Firmware

Firmware and drivers for Fractal Audio's processors

Processor firmware

Firmware is the internal operating system for the processor. Fractal Audio releases updates frequently, adding new features and bug fixes. The current official version for the processor can be downloaded from Fractal Audio's support pages.

Firmware that supports DynaCabs cab models consists of two files: the firmware data and the DynaCab data. Both files have to be installed.

USB firmware

The Axe-Fx III and FM9 rely on separate firmware for USB communications. The current official version for the processor can be can be downloaded from Fractal Audio's support pages.

Operating system driver

Windows computers require installing a software driver for USB Audio and MIDI-over-USB with the Axe-Fx III and FM9. The current official driver for the processor and operating system can be downloaded from Fractal Audio's support pages.

Mac computers do not require a driver (class compliant).

Firmware is coded in C / C++ and assembly. [1]

"Most DSP compilers include library functions for common signal processing functions. However every library I've seen makes the same mistakes in several important and oft-used functions. I can't disclose what functions and what those mistakes are but because of this we use our own hand-coded assembly functions for our own libraries. The results are measurable and audible especially when dealing with the special requirements of amp modeling. I should add that these libraries are low-level functions like FFT() and such. You're not going to find a library that implements a Tube Screamer or even something more granular like a diode clipping circuit. That all has to be developed in-house." [2]

(Is it true that you hand-code the firmware in assembly?
"Not much on the Axe-Fx III compared to the other products. The Axe-Fx I and II had a lot of hand-coded assembly as do the FM3/9. The DSP used in the Axe-Fx III is very difficult to write assembly for. It's a VLIW processor so it's best to use the optimizing compiler and let it do the work. There are a bunch of intrinsics that we use that are essentially assembly instructions but you can call them from C/C++." [3]

FC controllers firmware

The FC controllers also rely on firmware for basic functionality. The firmware can be updated. The current official version can be downloaded from Fractal Audio's support pages.

Check the version of the installed firmware

On the processor, go to the Utilities menu to see the installed firmware version. The Editors show the version in the top left corner.

"Major revisions occur when there's a substantive change to the modeling algorithms." [4]

Firmware release notes

• Axe-Fx III
• FM3
• FM9
• Axe-Fx II
• FX8
• AX8
• MFC-101

How to update the firmware

Firmware must be installed using Fractal-Bot, Fractal Audio's updating utility, over an USB connection.

Fractal-Bot will indicate when an official firmware update has been made available.

Updating firmware does NOT erase the factory or user presets. Factory presets need only to be updated when the release notes say so.

If you already have the latest firmware installed but want to re-install it for any reason, hold the Command key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows), while selecting the device in Fractal-Bot.

Keep the editor in sync with firmware

Refresh the effect definitions

Usually, after installing new firmware, the editor's effect definitions need to be refreshed. This means that the editor must retrieve the lists of all values for all parameters again from the device. If the editor doesn't do automatically (it should), force the editor to do this through the menu command.

Note: the editor doesn't refresh the definitions automatically after installing beta versions of firmware.

Read this: Refresh

Update the editor

Refreshing the effect definitions doesn't always suffice. That's when the editor itself needs to be updated. If this is the case, the firmware release notes say so and provide the link.

Audition presets after updating the firmware

Updated firmware may cause changes in your presets. Read the firmware release notes and verify your presets.

About changes in amp modeling:

• If new firmware includes changes in amp modeling, these are often implemented under the hood. As a user you DO NOT need to do anything, UNLESS the firmware release notes instruct otherwise.
• Sometimes the firmware itself can't (or won't) enforce fixes or improvements and leaves it to the user to implement these. In such cases the release notes will tell you to "deselect-and-reselect" a specific amp type in existing presets (aka a "soft reset").
• If the new firmware includes major changes to the modeling, re-selecting every amp type in your presets is recommended, as will be stated in the release notes. It's a chore, but necessary to take advantage of improvements.

