Best Guitar Amp modeler/multi effects...no matter the price!

[Garcia Czukay]

Greetings all! This is an amazing community by the way. I've learned a tremendous amount here. So I've been looking into guitar multi effects processors to add amp modeling/stompbox effects, etc. to my new Godin XTSA/Roland GR20 setup. I already own a Line 6 POD XT pro that I use with my stratocaster and I've owned a Boss GT 8 in the past which I was not impressed with at all (especially with regards to recording applications). Is there anyhing comparable to the POD XT pro out there..specifically I was also wondering if anyone has any experience with the Roland VG-88? Thanks. GC

[johann]

Why are you asking, do you want to sell it? I have got the Vamp pro wich sounds nice. Probably the Pod is better though and I wouldn't sell it for a Behringer. I just sold my GR 20 because I didn't like it. It was fun to play around with but a bit expensive for a toy. I found it pretty useless. I recorded some midi tracks and spent the whole day quantizing and cutting and pasting...

[Garcia Czukay]

Yeah, recording with the GR 20 takes some tweaking to say the least...I've heard good things about the Behringer...kinda similar to the POD right? I'm also thinking of getting the Roland GI 20 midi interface or maybe the Axon model. And no I'm not lookingto sell anything. I want to know what the experience is with the amp simulation, effects etc of the VG 88 before I take the plunge. Any thoughts?

[nanashiwanderer]

For Amp Modeling DI effects. Many people like the Tech 21 stuff, over the line 6.

For multi effects. TC Electronic G-Major, is one of the more popular multi effects units, especially for their Delay/Reverb effects.

[Dreamside]

It's going to be very hard to beat the Pod XT Pro. I love the S/PDIF digital output on those. Not on my regular ol' Pod XT. Haven't tried that Roland though.

You might go crazy looking for "that tone" among the modellers. A vast, dark forest to wander into my friend.

[Dreamside]

It's going to be very hard to beat the Pod XT Pro. I love the S/PDIF digital output on those. Not on my regular ol' Pod XT. Haven't tried that Roland though.

You might go crazy looking for "that tone" among the modellers. A vast, dark forest to wander into my friend.

[m_morrise]

Rocktron VooDu...

[Garcia Czukay]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm beginning to think it might be a better idea to buy individual stompboxes instead and record the XTSA thru a Fender Hot Rod deluxe tube amp I have. For multi effects applications I'll use the POD XT pro.

[eremicorama]

What about line6 Vetta II HD Head?

I read somewhere that Michael Romeo of Symphony X uses it...

[Garcia Czukay]

Nice. Might go to Guitar Center and try one out. Have you used it?

[joelpilling]

What about line6 Vetta II HD Head?

I read somewhere that Michael Romeo of Symphony X uses it...

I just saw them live, he uses 2 Vetta heads.

Personally, if the Vetta had a tubepower stage, I would so buy it. They do sound great, but to me its a 'too perfect' sound. It basically sounds like the amps they model as if they were set up in a studio environment and everything. A little to clean IMO. You also really don't get the feel of them either.

Oh and for the record most of the stuff off of Paradise Lost if from his Engl Fireball and sometimes the Vetta II. (Other albums he has used a DSL, Single Recto and a couple other things.)

[igloo0213]

I have heard that the Fractal Audio Axe-FX is pretty much the holy grail of modeling units. Scott Peterson over at TheGearPage gave it a very good review. It's pretty pricey though, for a modeling unit, but if it sounds as good as I've heard reports of it sounding, I suspect it would be worth it.

[Dreamside]

Uh it's 1,750 MSRP on their Yahoo store. And their website says there's a waiting list!

It's the Ferrari of modelers. Even if the built-in A/D is as good as the entry Lucid A/D I wouldn't but it.

Think of what 1,750 buys you as far as real amps, cabs, not to mention mic preamps go.

[Farview]

I know plenty of guys that use the Pod XT pro running through a Mesa 90/90 or a Marshall 100/100 and into a 4x12 cab. They all get great tone.

Running a Pod through the front of a guitar amp isn't going to sound all that good. You are running through two amps essentially. (the modeled one and the real one) It will never sound that much different than the real amp you are running through because tube amps are one-trick-ponies. Each one sounds a certain way and there isn't much you can do to get away from the sound of that amp.

[jason]

Uh it's 1,750 MSRP on their Yahoo store. And their website says there's a waiting list!

