New Gear Day: Fractal FM9 Turbo

jsoares

jsoares

New Member
Hey,

Just got my very first Fractal product, the FM9 Turbo, today. I've been experimenting with it a little bit and I'm already having a blast. Such a powerful and fantastic unit. I can see myself getting lost in it for sure!
I also intend on following Cooper Carter's course on the FM9 (already bought it) so that I can understand the unit more (I have this condition where I always want to try to be a power user on the stuff that I enjoy). This will of course take time but I am quite excited!

On another note, I was wondering if there's a way to route the USB output audio to USB input. For example, let's say I have a backing track playing on my Windows machine. I can hear it fine through the PHONES output of the unit. However, what if I want to route this backing track back to the computer through the USB line input of the FM9, for example for streaming (kind of like a virtual input)? Currently I do this with another ASIO tool but it would be fantastic if I could rely solely on the FM9 to achieve this.

I will for sure have more questions later on, but I will try to follow along with the course before to get familiar with the unit as well.

Super excited to start this new guitar playing journey!
 
jsoares said:
Hey,

Just got my very first Fractal product, the FM9 Turbo, today. I've been experimenting with it a little bit and I'm already having a blast. Such a powerful and fantastic unit. I can see myself getting lost in it for sure!
I also intend on following Cooper Carter's course on the FM9 (already bought it) so that I can understand the unit more (I have this condition where I always want to try to be a power user on the stuff that I enjoy). This will of course take time but I am quite excited!

On another note, I was wondering if there's a way to route the USB output audio to USB input. For example, let's say I have a backing track playing on my Windows machine. I can hear it fine through the PHONES output of the unit. However, what if I want to route this backing track back to the computer through the USB line input of the FM9, for example for streaming (kind of like a virtual input)? Currently I do this with another ASIO tool but it would be fantastic if I could rely solely on the FM9 to achieve this.

I will for sure have more questions later on, but I will try to follow along with the course before to get familiar with the unit as well.

Super excited to start this new guitar playing journey!
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My FM9T should be arriving Monday so like you I'm quite excited. It should serve me for the next two decades into the future.

Upgraded from the AX8, which I still use, and is still a beast to this day! The AX8 will be my current go to and small gigging solution while the FM9T will have a learning curve that will keep it in the background for a couple years but after that it will be my main go for the forseeable future. Might as well prepare for the future now.
 
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jsoares said:
On another note, I was wondering if there's a way to route the USB output audio to USB input. For example, let's say I have a backing track playing on my Windows machine. I can hear it fine through the PHONES output of the unit. However, what if I want to route this backing track back to the computer through the USB line input of the FM9, for example for streaming (kind of like a virtual input)? Currently I do this with another ASIO tool but it would be fantastic if I could rely solely on the FM9 to achieve this.
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See Section 3 in the manual. It explains how the host computer and the modeler use the various USB channels.

Doing what you want should be possible, but you are introducing latency by routing through the modeler and back, and that is probably not what you want.

@GlennO probably has good advice.
 
jsoares said:
On another note, I was wondering if there's a way to route the USB output audio to USB input. For example, let's say I have a backing track playing on my Windows machine. I can hear it fine through the PHONES output of the unit. However, what if I want to route this backing track back to the computer through the USB line input of the FM9, for example for streaming (kind of like a virtual input)? Currently I do this with another ASIO tool but it would be fantastic if I could rely solely on the FM9 to achieve this.
Click to expand...

This is one of those things that is awkward on Windows. You have to do things like put the audio into a DAW so you can send it into the grid via a InUSB block, or use patch cables to connect an output to an input.

This would be a good solution;

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/i-o-routing-matrix.162651/#post-1949070
 
I’m on FM9T day 6 and the impact of the unit has far exceeded my expectations, much like the FM3 did. The unit doesn’t feel like it has twice the power. The unit feels like it has four times the power. My needs are quite simple. I need a clean-ish tone and a lead tone. The rest is really window dressing.



I pushed the FM3 live right to the edge always needing extra switches, standard length IR’s, and economy reverbs, not that there was ANYTHING wrong with that. I gigged that way 30-40 times in style.



