FM3 headphones jack

[Woody89]

I'll skip the non headphone jack FM3 and wait till April.. or maybe need to wait longer..?

 

[Sid Raghunandan]

As someone who is on the AX8 wait list, and doesn't need a headphone jack, I can still empathize with those that still expected it when the announcement was made that the FM3 is finally now shipping. It's not that hard to understand.

 

[Rublalup]

you connect headphones or speakers to the Outputs with a y-cable that's being discussed. i don't understand the statement "maybe it could work with some headphones" but then also not working as an interface if the problem is no headphones.

just trying to understand what you said is all.

Let’s say I have a Mac with reaper and want to record a few songs with a drum and bass track my band mates send me. I connect the fm3 via usb to the Mac. I don’t have monitors (and the latency is bad)... how could I do that if I can’t connect the headphones to the fm3? If I use the y cable will I hear the tracks “behind” me to play along?

sorry if I’m not clear enough... I know between my english and recording knowledge I’m not making much sense

 

[Sid Raghunandan]

what if it actually provides the same experience and quality though?

It won't. It would be an Impedance mismatch for most headphones. It's not even about the 'quality'. The line out is 600ohm when Headphone outs are usually 32ohms ish. Unless you have really high impedance headphones, you will not get the required output/dynamic range you get from regular headphone outs.

 

[MSS]

I’ll be waiting for the headphone jack version. A couple more months isn’t a big deal for me.

 

[chris]

Let’s say I have a Mac with reaper and want to record a few songs with a drum and bass track my band mates send me. I connect the fm3 via usb to the Mac. I don’t have monitors (and the latency is bad)... how could I do that if I can’t connect the headphones to the fm3? If I use the y cable will I hear the tracks “behind” me to play along?

sorry if I’m not clear enough... I know between my english and recording knowledge I’m not making much sense

yes. you would hear the tracks through Output 1. Monitors don't add latency. headphones are just another type of speaker, they aren't needed for recording. i never use headphones personally.

 

[NickSwampMKE]

I will gladly skip the headphone jack!

 

[getlostinsound]

I think they made a good move, based on the position that they are in. Even if they don’t have the final “HP version” yet, why not offer what they do have, and give people the option to either take it or wait for the later model?

Matt said it best:

To reduce the wait for the many customers who don't care about this feature, we decided to offer these units at a reduced price rather than partially scrapping them ($949 vs 999).

 

[Rekster]

I think they made a good move, based on the position that they are in. Even if they don’t have the final “HP version” yet, why not offer what they do have, and give people the option to either take it or wait for the later model?

Matt said it best:

Nothing at all wrong with offering the unit lacking the headphone jack at a discount. That's not a bad move. It's the timing of this revelation... It's the fact that people were excited that it's finally shipping and then were told the first units are missing a feature they wanted and expected. That's all.

 

[Sid Raghunandan]

Let’s say I have a Mac with reaper and want to record a few songs with a drum and bass track my band mates send me. I connect the fm3 via usb to the Mac. I don’t have monitors (and the latency is bad)... how could I do that if I can’t connect the headphones to the fm3? If I use the y cable will I hear the tracks “behind” me to play along?

sorry if I’m not clear enough... I know between my english and recording knowledge I’m not making much sense

Hello. I would not plug in the headphones to your output. I would buy a headphone amplifier (even if it's a fairly cheap one). For reference to how much impedance mismatch there is, a regular iPhone headphone jack (even with the adapter) <5ohms. The headphone output of the FM3 would be 35ohms. This lineout would be 600ohms.

 

[yeky83]

what if it actually provides the same experience and quality though?

It won't, cus of output impedance differences. EDIT: @Sid Raghunandan already clarified, I'm catching up.

 

[chris]

Hello. I would not plug in the headphones to your output. I would buy a headphone amplifier (even if it's a fairly cheap one). For reference to how much impedance mismatch there is, a regular iPhone headphone jack (even with the adapter) <5ohms. The headphone output of the FM3 would be 35ohms. This lineout would be 600ohms.

i agree with this.

to clarify earlier statements, i'm not telling anyone to buy this and use the outputs for headphones. i'm saying you can, that's all. the question got further complicated by a basic explanation of how an audio interface works as well.

it's simple: if you need a headphone jack as a feature, don't purchase this early model if your invite comes up.

chances are, those concerned about this haven't even gotten their invite called yet, and will have the headphone jack model available at that time anyway.

 

[AZGuitar]

Nothing at all wrong with offering the unit lacking the headphone jack at a discount. That's not a bad move. It's the timing of this revelation... It's the fact that people were excited that it's finally shipping and then were told the first units are missing a feature they wanted and expected. That's all.

I hear ya and will only say one more thing....I spent a year+ developing a iOS/Android Real Estate app. I forgot an advertised "print reports" button. DOH... Does everybody need to print something...no. Did I get any complaints...no. Are Realtors a tough crowd...yes. I added the print button...did people thank me...no. Is my pedal board empty...no. It's all good, !@#$ happens and you make the best of it. Cliff hit a home run!

 

[cataclysm]

That's a big bummer as i was planning on using headphone out to send to our IEM system so i could have available all other outputs for stereo DI and amp/camp send.

 

[Severed]

I've waited this long, another couple months no big deal. Maybe you could throw an extra free Fractal sticker in the box when you ship in April

 

[chris]

That's a big bummer as i was planning on using headphone out to send to our IEM system so i could have available all other outputs for stereo DI and amp/camp send.

you might get your invite when the headphone version is shipping anyway. i think things will work out for those who need the different versions.

 

[yeky83]

I tried to make this point earlier and my post got deleted. Using the line level out is NOT the same as a headphone output. Period. FAS can sugarcoat it all they want. If you want the same results as a headphone output from the line levels outputs, you need a headphone amplifier. Period.

View attachment 63711

I dunno if or how your post got deleted, but to be fair @chris ain't FAS so let's not characterize FAS like that.

 

[fcoberrios]

I'm pretty sure they started building fm3 units without a headphone jack before they did the announcement and then realized that it would be better for them to include a headphone jack. I'm pretty people with high end interfaces will end up buying these units without the Jac so it's not a big deal for them.

 

[Pete1959]

No big deal for me to have the headphone jack missing.
My guess these models will be offered to those AX8 clients first and awaiting whether or not they accept. If they decline and prefer to wait until April, I hope that unit then gets offered to the next person in line. If that's the case, those of us who reserved starting April 23rd will get next kick at the can so to speak. (I'm hoping....)

With the release news on the FM3, my Gigboard has suddenly become repulsive despite having a headphone jack on it that I never used.
Fingers crossed.

 

[God Hates Us All]

Matt, is there any clarification as to why these don't have a headphone jack? I was under the impression since the first announcement of the FM3 that it had one. Also, how many units don't have it?

it will have a headphone jack though. It will. There are some right now that they are shipping that doesn’t have the jack... most of us on the waitlist won’t even get an invite for those and if you want a headphone jack, you simply wait and don’t lose your place in line. This isn’t some big conspiracy.