Hardware Modeller as a Bedroom Player

laxu said:
Yet it tends to come up for that when people want an amp modeler. Obviously you can pair it with whatever pedals or even multifx if you want.


The Tonex metadata sucks balls and the captures from others can be a very mixed bag. It's kinda like gold panning in a muddy river. I just hate that as a workflow.


I've yet to find Tonex to do anything better than the best modelers on the market. Even with V2 captures I made myself.

To me it's a question of workflow first and foremost. I've learned to work with amps over the years so I know immediately how to get what I want out of most amps, and thus prefer that workflow on modelers as well.
Click to expand...

Amp modeler means they want amp sounds. They didn't say they wanted an effects processor. I mean, it is all semantics, but still. Even Fractal units still say "Amp Modeler / Effects Processor" across the top of them.

I dont really have an issue with Metadata, but I do agree there are a lot of crap sounds out there. I found OK sounds when I searched, but have made amazing sounds myself. The main thing I find it to do better is feel/dynamics. I find Fractal has a squishy pick attack that drives me crazy. ToneX has a more immediate punchy attack to it. So does NAM. I want that more aggressive immediate punch when I hit the strings, and most traditional modelers have more of a smooth squishy thing going on.

Workflow is not a big deal to me. How often do people really mess with it? Make a few sounds you like an stick with it. No reason to constantly mess with it. Once you have your sounds, plug and play.
 
sevenagn said:
UPDATE: So, yesterday I found an used FM3 MK1 for a pretty good price and thought, why not, so I bought and right now I'm waiting to it to be delivered.

Also, today, Fractal casually dropped a plugin and that's it. You're welcome.:clint
Click to expand...
Amazon Studios Salute To You GIF by Amazon Prime Video
 
sevenagn said:
UPDATE: So, yesterday I found an used FM3 MK1 for a pretty good price and thought, why not, so I bought and right now I'm waiting to it to be delivered.

Also, today, Fractal casually dropped a plugin and that's it. You're welcome.:clint
Click to expand...

The plugin is only Fenders though, so it is pretty much useless. I will look when there are 5150s and Dual Rectos in there.
 
Chocol8 said:
Fenders do a lot more than clean. Not to mention all the amps that evolved from these circuits.
Click to expand...

Clean and barely distorted. Still not something I ever personally use.

I am personally not interested in anything with less gain than a JCM800. That is the minimum entry for me.
 
UPDATE 2: After almost a week of playing and A/Bing with my FM3 non-stop, I have some thoughts on getting a modeler for home use (from the perspective of a plugin/bedroom player):

  • It sounds and feels the same as plugins to me. (Actually, I'm tweaking the FM3 more to achieve the sound I'm used to than I do with my plugins.)
  • The workflow difference isn't worth it, in my opinion. Turning on the FM3 versus waking up my Mac takes about the same amount of time.
  • I also discovered that I absolutely hate playing with headphones.
About the FM3/Fractal universe:

  • The effects are really good, but I can get similar results with plugins, except for the chorus/modulation (now I just need a better modulation plugin).
  • The drives sound fuzzy to me. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but the input boost on the amp block sounds much better than any of the drive pedals.
  • The Vox models are really special. After a good amount of time, I was able to match them with the Ruby plugin, but the Fractal ones have a 3D effect that I just couldn't get with Ruby.
  • All the high-gain amps sound... real? It's probably user error as well, but every high-gain model sounds like it has a mid-bump on it. It feels like I'm playing in an untreated room, if you know what I mean. They only sound "right" to me with this EQ curve applied afterward:

1771343317266.png
 
sevenagn said:
The effects are really good, but I can get similar results with plugins, except for the chorus/modulation (now I just need a better modulation plugin
Click to expand...
FAS modulations are glorious. I like the Eventide Tricerachorus and Micropitch plugins, but for free versions: Valhalla Supermassive (look for MOD presets) for multi-voice chorus, and Valhalla Space Modulator for other mod types.
 
sevenagn said:
UPDATE 2: After almost a week of playing and A/Bing with my FM3 non-stop, I have some thoughts on getting a modeler for home use (from the perspective of a plugin/bedroom player):

  • It sounds and feels the same as plugins to me. (Actually, I'm tweaking the FM3 more to achieve the sound I'm used to than I do with my plugins.)
  • The workflow difference isn't worth it, in my opinion. Turning on the FM3 versus waking up my Mac takes about the same amount of time.
  • I also discovered that I absolutely hate playing with headphones.
About the FM3/Fractal universe:

  • The effects are really good, but I can get similar results with plugins, except for the chorus/modulation (now I just need a better modulation plugin).
  • The drives sound fuzzy to me. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but the input boost on the amp block sounds much better than any of the drive pedals.
  • The Vox models are really special. After a good amount of time, I was able to match them with the Ruby plugin, but the Fractal ones have a 3D effect that I just couldn't get with Ruby.
  • All the high-gain amps sound... real? It's probably user error as well, but every high-gain model sounds like it has a mid-bump on it. It feels like I'm playing in an untreated room, if you know what I mean. They only sound "right" to me with this EQ curve applied afterward:

View attachment 59319
Click to expand...

Is this independent of playback system? (meaning you always have you use this no matter which playback device you use?) or are you always using the same playback device?
 
Los-D said:
FAS modulations are glorious. I like the Eventide Tricerachorus and Micropitch plugins, but for free versions: Valhalla Supermassive (look for MOD presets) for multi-voice chorus, and Valhalla Space Modulator for other mod types.
Click to expand...
I need to try the tricerachorus, seems really good. I use Valhalla Supermassive quite a lot, but only for delays and reverbs. Gonna try the mod presets
 
AlbertA said:
Is this independent of playback system? (meaning you always have you use this no matter which playback device you use?) or are you always using the same playback device?
Click to expand...
Yeah, same playback system, and also same DAC (FM3 -> SPDIF > JBL 308P MKII vs FM3 DI thru USB -> plugins -> Audio Interface Out -> JBL vs Presonus AI DI -> plugins -> JBL)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

the swede
TLDR Warning, my Pod Go thoughts/conclusions, me and Helix as a relationship.
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
12K
KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!
Back
Top