Tonex, fractal, helix, kemper-

[Juggernaut]

I have been opposite. I get annoyed playing my FM3 because it doesn’t sound and feel as good as my ToneX plugin.

I get that, but I'm not put off by it, my FM3 & Quad Cortex feel different, but both are awesome. I just always looked at it like amps, they all feel a little different.

 

[OldGtrGuy]

QC mini has my eye.

 

[OldGtrGuy]

Figure out if you want to do the capture/profile thing or just dial shit in like you would an amp.

If I had to pick one to rely on for regular use, it definitely wouldn't be the capture route unless I were intending on capturing my own gear. Relying on other people to provide your ideal tone isn't exactly efficient. That said, a lot of them sound great and if you're not picky, might be more efficient than dialing something in on your own.

Despite everything to come out in the last 7 years, my Fractal stuff isn't going anywhere.

Can't disagree, I have the tonex software and out of every 10 amps I try 9 of them are shit.

But to capture my own gear? Yes.

 

[OldGtrGuy]

Yeah I’m not a capture guy so that’s pointless for me. Just plug in, pick something and tweak to taste and go…..

For this i would try the AM4. It's very reasonably priced in my opinion

 

[Shask]

I get that, but I'm not put off by it, my FM3 & Quad Cortex feel different, but both are awesome. I just always looked at it like amps, they all feel a little different.

Oh, I like both and switch all the time. I just find Fractal has a squishy pick attack that bugs me for my high gain chug tones. I find my ToneX captures better replicate that low end bloom and chug while keeping an aggressive pick attack. Plus, I use it as a plugin more than the pedal, and that is something Fractal doesn't do.

Fractal has way better effects and routing possibilities.

 

[Metalhex]

Oh, I like both and switch all the time. I just find Fractal has a squishy pick attack that bugs me for my high gain chug tones. I find my ToneX captures better replicate that low end bloom and chug while keeping an aggressive pick attack. Plus, I use it as a plugin more than the pedal, and that is something Fractal doesn't do.

Fractal has way better effects and routing possibilities.

https://shop.fractalaudio.com/colle...hEVddB9jxk-jql0tAUTf3qONehfUPgH3MlI7dInLyzxnQ

 

[Shask]

https://shop.fractalaudio.com/colle...hEVddB9jxk-jql0tAUTf3qONehfUPgH3MlI7dInLyzxnQ

That is only a new pack with a few Fender amps. No high gain stuff yet. The effects are also very limited.

 

[CoreyW]

What is up with kemper wanting money for updates? Like line 6 did with their packs? I seen it mentioned on a video on YouTube but didn’t really look very closely at it. I remember thinking that’s stupid….

I can’t comment on Kemper as I have never used one.

Are you asking about firmware updates or patches? Line 6 and Fractal run circles around the others regarding update frequency, and Fractal does even more than Line 6.

To the best of my knowledge all the platforms offer paid patches, more so from the user community, and again to the best of my knowledge they all offer they have free patches available through some sort of preset exchange usually found on their company sites.

 

[gibson5413]

Love my tube amp rig best but I am a Kemper guy. Have been since 2012. Just works for me. I tried the Fractal Axe-FX III and FM9 from 2020 until April 2025 but sold them and bought a Kemper Stage Mk2. I'm just really comfortable with their products, and they work great for me. So many great tools out there for guitar players.

 

[Metalhex]

That is only a new pack with a few Fender amps. No high gain stuff yet. The effects are also very limited.

I'm wondering if the high gain pack will cost the same. Might as well get the AM4

 

[Shask]

I'm wondering if the high gain pack will cost the same. Might as well get the AM4

I have seen a lot of questions on different boards like the cost of additional packs, group discounts, if each pack will be a different plugin or if they will combine into one big shell program etc... and lot of questions now. Have to wait and see. It is also iLok.

 

[karol86]

Guys.. those of you who run a tonex pedal live ... what are your favorite profiles for live gigging?

I'm in search of something that works at louder volumes and thus far everything seems a bit hyped up in bass and treble. I like modern big sounding tones that do not screech and have enough body/mids/treble. (drop D alternative rock/metal with a prs CU22 with 57/08s)

Just wondering what your recommendations may be. I tried the signature mesa boogie pack and i have to admit I am disappointed. It could be my guitar but they all just sound dull, bland and weird. Tubby while bright. Could be the 57/08s... Tried a few of the rectifier sounds without much success.

 

[JackBootedThug]

I can’t comment on Kemper as I have never used one.

Are you asking about firmware updates or patches? Line 6 and Fractal run circles around the others regarding update frequency, and Fractal does even more than Line 6.

To the best of my knowledge all the platforms offer paid patches, more so from the user community, and again to the best of my knowledge they all offer they have free patches available through some sort of preset exchange usually found on their company sites.

No idea. Some YouTube video with a guy bitching about it. At the time I was like fuck that.

 

[gibsonash]

Guys.. those of you who run a tonex pedal live ... what are your favorite profiles for live gigging?

I'm in search of something that works at louder volumes and thus far everything seems a bit hyped up in bass and treble. I like modern big sounding tones that do not screech and have enough body/mids/treble. (drop D alternative rock/metal with a prs CU22 with 57/08s)

Just wondering what your recommendations may be. I tried the signature mesa boogie pack and i have to admit I am disappointed. It could be my guitar but they all just sound dull, bland and weird. Tubby while bright. Could be the 57/08s... Tried a few of the rectifier sounds without much success.

What you can be sure , it s not your guitar

 

[jski59]

Oh, I like both and switch all the time. I just find Fractal has a squishy pick attack that bugs me for my high gain chug tones. I find my ToneX captures better replicate that low end bloom and chug while keeping an aggressive pick attack. Plus, I use it as a plugin more than the pedal, and that is something Fractal doesn't do.

Fractal has way better effects and routing possibilities.

I’m not a metal/chug player, but have you played with the definition and eq settings in the fractal input block? The definition parameter is my go to to sharpen pick attack.

Turning off the default input gate also helps.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Well I might have done something….
Will update later….

 

[PeteLaramee]

Although I still have one tube amp (Voodoo modded Marshall), I've been using Fractal as my go-to rig for a while now. At least since my wife started working from home about 8 years ago. It took me a while to dial in the right tone and attack. And it took me several frfr speakers monitors to find what I like. Now I can record anytime (even if my wife is on a conference call) and is much lighter/easier to move around than a head & 4x12. I can't imagine ever gigging with a head & cab again. I've only dabbled with the Helix and Kemper. I thought they were cool, but I'm now so confortable with Fractal I don't want to have to learn a whole new system.

 

[Shask]

I’m not a metal/chug player, but have you played with the definition and eq settings in the fractal input block? The definition parameter is my go to to sharpen pick attack.

Turning off the default input gate also helps.

Yeah, I have tweaked them for years, and I have my preferred tweaks. I can get it closer, but there is always something off. It's never quite right, and ToneX and NAM don't have that issue.

 

[CoreyW]

No idea. Some YouTube video with a guy bitching about it. At the time I was like fuck that.

Yeah, the Rhett Shull video... where he jumps to one of the cabinet deep dive parameters to say the entire system is like that.... yes there are pages like that, but you dont have to use them, most people can do all their editing on the main basic or tone page for each block.

Here is an amp block for a patch I use.