Fractal FM3

Started by admin, April 23, 2019, 11:51:57 AM

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aptfx

Quote from: Headless68 on April 27, 2022, 02:53:15 AM
Not had the MG but what you can expect from FM3 .....
top class amp and effects sounds - in my opinion better than anything out there (in 2022 ) inc the Quad Cortex

Its so difficult to get a picture about that without trying it for yourself. I do know Helix (Stomp) and was not that impressed in comparison to the MG-30. If one follows thegearpage one often can see the fights between Fractal and Helix users with the latter arguing, that the Helix is equally good but has better UI and the former saying that Fractal is much much better. So I'm personally somewhat prepared for either being WOWed or underwhelmed when trying the FM3. Thats one con about the Fractal stuff, that its not that easy to just try them out.

In regard to the UI - I've seen a lot of videos and therefore have got an impression on how it works. Yes its a bit fiddly on the unit and the UI is definitely a bit complex - but nothing of that is something I feel as a problem for me. I actually don't like the Helix UI either - so its not that I would miss that. The MG-30 UI (device and/or Editor) are really simple and quick. Part of this is of course because it just has much less options. Thats one of the reasons I will definitely keep it. With the price of a FM3 it wouldn't make much sense to me to use the money I would get for the MG-30 to compensate that - its just a small fraction anyway. I'm also curious about comparing those two to see where modeling is today compared between top notch and low budget.

Headless68

I was not a fan of the Helix amp tones (great UI though)
The Quad Cortex will get upto Fractals level but they are a few years of development away

In terms of 'how much difference does it make' - that is very subjective & the higher you go cost wise the differences are smaller and smaller (but are there).  If what you have now makes you happy and sounds good then it is good, which is why Im back to a 2007 VG99 and not using a QC or FM3 right now

Paresh

I don't have the MG30 but I posted this a while back in general discussion:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=34124.msg252433#msg252433


paresh

gumtown

#103
Quote from: aptfx on April 27, 2022, 04:31:21 AM
Its so difficult to get a picture about that without trying it for yourself. I do know Helix (Stomp) and was not that impressed in comparison to the MG-30. If one follows thegearpage one often can see the fights between Fractal and Helix users with the latter arguing, that the Helix is equally good but has better UI and the former saying that Fractal is much much better. So I'm personally somewhat prepared for either being WOWed or underwhelmed when trying the FM3. Thats one con about the Fractal stuff, that its not that easy to just try them out.

Any comments on the Gear Page should be taken with a grain of salt,
a lot of Line 6 fan boys there who will argue the Helix is better than anything else, even if they haven't tried anything else.
There is also a culture there where any other product will get dumped on by those same critics.

I had the Helix Lt and did like the user interface (after a little while of getting used to it), but the amp modeling and effects (or just the total sound) seemed rather 2 dimensional to me, and didn't feel right with the dynamics.
I prefer the current series of modeling tones from Boss, I think the new GX-100 (not tried one but have the SY-1000 with similar tonal features) is a Helix killer.

Not tried the Fractal stuff yet, was going to get an FM3 once (was on "the list"), but realized it was very limited in the signal chain stack (DSP limit), although Youtube demos seem quite impressive in tone, an MP4 compressed video recording can't compare to the real thing in your hands.
So for the FM3, it is going to come down to whether the chain/DSP limit is a compromise you can accept, or go for the FM9.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

whippinpost91850

I have tried all the big Daddies, Helix, FM3, Gt1000, Quad Cortex.
I'm stickin with my Kemper. The amp sounds are great and the effects, though a little more limited, are superb!
Along with my GR55 I can cover most anything

Headless68

not that anyone will probably care :-) ....
I acquired another FM3 off the back of (honestly) missing the amps and advanced effects - given Fractal have continued to advance FM3 CPU optimisation and much more is now possible within the processing power available.


(I have not dropped VG99 though :-)