Fractal VP4!

[Orvillain]

That may be the dumbest thing I've read on this forum.

Then you're simply not reading your own posts. Go give 'em a read. They're a hoot!!

 

[rog]

Fractal are more bespoke, allegedly made in USA

I think Cliff was referring to the engineers being in the US? It was a couple of pages ago, I may be misremembering that.

Sonically sure you can A/B HX Stomp and FM3 and it can be negligible... at times... (I have done this) but again something like Plex or some of the more macro things Fractal eviscerates everything, sorry dude to compare it to a car company/ car type.

It annoys me that there seems to be a chip on a lot of Fractal users about the Line 6 stuff - I'm a fan of Line 6 gear, I think they do a phenomenal job. Without question, a professional piece of kit, and anyone who says otherwise needs to sit down and think about their life choices.

That said, the Fractal stuff is better. The amps are more realistic, and while I think the overdrive/distortion type pedals are pretty similar, the delays and reverbs in the Fractal stuff is in a different league. I have zero brand loyalty, zero. If the Line 6 stuff sounded better, I'd be using it.

 

[monk]

Besides the 2290P and fractal, no one else has created an accurate 2290 delay. I’ve always felt most of the Line 6 delays were unusable. I’ve never understood the love for the DL4

 

[lauke-lux]

That's why the device will have presets. Switch to a preset with Phaser. As this is a FAS product, it will have the "views/layouts" functionality as the rest of em.
Or just change the block in the current preset.

Exactly, you got that Totally Right.

Real Amp and pedal board users do not reflect in totally equipped patches like we are as the "regular" Amp Sim users. A few patches with different effect blocks will surely do the job and when I can I'm interested for using this little guy in front of my 2 junior amps. A great asset.

And as there are almost no FX8 available on the second hand market, it probably is because they rock and once somebody gets his hands on one he won't leave it.

 

[Heinzi]

If you're so enamored with Line6 products and they do what you want, why are you here complaining about a Fractal product that doesn't do what you want?

It's not a product I need and as much as I love Fractal's stuff, I won't be buying it... But for many people this is exactly what they want.

Additionally, Cliff posted on The Gear Forum that he could envision adding another 2-4 "static" (always on) blocks per preset.

I totally agree! There are so many individual needs and each guitar player ist different. Some are fine with 4 Blocks others need 5 others 6. You can't anticipate every individual need or come with a range of 10 different products so everyone is happy.

Up to know I don't see it as a replacement of the HXFX - you would have to choose between the superior sound quality of the VP4 and the better connectivity (like 2 FX Loops) and the amount of blocks of the HXFX.
Having e.g. the volume block and a simple room reverb as "static blocks" would be absolutely clever and change everything for me. Then the 4 additonal blocks should really satisfy a lot of players and i would buy it instantly.

 

[Orvillain]

I’ve always felt most of the Line 6 delays were unusable. I’ve never understood the love for the DL4

One of the best selling delay pedals ever made.

 

[Joshua_L]

don’t know why there’s such negativity from some people. Really.

Come on guys, it’s a small device that brings the world acclaimed fractal effects to non modelers players. It also brings, scenes, presets, channels etc.

How many hardcore pedal payers for exemple just use 3 stacked overdrives to get a tone they certainly can get with only one fractal drive tweaked?
How many gas players buy 3 reverb and 4 choruses while the pv4 can get them what they want in a simple way?

What is this bullshit talk about costs and engineering and china and whatever ??? Seriously?? Just start your own company or gtfo.

Bringing fractal effects to pedalboards can only be great thing.

I’m just thankful the Fracral team is here. Just a small company bringing the best premium products possible to the mainstream guitar players.

 

[Roadrunner]

As a very long time FAS user (had / use all of their products) and currently using FM9, I was hoping to see a floor based unit that will go between FM3 and FM9 (or instead? FM6?) and will also have a touch screen / BT capability + app for Android. I must say that even today after more than 12 years in FAS world, I’m still struggling the front panel when going live, there is always “something” I need to tweak according to the venue / sound guy which is a PITA for me without AE.
The FM3 is too small for me and I found myself struggling adding ext’ switches while the FM9 is amazing but I’m tired of carrying such a big pedalboard for live applications.

Up to couple of years ago when I was still using real amps parallel to FAS products, I was looking for a solution just like that and almost purchased L6 HX EFFECTS to run with my Mesa TC50 (midi onboard) and Friedman Runt.

The VP4 is perfect for that, one step on a switch and you have it all, channel switching on the amp (if you have midi or ext’ relay) + FX, all housed in a compact form factor + nice display, what could you ask more?
Very nice product, I think it should have built in relay for amp channel switching as well. Without it, it leaves out the majority of amps that do not have midi on board.
Anyhow, another great piece from Fractal, i see its already avilable in Thailand for aprox, 800USD.

 

[GitGuy513]

Additionally, Cliff posted on The Gear Forum that he could envision adding another 2-4 "static" (always on) blocks per preset.

Now that would be very cool. If I was to get this unit and based on what little I truly know about it I was thinking one way it could be used is to make presets with 3 fx always in the same category and one more esoteric block and switch between these. This doesn’t even factor in other things like scenes, etc. which again I have to state is just unsubstantiated information. Also, there still the presets that could be totally atmospheric or not straight up bread and butter stuff.

The one possibility I see and this is just speculation until I really get to see a demo is it turning my FM3 into something a little better than the FM9. This is just my very personal use case. I’m perfectly fine with the FM3. I don’t need any more I/O’s or switches. I’m a big FX guy for certain stuff I do. I dig big atmospheric sounds (reverbs) and with pitch and synth fx. Here’s where the FM3 will run out of gas when using highest quality settings.

