HX Stomp -> FM3 Success

aflynt

Inspired
I received my FM3 Tuesday. It's replacing an HX Stomp which, other than a power amp and speaker cab, has been my entire live and studio rig for the last several months (switched away from Tube amps last Spring due to the factory that makes my favorite power tubes closing... and now being too lazy to lift them).

Dialing the FM3 was a bit touch and go at first, as I was having trouble finding something similar to the Litigator model which I'd been using in the Stomp, and the models just didn't sound right through my PS170 and 2x12 cab. Yesterday, I realized that I hadn't added any low/high cuts on the output block, and once I did that it put things way more in focus. Then I discovered the "Gain Enhancer" and holy ****. This thing should be on by default in the Dumble models. It makes the sounds alive.

I wound up using the ODS Ford Lead model with the "Blackface" tone stack to get things closer to my main tube amp (one I built, that's based around a Dumble Overdrive Special topology). I always use "Jazz" mode, and my amp has a "Low Plate" configuration on the first two triodes, so it's a bit clearer sounding than a straight up 102 (Ford) clone. Anyway... for S's and G's I A/B'd my HX Stomp against the FM3 today with the new settings and it wasn't even close... FM3 destroyed it sonically. The HX Stomp just sounded plastic and dead in comparison, where the FM3 was clear and responsive and 3D sounding...

As far as UI complexity goes, the Fractal is perfect for me. I find things are far better organized and much more comprehensive than the Line 6 stuff, which I think just feels dumbed down and awkward in contrast. The HX Stomp's modal popups (that happen seemingly at random when I accidentally touch one of the switches) drive me crazy. From what I gather that's not a popular opinion, so I'm guessing that the Line 6 stuff must be easier to grok and more intuitive for most people. I'm definitely not one of them.

-Aaron
 
As far as UI complexity goes, the Fractal is perfect for me. I find things are far better organized and much more comprehensive than the Line 6 stuff, which I think just feels dumbed down and awkward in contrast.
That's great to hear. I found your UI comment amusing because (it seems) most people here concede that Fractal's UI could be improved. I also found your take on the L6 feeling "dumbed down" counter to some reviewers; I've seen multiple reviewers try and use the fewer options as a plus because it's less distracting to the user vs Fractal.

Anyway, great comments. Enjoy!
 
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I received my FM3 Tuesday. It's replacing an HX Stomp which, other than a power amp and speaker cab, has been my entire live and studio rig for the last several months (switched away from Tube amps last Spring due to the factory that makes my favorite power tubes closing... and now being too lazy to lift them).

Dialing the FM3 was a bit touch and go at first, as I was having trouble finding something similar to the Litigator model which I'd been using in the Stomp, and the models just didn't sound right through my PS170 and 2x12 cab. Yesterday, I realized that I hadn't added any low/high cuts on the output block, and once I did that it put things way more in focus. Then I discovered the "Gain Enhancer" and holy ****. This thing should be on by default in the Dumble models. It makes the sounds alive.

I wound up using the ODS Ford Lead model with the "Blackface" tone stack to get things closer to my main tube amp (one I built, that's based around a Dumble Overdrive Special topology). I always use "Jazz" mode, and my amp has a "Low Plate" configuration on the first two triodes, so it's a bit clearer sounding than a straight up 102 (Ford) clone. Anyway... for S's and G's I A/B'd my HX Stomp against the FM3 today with the new settings and it wasn't even close... FM3 destroyed it sonically. The HX Stomp just sounded plastic and dead in comparison, where the FM3 was clear and responsive and 3D sounding...

As far as UI complexity goes, the Fractal is perfect for me. I find things are far better organized and much more comprehensive than the Line 6 stuff, which I think just feels dumbed down and awkward in contrast. The HX Stomp's modal popups (that happen seemingly at random when I accidentally touch one of the switches) drive me crazy. From what I gather that's not a popular opinion, so I'm guessing that the Line 6 stuff must be easier to grok and more intuitive for most people. I'm definitely not one of them.

-Aaron
What is the “gain enhancer?” Also with the little time I’ve spent with the FM3, I surprisingly didn’t like the ODS and instead preferred the Bludojai or the Carol Anne. What am I doing wrong? For reference I was using the 2x12 gt65 IR’s.
 
What is the “gain enhancer?” Also with the little time I’ve spent with the FM3, I surprisingly didn’t like the ODS and instead preferred the Bludojai or the Carol Anne. What am I doing wrong? For reference I was using the 2x12 gt65 IR’s.
Gain Enhancer --> Dynamics Tab in Amp block.
Compressor Type --> choose Gain Enhancer and set Compression somewhere between 0.5 and 2 or values you like.
 
...Also with the little time I’ve spent with the FM3, I surprisingly didn’t like the ODS and instead preferred the Bludojai or the Carol Anne. What am I doing wrong? ...
That question is more than a little vague. I myself prefer Tucana, Shiva, and Bludojai over the ODS. Are you doing anything wrong?

Just because there's a lot of mystique around something like an ODS (btw, the Bludojai is a version of the ODS), doesn't mean it's for everyone. Cliff was quoted somewhere (also in Yek's Amp Guide) as saying he believes the Tucana to be the best of the boutique amps.

If you want to post some sound samples, then I'm sure people would tell what they think.
 
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What is the “gain enhancer?” Also with the little time I’ve spent with the FM3, I surprisingly didn’t like the ODS and instead preferred the Bludojai or the Carol Anne. What am I doing wrong? For reference I was using the 2x12 gt65 IR’s.
What raccoon said. You go to the Dynamics page of the Amp block, Select “Gain Enhancer” as the type and set the amount and threshold. I set the amount to 2 and shoot for -3 to -4 db on the gain reduction meters when I hit the strings hard. I’ve found it makes more of a difference when you’re in the room with the amp through a real speaker, but when you are the notes on the guitar will just take off into feedback, even at lowish volume levels.

As for the Bludiojai, et. al, I found the ODS 100 Ford easier to tweak to get it to match my personal amp. If just messing with the authentic tab and looking for more of a standard Dumble sound, the Bludojai is better, but I really don’t use that kind of sound. I like a bit more of an evened out cranked Fender kind of sound. My main amp is based on what I’m guessing is the same schematic that Cliff used when modeling the ODS Ford block, so it seemed a better starting point. I never use “Rock” mode and always use “Jazz” so switching to a Blackface tonestack gets closer to how the amp sounds and reacts in that mode. I also use a “low plate” configuration on my amp, which makes it a bit clearer and less gainy. I’m not sure how to approximate that in the Amp, block, though. I’m also not quite there yet on the speaker Impedance Curve. For an IR, I shot several of my favorite cab / speaker / mic and use those IRs. I’m contemplating calculating the Impedance Curve of that cab also and trying to match it in the FM3.

-Aaron
 
I never use “Rock” mode and always use “Jazz” so switching to a Blackface tonestack gets closer to how the amp sounds and reacts in that mode.
The Jazz setting changes the Dumble tonestack into a single bass capacitor James stack, quite a clever mod ;) Thanks for the "gain enhancer" tipp, I'll check that out.....
 
The Jazz setting changes the Dumble tonestack into a single bass capacitor James stack, quite a clever mod ;) Thanks for the "gain enhancer" tipp, I'll check that out.....
Gain Enhancer rocks. I find that when playing fingerstyle I can really control the amount of dirt in a preset. Obviously it works with a pick too, just something I really like when using my fingers.
 
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