Fractal Talk

[DrewJD82]

I'm in the same situation with the Tone King Imperial Preamp.

Should I get a VP4 to use with it? Should I use my FM9 with it? If I'm using the FM9 what's the point of using the TKIP?

The beauty of the TKIP is it's simplicity and portability. Adding anything detracts from that.

I sold my FM3 because I thought having the FM3, FM9, and AxeFX III (plus a FX8 and Ultra) was ridiculous redundancy but the FM3 by itself is more than enough for my Jazz and R&B gigs. Would I miss the Fractal effects if I gigged with just the TKIP?

I keep saying to myself "Must resist the urge to build a pedalboard!"

I'm using my FM9 in 4CM with an amp now but eventually it'll be replaced by the VP4 since I'm not using any amps in the FM9 and that's a LOT of real estate that can given up for the VP4 and a couple expression pedals. That said, I do dig the fact that if the amp takes a shit live, I can just run with the FM9 and a class-D amp to power a cab, or just go direct. I DO appreciate the backup option built-in to the rig as it is now, but man that's a fairly hefty board.

 

[DrewJD82]

I haven't mentioned this!

The answer is: not much. I bought it because Trey is using it for some effects so I've been using it mainly for those: Growler, Frequency Shifter, Reverse Delay.

I had it in a drawer and there was space on this and well...more is more, right?

It might stay. It might go. Was thinking a fun weird pedal might be cool in this spot? I'll use it as the guest pedal spot.

Those really are killer pedals. Definitely not a bad one for any guitarist to have just kicking around because everything sounds great in it, it's easy to use and they're cheap. I originally got it JUST for the Reverse Delay and was impressed at how well everything else sounded in it. I was going to replace the one I had but now I'm just going to snag an HXOne.

 

[iaresee]

now I'm just going to snag an HXOne

Be warned: the HX One should be the amazing successor of the M5 but I had one and sold it on. Noisy. AF. Like unusably noisy.

@James Freeman and I have bitched about it over here: https://thegearforum.com/threads/hx-one-noisy.6044/

Which sucks because it's smaller and lighter and has more fun goodies in it.

 

[- ★ - BROCKSTAR - ★ -]

Be warned: the HX One should be the amazing successor of the M5 but I had one and sold it on. Noisy. AF. Like unusably noisy.

@James Freeman and I have bitched about it over here: https://thegearforum.com/threads/hx-one-noisy.6044/

Which sucks because it's smaller and lighter and has more fun goodies in it.

Dang really? I was hoping to get a hxone some day as well because i miss some of the line 6 things like shuffling looper, some weirder delays etc.

 

[Tenebris]

So, I trust my ears but I don't entirely trust that I'm not missing something before it gets to them. After A/Bing them pretty substantially over a few days I prefer running the FM3 through an old Crown A/B power amp into a guitar cab instead of a Mesa Fifty/Fifty. Cab modeling turned off in both, power amp modeling turned off when using the Mesa.

Nothing against the Mesa, it's a great power amp, but it feels like the slight gain in tube feel/dynamics is not worth the loss of differentiation between amp models with power amp modeling turned off. And when I leave power amp modeling on through the Mesa everything just sounds overprocessed and compressed.

This doesn't sound bananas to anyone, right? I'm not missing some trick in using a tube power amp with a Fractal?

 

[Mongillo19]

So, I trust my ears but I don't entirely trust that I'm not missing something before it gets to them. After A/Bing them pretty substantially over a few days I prefer running the FM3 through an old Crown A/B power amp into a guitar cab instead of a Mesa Fifty/Fifty. Cab modeling turned off in both, power amp modeling turned off when using the Mesa.

Nothing against the Mesa, it's a great power amp, but it feels like the slight gain in tube feel/dynamics is not worth the loss of differentiation between amp models with power amp modeling turned off. And when I leave power amp modeling on through the Mesa everything just sounds overprocessed and compressed.

This doesn't sound bananas to anyone, right? I'm not missing some trick in using a tube power amp with a Fractal?

I think Cliff at Fractal is a fan of old Crown Power Amps

 

[TSJMajesty]

So, I trust my ears but I don't entirely trust that I'm not missing something before it gets to them. After A/Bing them pretty substantially over a few days I prefer running the FM3 through an old Crown A/B power amp into a guitar cab instead of a Mesa Fifty/Fifty. Cab modeling turned off in both, power amp modeling turned off when using the Mesa.

Nothing against the Mesa, it's a great power amp, but it feels like the slight gain in tube feel/dynamics is not worth the loss of differentiation between amp models with power amp modeling turned off. And when I leave power amp modeling on through the Mesa everything just sounds overprocessed and compressed.

This doesn't sound bananas to anyone, right? I'm not missing some trick in using a tube power amp with a Fractal?

Sounds about right. I've run my Axe III thru all 3 of my stereo Mesa power amps (20/20, 50/50. & 2:90). and I don't like them. When I do want to use the 2:90, I just add in the Tri-Axis, and only use the III for effects. Which in that case, it sounds stellar!

 

[DrewJD82]

So, I trust my ears but I don't entirely trust that I'm not missing something before it gets to them. After A/Bing them pretty substantially over a few days I prefer running the FM3 through an old Crown A/B power amp into a guitar cab instead of a Mesa Fifty/Fifty. Cab modeling turned off in both, power amp modeling turned off when using the Mesa.

