FM3 vs FM9 help me decide (long winded)

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victim323

New Member
Hi all,

First off, I know this is a long list of questions so I'm very grateful for those of you who are actually willing to read this and offer advice.

I'm not a fractal owner yet but I'm hoping to be one soon. I'm curently on the FM9 waitlist since March 2022 but as my chance to purchase grows nearer, I'm starting to have second thoughts. I really like the smaller footprint of the FM3 since I play some pretty small stages at times. The main attraction for me with the FM9 is the additional footswitches as I'm not sure I would really need the extra DSP. For those of you experienced with the FM3, please lend some of your insight on my vision.

My considered purchases are as follows...
Fractal FM3
Morningstar MC6
Mission SP-1

Here's what I'm hoping to do...
I'd like to set up the FM3 and MC6 in a fashion where I can use the FM3 footswitches as my "amp controls" (clean, rhythm, lead) and the MC6 as my effects on/off switches. I'd like to use the SP-1 as a volume and wah pedal. In the future, my band has talked about syncing everything to a MIDI Controller so we will no longer need to do any pedal dancing during live shows.

My concerns...
I believe the SP-1 requires the use of 2 TRS cables since it has an expression output and a "switch" output. If this is true, it looks like I'll be taking up both pedal jacks immediately on the FM3. Will I need to run the MC6 into the FM3 with a midi cable? Will doing it this way impede any future capability of syncing the FM3 to a midi controller later? I know the MC6 has additional midi ports and pedal ports as well so would I be able to use the MC6 as a hub and the FM3 can be set up to communicate with anything plugged into the MC6 as well? I'm very new to the idea of midi control so hopefully I'm explaining this in a manner that makes sense.

Final question...
Does it sound like the FM3 would be a capable unit for this set up or should I keep holding out for the FM9?

Thanks in advance for any help you all can provide.

Jay
 
Personally, I think a huge advantage of using digital effects is reduction of the tap dancing needed to engage tones. Unless you have really complex switching in a song (like needing 6+ distinct tones) the FM3 is likely flexible enough to meet most gigging needs without any additional switches added as you can program the switches to do nearly anything you want.

My jamming presets use the left switch to toggle clean/dirty, middle is lead boost with a little delay with the 2nd press returning to the previous scene, the right switch is the special effect (typically a trem, chorus, or flange), and I use an expression set to auto engage for wah. I just switch presets between songs when I need a specific effect for a song.

EDIT:
Will I need to run the MC6 into the FM3 with a midi cable?
Click to expand...
This is the only way you can run an MC6, it's a MIDI controller.
 
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Beyond the price think about what you can admit regarding size and transportability. Not having an FM9, FM3 does what I need but I need extra switches, for that I use a voes mx5 plus a double footswitch. Maybe the FM9 can handle the same stuff wo additional switches on a format slightly larger. Taking in account the pricing of the extra stuff I guess FM9 would be a great choice.
 
victim323 said:
I'd like to set up the FM3 and MC6 in a fashion where I can use the FM3 footswitches as my "amp controls" (clean, rhythm, lead) and the MC6 as my effects on/off switches. I'd like to use the SP-1 as a volume and wah pedal. In the future, my band has talked about syncing everything to a MIDI Controller so we will no longer need to do any pedal dancing during live shows.
Click to expand...
This is a way too old fashioned way to do it. The scenes feature can remove a ton of tap dancing for you so it would better to utilize them more. You could have e.g clean, rhythm, lead and then variations of those, a bridge part etc all of which change the channels and effect bypass, leading to more one button combinations.

You could also program the MC6 for multiple modes where one switches scenes and another switches fx on/off by using the internal presets of the MC6.
victim323 said:
My concerns...
I believe the SP-1 requires the use of 2 TRS cables since it has an expression output and a "switch" output. If this is true, it looks like I'll be taking up both pedal jacks immediately on the FM3. Will I need to run the MC6 into the FM3 with a midi cable? Will doing it this way impede any future capability of syncing the FM3 to a midi controller later? I know the MC6 has additional midi ports and pedal ports as well so would I be able to use the MC6 as a hub and the FM3 can be set up to communicate with anything plugged into the MC6 as well? I'm very new to the idea of midi control so hopefully I'm explaining this in a manner that makes sense.
Click to expand...
You don't need to hook up the SP-1 switch if you don't want to. You could also it up to the MC6, which then is sending MIDI commands from the MC6 for expression, which you could map on the FM3 to do expression pedal stuff. It basically just changes where you need to configure it.
victim323 said:
Final question...
Does it sound like the FM3 would be a capable unit for this set up or should I keep holding out for the FM9?
Click to expand...
The main benefits of the FM9 is that it simplifies configuration and gives you more CPU so if you want you can run more complex presets than the FM3. FM3 still does more than enough for most users who are looking to do typical guitar fx chains like you would have with pedals and an amp.

The configuration is simplified because you can configure the footswitch behavior directly from the FM9. It's easier to have things like per preset behavior or have the fx bypass etc states tracked. FM3 + FC6/12 would do the same, but FM9 is better value for money. I think for your uses you would be better waiting for an FM9 unless you specifically value the more compact form factor of the FM3 and the separation between the main unit and controller (e.g put FM3 on top of a cab, run a cable to your controller vs having both on the floor).
 
Having owned both I’m comfortable saying the advantages of the FM3 are the same tones and efx with size, weight and price advantages. In all other ways the FM9 is better. But if you have more basic needs the FM3 with a cheap external dual foot switch and expression pedal is perfect IMO.
 
Scenes are a godsend for live shows.
They make tap dancing for FX, or needing a complicated third party switcher, obsolete.
I always want a little dimension, compression and reverb with a clean sound.
I always want a 3 db pre-amp boost and a one repeat delay for a lead tone. etc.
Those things are all one click.

