New Fractal FM9 floor unit - looks good!

DavusPG · November 2022

SKB iSeries 3614-6 and a Duo 34

To get enough clearance between the "value" knob on the FM9 and the top of the case I mounted the FM9 further back on the Temple, removed the rubber side panels on the FM9, and used a 10mm piece of foam on the bottom of the case with the thick foam cut snugly around the board. Holds it all in place nicely

Nerine · November 2022

Another gig (have done a few now) with the FM9 last night.

Sounded frigging epic. You can get such huge guitar sounds with this thing.

I’ve also just updated to the new beta Cygnus X2 modelling. I think I can feel and hear a difference. Seems more “lively” than previously. Either way, the only thing this ever does is just further convince me that this is totally the way forward.

Another shoutout for the Yamaha DXR10 MKII as a great monitor to pair with the FM9. It’s great.

Like, at most points yesterday, my monitoring was too loud for me. It’s got some serious clout for the size and weight. I also think it’s really good value.

mrkb · December 2022

New firmware V4 released.

firepaulmusic · December 2022

mrkb said:

New firmware V4 released.

Can’t see it on the Fractal website?

mrkb · December 2022

firepaulmusic said:

mrkb said:

New firmware V4 released.

Can’t see it on the Fractal website?

They always release via forum first

Thread 'FM9 Firmware Version 4.00'
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm9-firmware-version-4-00.189514/

firepaulmusic · December 2022

mrkb said:

firepaulmusic said:

mrkb said:

New firmware V4 released.

Can’t see it on the Fractal website?

They always release via forum first

Thread 'FM9 Firmware Version 4.00'
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm9-firmware-version-4-00.189514/

Got it now, cheers

Nerine · January 2023

There is so much to learn and discover with this thing.

I reworked my main gigging preset last week and tried it out at the weekend.

I was happy before, but I’m even more happy now. It really does sound brilliant.

I’ll list some stuff that I think is pretty useful or may help to cut down a bit of the learning curve:

1. Don’t expect your first rig build to be the best. You will change it and tweak it. And it will improve a lot in the first few iterations.

2. Global/Post EQ. I have an EQ block just prior to my output blocks. I use it to low cut and make slight overall tweaks. I find cutting some 300-400Hz to be useful also on a lot of my patches. I’d advise using one of these to make adjustments to the overall preset.

3. Learn the switching. It’s insanely flexible. Per Preset layouts are also totally killer. A guy on YouTube called Rosh does a good video series on the FM9. It’s covered there.

4. Gapless switching. It’s possible. And easy. You need to use two amp blocks in parallel and toggle between them with either a mixer block or multiplexer block.

5. Analogue drives in front of the FM9. Yes they work. Yes they sound ace (so do the modelled ones when A/B-ing). I have discovered this today. I was tearing down my analogue board and I have a Duke Of Tone sat in the cupboard that I bought last year that I’ve not even opened. Cracked it open and hooked it up. Wow. Brings things to life even more. Sooooo pleased with how the rig sounds boosted with an analogue pedal. Also, it doesn’t appear to futz with your input levels too much either. Voodoo shit, there. Definitely try implementing a hybrid setup. It’s very cool.

6. IRs. They’re important but perhaps not as crucial as it seems. I think once you get to a venue and set your rig up it just kinda sounds natural anyway. Pick one you like and then work on the amps. Check the wiki as well as there’s lots of good info on the cabs there. Same with the amps to be fair.

7. Monitoring. Crucial. I’ve got a Yamaha DXR10 MkII that I’m hugely impressed by. Loud as balls. Big low end. Never have an issue with stage volume. It’s got plenty of welly to spare. Easily audible over loud drums especially since it aims at your head.

I’ve heard it sound less great through old shite Peavey PA speakers at rehearsal rooms and jams and stuff, but don’t let that dissuade you.

8. Realise that it’s an ecosystem that is quite different to a regular guitar amp. It requires different thinking. The sounds are in there and they’re easily gotten if you spend some time getting to learn how to use it.

9. Learn the utilities and quality of life features of the unit. Preset levelling, copying blocks, channels, moving presets around, etc. It’s all good stuff and some of it is just so “what a good idea”.

10. Accept that it’s accurate. I think this is quite an important one. The accuracy of this thing is about as close to 100% as you’re gonna get. Chances are if you dial a sound and it’s not to your liking, the reality is if you did the same with the real gear, you’d end up at the same place if you were in a studio etc. Obviously you’re listening to a “recording” of the real rig, but that’s what it’d sound like if you mic’d it for FOH.

