Fractal Audio Systems mystery product speculation

[Mongillo19]

In the AxeIII they sound great. They clean up well too, even the fuzzes when you use the variable input impedance. Fingers crossed for variable impedance on this.

Yes I will say the clean up on the volume roll back is very nice!

I just don't think they capture the chaotic, richness/fullness of an analog fuzz

 

[Frankencat]

All will be revealed next week.

It does have channels and scenes and presets, etc. but in a simplified approach. It's primary application is live performance and the UI was designed with that in mind.

It sounds very good. It has the analog path from the Axe-Fx III (which evolved from the FX-8). Beta testers report that it "plays nicely" with difficult fx loops.

I, personally, would release the manual but Matt would probably kill me.

Here's a teaser:
View attachment 30551

I still think this is the greatest troll thread ever.

 

[duzie]

Oh my

 

[fetishfrog]

Is that with the amp models in the axe fx or into the front of a valve amp?

I've only ever used them with the models.

 

[JiveTurkey]

@SillyOctpuss and @Mongillo19 ; I think the FAS drives are as good as you are going to get in the digital world. Lot of people preach on the HX stuff but the disembodied notes are real on those, imo. I still prefer analog drives but if I am keeping it in the box (especially); FAS drives are awesome. Fuzz is particular and I definitely don't have a discerning ear on that front.

 

[FractalAudio]

It's the answer I was expecting. I think the ODs in the Helix are decent but like you I've never heard a digital solution that's come close to nailing a fuzz face or tone bender.

No digital device will do a fuzz properly because the input impedance is nonlinear. Digital devices necessarily have an input buffer. I will say our conventional, buffered, drive models are great.

 

[Orvillain]

Up to 4 effects simultaneously, per Cliff a few pages back

I looked and couldn't see this?!

 

[jellodog]

Well I for one have seen enough to believe that I'm gonna love this device!

 

[Frankencat]

Yes this is compelling for sure but as a happy FM3 user, why would I want this?

 

[Southpaw-DD]

I've A/B tested several traditional drive pedals (e.g., Morning Glory and an ODR style) and I think the Fractals are pretty dang similar.

 

[the swede]

Excellent product for those that want Fractal effects, but already has amp or an amp modeler or something. Great move fractal!

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Fractal‘s SD-1 and various Tube Screamer models are the best digital emulations I‘ve ever tried. With every other modeler or plugin I still use my analog TS, but with the FM3 I‘m 99% happy with the drive block. The missing 1% is just because there‘s no HM-2 model.

 

[Orvillain]

I think Fractal and Helix drives are both very good. Helix has one effect called the Xenomorph Fuzz, which is absolutely faaannnnnnnffuuuucckkkkinnngggggtaaasssstttiiccccccc that the Fractal universe just doesn't really have. But other than that, they're both fairly close to one another IMO.

 

[metallica86]

Yes this is compelling for sure but as a happy FM3 user, why would I want this?

I also have FM3 and will buy this thing, I also use a hybrid system with small combo amp ( fender clean tube combo), it will be perfect match. If it can replace my Digitech Drop, its even bring the cost down IMO

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Yes this is compelling for sure but as a happy FM3 user, why would I want this?

Yeah I'm going to need to decide if I want to pick up a FM3 or one of these. I'll have to wait until all the details come out next week.

I'm liking the form factor of this a lot though.

 

[deadpool_25]

Up to 4 effects simultaneously, per Cliff a few pages back

I looked and couldn't see this?!

I can't find that either. Whizz is clearly quoting from he is and Cliff's private chat.

 

[Orvillain]

I can't find that either. Whizz is clearly quoting from he is and Cliff's private chat.

Strikes me that it is wrong. Makes little sense to me to include scenes functionality if you can only load 4 blocks. I could be wrong. I'd be a little bit deflated if it only had 4 blocks. I'm imagining something that really does compete with the HX Stomp or HX Effects in terms of some reasonable amount of signal complexity.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Actually I'll defend the TC effects there. They're very good. Particularly the delays.

 

[Dom Mcsweeney]

All will be revealed next week.

It does have channels and scenes and presets, etc. but in a simplified approach. It's primary application is live performance and the UI was designed with that in mind.

It sounds very good. It has the analog path from the Axe-Fx III (which evolved from the FX-8). Beta testers report that it "plays nicely" with difficult fx loops.

I, personally, would release the manual but Matt would probably kill me.

Here's a teaser:
View attachment 30551

Very cool
I was hoping for something awesome like this. I'm tempted and if I do snag one, I'm sure it'd go very nicely paired on my pedal board with Dimehead's NAM Player and a bunch of other misfits =)

 

[deadpool_25]

Oh also, if its 4 effects only that could conceivably keep the price down. Also it should further separate it from FM3.

Hey Whizz, ask Cliff if you can put all of the effects in parallel. :)