It's a MONSTER. No fooling.
The release notes are so massive that they've been subdivided.
NOTE: There will be new factory presets for firmware 2.0. That's going to take some time as our core team is still updating those for FM3.
AMP BLOCK UPDATES
Version 2.01 represents the first use of the Chase Nonlinear Feedback (CNFB) technique in the FM9. The virtual power amp has been completely rewritten, providing improved accuracy, especially in the clipping and power supply sag behavior vs. frequency.
- New amp models: 59 Bassguy Normal, 5F8 Tweed Normal and 5F8 Tweed Jumped.
- 59 Bassguy and 5F8 Tweed models now include both “Normal” and “Bright” input drive controls.
- New amp models: JMPre-1 Clean1/2. Note: The real amp has a fixed, passive tone stack with an active 4-band EQ. Therefore, the Bass/Mid/Treble controls when using Authentic Tone Controls are mapped to the Graphic EQ. The passive tone stack itself, however, is adjustable. With all controls at noon the tone stack is equivalent to the real amp’s fixed tone stack.
- You can access these controls using the Advanced menu page or via FM9-Edit.
- Updated JMPre-1 OD1/2 models. As with the Clean1/2 models the Bass/Mid/Treble controls now are mapped to the Graphic EQ when using Authentic Tone Controls.
- New JMPRE-1 Output EQ type in Amp block. This type replicates the active EQ used in the JMP-1 preamp (see above).
- New Amp model: “FAS Buttery”
- Added 11 new power tube types from various manufacturers.
- Added “RCB Boost” to Amp block Boost types.
- Improved Phase Inverter Bias Excursion accuracy for some models (mostly non-MV types). Note: The improved PI Bias Excursion accuracy results in an increase in bias excursion in most cases. Bias excursion primarily manifests as intermodulation distortion, particularly subharmonic distortion. This produces a chunkier tone with more growl and also yields a thicker tone when rolling off the volume or playing lightly. The amount of bias excursion can be adjusted using the PI Bias Excursion control in the Advanced menu.
- The Amp block headroom meter is improved.
- Updated default cathode follower values for Matchbox D-30 model.
- Renamed “Speaker Impedance” to “Voice Coil Resistance” to more accurately describe the function of the control. Note that this includes all other “parasitic” resistances, i.e., speaker cable resistance, output transformer winding resistance, etc.
- Rearranged order of pages in Amp block so that “Input EQ” and “Output EQ” are after the “Tone” page.
- Fixed Amp block Transformer Match control not working properly.
- Fixed Bludojai Lead model missing resistor between last preamp stage and power amp.
- Fixed names of Dizzy V4 2 and Dizzy V4 3 swapped.
- Fixed wrong resistor value in Solo 88 Lead input circuit. Impact is probably negligible.
- Fixed wrong resistor value in USA Pre LD2 overdrive circuit. This increases gain slightly. You may need to audition any presets using these models and adjust gain accordingly.
- Fixed Amp block power tube “kvb” not being set correctly in rare circumstances. This caused the output level of the amp block to change depending upon the previous preset used.
- Fixed wrong B+ voltage for Tremolo Lux amp model.
- Added check to prevent excessive message queuing, i.e., when selecting an amp model using Value knob.
- Added global “Speaker Impedance Curve” option (Setup: Global Settings: Config page). The selected curve is whenever you change to a new amp model. When set to “DEFAULT”, the default curve for a newly selected model is used. Also added several new Impedance Curves; thank you to Dr. Bonkers Soundlab for these.
DRIVE BLOCK UPDATES
- New Drive Types: “Valve Screamer VS9” and "Maxoff 808" including a new diode SPICE model, “1S1588T” which is the Toshiba version of the 1S1588 and reportedly the “best sounding.”
- New “Hi Mid” control in EQ section.
- Improved accuracy of “G-taper” used for tone control in some Drive models, i.e., T808, VS9, Super OD, etc. Impact on existing presets is likely negligible but any presets using Tube Screamer models and their variants should be auditioned.
- Renamed Timothy and Suhr Riot Drive models to clarify switch position.
- Fixed Blackglass 7K model as reference pedal was defective. Also added new “Grunt” and “Attack” controls (Grunt switch on pedal is a selectable low cut so knob duplicates Low Cut control).
- “Fixed” the “Attack” control of the “Horizon Precision Drive” so it matches the actual pedal (was reversed previously).
- Any presets using this model should be adjusted accordingly.
- Fixed wrong op-amp clip threshold for DS1 models in Drive block.
- Fixed DS-1 Drive types have no gain when Drive is at 0.0.
- Improved accuracy of Drive block Drive control for low settings.
COMPRESSOR BLOCK UPDATES
- Overhauled the Compressor Block based on the latest Axe-Fx III updates:
- Added Input Level switch. When set to INSTRUMENT the detector is optimized for guitar-level signals, i.e., before an amp block. When set to LINE the detector is optimized for post-amp level signals.
- Added Emphasis frequency to the sidechain.
- Improved Pedal, Optical, Tube, Analog, JFET and Dynamicomp types in Compressor block. Auto Attack/Release has been removed from Pedal and Dynamicomp types as it is no longer applicable.
- Improved Auto-Makeup gain behavior for types with this option.
- Increased maximum sustain for various compressor types.
- IMPORTANT: Due to these changes, the behavior and level of the Compressor may be different in existing presets.
- It is recommended to audition any presets using the Compressor block and adjust as required.
OTHER BLOCK UPDATES
- For additional details about new features below, see the updated Fractal Audio Blocks Guide, available on our website.
- New “Types” in the Flanger, Plex Delay, and Multitap Delay. These provide instant access to exciting effect settings without the need to adjust individual parameters. Special thanks to Leon Todd, Simeon Harris and Cooper Carter for some of the new contributions.
- New Delay Block Types: Worn Tape, Zephyr, and Diffused Delay.
- New “LFO3” in Delay block. This can be assigned to Level, Pan or Spread.
- New Megatap features including feedback, diffusion, and more. Maximum number of taps is now 64 on the FM9.
- New LFO in the filter section of the Plex Delay block allows creative modulation effects.
- New pitch shifting capability inside the Reverb Block. This can be used to create “Shimmer” more easily than using separate Pitch and Reverb blocks—and with less CPU usage. Several new types demonstrate this capability.
- New Pitch type, “Dual Detune Delay” offers exciting cross-feedback options with delays inside the feedback loop.
- New “Modern Gate” type in the Gate/Expander Block. This type is similar to the Classic Gate except it opens in a constant linear-in-dB manner. This makes the attack slower so this type can be used for both traditional gating and for special effects.
- Improved Input block gate performance.
- Improvement: Pitch Block and Pitch Follower use new pitch detection based on Axe-Fx III
- Added New “Max Loop Time” parameter to Looper. This sets the maximum recording time, allowing a loop time to be precisely pre-configured in advance of recording. When recording time reaches the maximum recording time the mode changes to that specified by Record 2nd Press (for the first pass of a new recording.)
- New “S-Taper” option in the Volume Block allows new and improved “Auto-Swell” sounds.
- Added Diffuser Modulation in the Multitap Delay.
- Added Spread control to Dual Delay and Tape types in Delay block. Spread acts as a “master pan” in this case and is modifiable.
- Added Modifier capability to LFO Enable and Mod Frequency in Filter block.
- Improved Tape preamp types in Cabinet block.
- Improved Stack/Hold implementation in Delay block so that “texture” is applied to audio when Stack/Hold is on.
