Orange Pedal Baby / other Class A/B + Modeller (FM3) ?

So after this thread, I gave the FM9 > Katana Pwr Amp In> LS 2x12 another try yesterday.

I randomly tried the "PVH 6160 Block Crunch" model and LOVED it. Looked it up and it's apparently a new model (Aug 2022) based on the Crunch channel of the original 5150 block-letter EVH head. (Prior to this there was just the Lead channel model.)

This now replaces the Friedman BE100 v3 as my favourite. :rawk It's actually pretty damn close to my Electra Dyne in overall sound, but a little brighter and with more high mids. Very similar addictive spongy-ness to the feel.
 
TubeStack said:
So after this thread, I gave the FM9 > Katana Pwr Amp In> LS 2x12 another try yesterday.

I randomly tried the "PVH 6160 Block Crunch" model and LOVED it. Looked it up and it's apparently a new model (Aug 2022) based on the Crunch channel of the original 5150 block-letter EVH head. (Prior to this there was just the Lead channel model.)

This now replaces the Friedman BE100 v3 as my favourite. :rawk It's actually pretty damn close to my Electra Dyne in overall sound, but a little brighter and with more high mids. Very similar addictive spongy-ness to the feel.
Click to expand...
Yeah I didn't like the OG 5150s in the FAS really for a long time. Last time I tried it; something about it clicked immediately. Great amp model.
 
JiveTurkey said:
Stereo effects through studio monitors :chef
Click to expand...

I normally stack my 2x12’s up because I don‘t exactly live in a palace, but the other night when my friend was over and I had a few drinks in me, she made the mistake of asking what my FM9 was and 5 minutes later I had the cabs spaced out across the room and was loading up every stereo effect I could.

”So you carry all that stuff around just so you can hear the sound go from one speaker to the other?”

”F*CK YEAH I DO!” :rofl
 
UPDATE

Short version: I spent an evening playing through monitors rather than Power amp + Cab. I rediscovered just how good my Neumann monitors are, and yes I had the FM3 + IRs sounding pretty damn nice and I was happy. 😄

One thing that I think is important to mention here is that your comments and attempts to help really did have a positive effect on me. So even though I started the thread asking about power amp advice and stating that I didn't like IRs and "FRFR", some of you said "why not just play through a good set of monitors?". I made an effort to really listen to what you guys were saying and took an opportunity to think about that deeply and to have taken a good long look inside myself.

As I have said, I think that I became too obsessive about getting that Amp where I'm at thing "perfect" and it has become a kind of madness. At that point of madness it is essential to have the relatively impartial reflections of other people to bring some balance back into the picture. Also, my ears have been tired recently and I think the cabs are just too loud for me in a home environment.

I hadn't used IRs and studio monitors for at least 2 or 3 months. So why, am I suddenly enjoying the modeller through flat monitors? Here are my theories:

  • Change of mental perspective: I decided to really try and embrace IRs and flat response, enjoy it and give my ears a rest from real cabs.
  • The stereo field of the cabs, reverbs, delays sounded glorious and made up for the loss of Amp In The Room mono punch.
  • I plugged my XLR cables from the FM3 straight into the monitors and bypassed the mixer - it's a fairly decent Mackie mixer, but there are always subtle changes to a signal when you're not using pro level gear. So I was effectively "mainlining tone" from the FM3! Best I've ever heard them sound. Perhaps it was only a 2% difference in signal quality and clarity, but I felt (imagined?) it was there.
  • I've gotten better at dialing in the FM3. I've developed a lot more tricks & techniques when dialing in the FM3 with real cabs and I brought all that knowledge in to play when dialing it in for IRs. As you all know, there's a lot to learn in the Fractal world...
  • Maximising the signal for the converters. Careful gain staging, parallel FX, just a light touch of compression, subtle use of the Gain Enhancer, low EQ cuts in FX to avoid "mud", attention to Amp Block headroom and output levels.
  • The new 6.0 FM3 firmware has crossed a line and it's just better than ever before. Perhaps it was just that!
  • I avoided the IR rabbit hole. I have some great IRs and I decided to try only 3 of those and stick to that.
  • When you spend too much time playing on your own and not with a backing track or band, you can become stupidly obessessive about guitar tone.
I'm sure that none of this will be surprising to you, and you've read all of this before on gear forums. I just needed a reality check and a mental "reset". You guys have helped immensely with that.

Thank you all, my beautiful TGF therapists. 🙇‍♂️
 
Last edited:
jellodog said:
It's $885 CAD and in stock on thomann.de.

Shipping is $55.60 CAD.

Even if you were to pay $100 for shipping and import admin / duty, it'll still be cheaper than it was before the price went up here in Canada.
Click to expand...

When you order from Thomann, @jellodog , do you go with DHL / Canada Post, or UPS?
 
TubeStack said:
When you order from Thomann, @jellodog , do you go with DHL / Canada Post, or UPS?
Click to expand...

During the pandemic, DHL was the only option to Canada. So I've only used that in the last couple years. UPS is shipped air freight and takes only 3 days or so to get here (when ordered within German business hours). However, I've not ordered anything from Thomann since February.

I wrote to them at that time and asked if there would be any cheaper options in future, and IIRC, they said that they'd offer cheaper options again soon; but that with the cheaper option, the package would go overland and then by ship taking 2 - 3 weeks, so I'm guessing that is the Canada Post option that you're seeing again?

I'd probably choose UPS again.
 
Last edited:
jellodog said:
During the pandemic, DHL was the only option to Canada. So I've only used that in the last couple years. UPS is shipped air freight and takes only 3 days or so to get here (when ordered within German business hours). However, I've not ordered anything from Thomann since February.

