Fractal Audio Firmware Update Thread

[Mongillo19]

Not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this new update at the moment...

I really think you just need to give digital a break and play some good tube amps to cleanse.

I know you just got the III but I feel like it's often a compromise for you. Is there a reason you don't stick with tubes?

I really don't think that much has changed between since when you last had the 3. I record the amps in question with the FM9 and then my updates III to compare if you'd like

 

[Mongillo19]

@metropolis_4 playing is just chords and noodling but below are is the FM9 vs Axe Fx with new firmware

III

III.wav

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

9

9.wav

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

used the deluxe reverb norm amp model with matching dyna cab (same on both 9 and III). gain at 2.24 on both and default everything else

 

[metropolis_4]

I really think you just need to give digital a break and play some good tube amps to cleanse.

I know you just got the III but I feel like it's often a compromise for you. Is there a reason you don't stick with tubes?

I really don't think that much has changed between since when you last had the 3. I record the amps in question with the FM9 and then my updates III to compare if you'd like

The problem is that every foreseeable gigging scenario for me right now involves multiple acoustic instruments and IEM monitoring and tube amps are complicated for that.

I don’t even know right now. If the Fractal doesn’t work out I don’t even know where to go from there

 

[metropolis_4]

@metropolis_4 playing is just chords and noodling but below are is the FM9 vs Axe Fx with new firmware

III

III.wav

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

9

9.wav

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

used the deluxe reverb norm amp model with matching dyna cab (same on both 9 and III). gain at 2.24 on both and default everything else

Thanks for sharing that! I need to do some serious assessment of my setup tomorrow and see what’s going on. Maybe there’s some other variable here I’m missing.

 

[Mongillo19]

The problem is that every foreseeable gigging scenario for me right now involves multiple acoustic instruments and IEM monitoring and tube amps are complicated for that.

I don’t even know right now. If the Fractal doesn’t work out I don’t even know where to go from there

Try with a fresh set of ears tomorrow!

Did you hear the difference you were mentioning in my clips (or maybe they weren't helpful lol)

 

[metropolis_4]

Try with a fresh set of ears tomorrow!

Did you hear the difference you were mentioning in my clips (or maybe they weren't helpful lol)

No, I didn’t. If anything I think the III clip sounds better! Maybe playing a tube amp the past month has shifted the way I’m perceiving these tones or something. I’m gonna approach it fresh tomorrow and see where I get

 

[Mongillo19]

No, I didn’t. If anything I think the III clip sounds better! Maybe playing a tube amp the past month has shifted the way I’m perceiving these tones or something. I’m gonna approach it fresh tomorrow and see where I get

Awesome! And yeah I imagine you feel pretty blah about everything right now. We all just want to see you happy with your choices

But give it some time and troubleshoot as you mentioned

 

[metropolis_4]

Spent more time with it today and spent time comparing to the Kemper.

The clarity and definition in the Fractal just blows away everything else in digital land... but I still swear there's something wrong with some of the amps now. I notice it most in 6V6 amps like the /13 CJ11 and DR. It's like something is smoothing/compressing the midrange in an unnatural way. And they are much darker than I remember. It's almost like they have the wrong bright cap value?

I feel like the 100w Marshall Plexis sound better now, but some other models are a bit woolier than they used to be.

 

[GTR37]

Spent more time with it today and spent time comparing to the Kemper.

The clarity and definition in the Fractal just blows away everything else in digital land... but I still swear there's something wrong with some of the amps now. I notice it most in 6V6 amps like the /13 CJ11 and DR. It's like something is smoothing/compressing the midrange in an unnatural way. And they are much darker than I remember. It's almost like they have the wrong bright cap value?

I feel like the 100w Marshall Plexis sound better now, but some other models are a bit woolier than they used to be.

I am sure if there is issue with the Ac matchless etc they will get looked at , Cliff is pretty active in this forums
It’s just weird how people report things so differently
One guy just posted on the FAS forum the Voxes and Fenders sound much better in this release

 

[jellodog]

I notice it most in 6V6 amps like the /13 CJ11 and DR. It's like something is smoothing/compressing the midrange in an unnatural way. And they are much darker than I remember. It's almost like they have the wrong bright cap value?

