FM9 - 4CM and external pedals???

Orvillain

Orvillain

Power User
I'm thinking about getting an FM9. I'd like to use it in 4CM with my Dual Rectifier amp. I'd also like to use some external pedals.

So I know the 4CM part of it would be this:
1725279661534.png

I was thinking it would be cool to put a Morningstar ML10X between input 2 and output 2. Then I could put some pedals into the loops on the ML10X and bring them in and out using the scene midi block. But what would the levels need to be set to, to do this? I know I'd need some XLR>TRS cables to connect output 2 to the input of the ML10X. But how would I ensure that I get a nice unity-gain signal path with no extra noise??

The idea would be to be able to take all external pedals out of the signal path when not using them. Thinking something like this:
1725279772989.png

FM9 would obviously do the bulk of the work, and would also be a good modelling solution as a backup and for home recording.

I'm basically wanting to fill in some gaps when it comes to glitchy/granular/FSU effects... which the Helix, LVX, and Infinite Jets Hologram would all do splendidly for. I'm less fussed about the EHX Freeze effect, but it might be nice to toy around with.
 
Orvillain said:
I'm thinking about getting an FM9. I'd like to use it in 4CM with my Dual Rectifier amp. I'd also like to use some external pedals.

So I know the 4CM part of it would be this:
View attachment 144670

I was thinking it would be cool to put a Morningstar ML10X between input 2 and output 2. Then I could put some pedals into the loops on the ML10X and bring them in and out using the scene midi block. But what would the levels need to be set to, to do this? I know I'd need some XLR>TRS cables to connect output 2 to the input of the ML10X. But how would I ensure that I get a nice unity-gain signal path with no extra noise??

The idea would be to be able to take all external pedals out of the signal path when not using them. Thinking something like this:
View attachment 144671

FM9 would obviously do the bulk of the work, and would also be a good modelling solution as a backup and for home recording.

I'm basically wanting to fill in some gaps when it comes to glitchy/granular/FSU effects... which the Helix, LVX, and Infinite Jets Hologram would all do splendidly for. I'm less fussed about the EHX Freeze effect, but it might be nice to toy around with.
Click to expand...
I'm actually doing this at moment with my JP2C, I'm gonna be using an RJM Mini Amp Gizmo X with 3 or 4 pedals. I thought just connecting via the guitar input was the way to go with hum buster cables? I have one drive pedal connected that way at the moment without the RJM and it's really quiet and sounds fantastic. If there's another way to connect it though that's better then I'd be interested in checking that out.
 
I do this with Ax3 and a VooDoo Labs PX8 switcher (8 Midi controllable loops). Translating to the diagram above, I have the switcher in unity gain loop3, and my tube head's preamp (amp input to amp fx Loop Send) in the last loop of the switcher. The preceding loops of the switcher contain various OD/DS pedals that can be activated to feed into the tube amp pre PX8 loop.

So my chain is:
  • Guitar > Ax3 In1
  • Ax3 Out3L > PX8In
  • PX8Out > Ax3 In3L
  • Ax3 Out1L > TubeAmpRtn
In the PX8 switcher:
  • PX8 Loop8Send > TubeAmpIn
  • TubeAmpSend > PX8 Loop8Rtn
  • PX8 Loop?Send > OD/DSIn
  • OD/DSOut > PX8 Loop?Rtn
I like this config because I can not only select, isolate, and control the state of various external OD/DS pedals via midi, I can also select, isolate, and control the state of multiple tube head (or other type) preamps via midi - I've actually got 2 tube head preamps in the last 2 switcher loops and Ax3 Out1L/R goes to both head returns for stereo. No level tweaking is needed to ensure unity gain for any of the pedals or preamps since they all reside in switcher loops and the switcher is unity gain within Axfx loop3 with external out3 knob max'd.

Anyway, in short, you could put the switcher in FM9 loop3 and the JP2C's pre in a loop of the switcher.
 
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sprint said:
I do this with Ax3 and a VooDoo Labs PX8 switcher (8 Midi controllable loops). Translating to the diagram above, I have the switcher in unity gain loop3, and my tube head's preamp (amp input to amp fx Loop Send) in the last loop of the switcher. The preceding loops of the switcher contain various OD/DS pedals that can be activated to feed into the tube amp pre PX8 loop.

