NAM support announced by Fractal Audio

[Orvillain]

I would go as far to say that G66 are in the top 10 support experiences I've ever had.

Yes the unit is expensive. I sometimes look at my Axe III and think to myself "I don't even use 10% of you" and think about selling it. But the reality is, I've long since paid it off, and it is just a cool device to have around for a ton of reasons.

These things ebb and flow with me - sometimes I'm 90% modeller, and sometimes I'm 90% valve amps. Just depends.

I will say that money being no object, I will have a Helix Stadium alongside the Axe III.

 

[mbenigni]

But will you get the stadium?

Already ordered. (Non-XL, so I’ll have to wait a bit, unfortunately.)

 

[Sascha Franck]

I would go as far to say that G66 are in the top 10 support experiences I've ever had.

They still couldn't send you a replacement unit in case there's none in stock.

 

[Orvillain]

They still couldn't send you a replacement unit in case there's none in stock.

Yeah. Nobody could.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yeah. Nobody could.

Sure. The difference being that, say, Thomann has HX, KPA and whatever units in stock all the time. Also, given the local situation, if I was using either of those two, I'd possibly have a replacement in an hour.

 

[Orvillain]

Sure. The difference being that, say, Thomann has HX, KPA and whatever units in stock all the time. Also, given the local situation, if I was using either of those two, I'd possibly have a replacement in an hour.

G66 have stock in all the time too. You're in Germany and worst case scenario, G66 could FedEx a new unit to you overnight if circumstances dictated it. I'm the one who should be complaining. Except I'm not. Coz I'm not a grumpy little fish monster.

 

[laxu]

Let alone possible support issues. I'm not saying G66's support is bad (I have no idea about how good or bad they are), but imagine your device is breaking. With pretty much any other device I'd be able to have a replacement delivered the next working day. Not possible with FAS stuff in Europe.

G66 support in my experience is pretty great. Had a failing fan on the Axe-Fx and they sent me another one no questions asked rather than having to send the whole unit to them or Fractal. I really have no complaints about G66 themselves.

But it's tough to find the value proposition for Fractal when it costs so much more than the competition. FM9 is about as expensive as the HX Stadium XL.

I had the FM3 and Axe-Fx 3 Mk 2 for this gen and both were bought used, and sold for what I paid.

 

[Sascha Franck]

G66 have stock in all the time too.

Not true. Fwiw, they're actually located in my old hometown (Flensburg). And I planned to have a look at, IIRC, an FM9 when I was there on a parents' visit. But they told me they had none.

 

[paisleywookiee]

That was just an observation of different forums, Facebook posts, etc....

FAS forums and even more so the Facebook groups are composed mainly of leg-jumping sycophants, so their opinions mean very little to me anyway.

It’s not just FAS though. Any manufacturer-specific forum or FB group tends to be that way.

 

[Orvillain]

Not true. Fwiw, they're actually located in my old hometown (Flensburg). And I planned to have a look at, IIRC, an FM9 when I was there on a parents' visit. But they told me they had none.

By extension then, the other shops don't have stock "all the time" either.

 

[Sascha Franck]

By extension then, the other shops don't have stock "all the time" either.

Well, don't argue with a grumpy little fish monster. We all know it's pretty unlikely that Thomann would ever run out of stock of pretty much any regularly sold unit.

 

[Orvillain]

Well, don't argue with a grumpy little fish monster. We all know it's pretty unlikely that Thomann would ever run out of stock of pretty much any regularly sold unit.

Nah. I doubt that. Less unlikely than G66? Sure. Not the same thing as pretty unlikely. Been plenty of times where I ordered from Thomann in the past and had to wait because a thing wasn't actually in stock. Also received some used stuff sold as new in the past too. So there's your Thomann support.

 

[laxu]

Well, don't argue with a grumpy little fish monster. We all know it's pretty unlikely that Thomann would ever run out of stock of pretty much any regularly sold unit.

Even Fractal's own US shop has been regularly out of stock.

Thomann is also out of stock for lots of things all the time. As an example, they don't have much to offer for Mesas at the time of writing. You just don't notice it much because due to their vast selection it's less likely to hit whatever you are looking to buy at that moment.

 

[bikescene]

When Fractal does incorporate NAM, it would be great see the integration of NAM’s input/output calibration metadata to play nice with the Fractal pedals and amps.

 

[Enchilada Jones]

Seems like win win situation for Fractal.

Customer trying to decide modeling or NAM…why not go Fractal? Top tier modeling and NAM with top tier effects and routiing vs. all other NAM options with questionable effects…

And helps them eliminate customers jumping ship from FOMO.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Even Fractal's own US shop has been regularly out of stock.

Thomann is also out of stock for lots of things all the time. As an example, they don't have much to offer for Mesas at the time of writing. You just don't notice it much because due to their vast selection it's less likely to hit whatever you are looking to buy at that moment.

Well you very much notice when it says “usually in stock within 6 weeks” lol

But I’m not sure why we compare distributor that sells direct to store?

Furthermore when I lived in Asia getting my Axe 2 serviced required me sending it to the US, and then having some one bring it back to not pay import duties again.

A student had my ultra and needed a new motherboard and what they quoted was nearly the price of a new 2.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Seems like win win situation for Fractal.

Customer trying to decide modeling or NAM…why not go Fractal? Top tier modeling and NAM with top tier effects and routiing vs. all other NAM options with questionable effects…

And helps them eliminate customers jumping ship from FOMO.

Of all the things he never wanted to put into his boxes and eventually did in the end they were all wins. At least for the customer.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Thomann is also out of stock for lots of things all the time. As an example, they don't have much to offer for Mesas at the time of writing. You just don't notice it much because due to their vast selection it's less likely to hit whatever you are looking to buy at that moment.

Sure. But you might be able to get things from somewhere else.

In a nutshell: Likeliness of being able to get an HX Floor replacement asap vs. likeliness of getting an FM9 replacement asap. In central Europe that is.
I don't think we even need to debate about this.

 

[Lysander]

In a nutshell: Likeliness of being able to get an HX Floor replacement asap vs. likeliness of getting an FM9 replacement asap. In central Europe that is.
I don't think we even need to debate about this.

Hell, that's the case pretty much everywhere but continental US.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Hell, that's the case pretty much everywhere but continental US.

Of course.