From the 23.00 firmware release notes:

"Improved Amp block triode algorithm"

And then later in the 23.05 release notes:

"Due to the improved triode algorithm introduced in 23.00 many amps have had their preamp bias points updated. Existing presets are automatically updated upon recall."

Could it be related to that?

New Update sounds all different? Dyna Cab update?

It's also not unheard of for global parameters to get somehow reset during an update, so double check your global settings for things like power amp modeling, cab modeling, global EQ's etc. If any of those got flipped off somehow, it could pretty drastically change the sound.

forum.fractalaudio.com

 

[James Freeman]

I have no prior experience with Fractal before 23.00, so to me the amp models that I've tried sound amazeballs.
"adjusting preamp bias point" typically means tweaking the cathode resistors or it's equivalent effect in the modeled triode stage, it shouldn't change the sound that much unless it was way off which it probably wasn't.

 

[FractalAudio]

The bias points weren't tweaked much anyways. The DR is my go-to clean-to-edge-of-breakup amp and I just verified the model against it a few days ago. It's extremely accurate.

 

[SwirlyMaple]

Last night I pulled up the Deluxe Reverb in my FM9, and the matching DynaCab with the SM7 mic, put the Deluxe Spring in front, and compared it to these clips:





The FM9 sounded so close and so good that I ended up playing it for over an hour without tweaking anything.

 

[Stone]

I myself have been really into the 1959 Super lead Treble
Along with @MirrorProfiles IR pack im very close to that early VH1 tone
The only thing left to get that tone is on me, technique plays a huge role in the toanz!
If I wanted to recreate that tone with real gear it would cost a small fortune (insert kidney here)

Damn my Fractal is amazing

 

[metropolis_4]

I guess nobody else with an Axe FX is hearing any of these things

Not sure where that leaves me

 

[Mongillo19]

I guess nobody else with an Axe FX is hearing any of these things

Not sure where that leaves me

Have you contacted support?

 

[unix-guy]

I guess nobody else with an Axe FX is hearing any of these things

Not sure where that leaves me

Have you reset system settings? Have you reset the Amp block?

What presets are you using? Factory presets haven't been updated to account for any recent Firmware updates.

From what I recall from your posts, you seem to be saying "things sound different from my memory of what they sounded like before"...

If you don't think it sounds right, revert to a previous version and compare. That will tell you at least if it's a firmware update difference or something else.

Also, recorded clips showing the difference or at least the "issue" could help.

And lastly, it would probably be better to post this stuff in the 23.05 firmware thread on the Fractal Forums.

 

[metropolis_4]

Have you reset system settings? Have you reset the Amp block?

What presets are you using? Factory presets haven't been updated to account for any recent Firmware updates.

From what I recall from your posts, you seem to be saying "things sound different from my memory of what they sounded like before"...

If you don't think it sounds right, revert to a previous version and compare. That will tell you at least if it's a firmware update difference or something else.

Also, recorded clips showing the difference or at least the "issue" could help.

And lastly, it would probably be better to post this stuff in the 23.05 firmware thread on the Fractal Forums.

I did the standard system settings reset after installing 23.05. I’m not sure how to reset the amp block, I’ve never had to do that before.

I just opened a blank preset and added Input 1 > Amp > Cab > Output 1

Trying to decide if it’s worth reverting or if I just learn to adapt to what it sounds like now

 

[Stone]

Do you have anything else to run a comparison?
maybe ask @SwirlyMaple to share his patch that he mentioned above and see what you think?

 

[unix-guy]

I did the standard system settings reset after installing 23.05. I’m not sure how to reset the amp block, I’ve never had to do that before.

I just opened a blank preset and added Input 1 > Amp > Cab > Output 1

Trying to decide if it’s worth reverting or if I just learn to adapt to what it sounds like now

A fresh preset shouldn't need the Amp block reset, but the simplest way is to select the Amp block in the editor, then choose Reset Current Channel from the menu. I believe it's in the Block menu of the editor but I'm not in front of it right now.

It's easy to revert... Why not and just make a quick comparison?