VP4 is taking on H9’s, etc., and helping those still in the analog preamp world. Four (!) multitap delays at once. Two ultra-high quality verbs at once. (!)
I have the fm9 and I sent it back because it was more than I needed. I have a great sounding amplifier. I just want the fractal effects. It is perfect for me. And only $700.
What amp do you have? And I totally get that. Have an FM9 myself but I’ve been on the amp modeler train since I was living in small apartments and still have never bought a proper amp 😂
A lot of speculation on the forums as to cost! $799 has been floated over seas, that could put it in the $6-650 range. I have been thinking of putting together a small tube based rig using the VP4.
At $799 for 4 effects, seems like a hard sell. Esp considering a stellar FX8 (merely the previous gen) can be had now for $500 easy, with a ton of effects, or FM3s for the same $800 pre-owned. I could be wrong but I don't see the value in this at this price point. .
Completely agree. It doesn’t make sense at this price point when you can get the FM3 - essentially the same thing minus one button but add amps and cabs
I think they are on par with strymon. And definitely ahead of an HX One. I still use my HX Stomp from time to time. But fractal blows it out of the water.
So in reality a mass amount of effects are not needed when in reality we don’t really use 20 billion effects at once. With today’s music we use the most known effects ie: Distortion, chorus, reverb, delay, tremolo, ambience…same effects just different amps so this unit may be something some us need to keep it basic. Just my two cents
No boutique electronic device is "necessary". Since buying the Axe FX3 I haven't bought any gear except the occasional guitar. Done with amps. The Fractal is that good. Same with effects. Nothing out there can do better than what's in the AF3.
I feel like the VP4 will be a bigger success than the FX8, as that was just a nerfed AX8, same size and layout, just without the amp and cabsim. With that said the product is not for me at all, but im sure its some dudes dream piece of gear! Been using the AX8 since 2017, and only now I've needed to "upgrade" to a NOS Axe FX 2.
I keep forgetting the FX8 even existed. The AX8 is great and I wish I went down that route after I bought my old Axe FX 2… just sold that for the FM9 and couldn’t be happier
The price is supposedly $799. Pretty steep, but if you consider that a Strymon BigSky and Timeline go for more, and you get way more than those here, it's in line.
Fractal is the best in the industry ❤❤😊😊🤘🤟🤟🤟🤘❤️🌟🎸🎸I cant wait for vp4 🤘🤟🤟🤘🤘🤘🎸🎸🎸😊😊For me this is a good startin Point 😊😊❤❤fractal is there at n1 for a reason 😊😊😊🤟🤟🤘🎸🎸
I'm a fractal fan, And I'd love to have an FM9, but this product... 4 blocks, no parallel patch? I don't get it. For 700, if it had at least 8 blocks and a flexible dual signal patch, I'd say it's great.
It wasn't less than $400. It wasn't less than the Helix Stomp. Without amps and basically just effects it's $699. That's a hard hard sell when up against other options already available and multi-effects like Boss make - after all, it doesn't have amp modelling. Maybe the plan is to push it at this price then crash the list price and it will look like a super bargain because it used to be $699? If I worked in a music shop I'd know who'd buy this - they would be my guitar-playing dentists and lawyers. The same market Gibson is always chasing (?). It's not going to touch Helix and the existing market - it's niche and expensive.
I completely agree. The price is going to ultimately turn this into a niche pedal. I still stand by my beliefs of the fractal tones being the best. But at $700 it’s way too much
I’ll be shocked if it will be less than $900. I feel like they’ll be competing more with the likes of the Eventide H90 type devices and if they priced it at $899 they would kill H90 sales in a minute which is why I think they’ll be $999 because they haven’t ever priced things competitively yet so why start now right? 😂
@@ryansnydercg That said, I hope I’m wrong ‘cause I’d love to get one. I had the FM3 and just found that it lacked the DSP to allow me to do the things I wanted but I didn’t want to go full on FM9 so I went the Quad Cortex route but the FX on any other modeler I have always lack in the FX side of things so I’ve always supplemented with Eventide H9’s and H90 but would sure be nice to have had this new product that can do 4 FX in a small(ish) footprint like this. Fingers crossed! Great analysis though brother and fun food for thought! 🤘🏼
@@vaisatchatrucci ahhh I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Quad Cortex... I looked into it very briefly before pulling the trigger on the FM9. and Thank you!
