Fractal Audio Systems, the brand behind the Axe-Fx range of amp modellers, is moving into the guitar plugins market with the ICONS series, with its first drop inspired by golden era Fender amps.
The Fullerton Collection comprises 36 guitar amp models in total, plus effects imported from Fractal’s Axe-Fx.
“Deluxes, Bassguys, Double-Verbs, Vibrato Verbs, Supers, Princetones, Champlifiers...” You can guess from these pseudonyms that all the classics are present and correct, and the user interface is faithful to the plug-in-and-play appeal of these classic amps.
Whether chicken-head dials a la the vintage tweed set, or the ‘witch hat’ skirted knobs of later years, they are recreated here on the ICONS GUI.
Expect the same level of sonic detail and behaviour as you would from Fractal’s hardware units.
Fractal says it takes a component-level approach to engineering these analogue circuits as a digital replica, analysing and copying the response of “the preamp, tone stack, cathode follower, power supply, power amp, phase inverter, amp/speaker interaction” and so on down the list.
We don’t need to know all of the mathematics and science behind these endeavours, only that Fractal promises that “each model sounds, feels, and responds just like the real thing at any setting”.
Fractal’s ICONS series amp models are paired with custom-engineered DynaCab HD models; you can pair these virtual cabinets with a mic, move the mic position and monitor the sound in the real-time. There are 11 microphones to choose from, 13 DynaCabs in total.
ICONS is designed to fit seamlessly into modern recording and performance workflows
Plugins might not push the air about the room but they certainly take some of the pain out of miking up an amp – you can experiment at pace.
Players can upload their own or third-party IRs and you have two slots to mix and blend. The ICONS cabinet section also includes a stereo room simulator, virtual mic preamp, and master high-cut and low-cut filters.
“Even with all of this power, ICONS stays fast and intuitive, with a simple interface that lets you dial in without distraction,” says Fractal. “Amps and effects have familiar controls, plus a few carefully chosen extras, while a modern preset manager, complete with tags, favourites, and metadata, keeps you organised and focussed on creative…
“With support for automation, MIDI control, and essential tools like a built in tuner, ICONS is designed to fit seamlessly into modern recording and performance workflows.”
The ICONS Fullerton Collection is offered in four individual volumes or as a set, available now at an introductory price of $299 (regular price $396), all of which can be run as a standalone app or in your DAW.
See Fractal Audio Systems for more details.
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