Quad Cortex or Fractal FM3?

[budda]

I think part of it is the perceived need to tweak or to use 3rd party IRs? And people really think that today's Helix is the same as the release one. Same goes for the Kemper's effects. Both units have been vastly improved over time.

Cant speak for the out of the box experience on the Fractal stuff, but the QC is very easy to dial in.

No one has touched FAS update speed to date fwiw.

 

[DarthV]

No one has touched FAS update speed to date fwiw.

Definitely!

 

[laxu]

Oh they arent the same, no. But no one ever seems to mention that feature

Yeah the mic preamp emulation is a cool feature. I kind of wish it was available as a separate block or part of the Drive block or something.

 

[4Eyes]

I literally just slap my go-to IR in the cab block, pull up any amp, adjust the TMB to taste, and rip.

that's what I meant by bit of tweaking you have to have good sounding go-to IR

 

[laxu]

No one has touched FAS update speed to date fwiw.

It's just a different approach to updates.

Fractal is basically do a lot of smaller updates, partially end-user beta tested, often followed by rapid updates that fix bugs in the previous update. The FM3/FM9 are where you get slower updates but with less bugs and more features in one update. Personally I don't bother updating my Axe-Fx 3 with beta updates unless there's a feature I really want and even for "proper" releases I wait a day or two for any "xx.02", xx.03" bug fix release.

Line6 by comparison takes a long time to put out updates but they come with significant updates to many areas of the system and they are usually very well tested so there's less bugfix updates.

NeuralDSP is somewhere in between with new firmware about every few months with new features. Maybe a bugfix update in between.

 

[RevDrucifer]

Over a year after shipping the QC still isn’t at it’s advertised state. The recent blog post from Doug Castro, while expectedly blowing smoke up NDSP’s own ass, basically admitted they’ve got no fuckin’ clue when they’ll have the thing reach it’s advertised status.

And I’m not surprised. Doug’s other recent comments in regards to amp transformers and how “no one has taken the time to really understand them” only highlights what I suspected about him, he’s an ideas guy and has to rely on others to pull off whatever he writes down on a cocktail napkin. Just watch one episode of Tone Talk with Dave Friedman and any amp builder and you’ll hear more about transformers than you’d care to know. Fractal users can tweak transformers to their liking.

And now they need a ”boutique” power supply builder to custom make them power supplies for those who have the buzzing issue? GTFO.

 

[ShredmasterD]

after reading all these posts i keep going back and forth to the fractal website and drooling. i'm thinking the fm3 will sit perfectly on my desktop to replace the headrush gigboard i have been using ( just for writing, not final recording) . i do not care much at all for the gigboard high gain amps. i use outboard gear rather than plugin sims to save cpu. i have neuro's archtype pertucci and i hate to say it, but i dont like the amp sims either. if you dial back the noise gate and listen to what is actually being produced, its not pleasant at all. at first it was like ear candy but once that wears off...not so much. thats just my experience and opinion. other folks love it (archetype) and get great results but i'm thinking maybe the QC is not something for me after that. seriously leaning toward the fm 3 and signed up for the fm9 wait list

 

[broangiel]

that's what I meant by bit of tweaking you have to have good sounding go-to IR

My point was, the L6 requires more tweaking, IME, even with the same IR.

 

[laxu]

Over a year after shipping the QC still isn’t at it’s advertised state. The recent blog post from Doug Castro, while expectedly blowing smoke up NDSP’s own ass, basically admitted they’ve got no fuckin’ clue when they’ll have the thing reach it’s advertised status.

You see a very bleak outlook and I see challenges that are common in small software companies. Priorities shift and people need to work on stuff that is important but not visible to the end user so it seems like nothing is happening. I've been in this exact situation with the clients I work with.

