Fractal Talk

[iaresee]

Not salty ones I hope!! Gross!

Shortbread. Biscuit of champions.

 

[Rock Chalk]

I'm tellin' ya..the FAS Stealth Blue eats JVMs for lunch......thank me later........

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Shortbread. Biscuit of champions.

Ah shortbread, the favoured biscuit of little known fractal fan and secret metal player Supergran

 

[Orvillain]

 

[SillyOctpuss]

 

[MirrorProfiles]

So since we're not allowed to like the JVM models, what does everyone like for modded Marshall tones?

You can like them all you want, it doesn't mean they sound or behave like the real amps. If you're know the real thing, then the Fractal model doesn't really feel familiar.

Just to show that (I don't think) its me doing anything weird with the JVM - the SLO Lead channel sounds very similar across a ton of platforms, almost identical settings on them all (shouts again to Nathan for helping with some reamps):

https://samply.app/p/ViIte5SBk6Z6Hc8XvmXS

Hoping Cliff is able to find what's causing the discrepancy because having killer JVM models would rule.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

with apologies for interrupting this game of soggy biscuit

 

[James Freeman]

So far the best results I got for a modded Marsahll is adding the zener diodes in the preamp tab and adding lowcut gain with eq to a Plexi, ala Jose mod.

oh and turning down the MV thermostat to sub zero temperatures. (@DrewJD82 IT WASN'T ME! REEEEEE!!!)

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'm not too much of a gatekeeper. But I don't know how you could nitpick FAS amps and not want to jump off a bridge when you flip over to a Helix product. (He said; with love)

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I'm not too much of a gatekeeper. But I don't know how you could nitpick FAS amps and not want to jump off a bridge when you flip over to a Helix product. (He said; with love)

Failing at life and tone with a hx stomp.

 

[Orvillain]

I'm not too much of a gatekeeper. But I don't know how you could nitpick FAS amps and not want to jump off a bridge when you flip over to a Helix product. (He said; with love)

Haven't turned my Helix on for almost a year to be honest with you. It has been real amps and Fractal for me for some time now.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Failing at life and tone with a hx stomp.

View attachment 43680

Helix people are generally awesome. And if you dig the sounds it makes; My ears gravitate towards the FAS stuff much, much, much, much, much more though

 

[JiveTurkey]

Haven't turned my Helix on for almost a year to be honest with you. It has been real amps and Fractal for me for some time now.

We gigged this weekend and I used my Multiwatt as a power amp into my V30 212. I really need to return to real amp town (no matter how much I like the JVM)

 

[MirrorProfiles]

When it’s between a decent Helix model and a decent Fractal model, Fractal has the edge. And Fractal has way more benefits with how you can manipulate things. But that’s not to say there isn’t the odd “wtf is going on here” moment from time to time. Thankfully the updates are constant and always move in the right direction.

Absolutely nothing wrong with models being sanity checked and refined either, there’s so much potential for something small to slip through the net. Amps are small/fiddly/dangerous, schematics vary, there’s all kinds of complexities. And Fractal move at lightning pace. Just part of how it goes, I don’t think there’s any benefit to pretending things are always perfect 100% of the time.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Helix people are generally awesome. And if you dig the sounds it makes; My ears gravitate towards the FAS stuff much, much, much, much, much more though

I'm kidding. I've been pretty committed to amps and single stomps again since getting my jvm. My hx stomp was always fine into studio monitors in a fully digital setup but I've never been fully happy with it into my amp. I've still got it on my board but it's in a loop switcher until I get a new reverb and delay.

 

[KingsXJJ]

But for me, when I bring up a JVM, or a Diezel, I want to know that it authentically emulates a JVM or a Diezel.

Nothing I’ve said or suggested would change or preclude that. So what’s the problem?

 

[KingsXJJ]

Who did what?

Argued against improving the JVM models. It’s in your post before mine I believe.

 

[KingsXJJ]

But in the cases where they are, don't call it the same thing as the real world model that you improved - because it isn't the same.

Not the case. A Princeton with an upgraded transformer or different speaker is still a Princeton. A JCM modded is still a JCM. I’d rather buy a Friedman Plex than a Marshall right now. Is it a Plexi? I think it is. No one is advocating changing the authenticity or accuracy of classic amps. I’m all for continuing to improve that. I happen to think that an alternative based on Cliff’s knowledge would be great. Call it the idealized version of the amp of you will. How the amp might sound, holding true to the original intent, without regard for production costs or component tolerances in place during the original design. You don’t have to use it nor call it accurate. But… you just might love it. A simple idea really.

 

[[Nathan]]

You don’t have to use it nor call it accurate

Cool, we want accurate gear

Quibbling over a transformer or something is probably small fries in the grand scheme but in the case of the JVM it seems pretty off. If that’s due to “improvement” of some kind then that’s the kind of issue we’re talking about.

The pot being purposefully changed on the peavey is also another example. Fundamental topologies and behaviours shouldn’t be changed. If you want to change the default SIC or something then sure go for it I guess but the digital amp should strive to replicate the production amp

I like a lot of the FAS amps, that’s the perfect place for this kind of playground, not just overwriting things.

I don’t even know why we’re going in circles on this, has Cliff purposefully really changed that many stock amps? It seems like he’s 98% kept everything as faithful as possible already (which already tells us he strives for accuracy, except for what seems like one or two off cases).

 

[KingsXJJ]

Cool, we all want accurate gear…. the digital amp should strive to replicate the production amp

I like a lot of the FAS amps, that’s the perfect place for this kind of playground, not just overwriting things.

I’m not talking about overwriting anything nor advocating for less accuracy in modeling and I’m not sure why that notion persists. Perhaps it’s getting conflated with the JVM discussion. Your Peavey example is a great one! I say fix the pot to be accurate and offer a Cliff idealized/custom version with the alternative value. Problem solved and everyone should be happy choosing which ever they prefer.