Question: Are there any affordable multi effects units that don't suck tone out of a rig?

cvogue

cvogue

Yes, that's Oolong. :)
My new Blackstar combo amp sounded terrible with my PodXT Live in the loop, the tone went to middy/bassy crap. It did this a lot less with my old Peavey Ultra 120 plus head and I could live with it (didn't realize it at the time actually... that the Pod was hurting the tone).

Are there any affordable (under 400 bucks) multi effects units (not rack mounted) that leave more of your tone intact? With the Pod I had everything turned off, no amp or speaker modeling, no effects, no nothing... and it still had a big (negative) impact on the tone.

Thanks for any suggestions!

P.S. I tried all the "what are you connected to" settings as well to no avail.
 
here's my suggestion. buy whatever multifx you want, and put it into a true-bypass loop. not only will you be able to turn all of the effects on and off at the same time, but you'll keep it out of the signal path when you want to use them.

that said, your issue here is exactly how i ended up with a multitude of single pedals.
 
Hey cvogue! Long time no see.
:Wave:

I can't help you, though. I haven't run a multi-fx unit in front or in the loop of an amp for probably 11 years.

Good luck!
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
here's my suggestion. buy whatever multifx you want, and put it into a true-bypass loop. not only will you be able to turn all of the effects on and off at the same time, but you'll keep it out of the signal path when you want to use them.

that said, your issue here is exactly how i ended up with a multitude of single pedals.
Click to expand...

This.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
here's my suggestion. buy whatever multifx you want, and put it into a true-bypass loop. not only will you be able to turn all of the effects on and off at the same time, but you'll keep it out of the signal path when you want to use them.

that said, your issue here is exactly how i ended up with a multitude of single pedals.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'm kinda headed in that direction... would like to have something with multiple delay setups accessible with a push of a button or two (vice dialing in each setup each time) but I don't want to sacrifice the tone. I was pretty surprised at how much the Pod hurt the sound.

Yeah good to see you guys over here, I haven't been on HC in a couple of years. Switched jobs and my email address changed and I couldn't get back on over there... but I really don't miss it!
 
You could always go the route that JaxnSlim went. He uses his POD direct to the board live and runs a extra output to a powered monitor so he can hear himself on stage.

Short of that I can't help. I tried running my Digitech GNX3000 through my amp in multiple different ways and hated the tone in every configuration, so I don't use it live. I went to single pedals....
 
And whats funny about all this is that I'm considering getting a Line 6 M9 for my modulation effects :embarrassed:
 
cvogue said:
Yeah good to see you guys over here, I haven't been on HC in a couple of years. Switched jobs and my email address changed and I couldn't get back on over there... but I really don't miss it!
Click to expand...

I was wondering where you had gone to....I saw you and Oscar at NAMM a few years ago and then you seemed to disappear from the forums over there shortly after that..
 
Mark Wein said:
I was wondering where you had gone to....I saw you and Oscar at NAMM a few years ago and then you seemed to disappear from the forums over there shortly after that..
Click to expand...

Yeah that was cool when we met up at NAMM. My NAMM connections have kinda dried up lately. HCGF was getting silly by the time I switched jobs, wasn't on there much anyway. Then I found out that TomcatMF works at the same company I do now and he said a lot of the HC folks are over here so I decided to use my login here that I haven't used since I signed up. It's cool to reconnect again.

How is Oscar doing? He was the HCGF punching bag when I left... he enjoyed being a bit of antagonist but it was getting out of control.

