Joel.Brown333
Inspired
I've used Line6 products for over a dozen years. My rig is a pair of Marshall JCM900s into a pair of Marshall 1936 2x12 cabs. Before switching to the FM3 I used the PODHD Desktop into the effects return of the Marshalls using a 20ms delay between the two for stereo effect. I play in a Sabbath tribute band and the tone I had was actually pretty decent. For years I wanted a Fractal product and when the FM3 came out at the price point I wanted plus the format I liked, I jumped on it. When I first hooked it up, I was disappointed. I tried a bunch of different settings to get it to work with my rig and it wasn't sounding right; thin and fizzy. I couldn't believe this since I know that Fractal is the best, so it must be something I'm doing wrong. Fortunately, I have a friend who has owned Fractal products for years and he came over and helped me get it going. I've had a chance to read, learn, and work with the product and can now dial in tones fairly quickly.
Bottom line:
Fractal is head and shoulders better than everything else. Not only in tone and note distinction, but also feel. I like how I can dial in the tone exactly the way I want then dial in the feel I'm looking using compression, drive, saturation, etc. without effecting the tone. This is extremely important, at least to me. If it sounds great but I have to work my butt off to do pull offs or hammer ons then I don't like it. Conversely, if I can't control the sustain or feedback to get the sound I want, it's worthless too. Fractal nails all these things so well it's scary. I'm getting spoiled really quick.
Bottom line:
Fractal is head and shoulders better than everything else. Not only in tone and note distinction, but also feel. I like how I can dial in the tone exactly the way I want then dial in the feel I'm looking using compression, drive, saturation, etc. without effecting the tone. This is extremely important, at least to me. If it sounds great but I have to work my butt off to do pull offs or hammer ons then I don't like it. Conversely, if I can't control the sustain or feedback to get the sound I want, it's worthless too. Fractal nails all these things so well it's scary. I'm getting spoiled really quick.