FM3 to FM9: Any Regrets?

[Tremonti]

I had an FM3 and FC-6. When my name came up for the FM9, I sold them both.

I really miss the small size of the FM3. It fit perfectly on the corner of my desk at home and I didn't have to bend over to adjust things. It was right there ready to go when I had a few spare minutes to play during the day and I could use it with or without the FC-6 depending on the situation.

For me, the perfect setup would be an FM3 that has the power of the FM9 Turbo and larger displays paired with an FC-6 MK ll Foot Controller!

Yeah the form factor of FM3 is nice. I am trying to get my FM3 setup properly to compete with the FM9. I obviously have to reduce things, but I find that minimizing things is fun, to a point!

 

[whitestrat13]

No regrets at all, except maybe selling the FM3. That thing is great for fly gigs, but the FM9 is such a workhorse that I think I’ll live.

 

[holgar]

I have decided to turn down the offer I received today to purchase an FM9.
The FM3 meets all my needs in full. I don't need two amps in one preset and even play without reverb.
Up until two years ago, I played analog and only had one amp, one wah and two overdrives and could play anything I wanted from funk to metal with it and control it with the guitar.
The FM3 allows me to do much more than I'm used to and than I actually need. What a luxury to have eight scenes and three foot switches! And everything fits together with a pedal in a small case!
A bulky FM9 can not make me happier.

 

[Tremonti]

I have decided to turn down the offer I received today to purchase an FM9.
The FM3 meets all my needs in full. I don't need two amps in one preset and even play without reverb.
Up until two years ago, I played analog and only had one amp, one wah and two overdrives and could play anything I wanted from funk to metal with it and control it with the guitar.
The FM3 allows me to do much more than I'm used to and than I actually need. What a luxury to have eight scenes and three foot switches! And everything fits together with a pedal in a small case!
A bulky FM9 can not make me happier.

Good choice! All good either way, but your logic stands. FM3 is a powerful unit and it size/cost/function cannot be bettered IMO.

 

[james_val]

Agree. The FM3 is powerful enough (and the reverb you don't quite even need - the Cab block makes it possible to edit the 'virtual room' or how to call it - so the sound can be very natural-sounding in my opinion even without revern) and even though a few friends try to convince me that the Line6 Helix (more specifically the LT version) has a better cost/performance rate, I really don't think it betters the FM3. So yeah. I quite agree with you.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

has a better cost/performance rate

…only if you like how Helix sounds and works. It’s a whole lot worse if you don’t.

Having had multiple Helix units over many years, the cost/performance ratio of those units was terrible in my opinion. One was in the shop for over a year waiting for a part… and it was an authorized repair location. The sound was… meh. I finally sold one as soon as my FM3 arrived and the other when the shop finally received the part, and gave the Stomp to my son-in-law.

And with all the firmware updates we’ve received the Fractals are even better than what they were when they were originally released. THAT is the best cost/performance ratio possible.

 

[GLiDE BPM]

…only if you like how Helix sounds and works. It’s a whole lot worse if you don’t.

Having had multiple Helix units over many years, the cost/performance ratio of those units was terrible in my opinion. One was in the shop for over a year waiting for a part… and it was an authorized repair location. The sound was… meh. I finally sold one as soon as my FM3 arrived and the other when the shop finally received the part, and gave the Stomp to my son-in-law.

And with all the firmware updates we’ve received the Fractals are even better than what they were when they were originally released. THAT is the best cost/performance ratio possible.

After purchasing my Axe FX III, Helix was relegated to backup and church rig. Once I finished translating my Axe FX III presets to my FM9 last year, Helix went bye bye forever!

I could get good tones from the Helix, but it never had the feel and tone translate from my fingers like the Axe III series boxes! Even dabbled with Quad Cortex for fun, but it and the Kemper just didn't cut it either. I feel like at this point, the only thing that can dethrone the Axe FX III class devices is the next concoction from Cliff and company!

 

[Greg Ferguson]

…it never had the feel and tone translate from my fingers like the Axe III series boxes
[…]
I feel like at this point, the only thing that can dethrone the Axe FX III class devices is the next concoction from Cliff and company!

Agreed. Even my tube amps are starting to lose their appeal. They're fun still, but having to replace tubes gets old.

 

[james_val]

…only if you like how Helix sounds and works. It’s a whole lot worse if you don’t.

Having had multiple Helix units over many years, the cost/performance ratio of those units was terrible in my opinion. One was in the shop for over a year waiting for a part… and it was an authorized repair location. The sound was… meh. I finally sold one as soon as my FM3 arrived and the other when the shop finally received the part, and gave the Stomp to my son-in-law.

And with all the firmware updates we’ve received the Fractals are even better than what they were when they were originally released. THAT is the best cost/performance ratio possible.

Yeah, I was actually comparing mine FM3 with friend's Helix LT and the difference in the sound (and how the Helix did not sound better at all) was quite noticable, and it definitely did not sound better.