Anyway, cvogue is back! :cool:
 
If you'd said rackmounted, I'd have suggested a look at the Digitech GSP1101 as it has had good reviews for NOT messing with your tone. Never tried one personally so that's based on what I've read. I believe that the same tech is used in Digitech's range of RP multi-effect foot pedals however so that maybe worth researching/trying out. Good luck which ever way you go.
 
jaxn slim said:
Hey cvogue! Long time no see.
:Wave:

I can't help you, though. I haven't run a multi-fx unit in front or in the loop of an amp for probably 11 years.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks js,

Yeah like I said in an earlier post I've been out of it for quite a while... some due to things beyond my control and some by my choice! :grin:

I think I might be moving to the stomp box realm once again as well. I was pretty shocked at what the POD was doing to my tone. I guess it's OK if you use it for everything (although it sounds digital and kinda sterile to my ears) but trying to combine it with the amp's natural tone doesn't work out so good, at least for my Blackstar.
 
cvogue said:
Yeah that was cool when we met up at NAMM. My NAMM connections have kinda dried up lately. HCGF was getting silly by the time I switched jobs, wasn't on there much anyway. Then I found out that TomcatMF works at the same company I do now and he said a lot of the HC folks are over here so I decided to use my login here that I haven't used since I signed up. It's cool to reconnect again.

How is Oscar doing? He was the HCGF punching bag when I left... he enjoyed being a bit of antagonist but it was getting out of control.

Anyway, cvogue is back! :cool:
Click to expand...

Well, this place is a pretty good Namm connection :embarrassed:


Oscar seems to be doin fine... Still playing his role on HC. I see him a couple of times a year at Namm and the occasional gig. And definitely welcome back! :thu:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
cvogue said:
My new Blackstar combo amp sounded terrible with my PodXT Live in the loop, the tone went to middy/bassy crap. It did this a lot less with my old Peavey Ultra 120 plus head and I could live with it (didn't realize it at the time actually... that the Pod was hurting the tone).

Are there any affordable (under 400 bucks) multi effects units (not rack mounted) that leave more of your tone intact? With the Pod I had everything turned off, no amp or speaker modeling, no effects, no nothing... and it still had a big (negative) impact on the tone.

Thanks for any suggestions!

P.S. I tried all the "what are you connected to" settings as well to no avail.
Click to expand...

I see this is an old post, but just in case you haven't solved your problem, or if someone else is having the same problem, I'll lend my experience.

I used to have a Pod XT Live, and had the same problem you're experiencing. I sold mine, took the 300 bucks I got for it, and bought the Boss ME-70. I've been very happy. Since the advent of the Pod HD500, your xt live probably isn't worth quite 300 anymore, the ME70 is still only 299, so it's affordable either way. I fond the effects to be far more real and analog sounding, with actual knobs to twist. It has a whammy, which the xt live doesn't, as well as a looper and harmonizer, also absent from your unit. The volume pedal is just as good, and the wah is better. Doing presets is a little more difficult, the only drawback. But I find that it's much easier to turn effects on and off since they're in the bottom row, rather than having to aim for a button on the top row while playing and singing.
 
Cool! How does it sound when everything is turned off, does it alter the tone much (in the loop)?

How does it compare to the older Boss ME series pedals? I could get one of those used for a lot less $ I'd think.
 
Last edited:
cvogue said:
Cool! How does it sound when everything is turned off, does it alter the tone much (in the loop)?

How does it compare to the older Boss ME series pedals? I could get one of those used for a lot less $ I'd think.[/QUOTE

I'm not sure if you were directing this at me, so forgive me if I'm talking out of turn. I don't use anything in the loop. I use everything before the amp. I don't hear any tone sucking or noise with the ME70. Now, some guys have a better ear for that than I do, but I'm a pretty big tone hound. I've found it to be cleaner than anything else I've used from Line 6, Digitech, Zoom, or any others.
Click to expand...
 
I haven't heard one that doesn't suck tone, but the Vox ToneLab SE sucks tone less than any other I've heard so far.
 
ken said:
I haven't heard one that doesn't suck tone, but the Vox ToneLab SE sucks tone less than any other I've heard so far.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but the Tonelabs that I've played with weren't very versatile or easy to use, and I felt the distortions felt processed. That's why I went with the Boss.
 
ken said:
I haven't heard one that doesn't suck tone, but the Vox ToneLab SE sucks tone less than any other I've heard so far.
Click to expand...

The one I liked was the big one with the 2 volume/wah pedals. They didn't make that for very long. It had a 12AX7 tube in it too. That one was pretty tasty.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top