KVR Audio

smp · Post by **smp** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:38 am

I'm going to buy my first electric guitar end of this year/early next year. I'm looking to complement this with an amp sim/DI box so I can easily tool around with the sounds on the computer without having to mic it up first.

At the moment I'm thinking either Line6 Guitarport or Behringer V-Amp2. In other words, the cheap end of the market. It's going to be difficult to road test either of them as I haven't found a local store (Canberra) that stocks either one without having to order them in.

If you have either one of these (or an earlier variant like the original V-Amp), what are your impressions of them, and how do you think they compare to the competition? I'm leaning towards Guitarport because of the value-adding Guitarport website, but I'm not fully sold yet.

-s

Chickenman · Post by **Chickenman** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:51 am

Korg Pandora. (px4... whatever the latest one is)

The best lil practice tool and it doesn't sound too bad either.

I'm so gutted someone stole mine.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:56 am

If it's between the two you mentioned, I'd have to go for V-Amp2. To be completely honest with you, I'm just reporting back what I've heard, as I have not used the Guitarport at all, and have used the V-Amp2 only on occasion.

However, the V-Amp2 is compared favourably to the PodXT, which is about twice the price. For certain tones, people prefer it, and for others people seem to prefer the V-Amp2. With the latest update of the Pod, it seems to be the winner from a strictly 'sound' point of view, but the extra add-ons that make it such a killer cost you an extra $50-100, depending on which you go for.

I know which one I'd pick.

As a beginner, though, you might need neither-- for just tooling around while you learn the guitar, you can do it with software as long as your soundcard is getting decent enough latency. And the software you can get for free is more than adequate for your purposes.

Greg

KLG · Post by **KLG** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 4:19 am

I'm using a Digitech GNX2 and love it (quite cheap too). I also have a Line6 POD 2.0 but the lack of floor buttons and expression pedal is quite inconvenient for me.

Chickenman · Post by **Chickenman** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:14 am

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_pro ... egory_id=6

rogerperrin · Post by **rogerperrin** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:08 am

I have 3 ZOOM amp sim boxes and love them. I like the 503's the best, but 606 is real cool too. The POD's are so real that it is totally frightening. They are breathtakingly true to the amps they emulate, but out of my budget. Digitech totally sucks. Please don;t waste your money there. I've done an extensive A - B test with POD, Zoom, and Digitech. Digitech does not sound real, at all, and has terrible sounds to boot.

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:35 am

SANSAMP GT2

You can hear on the song that plays when you hit my page....

Chickenman · Post by **Chickenman** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:47 am

I've had a few over the years: Digitech Rp7, Zoom player (1010?)and a better player model, zoom that went on your strap, zoom 505, korg pandora px2 and px3 have also used (recorded with gigged with) a few: Boss gt5, rp6, line 6 pod, and various other crap....

Zoom distortion sounds tooo zoom-y

Digitech is pretty sucky (gnx4 snds alright but it's a totally gimmicky shit heap of a thing)

Korg Pandoras sound.... good-ish

Pods are good, prolly the best of the lot but I personally think they all sound like shit.

Of course I use guitar rig a lot too and that sounds just as bad

Hink · Post by **Hink** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:58 am

I have a pod too, but I think I'm gonna go with a Trademark 120 2x12 combo soon, because the Sanamp sound is so good...right now I have a monster. Marshall 3 channel stereo tube pre-amp, a Midi-verb 4, Aphex Aurel Exciter (with big bottom

) and a 400 watt power amp (the damn power amp gave me a hernia 4 years ago) I have it running into a 4x12 slant cab with 4 celestion G35 speakers. Because the rig is all stereo I wired the cab to stereo and wired it down to 4 ohms...it's loud

but I don't need a rig that big anymore, and even if I do I can run out the Trademark pre-outs to the power amp....

kovacs · Post by **kovacs** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:13 am

smp wrote:At the moment I'm thinking either Line6 Guitarport or Behringer V-Amp2. In other words, the cheap end of the market.

I can't speak for the V-amp but I had the Guitarport for about 18 months and sold it to get a Pod XT this summer. It is incredible value for money and I can guarantee that you will be happy with it. I absolutely loved it and it helped me bring my guitar playing into the virtual domain.

BUT - and there is a but - if you have ANY plans to take your guitar to go jamming with friends then either you need a laptop or you need an amp, since the Guitarport can only be used with a computer. So for portability I'd consider getting a Pod 2. they can be had dirt cheap on ebay now. Or if you can, consider the pod XT. It is one hell of an amp sim and it is very portable.

Whoever said that V-amps compare favorably to Pods haven't got a clue.

mortjo · Post by **mortjo** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:30 am

You might want to consider the VOX Tonelab instead. Great sounds and cheaper than PODs (at least here, might be different in your part of the world)

Sansamp is good as well

/MJ

j_T · Post by **j_T** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:54 am

kovacs wrote:I can't speak for the V-amp but I had the Guitarport for about 18 months ...

kovacs wrote:
Whoever said that V-amps compare favorably to Pods haven't got a clue.

Regards,

Tommy

kovacs · Post by **kovacs** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 8:57 am

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. Couldn't resist it.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:53 pm

Like I mentioned, I have little personal experience. However, since it's almost always on the back of my mind to get one of these things eventually (I'm still using software, courtesy of the lovely Green Machine II), I read every thread that comes along here, on ProjectGuitar, Total Guitar forum, CM/FM forum, as well as online reviews.

Many people prefer the V-Amp 2 for their clean-ish tones, over the PODXT.

Just reporting back what I've heard.

No more, no less. I'm quite certain that for the same price, it'll be better than the GuitarPort.

Greg

kovacs · Post by **kovacs** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:57 pm

Lunch Money wrote:I'm quite certain that for the same price, it'll be better than the GuitarPort.

Greg

Fair enough. Does V-amp come with an optional subscription for something like the GuitarLounge for Line6 users?

Guitar amp sim suggestions/advice?