It's wild that I just bought my FM9 Mark II and have just been in total awe since it showed up. The fact that these updates roll through is nuts. I can't imagine this thing ever sounding dated or old.
Making me relive my sonic adventure 2 says with that Friedman demo. Nice comparison! I'm deciding between an fm9 and a qc now and your videos have been helping
After I installed beta for axe fx 3, I instantly felt that high end frequency content is way more pleasant. Sounds more organic. Also has that 3d feel to it like you said. And honestly that’s what I’ve been missing in fractal audio compare with other modelers. Now it fixed! Also we have grapples switching on all the fractal units🤯 in was thinking on switching but now I am convinced to stay in fractal ecosystems. I think updates are awesome!
Fractal really are the gift that keeps giving. Gonna load this up on my FM3 tonight. Subtle, no doubt, but it feels like there's more separation in the notes.
great vid! AxeFx is one of those modelers that is relentlessly pushing out updates. I dig that a lot. It shows commitment and dedication to the product and the users. Definitely sutle, but there were some changes. More clarity or separation of notes, etc. later
Solid comparison! I feel like the update is subtle but seems overall a bit cleaner and lower gain. It seems to sound a bit smoother overall which would require a bit less tweaking. I love the kill dry feature too.
The amps sounds a bit darker to me than before with the new update. I think maybe they figured out how to get a little bit more warmness or low end with the amps.
Yeah man I feel the same way I threw the beta on mine over the weekend. I mostly stuck with the fender twin, hi watt clean, and the Diezel VH4 blue. It's a lot more percussive and there's a lot more note clarity but it does seem a little cleaner too
That’s the main issue I had with my AxefxIII, you spend time dialing up some tones and they change a virtual bright cap or something, impedance or anything and your sound is ruined. It’s not a technological upgrade but more refinements they market as « new revolution ». That’s why you’ll get the same sound from kemper/Tonex/NAM modeler plugin for decades and build around it
That’s the double edge sword on updates. Always afraid that the update will change presets that you’ve taken a lot of time to make. The updates are almost always an overall improvement, but you have to go through all your presets and at least check and adjust volume levels. I use around 25 presets for a cover band with multiple scenes each, so that’s a lot of work.
I’m just now seeing this 3 weeks after this video was uploaded. I know the Marshalls are more aggressive. 2203 hi with everything on 6 is tough to beat for me.
You're right. It's really hard to explain between the X2 vs. X3. Your explanation is pretty damn good to me. I'm not sure if these "new-comer" players (or someone have only played modeler Pedals to another Pedal), he might not really understand. They might think it's just darker. Lol. I've only been using my FM9 in the last 9 months and I can really hear the difference using X-3. This current Update Cygnus is what I've been wanting to get that real sound since I started playing guitar in the 80s. Now, Fractal did it. What was lacking is now here. What a great company.
I’d be really disappointed if an update changed my hard work programming. Except, of course, if every one of them sounded better, which is the way I’m hearing it.
Why do you people have amps behind you when the unit works only with "laptop speakers" very frustrated how my Fm9 sounds through my tube amp...are you using an FRFR speaker or straight to the computer? I can't undertand how people gig with this thing live...
My amps are separate from the demo. If you're running an FM9 amp model through a tube power amp, you have to disable both the power amp and cab sim in the unit, and only feed the FM9 preamp into the FX Return of the amp. You can also run 4CM but that's a bit more. Either way, at that point, the FM9 is basically a pedalboard for your tube amp, but with the digital preamp instead of your tube preamp (you'll still be using the tube power amp of whatever your tube amp is)
What do you think compared to quad cortex for amp sound and feel now? Noise and lack effects on QC has me tempted to go back to Fractal land 🙂. Amp feel is really good on the QC though and ease of use.
I feel like most amp models in the QC have a mushier feel when playing. Not a bad thing, but different amps should feel different when playing. Fractal amps feel stiffer on average but there are also definitely intentionally mushy models too.
