FM9 + ToneX

J

jowala

Member
The unholy alliance that no one was clamoring for.

I think that ToneX amps can sound absolutely marvelous, but it's really only focused on the amp side of things. I was curious if I could use the FM9 for drives, modulations, etc., and it turns out it was quite easy to get the ToneX app and working with an FM9. This isn't a portable setup, since it requires the FM9 to be plugged into a PC, but it should make for a great recording or home practice setup.

The trick is to basically treat the ToneX software as an amp in 4CM. My preset starts with In1 followed by anything I want in front of ToneX, then Out 2. I've configured the ToneX to use FM9 Out 2 as the ASIO input port, and FM9 USB out as the output port. Row two on the FM9 preset is USB In followed by anything I want after the amp (e.g. reverb, delay), including a cab block for those captures that don't have a cab. Then Out 1 to whatever monitoring/recording device you want. I now have access to thousands of additiional amp models, plus all the great effects in the FM9.

Since I'm not running an amp on the FM9 preset, latency is undistiguishable from a pure FM9 chain. The only thing I'm missing is a way of changing presets in the ToneX app, since it doesn't even have keyboard control for that, much less MIDI switching.
 
I use the ToneX pedal and the Kemper with my FM9.

Although I agree that the latency is still very low if you go via the FM9 USB into the ToneX app (I do this quite a bit at home), it is still higher by a couple of ms than using the pedal, which has a latency of around 2.2ms. The ToneX pedal doesn't add any additional latency over and above that 2.2ms if you add a noise gate etc. either, which is cool. The Kemper has a slightly higher latency, although I haven't tested the latency via SPDIF, which is how I now use the Kemper (I was previously using analog).

I generally only use the ToneX/Kemper for Amp models that aren't in the FM9, although very occasionally I have found a specific Twin Reverb capture for e.g. that really hits the sweet spot and just shoved that into the mix because it sounded so good :)

Regarding MIDI control, you have 2 options. You can either a) get the Amplitube app, which supports MIDI PC control of Presets via any MIDI interface on your computer, and which you can load Tonex captures into OR b) buy the ToneX pedal which has MIDI input/output. I bought the pedal for £200 used, and it was well worth it particularly because the previous owner hadn't registered the serial number so I got the full version of the software with it without any hassle. Even if the previous owner has registered it though, there is a process whereby they can unregister and you can re-register to get the full versions 👍
 
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blaggers said:
Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should ;)
What benefit do you think you get from using Tonex amp models over the FM 9 ones?
Click to expand...

Amps that aren’t in the FM9 for one, different capture technology than FAS modeling tech, huge catalog of custom made profiles, ability to capture the entire chain including drives, cab et al in one shot, amps that respond differently to physical drive and boost pedals, added redundant backup….

Plenty of reasons, just like why someone may own more than one guitar, or one synthesizer, etc. options and variety
 
I’m using the Tonex One on my backup board there an HX Stomp but I can’t see the point of making it part of my Fractal rig.
 
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