FM3 Firmware Release Version 1.06

First freeze up! Arrived with 1.06 installed, using an edited factory preset, not using a Friedman amp, haven't used Axe Edit or any USB interface yet. Happened while playing with the delay block settings.
Am having a blast with the convenience of this little unit at home. Keeping the Axe3 for gigs although gigs are in short supply in Wisconsin these days.
 
First freeze up! Arrived with 1.06 installed, using an edited factory preset, not using a Friedman amp, haven't used Axe Edit or any USB interface yet. Happened while playing with the delay block settings.
Am having a blast with the convenience of this little unit at home. Keeping the Axe3 for gigs although gigs are in short supply in Wisconsin these days.
Which factory preset? Do you know what specifically you were editing?

When it froze was absolutely nothing responsive?

No one has reported something like this, so just trying to get more info. Thanks!
 
Which factory preset? Do you know what specifically you were editing?

When it froze was absolutely nothing responsive?

No one has reported something like this, so just trying to get more info. Thanks!
I see your point! Without those details, my post served no purpose!
Sorry, I'm not certain which preset HOWEVER, I will be more immediately observant if there is next time!
 
I wonder if we could go to firmware version 2 directly with more improvements given the time it's taking? ahhahaa
 
I see your point! Without those details, my post served no purpose!
Sorry, I'm not certain which preset HOWEVER, I will be more immediately observant if there is next time!
no problem, just if you happened to catch it. any information is good. i'll see if i can recreate the issue you experienced :D
 
@chris
In my case, I do not notice any repeating circumstances (consequences of specific actions). Only in the case of sound fading the element that distinguishes it from other presets is the amplifier model (Friedmann HBE).
Yesterday FM3 crashed for 2 seconds (disappearing sound, LEDs and sreeen works). During the decay time, the only observation other than for the suspend requiring restart - is that the bars indicating the output level of the signal from the AMP block were "zero" (not max and red - as in case, a crash that requires a reboot, as seen in my video from a few days ago).

After 2-3 seconds the sound came back and for 2 hours to end of playing there were no further problems (restart was not required). Preset at CPU Usage 71-73% level, which is this preset:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-firmware-release-version-1-06.165312/post-2003179

I'm trying to find some dependencies (to help You to find problems), but can't see any patterns
 
@chris
In my case, I do not notice any repeating circumstances (consequences of specific actions). Only in the case of sound fading the element that distinguishes it from other presets is the amplifier model (Friedmann HBE).
Yesterday FM3 crashed for 2 seconds (disappearing sound, LEDs and sreeen works). During the decay time, the only observation other than for the suspend requiring restart - is that the bars indicating the output level of the signal from the AMP block were "zero" (not max and red - as in case, a crash that requires a reboot, as seen in my video from a few days ago).

After 2-3 seconds the sound came back and for 2 hours to end of playing there were no further problems (restart was not required). Preset at CPU Usage 71-73% level, which is this preset:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-firmware-release-version-1-06.165312/post-2003179

I'm trying to find some dependencies (to help You to find problems), but can't see any patterns
thanks for the info! i wouldn't work too much harder on this. just any info people happen to catch will help. i tried that preset for a while yesterday and didn't have any freeze or issues. will try again tomorrow with this new info.
 
I was hoping for the update today but if feel the fractal team is working hard to address the freeze issues first. Regardless I look forward to any possible upcoming updates in the near future :)
 
I know it would be a difficult thing to ask but as an experiment what if all FM3 users we stick to just using are own presets or factory ones for a period of a week. and see , if we eliminate all the 3rd party presets and conversions , if people were willing to do that
would the freezing stop or be noticeably less ?

It's interesting that you mention this. I've had about 2 freezes since I received my fm3. I've had it for about 2 month now. If I recall correctly, I remember my fm3 freezing around the same time I was going full stupid trying out a bunch of different presets from fm3 to X3.

You both raise very good points and ones that I've thought about for a very long time (using presets, converted presets/blocks from 3rd parties/utilities, etc. causing problems) across the various Fractal platforms. I've long suspected that corrupted presets are the cause of many problems, even if they don't outright crash the unit every time they are accessed, etc.

