FM3 FAQ

[axfxGTP]

I am on the FM3 waitlist and excited to get it. Does anyone have a waitlist prediction or experience they'd care to share? Joined Apr 3, don't know if I'm looking at another month, six months, etc.

 

[Dr. Faustus]

Will FM3 also be getting the USB 1.15 fixed drivers? They solved all my problems with the AxeFX3 losing audio from my PC. I want to practice for my band with the FM3 so I can verify my presets but it drops audio constantly.

 

[Lou Lab]

Anybody here uses the FM3 with jam tracks in a headphone? Do I need a Focusrite?

 

[Chromatizm]

Anybody here uses the FM3 with jam tracks in a headphone? Do I need a Focusrite?

I do. iPad into Input 2, In2 block on the grid directly into Out1, +16dB volume on the In2 volume setting.
Works like a charm, no issues. No need for additional interface, headphones directly into FM3.

 

[JD Elliott]

Anybody here uses the FM3 with jam tracks in a headphone? Do I need a Focusrite?

Just plug the FM3 via USB into your home computer, headphone into FM3 (if you have a headphone jack unlike me) and that's it. Play your MP3 jam tracks via whatever audio player you use on your computer or via your DAW.

 

[birdman987]

I have only two studio monitors, how do I route presets with Out 2?

 

[Lou Lab]

I noticed after using the headphone output with my ATH-M50 for the first few times that the quality of the tones I get from my FM3 are really not as good as when using my JBL studio monitors. Anyone else thinks that the headphone output is really not that great?

 

[Rex]

I noticed after using the headphone output with my ATH-M50 for the first few times that the quality of the tones I get from my FM3 are really not as good as when using my JBL studio monitors. Anyone else thinks that the headphone output is really not that great?

There's nothing quite like playing a guitar that's swimming in its own sound field. You don't get that with headphones, because headphone isolation prevents it.

Also, there's wide variance in sound between different headphones and monitors.

 

[Lou Lab]

There's nothing quite like playing a guitar that's swimming in its own sound field. You don't get that with headphones, because headphone isolation prevents it.

Also, there's wide variance in sound between different headphones and monitors.

I agree but I think I'll get better if I send the Main Out 1 in a Focusrite and then in the headphones. Anyone tried something like that?

 

[Rex]

I agree but I think I'll get better if I send the Main Out 1 in a Focusrite and then in the headphones. Anyone tried something like that?

I don’t think it will, but why not try it and find out?

 

[Chromatizm]

I agree but I think I'll get better if I send the Main Out 1 in a Focusrite and then in the headphones. Anyone tried something like that?

I'm using it like that, 'cause my Zoom UAC-2 has a separate headphones volume control. This enables great flexibility.
However, I can't say I noticed any difference in sound plugging HFs in FM3 or Zoom. Only flexibility improves!

 

[Rex]

I have only two studio monitors, how do I route presets with Out 2?

Help us understand your question.

 

[Lou Lab]

I'm using it like that, 'cause my Zoom UAC-2 has a separate headphones volume control. This enables great flexibility.
However, I can't say I noticed any difference in sound plugging HFs in FM3 or Zoom. Only flexibility improves!

Thanks, I expect better quality in general using something like Out 1 to the Focusrite and then the headphones. I believe that the headphone amp in the FM3 is just so so... I might totally be wrong though... Will see.

 

[playerone]

Thanks, I expect better quality in general using something like Out 1 to the Focusrite and then the headphones. I believe that the headphone amp in the FM3 is just so so... I might totally be wrong though... Will see.

FM3 headphone amp has more headroom, than my Motu M4 interface (for 250 Ohm headphones). Nut sure about sound quality, but there is definitely no drastic difference.

 

[Lution]

On the A-E knobs am I able to adjust the encoder ballistics? For example, when I play live I want to assign an analog delay's delay feedback level to knob A and the delay time to knob B and play with the runaway oscillation of the two live on the fly to create cool sounds just like would with knobs on a real analog delay pedal. In order for this to work well at all the encoder ballistics needs to allow for me to reach the minimum feedback level and max feedback with one turn of the knob, and not 5 turns of the knob.

Do the knobs ballistics behave in the way I'm hoping from the jump or at least allow me to adjust/control their ballistics?

 

[Dr. Faustus]

Will FM3 also be getting the USB 1.15 fixed drivers? They solved all my problems with the AxeFX3 losing audio from my PC. I want to practice for my band with the FM3 so I can verify my presets but it drops audio constantly.

Any news on this?

 

[iaresee]

On the A-E knobs am I able to adjust the encoder ballistics? For example, when I play live I want to assign an analog delay's delay feedback level to knob A and the delay time to knob B and play with the runaway oscillation of the two live on the fly to create cool sounds just like would with knobs on a real analog delay pedal. In order for this to work well at all the encoder ballistics needs to allow for me to reach the minimum feedback level and max feedback with one turn of the knob, and not 5 turns of the knob.

Do the knobs ballistics behave in the way I'm hoping from the jump or at least allow me to adjust/control their ballistics?

Assign the knobs to internal controllers and then assign the controllers to the parameters you want to control. This gives you more control over the curve the parameter follows as the knob position changes.

Otherwise there is no way to change the taper or rate of change of the knob when you assign it to a parameter directly.

 

[Lution]

Assign the knobs to internal controllers and then assign the controllers to the parameters you want to control. This gives you more control over the curve the parameter follows as the knob position changes.

Otherwise there is no way to change the taper or rate of change of the knob when you assign it to a parameter directly.

Thank you for the reply. I believe I follow what you're saying, but I don't own the FM3 yet. Could you point me to a video that shows how to do this?

 

[iaresee]

Thank you for the reply. I believe I follow what you're saying, but I don't own the FM3 yet. Could you point me to a video that shows how to do this?

I can't think of a video that explains both concepts. @2112 has a good video on controllers:

You'll just use a front panel knob for the controller instead of, say, an expression pedal.

 

[Bakerman]

Thank you for the reply. I believe I follow what you're saying, but I don't own the FM3 yet. Could you point me to a video that shows how to do this?

The idea is that you could modify delay time with one of the 5 "Manual" controllers and place that Manual controller on the performance page. Adjusting the modifier curve to something like this will let a small portion of the Manual's range cover the full delay time range, but there are some things you might find less than ideal.



1. Nothing prevents the manual value from continuing beyond the point where delay time maxes out, so you can end up having to turn it a bit before time starts being lowered again after that.

2. The knob acceleration scheme will still be active. A half turn can produce anywhere from around 2% to 40% change of the Manual value depending on how fast you turn it.

3. It's harder to get an approximate idea of where the virtual knob is at a glance with this smaller range mapped to the parameter. The value will be displayed above so maybe this isn't too big of an issue if you just remember 15% (or whatever it ends up being) equals max. time.