JP2C, 4CM FM3

[Bmadd]

So i just posted this on the fractal audio forum and thought i would do here as well to see if any suggestions will help me. also would like to know if anyone can give advice on how to eliminate feedback with a tube screamer without having to turn the gain down to much. thank you.

--------So after a lot of time, money and tinkering i have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to use the 4CM effectively with the FM3 and JP2C. There is a lot of noise but the tone suck is the real problem, i have done it with my Mark 5 and it worked but just to noisy, with the JP2C it isnt just the noise but i get no usable tone so that option is out the window. (not looking for any recommendations to make it work, it doesnt. i bought all humbusting cables, other expensive hum canceling cables, morley hum eliminator and everything is pluged into the same outlet)

Running the FM3 into the effects loop only and using just for effects loop effects works just fine, but here is my want for advice........i was going to buy an Axe FX 3 to use the 4CM but now i really dont see the reason to even keep the FM3. i bought a bunch of pedals that i am running into the front of the amp and ONLY using the FM3 for delay. I thought well i could use it for a midi controller as well but at this point i dont need a 1k delay pedal or a 3k delay pedal, and as far as recording i am using a Captor X for attenuation and will use that for the direct in IR recording.

is there any reason to keep the FM3 if you were me?--------------

 

[rarebitusa]

Is the FM3's amp modeling any use to you?

I am just curious how long are the cables for send/return/amp in?

 

[Bmadd]

Is the FM3's amp modeling any use to you?

I am just curious how long are the cables for send/return/amp in?

i think like 10ft, but i have tried mogami, klos silent cables and humbuster cables.

 

[rarebitusa]

i think like 10ft, but i have tried mogami, klos silent cables and humbuster cables.

FWIW I've never been hands on with the AXE, but use BOSS and 4CM mode exclusively with an assortment of Mesa amps. Noise was at times an issue with my GT-100, cables that were ~10', anything longer the signal loss also became an issue. It was tolerable but not optimal. Things greatly improved when I upgraded to the GT-1000 Core and located everything back at the amp with very short cables.

TBH fumbled around alot with varying results, until I finally broke down the signal chain into blocks and tweaked the level of each one. It was very easy to get a signal too hot or too low and end up compensating later in the chain. Very frustrating cause a little change at one section would see the tone go to crap and didn't know why.

Took this approach. First would get a good sound straight in with a guitar then duplicate that with the guitar going thru the GT and the 1st send back to the amp input with no effects in that signal chain. I tweaked GT levels (input and send) until that was the case, no tone suck, noise free and had equivalent vol levels. Then added in the loop section with the same approach. I repeated this with the other amps and to my surprise there were differences that has to be adjusted. The Mark V:90 fx loop was very different.

Then started adding in effects after, in some higher gain patches a noise gate was required. This has worked well with a good degree of stability and repeatability. Have always heard good things about the fractal stuff, would think a solution is possible.

 

[Bmadd]

FWIW I've never been hands on with the AXE, but use BOSS and 4CM mode exclusively with an assortment of Mesa amps. Noise was at times an issue with my GT-100, cables that were ~10', anything longer the signal loss also became an issue. It was tolerable but not optimal. Things greatly improved when I upgraded to the GT-1000 Core and located everything back at the amp with very short cables.

TBH fumbled around alot with varying results, until I finally broke down the signal chain into blocks and tweaked the level of each one. It was very easy to get a signal too hot or too low and end up compensating later in the chain. Very frustrating cause a little change at one section would see the tone go to crap and didn't know why.

Took this approach. First would get a good sound straight in with a guitar then duplicate that with the guitar going thru the GT and the 1st send back to the amp input with no effects in that signal chain. I tweaked GT levels (input and send) until that was the case, no tone suck, noise free and had equivalent vol levels. Then added in the loop section with the same approach. I repeated this with the other amps and to my surprise there were differences that has to be adjusted. The Mark V:90 fx loop was very different.

Then started adding in effects after, in some higher gain patches a noise gate was required. This has worked well with a good degree of stability and repeatability. Have always heard good things about the fractal stuff, would think a solution is possible.

i changed everything but the guitar input to a 3ft cable and still the same noise. the culprit is the input 2 on the FM3, if i turn it down the noise vanishes but so does the sound. i have the amp master on channel 2 at 2 o'clock and in 100w so im pushing the amp and it sounds fine except for the noise. i would say that if the playing noise is at 100% then the guitar off noise is at 33%. i really think its not doable at any less noise than that.

 

[rarebitusa]

Ch 2 / 100W master @ 2:00 that'd get my attention

Ok yea then it seems like something else is going on with that FM3 input, should be able to turn down and have the noise go away. The only other thing that comes to mind... is there an input gain adj on the FM3? The Boss has an input calibration adj to compensate for weaker PUs and input line loss and a calibration procedure to set it. The only other thing I'd try is a noise gate block as the 1st effect, threshold set as low as possible and see if that effects it at all.

 

[Bmadd]

Ch 2 / 100W master @ 2:00 that'd get my attention

Ok yea then it seems like something else is going on with that FM3 input, should be able to turn down and have the noise go away. The only other thing that comes to mind... is there an input gain adj on the FM3? The Boss has an input calibration adj to compensate for weaker PUs and input line loss and a calibration procedure to set it. The only other thing I'd try is a noise gate block as the 1st effect, threshold set as low as possible and see if that effects it at all.

ya when i run just a tube screamer and thats it i cant really put the master past 9 o'clock. thank you for the input though, i think im just going to go to an actual pedal board and trash the FM3.

 

[rarebitusa]

ya when i run just a tube screamer and thats it i cant really put the master past 9 o'clock. thank you for the input though, i think im just going to go to an actual pedal board and trash the FM3.

Wow, that's a major difference, ok that master level with the TS makes alot more sense. So yea the FM3 either has a problem with the input buffer or the snd/rvc block's output send to the amps input is really low. Sounds like you have a solution.

 

[ultra high gain]

That's a shame, the FM3 seems like some top notch stuff. Do you have 2nd input at line level? Do you piss off drummers with that volume?

 

[kmanick]

I had an Axe Fx II and could never get it to work as well as I wanted it to in $CM with a number of amps
I switched the FX8MKII and have been gigging it for the last 3 years issue free.

 

[DECEMBER]

Did you try a line isolator? Like a Samson MLI1 line isolator w/ground lift. It's helpful to have at least a couple of these around when troubleshooting complex signal routing. Try it at various points in the chain to find the spot where lifting the ground might help.
I run 3 amps in stereo wet/dry/wet with several signal splits and switches and I have to use a few of these at different points to cut ground loops.
It has jacks for 1/4" and XLR, works with TRS and TS.