Beta firmware

Fractal Audio regularly posts beta versions of new firmware and drivers on the user forum. This allows forum members to test these, report issues and contribute to the quality and stability of the final versions.

Important: install beta versions always at your own risk. You may encounter bugs or loose data, so always back up your presets, user cabs and configuration before installing beta firmware and drivers.

Beta versions of firmware and drivers may require installing new (beta) versions of Fractal-Bot or the editor. Usually, links will be provided in the forum post with the beta firmware or drivers.

As always, after installing new firmware, the editor's effect definitions need to be refreshed. The editor doesn't refresh the definitions automatically after installing beta firmware, so force the editor to do this through the menu command.

Tips, tricks and troubleshooting

Emergency boot recovery

Built-in backup firmware in the hardware allows quick recovery in case of complications during or after updating.

Axe-Fx III — Hold down PAGE LEFT and PAGE RIGHT while cycling power until the Emergency Utility menu appears. Update the firmware using Fractal-Bot. Read this: Axe-Fx III Recovery Steps. Or: hold EDIT on startup to bypass non-default system settings and reset them, or press-and-hold both EDIT and HOME at startup to bypass and reset the system settings AND load a clean preset.

FM9, FM3 — Hold down PAGE LEFT and PAGE RIGHT while cycling power until the Emergency Utility menu appears. Update the firmware using Fractal-Bot. Or: hold EDIT on startup to bypass non-default system settings and reset them, or press-and-hold both EDIT and HOME at startup to bypass and reset the system settings AND load a clean preset.

Axe-Fx II XL/XL+ — Hold down Page Left and Page Right while cycling power until the Emergency Utility menu appears. Update the firmware using Fractal-Bot.

FX8 — Hold down SETUP and power the unit on. Hold the button for about 1 second beyond the power up, then release. The unit will now allow you to install firmware using Fractal-Bot. If a problematic system parameter prevents the device from booting, press ENTER when the splash screen is displayed.

AX8 — Hold down SHIFT and power the unit on. Hold the button for about 1 second beyond the power up, then release. The unit will now allow you to install firmware using Fractal-Bot. If a problematic system parameter prevents the device from booting, press ENTER when the splash screen is displayed.

If the unit sounds bad after an update, try a Reset.

"There's multiple levels of error checking. First the USB endpoint is a bulk endpoint so it has guaranteed transmission. Then each packet has a checksum. Then the entire image has a checksum. Finally the image written to the FLASH is compared to the downloaded image byte-by-byte. It's virtually impossible to have corrupted firmware image." [5]

"It's virtually impossible to brick a Fractal product. All our products feature an "emergency bootloader" that allows booting the unit in the event of a failed firmware update." [6]

Emergency Boot Recovery is different from the procedure to bypass a corrupt preset at startup. To do the latter, read this: Presets

Editor is not in sync with the hardware

When stuff seems to be missing in the editor, like specific parameters or parameter values, this usually means that the editor's effect definitions need to be refreshed or that the editor itself needs to be updated. See above.

Presets appear empty

Read this: Troubleshooting presets

Will repeating the installation of firmware fix issues?

The official response to this is that reinstalling the same firmware will not fix an issue resulting from installing new firmware.

Rolling back to older firmware

You can roll back to a previous firmware.

You can find older firmware and versions of software editors at: http://archive.axefx.fr, which is an unofficial archive but is well maintained.

To roll back:

• Make a complete backup of your system settings and presets before updating to newer firmware. Read this: Backup and restore.
• Use Fractal-Bot, either the standalone or the version embedded in the Editors to install the old firmware.
• Reboot your hardware when prompted by Fractal-Bot. Read the instructions on the front panel of the hardware and wait the specified amount of time before powering it back on.
• Use Fractal-Bot to install the old system settings backup file.
• Reboot your hardware a second time.
• Use Fractal-Bot to install the old preset bank files and IR bank files.
• Reboot your hardware a final time.

After the final reboot, you'll want to switch back to the older editor software as editor software requires minimum firmware versions to work correctly.