FM3 Power Amp Question

DFurdon

Member
So I’ve posted a few things here and everyone has been so helpful! I’m really on the fence now about grabbing a FM3. Hears my dilemma, I’m using some plugins Helix Native, STL AmpHub, TH-U and recently picked up a Line 6 PowerCab Plus 1x12. I have JBL 308’s and a JBL Sub for my studio. I’ve watched the videos on getting the PC + optimized but so far I’m not blown away by the Tones I’m getting. I have 6 tube Amp Heads and 7 Cabs 5 1x12 and 2 2x12 that I’ll be hanging onto and it got my thinking about the FM3 with a Seymour Duncan PS 170 into some of my cabs. So here’s my question will I just be that blown away with the FM3 into my Studio Monitors and or PC + ?? Or is it worth looking into the Power Amp Option. I’m not out gigging but I love playing through a cab and just want to experience all that the Fractal FM3 can give me. I’ve never had a hardware modeler so I just need some guidance..Thanks in advance for any feedback!!
 
So I’ve posted a few things here and everyone has been so helpful! I’m really on the fence now about grabbing a FM3. Hears my dilemma, I’m using some plugins Helix Native, STL AmpHub, TH-U and recently picked up a Line 6 PowerCab Plus 1x12. I have JBL 308’s and a JBL Sub for my studio. I’ve watched the videos on getting the PC + optimized but so far I’m not blown away by the Tones I’m getting. I have 6 tube Amp Heads and 7 Cabs 5 1x12 and 2 2x12 that I’ll be hanging onto and it got my thinking about the FM3 with a Seymour Duncan PS 170 into some of my cabs. So here’s my question will I just be that blown away with the FM3 into my Studio Monitors and or PC + ?? Or is it worth looking into the Power Amp Option. I’m not out gigging but I love playing through a cab and just want to experience all that the Fractal FM3 can give me. I’ve never had a hardware modeler so I just need some guidance..Thanks in advance for any feedback!!
Sell most of what you’ve got. Get a Quilter Pro Block 200 and a Barefaced Reformer 1 x 12. That with your studio monitors will keep you very happy with the FM3. As a bonus, that cab will help your other heads sound their best.
 
My 2 cents: That's actually a great question and one I've debated on whether to get a FFFR speaker or not. I currently play my FM3 through my Kali Audio monitors in my home studio and it sounds fantastic. I've also played it through both my Marshall and 5150 heads via a 412 cab through the FX loop return with power amp modeling disabled in the FM3 and it also sounds great! So I think either method will yield you great results. The main recommendation on an FFFR speaker is you don't get the tube amp color as most of them are SS power amps that are clean and flat and gives you lots of flexibility with 3rd party IR curves. I hear that option sounds fantastic with the Austin Buddy Live preset packs!
 
My 2 cents: That's actually a great question and one I've debated on whether to get a FFFR speaker or not. I currently play my FM3 through my Kali Audio monitors in my home studio and it sounds fantastic. I've also played it through both my Marshall and 5150 heads via a 412 cab through the FX loop return with power amp modeling disabled in the FM3 and it also sounds great! So I think either method will yield you great results. The main recommendation on an FFFR speaker is you don't get the tube amp color as most of them are SS power amps that are clean and flat and gives you lots of flexibility with 3rd party IR curves. I hear that option sounds fantastic with the Austin Buddy Live preset packs!
@itsmeseventhseal Thanks for the response, yeah I’ve been checking out those Austin Buddy packs they sound great!
 
Sell most of what you’ve got. Get a Quilter Pro Block 200 and a Barefaced Reformer 1 x 12. That with your studio monitors will keep you very happy with the FM3. As a bonus, that cab will help your other heads sound their best.
@Mr.Modeler Never pulled the trigger on the FM-3 on FM-9 waitlist 9/2/2021 On the Barefaced Reformer can I ask what Celestion you went with? Thanks
 
So I’ve posted a few things here and everyone has been so helpful! I’m really on the fence now about grabbing a FM3. Hears my dilemma, I’m using some plugins Helix Native, STL AmpHub, TH-U and recently picked up a Line 6 PowerCab Plus 1x12. I have JBL 308’s and a JBL Sub for my studio. I’ve watched the videos on getting the PC + optimized but so far I’m not blown away by the Tones I’m getting. I have 6 tube Amp Heads and 7 Cabs 5 1x12 and 2 2x12 that I’ll be hanging onto and it got my thinking about the FM3 with a Seymour Duncan PS 170 into some of my cabs. So here’s my question will I just be that blown away with the FM3 into my Studio Monitors and or PC + ?? Or is it worth looking into the Power Amp Option. I’m not out gigging but I love playing through a cab and just want to experience all that the Fractal FM3 can give me. I’ve never had a hardware modeler so I just need some guidance..Thanks in advance for any feedback!!
The FM3 sounds great when running into the FX return of a tube amp. I used mine through a couple different heads before snagging a power amp and they were all totally usable, so that would be my first suggestion if you wanted the feel of a traditional guitar amp with a modeling front-end. In any set-up, you'd essentially split the signal right before the cab modeling, and then run the raw amp signal directly into the power section of your real amp. It'll probably sound awesome (minus having to chase any ground loops you discover from winding through multiple devices...) I can't attest to the quality/accuracy/fun of those things in that kind of set-up, but what I can tell you is that the FM3 does a phenomenal job and tons of players use it that way. But back to the point, there's zero sense in adding a dedicated power amp that you don't actually need, to a rig you're not in love with.

Another point worth noting is that it seems like the plugins/software you listed aren't fundamentally designed to be plugged into a cab and sound like an amp (but rather, to be used in a DAW during productions as the equivalents of miked-up amps). If plugging your tone into a cab and having it sound like a real amp is the the most important thing to you, then you might want to consider going back and finding out what solution can do that best for you first, and then figure out the rest. At least then you'll know what problem you're throwing gear at.

Good luck!
 
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