Fractal Audio FM3 announced

  • Hornets nest? They make a product that competes directly in that hornets nest already.


    The idea that Kemper would bog themselves down by simply having another form factor with an established, willing, and even eager customer base is rather ridiculous.


    Hornets nest, i.e.; Somewhat crowded field of all-in-one modelers.


    Line 6 HX Stomp - $559

    Atomic AmpliFire - $599

    Boss GT-1000 - $999

    Headrush Pedalboard - $999

    Fractal FM3 - $999

    Line 6 Helix - $1099

    Fractal AX8 - $1099

    That FM3 thread has been an eye opener. There's over a hundred pages discussing (and bickering over) a product that's not even been formally introduced on Fractal's forum or FB page (last I checked).

    "I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." - Douglas Adams

    Edited once, last by don1960lp ().

  • Crowded, I suppose, is a relative term. Considering how many options you have out there for guitars alone, and the newcomers who manage to stay profitable despite the saturation, a handful of serious manufacturers in the modeler domain doesn't seem excessive, especially not with Kemper's established reputation. And don't forget that the Kemper does already compete in this hornets nest. Before I made my purchase of the Kemper, I did exhaustive research, which included the floorboards. I decided on the Kemper based on my what I'd heard and my needs at the time, but of course as I've started gigging more, those have evolved. And that includes having the Remote.


    Any time there is a new company product, you can expect forums to explode. This very forum has some very long threads of their own and include its share of arguing/bickering, many times revolving around consumer demands for a variety of topics. But this one is also not nearly as populated as TGP. I still don't see why a thread on TGP should influence what, IMO, is a sensible addition to the Kemper range.


    As for the FM3, it's been announced on their Facebook, Instagram, and forum.

  • Aw come on. Not one of these circular threads. Can we just discuss the FM3 without bringing the Kemper into it? Mods have already warned us twice I think.


    I think if I had a budget of $1k for a processing style unit, this would tick a lot of boxes.


    But what I hate about it is the fact that they only gave you three foot switches and expect you to buy whatever floor unit Fractal puts out or use some other midi board.


    I just think that's really unfair to your customers. FFS, just add a $100 or even $200 and give us as many goddamn foot switches as we need to make a go of it and an expression pedal to boot.


    This kind of design just screams obsolescence. What next? A FM6 or an FM12 with more foot pedals?


    Not to say I couldn't do with this. But as a customer, it makes me really frustrated when I see a design that's been nerfed by the manufacturer. :cursing:

  • But what I hate about it is the fact that they only gave you three foot switches and expect you to buy whatever floor unit Fractal puts out or use some other midi board.


    I just think that's really unfair to your customers. FFS, just add a $100 or even $200 and give us as many goddamn foot switches as we need to make a go of it and an expression pedal to boot.


    This kind of design just screams obsolescence. What next? A FM6 or an FM12 with more foot pedals?


    Not to say I couldn't do with this. But as a customer, it makes me really frustrated when I see a design that's been nerfed by the manufacturer. :cursing:

    I've heard some rumblings about an FM6 or something like that.


    I find it odd that Line 6 comes out with the HX Stomp and it's widely hailed as a very inexpensive and compact version of the Helix. Fractal does the same and seemingly everyone but Fractal owners has an issue with the compact solution. I do think that an FM6 or FM8 or FM10 or whatever is necessary for people who want a larger board is desirable as an option, but there are people of course who don't want a larger board. There are also people who run all their patch changes through laptops and don't really need all the footswitches.


    Nothing about it screams obsolescence to me. It would go away likely if it doesn't sell, but the response thus far seems to suggest otherwise. We'll find out.

  • Agreed MementoMori


    FAS has never said the FM3 is the final floor unit from them. And given that there's a LOT of daylight between the power, functionality, and cost of the FM3 and the AxeFX III, I think it's a safe bet to expect a bigger brother to the FM3 in the future. Maybe not this year or next, but an FM6/8/9/etc. in the $1500-$2000 range with more power than the FM3 (but less than the AFIII) would be a no-brainer IMNSHO.


    Except for the footswitches, the FM3 is a step up from the AX8 in pretty much every way. And if you really need the switches , the FC-6 or FC-12 is a GREAT expansion route for barely more $$$ than the AX8 was priced at.


    I'm really trying to see the downside to the FM3 and I can't find it. I think both Line6 and FAS hit it out of the park with both of their units.

  • A big brother to FM3 could make sense for some too. I'm not sure if I'd need more switches, if it comes to that, but there's certainly people who've wanted to see an update to ax8 while keeping that same/similar format. Obviously that would not be as compact as fm3 though, and would cater to slightly different needs as a standalone product.


    It's largely the portability of fm3 that has me as interested, plus Ares.

    The bonanza

  • The fm3 has a small footprint that sure will tempt some players.

    Since feet are one of the few bodyparts available for switching i don`t see the point in incorporating the amp sim tech straight into the guitar itself.

    I am sure Kemper has taken notice of the market they are missing out on regarding footcontroller sized amp sim solutions.


    My guess is that within two-three years there will be a Kemper Kommander (footswitch sized profile player not including profiling capabillities) and a Kemper 2 in some form with more horsepower for effects, dual amp, stomp profiling, and maybe a guitar profiling technique since that is the one part of the chain that is left after Kemper Kone.

    And maybe a plugin :)

  • Meh. I like some pedals on the floor for tube amps, but I hate floor units like this with everything on the floor. If I was on a seriously limited budget, or traveled really light and just plug into a board, this or maybe some other options would be interesting, but a Kemper with foot pedal and the new editor coming would be what I would be going to if I didn’t have it. If there was a Kemper2, I could see where they may want to cover the cheaper floor market I guess. I just look at all these new toys and still don’t have g.a.s. For any of them.