@@ryansnydercg It definitely has come a long way since it was released and has had its fair share of growing pains but they’re finally hitting their stride and I’m excited for what’s to come. I absolutely love it and have just a few minor qualms with it when it comes to midi flexibility but other than that, with the new plugin compatibility being implemented, I can’t say enough good things about it really. At this stage overall, basically every “pro” modeling / profiling / capturing device is really on par with all the competition and it’s purely subjective as to what actually is “best” in my opinion. Once you get to the point as a player where you can dial in a decent tone, you’re going to be able to make anything sound as good as it possibly can be even if you’re just a mildly proficient player. I’ve had them all and still have some of them (ie Kemper, Eleven Rack, HX stomp, FM3, Nano Cortex and Quad Cortex) and I would have no issue gigging with any of them at this point. People that claim they can “hear the digital harshness” are coming from a place of bad faith in my opinion - YES, I’ve heard some people play all of these and they sound terrible yes, but throw a decent player with a decent tone in a decent mix and you’ll never be able to tell whether it was a real amp or not. NOW, all that said, as for FEEL I personally believe the Quad Cortex is the most impressive to me and I have been most inspired by it to a greater degree than any other digital gear. I’ve never played more guitar than since I got a Quad Cortex. A lot of that has to do with not having to have it tethered to a computer to tweak things and the workflow is just fun and inspiring altogether to me. I will also say that I do run a Cali76 into the front end which I’ve always done (meaning running a compressor of some sort) and to me that helps but I have successfully replicated the setting I use which is an “always on” type setting using the compressors built into the Quad Cortex but it’s a mental thing for me I think that it adds an additional “sag” type component making it even more realistic to me particularly with clean tones. I could go on all day singing its praises as you can tell 😂 Now, would I say sell your FM9 and get one? If you’re not into the capture tech, then no, there’s no compelling reason to switch in my opinion unless you just want a simpler workflow with a smaller footprint. You’ll still get just as good a tone with either one and you’ll be taking a hit on the quality of the FX. The Quad Cortex effects are GREAT don’t get me wrong, and they’ll keep getting better and adding more but to compete with Fractal on that front it will take all the head start years Fractal has had to catch them. I mean, I was loving the Eleven Rack and the FX were SUPER primitive in comparison so I was always supplementing with Eventides which I’ve just always loved so FX to me have never been a deal breaker with any of my devices because I was fortunate to have 3 H9’s and an H90 to handle everything so… Anyway I’m probably rambling now at this point so I’ll shut up 😂 But you can check out videos on my channel if you get bored and see / hear everything from Amps (which I still have and love too!), to Eleven Rack to Kemper and to Quad Cortex and you’ll get a sense of the tones and FX I gravitate to and there was about a 10 year gap in posting videos due to my job and just general lack of free time but once I got the Quad Cortex I got excited about it again and it revived my love for all this stuff! I know you can relate! 🤘🏼
Small suggestion for your channel: use a de-esser or something on your audio. It’s really annoying to listen to the breathing and lip smacking compressed to oblivion
100s of effects but pick 4!? I have an FM3 so no real interest. I could run that using 4CM and have all effects included and more than 4 at once and have amps if I want so I dont see the point
@@LaCajaDeSnake Given I have both and used both on various instruments I have to disagree. Eventide have some very good Algo’s but the Fractal equivalents are on a par especially in terms of reverbs and delays and exceed Eventide in terms of the ability to control parameters within the algo’s. Much more in line with old Eventide and Lexicon rack units compared to the H90.
FX-8 mk III= VP-8… why on earth would you want a portable device AND bring your amp to a gig? Or worse than that use ANOTHER device so you can emulate an amp… absolutely unnecessary.
I was about to type this comment: All I want is the reverbs and delays from basically any modeler as everything else they do is gross... then you said Steve Via uses the fractal for reverbs delay. All distortions from modelers suck, all of them. The amp stuff is meh compared to analog, end of story, if you disagree you're just being bias because of feeling. I have tried and tried and tried to use digital modelers and it's always the same, the reverb and delays are amazing (not surprise as almost all reverb delay is digital), but everything else sounds like people who hate music farted out some sounds.
Fractal just officially announced it. Is $699 the right price for the VP4? Are you getting one?
VP4 is taking on H9’s, etc., and helping those still in the analog preamp world. Four (!) multitap delays at once. Two ultra-high quality verbs at once. (!)
Exactly!
It's perfect for me.
I have both a Tonex and a Friedman IR-D.
I suspect the VP4 will be a perfect match for either one.
I try ink you are exactly right
Alex Lifeson was/is also through amps but with all effects going through the axe fx.
I almost forgot about those creamy Rush tones!
