Fractal Audio Systems mystery product speculation

[Orvillain]

^ 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 (?)

Frank sorted me out with one for TNBD back in 2018 or so. That thing is really good! Again with the form factor of these units... you can have both!!!

HX FX for Cosmos Echo, Adriatic Delay, Glitch Delay, Xenomorph Fuzz, Bleat Chop Tremolo.... VP4 for everything else!

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Frank sorted me out with one for TNBD back in 2018 or so. That thing is really good! Again with the form factor of these units... you can have both!!!

HX FX for Cosmos Echo, Adriatic Delay, Glitch Delay, Xenomorph Fuzz, Bleat Chop Tremolo.... VP4 for everything else!

See ....all you goofballs got him talking sense ...how did you break our @Orvillain ! Damn You All!!!!!

 

[Orvillain]

See ....all you goofballs got him talking sense ...how did you break our @Orvillain ! Damn You All!!!!!

I always talk sense! You just need super powers to read through the cynicism and self loathing!

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

I always talk sense! You just need super powers to read through the cynicism and self loathing!

I know..... most sensible on the forum!

Just being silly!

 

[yeky83]

It’s a four footswitch device controlling presets, scenes, and channels of four effects. That’s quite enough to handle with four footswitches as is. How are y’all expecting it to also do relay switching or CC messages and stay usable as an effects device, y’all not gonna use the effects or something?

 

[Orvillain]

 

[dk_ace]

What caught me by surprise about the VP4 is that has clear limitations, somenthing you don't usually associate with Fractal products.

I might have a skewed view but to me Fractal have always been the brand that makes full featured products with endless options.

And they still have those endless option products…

Endless options is off-putting to a lot of players. There are a lot of players who would like the sounds of fractal gear, but are never going to deal with the things that go along with those endless options. Now fractal has something to offer those people.

For people like me who want few limitations, loads of power, and lots of footswitches, well we already bought or plan to buy an FM9 of Axe3.

While this thing isn’t really for me, I think it’s a brilliant product choice for their lineup.

D

 

[yeky83]

Back to the VP4. The manual says the power requirement is 9V DC 1.3A. I'm wondering if two outputs on a Zuma would be enough to power it, or if it is wall wart time?!

Ciok Crux! Works with the Zuma.

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.

The Plex Delay block can basically do reverb. The Fractal standard for reverb is really high, and what you'll find as reverb in a lot of other devices can be done with the Fractal Plex Delay block. Check out some demos, here's a quick one:

 

[JiveTurkey]

Plex is

 

[GTR37]

Compressor, drive, EQ, delay, reverb. Absolutely common FX chain for yours truly, used for pretty much any lead sound since ages. Impossible with this guy. And I may even add another drive here and there (especially when running into clean pedal platform amps). Or a wah/filter.

As said before, IMO this could be a fantastic device (and perhaps even a bargain) for those looking for a spatial/modulation FX unit. But as the main device to run into either a pedal platform amp or using it in 4CM, I think there's better alternatives around.

#not4you

 

[spawnofthesith]

Back to the VP4. The manual says the power requirement is 9V DC 1.3A. I'm wondering if two outputs on a Zuma would be enough to power it, or if it is wall wart time?!

Cioks DC7 is all 650ma outputs. I'd sooner buy a new PSU than have to deal with wall warts. Which I did just recently so I could power my stomp with everything else on my board and 1 plug

in my experience though you can usually get away with a little less draw than some of these digital pedals claim... if it boots its probably good to go

 

[JiveTurkey]

Cioks DC7 is all 650ma outputs. I'd sooner buy a new PSU than have to deal with wall warts. Which I did just recently so I could power my stomp with everything else on my board and 1 plug

in my experience though you can usually get away with a little less draw than some of these digital pedals claim... if it boots its probably good to go

Almost time to fulfill the second ownership requirement of TGF

 

[HotRats]

And they still have those endless option products…

Endless options is off-putting to a lot of players. There are a lot of players who would like the sounds of fractal gear, but are never going to deal with the things that go along with those endless options. Now fractal has something to offer those people.

For people like me who want few limitations, loads of power, and lots of footswitches, well we already bought or plan to buy an FM9 of Axe3.

While this thing isn’t really for me, I think it’s a brilliant product choice for their lineup.

D

I can't argue with your opinion about a product.

In my opinion (or for what I look for in a product like this) a generalist multi fx unit with only 4 simultaneous effect and not 4cm friendly is too limited.

I'm sure it will be successful and adopted by tons of players with different needs.

 

[SonVolt]

View attachment 30695

View attachment 30696

What are you using to build those pedalboard screenshots?

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

I can't argue with your opinion about a product.

In my opinion (or for what I look for in a product like this) a generalist multi fx unit with only 4 simultaneous effect and not 4cm friendly is too limited.

I'm sure it will be successful and adopted by tons of players with different needs.

Are you implying this isn't 4cm friendly? Because that isn't the case here for sure.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Almost time to fulfill the second ownership requirement of TGF

Unless VP4 is shockingly cheap it aint happening any time soon

 

[Baba]

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.

Agreed.

I think what I'm having trouble wrapping my head around is, with my Stomp XL, in every preset, I use all 8 blocks, (if it were up to me, I'd have access to 10 or 12), and the ONLY block that is repeated, or the same TYPE, is a delay.

I may only use 3 or 4 of them at a time, BUT, for example, I have one preset with the Poly Capo tuned down a half step, and one preset with it tuned up a half step, so, in the VP4, that one block would be taken in every scene, with only 3 blocks left for drive/comp/chorus/delay/wah/volume pedal/tremolo, etc.

With my Stomp XL, even when using the Poly Capo, I still have 7 other blocks, with different fx types, to use.

 

[Desertdweller]

Plex is

It really is. It can do almost anything.

 

[PorcinePicker]

Stages of grief....

I WANT TO BUY SOMETHING!!!!

that doesn't sound like it's for me but maybe I can fit it in somewhere

nope

 

[HotRats]

Are you implying this isn't 4cm friendly? Because that isn't the case here for sure.

View attachment 30697

Doesn't have amp control outs so for me is not user 4cm user friendly.

I should have been more precise, I guess.

I don't understand why there's this need to defend a product against other people opinions.

It's just opinions.