11. It works great in a band mix. It doesn’t get lost. It plays well alongside regular guitar amps if another guitarist isn’t going direct. I’d say that I sound much more defined and present in my bands mixes nowadays.

Still impressed. If not more so. Amazing piece of gear. Proper 10/10 for me.

Nerine · January 2023

To add to point 5 above.

I currently have my FM9 setup as follows:

Guitar into input 1.

That then is chained in FM9 edit to give me stomp boxes I would typically use before drive pedals. So Univibe, compressor, phaser, wah, virtual capo etc.

That chain terminates at output 3 on the edit grid.

Physical Output 3 now feeds my analogue drives (an MXR Classic Fuzz and Duke Of Tone). They return to input 2.

Input 2 in on a separate strip in the edit window. I then have the amp and cab blocks and all the post drive effects, such as reverb, delays etc. that then goes to a PEQ block which is last in the chain before splitting to outputs 1 and 2. To FOH and my monitor respectively.

I have 9 gain sounds/levels between the two pedals and the two amp blocks. Here’s where the switching comes in and it’s so fucking cool.

I press one switch to change between clean and crunch on an amp channel. I have another switch to change the mixer block after both amp blocks.

Essentially:

Switch 1: changes “channel” 1 of my amp. From clean to crunch. So channel one can either be clean or crunch.

Switch 2: seamlessly changes between channel 1 and channel 2. Channel two being my high gain sound.

It’s a nice way to do it.

I could add more functionality to switch two by pressing and holding the switch but with the analogue drives/boosts patched in, it gives an insane amount of sounds on tap as is. I can then press and hold my Univibe switch to add a compressor in if I want. I can press to switch in the delay or reverb or press and hold either to change the channel of both of those blocks and hence engage completely different/wetter reverbs and delays and toggle those on and off.

The switching is so well thought out on this thing.

firepaulmusic · January 2023

I’m finding I have the best results lately using a clean amp model then add two gain pedals in series. It sounds more natural to me than switching between amps. I’ve also got the same amp with different gain levels as my B and C…

exocet · January 2023

firepaulmusic said:

I’m finding I have the best results lately using a clean amp model then add two gain pedals in series. It sounds more natural to me than switching between amps. I’ve also got the same amp with different gain levels as my B and C…

I think that's a good approach. The problem with having loads of flexibility is very much the temptation to mix "small fender amp" for clean and "hot rodded marshall" for lead.....whilst both sounds are great, when you flip between them in a single preset - it can sound very "wrong" or at least its easy to focus on the tonal palette differences.

Roland · January 2023

Having spent a long time messing around with multiple amps, just because they were available, I’ve eventually come down to using one amp type with three different drive and tone settings, plus a drive block and a clean boost.

DavusPG · January 2023

Yup after lots of tweaking after each gig, I've also gone from 4 amp types in a preset down to 1 and with less gain options than I thought I needed.

Amp boost assigned to a control switch is probably my most used method for changing tone, along with the volume knob on the guitar, which is a new revelation having spent decades with it always at 10

Nerine · January 2023

DavusPG said:

Yup after lots of tweaking after each gig, I've also gone from 4 amp types in a preset down to 1 and with less gain options than I thought I needed.

Amp boost assigned to a control switch is probably my most used method for changing tone, along with the volume knob on the guitar, which is a new revelation having spent decades with it always at 10

When you say assigned to a control switch. I’ve not delved into those yet.

Does that require a separate controller? Could I do similar on the FM9 so it’s not like a scene, but more a latching switch that toggles between two settings of the same rotary knob?

Usually I toggle between amp channels, but that’s a bit overkill seeing as my main changes are mostly gain.

Roland · January 2023

Control Switches are on/off. Scene Controllers change value as you move from scene to scene. This means there’s less of an audible gap than you’d get with a channel change.

mrkb · January 2023

Control switches are multipurpose on/off switches, that can be assigned to multiple parameters. I use one for a “Solo boost” when control switch1 is on it switches the “amp input boost” on in the Amp block as well as activating a Filter Block with a 3db output boost and also a delay block. So I can go into “Solo mode” from any scene.

DavusPG · January 2023

Nerine said:
When you say assigned to a control switch. I’ve not delved into those yet.
Does that require a separate controller? Could I do similar on the FM9 so it’s not like a scene, but more a latching switch that toggles between two settings of the same rotary knob?

