The FM9 is amazing for effects-only use

[Orvillain]

Does the FM9 have amp channel switching for physical amps?

Only if the amp supports midi. Otherwise you're gonna need a Voodoo Labs Control Switcher, it looks like.

 

[Baba]

Does the FM9 have amp channel switching for physical amps?

Only if the amp supports midi. Otherwise you're gonna need a Voodoo Labs Control Switcher, it looks like.

Helix Floor has that . . .

Man, do I have a serious problem with Fractal, lol.

 

[TubeStack]

Only if the amp supports midi. Otherwise you're gonna need a Voodoo Labs Control Switcher, it looks like.

Yes, I use a Suhr Micro MIDI, works great and is way smaller than the Voodoo. But it does require power and needing something like that stops the FM9 from being all-in-one with an amp, which is crappy for sure, and sends a “we don’t really care about you... just use our damn amp modeling” message to amp users….

 

[TubeStack]

Helix Floor has that . . .

Man, do I have a serious problem with Fractal, lol.

Yes the Helix does, which is cool and I love that they cater to amp users too, totally different vibe than Fractal, but it also hums like crazy with a lot of amps (as does the HXFX). It was unusable with my Electra Dyne until I snipped the ground on one end of the TRS cable, which was a pain and ultimately led to me just using the Suhr Micro Midi anyway.

 

[Orvillain]

Yes the Helix does, which is cool and I love that they cater to amp users too, totally different vibe than Fractal, but it also hums like crazy with a lot of amps (as does the HXFX). It was unusable with my Electra Dyne until I snipped the ground on one end of the TRS cable, which was a pain and ultimately led to me just using the Suhr Micro Midi anyway.

TBH, that's common ground loop type stuff. Not specific to Helix.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Yes the Helix does, which is cool and I love that they cater to amp users too, totally different vibe than Fractal, but it also hums like crazy with a lot of amps (as does the HXFX). It was unusable with my Electra Dyne until I snipped the ground on one end of the TRS cable, which was a pain and ultimately led to me just using the Suhr Micro Midi anyway.

I'm thinking about getting another TRS cable and doing this. Just snipping an end you say?

 

[TubeStack]

I'm thinking about getting another TRS cable and doing this. Just snipping an end you say?

Yes, lift/snip the ground on the Helix end of the TRS cable. It’s the un-insulated one.

Here’s a related thread from the other place.

 

[laxu]

The FM9 also sounds a bit better than the FM3 in 4CM as well. I think they put in better converters because it’s really top notch.

Never really noticed any real difference between using my FM3 like that vs Axe-Fx 3. It's all good to me!

As for the Helix amp switcher, it's a convenience but is not going to work for anything more complex than a simple channel switch. If you ask me, anything with more than one or two switchable functions should be MIDI controllable. There's no excuse for anything less.

 

[Elric]

Never really noticed any real difference between using my FM3 like that vs Axe-Fx 3. It's all good to me!

Same... I don't doubt that there is likely some valid technical reason the 9 may have better I/O for 4CM, but I am using the FM3 in 4CM with two different amps pretty regularly. I would suspect the difference would be lost on me; since like laxu, I've heard no issues and I have a 3 for direct comparison. I can definitely see digging the big DSP jump on the 9 but the current gen of FAS stuff just slays for FX use.

As mentioned Line 6 is killer too.

I don't want a rig that can't 4CM.