I wrote to them at that time and asked if there would be any cheaper options in future, and IIRC, they said that they'd offer cheaper options again soon; but that with the cheaper option, the package would go overland and then by ship taking 2 - 3 weeks, so I'm guessing that is the Canada Post option that you're seeing again?

I'd probably choose UPS again.
Click to expand...

Thanks, much appreciated.

Does UPS charge brokerage fees, etc?

(I’m getting dangerously close to ordering the SD PS 700… haha)
 
TubeStack said:
Does UPS charge brokerage fees, etc?
Click to expand...

They do, but it's not too bad and usually it's still worth it. Case in point, I ordered an H&K Stompman back in April of this year (I only just remembered this) and the UPS brokerage fees look to have been $11.50 CAD. The rest of the charges were for Quebec sales tax, which I would have had to have paid a local store anyway.

I have attached an excerpt of my import fees for the Stompman for you to examine.

Now, of course the tariffs and duties can vary depending upon the class of the imported product, as well as its source country of manufacture. I believe that the SD Power Stage will fall into the same product class as the Stompman.

Note: I bought the Stompman the week it was released and it wasn't at that time available in Canada. I don't recall if it would have been technically cheaper at that time. Probably not much difference.

stompman duties ups.png
 
Last edited:
jellodog said:
They do, but it's not too bad and usually it's still worth it. Case in point, I ordered an H&K Stompman back in April of this year (I only just remembered this) and the UPS brokerage fees look to have been $11.50 CAD. The rest of the charges were for Quebec sales tax, which I would have had to have paid a local store anyway.

I have attached an excerpt of my import fees for the Stompman for you to examine.

Now, of course the tariffs and duties can vary depending upon the class of the imported product, as well as its source country of manufacture. I believe that the Power Stage will fall into the same product class as the Stompman.

Note: I bought the Stompman the week it was released and it wasn't at that time available in Canada. I don't recall if it would have been technically cheaper at that time. Probably not much difference.

View attachment 2609
Click to expand...


Thanks, I really appreciate all this info! :beer

(and sorry for the thread derail)
 
jellodog said:
UPDATE

Short version: I spent an evening playing through monitors rather than Power amp + Cab. I rediscovered just how good my Neumann monitors are, and yes I had the FM3 + IRs sounding pretty damn nice and I was happy. 😄

One thing that I think is important to mention here is that your comments and attempts to help really did have a positive effect on me. So even though I started the thread asking about power amp advice and stating that I didn't like IRs and "FRFR", some of you said "why not just play through a good set of monitors?". I made an effort to really listen to what you guys were saying and took an opportunity to think about that deeply and to have taken a good long look inside myself.

As I have said, I think that I became too obsessive about getting that Amp where I'm at thing "perfect" and it has become a kind of madness. At that point of madness it is essential to have the relatively impartial reflections of other people to bring some balance back into the picture. Also, my ears have been tired recently and I think the cabs are just too loud for me in a home environment.

I hadn't used IRs and studio monitors for at least 2 or 3 months. So why, am I suddenly enjoying the modeller through flat monitors? Here are my theories:

  • Change of mental perspective: I decided to really try and embrace IRs and flat response, enjoy it and give my ears a rest from real cabs.
  • The stereo field of the cabs, reverbs, delays sounded glorious and made up for the loss of Amp In The Room mono punch.
  • I plugged my XLR cables from the FM3 straight into the monitors and bypassed the mixer - it's a fairly decent Mackie mixer, but there are always subtle changes to a signal when you're not using pro level gear. So I was effectively "mainlining tone" from the FM3! Best I've ever heard them sound. Perhaps it was only a 2% difference in signal quality and clarity, but I felt (imagined?) it was there.
  • I've gotten better at dialing in the FM3. I've developed a lot more tricks & techniques when dialing in the FM3 with real cabs and I brought all that knowledge in to play when dialing it in for IRs. As you all know, there's a lot to learn in the Fractal world...
  • Maximising the signal for the converters. Careful gain staging, parallel FX, just a light touch of compression, subtle use of the Gain Enhancer, low EQ cuts in FX to avoid "mud", attention to Amp Block headroom and output levels.
  • The new 6.0 FM3 firmware has crossed a line and it's just better than ever before. Perhaps it was just that!
  • I avoided the IR rabbit hole. I have some great IRs and I decided to try only 3 of those and stick to that.
  • When you spend too much time playing on your own and not with a backing track or band, you can become stupidly obessessive about guitar tone.
I'm sure that none of this will be surprising to you, and you've read all of this before on gear forums. I just needed a reality check and a mental "reset". You guys have helped immensely with that.

Thank you all, my beautiful TGF therapists. 🙇‍♂️
Click to expand...


 
@la szum I just spent the evening doing it again! Man I love FM3 6.0 :cool:

Now that the snow has come, I _did_ still have my tube amp switched on - the hot tubes were adding a little warmth to the room :LOL:
 
Last edited:
I left my tube amp on for 5 days straight this week (fortunately, also on Standby, but still). :facepalm

Only discovered it last night. "Why is this kind of warm? Hmmm..... it's "On," and you haven't
played it since last Sunday."

Doh!

If we ever meet, please don't let me touch anything!!!! :rofl
 
la szum said:
My jewel light bulb burnt out, which is why I didn't notice it. :idea
Click to expand...
You know what? I’m such a terrible tweaker that won’t leave anything alone, that I recently swapped my amber jewel for an indigo one.

Didn’t like it after all. Swapped it back. Waste of money:facepalm
 
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