Yes i think Petrucci - a huge Lifeson fan - also still does this set up. Mesa amps into Fractal effects.
I have the fm9 and I sent it back because it was more than I needed. I have a great sounding amplifier. I just want the fractal effects. It is perfect for me. And only $700.
What amp do you have? And I totally get that. Have an FM9 myself but I’ve been on the amp modeler train since I was living in small apartments and still have never bought a proper amp 😂
Hi Ryan thanks ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊i cant wait it comes out
I’m excited too. Glad Fractal is venturing into this side of modeling. I’ll have a full breakdown when it is officially announced
@@ryansnydercg yeah they say today 🌞🌞🤟🤘🤟❤️❤️🌟🎸
@@Mahdi_ddAlove that
@@ryansnyderstudio hi Ryan i really cant wait fractal vp4 come out 🤟🌟❤️❤️❤️❤️🤘🎸🎸🌞🌞
A lot of speculation on the forums as to cost! $799 has been floated over seas, that could put it in the $6-650 range. I have been thinking of putting together a small tube based rig using the VP4.
Bought it the moment it was released.
Woah! Fast trigger! What are you going to run it through
This VP4 thru my high end tube amp is fractal amazing!!!’ Wow
Best of both worlds!
Seems a good replacement for the clunky fc-12 as well
Run this instead of the FC-12 and have an AFX3 for amps?
If it had 6 stomps, I’d buy it in a heartbeat
I get that. Four can be limited
At $799 for 4 effects, seems like a hard sell. Esp considering a stellar FX8 (merely the previous gen) can be had now for $500 easy, with a ton of effects, or FM3s for the same $800 pre-owned. I could be wrong but I don't see the value in this at this price point. .
Completely agree. It doesn’t make sense at this price point when you can get the FM3 - essentially the same thing minus one button but add amps and cabs
The UI on the FX8 was a nightmare. this looks so much better.
@swiftymcgarnagle4567 Hard to deny. I had the AX8, and while it sounded great, yeah, interface wasn't fun.
Cool Vid Dude!
Thanks friend
Who’s it for? Amp guys.
100%
How does fractal compare to strymon. I think this could take the place of a strymon pedal and an hx one.
I think they are on par with strymon. And definitely ahead of an HX One. I still use my HX Stomp from time to time. But fractal blows it out of the water.
- Who is the New Fractal Audio VP4 For?
- Guitarists probably.
🤣
So in reality a mass amount of effects are not needed when in reality we don’t really use 20 billion effects at once. With today’s music we use the most known effects ie: Distortion, chorus, reverb, delay, tremolo, ambience…same effects just different amps so this unit may be something some us need to keep it basic. Just my two cents
There is something about simplicity 😌
No boutique electronic device is "necessary".
Since buying the Axe FX3 I haven't bought any gear except the occasional guitar.
Done with amps. The Fractal is that good. Same with effects. Nothing out there can do better than what's in the AF3.
I agree. I had the 2 XL+ and sold it for the FM9 Turbo - only because I wanted to get into the Axe FX3 era but more so for the floor unit form factor
The market is absolutely oversaturated with this type of product. They all sound the same.
Ehhh I don’t think the all sound the same. Fractal has always been a step above the rest
I will be keeping my FX8
An amazing machine. AX8 & FX8 are great units.
Absolutely agree. I kicked myself after I bought my 2 XL+ but eventually sold it for an FM9… floor unit is definitely the way to go
I feel like the VP4 will be a bigger success than the FX8, as that was just a nerfed AX8, same size and layout, just without the amp and cabsim. With that said the product is not for me at all, but im sure its some dudes dream piece of gear!
Been using the AX8 since 2017, and only now I've needed to "upgrade" to a NOS Axe FX 2.
I keep forgetting the FX8 even existed. The AX8 is great and I wish I went down that route after I bought my old Axe FX 2… just sold that for the FM9 and couldn’t be happier
What’s the size of this? Why do companies like fractal not see “dimensions” as important?
Sooooo true. Fractal seems to be the biggest culprit in not disclosing the size of their products other than 3RU
@@ryansnydercg did you lookin the manual. you know where the dimensions to products are listed.
The price is supposedly $799. Pretty steep, but if you consider that a Strymon BigSky and Timeline go for more, and you get way more than those here, it's in line.