With the stock FM3 and long push alternates I can get -

Rhythm, Lead, Clean (quick clicks)
Tuner, Reverb, Phase (longer clicks)

The FC6 is as much a safety feature for live. Lets me run a long cable and just a footswitch out to the front of stage and let the FM3 sit on the power amp/cab, safe from random people, like the singer, running around on stage.
 
Coming from a Mesa MkV and analog board, the FM3 just did not have enough footswitches for me. Even when playing at home I just prefer having more switches available. After adding a FC6 this problem was solved, but when I received the invite for the FM9 I could not resist…
I do not need the extra power but I do like having it!
 
I totally get it! The FM9 looks sweet. Dual amps in stereo is a lot of fun.
Do we have a good Mimiq pedal imitation yet? I remember Cooper Carter posted his take on one.
 
Have you money? Buy fm9. Havent you? Buy fm3. You can think about solutions to use only 3 switches (adding 2 with trs) or 6 with morning star . I use meloaudio with 10 buttons and fm3 on a chair so it is always clean
 
Thanks for all the input guys! I would definitely value the more compact setup of the FM3 on smaller stages. That being said, I've been forced to make do with my current pedalboard with stomp boxes, which is 16"x32", so I guess even the FM9 is slightly more compact than my current setup. As for adding the extra footswitches for the FM3, they'd mostly be used for jam sessions when I don't have effects, etc set in stone yet. For live situations I definitely plan on using presets and scenes. I guess I'm still leaning toward the FM9 at this point. Even if it would be a little overkill for my use case...
 
victim323 said:
Thanks for all the input guys! I would definitely value the more compact setup of the FM3 on smaller stages. That being said, I've been forced to make do with my current pedalboard with stomp boxes, which is 16"x32", so I guess even the FM9 is slightly more compact than my current setup. As for adding the extra footswitches for the FM3, they'd mostly be used for jam sessions when I don't have effects, etc set in stone yet. For live situations I definitely plan on using presets and scenes. I guess I'm still leaning toward the FM9 at this point. Even if it would be a little overkill for my use case...
Click to expand...
I don't think there is a stage so compact that FM3 vs FM9 size would make a difference. It's mainly a question of cost and transport as the FM3 is easy to move around, pack into almost anything vs the longer and heavier FM9. It's still nothing like hauling around a 20 kg tube amp or a big pedalboard of course.
 
victim323 said:
Thanks for all the input guys! I would definitely value the more compact setup of the FM3 on smaller stages. That being said, I've been forced to make do with my current pedalboard with stomp boxes, which is 16"x32", so I guess even the FM9 is slightly more compact than my current setup. As for adding the extra footswitches for the FM3, they'd mostly be used for jam sessions when I don't have effects, etc set in stone yet. For live situations I definitely plan on using presets and scenes. I guess I'm still leaning toward the FM9 at this point. Even if it would be a little overkill for my use case...
Click to expand...
Go for the FM9, you won't regret!!!
 
laxu said:
I don't think there is a stage so compact that FM3 vs FM9 size would make a difference. It's mainly a question of cost and transport as the FM3 is easy to move around, pack into almost anything vs the longer and heavier FM9. It's still nothing like hauling around a 20 kg tube amp or a big pedalboard of course.
Click to expand...

I appreciate that we all play at different venues, to different crowds, for different purposes - and even though I've played small venues I've never had a space so small that I needed to keep my feet together in order to fit in.

The FM9 is a seriously compact piece of gear - if you have space to stand with your guitar neck somewhat horizontal and normal foot spacing then I'd argue you have enough space for the FM9.
 
victim323 said:
I'm still leaning toward the FM9 at this point. Even if it would be a little overkill for my use case...
Click to expand...
Money aside, I often find it's better to have more than you need on hand than settling for less, then realising you could have used those extras.
When cost is an issue that does become a more nuanced argument of course, but all you Fractal boys must be pretty well off I reckon with this expensive gear.. I would need to sell a kidney to get an FM9 at the moment, and even then I would have to wait for it lol.
 
Paulzx said:
Money aside, I often find it's better to have more than you need on hand than settling for less, then realising you could have used those extras.
When cost is an issue that does become a more nuanced argument of course, but all you Fractal boys must be pretty well off I reckon with this expensive gear.. I would need to sell a kidney to get an FM9 at the moment, and even then I would have to wait for it lol.
Click to expand...

IIRC, I got my B-Stock FM3 for $900 which is nearly half the new FM9 price of $1700 (and the wait of course). $900 is still not cheap but the price difference is substantial. Money aside, I'd probably have the full AXE III.
 
I am probably an unusual case but I had been using multiple preamps mixed and feeding my power amps long before modelers existed, so dual amps was a necessity for me.

Adding a small amount of cleanish and/or some direct signal to a saturated amp was something I first heard Steve Lukather doing on a number of his 80's solos. Once I figured out a way to do it in a consistent and controllable way, it just became part of my most greased-up lead tones.
 
I am currently using an FM3 with an MC3, a Fractal EV2 and Moog EP3 (the EV2 is a global volume and the EP3 is for whammy/wah). I have around 10 of the 30 presets in the MC3 (as mentioned earlier - it is a midi pedal and needs to be plugged into the midi port of the FM3) programmed. For every preset, the top button does tuner/tap tempo. Then I have some presets to turn effects on and off, some for scenes, etc. I have barely scratched the surface of what's possible.
I want an FM9 (or an axe III), but money and the size are what's keeping the FM3 on my board. The FM3 with an MC6 should cover your needs. Also - it is possible to program a wah/volume to turn on when you move the pedal, which would eliminate the need for the switch.
 
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