Mark IIC+ Amp and its many pull knobs

[laxu]

The unified GUI and split amp models have advantages.

Let's say you have a single Fractal Audio model for the Ecstasy amp, and/or one for the Cameron CCV and one for the Mark IV.

You would then need to have a virtual "Structure Modern/Vintage" switch in the Ecstasy model, a virtual "Gain Style" switch in the Cameron model, and a virtual Mid Gain/Harmonics switch in the MESA model.

To be able to access these virtual switches on your foot controller, you'd have to reserve physical switches on your FC (or MIDI) layout for each of them.

But since these are the only amps to provide these specific switches, the foot switches wouldn't do anything with working with other amp models. And that's a waste. And not assigning physical switches to the functions means you loose access to them when controlling you rig with your feet.

So having separate models makes things easier in some aspect.

If we didn't have split amp models, then you'd simply pick another channel in the Amp block, assign the same amp with your preferred switch combinations enabled. Since sometimes these switches can have a significant effect on how the circuit behaves I can understand for development reasons why it's easier to have separate amp models to handle that, but for the end user it's definitely some added complication.

Since a lot of amps have these unique switches, it would be nice to have them replicated on the "Authentic" view, even if they under the hood just map to something you find in the Ideal page. I feel Line6's system is more flexible in this regard and it makes some amp models and effects easier to use in the process. Now Fractal has a bit of a "ok, I need to figure out how to replicate this feature of the real amp or pedal" problem because of the unified GUI, which means going to the Wiki usually.

I really hope for whatever Fractal does next, one of the things they could do is combine the channels/variants/switches of each amp model together and be able to select them in the GUI in a more intuitive manner.

 

[alcyppa]

If we didn't have split amp models, then you'd simply pick another channel in the Amp block, assign the same amp with your preferred switch combinations enabled. Since sometimes these switches can have a significant effect on how the circuit behaves I can understand for development reasons why it's easier to have separate amp models to handle that, but for the end user it's definitely some added complication.

Since a lot of amps have these unique switches, it would be nice to have them replicated on the "Authentic" view, even if they under the hood just map to something you find in the Ideal page. I feel Line6's system is more flexible in this regard and it makes some amp models and effects easier to use in the process. Now Fractal has a bit of a "ok, I need to figure out how to replicate this feature of the real amp or pedal" problem because of the unified GUI, which means going to the Wiki usually.

I really hope for whatever Fractal does next, one of the things they could do is combine the channels/variants/switches of each amp model together and be able to select them in the GUI in a more intuitive manner.

Me too.
Comparing different switches and modes of some of the Amp models is cumbersome.

To me this is one of the very few things that the Axe Fx could improve drastically.

 

[FractalAudio]

An amp model is basically a list of component values.

If we were only modeling one amp, like this plug-in does, then having all the pull switches would be easy because behind the scenes you would just select a different list.

But when you are modeling hundreds of amps this becomes difficult.

Yes, from the user's perspective it could be simpler. Unfortunately it is what it is for this generation. Perhaps future generations will solve this limitation.