With the FM9T, I still have a simple setup, but now there are two amps where the bypass is toggled with a control switch (so only one is on at a time). Call it instant switching between AMP1 (my 4 clean-ish tones) and AMP2 (my 4 lead tones). I have a drive block in there for ha has, but I’m mostly switching amps. Everything is pushed to the highest possible quality and I have my full complement of effects. The unit is yawning ‘that’s all you got?’ and is an absolute monster.



The FM3 sounded amazing and is a fantastic unit. The FM9T’s ability to run more blocks at higher quality with ease is the game changer.
 
AlexMania said:
I’m on FM9T day 6 and the impact of the unit has far exceeded my expectations, much like the FM3 did. The unit doesn’t feel like it has twice the power. The unit feels like it has four times the power. My needs are quite simple. I need a clean-ish tone and a lead tone. The rest is really window dressing.



I pushed the FM3 live right to the edge always needing extra switches, standard length IR’s, and economy reverbs, not that there was ANYTHING wrong with that. I gigged that way 30-40 times in style.



With the FM9T, I still have a simple setup, but now there are two amps where the bypass is toggled with a control switch (so only one is on at a time). Call it instant switching between AMP1 (my 4 clean-ish tones) and AMP2 (my 4 lead tones). I have a drive block in there for ha has, but I’m mostly switching amps. Everything is pushed to the highest possible quality and I have my full complement of effects. The unit is yawning ‘that’s all you got?’ and is an absolute monster.



The FM3 sounded amazing and is a fantastic unit. The FM9T’s ability to run more blocks at higher quality with ease is the game changer.
Click to expand...
The sounds between the 3 and the 9 should be pretty much the same. With the reverbs, outside of critically listening I dont hear much difference in quality especially in a band setting. No one is going to say “too bad he didnt run the reverb at maximum quality, it was so close to being good” lol. The 9 just gives you a lot more firepower and obviously more switches. The 3 is down and dirty.
 
I never had the FM3 or FM3T. So I upgraded from my AX8 to FM9T.

Currently, overcoming a viral sickness I'm on meds for so that's no fun when trying to play the guitar.

What I have noticed with the FM9T over the AX8 stock out of the box is that the FM9T sounds basser and fuller even at low volumes.

I have the audio set to 4 db since I use the RS Eli's 8's and I literally have my out 1 set to 1/10th of the volume output and its loud with gain presets though it sounds so incredible at this volume I feel If I raise the volume floor many stock presets will sound too gainy out of the box. hehe.

I haven't even scratched the surface of what the FM9T can do. It will take me a good number of year to maximize it's usage.

In the interim I have decided to keep the AX8 as I've been using it two years and have most of my upgraded presets on it. It's also easier to transport with it's lovely handle. But I understand the FM9T is much larger (I can see that) and I wouldn't want to carry that beast around without a proper transport bag.

Looking into acquire one into the future. Along with a new Expression Pedal. The Moog - EP3 handles all of the features of my current setup but sometimes I think with hards shoes or boots on it will break. It can also topple over it's so light. I need to make sure any new EP can handle ALL of the FM9 features and is sturdy. Too bad FAS ran out of stock on their EP's or I would of grabbed one.
 
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dsouza said:
I agree with this and yet have difficulty understanding it.

It raising the out knobs have no effect on gain why do they tell us to tune in our presets at gig volume?
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This has been covered in almost every thread.
The reason is our ears, our brain and the Fletcher Munson curve. Our perception changes with the volume, so you need to adjust it at gig volume
 
Riccardo Ros said:
This has been covered in almost every thread.
The reason is our ears, our brain and the Fletcher Munson curve. Our perception changes with the volume, so you need to adjust it at gig volume
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Ahh perception. Thanks for the reminder. That Fletcher Munson curve! ;)
 
jsoares said:
Hey,

Just got my very first Fractal product, the FM9 Turbo, today. I've been experimenting with it a little bit and I'm already having a blast. Such a powerful and fantastic unit. I can see myself getting lost in it for sure! ...

I will for sure have more questions later on, but I will try to follow along with the course before to get familiar with the unit as well.

Super excited to start this new guitar playing journey!
Click to expand...
Congrats. The virtual trip is worth the expense. (You'll find you don't go anywhere except as far as your imagination will take you.)
 
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