FM3 Firmware Version 6.02

[Lettuce]

For what it’s worth, Im on Ventura 13.3.1 and updated to 6.02 last week without a hitch. Using an Intel based Mac Mini. I updated the FM3 editor a few days prior to that.
One other thing to watch for are the USB ports. If you’re on a laptop sometimes the ports don’t get the constant power for a reliable connection. This was my experience on Windows and peripheral devices so I remember having to adjust the power settings. Not sure if the same could apply to Apple laptops.

 

[ejtoombs]

Hey, thanks all! Yesterday I switched USB cables and ports and updated to 6.02 then manually did a FW refresh. Not sure which piece did it, but I've had no issues since! I've used my initial USB cable for a while so I'm going to switch back to that sometime and see if the issue comes back to see if it was that or the FW refresh that did it.

 

[MatB]

Hello! I've a problem updating Fm3 to fw 6.02. I tried several times but after the update the fm3 always freeze on the first screen showing FM3 and the progress bar never appears with the fan at full speed. I used the last version of the FM3-Edit.
I tried to reset the fm3 to default settings and loading an empty preset before the update but it didn't work. I did a memory test in the emergency utility and the result is ok, so the test doesn't show any error.
I noticed the same problem with the 6.02 beta fw, but with the 6.01 (or older fw) I never had a problem.
Could be a problem with my fm3 unit?
Thank You for your attention!

 

[Will Schut]

Uber-Kudos on the OD-One overdrive! This is one of my favorite pedals of all time and this is a killer representation of it. Thank you FAS!

Hear hear…

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Hello! I've a problem updating Fm3 to fw 6.02. I tried several times but after the update the fm3 always freeze on the first screen showing FM3 and the progress bar never appears with the fan at full speed. I used the last version of the FM3-Edit.
I tried to reset the fm3 to default settings and loading an empty preset before the update but it didn't work. I did a memory test in the emergency utility and the result is ok, so the test doesn't show any error.
I noticed the same problem with the 6.02 beta fw, but with the 6.01 (or older fw) I never had a problem.
Could be a problem with my fm3 unit?
Thank You for your attention!

Contact support@fractalaudio.com.

 

[lauke-lux]

Great FW, finally managed to find the time to reduce one of my main presets so it could handle the additionnal CPU%. The big characters were a very old wish filled in and the optical sustainer is incredible. Thanks FAS keep on rocking.

 

[Geoff]

I just finished my weekend gigs. Thanks - these big fonts really help me out!. And the sound awesome as always.

 

[Chromatizm]

Are compressors and sustainers supposed to be noisy when there is no input signal?
Attached a preset with two compressors. It is incredibly noisy even when the guitar is not plugged, i.e. there are no cables/transmitters in In1/In2.

The noise increases significantly when I set Input padding to 18dB (guitar is not plugged in), which is the only way to use FM3 with Fishman pickups due to input clipping.
I can record a sound sample if nobody has the same issue with this preset.

 

[DoctorJones]

Are compressors and sustainers supposed to be noisy when there is no input signal?
Attached a preset with two compressors. It is incredibly noisy even when the guitar is not plugged, i.e. there are no cables/transmitters in In1/In2.

The noise increases significantly when I set Input padding to 18dB (guitar is not plugged in), which is the only way to use FM3 with Fishman pickups due to input clipping.
I can record a sound sample if nobody has the same issue with this preset.

I have 3 guitars w/ Fishman pickups: 2 w/ classic open cores and 1 modern. I run with an input padding of 6db and it just tickles the red.

 

[Chromatizm]

I have 3 guitars w/ Fishman pickups: 2 w/ classic open cores and 1 modern. I run with an input padding of 6db and it just tickles the red.

Yeah, I also thought so Check this: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm3-input-pad-setting-for-hot-pickups-again.193383/

 

[MikeRI]

I backed up my important user presets and user cabs to my computer and then I installed the latest Firmware update to 6.02 (coming from version of 5.2 I believe). Now, at this point I'd like to fully reset my entire FM3 as if I were purchasing it new from the factory with 6.02 pre-installed. I'm thinking this is achieved by going to the FM3 Utilities menu item and performing each of the following: 1] Reset System Parameters <Push A>, 2] Clear All Presets <PUSH C>, and 3] Erase All User IRs <PUSH E>? Are there any other things that need to be done as well to get it to factory, or is it as simple as just installing the FW and executing the A, C, and E resets?

 

[fcs101]

I backed up my important user presets and user cabs to my computer and then I installed the latest Firmware update to 6.02 (coming from version of 5.2 I believe). Now, at this point I'd like to fully reset my entire FM3 as if I were purchasing it new from the factory with 6.02 pre-installed. I'm thinking this is achieved by going to the FM3 Utilities menu item and performing each of the following: 1] Reset System Parameters <Push A>, 2] Clear All Presets <PUSH C>, and 3] Erase All User IRs <PUSH E>? Are there any other things that need to be done as well get it to factory, or is it as simple as just installing the FW and executung the A, C, and E resets?