So my chain is:
  • Guitar > Ax3 In1
  • Ax3 Out3L > PX8In
  • PX8Out > Ax3 In3L
  • Ax3 Out1L > TubeAmpRtn
In the PX8 switcher:
  • PX8 Loop8Send > TubeAmpIn
  • TubeAmpSend > PX8 Loop8Rtn
  • PX8 Loop?Send > OD/DSIn
  • OD/DSOut > PX8 Loop?Rtn
I like this config because I can not only select, isolate, and control the state of various external OD/DS pedals via midi, I can also select, isolate, and control the state of multiple tube head (or other type) preamps via midi - I've actually got 2 tube head preamps in the last 2 switcher loops and Ax3 Out1L/R goes to both head returns for stereo. No level tweaking is needed to ensure unity gain for any of the pedals or preamps since they all reside in switcher loops and the switcher is unity gain within Axfx loop3 with external out3 knob max'd.

Anyway, in short, you could put the switcher in FM9 loop3 and the JP2C's pre in a loop of the switcher.
Click to expand...
Right yeah, that makes total sense.

In the FM9 case I think it would be:
  • Guitar > FM9 In1
  • FM9 Out3L > ML10X In
  • ML10X Out > FM9 In3L
  • FM9 Out1L > Amp Return
On the ML10X:
  • ML10X Send E > Amp Input
  • Amp Send > ML10X Return E
  • ML10X Send A > HX Stomp In
  • ML10X Return A > HX Stomp Out
  • ML10X Send B > LVX In
  • ML10X Return B > LVX Out
  • ML10X Send C > Hologram In
  • ML10X Return C > Hologram Out

The ML10X allows you to switch the order of loops as well, so once it is all connected up, I think this would allow me to on the fly put the effects before or after the FM9... and controlling everything from midi program changes on the FM9 itself.

The only thing that might kill this plan is the rather limited midi message support on the Fractal stuff. Ultimately such a setup would be hugely overkill... but fun!!!
 
I got it now! you guys are running those external pedals in the front end and in the FX Loop of the amp or amps. I'm just running mine into the front end. So I could just plug the RJM out to the guitar input of the FM9 and then go out of the RJM to my guitar. I have everything else connected via the 4CM as per the Fractal diagram in the manual.

Would you guys recommend connecting the RJM that way?
 
Orvillain said:
Right yeah, that makes total sense.

In the FM9 case I think it would be:
  • Guitar > FM9 In1
  • FM9 Out3L > ML10X In
  • ML10X Out > FM9 In3L
  • FM9 Out1L > Amp Return
On the ML10X:
  • ML10X Send E > Amp Input
  • Amp Send > ML10X Return E
  • ML10X Send A > HX Stomp In
  • ML10X Return A > HX Stomp Out
  • ML10X Send B > LVX In
  • ML10X Return B > LVX Out
  • ML10X Send C > Hologram In
  • ML10X Return C > Hologram Out

The ML10X allows you to switch the order of loops as well, so once it is all connected up, I think this would allow me to on the fly put the effects before or after the FM9... and controlling everything from midi program changes on the FM9 itself.

The only thing that might kill this plan is the rather limited midi message support on the Fractal stuff. Ultimately such a setup would be hugely overkill... but fun!!!
Click to expand...
yup, that's it 👍

Ability to change the loop order is a great feature - wish my PX8 had that

I have HX Stomp also - its connection flexibility is awesome. I have mine hooked up such that it's "pre" models (ie drives, comp ...) are available to run in one of the PX8 loops (PX8-loop?-Send > HX-In1L, HX-Send-L > PX8-loop?-Rtn), and the HX Stomp's post type models are available to run in Axfx loop2 (Axfx-Out2L/R > HX-RtnL/R, HX-OutL/R > Axfx-In2L/R). In Axfx with loop3 (PX8) positioned pre amp/cab block, and loop2 post amp/cab block, I can have HXStomp pre fx (ie some drives different from what we have in Axe) running before an Axfx amp+cab, and/or HXStomp post fx (ie triple rotary, double take..) running after an Axfx amp model + controllable via midi - cool stuff.
 
Paulg2uk said:
I got it now! you guys are running those external pedals in the front end and in the FX Loop of the amp or amps. I'm just running mine into the front end. So I could just plug the RJM out to the guitar input of the FM9 and then go out of the RJM to my guitar. I have everything else connected via the 4CM as per the Fractal diagram in the manual.

Would you guys recommend connecting the RJM that way?
Click to expand...
That should work fine, but personally, I like keeping my guitar plugged directly into Axfx to ensure I don't disturb any Axfx input special sauce, sensitivity... . Also, having my external pre pedals PX8 switcher in loop3 lets me move those pedals (loop3) to a position that I want in the grid.

1725388898534.png
 
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