Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler

[Eagle]

Does the cheap hardware cause the sound to be in any way different to the Axe 3? Basically any compromise in the components in the audio chain resulting in audible differences of the same model running on Axe?

 

[jellodog]

Does the cheap hardware cause the sound to be in any way different to the Axe 3? Basically any compromise in the components in the audio chain resulting in audible differences of the same model running on Axe?

LOL "cheap". AM4 really isn't some sort of "lesser" hardware. There's just less of it!

It sounds great.

I sold my AF3 and actually prefer the AM4; so there's your answer

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Does the cheap hardware cause the sound to be in any way different to the Axe 3? Basically any compromise in the components in the audio chain resulting in audible differences of the same model running on Axe?

I think I read somewhere that Cliff said the audio path was the same.

 

[Eagle]

I think I read somewhere that Cliff said the audio path was the same.

That’s what I wanted to know thanks . There are a lot of examples of same design but different hardware makes the same on paper audio path sound different. This is what makes some old rack units sound so good even though the spec is that of a POS.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

That’s what I wanted to know thanks . There are a lot of examples of same design but different hardware makes the same on paper audio path sound different. This is what makes some old rack units sound so good even though the spec is that of a POS.

Don't quote me but I'm pretty sure he said the audio path was the same.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Don't quote me

 

[SillyOctpuss]

 

[GTR37]

Does the cheap hardware cause the sound to be in any way different to the Axe 3? Basically any compromise in the components in the audio chain resulting in audible differences of the same model running on Axe?

Everyone’s ears are different but I like it better than the FM9 maybe because it doing much less
Placebo who knows but it sounds better to me with a lower noise floor

 

[dbfretz]

Everyone’s ears are different but I like it better than the FM9 maybe because it doing much less
Placebo who knows but it sounds better to me with a lower noise floor

Very unlikely I would say.

 

[GTR37]

Very unlikely I would say.

I have had both , AM4 stayed

 

[AlbertA]

Does the cheap hardware cause the sound to be in any way different to the Axe 3? Basically any compromise in the components in the audio chain resulting in audible differences of the same model running on Axe?

I have some gut shots and components here:

Post in thread 'Fractal Audio Systems AM4 - Amp Modeler'

Dec 8, 2025

TL; DR

• TI SoC - 66AK2G12ABY100 KeyStone II Multicore
  
  • 1 Arm Cortex-A15 @1GHz
  • 1 C66x DSP @1GHz
• 512 MB DDR3 RAM
• 64 MB + 48MB NOR Flash
• Cirrus Logic CS4272-CZZ Codec - A/D + DAC

Gut shots




TI SoC - 66AK2G12ABY100 KeyStone II Multicore

• 1 Arm Cortex-A15 @1GHz
• 1 C66x DSP @1GHz

512 MB DDR RAM - 2 Micron MT41K128M16JT-125:K


64 MB NOR Flash - 2...

• AlbertA

• 
• 
• 

I forget what the III uses but you should be able to compare

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

Everyone’s ears are different but I like it better than the FM9 maybe because it doing much less

I have had both , AM4 stayed

When you say because it's doing less, is it because you need less?

I can imagine if all you need are maybe a drive (maybe), amp/cab, delay, reverb then the AM4 makes sense. If you also have an existing pedalboard setup and want to add amp modeling and potentially get rid of a couple other pedals, that also makes sense. In those cases it comes down to preferred form factor.

But I don't see how the AM4 would sound better than an FM unit. I'd expect it to sound the same or possibly be slightly lower audio quality but that all depends on what the signal path and components like converters are. If they're the same as in the FM units, then it should sound at least as good.