Fractal Audio Systems mystery product speculation

[Boudoir Guitar]

This is written without any specific knowledge about this unit other than what I've read so far .. but that has never stopped me before

=> it looks like this unit has a Variable Input Impedance [very excellent !!]
=> it looks like it cannot Receive -and- Send Midi CC (?) [not good]

Other than the L6 HXFX having a fixed 1M ohm Input, Line 6 HXFX seems to have and do way more (?) .... plus it has 9 Blocks, scribble scripts, more FSW's, full Midi spec, hosts full spec IR's, has the full suite of the full Helix efx ... etc....

I'm really struggling to see [given the current very limited info] why a potential buyer would pick the VP4 over the Line 6 HXFX (?)

A Zoom MS50g can do way more, too...

 

[laxu]

I'm just curious to find out whether @laxu is going to give @mbenigni his "blessing" to buy one of these......View attachment 30681

Listen. Strange men posting on forums, distributing UI advice is no basis for a purchase decision. Supreme purchase power derives from a bank account, not from some farcical post count.

 

[yek]

Price in Thailand: 26,900 THB (~800 USD)

I will await the official pricing. I would like to see it a little lower, TBH.

But the price of pedals these days ... Suhr's delay pedal is $600 (around €700 in Europe) ....

 

[HotRats]

I think it's just different pros and cons.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the HX Effects is limited to 6 fx slots.

Let's say you want multiple drives to switch between. You can already waste a good 2-3 spots on the HX Effects on those, vs using channels on one block on the VP4. Same could be true for having several delays, modulations, or reverbs.

Where the HX Effects has an advantage is when you want to run a complex chain all at once, like Comp - Drive - Mod - EQ - Delay - Reverb. The way I'd get around that is two presets where Comp and Drive get swapped, as at least I don't often want to run Comp AND Drive together but instead it's Comp OR Drive.

I think it would be cool if Fractal could add a "preset EQ position" feature as a fw update, so you could put it before or after any block. Almost like a 5th block, and offer both graphic 10-band and parametric options like the Axe-Fx global EQ.

I think HXFX has 9 blocks but I understand your point.

 

[Lysander]

Don't know, is just my impression I'm not saying I'm right but seeing a brand new FX only unit that seems to offer less (at least in some areas) han an HXFX is weird.

The product's called Virtual Pedalboard for a reason. A HXFX lets you way do more, sure - but's also nowhere as straightforward to operate.

I was hoping for something small with Fractal amp modelling; this product is not for me. But IMHO anyone who's interested in adding a couple effects to their amp setup should take a very serious look at the VP4.

If the rumors hold, the VP4 should be priced roughly the same as a H90. And Fractal has many effects as good, if not better, than Eventides'.

 

[DLC86]

This seems to not have humbuster connections now that I think about it, or at least they're not mentioned in the manual...

 

[SillyOctpuss]

FM3 can run 1 reverb block and 2 delay blocks.

Still a deal breaker for me. I use more than one reverb on a few tracks. It's a shame I had thought about grabbing a used one in the UK.

 

[Baba]

The product's called Virtual Pedalboard for a reason. The HXFX lets you do more, sure, but's also nowhere as straightforward to operate.

Sorry. My meme vs text ratio has been WAY off, and it's making me twitch. I'm not even sure I disagree with you, but I'm a child, so . . .

 

[Whizzinby]

H90 gets released: YAS!! It runs two effects!!

Big Sky MX gets released: YAS!! It runs two reverbs!!

VP4, which runs four unique effects and loads 16 unique effects per preset gets released: Its limiting.


People buying Strymon, Eventide , Meris pedals etc. don’t give a shit about the cost to value ratio with an HXFX, they want Strymon, Eventide, and Meris effects. Same with the VP4.

Its “limits” exceed the pedals from its target market: H90, Big Sky MX, Meris LVX, Timeline users. Some of y’all trippin. (And I still think a loop would have been great on the VP4)

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Oh yeah ...well....Lego has all the blocks I need...and I can put them anywhere...at any time... including up me bum!!!!!! Also ...gapless

 

[Orvillain]

"Amps are coming back in a really big fuckin' way"

 

[HotRats]

H90 gets released: YAS!! It runs two effects!!

Big Sky MX gets released: YAS!! It runs two reverbs!!

VP4, which runs four unique effects and loads 16 unique effects per preset gets released: Its limiting.


People buying Strymon, Eventide , Meris pedals etc. don’t give a shit about the cost to value ratio with an HXFX, they want Strymon, Eventide, and Meris effects. Same with the VP4.

Its “limits” exceed the pedals from its target market: H90, Big Sky MX, Meris LVX, Timeline users. Some of y’all trippin. (And I still think a loop would have been great on the VP4)

oh well, the "it's limited" comes from comparing the VP4 with the other FAS products and in general from what is expected from the brand.

Now we know they've taken a new road, next time nobody will complain (LOL)

 

[Lysander]

Sorry. My meme vs text ratio has been WAY off, and it's making me twitch. I'm not even sure I disagree with you, but I'm a child, so . . .

Well, "straightforward to operate" needs to be graded in Fractal terms, but still

HXFX can do nine blocks, two loops, command center, IRs, snapshots and many other Helix goodies; this product (and stuff like the HX One) is intended for people who wants nothing to do with those. If tweaking is your thing, get a FM3 instead.

 

[BenIfin]

A Zoom MS50g can do way more, too...

L6 HXFX -vs- Zoom MS50g

Call me crazy, but not really an apples-to-apples "comparison" when discussing what the VP4 might be like, or used in, in real-life gigging scenarios.

 

[Orvillain]

The AD/DA of the Zoom just doesn't even compare to anything Line 6 or Fractal have done.

 

[BenIfin]

The HXFX can do nine blocks, two loops, command center, IRs, snapshots and many other Helix goodies; this product (and stuff like the HX One) is intended for people who wants nothing to do with those.

^ Other than *not* having a Variable Input Impedance ..... I've never understood why more pedal board people don't look at or consider the HXFX (?)

But this is a VP4 thread so back to topic :)

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

This thread is like a rollercoaster designed by the oxygen deprived, at times.....

 

[Whizzinby]

^ Other than *not* having a Variable Input Impedance ..... I've never understood why more pedal board people don't look at or consider the HXFX (?)

Because they like the sounds of something else.

I owned an HXFX, and returned it when I realized I like my individual pedals more than the thing that was supposed to replace them.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

"Amps are coming back in a really big fuckin' way"

View attachment 30691

Give him brown hair and that's me circa 2005.

It probably would still be me if I hadn't gotten married.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Give him brown hair and that's me circa 2005.

It probably would still be me if I hadn't gotten married.

I'm pretty sure it represents over half of the forum at one point in time....hahaha