Yup, it's exactly that and you have them on your FM9. They can be assigned to any modifiable control including bypass states of blocks. I also use them attached to filter blocks for volume boosts. Control switches are very useful as they can be set to latching or momentary and to stay on or off across scene changes or to revert back to their saved state per scene.

So for example I have one attached to a filter block in every preset that adds a 2.5db boost across all scenes unless I turn it on/off. That's enough for my Tele to be the same volume as my Les Paul if I switch guitars, or just to give me a little volume boost if I feel I'm being overpowered by the rest of the band

These should get you going:

Nerine · January 2023

DavusPG said:

Nerine said:
When you say assigned to a control switch. I’ve not delved into those yet.
Does that require a separate controller? Could I do similar on the FM9 so it’s not like a scene, but more a latching switch that toggles between two settings of the same rotary knob?
Yup, it's exactly that and you have them on your FM9. They can be assigned to any modifiable control including bypass states of blocks. I also use them attached to filter blocks for volume boosts. Control switches are very useful as they can be set to latching or momentary and to stay on or off across scene changes or to revert back to their saved state per scene.

So for example I have one attached to a filter block in every preset that adds a 2.5db boost across all scenes unless I turn it on/off. That's enough for my Tele to be the same volume as my Les Paul if I switch guitars, or just to give me a little volume boost if I feel I'm being overpowered by the rest of the band

These should get you going:

Thanks. Second one is just an image though. Watched the first one. Didn’t know you could assign stuff like that.

The more I learn about the FM9, the more I appreciate how insanely well thought out it is.

Thanks for sharing, man.

mrkb · January 2023

Nerine said:

DavusPG said:

Nerine said:
When you say assigned to a control switch. I’ve not delved into those yet.
Does that require a separate controller? Could I do similar on the FM9 so it’s not like a scene, but more a latching switch that toggles between two settings of the same rotary knob?
Yup, it's exactly that and you have them on your FM9. They can be assigned to any modifiable control including bypass states of blocks. I also use them attached to filter blocks for volume boosts. Control switches are very useful as they can be set to latching or momentary and to stay on or off across scene changes or to revert back to their saved state per scene.

So for example I have one attached to a filter block in every preset that adds a 2.5db boost across all scenes unless I turn it on/off. That's enough for my Tele to be the same volume as my Les Paul if I switch guitars, or just to give me a little volume boost if I feel I'm being overpowered by the rest of the band

These should get you going:

Thanks. Second one is just an image though. Watched the first one. Didn’t know you could assign stuff like that.
The more I learn about the FM9, the more I appreciate how insanely well thought out it is.
Thanks for sharing, man.

Its this one on Leon Todds excellent fractal biased channel - Leon is username "2112" on the fractal forum and is also employed by G66 to do Fractal tuition videos.

Nerine · January 2023

Shot out the Klone Chiron drive block in the FM9 with a real silver Klon Centaur yesterday.

This was running into a clean Two Rock Custom Reverb Sig (which happened to be setup next to a Z-Wreck head and cab which really was something special.)

So the patch was literally input 1, drive block, output 3 to amp.

A few people were in attendance.

At the same settings it sounded basically identical. If there was any appreciable difference, you could easily get it closer with the additional editing parameters on the FM9 and being able to A/B immediately, which we couldn’t on the day.

Hugely impressive. The models in the Fractal ecosystem are insanely accurate.

I only ever find evidence that it’s the way forward.

firepaulmusic · January 2023

Tried out my new patch based on a single amp (Shiva clean) plus modelled and analogue drive pedals at a gig last night. It was way more natural sounding without the jumps between amp types…

Jonathanthomas83 · January 2023

firepaulmusic said:

Tried out my new patch based on a single amp (Shiva clean) plus modelled and analogue drive pedals at a gig last night. It was way more natural sounding without the jumps between amp types…

Can you talk us through how you're managing the gain staging? What kind of drives (in and out of the box) are you using? I'm assuming the amp is pure clean?

firepaulmusic · January 2023

Jonathanthomas83 said:

firepaulmusic said:

Tried out my new patch based on a single amp (Shiva clean) plus modelled and analogue drive pedals at a gig last night. It was way more natural sounding without the jumps between amp types…

Can you talk us through how you're managing the gain staging? What kind of drives (in and out of the box) are you using? I'm assuming the amp is pure clean?

