Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler

[iaresee]

So, can you as well use an external switch to control literally *any number of operations* at once?

Not "any number" -- there's a limit on modifiers per-preset. I'm not near my gear so I can't tell you what it is, but someone else will come along with the number.

You have two ports on the back you can use for either control switch or potentiometers. And then you can bring in more via MIDI. Plus you have internal controllers you can assign to things.

 

[iaresee]

Fractal's modifier system is still unmatched IMO - is there any other guitar focused product that comes close?

None that I've come across.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yeah, the footswitch options on this are fixed to what's described in the manual by design. I get it and agree with the design choice.

On one hand, I can understand how they've decided to keep things straightforward. But otoh, as these things are possible with external switches, there could as well be a kinda "manual configuration" mode as another option - as said, internal switches come with the huge advance of having an LED tied to them, something requiring extra power supplement and more expensive switches when using external ones.

Also, if all you're wanting to do is turn on/off multiple things from a button press that is pretty straightforward to setup and not that complicated.

That's basically all I ever wanted - but then, due to the block limitation, I would likely have to think about modifying individual parameters as well.

Fwiw, I just looked up the modifier section in the manual. From how I understand it, modifiers are only able to deal with absolute min/max values, correct? For my hypothetical use case, I'd likely prefer it "synth style" where typical modulations are only offsets from a base value.
Example: I might want to have a little bit more of reverb when pressing a switch. For that to happen, I'd have to set the min/max values. But that automatically seems to result in losing "overall" control of the reverb mix, right? Because whenever I pressed the switch, it'd always jump to the max/min values.

Btw, this is something that modeler makers could possibly adapt from synth land. In many many cases, relative modulations are way easier to handle than absolute controls. The only guitar amp sim I'm aware of allowing to do these kinda things would be NI's Guitar Rig - and that particular feature is excellent.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Not "any number" -- there's a limit on modifiers per-preset.

I'd likely never run into any such limits. So "any number" was more or less just meaning "a handful" or whatever.

 

[iaresee]

I'd likely never run into any such limits. So "any number" was more or less just meaning "a handful" or whatever.

It's somewhere between 10 and 24. That I know.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Fwiw, I just looked up the modifier section in the manual. From how I understand it, modifiers are only able to deal with absolute min/max values, correct? For my hypothetical use case, I'd likely prefer it "synth style" where typical modulations are only offsets from a base value.
Example: I might want to have a little bit more of reverb when pressing a switch. For that to happen, I'd have to set the min/max values. But that automatically seems to result in losing "overall" control of the reverb mix, right? Because whenever I pressed the switch, it'd always jump to the max/min values.

Yeah, so what you need to do at that point, and its a bit hard to override your brain to do it, is to go into the modifier and adjust the min/max values when you want to do a slight tweak of the parameter, rather than going to the parameter itself. Which has its pluses and minuses. I don't know of any modeler that has an "add 3.2 to whatever reverb mix is currently set at" as an option for any kinda footswitch control.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I don't know of any modeler that has an "add 3.2 to whatever reverb mix is currently set at" as an option for any kinda footswitch control.

As said, the only one I'm aware of would be Guitar Rig (which obviously isn't hardware).
And again as said, I think that's something that could be adapted from the synth world - in many cases it's a lot easier (and possibly more logical) to deal with than absolute values.

 

[yek]

To give some insight into the 'custom' foot switch configuration options of the AM4, I'll paste the message that I posted on the FAS forum.


On both the AM4 and VP4, 'Gig Mode' is the default 'press & hold' configuration, which is awesome.

If you prefer a personalized approach, without two-switch combos, that's also possible.

Here's how I run the combo of AM4+VP4.

Guitar goes into VP4.

The main preset has:
1- Volume for automatic volume swells
2- Wah, set to Auto-Engage, using the EV-5 pedal on the left
3- Tremolo
4- Rotary

Those are the single tap functions. The "press & hold" functions of the same switches are:
1- Mode Select, to enter Preset or Effect or Tuner mode
2- Channel Picker: to choose between 4 channels. Not used with Wah, but for other presets
3- Channel Picker: to choose between 4 types of tremolo
4- Channel Picker: to choose between slow, fast and 'break' rotary

After careful selection, I have only 3 "effects" presets on my VP4: A1, A2 and A3.
A1 is described above.
A2 has Pitch (Whammy), Phaser, Flanger and Chorus. The Whammy is 'activated' (Mix jumps from 0 to 10) when moving the pedal.
A3 has Plex Delay, Multitap Delay and more. The delay blocks that I want to be ready for channel switching, are located in slots 2, 3 and 4 of the preset.

So if I'm in preset A1 and decide I want to use the Whammy, I press & hold switch 1, select Mode Select, select preset A2 and immediately kick on the pedal for the Whammy. And vice versa. Note that switching presets is gapless, so the sound doesn't change when I go from A1 to A2 on the VP4.

