FM3 Incoming! Question regarding power amp/Amp1

Mateo11

Mateo11

Inspired
Posted over at TGP but thought here is probably better suited for this question. FM3 incoming...will use with FRFR/Monitors but also want to use through my Bogner OS212. I have a BluGuitar Amp1 Mercury laying around and was thinking running the FM3 into the FX return of the Amp1. Anyone here do this before and what were your thoughts?

Seems like an ideal setup given the Amp1 is a Class D solid state amp but has the nanotube tech in the power amp designed to impart feel and response (which it def does) without coloring the tone.

Couple guys over at TGP said it will work ok out of the gate but not ideal. Seems maybe the Amp1 imparts some high mids and treble that has to be eq's out in the global settings.

Better off getting a SD170 or PS2/Ps100? Thanks!
 
Got the answer I needed over at TGP. Copied and pasted below if anyone else was wondering..


The Amp1's power amp is a current feedback Class-D amp. It's not just about some compression built in with the microtube, but there's an impedance interaction between the power amp and the guitar cab which will impact the eq/response greatly. (It's not really a new thing with the Amp1, Quilter does this too.) It's closer to the PowerStation than it is to a neutral power amp.

A Kemper Direct profile consists of the reference amp's preamp and power amp, and the impedance interaction between power amp and cab is also baked in. If you use it with the Amp1's power amp, you're doubling up. You'll be doubling up on power amp compression/breakup, and bass and treble boost.

With a Fractal device, you can turn off the power amp modeling and the speaker impedance modeling. You won't don't have to double up using the Amp1. (But you can if it sounds good to you.)
 
Scanman39 said:
I have a bluguitar amp1 and FM3 and FX8 and they work great. Just turn off the cabs on the FM3 like they said.
Click to expand...

Looks like it’s a good idea also to go to the..
Amp Block: Speaker tab: turn off both HF and LF Resonance
Amp Block: Speaker Drive tab: set Speaker Drive, Compression, and Compliance to 0

I went ahead and bought a PS-2 to use with the FM3 and will try that along with the Amp1 and see which I prefer.
 
Mateo11 said:
Got the answer I needed over at TGP. Copied and pasted below if anyone else was wondering..


The Amp1's power amp is a current feedback Class-D amp. It's not just about some compression built in with the microtube, but there's an impedance interaction between the power amp and the guitar cab which will impact the eq/response greatly. (It's not really a new thing with the Amp1, Quilter does this too.) It's closer to the PowerStation than it is to a neutral power amp.

A Kemper Direct profile consists of the reference amp's preamp and power amp, and the impedance interaction between power amp and cab is also baked in. If you use it with the Amp1's power amp, you're doubling up. You'll be doubling up on power amp compression/breakup, and bass and treble boost.

With a Fractal device, you can turn off the power amp modeling and the speaker impedance modeling. You won't don't have to double up using the Amp1. (But you can if it sounds good to you.)
Click to expand...
I would suggest just flattening out the impedance curve in the amp block. The problem with turning power amp modeling off is that models that generate most of their drive/compression in the power section, plexis for instance, will be almost completely clean (unless you’re actually overdriving the power amp you’re running the FM3 into). On the other hand, if you’re mostly using master volume amp models and not pushing the power section then you may get good results from disabling power amp modeling.
 
My SD 170 is plenty loud. Hangs with a hard hitting drummer with room to spare.
Drives a 16ohm 4x12 very well
 
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Mateo11 said:
Amp Block: Speaker tab: turn off both HF and LF Resonance
Amp Block: Speaker Drive tab: set Speaker Drive, Compression, and Compliance to 0

I went ahead and bought a PS-2 to use with the FM3 and will try that along with the Amp1 and see which I prefer.
Click to expand...
Did you end up preferring the ps-2 or the amp1?
 
Metal_dude said:
Did you end up preferring the ps-2 or the amp1?
Click to expand...
I honestly don't recall exactly it's been so long lol. I wanna say I preferred the PS-2 since it was way more flexible and if I remember correctly had a better feel when playing through it. I do remember the BluGuitar had a "zingy-ness" to it for lack of a better word. Once I got the FM3 and played it through my studio monitors though (which I didn't gel with back when I had a AX8) I sold the BluGuitar and PS-2. I now only play thru my monitors. I was so impressed with the FM3 and the new amp modeling thru my monitors I ditched any ideas of playing thru a regular cab. Sorry my memory sucks and can't give better details but hope that helps!
 
Metal_dude said:
Did you end up preferring the ps-2 or the amp1?
Click to expand...
I own both a PS-100 and Amp 1 Mercury Edition and both work well as a poweramp. The Power Station is more adjustable with its presence/depth controls but the Amp 1 is a lot less noisy plus it's cheaper, more compact and a frickin' fantastic amp in its own right.

The PS is probably a bit more "neutral" though but I like how my FM3 sounds through the Amp 1 fx return.

This is just for home use and I haven't tried how the FM3 + PS or Amp 1 setup sounds like at loud volumes. No complaints about the Amp 1 on its own in that situation tho.
 
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