Thanks, great review. I just updated the firmware of my FM9 Turbo yesterday and you can hear / feel the improvement. Have you also updated the cabs and do you have a review about this too? Just a question, when you update the firmware, will it also update the cabs in the same process? I say the option to update both the firmware and the cabs in the same window, but after the firmware has been update (you have to turn the FM9 off for 5 seconds and turn it back on), I don't seen the option to update the cabs.
To me, there's really only 60 or 70 amps overall. Fractal will create the same amp for each:25w, 50w, and 100w (i.e., wah, Chorus, Delay, phaser, etc.) Then, it just added up to 340+ amps.. After awhile, I started noticed that the same amps didn't really changed. Lol.😅
I'm playing it because the feel of the amps did change. Rarely will I re amp for comparisons because how something feels will change how I play, and I'd want that reflected in the comparison :) I do use a metronome to make sure the timing is right.
Wait till this guy hears about how many revisions tube amps have gone through. I guess no manufacturer who updates their product can “get it right”. wanker.
Just an update because I posted this not knowing: as of TODAY this update is out of beta for FM9 / Axe-FX III, and in beta for FM3!
Cool video man! I still need to try the new update...
Hope it improves that gate issue for ya!
It's wild that I just bought my FM9 Mark II and have just been in total awe since it showed up. The fact that these updates roll through is nuts. I can't imagine this thing ever sounding dated or old.
Making me relive my sonic adventure 2 says with that Friedman demo. Nice comparison! I'm deciding between an fm9 and a qc now and your videos have been helping
After I installed beta for axe fx 3, I instantly felt that high end frequency content is way more pleasant. Sounds more organic. Also has that 3d feel to it like you said. And honestly that’s what I’ve been missing in fractal audio compare with other modelers. Now it fixed! Also we have grapples switching on all the fractal units🤯 in was thinking on switching but now I am convinced to stay in fractal ecosystems. I think updates are awesome!
Fractal really are the gift that keeps giving. Gonna load this up on my FM3 tonight. Subtle, no doubt, but it feels like there's more separation in the notes.
I definitely noticed the note separation. Super difficult for digital models (modeler or plugin) to do that, especially for mid-gain tones.
This is a great video! Great work putting this together.
Thanks!
great vid! AxeFx is one of those modelers that is relentlessly pushing out updates. I dig that a lot. It shows commitment and dedication to the product and the users.
Definitely sutle, but there were some changes. More clarity or separation of notes, etc.
later
I agree, their updates have a feeling of passion project to them.
in my opinion, fractal is improving those senseless highs that modelers have. an improvement!
Solid comparison! I feel like the update is subtle but seems overall a bit cleaner and lower gain. It seems to sound a bit smoother overall which would require a bit less tweaking. I love the kill dry feature too.
The amps sounds a bit darker to me than before with the new update. I think maybe they figured out how to get a little bit more warmness or low end with the amps.
Seems to overall reduce some of that high mid content the Fractal had compared to other modelers. Nice.
Definitely less congested in that range now!
Yeah man I feel the same way I threw the beta on mine over the weekend. I mostly stuck with the fender twin, hi watt clean, and the Diezel VH4 blue. It's a lot more percussive and there's a lot more note clarity but it does seem a little cleaner too
0:13 That's how I normally hear it pronounced.
That’s the main issue I had with my AxefxIII, you spend time dialing up some tones and they change a virtual bright cap or something, impedance or anything and your sound is ruined. It’s not a technological upgrade but more refinements they market as « new revolution ».
That’s why you’ll get the same sound from kemper/Tonex/NAM modeler plugin for decades and build around it
That’s the double edge sword on updates. Always afraid that the update will change presets that you’ve taken a lot of time to make. The updates are almost always an overall improvement, but you have to go through all your presets and at least check and adjust volume levels. I use around 25 presets for a cover band with multiple scenes each, so that’s a lot of work.
