FM3 or FX3

Roddie

Inspired
Hello. I am on the waitlist for the FM3 (April 27 2019) and I am curious to those who have both units do they feel that the FM3 is lacking due to some of the missing features that the FX3 has. I am referring strictly to the ability to run dual amps in parallel. Do you feel that this option is a must have? I am trying to decide between the 2 units prior to receiving my invite to purchase an FM3. Any input at all would be greatly appreciated. I currently do not have experience with the Fractal products.

Thank you, Rod
 
I am referring strictly to the ability to run dual amps in parallel. Do you feel that this option is a must have?
It doesn't matter how I feel about it. It's not my money that you're about to spend. It's yours.

How do you feel about it? Do you currently run dual amps in parallel? If not, it's probably not a must-have option for you. If so, how would you feel if you didn't have this option?
 
It doesn't matter how I feel about it. It's not my money that you're about to spend. It's yours.

How do you feel about it? Do you currently run dual amps in parallel? If not, it's probably not a must-have option for you. If so, how would you feel if you didn't have this option?
Do you have both the FM3 and FX3?
 
Do you use dual amp settings, or any other options on the FX3 that would in your opinion be an absolute must. I am merely trying to get a feel for users of both products what their feelings are in terms of strengths and weaknesses of the 2 units.

Thanks, Rod
 
Do you use dual amp settings, or any other options on the FX3 that would in your opinion be an absolute must. I am merely trying to get a feel for users of both products what their feelings are in terms of strengths and weaknesses of the 2 units.

Thanks, Rod
Okay, that's different. You originally said you were "referring strictly to the ability to run dual amps in parallel."

I rarely run with two Amp blocks. That's not a must-have for me. For some people, it is a must-have. There's nothing that the FM3 doesn't have that I must have. It can already do more than a traditional rig with a board full of pedals can do.

For some people, the FM3 is plenty enough. For some people, they must have the extras that the Axe-Fx III provides. There really is no meaningful answer to your question other than the answer that you provide yourself.
 
I completely understand what you are saying and as I said the only reason I am asking is because as I said I do not have any experience with Fractal. I am coming from a Kemper and do not use any dual rigs. The work flow of the 2 units seem to be very different and I am simply trying to decide what the best purchase would be.

Thanks, Rod
 
For a no compromises unit, you can’t beat the Axe3 with an FC controller.

I own both. Here are a few differences between the two off the top of my head:

The sound quality, feel, touch responsiveness to both units is excellent. The FM3 is currently a FW version of two behind the Axe3 in development, but presumably will catch up soon.

With the FM3, you will run into the CPU limit if you want to built complex or kitchen-sink presets. Reverb in particular is a CPU hog in high-quality mode. If the fine details of reverb are important to you, the FX3 added an ultra-high quality mode a while back that IIRC will not be ported to the FM3. Only one reverb block in the FM3 so transitioning from a long lush reverb to a shorter reverb time is not a smooth transition like it would be in the FX3 using two reverb blocks. If you like to stack drives, using two drive blocks on the FM3 takes a fair amount of CPU as well. With the FM3, I have to pick and choose which blocks I want in a preset and I don't add a lot of extra effects that I "might" need. I tend to build per-song presets anyway so this is not a problem for me. Both units have 4-channels per block which means that you can set up four different settings within that effect type. You can then switch channels using scenes or assigned switches. So switching, for example, from one drive type to another, or from a clean amp channel to a gain amp channel, does not take two blocks in the preset.

If you want to make your own IRs, the Axe3 is necessary. The audio interface capabilities is different between the two units. And of course the currently shipping version of the FM3 does not include the headphone jack. If you are not on the FM3 waitlist already and are just signing up, by the time your name comes up this will probably not be a problem. That's another factor, the Axe3 is available now but the FM3 is currently a waitlist purchase that could be a few months or more before the list is cleared. No one know the answer to that.

If you have the budget, my suggestion is to go for the Axe3. In my case, I added the FM3 because I play weekly at Church and I don't like carting around a rack with the Axe3. For what I do in a live setting, which doe include a fair amount of ambient sounds, the FM3 has enough CPU, sounds excellent, is portable, and will serve me well.
 
For a no compromises unit, you can’t beat the Axe3 with an FC controller.

I own both. Here are a few differences between the two off the top of my head:

The sound quality, feel, touch responsiveness to both units is excellent. The FM3 is currently a FW version of two behind the Axe3 in development, but presumably will catch up soon.

With the FM3, you will run into the CPU limit if you want to built complex or kitchen-sink presets. Reverb in particular is a CPU hog in high-quality mode. If the fine details of reverb are important to you, the FX3 added an ultra-high quality mode a while back that IIRC will not be ported to the FM3. Only one reverb block in the FM3 so transitioning from a long lush reverb to a shorter reverb time is not a smooth transition like it would be in the FX3 using two reverb blocks. If you like to stack drives, using two drive blocks on the FM3 takes a fair amount of CPU as well. With the FM3, I have to pick and choose which blocks I want in a preset and I don't add a lot of extra effects that I "might" need. I tend to build per-song presets anyway so this is not a problem for me. Both units have 4-channels per block which means that you can set up four different settings within that effect type. You can then switch channels using scenes or assigned switches. So switching, for example, from one drive type to another, or from a clean amp channel to a gain amp channel, does not take two blocks in the preset.

If you want to make your own IRs, the Axe3 is necessary. The audio interface capabilities is different between the two units. And of course the currently shipping version of the FM3 does not include the headphone jack. If you are not on the FM3 waitlist already and are just signing up, by the time your name comes up this will probably not be a problem. That's another factor, the Axe3 is available now but the FM3 is currently a waitlist purchase that could be a few months or more before the list is cleared. No one know the answer to that.

