Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler

[Sascha Franck]

I can still get a used FM3 over here (EU) for less than a new AM4

Unfortunately not over here. €900 is the cheapest I can find, and that's a non Turbo MkI.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I always hated the form factor of the FM3. 3 switches was not enough, and it was big enough to overtake the entire pedalboard, while being inconvenient to put other pedals around it.

For me the AM4 would have been way more than enough. I just don't know if I want to buy one for likely about 1000 euros and not having the modern touchscreens and whatnot. If this came out a few years ago, I'd be all over it.

The thing that makes all the difference for me vs the VP4 is that "Amp mode" where it will show you the controls of each channel as you select them. I hate the "scroll, enter, turn knobs, exit, repeat" process of Fractal so, so much. Press a footswitch, turn knobs? That's fast!

Fractal needs to double down on this functionality and bring it as a mode for the VP4's 4 fx blocks, as well as the AM4 fx blocks on main screen so you can just press a footswitch to get to any effect's controls immediately.

Yep, same for me. FM-3 was a bit too in between for my needs. Too big and powerful in some ways and too limited in others. AM4 strikes a way better balance for me, more of what I want, less of what I don’t need and more slick and sleek to do it.

Dont need no loops, RTL measurements etc. and

 

[2112]

Hence forth it will be very hard to justify another tube amp purchase.

Hard, but not impossible

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

So, how much?

899€ in Germany

 

[Dimiguitar]

I can still get a used FM3 over here (EU) for less than a new AM4 but I get what you're saying - it's a very attractive offering. I love that it has SPDIF - big WIN.

Last FM3 (non tubro, but with headphone jack) I saw in Finland sold for 790 euros.

The AM4 is 899 euros.

If I sold my FM3, most likely I'd have to pay for some difference. Not getting into that.

BUT if I was buying a unit now, it would certainly be the AM4. I just don't need more than what I understand it offers.

And I prefer the form factor to fm3.

 

[Sascha Franck]

899€ in Germany

Ouch.

 

[Lysander]

899€ in Germany

756€ from G66 (without VAT), but the thing sold out in less than a day

 

[Aleksi]

945€ in Finland

 

[HotRats]

Looks like a great product with few limitations justified by the form factor, price point (in the US).

I'm not a fan of small all in one units with few switches so this is clealry not for me, at least not at this point in time.

899€ in Germany

geez, that's a lot.

 

[Dimiguitar]

945€ in Finland

Oh damn. It was 899 yesterday. Well, bye lel

 

[ChordInversion]

I'm going to have to put this on my list. What a great option.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I'm not a fan of small all in one units with few switches so this is clealry not for me, at least not at this point in time.

Personally, I could actually play most gigs with just this. For pretty much all things I'm asked to play, I get around with 4 patches (clean-ish, dirt and lead variations of each), anything else is icing on the cake. But I do in fact want options to expand any given setup just a bit. And quite unfortunately, over the last number of years (yuck, it's in fact decades, getting older...) a freely placeable onboard loop has every single time been a part of that.
And fwiw, the fanboys may feel free to call me names as much as they want, couldn't care less: At €899, I actually expect such a loop to be there, no less, especially as most of the R&D has already been done and as the hardware framework at least sort of existed already, too.

Well, guess it's just not for me then.

 

[bucephalus]

£789 for UK shipping around 10th December

 

[Orvillain]

£789 for UK shipping around 10th December

I mean, that isn't terrible really.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I mean, that isn't terrible really.

It didn't take the VP4 very long to drop to £699 in the UK. This will probably drop a bit too once the FOMO rush is past.

 

[rjen]

The amps in AM4.

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I wonder if there's any chance the consolidation of these models could be done for the bigger units in the future, it looks like it would be much nicer to audition different modes/voicings without having to jump between a bunch of different models of the same channels.