Favorite multi-effect/floor units

[callaway]

The Line 6 M13 does not have these traditional problems of modeling gear. No effects-routing limitations and editing is just reach down and turn the knob just like a stompbox. If you want not only the best bang-for-buck but absolutely great effects, you must check out the M13. I can't tell you how stupid simple it is to use.

 

[Mor Paul]

I'm pretty good with menus , for what it's worth. 
I liked what I heard from the line6 X3 live, and I think I'll go try it again sometime soon.
Amp modelling is pretty important as well

 

[Volitions Advocate]

Honestly it all depends on what you want to do with it.

If all you want is a delay/phaser/flanger/wah/EQ/Dist then go for stompboxes.  or try something a little less complex like an ME unit rather than a GT unit (if we're talking about Boss)

The reason I go with an effects processor rather than just a multi-effects pedal is because I use all the crazy stuff on it.  If I want to use the Treadle on my expression pedal to ramp up my tremolo speed while at the same time pitch shifting up 2 octaves I can do that, or I can synch my tempos to a Midi clock if there's a keyboard player in the band.  For me it goes so much farther than just not having to buy all the pedals for the effects I have, but that's just because its how i play. Not that everybody needs that kind of stuff under the hood.

 

[jay4321]

I just purchased the Pod X3 Live tonight.

I got fed up with touchy amps, replacing tubes, pedals lying everywhere, miking cabinets. I've given up and I don't care what it sounds like but I'm using it for recording and that's all there is to it. I have the Pro Tools setup going and an Mbox already so I might as well go full on artificial.

Will update.

 

[Jens]

I just purchased the Pod X3 Live tonight.

I got fed up with touchy amps, replacing tubes, pedals lying everywhere, miking cabinets. I've given up and I don't care what it sounds like but I'm using it for recording and that's all there is to it. I have the Pro Tools setup going and an Mbox already so I might as well go full on artificial.

Will update.

Huh? You´re using it for recording, but you don´t care what it sounds like?

 

[Sustainerplayer]

I have had some nice years together with a Zoom G9.2tt. Loved the z-pedal - but then again I am a dynamic effect-junkie.  :toothy10:

It had some nice basic sounds too ... although lacking somewhat in the "crunch"-department.

 

[jay4321]

Huh? You´re using it for recording, but you don´t care what it sounds like?

After all of the gear problems I've had recently, I'm more than willing to take my chances with a modeling unit. It's more organized, less expensive, and I can work at 2am without disturbing anyone (which is a major concern with neighbors nearby and my girlfriend sleeping across the house). I don't expect the Pod to sound as good as the real thing, but as good as those things seem to be gettting these days I suspect it will more than do the trick. I guess I'll find out.

However I'm holding on to my ISP Decimator, which works great vs. 60-cycle-hum noise.

 

[yyz2112]

I have the Tonelab LE. I used it at first as a full function unit-modeling, fx, reverb straight into a power amp for gigs. It sounded very good that way, the best modeler I've used when compared to Pod XT Live, Boss Gt-8 and other earlier units. The LE since been relegated to use as an in-loop (bypass switched) fx processor so I can have different modulation fx and settings at my feet. It also does very well at this, the mod effects are great.
If you are set on a modeler, try the LE for sure. Of course, all the old amps sound great (don't they?), but do you want to gig out with some old dinosaur for which you paid several thousands of $$? Some guys do, but when a drunken schmuck spills his beer on your blackface/plexi/tweed treasure, you will be hating life.

 

[jay4321]

Update on the status of my new Line 6 Pod X3 Live:

It's a beast. I can't say that the amp models are perfect, some are a good ways better than others, but there's TONS of usable sound coming out of it. The presets are pretty much a waste of time (but who uses presets anyway?). I'm not sure how I feel about the reverb and a couple effects here or there yet. I'm very early in the sound tweaking process but at the moment I'd say this is an extremely respectable piece of gear.

If you have a favorite high-end tube amp or two, you probably wouldn't be all that impressed. It is what it is. But I can compare against lower-end tube amps and a variety of solid states that I've used... without question I'm getting far better sounds out of this and it's barely out of the box. In the past I've used an old Digitech multi-effects and had used a couple Boss units over the years as well.

