Want to add a recording tool, PS2A for my many tube amps...FM3...HX Stomp...decisions decisions - Opinions Please

[Riffraff]

I have a big birthday coming up in May and naturally I want to use that to justify another new gear purchase.

I never play out anymore. I have way too much shit on my plate with my job & home life so I'm recording and swapping tracks with other players via social media jam websites to collaborate on tunes for the fun of it. I typically have an hour to 90 minutes of free time for this early in the morning and that's it.

When using a tube amp I connect to either a THD Hot Plate or Mass 100, run the line out to my interface and use cab IR's & effects plugins. I've been pretty happy with that but there are a couple of issues. My Hot Plate is obviously single impedance so I tend to use the Mass a lot more because of the variety of amps I have. The Mass can't quite handle my Bassman when doing full attenuation. I installed a variable bias mod in it and biased it for 5881's but it's still a hair too much for the Mass if I really push it.

My first thought is ditch my existing attenuators and get the Power Station I've always wanted...probably the PS2A. It would be an awesome addition that would solve my current attenuator issues and give me the ability to use any amp in my collection, even the really quirky vintage amps if I want to in a jam session with friends (which almost never happens). But does it do enough for me? Fixing a problem isn't as exciting as other options.

It's a bit time consuming to break out an amp, connect everything, dial it in with a cab IR and then get to work. I've never been a modeling guy but they are light years better these days and honestly seem to be the best solution for my time shortage issue and could provide a boat load fun.

I don't really have a budget limit but I also don't need to grossly overspend on my dorky web jam & Youtube page habit either. I'm considering the Fractal FM3 or the HX Stomp.

Give me some opinions on this bros.

 

[Foxmeister]

I don't really have a budget restraint but I also don't need to grossly overspend on my dorky web jam habit either. I'm considering the Fractal FM3 or the HX Stomp.

Having owned both of these units, I sold the FM3 and still have my HX Stomp because, for my purposes, I don't think the FM3 sounded "better" to my ears and was harder to get to grips with vis-a-vis the on-unit UI, though the editor is great.

The FM3 has significantly more amps and effects than the Helix/HX units and offers much more tweakability, but it is also considerably more expensive than an HX Stomp.

If I were you, I'd check out the trial of Helix Native to see how you get along with Helix/HX tones and workflow, and if you feel it is lacking, get the FM3. Otherwise, get an HX Stomp because they really are great little pedals and can do everything you want it to do.

Also, if you are prepared to spend FM3-type money, you should probably look at the Boss Waza Tube Expander because it does do quite a bit more than the Fryette (in my opinion).

 

[the-trooper]

Also, if you are prepared to spend FM3-type money, you should probably look at...

... Helix LT.

 

[Riffraff]

Having owned both of these units, I sold the FM3 and still have my HX Stomp because, for my purposes, I don't think the FM3 sounded "better" to my ears and was harder to get to grips with vis-a-vis the on-unit UI, though the editor is great.

The FM3 has significantly more amps and effects than the Helix/HX units and offers much more tweakability, but it is also considerably more expensive than an HX Stomp.

If I were you, I'd check out the trial of Helix Native to see how you get along with Helix/HX tones and workflow, and if you feel it is lacking, get the FM3. Otherwise, get an HX Stomp because they really are great little pedals and can do everything you want it to do.

Also, if you are prepared to spend FM3-type money, you should probably look at the Boss Waza Tube Expander because it does do quite a bit more than the Fryette (in my opinion).

Thanks for the suggestion of demoing the trial of Helix Native to see if I like Helix. Excellent suggestion.

The FM3 looks great on paper but if it has a really steep learning curve and is a PITA to work with I may never use all that extra horse power. I don't want to spend my limited playing for a couple of weeks reading a manual. On the other hand if the FM3 kind of intuitive and there are a lot of how to videos on the web the learning curve may not be too bad.

I think I will try Native to see what Helix is like. Thanks bro.

 

[Riffraff]

... Helix LT.

The reason I thought of the HX Stomp is because I would use it on my desk top. It's an awesome size for that.

The FM3 is quite a bit bigger but not enormous so I could still use it on my desk. It's not like I need to switch settings while recording, just when I'm recording different tracks.

The Helix LT looks great too but it's quite large. Too large for the way I intend to us it.

 

[Foxmeister]

On the other hand if the FM3 kind of intuitive and there are a lot of how to videos on the web the learning curve may not be too bad.

You do eventually get used to the onboard UI, which can certainly be "challenging", at least initially, but if you are using it on your desk, you're more likely to be using the editor most of the time anyway.

 

[Whizzinby]

Love my PS100. Great piece of utility kit. It’s not a sexy purchase, but it gives your rig a tremendous amount of flexibility, and as an attenuator I cant tell a difference at all when volume matched.

 

[laxu]

It's a bit time consuming to break out an amp, connect everything, dial it in with a cab IR and then get to work. I've never been a modeling guy but they are light years better these days and honestly seem to be the best solution for my time shortage issue and could provide a boat load fun.