I think you've got it right. You'll just need to reload the factory presets.

 

[MikeRI]

--> You'll just need to reload the factory presets.

Oh yeah, that too. I did all the resets and then reinstalled the latest factory presets on my device using Fractal-Bot at which point I thought all was well (and it was on the device), until I noticed on FM3-Edit that it was still showing my user presets up in the 400's locations where I kept them (but they weren't on the FM3 as they should not have been. This surprised me... The device was as expected with there being only the new factory presets (as it it were new), but FM3-Edit was not reflecting this. As I was poking around FM Edit I saw the menu item "Refresh After Firmware Update" so I executed that at which point FM3-Edit then reflected perfectly the presets that were on the device (just the factory presets as expected). I think I'm good now, but I just don't understand it. I thought whenever FM3-Edit launched it would scan and update all the presets that were on the device but this didn't happen in this case. What am I missing here?

 

[Chromatizm]

Attached a preset with two compressors. It is incredibly noisy even when the guitar is not plugged, i.e. there are no cables/transmitters in In1/In2.

Can anyone please try this preset and let me know if it's noisy? Not sure if the problem is with compressors or my unit.

 

[skolacki]

Oh yeah, that too. I did all the resets and then reinstalled the latest factory presets on my device using Fractal-Bot at which point I thought all was well (and it was on the device), until I noticed on FM3-Edit that it was still showing my user presets up in the 400's locations where I kept them (but they weren't on the FM3 as they should not have been. This surprised me... The device was as expected with there being only the new factory presets (as it it were new), but FM3-Edit was not reflecting this. As I was poking around FM Edit I saw the menu item "Refresh After Firmware Update" so I executed that at which point FM3-Edit then reflected perfectly the presets that were on the device (just the factory presets as expected). I think I'm good now, but I just don't understand it. I thought whenever FM3-Edit launched it would scan and update all the presets that were on the device but this didn't happen in this case. What am I missing here?

Sometimes it doesn’t auto refresh. In Edit you’ll see a refresh symbol on the presets page.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

I thought whenever FM3-Edit launched it would scan and update all the presets that were on the device but this didn't happen in this case.

Check the options for Edit. You can toggle whether it scans at startup.

It’s also supposed to rescan the firmware after an update, and usually will catch it, but can be fooled by the beta versions.

 

[Will Chen]

Are compressors and sustainers supposed to be noisy when there is no input signal?
Attached a preset with two compressors. It is incredibly noisy even when the guitar is not plugged, i.e. there are no cables/transmitters in In1/In2.

The noise increases significantly when I set Input padding to 18dB (guitar is not plugged in), which is the only way to use FM3 with Fishman pickups due to input clipping.
I can record a sound sample if nobody has the same issue with this preset.

You have the input gate disabled and dual compressors set to -40, pretty low/aggressive for typical guitar usage, this is a recipe for noise as without a signal you are massively amplifying the noise floor especially the comp after the amp block as just like real amps there is some hum present even without any input signal. Odd though that there's additional noise when the input is set to 18dB.

 

[Chromatizm]

just like real amps there is some hum present even without any input signal

There shouldn't be any, @FractalAudio commented on that long time ago (can't find a post quickly): models don't generate noise, they can only amplify noise which goes in. But the cable is unplugged, no cables in any of the inputs.

Odd though that there's additional noise when the input is set to 18dB.

Well, if with 18dB padding the overall volume level stays the same, probably about the same amount of volume is added internally, so it amplifies the noise. Can it be the case?

 

[Will Chen]

There shouldn't be any, @FractalAudio commented on that long time ago (can't find a post quickly): models don't generate noise, they can only amplify noise which goes in. But the cable is unplugged, no cables in any of the inputs.


Well, if with 18dB padding the overall volume level stays the same, probably about the same amount of volume is added internally, so it amplifies the noise. Can it be the case?

There is absolutely a noise floor with every digital audio device. You are raising the noise floor with the compressor, amplifying it by a large value with the amp, raising it again with the output comp in the amp block, and then raising it even further with the post comp. Disable the comp after your amp and things get substantially better. Use the input gate and it's gone.

 

[Chromatizm]

You are raising the noise floor with the compressor

Sure, but that's the original question - are they supposed to be THIS loud? The amp is basically clean. I never noticed this noise before. The comp settings are average at best, default even (I did a reset on all blocks as you can see), nothing special, so to hear this amount of hiss is surprising to me. I started hearing it with 6.02. Compressors are loud, upward compressors are even louder (which makes total sense, of course). I don't think I heard this level of noise before 6.02, but maybe I'm wrong.

Use the input gate

I hate gates :/ Things are so much liver without them!