Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler

[JiveTurkey]

It's just one control you turn left or right and tilts the sound either way, like if you turn it -30 to the left it'll off balance the whole level, causing the left side to be -30 more quiet etc. Both sides of Preset Balance does -100 / 100 and in the middle it's 0.0

So you control overall level with the level control and then if you want to send the R to FOH and adjust the level; you go into the preset balance control and adjust it to the left more or less? I know this is a stripped down unit but that seems a little odd way to do it?

 

[BROCKSTAR]

So you control overall level with the level control and then if you want to send the R to FOH and adjust the level; you go into the preset balance control and adjust it to the left more or less? I know this is a stripped down unit but that seems a little odd way to do it?

As far as I'm aware that sounds right. I just woke up again so I may be forgetting something. @yek am I correct? lol

Or control volume from the other sources?

 

[EOengineer]

I can see that 100%. It sucks because if you're looking for Marks, um; FAS is where it's at by the largest margin that ever margined. Ever. Oof.

I couldn’t agree more. The Marshall Superleads are generally more in line with my preferences on the Fractal side as well.

The upcoming IIC+ model in Stadium will make things more interesting. I’m pretty bummed about the Stadium Plexi though. Just NOT at all what I was looking for. I’ll mourn the Fractal Superleads for a minute.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

So you control overall level with the level control and then if you want to send the R to FOH and adjust the level; you go into the preset balance control and adjust it to the left more or less? I know this is a stripped down unit but that seems a little odd way to do it?

I'm not seeing any other way either.

Would definitely make you dependent on adjusting your monitor volume at the monitor in split mode -- otherwise you're going to be changing the level sent to FOH every time you change your monitor volume and its a preset parameter, not global, so if you're using multiple presets....ugh. I guess you could apply the same modifier to preset balance in all your presets and use an expression pedal, but who wants to dedicate one of the two pedal inputs to that, and also still doesn't fix the "one goes up, other goes down" issue.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I couldn’t agree more. The Marshall Superleads are generally more in line with my preferences on the Fractal side as well.

The upcoming IIC+ model in Stadium will make things more interesting. I’m pretty bummed about the Stadium Plexi though. Just NOT at all what I was looking for. I’ll mourn the Fractal Superleads for a minute.

Is there a Superbass in the Fractal? I realllllllly dig the one in the Stadium! I only use the JVM in FAS land as far as Marshalls go. The more time goes on the more I realize my amp obsessions with Fractal is 95% Boogie based.

I'm not seeing any other way either.

Would definitely make you dependent on adjusting your monitor volume at the monitor in split mode -- otherwise you're going to be changing the level sent to FOH every time you change your monitor volume and its a preset parameter, not global, so if you're using multiple presets....ugh. I guess you could apply the same modifier to preset balance in all your presets and use an expression pedal, but who wants to dedicate one of the two pedal inputs to that, and also still doesn't fix the "one goes up, other goes down" issue.

As we chatted about; I would live with dumbing it down as that's what I do already anyway. I'd make probably 2 different presets to stretch out over the night and call it good.

 

[BROCKSTAR]

I'm not seeing any other way either.

Would definitely make you dependent on adjusting your monitor volume at the monitor in split mode -- otherwise you're going to be changing the level sent to FOH every time you change your monitor volume and its a preset parameter, not global, so if you're using multiple presets....ugh. I guess you could apply the same modifier to preset balance in all your presets and use an expression pedal, but who wants to dedicate one of the two pedal inputs to that, and also still doesn't fix the "one goes up, other goes down" issue.

I'm not sure if fixable but perhaps someone could add it to the wish / request thread https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/am4-feature-requests.216959/

 

[BROCKSTAR]

Is there a Superbass in the Fractal?

Don't think so.

Some info on how one could get close I guess?

Marshall Super Bass

I don't think Fractal has a Marshall Super Bass (?). Has anyone tweaked one of the presets to approximate this? Curious why Fractal does not have this? E.J., Hendrix, Page and Frusciante all used Super bass... Or am I missing it somewhere..? Thanks,

forum.fractalaudio.com

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'm not sure if fixable but perhaps someone could add it to the wish / request thread https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/am4-feature-requests.216959/

Wish submitted!

