First Day with the FM3

M

MrBollie

Member
Hi Forum!

being a first-time FA customer, I just received my FM3, yesterday. Loved the personal touch G66.eu added to the whole process of ordering. And the included chocolate is always nice. ;D

Anyway, I love the smell, sound, and pain of real tube amps. However, I sometimes find myself in situations, where I can't take those big boys with me. So, I tried HX Stomp, Kemper, and various plugins, and now ended up checking out the FM3.

Out of all the named digital options, the FM3 is already my personal favorite. Both, the HX Stomp and the Kemper where lacking the clarity I hear and feel in the FM3. Now, the reason why I do this enthusiastic first post is that I just pre-heated my real Friedman Smallbox 50 and compared it side by side to the FM3 model, and it's the first time I don't feel like I'm missing anything in the digital model. The profiles I made with the Kemper of my amp and even those I bought from the pros absolutely don't manage to capture the tone and feel of that amp. The FM3, however, does it. Where it differs from my amp setup is the Cab, though. I'm running the real Smallbox into an OX box and there's more top-end fizzle in that. I'm sure I could get things even closer using different cab IRs on the FM3. But frankly, I won't do that, as the FM3 with the 4x12 IR I chose just got the frequencies all in the right place. So I actually might end up tweaking the OX a little. ;)

So yeah, I was very sceptical, when with the FM3 just another modeller arrived, but it exceeded my expectations. And I love the tweakability and at the same time the ease of use. The next test it has to pass though is running it through a guitar cab at the next band rehearsal. The bar isn't high though, as my current setup with the Kemper is rather... disappointing. So yeah, there may be a Kemper Stage/Kab popping up on the used market soon.

Have a sunny day and peace!

Bollie
 
MrBollie said:
Hi Forum!

being a first-time FA customer, I just received my FM3, yesterday. Loved the personal touch G66.eu added to the whole process of ordering. And the included chocolate is always nice. ;D

Anyway, I love the smell, sound, and pain of real tube amps. However, I sometimes find myself in situations, where I can't take those big boys with me. So, I tried HX Stomp, Kemper, and various plugins, and now ended up checking out the FM3.

Out of all the named digital options, the FM3 is already my personal favorite. Both, the HX Stomp and the Kemper where lacking the clarity I hear and feel in the FM3. Now, the reason why I do this enthusiastic first post is that I just pre-heated my real Friedman Smallbox 50 and compared it side by side to the FM3 model, and it's the first time I don't feel like I'm missing anything in the digital model. The profiles I made with the Kemper of my amp and even those I bought from the pros absolutely don't manage to capture the tone and feel of that amp. The FM3, however, does it. Where it differs from my amp setup is the Cab, though. I'm running the real Smallbox into an OX box and there's more top-end fizzle in that. I'm sure I could get things even closer using different cab IRs on the FM3. But frankly, I won't do that, as the FM3 with the 4x12 IR I chose just got the frequencies all in the right place. So I actually might end up tweaking the OX a little. ;)

So yeah, I was very sceptical, when with the FM3 just another modeller arrived, but it exceeded my expectations. And I love the tweakability and at the same time the ease of use. The next test it has to pass though is running it through a guitar cab at the next band rehearsal. The bar isn't high though, as my current setup with the Kemper is rather... disappointing. So yeah, there may be a Kemper Stage/Kab popping up on the used market soon.

Have a sunny day and peace!

Bollie
Click to expand...
Join the crowd of some previous Kemper owners. I'm an AF3 guy and sold my Kemper the next day after getting the Axe.
Congrats on your purchase!
The honeymoon doesn't ware off fast......I have had mine for almost a year now and still love that I made the decision.
 
Michael R said:
Join the crowd of some previous Kemper owners. I'm an AF3 guy and sold my Kemper the next day after getting the Axe.
Congrats on your purchase!
The honeymoon doesn't ware off fast......I have had mine for almost a year now and still love that I made the decision.
Click to expand...
Sweet! May I ask what your reasons were to switch from Kemper to the AF3?
 
