Friedman IR X vs Fractal BE Amp Model 

Which one do you think is the winner?

haven't listened to this yet but I have had an FM3 for a year and spent a LOT of time with it, deep diving into all the amp models, IRs, etc. I have two Friedman amps, a Dirty Shirley 40 and a JJ Junior (same preamp as the BE (plus the JJ mode which adds more saturation and compression) So I have a lot of time with the real amps. I got the IR-X when it first came out to experiment with. It has replaced the FM3 for live use. Direct or into FX return of amps. The FM3 is now my audio interface and I use it at home for practice and direct recording. Sometimes I use it with the amp mode;lling turned on and sometimes it is my IR=X pedalboard going into it with the FM3 handling dual IRs left and right along with delay and verb. For live use, I MUCH prefer the IR-X, through my FRFR it absolutely feels more immediate and responsive. With an Empress Echosystem in the loop for delay and verb. I have knobs vs menus as well. I think that out front the average listener probably can't hear the difference between the two. To me as the player, the IR-X just feels better. Not to mention it is dead simple to nail a GREAT tone instantly.

Tonally, the IR X sounds more like the real amp, for me it wins hands down

I wish you had uploaded the Friedman IRs to the FM3. I did this exact test with the Friedman IRX and FM9 but I uploaded the IRX IRs to the FM9. My results were both units sounded the same. I did however prefer the IRX because of the feel.

Freidman sounds more like a real amp... Very Marshall like. The Fractal is also good, but a different animal all together. I used the Fractal AXE FX extensively when making the Deftones "Gore" record with Steph Carpenter. I have now moved into the Neural DSP stuff. And I have a studio filled with a variety of real amps. Neural still wins the day most of the time, but not ALWAYS!!!

The Friedman = Fizzy The Fractal = Farty I would have loved to have heard them EQ'd differently & the gain dialed back for the bluesy section... That's how I can tell if something's good, if it's smooth & sustains with low gain. Gain always has some type of clipping that is either loose or fast sounding. If you can find one where the gain structure is a medium (inbetween the two, farty vs sizzle) it sounds smooth, because the characteristic of it gets disguised in the wavelength of the string vibrating.

Would love to hear both through the same IR

man i can see in your face how much you enjoy playing the IR-X

Nicely done, Jordan and I agree. Both are great devices in their own right. I have the IRX but not the Fractal so my experience is one-sided. But i beefed up the IRX with the OX Stomp pedal with compressor and reverb enganged and it sounds amazing. Played live through my FRFR it sounds better than the SLO 30 of our main guitar player. Dave's IRs are amazing but there is something about UADs cab modelling that makes it sound bigger with more sparkle at the same time.

Fractal just dropped a Beta update for the FM9 today that the release notes state include improvements to how the BE/HBE is modeled. Assuming those'll make their way down to the FM3 at some point.

IR-X sounded more amp-like at least via headphones on YT ...more mid range attack snare of the top . Im sure both sound great on its own just back to back observation .

When i bought the irx - I didn't touch the amp modelling on my fm3. When i went back to the fm3 - tonally tgey were similar but the feel was very different. The attack on the IRX is instant very similar to when I had an engl ironball

Great video, but comparing two units with different IR’s?? I understand what your intent was, but still.

My dude this is so timely I have an irx but looking to pick up an FM3, former axe3 owner

The Friedman pic on the vid shows it to be on Channel 1 not 2.

Very nice! I recently got the IRX. What are the pickups in your LP?

Based on this vid I’d give the edge to fractal surprisingly. Some excerpts the Friedman sounded way better but most of the time I preferred the fractal. Especially the dynamic range when you turned the volume knob down. I was for sure the Friedman was gonna dominate. Surprisingly the fractal was my choice most of the time

Irx is better but I see what you're saying the fractal is probably more fun or close because modeling has come so far!

They seem really close & don't forget that both can be tweaked to taste.....but the fractal does so much more, effects , delay, reverb...... fractal for the win

I'd be curious to hear the difference between the 2010 BE Fractal model and then channel 2 of the IR-X. I believe the IR-X is a bit of a mix between the BE and HBE, however, the 2010 BE Fractal model does have a bit more gain than any BE I've played, and it tends to have a bit more sparkle to it than the HBE, which sounds more compressed. Either way, I think the Fractal would need some EQing. I thought the IR-X sounded more amp-like to me, but I've found with my FM3 that I need to do WAY different EQing than how I set up my real amps to get it to sound like my real amps.

at 340 you state channel 2 of the IR-X but the picture shows the Channel 1 with boost on. ?

What exact model of les paul is that? That's my favorite look of a les paul.....cool video!

Friedman IRX is way better sounding. Hard to really tell though unless you use the same IRs. The Fractal is definitely super boxy but that could just be the IR.

EXCELLENT.

I’d like to see this vid done with the same ir used in both units. I have an FM9 turbo (using Brit 800 amp inside) and some Marshall 800 heads. I do prefer the heads but the fractal’s effects obviously spoil you.

The Fractal has enough processing options and eq parameters to sound exactly like the Friedman if you dial it in right.

the bottom line is t o n e so the friedman wins,also it's simpler and easier to use. ive been working as a backliner on live gigs in the last ten years and ive seen many players go to the dark side and guess what happens in the solo through a dense mix? you hear nothing! that compression that all the modelers have is anything but natural it's an inherent flaw that will stop you from being heard at all. it has nothing to do with my taste.

taste

Change settings in the Fractal, and it will sound identical lol

17:27 Here can be heared the difference IRX sounds like a real amp 17:44 FM3 sounds like all of the 4 x12 cabs it has ... wtih that "characteristic brown colour to it" ... I have an FM3 and used just as a preamp has the same problem with all the Rock sounds ...(800, Friedman simulations) has an horrible fizzzz in it ... If I keep FM3 will be just for clean tones an effects

Irx all day

Ir x all the way

Great video, but the point of the video is kinda ruined by not using the same IRs for both pieces of gear.

Why you say IR x is more like real amp?😅 It is a real amp.

IRX sounds more 3D

I prefer Fractal. Sounds more like a big amp. IR-x sounds like a small amp or pedal. IR-x sounds cheap.

IR X .

What’s up with the goofy as hell thumbnails?

Friedman sounds much more amp like. Tubes…..which it has….the fractal sounds brighter but tinny. Friedman hands down imo…..

The truth becomes apparent when used live on stage - the main problem with modeling...

The same irs ??