I’m just now seeing this 3 weeks after this video was uploaded. I know the Marshalls are more aggressive. 2203 hi with everything on 6 is tough to beat for me.
You're right. It's really hard to explain between the X2 vs. X3. Your explanation is pretty damn good to me. I'm not sure if these "new-comer" players (or someone have only played modeler Pedals to another Pedal), he might not really understand. They might think it's just darker. Lol. I've only been using my FM9 in the last 9 months and I can really hear the difference using X-3. This current Update Cygnus is what I've been wanting to get that real sound since I started playing guitar in the 80s. Now, Fractal did it. What was lacking is now here. What a great company.
When you played the high-gain example, I swear I heard Unlucky Morpheus "Black Death Mansion Murders". 😳
Not too far off, Black Pentagram is still one of my favorite tracks from them 😉
@@TheGooseChaseMusic I was close! I like UM, but Lovebites is my favorite.
I’d be really disappointed if an update changed my hard work programming. Except, of course, if every one of them sounded better, which is the way I’m hearing it.
Why do you people have amps behind you when the unit works only with "laptop speakers" very frustrated how my Fm9 sounds through my tube amp...are you using an FRFR speaker or straight to the computer? I can't undertand how people gig with this thing live...
My amps are separate from the demo. If you're running an FM9 amp model through a tube power amp, you have to disable both the power amp and cab sim in the unit, and only feed the FM9 preamp into the FX Return of the amp. You can also run 4CM but that's a bit more.
Either way, at that point, the FM9 is basically a pedalboard for your tube amp, but with the digital preamp instead of your tube preamp (you'll still be using the tube power amp of whatever your tube amp is)
What do you think compared to quad cortex for amp sound and feel now? Noise and lack effects on QC has me tempted to go back to Fractal land 🙂. Amp feel is really good on the QC though and ease of use.
I feel like most amp models in the QC have a mushier feel when playing. Not a bad thing, but different amps should feel different when playing. Fractal amps feel stiffer on average but there are also definitely intentionally mushy models too.
Thanks, great review. I just updated the firmware of my FM9 Turbo yesterday and you can hear / feel the improvement. Have you also updated the cabs and do you have a review about this too? Just a question, when you update the firmware, will it also update the cabs in the same process? I say the option to update both the firmware and the cabs in the same window, but after the firmware has been update (you have to turn the FM9 off for 5 seconds and turn it back on), I don't seen the option to update the cabs.
I updated the Dyna cabs a few betas ago, there hasn't been a new one since version 5 i believe.
The Sound is much Tighter, clearer. I wonder how they are able to change something like 300 amps. in a unit. A. I.???
To me, there's really only 60 or 70 amps overall. Fractal will create the same amp for each:25w, 50w, and 100w (i.e., wah, Chorus, Delay, phaser, etc.) Then, it just added up to 340+ amps.. After awhile, I started noticed that the same amps didn't really changed. Lol.😅
pizza indeed
who wouldn't :)
Hi, are you re amping the same part or are you actually playing it twice for each comparison?
I'm playing it because the feel of the amps did change. Rarely will I re amp for comparisons because how something feels will change how I play, and I'd want that reflected in the comparison :) I do use a metronome to make sure the timing is right.
How did you recorded Fm9?
X-3 sounds brighter on the top. At least on the first two sounds
It's really subtle. Imperceptible on my presets. Sounds good, though. Just as good as it did before.
After all these years and the Kemper still sounds better than the Fractal in a live situation.
😆
Not really.
Fractal can't make it right the first time? "OMG it sounds more real-er now!" - every Fractal fanboy.
As someone who has owned a QC, FM9, Helix, Boss, etc., no modeler company has made it right the first time.
Wait till this guy hears about how many revisions tube amps have gone through.
I guess no manufacturer who updates their product can “get it right”. wanker.
Bedtime little boy.
@@jconner3891 lmaao
@@wabisabi7399❤️❤️❤️💯