Whenever I've heard of these random problems and that they only affect some users and not others I've always wondered how they were creating presets or where they may have gotten them from, etc.

I've had my FM3/FM6 since August of this year and have not had any issues whatsoever with it.

I've used it during lengthy editing and playing sessions both with and without being connected to Axe-Edit.

Since I've owned Fractal gear (starting with the Ultra in 2009) I've only ever used either edited factory presets (Fractory Presets lol) or exclusively ones I've created completely from scratch.

When there are major updates to any blocks, particularly the AMP block, I've always reset/re-initialized the block to ensure there was no 'cruft' left behind that could cause issues and start with a clean slate.

30 years of being in IT have conditioned me to start things from scratch with initialized, clean states and a very controlled workflow as I've seen way, way too many issues when people try and take shortcuts or use data/methods, etc. from other parties that might contain something wacky or carry over something from a different platform to another one that, for whatever reason, is incompatible. You simply cannot fully vet the process taken to create blocks/data, etc. from other parties and if/when problems arise you are now left wondering if anything out of your control is responsible.

So, I think the suggestions to strictly use only factory presets and/or ones created completely from fresh, initialized blocks as a test/gauge to see if the unit stabilizes is a good one. Don't even load any presets aside from known good ones where the process used to created them is 'from scratch' or Fractory ones.

Not a knock on preset creators or conversion utilities at all...when troubleshooting stuff like this, especially random, intermittent issues, you really need to start to control the variables.
 
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Ok, had my first lock up in ages tonight - and it was different to before for me.

Preset I'd created from scratch on the FM3, I was making a lot of edits via USB (Mac), same change across a lot of presets.

Got to the last one to do, and moved some blocks around - all of a sudden I lost audio, levels at a block view showed my insert loop wasn't passing audio, deleted that - and still no sound, changed presets to one that had worked previously - no sound.

Powercycled the FM3 and boom all worked again, at no time did the FM3 appear unresponsive or lose F/SW display - just stopped producing audio.

So for me, every time I've had it - it's with rapid editing via USB, and eventually boom! But day to day use - never
 
No freeze ups for me but I haven't done anything fancy with it, no imported presets, no using the editor. I edited two factory presets including amp swaps and have been playing using those.

I've left the unit on for more than six hours a couple of times with no problems. No need to reboot.

So far so good.
 
I've had only one freeze up and it was when I took a preset from my Axe-FxIII and put it in the FM3. No sound, blank footswitch screens. Rebooted and all was fine and has been fine since.
 
@chris

After 2-3 seconds the sound came back and for 2 hours to end of playing there were no further problems (restart was not required). Preset at CPU Usage 71-73% level, which is this preset:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-firmware-release-version-1-06.165312/post-2003179

I'm trying to find some dependencies (to help You to find problems), but can't see any patterns

I had some time so I grabbed your preset and gave it a shot. iMac, good usb cable, FM3 on 1.06.

First time had FM3-Edit running and connected - was just strumming chords and swapping between scenes. All fine. Hit the "pause communication" button on FM3-Edit and after a couple scene switches in locked up - screen fine, tuner arrows working, and buttons on the FM3 working. I can navigate, etc...but no sound. Meters view on Layout shows red on amp block and CPU at 73%.

Reboot the FM3. Leave FM3-Edit running (still on pause mode). Boots up fine, Edit showing green light and connected but still paused. One strum and boom it is silent and same circumstance as above.

Reboot, but kill FM3-Edit this time. (USB still plugged in to iMac but no Edit runnning.)

Start playing, messing around seems fine. But no after a few switches, same. Red meter in Amp block and every block after.

Reboot. Remove USB cable.

Play for almost 5 min...switching fast, slow, etc. Thinking...hmm. this seems fine!
Then boom. red and quiet.

Not sure if this helps, but thought i would share.
 
I think that the switch related issue has been identified and fixed though. Sounds like there's an additional issue related to usb that might still be unresolved.

If it's a case of gating the release on multiple fixes then I'd personally prefer more frequent and incremental changes like we have with the axefx3 (just saying). Well, I guess it's still not the most important thing in the world right now.
 
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