That's pretty much exactly why I no longer own much in the way of real amps. It got annoying swapping cables around to switch amps and so on.

If all you want to do is record, then it's just plain easier to use a good digital modeler. You are likely to be using the editor software for your setup most of the time so I would recommend the Fractal FM3. Fractal's editor is the best in the business and will let you get faster to the recording part.

 

[Riffraff]

You do eventually get used to the onboard UI, which can certainly be "challenging", at least initially, but if you are using it on your desk, you're more likely to be using the editor most of the time anyway.

Good point. I probably will.

Love my PS100. Great piece of utility kit. It’s not a sexy purchase, but it gives your rig a tremendous amount of flexibility, and as an attenuator I cant tell a difference at all when volume matched.

Yeah, I've wanted one since the PS1 came out but I've had attenuators since the early 2000's and couldn't justify dropping $1k on something I already had covered even though they are not even close to the same class. I used to use my Hot Plate with a '93 1959SLP and ran the line out to a Mos Valve power amp so I could control the ridiculous volume of that amp and add my time based effects pedals between the the HP and MosValve. I looked at it like I already had what a Power Station would give me but in a big awkward mess of stuff that needed to be interconnected.

I have a nice collection of vintage tube amps I'm never going to sell so I have to have get something that works well with all of them regardless. I'll sell the Hot Plate, Mass100 and a Delta Blues 115 I never use and buy a Power Station so the birthday purchase can be for something fun and not a utility purchase.

That's pretty much exactly why I no longer own much in the way of real amps. It got annoying swapping cables around to switch amps and so on.

If all you want to do is record, then it's just plain easier to use a good digital modeler. You are likely to be using the editor software for your setup most of the time so I would recommend the Fractal FM3. Fractal's editor is the best in the business and will let you get faster to the recording part.

The Fractal stuff does peak my interest big time and the editing software should remove the button mashing pain. In a money is no object situation (which honestly this is because we are only talking about a $500 difference) the FM3 wins.

 

[JT]

I just listed my Stomp if you want to give it a go, Riff \m/

 

[Foxmeister]

I just listed my Stomp if you want to give it a go, Riff \m/

Never sell the Stomp!

 

[JT]

Never sell the Stomp!

View attachment 5641

I know. Mk VII fund is the destination!

 

[Foxmeister]

I know. Mk VII fund is the destination!

 

[JT]

View attachment 5642

Probably in racktown, next time.

 

[Foxmeister]

Probably in racktown, next time.

You in three months!

 

[JT]

You in three months!

View attachment 5643

I don't doubt it. I'm missing it already

 

[Riffraff]

I just listed my Stomp if you want to give it a go, Riff \m/

It's tempting JT but I'm leaning towards the FM3 at the moment.

I plan on downloading the Native trial to check out some toanz and the workflow though. Maybe I'll like Helix land. They've come a long way since kidney bean 2.0 (which I hated).

I just need to migrate all of my stuff from my crappy desktop to my a spare laptop before it goes nuclear.

I tried adding some RAM to it this morning and that didn't go so well. I knocked the heat sink off of the CPU and had to substitute diaper rash cream for the thermal grease.

Had a hell of a time trying to clean the old dried up residue off first. Oh well...it's zinc oxide just like the thermal grease so it should hold up at least long enough for me to get my shit out of it.

 

[JT]

It's tempting JT but I'm leaning towards the FM3 at the moment.

I plan on downloading the Native trial to check out some toanz and the workflow though. Maybe I'll like Helix land. They've come a long way since kidney bean 2.0 (which I hated).

I just need to migrate all of my stuff from my crappy desktop to my a spare laptop before it goes nuclear.

I tried adding some RAM to it this morning and that didn't go so well. I knocked the heat sink off of the CPU and had to substitute diaper rash cream for the thermal grease.

Had a hell of a time trying to clean the old dried up residue off first. Oh well...it's zinc oxide just like the thermal grease so it should hold up at least long enough for me to get my s**t out of it.

I don't know which reaction to use on this post

FM is for me much more plug and play, as far as amp tones go. Stomp is a bit easier to dive into, editing on unit. FWIW; Native to me is NOT a good barometer for how much you will or won't like Helix. Interface and input levels are HUGELY important with Native and that in turn can lead to some "false" perceptions on how much a person will or will not like the Helix hardware. IMO, at least. Good luck with the computer and diaper rash cream

 

[Baba]

Man, I was all ready to suggest the PS, but I think these guys are correct, might be a better, easier, quicker, cleaner option to have a modeling unit all plugged in, use the editor and have at it.

 

[Byrdman]

I'm not experienced with Stomp or FM3, but you may want to check out Tonex before you pull the trigger on something. I have been playing around with it for a few days and there are a lot of good, and free, tones out there to try. You can DL their free Tonex CS and that gives you 20 freebies from Tonex and you can DL 20 more from Tone.net.

If that doesnt scratch the itch, you can always get their capture hardware and make captures of all your tube amps. Then share them with all of us