fm3 and laney lfr 212

Metal_dude

Metal_dude

New Member
I just sold my dual rectifier to fund a fractal fm3 and a laney lfr 212. I’ve never owned a modeler before but I have owned many high gain tube amps. I’m hoping I dig it as much as I dig tube amps. I got the chance to try out the headrush pedalboard and the line 6 helix at guitar center through a headrush 112, honestly it sounded pretty decent, mainly just went through presets and changed the amps tone controls to tweak the sound. Diddnt quite get the high gain sounds that would make me make the switch to digital (clean was amazing) but if I had a few days of tweaking I’m sure I would be able to dial in some high gain tones that could make me rethink that decision. Keep in mind those conclusions were through a headrush 112. There is nowhere near me that I could test out the fractal fm3 but everyone seems to say it’s better than the helix or headrush, and everyone I’ve heard from that owns the laney lfr 212 says it is awesome and way better than the headrush 112. My theory for selling my dual rec and getting the fractal fm3 + the laney lfr 212 FRFR is that if the helix/headrush stuff sounds that good through a headrush 112 when I tried them at guitar center then the fractal and the laney must be even better. I bought the fm3 and the laney today but the laney is backordered till late January so I have about a month of waiting before I can test everything out. I’m thinking of getting a power amp in the meantime to run through my 4x12 with the fractal while I wait for the laney. If anyone has any input or any questions feel free.
 
Welcome to the fold! I just received my FM3 last week. I've been running it 4CM with a Koch Powertone II and 4x12 and doing some direct recording with it. So far, it ticks all my boxes. I think you'll find that you've still got a rectifier, it's just digital now 😀
 
Welcome! I had the Laney LFR-112 for a while and loved it. I traded it for something as I stopped playing live for the foreseeable future, but would definitely get one again.

A couple of tips for someone new to modeling and used to high gain tube amps:

1. Give yourself time to adjust to the change. A lot of players, like myself when I made the switch, get immediately frustrated because it doesn't sound like what they're used to. It takes some time to get used to things, but once you do, you'll be happy.

2. Fletcher Munson curve is real. Build your tone at the volume level you'll be playing at. Even though it totally applies to tube amps, most people don't discover it until they get a modeler, make a bunch of presets at home, and then go to band practice and get really sad because it sounds terrible. Have separate presets (or adjust the master EQ) for loud and quiet.
 
Hi
I have the same set up
FM3 and Laney LFR 2x12.
I bought the Laney few months ago because it was on sale as used one, and they are quite rare so I took the chance. But I’m still waiting for test it because I’m moving from my apartment to a new house so everything is upside down and I parked the cab elsewhere in the meanwhile. I use FM3 with my Yamaha HS5 studio monitor with high gain setup based on Friedman amp. The thing is killer. If you are concerned by the credibility of an high gain tone, you will be not disappointed. Moreover you will get an absolutely real feel and dynamic from the machine, the behavior is like a tube amp.
The advantage is that your tone is almost there even at low volume. Fantastic effects too. I ended up in extending the footswitch (added an external 5 footswitch) because I wanted more flexibility in switching tones. No regrets for my previous Engl powerball. Still waiting for the Laney moment. Let me know your experience if you will get yours before me.
 
thehouse said:
Hi
I have the same set up
FM3 and Laney LFR 2x12.
I bought the Laney few months ago because it was on sale as used one, and they are quite rare so I took the chance. But I’m still waiting for test it because I’m moving from my apartment to a new house so everything is upside down and I parked the cab elsewhere in the meanwhile. I use FM3 with my Yamaha HS5 studio monitor with high gain setup based on Friedman amp. The thing is killer. If you are concerned by the credibility of an high gain tone, you will be not disappointed. Moreover you will get an absolutely real feel and dynamic from the machine, the behavior is like a tube amp.
The advantage is that your tone is almost there even at low volume. Fantastic effects too. I ended up in extending the footswitch (added an external 5 footswitch) because I wanted more flexibility in switching tones. No regrets for my previous Engl powerball. Still waiting for the Laney moment. Let me know your experience if you will get yours before me.
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Thanks for the reply man, I should be getting the laney around january 28th and I’ll definitely be posting an update. I still haven’t even gotten the fm3 yet but that should be here in a few days and I’ve been debating on getting a pair of studio monitors so I’m not just using my headphones until the laney gets here. If you end up being able to try yours out before mine gets here I’d like to hear what you think of it compared to your monitors. I have to admit, selling my dual rectifier to fund this rig without being able to try it first is a little scary but if you switched from an engl powerball and you’re not disappointed then that gives me some hope.
 