Shiva Clean through a 4x12 TV Mix 7. Zen Drive, AT BB Preamp and Full OC. Amp 1 clean, Amp 2 Shiva Clean with more amp gain. Scenes with various OD pedal variations. Worked really well and felt like a more natural way to work. Outboard pedals are Thorpy Peacekeeper and Suhr Riot. Hardly touched either of these as the Fractal pedals were so good…

Jonathanthomas83 · January 2023

Thanks, I was keen to hear how much you used your actual pedals, so that's very encouraging to hear that it wasn't a lot! I'm positively blown away by my Axe FX III. It makes put a smile on my face every time I play through it.

Good to see how you've set up your staging, too. Mine's a clean Hiwatt with a RAT at the moment. I need to try and find an amp that suits me better, drive-wise, so that I can experiment with just using amp gain with pedals (ITB) for flavours. The drive block route is working fine right now though, can't fault it, and I agree, the Fractal algo's for drive pedals are super. Before I sold all my stuff to buy this, the 1981 DRV was top of my list of favourite pedals, I think the Fractal model of it is absolutely superb.

DavusPG · January 2023

New beta firmware has been released for FM9 and this time we've got a new effect before the AxeFx3. Bosom Boost is based on the Friedman Buxom Boost I believe. Looking forward to trying the Paragon wah too:

Added new amp model: "59 Bassguy Reissue Jumped”.

Added new Drive effect model: "Bosom Boost".

Added new Wah effect model: "Paragon", based on Tycobrahe Parapedal.

AMP effect 'Input Dynamics' control is added.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm9-firmware-version-4-01-public-beta-1.190863/

fastonebaz · January 2023

I was so close to buying one last year but I know that I'd find the 4 sounds I liked and constantly be depressed I'd spent £2k and was only using 4 of the 4000 tones analysis and thus I wasn't making the most of it. At least with my amp and pedalboard I only get 4 tonnes so don't have any choice unless I buy more stuff

Oh god I still want one who am I kidding

Jonathanthomas83 · January 2023

fastonebaz said:

I was so close to buying one last year but I know that I'd find the 4 sounds I liked and constantly be depressed I'd spent £2k and was only using 4 of the 4000 tones analysis and thus I wasn't making the most of it. At least with my amp and pedalboard I only get 4 tonnes so don't have any choice unless I buy more stuff

Oh god I still want one who am I kidding

Honestly, at the end of last year, I got sick of the chase. Everything I'd invested in sounded nowhere near as good as I wanted it to sound and I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. I think what you've mentioned there is the point. You don't need the 4000 sounds it has in there, nobody does. You pick you favourite and run with it, like you would a real amp. Then you pick your favourite pedals and add them to the preset. Done. People overcomplicate these devices so much - and that's allowed, but there's no reason to feel guilty about it. Do you feel guilty that you spend 2-4k on ONE amp and a bunch of pedals...that perhaps, IMO, is more of a reason to feel guilty.

Me, I quite like the fact that on one preset I can have the entire setup I spent last year saving for and building...and consequently selling. And on another preset, I can have a set up I built three years ago! I can safely say that the Axe FX nails it all and I'm happy!

DavusPG · January 2023

Yup, in the years I've been using Fractal stuff I've steadily simplified things to the point that I now use 1 amp almost exclusively - and that's fine so long as when I plug in I like what I'm hearing and it inspires me to play - which it does.

Add to that the huge selection of effects that are on tap if and when I want them, and the fact that say I have the urge to use an AC30, or a Mesa JP, or a 5150 and scores of other amps then they're already in the box, all of a sudden £2k seems a bargain.

Can honestly say that the fractal gear has been the biggest GAS killer for me. Only reason I swapped the 3 for the FM9 was portability.

FarleyUK · January 2023

The only negative I've found with any modeller, including Fractal, is the pitch shift and harmoniser. I've just purchased a Digitech Whammy DT to put in the signal chain of both my AFX3 and FM9 to overcome this. Kind of annoying, but hey-ho!

Nerine · January 2023

The thing that I was always skeptical about when it came to modellers was "how accurate are they really" and how I would feel playing a "copy" or digital facsimile of a classic amp/or my rig. Could I convince myself that I would be happy with it, or would I hear the "fizz", the "digital-ness", being a staunch valve amp user prior.

