Is the FM9 the same engine as the Axe-Fx III?
The grid is identical — 14 by 6, all stereo — and so are the two amp and cab pairs, eight scenes and four channels per block. The differences are I/O count and the fact the FM9 has its own footswitches.
Reference
Reference
Questions and answers
The things people actually ask about the FM9, answered in a sentence or two, with a link to the detail.
What's the difference between FM9 and FM3?
The FM9 has a 14x6 grid, two amp and cab pairs and nine footswitches. The FM3 has a 12x4 grid, one amp and cab pair and three switches.
Why did my footswitch stop working?
You are in a different layout. Layouts are complete sets of footswitch functions and the FM9 has nine of them — holding a switch usually steps between them.
What's the difference between a scene and a channel?
A scene is a snapshot of the whole preset — what is bypassed and which channel each block is on. A channel is a variation inside one block, four per block. Scenes are song sections; channels are the four drives inside one Drive block.
Which input should my guitar go in?
Input 1 — it has Fractal's Secret Sauce IV instrument circuit. Inputs 2 and 3 are line level.
Can I add more footswitches to an FM9?
Yes, up to two FC-6 or FC-12 controllers over FASLINK II. Be aware you will need custom layouts — the nine factory layouts are built around the FM9's own nine switches.
How do I get rid of hum going into my amp?
Use a Humbuster cable from a quarter-inch output — TRS at the FM9 end, TS at the amp.
Why is there a gap when I change sounds?
You are changing presets where scenes would do. A preset reloads the whole grid; a scene loads nothing and switches seamlessly.