The Fractal FM3 Sucks (Kind of)

[unix-guy]

Make 2 versions and see the cash pile to the moon. The one you're doing right now for the dorks. Another version that sounds the same but is easy to use like a helix.

Do you have a Fractal? Have you used a Fractal?

Why does everyone keep trying to tell Fractal how they can make more money? Last I checked, they aren't asking anyone for input on that and they are selling units as fast (sometimes faster) than they can make them! Not all companies are only in it for the money...

 

[unix-guy]

How much of this would be addressed if there was robust MIDI support?

(FM0 with expansive MIDI is the future I dream of....)

There is already robust midi support...

 

[Orvillain]

Do you have a Fractal? Have you used a Fractal?

Why does everyone keep trying to tell Fractal how they can make more money? Last I checked, they aren't asking anyone for input on that and they are selling units as fast (sometimes faster) than they can make them! Not all companies are only in it for the money...

Ohhh yeah... those Fractal communists are practically giving stuff away!!!

 

[Frodebro]

Ohhh yeah... those Fractal communists are practically giving stuff away!!!

Such as every single firmware update…

 

[Orvillain]

Such as every single firmware update…

Which you pay for when you lay down £2,699.00 !!!

 

[Mongillo19]

Such as every single firmware update…

I think the point is you'd be foolish to assume that money isn't the main driving factor behind any business. Yes, you can tell Cliff is very passionate about his job, but to make it seem like fractal is some charity agency operating solely on passion is laughable.

Both can be true, Cliff appears to like his job and is able to a profit on it. Kudos to him. But fractal's flagship is the most expensive of all digital gear.

 

[unix-guy]

Ohhh yeah... those Fractal communists are practically giving stuff away!!!

Just because something is expensive doesn't mean that the company who makes it is primarily concerned with how to make mountains of money.

Maybe compare the cost of an Axe Fx III to a SINGLE analog rig you would use it to replace... I think you'll find a great value proposition

 

[Frodebro]

Just because something is expensive doesn't mean that the company who makes it is primarily concerned with how to make mountains of money.

Maybe compare the cost of an Axe Fx III to a SINGLE analog rig you would use it to replace... I think you'll find a great value proposition

There’s a Dumble model in there…. And a Klon…

 

[duzie]

Wasn’t this thread about the FM3

 

[Frodebro]

Wasn’t this thread about the FM3

It’s not expensive enough to warrant this particular derail, so the goal posts needed to be moved.

 

[TubeStack]

Wasn’t this thread about the FM3

Yeah, and how it sucks!

 

[Orvillain]

Just because something is expensive doesn't mean that the company who makes it is primarily concerned with how to make mountains of money.

Maybe compare the cost of an Axe Fx III to a SINGLE analog rig you would use it to replace... I think you'll find a great value proposition

No one said they were primarily concerned with how to make mountains of money. You've moving the goalposts.

@sleewell wasn't making a point about revenue generation. He was making a point about making a product for the people who want all the tweaking and depth that the Axe stuff currently has, and a hypothetical other product for the n00bs and the instant gratification crowd.

For what it is worth, and trying to get back to the topic of the thread.... I'm a big Axe FX III fan, and I think it shits all over the Kemper and QC. If I was to pick a device purely for workflow though, it wouldn't be the Axe FX III - it would be the Helix. Which is why I own both!!

 

[unix-guy]

If Cliff really wanted to make a giant pile of money, I'm sure he'd have no problem in selling his intellectual property to one of the giant MI companies.

Then all the UI whiners could get a touch screen and finally be happy

 

[Orvillain]

If Cliff really wanted to make a giant pile of money, I'm sure he'd have no problem in selling his intellectual property to one of the giant MI companies.

Then all the UI whiners could get a touch screen and finally be happy

See, this is a prime example of binary thinking. Just because he wants to make a giant pile of money (in theory) doesn't mean he wants to sell his soul to the highest bidder.

And a touchscreen is not what people want either.

Honestly, is this what you do?? Just hunt for Fractal topics you disagree with and then stick the boot in? You've done it quite a few times to me over on the Fractal forums in recent months. It is annoying. Maybe at least TRY to understand where other people are coming from?!

 

[Orvillain]

I use mine for all gigs with 8 scenes, tap tempo and tuner available without flipping through pages of stuff. You have to add your frequently-used settings to Performance View. That's what makes everything easy during a gig. It's super easy and makes a huge difference during gigs!

OP wasn't at a gig. He was at a rehearsal. It sounded like he wanted to craft a completely new tone to me, perhaps from scratch, because inspiration struck him.

It happened to me last weekend, which is why I've been primarily concerned with getting my G3 board up and running since then. Because the experience from a "I'm not playing songs, I'm hunting for ideas" live rehearsal improv+jam+writing perspective, was not a fun one.

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[TubeStack]

Again, not saying there's no room for improvement, but it's pretty surprising how resistant to learning a piece of equipment people are. So much so that people spend hundreds of dollars on presets.

Personally, I actually enjoy learning how to use them.

I think it’s why I’ve bought and tried all the big ones, in some ways I like the learning process with each one. It’s like a nerdy music-related hobby.

But I also get that it can stifle creativity in the moment if the particular system is bumpy/un-intuitive.

 

[Orvillain]

Is crafting a new tone from scratch really a great idea in that situation, with any of the modelers? I'd rather just use a pedalboard and an amp in that case, if I'm looking for spontaneity.

DING DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER JOHNNY!!

... now. Ask yourself... why is it perhaps not a great idea with any of the modellers?

I'm not resistant to learning the Axe III. I have. In spades. Most things I know how to do from the front panel. It just isn't that fun, spontaneous, nor inspiring.

 

[Achilles]

He was making a point about making a product for the people who want all the tweaking and depth that the Axe stuff currently has, and a hypothetical other product for the n00bs and the instant gratification crowd.

Here's that vibe again. It's either the AXEIII with it's current archaic controls or it's Fractal making a toy version for all the stupid folks out there.

Amazing how many of you express it that way when these discussions come up.

The idea is modernization of control navigation - not the dumbing down of it.

 

[Mongillo19]

DING DING DING DING!!! WE HAVE A WINNER JOHNNY!!

... now. Ask yourself... why is it perhaps not a great idea with any of the modellers?

I'm not resistant to learning the Axe III. I have. In spades. Most things I know how to do from the front panel. It just isn't that fun, spontaneous, nor inspiring.

To me the perfect combo is an amp in the box pedal (I love the idea of the Kemper player, tone x, etc) and then building a pedalboard around it. You get the pros of a variety of amp models but the fun of creativity with analog pedals.