The difference in sound between a modeler and a real amp into a load box can have many causes. It sounds like you have good experience working with modeling/profiling already, which helps.

Fractal designs and expects the factory presets to be used at stage volume, around 95db, to avoid the Fletcher-Munson effect. When comparing the modeler to the real amp it’s important that they are the same volume also or Fletcher-Munson will jump in again.

https://wiki.fractalaudio.com/wiki/index.php?title=Connections_and_levels has lots of useful information about this stuff.
 
Got mine September 2020 and in the first few days I've looked for such posts if I made the right decision instead of trying the cheaper Helix or Headrush.
But after short time it was very clear to me that I will not regret to by the "maybe" underpowered FM3.
And now after getting all the updates it sounds more accurate and better than 2020 and I thought this would be not possible.
So only if I may will have money over in future I would buy a FM9 or used FX3 as additional device. Not as replacement.
 
raccoon said:
Got mine September 2020 and in the first few days I've looked for such posts if I made the right decision instead of trying the cheaper Helix or Headrush.
But after short time it was very clear to me that I will not regret to by the "maybe" underpowered FM3.
And now after getting all the updates it sounds more accurate and better than 2020 and I thought this would be not possible.
So only if I may will have money over in future I would buy a FM9 or used FX3 as additional device. Not as replacement.
Click to expand...
I gave the HX Stomp a chance two times and despite spending hours tweaking stuff, it never felt and sounded right and didn't have the fidelity of the FM3. I hate those troubles of gear disconnecting me from my playing. It's not worth wasting time and money on it. Just a shame learning this takes so much time. ;)
 
MrBollie said:
Sweet! May I ask what your reasons were to switch from Kemper to the AF3?
Click to expand...
The Kemper did an ok job of copying the sound of your amp...like I said Ok job. It wasn't perfect. I actually had a Neural DSP QC on order and they kept postponing the date further and further. I liked the idea of the QC being able to profile pedals. While waiting, I started to look into the Fractal gear. Never really checked them out before except hearing about being a tweaking nightmare and really expensive etc. I decided to get the FM3 but then just before that I sold a guitar for quite a bit of $$$$ so at the last minute went for the AF3 instead.
I plugged the AF3 in and with in the first few minutes I was sold! I was able to adjust things right on the front panel with ease compared to the horror stories I had heard. It sounded like a real amp and smoked the Kemper. The Kemper to me only sounded ok with a set of good quality headphones. With the Axe I can go into my monitors or right into a real amp and cab. I am a tube amp guy through and through and the Axe has converted me. If you are a tube amp guy, make sure to tweak the power tube bias and roll some tubes.....it will put a smile on your face :)
 
Michael R said:
The Kemper did an ok job of copying the sound of your amp...like I said Ok job. It wasn't perfect. I actually had a Neural DSP QC on order and they kept postponing the date further and further. I liked the idea of the QC being able to profile pedals. While waiting, I started to look into the Fractal gear. Never really checked them out before except hearing about being a tweaking nightmare and really expensive etc. I decided to get the FM3 but then just before that I sold a guitar for quite a bit of $$$$ so at the last minute went for the AF3 instead.
I plugged the AF3 in and with in the first few minutes I was sold! I was able to adjust things right on the front panel with ease compared to the horror stories I had heard. It sounded like a real amp and smoked the Kemper. The Kemper to me only sounded ok with a set of good quality headphones. With the Axe I can go into my monitors or right into a real amp and cab. I am a tube amp guy through and through and the Axe has converted me. If you are a tube amp guy, make sure to tweak the power tube bias and roll some tubes.....it will put a smile on your face :)
Click to expand...
Alright, I'll do so! I feel you there... I also ordered the QC, but lost my patience after a while and canceled the order. Regarding the Kemper, it feels like it "listens" to your amp and comes up with something, that is its own inpretation. Even after refining, I never felt it was my amp what I was hearing.

Regarding the complexity: Of course, it is a steep learning curve and I can say for the FM3 that editing on the device itself takes a while to get used to (how often to I turn the knob intending to go from one block to the other and ending up changing it instead). On the other hand: It's all there, it has a wonderful display and a crisp, logically laid out UI.

