Firmware or Settings (or lack thereof)?

Ugly Bunny

Power User
New (second time) FM3 owner. It was delivered yesterday and I started to port over some of my Axe Fx III presets. Taking my clean tone as an example, using the USA JPIIc+ Green, I noticed that the sound is significantly different, even for identical settings. My Axe Fx III tone is fat, a little hairy, and just cuts through. It sounds and feels great. My FM3 tone was a bit flat, quieter, not as bold, no hair; I needed to up the boost, turn on the saturation and crank it a little to get close to my Axe III's tone.

I also noticed there are some missing parameters in the FM3's amp block (deep parameters like bias excursion, bias trem, etc.); not a ton missing, but maybe 4 or 5 (could be more or fewer, I didn't take notes).

My Axe Fx III is on 16.01 and my FM3 is on 3.03b1

So I'm wondering if the dramatic change in tone is because of Ares vs Cygnus or because the FM3 lacks the settings, or a combination of both. For the record, I never touched the FM3's "missing" parameters on the Axe III; so they were basically default. I've always thought the FM3 was more or less a less powerful Axe III with some additional block limitations or omissions, but as different as the presets sound between the two systems, I'm not so sure. I didn't think I noticed a huge difference between Ares and Cygnus for my presets in my Axe, as I didn't need to adjust anything after the update, but this has me scratching my head.

(NOTE: all other blocks in the preset are the same; same IR in my cab block, etc.)
 
Yes, there’s much difference between Cygnus and Ares (depending on the amp type). Bias Trem in the Amp block is not supported on the FM3.
 
Yes, there’s much difference between Cygnus and Ares (depending on the amp type). Bias Trem in the Amp block is not supported on the FM3.
Would the bias trem have such a dramatic effect? I know you can't hear what I'm hearing, but by my description, it's night and day. I guess if/when Cygnus comes to the FM3, I'll find out. It's weird, though. I know I didn't adjust any presets even slightly after I updated to Cygnus, and I know I would have tweaked until I got my current Axe III clean sound anyway. But when I ported it over to the FM3, it was just a pale diminutive version of the sound/feel.

Again, with some tweaking, I got it close, but it was definitely a different sound.

Maybe I'll check my input pad and some poke around and see if there're any other options on the FM3 that might create the difference I'm hearing. I believe that Cygnus is better, since so many people have been praising it, but admittedly, I couldn't hear the difference when I updated. As such. I'm struggling to believe that the firmware is the culprit.
 
Would the bias trem have such a dramatic effect? I know you can't hear what I'm hearing, but by my description, it's night and day. I guess if/when Cygnus comes to the FM3, I'll find out. It's weird, though. I know I didn't adjust any presets even slightly after I updated to Cygnus, and I know I would have tweaked until I got my current Axe III clean sound anyway. But when I ported it over to the FM3, it was just a pale diminutive version of the sound/feel.

Again, with some tweaking, I got it close, but it was definitely a different sound.

Maybe I'll check my input pad and some poke around and see if there're any other options on the FM3 that might create the difference I'm hearing. I believe that Cygnus is better, since so many people have been praising it, but admittedly, I couldn't hear the difference when I updated. As such. I'm struggling to believe that the firmware is the culprit.

Bias Trem is what it says: a tremolo. It doesn’t affect the basic amp sound.
 
Would the bias trem have such a dramatic effect? I know you can't hear what I'm hearing, but by my description, it's night and day. I guess if/when Cygnus comes to the FM3, I'll find out. It's weird, though. I know I didn't adjust any presets even slightly after I updated to Cygnus, and I know I would have tweaked until I got my current Axe III clean sound anyway. But when I ported it over to the FM3, it was just a pale diminutive version of the sound/feel.

Again, with some tweaking, I got it close, but it was definitely a different sound.

Maybe I'll check my input pad and some poke around and see if there're any other options on the FM3 that might create the difference I'm hearing. I believe that Cygnus is better, since so many people have been praising it, but admittedly, I couldn't hear the difference when I updated. As such. I'm struggling to believe that the firmware is the culprit.
Also make sure you are using Ultra res cabs if you are used to
them the default in the cab block is not UR and to me that makes a difference
 
Bias Trem is what it says: a tremolo. It doesn’t affect the basic amp sound.
That's what I thought... Hmm. I know there; were a few other "missing" parameters. I'll do some more digging this afternoon.

Here is a post on TGP about which amps have been updated (more than others).
Ah. Well, it's definitely a Boogie I'm using, so maybe the FW does have something to do with it. I guess I could always backup and then revert back to an Ares FW and see if the tone changes.
Also make sure you are using Ultra res cabs if you are used to
them the default in the cab block is not UR and to me that makes a difference
How do you mean? I'm using an OH Mesa IR that I bought. I don't know if I have the UR selected in the Axe III, but if I do, I'll make sure it's selected in the FM3 as well, if possible (I don't know enough about ultra res to know if I'm even using the terms correctly). But thanks for the tip. one more thing to try!
 
That's what I thought... Hmm. I know there; were a few other "missing" parameters. I'll do some more digging this afternoon.


Ah. Well, it's definitely a Boogie I'm using, so maybe the FW does have something to do with it. I guess I could always backup and then revert back to an Ares FW and see if the tone changes.

How do you mean? I'm using an OH Mesa IR that I bought. I don't know if I have the UR selected in the Axe III, but if I do, I'll make sure it's selected in the FM3 as well, if possible (I don't know enough about ultra res to know if I'm even using the terms correctly). But thanks for the tip. one more thing to try!
In the Axe it would auto load UR because of the extra horsepower
but FM3 you have a choice
IMO that could be some of what your hearing as Ur has to bit more detail to the lows and introduced some room or Air around the cab
but as Yek said probably the biggest thing is Cygnus vs Ares
 
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