I only bring this up because depending on price the choice I see me having is to use the VP4 as supplemental to my FM3 or go for the FM9. All I know is it gives choices and I like choices.

 

[Olli_A]

I'm just glad I sold my HX Effects for a decent price two weeks before this announced

 

[SinglecutGuy]

People didn't want it. It was the worst selling product in the history of the company.

Is there a chance that this lack of sales performance/market acceptance was due to it being ahead of its' time when originally released? The options available in today's marketplace for modeling configurations' topology with full modeling + FX at the top and FX only at the bottom is quite different than when the FX8 was originally introduced. But looking at so many configurations from all your competing companies, I also think modeling as a whole is now viewed quite differently, from the perspective of the musical community. Modeling now is the rage, where it wasn't 10 years ago.

I remember when I did MI Retail in the early-2000's, NO ONE would entertain the viability of a powered PA speaker. Everyone wanted wood cabinets with separate power amps. A lot of companies had really good options for these that eventually phased out due to lack of sales, but those "failures" still pushed the market forward. Retail is like this everywhere. Remember the first time you saw someone wearing a new style of clothing? They look ridiculous until everyone else starts wearing them, and then it's commonplace. It just takes time.

As a result, I've always thought that the less than stellar performance of the FX8 was simply due to timing.

Imagine an electric car if it were introduced by GM in the early 90's when gas was $0.80/galllon.

It will be very interesting to see how the VP4 does, I think it will do quite well. I myself am concerned that 4 switches is very limiting to the overall market, but looking at the FM3's success, I hope to be wrong. I hope the VP4 does well enough, and there is enough push and justification for you to come out with a VP8 down the road, something closer to a modern FX8 with more foot switch options.

 

[lauke-lux]

Besides the 2290P and fractal, no one else has created an accurate 2290 delay. I’ve always felt most of the Line 6 delays were unusable. I’ve never understood the love for the DL4

Never had one but there used to be a period where every respectable guitar player had one on his pedal board. Even the Edge has one (but what doesn't he have)

 

[rog]

Is there a chance that this lack of sales performance/market acceptance was due to it being ahead of its' time when originally released? The options available in today's marketplace for modeling configurations' topology with full modeling + FX at the top and FX only at the bottom is quite different than when the FX8 was originally introduced. But looking at so many configurations from all your competing companies, I also think modeling as a whole is now viewed quite differently, from the perspective of the musical community. Modeling now is the rage, where it wasn't 10 years ago.

I remember when I did MI Retail in the early-2000's, NO ONE would entertain the viability of a powered PA speaker. Everyone wanted wood cabinets with separate power amps. A lot of companies had really good options for these that eventually phased out due to lack of sales, but those "failures" still pushed the market forward. Retail is like this everywhere. Remember the first time you saw someone wearing a new style of clothing? They look ridiculous until everyone else starts wearing them, and then it's commonplace. It just takes time.

As a result, I've always thought that the less than stellar performance of the FX8 was simply due to timing.

Imagine an electric car if it were introduced by GM in the early 90's when gas was $0.80/galllon.

It will be very interesting to see how the VP4 does, I think it will do quite well. I myself am concerned that 4 switches is very limiting to the overall market, but looking at the FM3's success, I hope to be wrong. I hope the VP4 does well enough, and there is enough push and justification for you to come out with a VP8 down the road, something closer to a modern FX8 with more foot switch options.

I suspect this is why this pedal is being released now.

 

[rog]

Never had one but there used to be a period where every respectable guitar player had one on his pedal board. Even the Edge has one (but what doesn't he have)

Which one?

 

[Domct203]

There is a tremendous amount of judgement in this thread based on nothing but speculation… and the animosity about the varied opinions based on pure speculation is disheartening, but I guess that is a sign of the times we are in.

I’ll hold my judgement until I actually know the unit’s capabilities….

 

[FullReverse]

So, why is it called a "virtual pedalboard"? Because it's *almost" one, but not quite?

The sense of entitlement on display here is absolutely disgusting.

 

[GitGuy513]

Which one?

I think the Line 6 DL4. It was popular and I guess still is although it never caught my eye. Then again I own(ed) a real TC2290 among other hi end delays. Definitely the Fractal time based fx are of top quality.

For sure The Edge probably used every effect made as some point.

 

[FullReverse]

Or get a HXFX, get 9 fx, and pay $650

if you don’t play music with any subtlety or dynamics and don’t care that the delay and reverb all have a cluttered muddy quality to them, then sure. Otherwise you will notice immediately what that turd does to your signal. You lose the bloom and sag and get a cheap flattened representation of your signal instead.

 

[Gtrsolo350]

I think the timing of VP4 is perfect. The market is flooded with boutique pedal makers, many of which are just doing the same sounds with slight modifications. I can see people shifting towards something like the VP4 for many of their effects and maybe having just couple other specialty pedals.
Thinking of a buddy with 3 Strymons on his board.

 

[GitGuy513]

There is a tremendous amount of judgement in this thread based on nothing but speculation… and the animosity about the varied opinions based on pure speculation is disheartening, but I guess that is a sign of the times we are in.

I’ll hold my judgement until I actually know the unit’s capabilities….

I have a suspicion a specific amount was just the age old craft of trolling. Why someone would feel the need to do this, I dont know. I can guess at a few reasons that I’ll keep to myself.