Nothing against the Mesa, it's a great power amp, but it feels like the slight gain in tube feel/dynamics is not worth the loss of differentiation between amp models with power amp modeling turned off. And when I leave power amp modeling on through the Mesa everything just sounds overprocessed and compressed.

This doesn't sound bananas to anyone, right? I'm not missing some trick in using a tube power amp with a Fractal?

Much agreed. I ran my FM9 through the power sections of 3 different amps one day just to hear how things sounded using the Power Amp Modeling or the actual power sections and if I went that route entirely it'd severely diminish the amount of amps I'd want to use due to how much is going on in those power sections.

I'm totally fine relying on one cab/speaker for multiple amps, but power sections are a whole different story.

 

[Orvillain]

Laugh at me everyone.

My level difference issue??

Was a dodgy cable.

Fucking idiot.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Laugh at me everyone.

My level difference issue??

Was a dodgy cable.

Fucking idiot.

Argh why is it always a dodgy cable problem?

I rewired my strat last month and said the larger value cap had dulled some high end. Eagle said it wouldn't make a difference with the tone up full but I was disagreeing as it obviously was in my case. The neck day I realised one of my cables was borked and it was robbing my high end.

 

[Orvillain]

Argh why is it always a dodgy cable problem?

I rewired my strat last month and said the larger value cap had dulled some high end. Eagle said it wouldn't make a difference with the tone up full but I was disagreeing as it obviously was in my case. The neck day I realised one of my cables was borked and it was robbing my high end.

This one is one I made myself too, so I only have myself to blame!

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Much agreed. I ran my FM9 through the power sections of 3 different amps one day just to hear how things sounded using the Power Amp Modeling or the actual power sections and if I went that route entirely it'd severely diminish the amount of amps I'd want to use due to how much is going on in those power sections.

I'm totally fine relying on one cab/speaker for multiple amps, but power sections are a whole different story.

I've really struggled running my HX Stomp into my JVMs power amp. It works ok for some amp models but loads of the amps I like really weren't great.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

This one is one I made myself too, so I only have myself to blame!

Me too. I love building pedals and really enjoy soldering but hate making cables. I had a strand or two of the main cable making contact with the shield and it robbed some high end.

 

[Tenebris]

I'm totally fine relying on one cab/speaker for multiple amps, but power sections are a whole different story.

Yeah, I've long since given up on the cab/speaker rabbit hole. Mesa cabs with V30s, if you can't make that work you're trying too hard.

 

[OrganicZed]

So, I trust my ears but I don't entirely trust that I'm not missing something before it gets to them. After A/Bing them pretty substantially over a few days I prefer running the FM3 through an old Crown A/B power amp into a guitar cab instead of a Mesa Fifty/Fifty. Cab modeling turned off in both, power amp modeling turned off when using the Mesa.

Nothing against the Mesa, it's a great power amp, but it feels like the slight gain in tube feel/dynamics is not worth the loss of differentiation between amp models with power amp modeling turned off. And when I leave power amp modeling on through the Mesa everything just sounds overprocessed and compressed.

This doesn't sound bananas to anyone, right? I'm not missing some trick in using a tube power amp with a Fractal?

I came to the same conclusion when I A/B'd the Axe-FX III through the Fryette PS-2 and a QSC RMX2450 into a guitar cab. The tube amp had more dynamics, but it added extra low end and presence that I couldn't dial out in a way that sounded good with the depth and presence controls on the power amp nor with multi band eq. I also tried adjusting the amp block speaker impedance curve manually and that also failed to address what I was hearing. The solid state amp sounded less processed / more natural with no fuss, so that is what I use now.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Laugh at me everyone.

My level difference issue??

Was a dodgy cable.

Fucking idiot.

Well, you’re sure no EE!

 

[iaresee]

Laugh at me everyone.

My level difference issue??

Was a dodgy cable.

Fucking idiot.

The sign on the wall, right?

 

[Orvillain]

The sign on the wall, right?

I did imagine Cliff going...

 

[DrewJD82]

Argh why is it always a dodgy cable problem?

I rewired my strat last month and said the larger value cap had dulled some high end. Eagle said it wouldn't make a difference with the tone up full but I was disagreeing as it obviously was in my case. The neck day I realised one of my cables was borked and it was robbing my high end.

Damn, it's that much worse when you REALLY want to be right, as is generally the case when one is at odds with Eagle.

 

[DrewJD82]

This is why I said I had to keep it to a size that fits in this Gator bag I have here. Otherwise, I'll expand to fill all the available floor space on stage, apparently.

Not sure why I didn't say this when I initially read it, but I purposefully made my FM9 board 32" because I wanted to order this case and board for it-(I actually just ordered it this morning)

It also comes with it's own board, 32"x15", so me being the little gearslut I am thought "I can make one board for my FM9 and then use the included board for actual pedals, either way, the boards will be protected in the case during traveling"

And 32" is really the max size I want a board, when you figure in the weight and footprint, any bigger starts getting into PITA management.

SONUVABITCH- I just checked their site and here's what's in the description-

I just e-mailed them because this is stating 2 opposing things- "Only Case is included" and "Removable Pedal Platform with Handle, Platform Features Rubber Feet And Handles"

The reviews state it came with a board and I know when I initially saved it, it had the board included. I'm going to be pretty pissed if it's not.

And on Amazon-