Fractal FM0 - mockup thread

[Boudoir Guitar]

I’m all for tactile control, but even something with a lot of knobs like a kemper still doesn’t really feel like using real gear,

Totally agree that there is fundamentally no way to make a "multi" unit feel like using "real" gear. Hell, even using a Strymon Mobius feels a lot different than just having phaser and tremolo pedals on a board.

and ultimately isn’t really advantageous to using a mouse, simply because modellers have so many pages, menus,

Disagree here on the Kemper, at least. The VAST majority of my fine tweaking once a patch/rig is created is in terms of reverb decay/mix; delay feedback/mix; tremolo rate/depth. Having dedicated knobs for those things is a pretty big improvement to the playing experience once a rig has been created.

even the FM-3 is way too complex (as in, versatile/capable) to tackle that. I don’t think the existing products could just be reduced down to simple controls, it would have to be its own thing,

Totally agree -- the Performance pages on the Fractal units are a pretty big help, but (1) I wish there was a faster way to get to them (ideally, just have the device boot to those pages by default as an option) and (2) AT BEST they address the same kind of situation discussed above and don't really replace at all the experience of working with "real gear".

 

[Achilles]

 

[JiveTurkey]

FM0 for me is driven by the need for a small. low profile Axe unit that can fit alongside other pedals on a single rack shelf and be controlled remotely via one of the exist FC units. I understand the non-reality of the request

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

FM0 for me is driven by the need for a small. low profile Axe unit that can fit alongside other pedals on a single rack shelf and be controlled remotely via one of the exist FC units. I understand the non-reality of the request

Yeah, this is why it needs to be shorter -- FM3, even with rubber and handles removed, is more than 2U on a shelf in a rack.

 

[laxu]

I’m all for tactile control, but even something with a lot of knobs like a kemper still doesn’t really feel like using real gear, and ultimately isn’t really advantageous to using a mouse, simply because modellers have so many pages, menus, different parameters, switches, I/O etc.

Synths tend to have a lot of knobs so they can try and get close to one knob per function. Kemper is sort of like that, but so much is still within the deeper menus than the quick controls on the device. Fractal is so much about limitless possibilities, I think (unfortunately) it’s going to be impossible not to sacrifice that without using a mouse as the primary method of using it. Another thing is that the synths are designed from the group up with these limitations, and it’s all carefully constructed for the user experience. Fractal’s starting point is a sandbox of limitless control and routing options.

A totally new product made on Fractal tech with specifically chosen limitations could allow for something for faster tactile control and simplicity, but even the FM-3 is way too complex (as in, versatile/capable) to tackle that. I don’t think the existing products could just be reduced down to simple controls, it would have to be its own thing,

The Quad Cortex gets closest to the pedalboard experience out of all modelers I've tried. But for Fractal, that's next gen stuff.

The FM3's limited switching and size were always an annoyance for me unless you use the unit as a do-it-all box. The QC, just by being less tall and having more switch/encoders with a larger screen was better because it didn't need as much paging around or the equivalent of Fractal's control row switching. Every block was one tap away. The number of encoders - even if it took some learning to mental map them to be intuitive - made it closer to having dedicated knobs for most block functions.

 

[aerial7]

View attachment 20872

I don't hate it....

But realistically how much cheaper would this be over an FM3? That's why I want to ditch the screen, knobs and buttons -- make it a really simple product to bring to market and maybe keep the price somewhere around $700ish?

 

[GTR37]

View attachment 20872

If that is a touch screen that is displaying Axe Edit where I can just click on blocks to open them , then tweak the encoders and save I am in

Although my concern w that type of GUI is just the pages of deep parameters
But I guess if you got a scroll list just like in AXE Edit
With Tone, Ideal , preamp
Power Amp , Speaker you could just click on those fields to move quickly

 

[Achilles]

That's why I want to ditch the screen, knobs and buttons -- make it a really simple product to bring to market and maybe keep the price somewhere around $700ish?

