KVR Audio

Baxter · Post by **Baxter** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:48 pm

aMUSEd:

I just went through this process and ended up with the Digitech GNX 3000. Sounds aMAZINg, and has a tOn of amp and cabinet models as well as 57 effects with the ability to use up to 11 at once. It has a 4 in 2 out usb audio interface with 1 instrument input, 2 balanced line inputs and a dbx mic preamp with phantom power as well as balanced XLR outputs. It also responds to midi patch and control changes. You can also use the included cumputer program to edit and save patches. I don't know which country you live in, but I just checked the Musicians Friend web site (USA, where I bought mine) and they have some blems on sale for $339.00 usd. I bought one of these and it was just like new with a complete factory warrenty. The only difference was that the box had been opened and the manual had a few loose pages, although they were all there. Worth a look, I think.

Baxter

scuzzphut · Post by **scuzzphut** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:49 pm

a Vox AD15VT is next on my hit list.

excellent amp models , plus a line-out for plugging into the 'puter

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:49 pm

kilroy wrote:Well, I won't harp on about it, but Tech21's PSA-1 would be totally worth considering *if* you are not too concerned with the lack of built in FX. In my opinion, it more than makes up for this omission with the high quality of it's raw sound. The PSA is a favorite for recording straight through a desk to tape/disk, in the absense of a real rig, or for building some nice thick layers on top of "real" guitar tracks. The preamp is quite outstanding for the price, and the response is extremely good...practically transparent from the player's perspective, which I think is quite an accomplishment. In fact, it could very well be that players would find this characteristic more attractive than the actual sound itself.

psa1 doesn't have digital outputs though does it?...I think he's looking for digital outs...though I could be wrong...

championrabbit · Post by **championrabbit** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:51 pm

I've always wanted to try one of these. Anybody tried one?

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:51 pm

Maybe dumb but what's "re-amping"?

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:52 pm

Hink wrote:
kilroy wrote:Well, I won't harp on about it, but Tech21's PSA-1 would be totally worth considering *if* you are not too concerned with the lack of built in FX. In my opinion, it more than makes up for this omission with the high quality of it's raw sound. The PSA is a favorite for recording straight through a desk to tape/disk, in the absense of a real rig, or for building some nice thick layers on top of "real" guitar tracks. The preamp is quite outstanding for the price, and the response is extremely good...practically transparent from the player's perspective, which I think is quite an accomplishment. In fact, it could very well be that players would find this characteristic more attractive than the actual sound itself.
psa1 doesn't have digital outputs though does it?...I think he's looking for digital outs...though I could be wrong...

It's a factor but sound quality is my first consideration

championrabbit · Post by **championrabbit** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:53 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Maybe dumb but what's "re-amping"?

Record a guitar (probably direct (no amp/amp-sim)) and then send the signal (having already recorded it) through an amp/amp-sim/whatever.

cptgone · Post by **cptgone** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:11 pm

championrabbit wrote:
aMUSEd wrote:Maybe dumb but what's "re-amping"?
Record a guitar (probably direct (no amp/amp-sim)) and then send the signal (having already recorded it) through an amp/amp-sim/whatever.

picking/tweaking the right amp model can do miracles for a mix.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:12 pm

aMUSEd wrote:
Hink wrote:
kilroy wrote:Well, I won't harp on about it, but Tech21's PSA-1 would be totally worth considering *if* you are not too concerned with the lack of built in FX. In my opinion, it more than makes up for this omission with the high quality of it's raw sound. The PSA is a favorite for recording straight through a desk to tape/disk, in the absense of a real rig, or for building some nice thick layers on top of "real" guitar tracks. The preamp is quite outstanding for the price, and the response is extremely good...practically transparent from the player's perspective, which I think is quite an accomplishment. In fact, it could very well be that players would find this characteristic more attractive than the actual sound itself.
psa1 doesn't have digital outputs though does it?...I think he's looking for digital outs...though I could be wrong...
It's a factor but sound quality is my first consideration

