Super fast FM9 amp switching

M

MazerRackham

Member
I just unboxed my new FM9 Turbo today! WOOT!
This could be obvious to folks already or I could be imagining the difference, but...
I think I've found an efficient use of the amp channels in the FM9 which makes amp switching even faster. While switching amp channels between scenes in the FM9 is already fast enough that I don't think I would really care about it in a live mix, if you have both amp blocks in series, you can mute/unmute the amp block as you switch scenes to switch even faster. If you're not running dual amps, this lets you have an amp block queued up for the next scene, then in the next scene, have the channel on the bypassed amp switch. I think if you're always changing the channel on the bypassed amp, you basically get to pre-load the channel change ahead of the next scene change.

I haven't done any scientific testing, but it seems like chaining together amp changes between scenes when you progress from one scene to the next (as I usually do) makes the change extremely fast. Anyone else try this?
 
IIRC, this was a by-product of some firmware changes a little while back that enabled fast switching. Prior to that, the only way you could get seamless changes was to put the Amp blocks in parallel.

Found it, it's part of the v3.0 release:

  • New “Block Mixer” algorithm results in faster/quieter scene and channel changes. This new algorithm allows placing Amp blocks in series without the concomitant sound bursts that would normally occur when switching scenes.
Click to expand...
 
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MazerRackham said:
I just unboxed my new FM9 Turbo today! WOOT!
This could be obvious to folks already or I could be imagining the difference, but...
I think I've found an efficient use of the amp channels in the FM9 which makes amp switching even faster. While switching amp channels between scenes in the FM9 is already fast enough that I don't think I would really care about it in a live mix, if you have both amp blocks in series, you can mute/unmute the amp block as you switch scenes to switch even faster. If you're not running dual amps, this lets you have an amp block queued up for the next scene, then in the next scene, have the channel on the bypassed amp switch. I think if you're always changing the channel on the bypassed amp, you basically get to pre-load the channel change ahead of the next scene change.

I haven't done any scientific testing, but it seems like chaining together amp changes between scenes when you progress from one scene to the next (as I usually do) makes the change extremely fast. Anyone else try this?
Click to expand...
But if you change channels I think you would still get a slight delay
Like say Amp 1 was BandCommander Ch A then 2 was
Recto on AMP 2 Ch A that would be seamless but if you had Plexi CH A
Amp 1 and Recto CH C Amp 2 I think you would incur a slight gap
Unless I am wrong
You cannot have 8 channels without gaps
 
What I think happens is, if you’re only switching channels on the amp that’s bypassed, you don’t get the channel switching gap, then in the next scene swap which amp block is bypassed. I’ll have to make some screenshots later on when I’m at my desk to demonstrate what I’m talking about.
 
MazerRackham said:
What I think happens is, if you’re only switching channels on the amp that’s bypassed, you don’t get the channel switching gap, then in the next scene swap which amp block is bypassed. I’ll have to make some screenshots later on when I’m at my desk to demonstrate what I’m talking about.
Click to expand...
That would be awesome I would love to see how it’s done if I could get 4 or 5 different amps no gaps would be great
Thanks for the tips
 
Yeah. You kind of leap-frog amp channels using two amps (should work in series or parallel). The previous scene has an amp bypassed on the channel you want on the next scene. When you increment it only has to unbypass (while bypassing the other amp). And you can keep alternating going up the scenes.

IIRC it doesn't work (as) seamlessly in reverse tho.
 
MazerRackham said:
What I think happens is, if you’re only switching channels on the amp that’s bypassed, you don’t get the channel switching gap, then in the next scene swap which amp block is bypassed. I’ll have to make some screenshots later on when I’m at my desk to demonstrate what I’m talking about.
Click to expand...
When you have a moment can you share your template and screen shot or what your exact settings are
That would be super helpful as I still get some gaps and your set up sounds interesting to cue up the next amp
 
Sorry! I'll try to get this done tonight. Life's been busy the last few days. I'll plan to post one with the amps in parallel and one with just scene switches to see people can hear a difference.
 
MazerRackham said:
Sorry! I'll try to get this done tonight. Life's been busy the last few days. I'll plan to post one with the amps in parallel and one with just scene switches to see people can hear a differenc
Click to expand...
No worries and no rush
I am just curious to see how it is working
There are so many different ways
 
MazerRackham said:
What I think happens is, if you’re only switching channels on the amp that’s bypassed, you don’t get the channel switching gap, then in the next scene swap which amp block is bypassed. I’ll have to make some screenshots later on when I’m at my desk to demonstrate what I’m talking about.
Click to expand...
I haven't tested recently but in the past it didn't matter if you changed channels on the active or bypassed Amp block it will still cause a gap.

If that's changed that's pretty cool!
 
Now that I have the preset made and tested, I think that's exactly what's happening. I'm noticing a slight gap on switching channels on the bypassed amp block between scene 4 and 5.
 

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