It bugs me that this thing is about 25 percent plastic or more, but since it's for home use only I don't find it a big problem.

 

[Mor Paul]

Sounds good!
Unfortunately, my laptop is now up a bit higher on the stuff-I-need-to-replace list, so I'm not sure if I'll get the unit before or after my laptop.

 

[jay4321]

Yeah while I'm getting familiar with it I'm just running it into my studio monitors, haven't messed with the Pro Tools end of it or any of the software add-ons with all the bonuses (or the forums and so on). At first glance it looks like there's a ton of resources out there. I love the dual tone thing already, I'm sure I'll be using that quite a bit.

Makes me wonder how far they can push this modeling thing. You may not fool all the tone hounds but I think you'll get some of them, and certainly most casual listeners especially where harder rock sounds are concerned. It's scary to think how much work it must have taken to work out all those little algorithms.

In particular I'm getting nice medium-gain crunch out of it, which was something of a failure in Guitar Rig 2 (among several other issues). I like playing heavy music in general, but I like to back the gain off a bit rather than the full-shred max-distortion sound. Not to backed off to the point of being weak, but just enough to keep some real growl and grit to it. My Deluxe is reacting real well with the thing too.

So, yeah, so far I like and I'd recommend. You might want to look into some of the less-expensive varieties if your budget is limited, though offhand I don't know what's missing from them.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Don’t do it Max!  :evil4: :evil4:
The best floor effect in the world is a pre-1968 Blackface Fender Super Reverb and a guitar cord.  :laughing7: :laughing7: :laughing7:
Save your pennies and get the grail. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:

Best advice yet.  Those multi effects processors are tone vampires.  Do you have any idea what that does to your signal chain.  Besides, with 400+ effects, you use maybe 2 to 5 of them.  Go buy those pedals that do it better instead.  You don't need a Slash, Satriani, Santana, or Eric Johnson setting.  Don't fall for the intoxication of effects.  Less is more.  The best guitar sounds I've ever heard were from guys that had the minimal amount of stuff on the ground in front of them.

 

[Mor Paul]

I would love to get maybe 2 tube amps, and a few pedals, but that would be way more than what this unit costs. It will let me play around with different settings, and if I find what I really am in to, I can buy the big boy version (actual tube amps and such)

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Max, I know what you mean.  But, whatever this costs, subtract that from a decent tube amp and you're now that much further from getting one.  It's not a step forward, it's a step back or distraction.  The best overdrives come from the breakup that occurs in the tubes, not from a circuit board.

 

[Rick]

Actually, I think Max is doing exactly the right thing.  If money were unlimted, well then sure, buy whatever, but this is cost effective, and really, the tones are pretty good.

 

[mayfly]

Actually, I think Max is doing exactly the right thing.   If money were unlimted, well then sure, buy whatever, but this is cost effective, and really, the tones are pretty good.

+1.  You can get surprisingly close with these units. However, make sure that you A/B them with your ideal rig to see if they are right for you.

 

[yyz2112]

On the bright side, if you do buy a tube amp, you can gloat about helping to keep alive an obsolete technology.

 

[jay4321]

If money were unlimted, well then sure, buy whatever, but this is cost effective, and really, the tones are pretty good.

I don't know what Max's needs are or what his budget is, but if it's anything close to mine he's probably trying to make every dollar count and has to consider functionality as well. In my case, I suppose I could purchase a $1,000 amp or so, but that would only leave me short for other gear.

Now, I would never argue that modeling (in it's current state) is good enough to accurately replicate and capture all the little subtleties and nuances from something like a 60's Super Reverb. But by the same token, there's a ton of capabilities in these newer modeling units that an amp just doesn't have. I can run a bass or mic direct in for processing and recording, double up two sounds on separate channels and things I haven't even found out about yet. And I really think some of these models sound pretty good. I dialed up a nasty Faith No More / Jim Martin sound using a "5160" setting.

Plus it really depends on the application. If you play strictly blues/classic rock or similar, then you could probably get away with just  maybe a Hot Rod Deluxe with a couple of stomp boxes. Nothing wrong with that at all, if all you really want/need is an amp.