Metal_dude said:
Thanks for the reply man, I should be getting the laney around january 28th and I’ll definitely be posting an update. I still haven’t even gotten the fm3 yet but that should be here in a few days and I’ve been debating on getting a pair of studio monitors so I’m not just using my headphones until the laney gets here. If you end up being able to try yours out before mine gets here I’d like to hear what you think of it compared to your monitors. I have to admit, selling my dual rectifier to fund this rig without being able to try it first is a little scary but if you switched from an engl powerball and you’re not disappointed then that gives me some hope.
Click to expand...
Ok!
Getting a pair of flat studio monitors will be way better than using a power amp for your 4x12 guitar cab like you said in the first post.
I choose the overdrive/lead channel I liked the most and I started to get cleans and crunches from that in order to get seamless switching (you know in FM3 you can set only 1 amp/cab in your chain).
That was the part that took more time to me. But now I’m happy.
The machine is way complicated than a tube head and you need time and make many tests to get where you want. So give you some time to tweak, it’s totally fine.
Also, there is a community for sharing presets. Some of them are made by fantastic people that know the machine deeply. I use a Leon Todd preset.
 
thehouse said:
Ok!
Getting a pair of flat studio monitors will be way better than using a power amp for your 4x12 guitar cab like you said in the first post.
I choose the overdrive/lead channel I liked the most and I started to get cleans and crunches from that in order to get seamless switching (you know in FM3 you can set only 1 amp/cab in your chain).
That was the part that took more time to me. But now I’m happy.
The machine is way complicated than a tube head and you need time and make many tests to get where you want. So give you some time to tweak, it’s totally fine.
Also, there is a community for sharing presets. Some of them are made by fantastic people that know the machine deeply. I use a Leon Todd preset.
Click to expand...
I just ordered a pair of krk rokit 10-3 G4’s, they should be here in about a week. I’ll be able to A/B them with the laney lfr212 FRFR when it gets here but I’ll have about 2 weeks to try the rokit’s before the laney gets here. I’ll probably end up keeping the one I like the best and returning the other. I only play at home but I like to play loud and I like to feel my chugs off that makes sense. I was looking at the Yamaha hs8 but I wanted something that could fill a room a bit more, the rokit’s are 10” 3 way midfield monitors and If I ever decide to jam with people I feel like these could possibly keep up with a drummer. The fm3 will be here in a few days and I’ll be using 20$ Walmart headphones with them until the speakers get here lol
 
Quick update, fm3 just got here and I was able to test it out on my roommates behringer b212xl while I wait for my Rokit 10-3 G4’s to get here tomorrow. I have one observation, either the 150$ behringer 1x12 pa speaker sounds wayyyy better than the headrush 112 I tried at guitar center or the fractal fm3 straight up crushes the helix/headrush pedalboards. P.S. I highly doubt it’s the behringer speaker…
 
The krk Rokit 10-3 g4’s just got sent back and I ended up getting a Seymour Duncan powerstage 170 and a 2x12 cab with a celestion v30 and a warehouse reaper speaker, it sounds the best so far out of anything I’ve tried. The studio monitors were just too “clean” sounding if that makes any sense. I probably would have kept them but I also diddnt really “feel” them thump/chug until they were ear piercing loud. The laney lfr-212 is still coming in a few weeks so I’ll be able to compare the power amp setup with the laney FRFR but I’m very happy with the setup I have right now and it’s going to be hard to beat.
 
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