KVR Audio

cptgone · Post by **cptgone** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 12:00 am

billybk1 wrote:
whyterabbyt wrote:Do the emulations on that thing run on the box itself, or on the PC like the GuitarPort?
The Toneport has no internal DSP. It runs off of your native CPU. You can read my mini-review, of the UX2 model, that I purchased, about a month ago:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=642117

Great review. So, it's just a USB i/o with zero latency trickery, adding (pre-)amp flavour thru non-VST native software, and offering analog reamping. Damn.

mikebeck · Post by **mikebeck** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 12:22 am

Got the UX2 last night. Now my POD seems pretty much useless, dang it.

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 12:47 am

Hi mikebeck!

Any initial opinions please??? CPU? Latency? Sound Quality? VFM?

Cheers,
Dave

mikebeck · Post by **mikebeck** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:42 am

I was skeptical, but some friends, who own a studio, sent me a recording where they used it, and I was semi-convinced. I wrangled a good deal for the UX2 at a store and couldn't help myself. Anyway, I installed the software and fired it up and was immediately smiling. I could hear or feel no latency at all. I haven't yet tried any mics with it, just guitar. It acts like a soundcard - I changed my audio setup from my M-Audio Firewire 410 to the UX2 and started recording with the headphones plugged into the UX2. The tone is, I think, much better than the POD 2, with more low end. My Telecaster sounded big for once recording direct. I always had some frustration getting a true full sound from the POD without EQ or some other messing around. I like how you can choose between mics and move the mic closer or further from the amp. I like the Gearbox software, where it's easier to mix effects, amps and cabinets than on the POD. The CPU hit was very minimal. Granted I was testing it with Tracktion, which runs light on CPU to start with. The sound quality is impressive - very clean, no clicks or anything, and there's even a hum reducer for those playing single coil guitars in front of CRT monitors (with a hum "learn" function to boot!). I was using a Mac Powerbook 1.33ghz with 2gb ram, recording to an external firewire 400 drive. I used reverbs, choruses, distortion, and a variety of other effects and I don't think the CPU meter ever reached 33 percent. I also recorded a bass part with the Telecaster and pitch-shifted it down an octave (in Peak Pro 5) and replaced the original Tele-bass part and it still sounded pretty good. I'm looking forward to playing around with using it as a mic pre and trying all of the different vintage and modern pre emulations. There are a number of presets in the default installation that are separated into submenus for bass tones, clean tones, crunch tones and heavy tones, etc., that get you to a wide variety of places quickly and then its very easy to start tweaking from there. I probably sound like I work for Line6 at this point, but I'm simply a happy customer. I'm sure I'll eventually find some drawbacks, but for now, it's easily worth the price I paid, and my credit card is already itching to get all of the add-on tone packs.

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:34 pm

Thanks Mike!!!

Thats exactly what I was looking for

I have a 410 and Tele also so its great to hear what someone else with the same set-up thinks!!!

I hadnt realised there was a Hum reducer feature - very handy!!! It sounds very plug n play... like there isnt much to configure, just get up & go... good!!!

Yep, I think I'll be getting one fairly soon!

Thanks again Mike!

Dave

mikebeck · Post by **mikebeck** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 4:30 pm

You're welcome. I hope you'll like it as much as I do! My friends that have it are using it on the PC platform and they didn't mention any configuration hassles, so I'm assuming it works easily on either platform.

VMan88 · Post by **VMan88** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 4:48 pm

I can't think how anyone can be disappointed by this thing. It has so much flexibility, and the preamp models are just stellar. I mean, I love the guitar amp models, but when I mic up my amp, and run it through the vintage mic preamps and compressors, it is the richest, rippin' tone I have ever gotten. I use a strat, so yes, the hum reducer with the learn function is a God-send..no more turning off the monitors of turning away from them or gating the crap out of the input during tracking! Plus, I am STILL going through all the free presets I got from customtone.com. I love this thing, it has made tracking anything a pleasure

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:08 pm

Thanks guys!

My XP laptop has USB2 so that should be fine, however my iMac is older and has just USB1... have you used it with USB1???

I will be using it mainly with the laptop tho...

Thanks again,
Dave

VMan88 · Post by **VMan88** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 5:15 pm

I am using it with USB 1 because my emu 1212m was giving me problems. I slowed down everything in the pci bus path to give it more bandwidth and I am happy to report, 5 ms latency with no hiccups, crackling, and rich, rippin tone

The asio drivers are more stable than the emus, so I use those for tracking, then switch to emu for mixdown. Sometimes I don't even switch, and am contemplating getting rid of the emu altogether. It sounds that good. In fact, I like the character of the A/D converters BETTER than the emus, they seem less harsh to me.

mckenic · Post by **mckenic** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 6:00 pm

Thanks again!!!

This could be the all in one solution I ve been looking for for the past 3 years... might finally be able to sell on the 410!

Cheers,
Dave

metalsvinet · Post by **metalsvinet** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:34 pm

Another thumbs up from a Telecaster user. Drivers seem stable, and latency is virtually a non-issue when monitoring from the Toneport. Some of the models are more caricatures than simulations, but that's just a bonus

Line6 TonePort USB thingy...