Now you can get Fractal Audio’s industry-leading amp and cab modeling, plus a suite of stompbox and studio effects, a powerful foot controller, 4×4 USB audio — and more — all in a compact, rugged, all-in-one, floor unit designed for the studio or stage.
The FM3 features our latest ARES Amp Modeling—a technology developed by Fractal Audio for the award-winning Axe-Fx III. It captures the sound — and the equally important feel — of real tube amps, with 265+ models offering an impressive range of clean tones, elusive “edge of breakup”, and everything from warm, touch-sensitive overdrive to face-melting modern distortion.
The FM3 also includes the entire speaker cab impulse response (“IR”) collection from the Axe-Fx III, with a stunning 2,200+ “Factory” choices and 1,024 “User” locations to store custom sounds from free or commercial producers.
As a multi-effects unit, the FM3 truly excels. It includes a superb selection of Fractal Audio’s state-of-the-art effect algorithms. All of the essentials and many exciting innovations are on board: dazzling drive pedals, dozens of delays, reverbs, compressors, EQs, phasers, flangers and other modulation effects, a looper, and much more.
With a USB connection to a Mac or PC, the FM3 works as an extremely high quality 4×4 audio interface for playback, recording, and re-amping. This lets the FM3 double as the hub of a portable recording studio.
USB channels are mapped for maximum ease of use. For example, to record the processed stereo output of the FM3, just record inputs 1 and 2 in the computer. Computer inputs 3 and 4 can be used to capture a DI, or to record input 2 L+R in stereo.
Computer playback is also easy and flexible. For studio work, you can mix a project and the FM3 to a single pair of connected monitors and transmit a separate DI to the FM3 for re-amping. For live performances, you can route the stereo FM3 and stereo backing tracks to different stereo outputs.
USB also allows 2-way communication between the FM3 and its companion software applications, FM3-Edit and Fractal-Bot.
In the coming days/weeks there will be a lot of new video content about the FM3. Here’s a quick first look with Nashville session guitarist Keven Eknes.
The FM3 is housed in a durable steel chassis with protective endcaps designed to withstand the rigors of touring.
Three onboard footswitches – each with variable-color LED ring and mini LCD display — provide both tap and hold functions, which can be customized to do different things on eight different switch “layouts.” The new “Views” feature multiplies the power of layouts, in effect creating a virtual 12-button controller with a 3-button footprint.
In addition, a FASLINK II port allows the FM3 to be connected with up to two Fractal Audio FC-12 or FC-6 foot controllers, providing an exciting array of extended control options.
While designed as a floor unit, the FM3 features an intuitive hands-on interface with the same full-color display and familiar, easy-to-use front panel controls found on the Axe-Fx III.
The unit is powered by a 3-Core “Griffin” DSP with one ARM and two SHARC+ cores providing superior power in a compact format. A dedicated graphics processor allows the main DSPs to be focused on critical audio tasks
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