It's the Ferrari of modelers. Even if the built-in A/D is as good as the entry Lucid A/D I wouldn't but it.

Think of what 1,750 buys you as far as real amps, cabs, not to mention mic preamps go.

Actually the unit that goes for $1750 doesn't have the amp modeling features, it's just an effects processor. The one that has the modeling capability is more like $2100. I have heard tons of good reviews and demos from this unit, and IMO it's very impressive. It's supposed to be extremely versiatile and user friendly. And the sound quality is supposed to be top notch, but for that kind of $$$$, you could get something like a G-force AND a POD. The G-major I hear had alot of reliabilty issues and sounds ok, but not great. I was going to get one, and ended up getting a MPX-1 instead, which I've been happy with so far. It works great for studio sessions, but because it has some latency between patch changes, it might not be the best unit for live situations.

[razorbyte]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I'm beginning to think it might be a better idea to buy individual stompboxes instead and record the XTSA thru a Fender Hot Rod deluxe tube amp I have. For multi effects applications I'll use the POD XT pro.

That's probably a good idea. At this point you can get a decent sound with digital, but in my opinion they still can't completely replicate all the details, nuances and...i have to say it..."warmth" of stomp boxes run through a good tube amp.

[igloo0213]

Uh it's 1,750 MSRP on their Yahoo store. And their website says there's a waiting list!

It's the Ferrari of modelers. Even if the built-in A/D is as good as the entry Lucid A/D I wouldn't but it.

Think of what 1,750 buys you as far as real amps, cabs, not to mention mic preamps go.

Well, he did say "no matter the price," did he not? Hehe.

FWIW, A Mesa/Boogie Dual Rec Roadster is upwards of $1500 for the head only version, so $1750 couldn't buy you too many high end amps.

[coppa]

well price no option you could build a rig that gives the same flexibility as modelers.

you would have to buy every amp you want to use: fenders marsahlls whatever in head version or somekind of rackmount amp heads.

then you get dummy loads for all of them.

you feed all the outputs onto a mixer.
plug the mixer into solid state or tube stereo linear amplifier of choice and drive real guitar cabs with it.

Also get a speaker simulator that you could use to go direct with all of these amps

you can use the mixer to blend any of the amplifiers together in stereo along with stereo effects before or after power tube distortion.

how about that rig?. i bet it would keep the house warm at least.

[igloo0213]

well price no option you could build a rig that gives the same flexibility as modelers.

you would have to buy every amp you want to use: fenders marsahlls whatever in head version or somekind of rackmount amp heads.

then you get dummy loads for all of them.

you feed all the outputs onto a mixer.
plug the mixer into solid state or tube stereo linear amplifier of choice and drive real guitar cabs with it.

Also get a speaker simulator that you could use to go direct with all of these amps

you can use the mixer to blend any of the amplifiers together in stereo along with stereo effects before or after power tube distortion.

how about that rig?. i bet it would keep the house warm at least.

Or suck so much power that you would have to get a power plant built just for it.

[coppa]

lol yeah

it could be possible if somone was very good at making little minature soundalike version of famous amplifiers by using nothing but 12ax7 type tubes.

[johann]

Why don't they build a modeler with tubes in it? I know, I am stupid. It wouldn't be a modeler any more

[razorbyte]

Why don't they build a modeler with tubes in it? I know, I am stupid. It wouldn't be a modeler any more

They do. It's called a Vox Tonelab.

[coppa]

there is more to it then just having a distorted preamp tube. It needs to be a full guitar amp with preamp and power section that could drive its own speaker but instead running into a dummy load and reamped at any volume that is needed. no it wouldnt be a moddeller at that point.

There is a whole website dedicated to all this stuff its called amptone
pages upon pages of jargon about all this stuff.

[monaro]

Hi there coppa,

In your "money no object" list, you said about feeding the out puts of the amps via a dummy load in to a mixer.
How would one go about this cos I would love to try it. Ive been lent a really nice marshall amp and this recording direct sounds cool.
Is it safe? Is there any risk to the amp or mixer?

[coppa]

There are probably more dummy loads avaliable but the most popular ones are:

palmer

mother load

axetrak

and pretty new one is the

SPL transducer

heard great things about all of them,heard great samples from all these units aswell. There is probably no best unit obviously as they all employ a diferent method of getting your amp to go direct.