Fractal Audio Systems VP4 - Virtual Pedalboard

[DLC86]

As an Italian, I'd expect you to already know this!!

I know what's a vulva, but I've never seen an amp for or with a vulva.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I know what's a vulva, but I've never seen an amp for or with a vulva.

Its a Friedman model, obviously

 

[dk_ace]

Just shouting into the vastness of the internet and didn’t read 46 pages. As a FAS Wh*re myself, I do not understand why someone wouldn’t just buy an FM3. Sorry if this was discussed for 20 pages and I’m late. The FM3 is only a few bucks more and just has more of everything. Plus it’ll serve as a great backup for your amp should you need it in a pinch.

 

[Bruce]

Except I/O optimized for 4cm (and a bunch of other stuff in terms of how many of different kinds of blocks you can run, etc.)...

This is why. To quote Fractal themselves: "The FM3 isn't expressly designed with 4CM in mind like the Axe-Fx III. It can do it but it's not as easy and may not have the same level of fidelity."

Source:

Is Fractal planning an FX-only floor unit?

My company uses a hybrid agile methodology. It's just waterfall with extra steps. Worked in Fortune 500 software dev for many years. Any change in methodology or management practices just added busywork and reduced (or in some case completely crippled) productivity. What actually got things...

www.thegearpage.net

This is all pretty vague. How is the new unit optimized better for 4CM? There is more than enough IO on the FM3 to achieve it. How is the newer, less expensive unit higher fidelity and in terms of a guitar rig, just how hi fi does the average user need? Not that I’m in the market for any of this stuff right now, but I’d like to see the value in the VP4 but still do not (in comparison to the FM3).

 

[yeky83]

This is all pretty vague. How is the new unit optimized better for 4CM? There is more than enough IO on the FM3 to achieve it. How is the newer, less expensive unit higher fidelity and in terms of a guitar rig, just how hi fi does the average user need? Not that I’m in the market for any of this stuff right now, but I’d like to see the value in the VP4 but still do not (in comparison to the FM3).

You forgot this by @Jarick:

It’s smaller and is designed to run off pedalboard power supplies. Also simpler interface.

But since you think it's all pretty vague and don't see the value, I suggest you move on. BYEEEE

 

[Stratzrus]

Switching could be improved simply by having better MIDI capabilities on the VP4. You could then pair it with e.g the Morningstar ML5/ML10X. It's not ideal of course.

Can you use a FC-12 with a VP4?

 

[2112]

Can you use a FC-12 with a VP4?

There's no FASlink port.

If you've got an FC hooked up to an Axe-Fx III/FM9/FM3 you can use the MIDI block or CS Midi to send midi from the modeller to the VP4.

 

[Bruce]

You forgot this by @Jarick:

But since you think it's all pretty vague and don't see the value, I suggest you move on. BYEEEE

I think I’ll hang out, continue to ask questions about the product so I can become better informed all the while putting douchebags with poor communication skills on ignore. BYEEEE

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I think I’ll hang out, continue to ask questions about the product so I can become better informed all the while putting douchebags with poor communication skills on ignore. BYEEEE

Is the douchebag the guy that gives a snarky response, or the guy that shows up late-thread, asks questions that have been answered a couple dozen times in thread, and then gets mad that the recap answers aren't sufficiently detailed for his liking?

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Can you use a FC-12 with a VP4?

And this is where Gear Nerds get stupid. If one is considering using an FC-12 with a VP4...one should just get an FM9.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

For my uses, things like loop reordering are totally irrelevant, which is why I went from an analog+digital pedal rig to mostly MIDI controllable. The Boss FZ-1W is the only non-MIDI fx pedal on my current board. Just being able to connect all pedals together normally and then use MIDI to toggle them on/off is way more straightforward. I used the Morningstar ML5 and the underside of my board was a real rat's nest.

What are you doing that using a remote MIDI controller to toggle pedals on/off is better than...just hitting the switch on the pedal?

 

[Orvillain]

And this is where Gear Nerds get stupid. If one is considering using an FC-12 with a VP4...one should just get an FM9.

VP4 and an FC6 would be a good combination, if the VP4 supported the FASLINK protocol.

 

[Orvillain]

What are you doing that using a remote MIDI controller to toggle pedals on/off is better than...just hitting the switch on the pedal?

He's turning on/off 4 pedals at once.

 

[Bruce]

Is the douchebag the guy that gives a snarky response, or the guy that shows up late-thread, asks questions that have been answered a couple dozen times in thread, and then gets mad that the recap answers aren't sufficiently detailed for his liking?

I was actually happy with your answer and attempted further dialog. No one is reasonably digging through 46 pages of discussion for a few answers, but really in the grand scheme of things, who cares? A couple of you gave answers and I just wanted a little more substance so I asked. One douchebag got snarky. Life goes on. I have my 3/9/III and love them already. I was looking for why the VP4 which is 3/4 the price of my 3 may be a consideration down the line for my tube amps above and beyond my 3 from users who may know. Mea Culpa, I asked.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

VP4 and an FC6 would be a good combination, if the VP4 supported the FASLINK protocol.

or buy an FM9. It's not like the only change here is adding a FASLINK jack to the VP4. It's also now gotta be handling the grunt work of the FC, too. So now the VP4 costs more and can do less processing. Win?

 

[Bruce]

The backup for the amp thing can be nice, but other than that I have zero interest in amp modeling. My Bogner XTC is all I ever need.

For me the VP4 was much more appealing than the FM3. It's smaller and fits nicely on my board, can be powered with my board's power supply and has a simpler interface which is good for live use.
Because the device is designed for effects only, all the CPU power is used for that and it allows you to run more instances of the same block - you can run 2 Pitch blocks (virtual capo + dual detune, for example), 2 ultra-high reverbs, 4 multi-delays, 4 delay blocks, etc.
Even if the price was the same as the FM3 I'd still buy the VP4.

Interesting. THANK YOU.

 

[JiveTurkey]

No xlr to 1/4 cable required.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

No xlr to 1/4 cable required.

Da ding ding

 

[Whizzinby]

I was actually happy with your answer and attempted further dialog. No one is reasonably digging through 46 pages of discussion for a few answers, but really in the grand scheme of things, who cares? A couple of you gave answers and I just wanted a little more substance so I asked. One douchebag got snarky. Life goes on. I have my 3/9/III and love them already. I was looking for why the VP4 which is 3/4 the price of my 3 may be a consideration down the line for my tube amps above and beyond my 3 from users who may know. Mea Culpa, I asked.

I don’t know about “optimized” for 4CM or any of that. It would have been cool to be able to run mono into the front of an amp and stereo in an amp loop simultaneously. It’s either mono 4CM or stereo in one spot of the chain. (I use the latter)

It fits nicer in pedal format alongside other pedals than the FM3 if you have a pedalboard, and you can stack a couple of the more CPU intensive effects blocks on it that you can’t on the FM3, (multiple Plex blocks for ex) which is cool. It’s also much easier to use on-device.

I run mine in a stereo loop with my amp setup as a FAS Stryfecta type super pedal and it’s pretty badass in that regard. If someone said it’s the best delay/reverb/ambient pedal on the market, I wouldn’t argue with them. I think most already in the Fractalverse though kind of know what to expect tonally. Just depends if you have a use case for it.

That said, they need to add:

1. Block reordering
2. User-defined Type defaults (and after that, favorites)

 

[Orvillain]

or buy an FM9. It's not like the only change here is adding a FASLINK jack to the VP4. It's also now gotta be handling the grunt work of the FC, too. So now the VP4 costs more and can do less processing. Win?

Buy a sybian.