What's new in the world of Multi-FX?
I'm kind of out of touch with this stuff now...who is winning the Boss GT-100 vs Line 6 POD-HD war? Is the Zoom G5 better than the Line6 M9? Any new stuff out there that looks cool? What are people using?
I kind of fancied a Zoom G5 but the fact that it doesn't have a loop makes it a bit useless as far as I'm concerned.
Originally Posted by Newton Faulkner
I have been exploring this arena recently and have read some positive stuff about the stuff G5. Yet to see one yet.
G3 still a bit hit for many especially at that price level.
The GT100 had a bit of a slating in some areas I have read.
I love the M9 as a concept and the sounds too.
Only issue seems to be lack of pre amp modelling but I guess you would go for a HD for that option.
The G3 is super awesome for the money.
It does 6 FX at a time so I'd go that way if the G5 doesn't have a loop.
What are people's experiences with the Nova System? It looks like a good package for the money (go for about 300 these days) but again there's no loop, which means you either get all your drive sounds from the pedal or use none of the drive sounds on the pedal and stick it in the loop. Neither of those options are optimal.
Are the drives good enough that you might be able to rely on them exclusively?
Last edited by GearAddict; 11th February 2013 at 08:14 PM.
I had a Nova for a bit - not bad, but some limitations.
As you'd expect the modulations etc. were lovely, just sublime - the drive was ok, but as you said - you have to use it the right way.
I'd advise you to check out the manual online, I didn't like the faff of switching between presets - really you need the G-Switch too to make it work (at least how i wanted it to) - hate to say it but Line 6 live pedals just feel easier to switch around.
Your mileage may vary and I do sometimes get urges to try one again
The Nova is a mixed bag. You really need to use it in front of a clean amp or you are wasting its potential. (or connect it to a Nova drive via MIDI) The drives are the best you will find on any multi FX as they are proper analog and are essentially a less mid humped TS type drive and a RAT type dist.
The quality of the FX are as good as you will find this side of a fridge sized rack, but it has its limitations in that patch switching feels weird and seems to have a slight delay, it's also not in the slightest bit intuitive to program compared to an M9 or a G3 which is why I sold mine.
I had a Nova for a while too and, as the previous poster said, the mods were great as were delay and 'verb. The drives were OK but I don't like my delay and reverb in front of an amp and I prefer most mods in the loop too.
I tried the Nova in front of several amps but the best results I had were in the loop of a midi preamp that had loads of gain so I didn't need the drives. I used a smallish midi footswitch to control both the Nova and the preamp and it sounded great. The mods, delay and reverb were sooo much better in the loop.
TBH if you have a midi foot switch, consider a Digitech GSP1101 - the amp models are very good, FX are good to excellent and it has a really advanced loop system so it works great with any amp with an FX loop, preamps/power amps, straight into the PA, etc. For the money (£200 or so for a s/hand one) it's the best bit of gear I've bought in years,
I would quite like to try the GSP1101...I don't have a midi footswitch though so that would be an extra complication. Also, I'm not sure I have the time, patience or energy to navigate all the menus etc on a rack system. What about the Digitech RP units? Might be a bit simpler but probably not the same quality.
Tbh on paper the M13 suits me down to the ground but in practice I never get on with Line 6 stuff.
I had an M9. I don't like all the sub menus and twaddle with multi FX but the M9 was really easy to get to grips with and does what it says on the tin - it really is like having a load of FX pedals all combined in one box. No amp or speaker simulations to worry about and every time you refine your setting on an effect it remembers it - as it doesn't matter if the knobs get accidentally spun in transit better than standard pedals in that respect.
For me the read out isn't big enough to not use a seperate tuner ( but that is probably true of most multi FX), everything is a bit close together for live use ( size 11 boots and a lively band, this wouldn't be an issue for everyone), I didn't feel I was getting the potential out of it and I ended up using a seperate drive in the end ( I use pedal distortion into a clean amp, if I were using amp distortion only that would have been okay. The drives also largely of the ROCK orientation which are no use to me).
There are two new single pedal sized Zoom multi FX which are what is new in the world of multi FX ( one a general FX, the other delay, reverb and chorus only I think) but,for me,on a gig they would be reduced to the status of a single effect. If I did home recording I guess they would be useful.
Breeding mammals with insects is my personal bugbear.
I know what you mean about Line 6 gear. I've tried so hard to like it but it just leaves me cold.
The Digitech RP1000 is similar to the GSP1101 but only has one processing chip. Not a huge deal as the GSP only uses it's second chip to carry over delay and reverb tails. I doubt you'd find the menu systems on the GSP, RP1000, GT-100 or an M13 all that different TBH. Multi-fx have a lot of options which need to be accessed (although I will agree that some are easier to navigate than others) and some people are OK with that and others are not. If you're using the GSP as a modeller then all the usual amp controls are on the front of the unit. Editing FX requires accessing menus but they're easy to get at and self explanatory. There's a very good PC editor that makes setting up patches really simple and the unit works brilliantly with a Behringer FCB1010 (as a cheap and reliable midi switcher).
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