Editing using FM3edit I find much easier and that app is just amazing. Also, stuff is complex here, but logical and often I manage to achieve stuff purely by intuition.
 
Just a quick update: Took the FM3 along with my brandnew Morningstar MC6 mk II to band rehearsal for the first time. I was using my presets without a Cab-Sim into a Harley Benton GPA-100 and that into a Blackstar 2x12" rented from the rehearsal space. The tone was ok'ish, until I discovered setting the output from Unity Gain to Line Level on the FM3 gave my tone all the flesh and bones it needed. So great that the amp block even contains the impedance curve of the speakers I was using. :D I've been using the Bludotone Clean for most of the time. What a great match for my PRS CE-24! Such a great sustain and if you engage the Natural Boost in the preamp section, you get some bold-sounding lead tone.

Only issue I had: I'm using the MC6 to toggle the Delay and the FM3's FCs to change scenes. Would be amazing if the block toggle would be persistent across the scenes. Doing the same with the preamp boost on the amp section, but I assume, that's persistent across screen, becaue I'm using a modifier there, right?

Anyway, happy days!
 
MrBollie said:
Hi Forum!

being a first-time FA customer, I just received my FM3, yesterday. Loved the personal touch G66.eu added to the whole process of ordering. And the included chocolate is always nice. ;D

Anyway, I love the smell, sound, and pain of real tube amps. However, I sometimes find myself in situations, where I can't take those big boys with me. So, I tried HX Stomp, Kemper, and various plugins, and now ended up checking out the FM3.

Out of all the named digital options, the FM3 is already my personal favorite. Both, the HX Stomp and the Kemper where lacking the clarity I hear and feel in the FM3. Now, the reason why I do this enthusiastic first post is that I just pre-heated my real Friedman Smallbox 50 and compared it side by side to the FM3 model, and it's the first time I don't feel like I'm missing anything in the digital model. The profiles I made with the Kemper of my amp and even those I bought from the pros absolutely don't manage to capture the tone and feel of that amp. The FM3, however, does it. Where it differs from my amp setup is the Cab, though. I'm running the real Smallbox into an OX box and there's more top-end fizzle in that. I'm sure I could get things even closer using different cab IRs on the FM3. But frankly, I won't do that, as the FM3 with the 4x12 IR I chose just got the frequencies all in the right place. So I actually might end up tweaking the OX a little. ;)

So yeah, I was very sceptical, when with the FM3 just another modeller arrived, but it exceeded my expectations. And I love the tweakability and at the same time the ease of use. The next test it has to pass though is running it through a guitar cab at the next band rehearsal. The bar isn't high though, as my current setup with the Kemper is rather... disappointing. So yeah, there may be a Kemper Stage/Kab popping up on the used market soon.

Have a sunny day and peace!

Bollie
Click to expand...
Dude I feel Ya.. I love my FM3 Its a game changer..
 
Well, I do not want to add another very same topic so I will just take the opportunity (and the thread) to write mine as well.
I waited a quite some time for the FM9, saying to myself that I will wait... nah, nope. With the FM9 coming in the Q3 soonest to Europe (and me really having to make me happy), I decided to go for the FM3. Now I have it about one month.
I cannot tell how much fun this small thing is. I am not new to the Fractal family at all, but I have used the Ultra for about a year together with a Mesa Boogie Fifty/Fifty and two speakers (212 Orange and Engl) and I loved that sound. When the FM3 arrived, I've literally spent the whole weekend exploring it, making a few presets to use on the next rehearsal; that did not happen to me for quite some time. Like, okay, I am counting on taking this little guy with me when playing live, but still I was almost sure to get a power amp and use the cabinets I have. Not anymore, I wanna just play with this. And I am really tempted to just bring them back home (for some reason nobody else in the band and in the other band has the understanding for having two cabinets...), keep them just because I like them and get just a FRFR.
So, for me, it was quite a big surprise comparing the Ultra and the FM3. I love this and I love how easy it was to get a good sounding preset going. Very happy to have one.
 
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