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Wish submitted!

Imma just stay over here.

 

[dk_ace]

I do, but I’m really looking for an all in one solution for this particular device, as it’s primarily a gigging backup unit. If I’m throwing together a board I’ll just use the re-202 and Tonex with my preferred caps.

Unfortunately kind of a deal breaker so lm getting set up to send this back. I may revisit an FM9 or FM3 later. That will be dependent upon how Stadium’s trajectory looks over the next 6 months or so.

Is it that you need 4 delay heads or is it that you can’t get the character of the delay that you want?

I’m not trying to talk you in or out of anything, I’m just curious.

FM3 is physically huge relative to what it does fyi. Fm9 is the sweet spot for me, although I could honestly cover most of my primary sounds with an AM4.

D

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

FM3 is physically huge relative to what it does fyi.

If it's huge for what it does, and it does much more than twice what an AM4 does......

 

[yek]

As far as I'm aware that sounds right. I just woke up again so I may be forgetting something. @yek am I correct? lol

Or control volume from the other sources?

Away from my gear but doesn’t the Cab section have a Master Level control?

If there’s one and the question is about SPLIT mode:

the Cab is on one channel only. The Cab master control would affect the signal to amp and cab only, and that’s what you want to control in that setup.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Away from my gear but doesn’t the Cab section have a Master Level control?

If there’s one and the question is about SPLIT mode:

the Cab is on one channel only. The Cab master control would affect the signal to amp and cab only, and that’s what you want to control in that setup.

That's going to increase your level to FOH, not to your amp/cab on stage. So, kinda the reverse of what is needed.

 

[yek]

eh, yes, correct.
Sorry typed that too fast while on the road.

 

[yek]

I don't see a way within the current configuration.

For a stereo device it's not common to have separate L and R level controls.
But I see the reason why you would want it.
In Split mode, but also in regular output mode when you want to send Left mono to FOH, and Right mono to an FRFR monitor.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

It seems like all the tools are there, just might be a one knob parameter that internally is doing some “X amount of this adjusts balance by Y and output level by Z” that the user doesn’t see. Seems like it wouldn’t be awfully hard to add as a next entry after output mode. The hardest part would be naming it in a way that makes sense

 

[JiveTurkey]

GM800 in the insert, Boss EV30 doing volume control duty on the GM and muting the guitar signal in whatever way makes sense given the available controllable parameters in the AM + dual output level controls =

 

[marshall2553]

Is there a Superbass in the Fractal? I realllllllly dig the one in the Stadium!

Yeah, I'm actually liking the Superbass more than the regular Plexi in the Stadium.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Yeah, I'm actually liking the Superbass more than the regular Plexi in the Stadium.

By a huge margin, imo.

 

[EOengineer]

Is it that you need 4 delay heads or is it that you can’t get the character of the delay that you want?

I’m not trying to talk you in or out of anything, I’m just curious.

FM3 is physically huge relative to what it does fyi. Fm9 is the sweet spot for me, although I could honestly cover most of my primary sounds with an AM4.

D

No worries, I appreciate the help.

While I was initially fixated on the 4 head setup from an accuracy/reproduction standpoint, after looking at my Helix and re-202, the majority of my space echo usage is using 2 heads and should be doable in the AM4. So perhaps I’m sliding into the “tweaking incompetence” camp.

I did work with the worn tape and mono tape delay options last night and started to get a little closer. I found making the echos bandpass from 120hz - 2khz and adding some modulation and drive helped but was still pretty meh. I couldn’t find the delay compander on the AM4 to check those changes out, and ran out of time.

I have an RMA set up as of this morning but am planning to sit down with AM4 edit later tonight to take one final pass. I’m thinking the compander and connecting an LFO to the motors will help get me there.

I swear I’m not an idiot lol, just stumbling through learning the fractal way of doing things.