Nobody could really see beforehand that component shortages would be this bad. In a no-COVID, no-Ukraine war situation I expect a lot of that stuff would be already out. If their latest blog post says they had to write new drivers and swap components to actually make the QC then that's a lot of work. NeuralDSP's business model for the QC relies on being able to ship the hardware and if due to the parts shortages they can't do that, then it means they will run out of money to pay their software developers eventually.

When the QC released I expected it would take them 1-2 years to get its features in good shape. It has taken longer than I expected for some of the key features they mention in the latest update like computer editor, plugin support and hybrid mode but still within my estimate. If the current featureset doesn't do it for you, then just wait or buy something else.

 

[profwoot]

I recently ordered a few pedals after getting sick of waiting for FM3/FM9/QC availability.

I had been leaning toward the QC since I don't plan to use the modeler at my computer (at least to start) and have heard repeatedly that the Fractal on-device interfaces are terrible.

Is there any word when any of these things is expected to be in stock? I imagine the next gen Fractal stuff with a hopefully-decent interface is several years out since they've barely made any of the current gen stuff?

 

[broangiel]

I recently ordered a few pedals after getting sick of waiting for FM3/FM9/QC availability.

I had been leaning toward the QC since I don't plan to use the modeler at my computer (at least to start) and have heard repeatedly that the Fractal on-device interfaces are terrible.

Is there any word when any of these things is expected to be in stock? I imagine the next gen Fractal stuff with a hopefully-decent interface is several years out since they've barely made any of the current gen stuff?

Are you not in the States? The FM3 is in stock.

 

[budda]

I recently ordered a few pedals after getting sick of waiting for FM3/FM9/QC availability.

I had been leaning toward the QC since I don't plan to use the modeler at my computer (at least to start) and have heard repeatedly that the Fractal on-device interfaces are terrible.

Is there any word when any of these things is expected to be in stock? I imagine the next gen Fractal stuff with a hopefully-decent interface is several years out since they've barely made any of the current gen stuff?

Fractal UI isnt terrible. It has room for improvement (see most of Laxu’s posts anywhere online) but it is definitely useable. I may be a rare bird in that i struggled with the line6 UI when i tested an hx stomp in store.

I suggest buying the fractal, reading the manual, watching the tutorials and experiencing it for yourself. If you dont like it after real experience, sell it on. P

 

[MFB]

I suggest buying the fractal, reading the manual, watching the tutorials and experiencing it for yourself. If you dont like it after real experience, sell it on. P

 

[laxu]

I may be a rare bird in that i struggled with the line6 UI when i tested an hx stomp in store.

Honestly the HX Stomp is probably the worst of the Helix products for onboard UI. Too few knobs, tiny screen. If Line6 made a small Helix with the full Helix UI that would be pretty nice to use.

Fractal works fine if you mostly stick to the editor software. It's ridiculous that they still haven't gotten out an update to the FM3/FM9 UI that gives you bigger fonts for the home screen views. It's kind of annoying to read on the floor whereas at least the Helix and QC are more visible. I don't know why onboard UI stuff seems to be massively hard for Fractal to implement even for things that are quite simple in terms of programming. Maybe whoever built it is no longer at the company and it's a total mess of spaghetti or something.

 

[ShredmasterD]

yeah....after spending the morning looking into the fm3 and QC, reading and watching vids...the GAS was strong. i bought the fm3. cant wait to use it

 

[RevDrucifer]

You see a very bleak outlook and I see challenges that are common in small software companies. Priorities shift and people need to work on stuff that is important but not visible to the end user so it seems like nothing is happening. I've been in this exact situation with the clients I work with.

Nobody could really see beforehand that component shortages would be this bad. In a no-COVID, no-Ukraine war situation I expect a lot of that stuff would be already out. If their latest blog post says they had to write new drivers and swap components to actually make the QC then that's a lot of work. NeuralDSP's business model for the QC relies on being able to ship the hardware and if due to the parts shortages they can't do that, then it means they will run out of money to pay their software developers eventually.