well sound quality wise it's amazing...but it's so very subjective...it might sound a little too analog for some (not me), I have a marshall tube pre-amp that oneday I hope to replace with a psa-1, but I myself am impressed with the pod xt live. You said you tried the xt and wasn't impressed with it...but then if you didn't spend much time with it you might of missed some good stuff. I got my xt last week, the first day I had mixed emotions. By the second day I had no second thoughts, it has so much you can do with tweaking. If you tried a PODxt and not the live, I don't think it comes with all the stomp boxes that live has (but you can buy them in a model pack). I also found that the models in the xt aren't the best they offer (they are still great) and found more joy in the metal shop model pack (50 bux)...perhaps a little bait and switch there

I'm usually the last one to suggest this, but buy it from a place that's local if you can (whatever you buy) so in case you decide you've made the wrong choice you can return it. Make sure that whatever you buy has some form of cabinet emulation. My experience has been that without cab emulation the sound is way to harsh for any real recording use. But really you need to spend more time than just a few minutes in a store with something to decide. Especially if you're going to use it for recording...

bingobingo · Post by **bingobingo** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:19 pm

championrabbit wrote:I've always wanted to try one of these. Anybody tried one?

Got one for $170 at Guitar Center a couple weeks ago. It's the Gt-6 and Gt-6b in one unit. Also a low latency usb interface with mic input. Digital out too, if you need that. The built-in speakers are handy. Editor software's good, too. For the price, it's amazing, especially if you're not playing live. I wouldn't suggest it for live work, though. Nothing to stomp on.

Sascha Franck · Post by **Sascha Franck** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:21 pm

championrabbit wrote:I've always wanted to try one of these. Anybody tried one?

While it looks appealing, I never liked the sound of the Rolan/Boss amp simulations.
Mind you, they're responding fine, reaction to what you're doing on your guitar is great (sounds clean up nicely when you back up the input volume).
The weird thing being that my rusty GT-5 is still sounding best with the speaker sim switched off, running through a real amp (I use it occasionally in front of my Twin) - something a POD or VAmp could only dream of - run them in front of an amp and notice the immediate loss of anything dynamic, the sound gets small and squeaky.
However, in a recording situation it's pretty much vice versa, but I'm not *that* familiar with the latest COSM amp simulations.

kilroy · Post by **kilroy** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:22 pm

Hink wrote:psa1 doesn't have digital outputs though does it?...I think he's looking for digital outs...though I could be wrong...

Aye, true enough that.

kilroy · Post by **kilroy** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:32 pm

Hink wrote:But really you need to spend more time than just a few minutes in a store with something to decide. Especially if you're going to use it for recording...

Truer words never spoken...a music store is without question *the* worst place to form any sort of opinion on a piece of gear. No trial...no sale...no customer. It's the kilroy way.

Sascha Franck · Post by **Sascha Franck** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:36 pm

Fortunately, my local music store will glady borrow me any piece of equipment they have over the weekends.
And then there's the brilliant Thomann (largest european online seller) with their full 30 days money back policy (just don't overuse it or they'll blacklist your account).

Genetic_Junk · Post by **Genetic_Junk** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:38 pm

Yeah I've been going through the same situation. I have a Variax and the PODxt Live. It enables you to use the free line 6 software for customizing guitar models though USB. The Ethernet connection to the XT live is pretty nice. A digital (Ethernet) connection to the XT does get rid of some noise which the converter box adds. One thing to note about the XT live is that when the USB is plugged it adds a small but defiantly audible amount of noise. So whenever I record I just unplug the USB, but that may not be so easy depending on your setup.

I also have the gnx3000. The amp models sound thicker. I think the main thing is they generally have more low frequency energy.

Just to let you know the algorithms in the tonleab desktop are different than the SE's.

Also zoom is coming out with a new flagship model the g9.2tt. Well they have announced, but you will be able to get it by mid March. So you might want to wait and check that out

All the boxes I mentioned are 399. Maybe the Tonelab desktop is a little cheaper.

Overwhelmed by choices of Guitar fx/amp boxes