Toneport GX - New from Line6

[GreyLion]

It seems to be basically the most cut-down form of a UX1/UX2. Has a single 1/4" guitar jack, and connects to your computer via USB2.

Looks like it comes with the basic pack version of GearBox, which could be very cool. And will accept the expansion packs when you get ready to spend more money.

I have a J-Station that still pleases me a lot, but the technology has hopefully advanced in the past half-decade. And the J-doesn't have a software interface for tweaking in real time, which makes it a lot more clumsy to use when recording.

And $70 for an interface and all those sims and effects seems just insane.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/ ... sku=241406

Any thoughts? At this price it's right past the edge of 'impulse buy' for me.

[whyterabbyt]

Very similar spec to the Guitarport, which I suspect wouldnt need much of the PCB redone to fit in that same case

[BONES]

As long as you realise that GearBox sits outside the Windoze audio system and cannot be integrated into your host, I see no reason not to. I absolutely love GearBox and if you compare the price to the plug-in versions, you'd be nuts not to give it a whirl. I've had mine for a while now, 8 or 9 months, and there are so many included models that I haven't even looked at the Expansion Packs.

[GreyLion]

WR - Huh. Hadn't thought of possible GuitarPort parentage. But you might well be right.

Bones -- Yeah, I got hot for the UX2 for awhile and read up on it. But it was overkill for what I wanted to do with it. Which was to record a live guitar signal into it. I still haven't found any sounds with the other software sims that sound as good to my ears as just recording through the J-Station does. The main downside with the J is that it's painstaking to tweak the presets. If the GearBox software gives good tone, I'll likely get this thing. I don't have much need for heavy metal incredibly distorted sounds, just need that thick, sweet, infinitely-sustaining overdrive.

Since I've in the past bought way too much gear in a fever, and regretted it later, I'll probably wait until it's been out a little longer and gotten some reviews. But I've read here and elsewhere that the GearBox software sounds excellent. Thanks for confirming that again.

Historically, trying gear out in a store doesn't give me a good idea of how it's really going to sound with my rig, so it'll still be a bit of a blind purchase. But, for $70, I can deal with that. Killer price.

Anybody know of a GearBox demo, or have they carefully locked it up so it needs Line6 hardware plugged in? I don't see any demos on their site.

[BONES]

There is a demo of the plug-in version which should give you a pretty good idea of what you'll get.