When the QC released I expected it would take them 1-2 years to get its features in good shape. It has taken longer than I expected for some of the key features they mention in the latest update like computer editor, plugin support and hybrid mode but still within my estimate. If the current featureset doesn't do it for you, then just wait or buy something else.

My outlook is bleak because NDSP/Doug had no problem raving about how amazing their product was before it started shipping and then promptly bailed as soon as it started shipping. It took over a year of people asking for some kind of timeline/communication before Doug wrote a blog post that, like I previously said, basically said “We dunno.” And that wasn’t non-owners, that was actual owners who finally got fed up enough of not hearing a word and started making noise about it.

They’ve done nothing to prove they can actually realize what they’re STILL advertising. They’ve outright lied (hybrid switching) and dodged communication for a year. Looking at their Discord and seeing how many units are getting sent back a week for a re-flash or so they can investigate the problem certainly gives the idea they’re still in beta mode with the thing.

Lastly, the way they handle customer complaints/questions is straight bullshit. They don’t communicate at ALL on their own forum and you’re not allowed to discuss the missing features on their Discord because they’ll ban you and delete your posts.

I didn’t set the goal posts, move them repeatedly then just say “Eh, fuck it, good enough. Start shipping, we’ll wait a year and communicate after we’ve gotten the money.” NDSP did that all on their own.

 

[ShredmasterD]

My outlook is bleak because NDSP/Doug had no problem raving about how amazing their product was before it started shipping and then promptly bailed as soon as it started shipping. It took over a year of people asking for some kind of timeline/communication before Doug wrote a blog post that, like I previously said, basically said “We dunno.” And that wasn’t non-owners, that was actual owners who finally got fed up enough of not hearing a word and started making noise about it.

They’ve done nothing to prove they can actually realize what they’re STILL advertising. They’ve outright lied (hybrid switching) and dodged communication for a year. Looking at their Discord and seeing how many units are getting sent back a week for a re-flash or so they can investigate the problem certainly gives the idea they’re still in beta mode with the thing.

Lastly, the way they handle customer complaints/questions is straight bullshit. They don’t communicate at ALL on their own forum and you’re not allowed to discuss the missing features on their Discord because they’ll ban you and delete your posts.

I didn’t set the goal posts, move them repeatedly then just say “Eh, fuck it, good enough. Start shipping, we’ll wait a year and communicate after we’ve gotten the money.” NDSP did that all on their own.

wow...glad i went with the fm3.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

FWIW as someone that's used both Fractal and Helix stuff... I like both. I can get equally good tones from both.

Honestly the HX Stomp is probably the worst of the Helix products for onboard UI. Too few knobs, tiny screen. If Line6 made a small Helix with the full Helix UI that would be pretty nice to use.

Fractal works fine if you mostly stick to the editor software. It's ridiculous that they still haven't gotten out an update to the FM3/FM9 UI that gives you bigger fonts for the home screen views. It's kind of annoying to read on the floor whereas at least the Helix and QC are more visible. I don't know why onboard UI stuff seems to be massively hard for Fractal to implement even for things that are quite simple in terms of programming. Maybe whoever built it is no longer at the company and it's a total mess of spaghetti or something.

A Helix in the same form factor as the Headrush Gigboard would be awesome.

 

[MFB]

Which honestly wouldn't be THAT hard given that they already made the PodGo, which is the same form factor, you'd just have to swap the brains of the unit.

 

[MatrixClaw]

I recently ordered a few pedals after getting sick of waiting for FM3/FM9/QC availability.

I had been leaning toward the QC since I don't plan to use the modeler at my computer (at least to start) and have heard repeatedly that the Fractal on-device interfaces are terrible.

Is there any word when any of these things is expected to be in stock? I imagine the next gen Fractal stuff with a hopefully-decent interface is several years out since they've barely made any of the current gen stuff?

I've owned a Fractal unit in every generation of their product line and currently have the FM3. I've used their editor maybe twice. The UI is fine imo. Maybe not as nice as Helix or QC but perfectly usable.