Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler

[Jarick]

Looks really cool, I like the scaled down hardware size. I'll be interested to see what the next gen / bigger version of this hardware looks like. Kinda hoping for a return to the AX8 form factor with updated UI.

 

[deadpool_25]

Oh snap. No MTD block means no Aurora Delay. That’s one of my go-to delays. I still have it in VP4 though.

 

[Whizzinby]

Note: Whatever you put in the inserts doesn't get recorded when recording with the AM4.

"NOTE: The insert is fixed in hardware and cannot be repositioned or switched on/off. It applies only to the main outs and is not heard on USB, SPDIF, or headphones."

 

[FractalAudio]

It is heard in the headphones, that's an error in the manual.

 

[Dimiguitar]

With Finnish VAT, G66 sells AM4 at 945 euros. FM3 on the used market goes for about 800 euros all the time.

For some reason, the price seemed to be 899 yesterday, but now 945. I suppose they made a correction.

 

[Whizzinby]

It is heard in the headphones, that's an error in the manual.

It would have been cool to have the loop pass through SPIDF for direct recording, but I suppose you could just run the main outs to your interface and take another round of AD/DA. I guess the SPIDF is mainly intended to connect the VP4, which makes sense.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Delay and reverb are essentially linear time invariant so the order doesn't matter.

Kinda doesn’t matter if you want to record the whole chain. Don’t get me wrong, this is a cool product and it’s probably as close to a Fractal Plugin as I’ll ever have for home recording so I still kinda want one.

 

[FractalAudio]

It would have been cool to have the loop pass through SPIDF for direct recording, but I suppose you could just run the main outs to your interface and take another round of AD/DA. I guess the SPIDF is mainly intended to connect the VP4, which makes sense.

A freely positionable loop would require another stereo A/D and D/A would would increase power consumption, latency when the loop is active, noise, etc.

It's purpose is simply to get your post effects before the DI. A typical pedal board might be something like:
Wah -> Fabled Unicorn Devices (FUD) Dry Hump III Overdrive -> AM4 -> Lunar Electronics Space Echo Plus

The Space Echo Plus is your typical pedal with unbalanced I/O. You put in the insert loop on the AM-4 and the outputs of the AM-4 are balanced for FOH/Monitors.

 

[Whizzinby]

A freely positionable loop would require another stereo A/D and D/A would would increase power consumption, latency when the loop is active, noise, etc.

It's purpose is simply to get your post effects before the DI. A typical pedal board might be something like:
Wah -> Fabled Unicorn Devices (FUD) Dry Hump III Overdrive -> AM4 -> Lunar Electronics Space Echo Plus

The Space Echo Plus is your typical pedal with unbalanced I/O. You put in the insert loop on the AM-4 and the outputs of the AM-4 are balanced for FOH/Monitors.

Fabled Unicorn Devices: Dry Hump III

 

[JiveTurkey]

Fabled Unicorn Devices: Dry Hump III

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

 

[HotRats]

Fabled Unicorn Devices (FUD) Dry Hump III Overdrive

Lunar Electronics Space Echo Plus

Now I want both. I mean right now!

 

[eggpl@nt]

Almost all of them. A couple of legacy ones are out, see here:

AM4 amp modeler - Fractal Audio Wiki

wiki.fractalaudio.com

I'm asking out loud on this one, and I'm not asking you, specifically, Yek - I wonder why were those removed? If they were removed for storage/memory reasons, does that mean new amps in e.g. the Axe won't hit the AM4? Were they removed for quality reasons? Or are the original amps no longer available to benchmark?

 

[deathbyguitar]

I'm asking out loud on this one, and I'm not asking you, specifically, Yek - I wonder why were those removed? If they were removed for storage/memory reasons, does that mean new amps in e.g. the Axe won't hit the AM4? Were they removed for quality reasons? Or are the original amps no longer available to benchmark?

Per the manual on page 66:

"The number of amps is different because some “legacy” amp types have been removed and others have been consolidated. For example, the two models JR BLUES and JR BLUES FAT are now one model with an actual Fat switch"

 

[yek]

I'm asking out loud on this one, and I'm not asking you, specifically, Yek - I wonder why were those removed? If they were removed for storage/memory reasons, does that mean new amps in e.g. the Axe won't hit the AM4? Were they removed for quality reasons? Or are the original amps no longer available to benchmark?

I *think* those models were the last remaining 'legacy' models that do not conform to the current specs. Meaning that some weren't 'authentic', or the original amp is not available anymore, or they were superseded by newer models etc. The launch of the AM4 makes a good moment for a cleanup. Not related to storage / memory in any way.
But that's just my speculation.

 

[eggpl@nt]

Per the manual on page 66:

"The number of amps is different because some “legacy” amp types have been removed and others have been consolidated. For example, the two models JR BLUES and JR BLUES FAT are now one model with an actual Fat switch"

You misread my post. We are talking about two different things.

Is the Thordendal model available via a switch in one of the Recto models, or is it removed?

 

[eggpl@nt]

I *think* those models were the last remaining 'legacy' models that do not conform to the current specs. Meaning that some weren't 'authentic', or the original amp wasn't available anymore, or were superseded by newer models etc. The launch of the AM4 makes a good moment for a cleanup. Not related to storage / memory in any way.
But that's just my speculation.

That's more or less what I suspected. There's precedent for it, what with the Laney amp of old that was removed.

 

[yek]

That's more or less what I suspected. There's precedent for it, what with the Laney amp of old that was removed.

IIRC there was never a Laney model in the Axe-Fx?

 

[- ★ - BROCKSTAR - ★ -]

I'm asking out loud on this one, and I'm not asking you, specifically, Yek - I wonder why were those removed? If they were removed for storage/memory reasons, does that mean new amps in e.g. the Axe won't hit the AM4? Were they removed for quality reasons? Or are the original amps no longer available to benchmark?

When beta testing was going on, several amps made it to the FM line and axe fx 3. Those also made it in the AM4 before launch. So I would assume that any amp from here on out would also go in AM4

 

[eggpl@nt]

IIRC there was never a Laney model in the Axe-Fx?

Was the UK GC30 not a Laney?