The custom 'press & hold' functions work global, so they also apply to presets A2 and A3.
Meaning that I can access Mode Select, and switch channels of blocks 2, 3 and 4 in that preset.

Signal goes to the AM4 through SPDIF.

On the AM4 I stick to a single preset.
It has two Drive blocks, the Amp block and Reverb/Delay block.
The Reverb/Delay output is stereo and uses the trick described above with Echo Reverb types and the 2nd EV-5 pedal.

The "press & hold" functions of the switches are:
1- Channel Picker: to choose between 4 types of drives
2- Channel Picker: to choose between 4 more types of drives
3- Amp Mode: to have access to the amp controls and the 4 amp channels with my favorite models
4- Channel Picker: to choose between 4 types of "Echo" reverbs, including one with pitch shifting (shimmer)

The switching takes some getting used to, but it soon feels natural.

I currently don't use Scenes. If I did, it would probably be for something like pre-configured "Solo" or "Wet Auto-Swell" and stuff.

 

[EOengineer]

Work is crazy right now but I was able to sneak in a 30 minute session with the AM4 tonight. My plan going in was to check out a couple more amps and get a better feel for working on the unit.

I was playing a LP so I started with the Marshall 1959 Treble model and stayed there until I unplugged. So much for exploration.

Seriously that’s such a great Superlead model. It feels nice to play, crunches up the way I like, and cleans up.

Once I had an amp tone happening I threw on a worn tape delay and stuck the harmonic Trem in front of it all. Very nice and lush harmonic Trem tones exist in this thing.

The delays are nice but I’m struggling to get a Roland 201 space echo thing happening. It’s kind of a core tool for me but I’m pretty sure it’s in there somewhere.

 

[banned]

So I did get my unit. It's nice, light and compact and boot-up.is instantaneous. However, I find the on-unit interface frustrating. It just doesn't make sense, even with repeated use. Hard to build muscle memory as there's awkward sequencing to get to the amp/FX list and back to edit mode.

So much could be improved with push-encoders. Otherwise, it's page back, enter, page right, enter change etc. A touch screen could also work.

On the tones and feel - excellent. The Fenders are gorgeous and done right for a change. Very smooth.

However, one thing I'm noting is that there's a 'sameness' to all the amps. Yes, the overall gain, feel and break-up characteristics change...and some may ask what else I'm expecting given that a lot of amps have similar topologies...but it all feels like it's built on one underlying core model. It's like the base tonality doesn't change.

Kinda like listening to Shawn Tubb demo an amp - everything sounds the same.

I'm playing through real guitar cabs so that part stays constant...but I don't quite get this sense with other modelers.

But I will say it's all gorgeous to play. That Vibro King, the Vox AC30 Brilliant, the XTC....I could play on any one of these models all night. Just one's needed...

 

[Mongillo19]

However, I find the on-unit interface frustrating.

Have you used Fractal before? Also, maybe coming from the stadium highlights the deficiency a little more.

I could absolutely see where fractal could have incorporated a touchscreen to the AM4. I think that's their next step (and given Cliffs statement it is). The VP and AM seem to be a decent middle ground

 

[JiveTurkey]

If you think the new streamlined interface is confusing never ever ever ever try an FM whatever.

 

[Los-D]

Is there an easy way to flip the order of blocks around? Or do you have to change the entire block?

Do you mean to reverse the order (like a physical pedalboard)?

 

[Mongillo19]

Do you mean to reverse the order (like a physical pedalboard)?

Nah I just meant if you had say Drive Chorus Amp Reverb, if you wanted to make it Chorus Drive Amp Reverb could you move the blocks around (and you can)

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

If you think the new streamlined interface is confusing never ever ever ever try an FM whatever.

Ax8 shift button

 

[JiveTurkey]

Ax8 shift button

 

[GTR37]

If you think the new streamlined interface is confusing never ever ever ever try an FM whatever.

yep ,it pretty easy there are like six buttons
the biggest offenders like playing pac man with Nav and Edit are gone

 

[Los-D]

yep ,it pretty easy there are like six buttons
the biggest offenders like playing pac man with Nav and Edit are gone

I miss double tapping the encoders to get to amp, cab, boost, etc. but it is an improvement over FM3

 

[laxu]

Wait, how would that even work? Like you want it to automatically remove the link to the modifier once you try to manually adjust the value?

It should be a simple "last value in" type thing unless LFOs are used.

Let's say you have an expression pedal assigned to a wah for a simple example. All these should work in tandem:

• Press treadle on wah to set the filter value to 7.0
• Use Axe-Edit to set value to 5.0
• Use front panel to set value to 6.0

Final value is 6.0.

 

[Aleksi]

Why couldn't it work like generally in synthesizers? You set a baseline value with the parameter knob and then you assign a modulator to change that value. You can freely change the baseline value. Modulators will modulate around that value.

Works fine in synths, where you can often have by far more complex modulation than FAS products.