If you have the budget, my suggestion is to go for the Axe3. In my case, I added the FM3 because I play weekly at Church and I don't like carting around a rack with the Axe3. For what I do in a live setting, which doe include a fair amount of ambient sounds, the FM3 has enough CPU, sounds excellent, is portable, and will serve me well.
Thankyou ethomas1013. That helps me greatly.

Rod
 
I think it can be summed up quite simply. If you're looking for a meat & potatoes live rig, go with the FM3. If you're a studio hermit it's the AxeFx III all the way. If you do both go with the III or maybe the III + 3
 
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Thankyou ethomas1013. That helps me greatly.

Rod
Yes, @ethomas1013 probably provided the best answer here. Dual amps for me personally, doesn't matter. Portability is key for me and like @ethomas1013 I play in church on the weekends and would rather not haul around the gear as I have been doing for a while now. I will do my best to get by with 3 switches, and bring my FC-12 only when I absolutely can't do what I need to do with the built in switching....or grab an FC-6 for even more portability. What kind of music do you play and how are your current presets (if you are using a modeler? If they are minimal, then you will be fine with an FM3. If you are into ambient rigs with multiple delays, reverbs, etc, you may find yourself hitting the CPU threshold. Axe fx 3 will eat those for lunch so there's not much you can throw at it (that actually is a usable tone) that will max the CPU.
 
Yes, @ethomas1013 probably provided the best answer here. Dual amps for me personally, doesn't matter. Portability is key for me and like @ethomas1013 I play in church on the weekends and would rather not haul around the gear as I have been doing for a while now. I will do my best to get by with 3 switches, and bring my FC-12 only when I absolutely can't do what I need to do with the built in switching....or grab an FC-6 for even more portability. What kind of music do you play and how are your current presets (if you are using a modeler? If they are minimal, then you will be fine with an FM3. If you are into ambient rigs with multiple delays, reverbs, etc, you may find yourself hitting the CPU threshold. Axe fx 3 will eat those for lunch so there's not much you can throw at it (that actually is a usable tone) that will max the CPU.
I play from blues to rock to heavyrock. I currently play through a kemper which has a relatively basic signal chain. The Kemper is about 6 months old. Prior to that I have been playing through Mesa boogie amps for the past 30 years. The last amp being a 1x12 MarkV combo. I do not play out any longer. This is solely for home use. I will be using the unit to do some writhing and recording but mostly to act as an interface for the computer for backing tracks. I hope this helps shed some light on my current use and needs. I apologize for not putting that in my original post.

Thanks, Rod
 
I have not tried using the FM3 as an audio interface yet. I have used the Axe3 for some basic recording with Garage Band and it's been great. I'm looking to expand my use of the Axe3 for recording now that I'm not constantly unhooking the Axe3 twice a week for rehearsals and Sunday mornings.

Also, keep in mind the Fractal products operate a fixed 48k for recording through the USB or SPDIF digital connections. If you want to use different resolution in your DAW, you will be forced to record the Axe3 or FM3 through an analog connection. Some correct me if I have that wrong because I am not an expert when it comes to using the Axe as an interface.

From what you are playing, it appears that the FM3 will handle your signal chain without any problems. I'm also planning to use the FM3 straight into my amp as a pedal board replacement for those occasions when I get together with friends for jamming (I stopped gigging years ago..) My initial tests in that regard have been very encouraging!
 
I have not tried using the FM3 as an audio interface yet. I have used the Axe3 for some basic recording with Garage Band and it's been great. I'm looking to expand my use of the Axe3 for recording now that I'm not constantly unhooking the Axe3 twice a week for rehearsals and Sunday mornings.

Also, keep in mind the Fractal products operate a fixed 48k for recording through the USB or SPDIF digital connections. If you want to use different resolution in your DAW, you will be forced to record the Axe3 or FM3 through an analog connection. Some correct me if I have that wrong because I am not an expert when it comes to using the Axe as an interface.

From what you are playing, it appears that the FM3 will handle your signal chain without any problems. I'm also planning to use the FM3 straight into my amp as a pedal board replacement for those occasions when I get together with friends for jamming (I stopped gigging years ago..) My initial tests in that regard have been very encouraging!
Thanks ethomas1013. I am not huge into effects. Basic reverb and delay and a drive and I am usually set. I appreciate everyone helping me through this. I am thinking the best course for me is to stay in the list until the unit with the headphone jack arrives. I will play my kemper until than and put it up for sale when the FM3 arrives.
Rod
 
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Thanks ethomas1013. I am not huge into effects. Basic revered and delay and a drive and I am usually set. I appreciate everyone helping me through this. I am thinking the best course for me is to stay in the list until the unit with the headphone jack arrives. I will play my kemper until than and put it up for sale when the FM3 arrives.
Rod
Yep, I think the FM3 is a great choice for you as well and by the time you get yours, they will have had a chance to work through some of the bugs on early firmware. It's a great platform.
 
I just got the FM3 yesterday. The only issue I'm having is CPU limits...and that's not terrible. Kitchen sink presets are iffy. As for the tone and feel...I can't tell the difference. You tend to stay away from stuff like the preamp in the cab block. The shimmer verb is a cpu hog.
 
I just got the FM3 yesterday. The only issue I'm having is CPU limits...and that's not terrible. Kitchen sink presets are iffy. As for the tone and feel...I can't tell the difference. You tend to stay away from stuff like the preamp in the cab block. The shimmer verb is a cpu hog.
Thank you for the input. That helps me a lot.
 
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