I get the desire to keep time to market and costs down but at some point Fractal's gotta choose which next generation product to implement a new UI.

For sure it'll be on the flagship unit first but figured it'd be cool to see how it might look on baby bear.

 

[Achilles]

deep parameters

"Deep parameters?
We don't need no stinking deep parameters."

Seriously, ditch the DP's on the FM0.

 

[GTR37]

The Quad Cortex gets closest to the pedalboard experience out of all modelers I've tried. But for Fractal, that's next gen stuff.

The FM3's limited switching and size were always an annoyance for me unless you use the unit as a do-it-all box. The QC, just by being less tall and having more switch/encoders with a larger screen was better because it didn't need as much paging around or the equivalent of Fractal's control row switching. Every block was one tap away. The number of encoders - even if it took some learning to mental map them to be intuitive - made it closer to having dedicated knobs for most block functions.

The other thing though is the QC also does not have the same depth and 8 pages of parameter tweaks
Its gain BMT level pres depth
Maybe a few switches like
Bright , saturation , voice
That helps it to be able to quickly display the amp controls and find what you want
Helix is like that too and probably could work like QC if they decided to do that

 

[laxu]

The other thing though is the QC also does not have the same depth and 8 pages of parameter tweaks
Its gain BMT level pres depth
Maybe a few switches like
Bright , saturation , voice
That helps it to be able to quickly display the amp controls and find what you want
Helix is like that too and probably could work like QC if they decided to do that

The number of parameters is not the issue at all. It just means there's more pages of what, 8-10 knobs on a QC? The less encoders the unit has the worst it gets, that's why the HX Stomp is something I don't like while the Helix at 6 or Fractal at 5 is decent.

Majority of Fractal blocks have the things you are likely to adjust on the first two pages. All the advanced stuff is more set and forget - or more likely "never bothered touching it". The cab block is probably the only one where I venture deeper e.g into the preamp page.

 

[Los-D]

I don't hate it....

But realistically how much cheaper would this be over an FM3? That's why I want to ditch the screen, knobs and buttons -- make it a really simple product to bring to market and maybe keep the price somewhere around $700ish?

Oh, we’ve been vocal for years in the FAS forum and TOP that many people would pay close to FM3 money for it. For me, this is more about form factor and convenience than cost reduction (I would add a MIDI controller or FC12 regardless)

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Oh, we’ve been vocal for years in the FAS forum and TOP that many people would pay close to FM3 money for it. For me, this is more about form factor and convenience than cost reduction (I would add a MIDI controller or FC12 regardless)

There are so many great options under $700 at this point that offer so much more utility that Fractal is never going to have fun or succeed in a "let's bring in that can't/won't spend the cash required for an FM3" race.

 

[James Freeman]

View attachment 20872

Behold, the FM0 MK IVXXIIX Ultra

 

[holoholo]

Behold, the FM0 MK IVXXIIX Ultra

View attachment 20874

Is that a Fractal Pedaltraintm?

 

[aerial7]

There are so many great options under $700 at this point that offer so much more utility that Fractal is never going to have fun or succeed in a "let's bring in that can't/won't spend the cash required for an FM3" race.

Well, that price point was just a random number...

And I get what you're saying....

But anywhere around that price, and I'd chose an FM0 over everything else. GT-1000Core? Zoom whatevers? Stomp XL? None of those would offer the same "utility" to me as an FM0....

 

[dk_ace]

For those that want this thing, how would you use it? What kind of rig does it go in?

D

 

[Achilles]

Behold, the FM0 MK IVXXIIX Ultra

 

[JiveTurkey]

The desire for an FM0 has nothing to do with being cheap. It has everything to do with one trip form factor*


***aka fits on a shelf on top of my rack mounted 5150III Stealth and a GM800 all controlled by an FC-12

 

[Los-D]

aka fits on a shelf on top of my rack mounted 5150III Stealth and a GM800 all controlled by an FC-12

Deft