October 2024: Fractal Audio's VP4 Virtual Pedalboard has been added to the wiki.
Output block
Contents
Available on which products
- Axe-Fx III: 4 blocks
- FM9: 3 blocks
- FM3: 2 blocks
- VP4: output section
- Axe-Fx II, AX8: not a block
- FX8: no
Channels or X/Y
- Axe-Fx III and FM9 and FM3: 4 channels
- Axe-Fx II, AX8, VP4: no
About the Output block
The Output block is the spot where the signal exits the grid and leaves the unit through the corresponding output port.
The VP4 doesn't have an Output block so the information below does not fully apply.
There's an Output block for each physical mono or stereo output. Each Output block has 4 channels, and contains a mixer with Level and Balance controls for each grid row, plus master Output Level, Balance and Bypass controls. The output level can be set per scene.
- Output 1 — Transmits signal to the physical Output 1 jacks and to USB Inputs 1+2 on a connected computer
- Output 2 — Transmits signal to the physical Output 2 jacks and to USB Inputs 3+4 on a connected computer
- Output 3 — Transmits signal to the physical Output 3 jacks
- Output 4 — Transmits signal to the physical Output 4 jacks
The Output 1 block signal may also be transmitted:
- through the digital outputs, if SPDIF/AES Out Source is set to Output 1
- through Output 2, if Output 2 Copy Output 1 is turned on and there's no Output 2 block on the grid.
The Output 2 block signal may also be transmitted through the digital outputs if SPDIF/AES Out Source is set to Output 2.
The Output 1 block provides the 20dBu output gain of the Axe-Fx, FM3 and FM9 devices, even with the Level parameter at 0. This can be monitored by connecting the Input 1 block directly to the Output 1 block and looking at the meter in the Output block.
The Output blocks can be muted. The signal is muted at the corresponding output AND on the grid.
On the Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3, an Output block can also operate as Effects Send in an effects loop. See below.
Read these for more information:
Output block position on the grid
Axe-Fx II, AX8, VP4 — The Output block has a fixed position at the end of the grid.
Axe-Fx III, FM9, FM3 — The Output blocks can be positioned freely on the grid.
FRACTAL AUDIO QUOTES
Product information:
Routing flexibility is enhanced by unconstrained placement of input and output blocks anywhere in the routing grid. Want to insert different outboard devices at different parts of the signal path? No problem. Simultaneously process discrete stereo output for acoustic and electric guitars? Easy. Send stereo to front-of-house, plus a true “Wet-Dry-Wet” on stage while recording a DI for re-amping later? No problem! Each output pair also has its own dedicated front panel LEVEL knob for convenient control.
About Copying Output 1 to Output 2
The copy occurs before the mode settings are applied. Output 2 recieves the full, stereo signal from Output 1 no matter what Output 1's mode setting happens to be.
This allows you to have independent mode settings for Output 1 and Output 2.
Scene levels
The Output block level is stored per scene.
The Output block meters come BEFORE the Level controls (pre-fader) on the front panel, and are therefore uneffected by the Level controls. The meters indicate the internal signal level relative to full-scale (dBFS). When you hit the red line in the meters, you're still 12dB away from clipping. [1]
The Vol Inc and Vol Dec commands (footswitches and MIDI) provide a convenient way to adjust preset levels on the fly (without manual editing). They let you adjust the output level per scene in steps of 1 dB while playing. Read this: Vol Inc and Vol Dec
Read this: Preset levels
FRACTAL AUDIO QUOTES
[2] The meters in the block are pre-fader (Level knobs on front of unit). The LEDs are post-fader. Simple as that.
Effects loop
On the Axe-Fx III, FM9 and FM3, an Output block and Input block can operate as Effects Send/Return loop. Read this: I/O connectivity and levels
If the preset contains an Output block (Axe-Fx III, FM9, FM3), or an FXL block (AX8, Axe-Fx II), it overrides the Copy Output setting in the Setup menu.
Global blocks
Output blocks don't support Global blocks.