$699. Should be interesting to see how this sells… used FX8 on reverb are going for $650
Fractal is the best in the industry ❤❤😊😊🤘🤟🤟🤟🤘❤️🌟🎸🎸I cant wait for vp4 🤘🤟🤟🤘🤘🤘🎸🎸🎸😊😊For me this is a good startin Point 😊😊❤❤fractal is there at n1 for a reason 😊😊😊🤟🤟🤘🎸🎸
No, absolutly not necessary !!!
Would you say the same thing about the HX Effects or even the FX8 of the last generation?
Shut up bitch
I'm a fractal fan, And I'd love to have an FM9, but this product... 4 blocks, no parallel patch? I don't get it. For 700, if it had at least 8 blocks and a flexible dual signal patch, I'd say it's great.
Feel like the FX8 did it better even though it was just a throttled back AX8
@@ryansnydercg I was wrong, it has parallel patch. But even so, I'm not convinced by 4 blocks. Well, I guess it'll fit someone's needs.
It wasn't less than $400. It wasn't less than the Helix Stomp. Without amps and basically just effects it's $699. That's a hard hard sell when up against other options already available and multi-effects like Boss make - after all, it doesn't have amp modelling. Maybe the plan is to push it at this price then crash the list price and it will look like a super bargain because it used to be $699? If I worked in a music shop I'd know who'd buy this - they would be my guitar-playing dentists and lawyers. The same market Gibson is always chasing (?). It's not going to touch Helix and the existing market - it's niche and expensive.
I completely agree. The price is going to ultimately turn this into a niche pedal. I still stand by my beliefs of the fractal tones being the best. But at $700 it’s way too much
I’ll be shocked if it will be less than $900. I feel like they’ll be competing more with the likes of the Eventide H90 type devices and if they priced it at $899 they would kill H90 sales in a minute which is why I think they’ll be $999 because they haven’t ever priced things competitively yet so why start now right? 😂
Unfortunately I think you are right. When have they ever priced things competitively?! Never
@@ryansnydercg That said, I hope I’m wrong ‘cause I’d love to get one. I had the FM3 and just found that it lacked the DSP to allow me to do the things I wanted but I didn’t want to go full on FM9 so I went the Quad Cortex route but the FX on any other modeler I have always lack in the FX side of things so I’ve always supplemented with Eventide H9’s and H90 but would sure be nice to have had this new product that can do 4 FX in a small(ish) footprint like this. Fingers crossed! Great analysis though brother and fun food for thought! 🤘🏼
@@vaisatchatrucci ahhh I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Quad Cortex... I looked into it very briefly before pulling the trigger on the FM9.
and Thank you!
@@ryansnydercg It definitely has come a long way since it was released and has had its fair share of growing pains but they’re finally hitting their stride and I’m excited for what’s to come. I absolutely love it and have just a few minor qualms with it when it comes to midi flexibility but other than that, with the new plugin compatibility being implemented, I can’t say enough good things about it really. At this stage overall, basically every “pro” modeling / profiling / capturing device is really on par with all the competition and it’s purely subjective as to what actually is “best” in my opinion. Once you get to the point as a player where you can dial in a decent tone, you’re going to be able to make anything sound as good as it possibly can be even if you’re just a mildly proficient player. I’ve had them all and still have some of them (ie Kemper, Eleven Rack, HX stomp, FM3, Nano Cortex and Quad Cortex) and I would have no issue gigging with any of them at this point.
People that claim they can “hear the digital harshness” are coming from a place of bad faith in my opinion - YES, I’ve heard some people play all of these and they sound terrible yes, but throw a decent player with a decent tone in a decent mix and you’ll never be able to tell whether it was a real amp or not.
NOW, all that said, as for FEEL I personally believe the Quad Cortex is the most impressive to me and I have been most inspired by it to a greater degree than any other digital gear. I’ve never played more guitar than since I got a Quad Cortex. A lot of that has to do with not having to have it tethered to a computer to tweak things and the workflow is just fun and inspiring altogether to me.
I will also say that I do run a Cali76 into the front end which I’ve always done (meaning running a compressor of some sort) and to me that helps but I have successfully replicated the setting I use which is an “always on” type setting using the compressors built into the Quad Cortex but it’s a mental thing for me I think that it adds an additional “sag” type component making it even more realistic to me particularly with clean tones.
