

Make sure you have:

• Gapless ON
• Spillover ALL
• All presets saved under current firmware
• No Hold function on your switches

 

[armor.neptune]

Then I'm guessing you don't have Gapless completely enabled.

Also, latency is when you hear audio after you play instead of when you play... That's not something you have with switching.

Make sure you have:

• Gapless ON
• Spillover ALL
• All presets saved under current firmware
• No Hold function on your switches

So you’re saying that with both scene switching, and preset switching, it is instantaneous (no latency between pressing button and actual audio from new preset / scene), and gapless (no dropout / noise)?

 

[strabes]

So you’re saying that with both scene switching, and preset switching, it is instantaneous (no latency between pressing button and actual audio from new preset / scene), and gapless (no dropout / noise)?

Yes, if the settings above are enabled. Switching channels on a block is also gapless, which can be done with scenes or dedicated footswitches. Very useful since you can fit 4 different drives on a single drive block, 4 different amps on one amp block, etc.

 

[unix-guy]

So you’re saying that with both scene switching, and preset switching, it is instantaneous (no latency between pressing button and actual audio from new preset / scene), and gapless (no dropout / noise)?

I'm saying switching is Gapless and instant. Again, latency is something else...

 

[Bakerman]

So you’re saying that with both scene switching, and preset switching, it is instantaneous (no latency between pressing button and actual audio from new preset / scene), and gapless (no dropout / noise)?

When the gapless function is actually triggered there will be a small lag/delay between pressing the switch and hearing the new sound. It plays back a short (100 ms) delay signal (what was sounding just before the switch press) for a short time while the amp (or possibly other blocks) would otherwise be silent when loading new settings. It took something like 60-80 ms for amp channel switching last I checked on the Axe III, not sure if that differs on the FM9. So basically you need to flam the switch press slightly ahead of the 1 or whatever, to hear the new sound right on the beat. If you're particular about getting the timing of something like that exactly right, you might find it takes some practice to get the technique down, along with remembering which changes should be right on the beat e.g. just engaging/bypassing block(s) without triggering the gapless delay thing.

 

[joanesinu]

Then I'm guessing you don't have Gapless completely enabled.

Also, latency is when you hear audio after you play instead of when you play... That's not something you have with switching.

Make sure you have:

• Gapless ON
• Spillover ALL
• All presets saved under current firmware
• No Hold function on your switches

Latency has nothing to do with audio. It is a delay in time. Same applies to a network latency when the data arrives with a certain delay of milliseconds from origin to destination.

Every post I said I notice the delay when preset changing you told me I must have some misconfiguration. Sorry but I I have all your points already checked and properly configured.

If you don't notice any latency good for you. I notice it and preset changes has more milisecond delay than scene changes.

From when you press the switch mecanically until the destination preset begins sounding, there is a gap in time, delay, latency.. you name it. But it exists and it's totally normal, the unit has to process more data than when changing scenes.

I know you are trying to help but every time I tried to express my experience about this you say I have some misconfiguration or there is a human error and there isn't.

 

[skolacki]

It’s gapless enough. Whatever delay is there is minuscule and you won’t hear the change in a mix. I sometimes change presets mid song and I can’t hear any delay in switching.

 

[unix-guy]

Latency has nothing to do with audio. It is a delay in time. Same applies to a network latency when the data arrives with a certain delay of milliseconds from origin to destination.

Every post I said I notice the delay when preset changing you told me I must have some misconfiguration. Sorry but I I have all your points already checked and properly configured.

If you don't notice any latency good for you. I notice it and preset changes has more milisecond delay than scene changes.

From when you press the switch mecanically until the destination preset begins sounding, there is a gap in time, delay, latency.. you name it. But it exists and it's totally normal, the unit has to process more data than when changing scenes.

I know you are trying to help but every time I tried to express my experience about this you say I have some misconfiguration or there is a human error and there isn't.

Ok, I'm out... Good luck.