I took the plunge on the FM9 as a bit of an experiment to be honest. I wanted a giggable solution that was portable, sounded decent and took the stress out of setup and teardowns. 2/3 gigs per weekend with a load of travelling in between will do that to a man.

The first time I plugged it in, I was quite impressed. Defo a step up from my previous modelling experiences, including the Kemper which I still owned at that point. This was through my studio monitors.

I then had a mate come over with the monitor he uses for his live Kemper rig. I liked what I was beginning to hear through a good/large FRFR monitor. This improved the experience. Moving a bit more air.

I then started doing a lot of messing about and comparisons. I think I had to believe the unit was doing what it claimed. That for me was the key to accepting it into my world. Some of those things are detailed in this thread.

The most recent was a shootout with a real Klon Centaur into a Two Rock Custom Reverb Sig. An amp that would likely show up any deficiencies in the model against the real thing. It was indistinguishable. Everyone in the room agreed.

I have also previously "replaced" the preamp in my Small Box with the digital version in the FM9 run straight into the fx return, and again, I couldn't tell a difference in tone or feel when playing through the modelled preamp and real power amp and cab. I should also add that I was actively trying to find differences, deficiencies, harshness, "digital-ness" etc.

I've not found any limitations as far as the modelling goes. So now I feel I can trust it. I know it's doing what it claims. I know I can't tell a difference between the models and the real life counterparts.

How's it been working live? I love it. The Yamaha DXR10 MkII I monitor through is superb. It's loud, gobs of low end etc. The experience of playing it live is great. I get a real kick out of engaging some of my more effected scenes and the audiences being slightly baffled with how the sounds are being created etc. I don't miss the "amp in the room" or "amp behind me" thing. In fact, I would even go as far to say that's not even really too much of a thing and is used as a excuse to not get into the "daunting" world of modelling. I used to use very loud amps behind me and still sometimes struggled to hear what I was doing due to logistical setup issues, or other band members. Now? Nope. I can always hear myself fine, I get loads of brute force coming back at me through the monitor, and I can have it as loud as I like without spoiling the experience for the crowd. I can coax feedback. I can do everything I could with my analogue rig. It's just as satisfying, if not more so.

Fast forward to today. Yesterday, for shits and giggles and another experiment, I decided to put my Murphy R9 Les Paul to the test and build a rig based on one of Bonamassa's (one of my favourite players) rigs. So, wide open Silver Jubilee and then some Dumbles mixed in that you can switch in and out, as Joe did live - or at least a variation thereof. Add a big plate, and some Leslie, bit of fuzz here and there etc. Couple of big Dumble and Marshall 4x12's with EV speakers in them loaded up. It's just sublime, and is the closest I have ever gotten to capturing his live sound I've heard on record so much. Once I'm done with the preset, I'm going to make it available for people on Axechange to check out. The point being is that it was totally inspiring and sounded so "right".

What's next? Well, I have no GAS other than for perhaps another DXR10 so I can build rigs in stereo and make them sound even huger. I'm considering offing my Small Box and some other stuff that I feel could become redundant.
I've never had so many Eureka moments with a piece of gear as this. It's as complex or simple as you want it to be. The editor is incredible, the sounds are amazing, the effects are ridiculous, the switching is hugely flexible.

I think it's a huge upgrade to my previous analogue rig in terms of flexibility, FOH sound, portability etc.

It actually makes my analogue rig feel very limited in comparison whenever I plug into that nowadays. Which is becoming rarer and rarer. It's also loads better for practice, I'm not burning through valves or power (defo a consideration nowadays), there's very little to go wrong, etc.

I was very wary at first and very skeptical as I've mentioned, but now I've gotten acquainted with it, I feel like it's a massive leap forward. It makes my valve amp feel archaic and old fashioned. It's inspiring. It makes me want to play. I can have any amp I want. I can have any pedal I want. I can create any sound I want. ALL with the qualification that I know the sounds are legit and what I am hearing is as close as I'm going to get to ever owning multiple £5k+ rigs for any style that I could possibly imagine.

That's not a lot to dislike...

Jonathanthomas83 · January 2023

I agree, wholeheartedly. I think the key for me was that bit you mention about acceptance that it's not an inferior clone/mimic. It basically captures the nuances I loved about my old JCM 800 and Dual Rectifier and the DRV as I mention above. I've never really had that with modellers before now and have always been left wondering if I could do better. I don't feel like that any more. That's worth its weight in gold as far as I'm concerned.

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New Fractal FM9 floor unit - looks good!

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