I could go on all day singing its praises as you can tell 😂
Now, would I say sell your FM9 and get one? If you’re not into the capture tech, then no, there’s no compelling reason to switch in my opinion unless you just want a simpler workflow with a smaller footprint. You’ll still get just as good a tone with either one and you’ll be taking a hit on the quality of the FX. The Quad Cortex effects are GREAT don’t get me wrong, and they’ll keep getting better and adding more but to compete with Fractal on that front it will take all the head start years Fractal has had to catch them. I mean, I was loving the Eleven Rack and the FX were SUPER primitive in comparison so I was always supplementing with Eventides which I’ve just always loved so FX to me have never been a deal breaker with any of my devices because I was fortunate to have 3 H9’s and an H90 to handle everything so…
Anyway I’m probably rambling now at this point so I’ll shut up 😂 But you can check out videos on my channel if you get bored and see / hear everything from Amps (which I still have and love too!), to Eleven Rack to Kemper and to Quad Cortex and you’ll get a sense of the tones and FX I gravitate to and there was about a 10 year gap in posting videos due to my job and just general lack of free time but once I got the Quad Cortex I got excited about it again and it revived my love for all this stuff! I know you can relate! 🤘🏼
Random, but I was able to find a Thai music store which lists a pre-order price of 26,900 Baht which is about $800.
Small suggestion for your channel: use a de-esser or something on your audio. It’s really annoying to listen to the breathing and lip smacking compressed to oblivion
Thanks for the suggestion I’ll do that for the future.
No worries, I forgot to say it in my comment but I did actually really enjoy your video, thank you for making it!
Helix drives are better than fractals for some reason.
The reverbs and delays have more parameters tho
With that said helix only has 7 reallllly good drives, fuzzes, distrotions that are on par with the analog.
I found myself going back and forth on weather I like a ton of parameters to adjust or just the standard ones the effect their modeling have…
I prefer the drives on my Axe Fx 3 by a wide margin.
@@easye9-21 when I a/b the sd1 Sims. ..and the plumes sim, zen drive in helix..idk man
@@ryansnydercg better to have them tho
100s of effects but pick 4!? I have an FM3 so no real interest. I could run that using 4CM and have all effects included and more than 4 at once and have amps if I want so I dont see the point
Totally get that. I have the FM9 and feel the same. But I think it’s definitely geared more towards those who have tube amps
Even mentioning "game changer" in the description = not even gonna start watching.
But yet had time to click on it and write something 🧐
@@ryansnydercg Sure.
I've never owned a Fractal. Im thinking about buying one.
VP4 or something else?
VP4
Fractal is good, but not as good as an Eventide H90, sorry but if you compare it with a line 6 it will obviously be better, compare it with eventide
No Fractal are on a par with Eventide with the exception of pitch effects.
@@peterjessop1878 😒 Fractal is very cheap compared to Eventide, but that is its only positive point, in everything else Eventide is superior.
@@LaCajaDeSnake Given I have both and used both on various instruments I have to disagree. Eventide have some very good Algo’s but the Fractal equivalents are on a par especially in terms of reverbs and delays and exceed Eventide in terms of the ability to control parameters within the algo’s. Much more in line with old Eventide and Lexicon rack units compared to the H90.
@peterjessop1878 🤣🤣🤣🤣 if you really have money to have an Eventide h9000 I don't know what you do using and begging with fractal which is inferior
Financial priorities I would imagine
A Big Sky/Timeline/Mobius bundle on Sweetwater is $1377. The VP4 will be less than a grand. There ya go, there's your purpose. No need for a video!
Pre-owned FM3s are often the same $800, don't see this doing well.
$699 does seem steep. Especially for $100 more you can get a used FM3… though looking on reverb I’m seeing FX8s going for $650…
Nobody cares poor wallets in guitar world 😂😂
FX-8 mk III= VP-8… why on earth would you want a portable device AND bring your amp to a gig? Or worse than that use ANOTHER device so you can emulate an amp… absolutely unnecessary.
This one can’t do amp sounds but I hear ya… it’s supposed to be in place of a pedalboard though
To have a simpler, better sounding, more flexible pedalboard while preferring to use real amps. All for the cost of about two pedals. 🤘🏻🎸
I was about to type this comment: All I want is the reverbs and delays from basically any modeler as everything else they do is gross... then you said Steve Via uses the fractal for reverbs delay. All distortions from modelers suck, all of them. The amp stuff is meh compared to analog, end of story, if you disagree you're just being bias because of feeling. I have tried and tried and tried to use digital modelers and it's always the same, the reverb and delays are amazing (not surprise as almost all reverb delay is digital), but everything else sounds like people who hate music farted out some sounds.
But have you played one through a proper FRFR system
@@ryansnydercg Yeah. I want to like modelers, just not doing it for me... that's ok, others can love it.
Alex Lifeson was/is also through amps but with all effects going through the axe fx.
Almost forgot about those creamy Rush tones