Factory presets and CPU limits

Falcon75

Falcon75

Member
Hey!
I'm running my FM3 on firmware 4.01 and also some 4.01 factory presets. Some factory presets run my FM3 in CPU limit and cut the sound. For example, the Studio Clean preset scene 6 cuts the output on my FM3. Is there a way to free up CPU otherwise, e.g. in the global settings or somewhere else? It seems strange to me that even factory presets are sometimes a bit to heavy for the FM3.
 
Globally, no idea. However, an old trick from the AX8 was to reduce reverb echo density to save a bit of processing power.
 
I've been reading the manual on the FM3 (finished it last night.... wow) and came across several tips for reducing CPU. Don't remember them, but they're in there.
 
You can delete a lot of blocks on those Fractal "Kitchen Sink" presets that you don't need. Like of you're never gonna use the Rotary block, delete it. Do you need two drive blocks? Nope.

The point of the presets that are simply named for the amp that's featured in it is to show you the capabilities of the unit, not to be your out-of-the-box go play a gig preset. You have to tailor the preset.
 
For instance, are you really gonna use the Wah?
Choose one of the two Delays and remove the one you don't want to use.

Doing those two things takes your CPU down to 70%.
 

Attachments

  • Image 11-5-21 at 12.36 PM.jpeg
    Image 11-5-21 at 12.36 PM.jpeg
    137 KB · Views: 21
USMC_Trev said:
You can delete a lot of blocks on those Fractal "Kitchen Sink" presets that you don't need. Like of you're never gonna use the Rotary block, delete it. Do you need two drive blocks? Nope.

The point of the presets that are simply named for the amp that's featured in it is to show you the capabilities of the unit, not to be your out-of-the-box go play a gig preset. You have to tailor the preset.
Click to expand...
Absolutely. If you take a look at many of the factory presets there seems to be a "cookie cutter" approach to the blocks which are present (even in the same order) for the ones specifically to showcase an amp. As you cycle through the scenes though, you'll notice that many times a given block isn't even utilized. If you don't need it to be there, take it out!
 
Falcon75 said:
Hey!
I'm running my FM3 on firmware 4.01 and also some 4.01 factory presets. Some factory presets run my FM3 in CPU limit and cut the sound. For example, the Studio Clean preset scene 6 cuts the output on my FM3. Is there a way to free up CPU otherwise, e.g. in the global settings or somewhere else? It seems strange to me that even factory presets are sometimes a bit to heavy for the FM3.
Click to expand...
Fractal did a cleanup of the factory presets for the FM3 and FX3 a while back, after Cygnus was released. As Cygnus was refined there was a minor update that ended up using some additional CPU to improve the sound further, pushing some presets over their limit. They’re busy shipping products right now but will get back to tweaking and polishing the factory presets again to remedy the situation.

CPU limits, in the wiki, will give you some pointers on how the architecture works and what can be done to reduce the CPU load. And as you adjust your presets, use your ears to determine whether a higher resolution setting actually improves the sound in a way that justifies using it, especially in the situation you intend using the FM3. It’s normal that people immediately go for the highest quality but in my experience the lowest quality is an excellent choice because Fractal has already ensured that it is very good; for instance, in a band setting live, the economy reverb quality works great because the room already adds it. The FOH system can add more reverb if necessary and the FOH engineer probably would prefer less, or none, to improve clarity. A solo acoustic guitar might need more reverb, and a higher quality would make sense, but the other CPU-gobbling blocks, like drives, amp and cab, don’t make sense with solo acoustic.

Also remember that shunts (empty connections) in a preset consume a little CPU, and they can add up. Making a preset “pretty” doesn’t pay off if aligning blocks in columns results in empty connectors.

So, copy a preset you like to a different slot and fiddle with it after reading the wiki page, and see what you can do.
 
All of those scenes were supposed to have been checked, but it's possible that some need a bit of reduction in scope since the firmware has become more hungry since they were first created.

We're going to have another firmware release relatively soon. Afterwards, we'll re-check every scene in every preset.
 
Admin M@ said:
All of those scenes were supposed to have been checked, but it's possible that some need a bit of reduction in scope since the firmware has become more hungry since they were first created.

We're going to have another firmware release relatively soon. Afterwards, we'll re-check every scene in every preset.
Click to expand...
👀 did someone say SOOON
 
Thanks for all you responses!
Bottomline I need to fix it in the preset, by tweaking it a bit and in the meantime wait for a revised factory preset release :)
 
Thanks! I know how to tweak presets to lower CPU. I also watched a lot of LT videos ;)
The reason for this topic was that I thought it was strange that some factory presets ran into CPU limit on my FM3. I just thought that a factory preset should always work, so I was wondering if there was something wrong with my FM3. Or if I used a certain global setting that uses some extra CPU maybe. But now I think that not all factory presets and scenes were thourougly tested on the latest FM3 firmware.
 
alex1fly said:
LT has a video where he shows how to enable boosts in the amp block. This trick might work for you to eliminate a drive block.
Click to expand...
I use drive block itself only in 2or3 presets.
I mostly use boost option in amp block.
Reducing reverb echo density from 8 to 5 or 4 saving much CPU use.
In life preset I sometimes use reverb for clean sounds.
 
If you use drive just as a boost for lead, then use the boost drive selections from the amp block. Most of the time you can kick out the reverb and rather use a multi-delay. Use simple pedal compressors if possible. Just these 3 or 4 tips free sufficient space for anything you'd likely want to sound nicely
 
Admin M@ said:
All of those scenes were supposed to have been checked, but it's possible that some need a bit of reduction in scope since the firmware has become more hungry since they were first created.

We're going to have another firmware release relatively soon. Afterwards, we'll re-check every scene in every preset.
Click to expand...

You got me at "soon." :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom