multiefect

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: multiefect

jgcable:

Wow, you are damn right, those behringer units are cheap!... I was just wondering how they compare to the POD XT...

hmmm... food for thought right there... they also have a pro version that seems very nice...

[ May 07, 2003, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: rodrigo_echeverri ]

[jgcable]

Re: multiefect

I think it is even better then the POD because you can completely bypass the preamps and use it striclty for effects. That makes it usefull for vocals, drums, whatever.. The tones are outstanding and it comes with a gig bag and a really nice footswitch too. The only bummer is it has no on and off switch. I got over that detail quickly because of the great price. It is really well made too.

[Ace]

Re: multiefect

Disclaimer: The following is just my opinion, and backed up solely by my own experience and what I have learned from other musicians that I have had the pleasure of working with. It is by no means fact or set in stone.

First of all, what you really want sounds like a Line6 Vetta. It fills every one of your specs exactly. Unfortunately, they cost about $1600.

There are a million cheap multi-effects units out there that you can buy, but IMHO, they all cannot compare with dedicated units. If you really want to play thrash like Megadeth and Pantera, the first thing you are going to need is a good distortion somewhere in your chain. What kind of amp do you use? If I were you I would get something that has great distortion first, because that is the fundamental part of the thrash sound, as well as most shredders' tone. You simply CAN NOT get everything that you asked for in one unit for $300. I would start buying dedicated units, and build my collection from there. If you buy good gear now, you can keep it and expand upon it. If you buy a cheap multi-effects processor, when you want to upgrade, the one you had before will just be obsolete. BOSS makes good stomp boxes, DOD's suck. Building your collection one or two effects at a time has its advantages and disadvantages. First of all you get to learn how each effect works individually. Secondly, if one of them goes down, you are just out one effect, not your entire sound. Nothing sucks worse than being onstage, or anywhere for that matter, and having your entire rig go down. Possibly most importantly, individual units for the most part sound 100% better than multi-effects units. My friend has two Digitech 2112's, and we never use them, simply beacuse there is not ONE sound in there that we like., and those things retailed at like $1000 apiece. We had one kid come into the recording studio and INSISTED on recording through some $99 muliteffects processor. He sounded like sh!t, and no one was suprised at all. Finally we got him to record on the Mesa Boogie DC-10.

[ May 07, 2003, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Ace ]

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: multiefect

ACE, you rank pretty high in my book dude, good advice!... [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: multiefect

From what I gather some MP-1s did come with crappy tubes. Not sure what's in mine (got it used - never opened the case) but you do not NEED tubes to get great distortion. I've gotten excellent distortion from a Digitech GSP-21 Legend for years now. It's definitely better for studio work than live, but it can be used live. It takes a certain amount of practice to tweak it just right, as you have to figure out how to make each component contribute to the sound, and think outside the traditional boxes of each effect or sound setting.
If you set the Legend's Compressor full-on you can push the Distortion into a very saturated state that compares favorably with traditional tube amps (Mesa/Marshall/etc). I've used it to cop the tones from Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and Justice, as well as Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and any other Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band you can think of. I got cleans so crystalline you'd think you were strumming glass strings.

Look into the Digitech GSP-21 Legend (the Pro was ok, the Legend is better). You might even get a good score on the tube version of the Legend (2101). Those were pretty good as well, though because of the 12ax7 tube took a bit more tweaking on the EQ AND the speaker sim.

Newc

[Chuckracer]

Re: multiefect

I've messed with MP1s that had great tubes and it was a pile. IMHO.

[Newc]

Re: multiefect

Did you go your traditional route of guitar>preamp>poweramp>cabinet?
Remember, the MP-1 was designed to be a stripped-down no-frills preamp that each user could start with a basic tone through the onboard EQ which would then be processed through your choice of external EQing. Its minimalistic design was necessary to preserve the original tone without a bunch of excess circuitry weakening the signal.
You cannot get a good sound out of an MP-1 by itself (unless your taste runs the range of tinny, buzzy, grainy, and nasally [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ) - you MUST use an external EQ on it. The built-in EQ is just there for basic shaping (i.e. "I'll have a bottle of bees with extra bass, to go").

Newc

[thenine]

Re: multiefect

well, what I have found is that most people either like them or hate them (MP-1's). There is very little middle ground. Mine is buzzy IMO. It is more fuzz and less crunch. I used a BBE 422A with it. I still have the BBE and use it with my Bogner XTC for an added boost. I have it in one of my loops of my GCX. Its a great unit IMO. I will admit I liked the MP-1's clean tone, but the dist is buzzy, fuzzy, not crunchy and MP-1's are notoriously noisy. I tried many tubes in mine and found little success to my ears.

The original post states:
"i'm thinking of buying a guitar multiefect processor." Which to me does not mean, "Whats a cool rack setup". And at a price limit of $300 well nevermind, Im rambling.

Also "computer friendly for home recording." Implies (to me at least) I wanna run a line out to my sound card punch up some patches and wail. Not mike my cab and shake the walls.


JOHN

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: multiefect

John, peace man!... I shouldn't have been so harsh on my first opinions...

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: multiefect

John. I did read the original post and did express my opinion honestly... that's it. Furthermore, I re-read the original post just now and continue to feel the same way...

I am paying special attention to the following statement: "from a mind blowing destortion to crystal clean"... IMO that's something you need tubes for and that's why I said what I said...

The user asking the question makes the answer very difficult because of the amount of constrains he sets.

1) Price
2) Recording quality (here is where I jumped in)
3) Portability (the shortcoming of my advice)
4) NUmber of effects

I did consider all the above in the first place.

Obviously you and I have different tastes. My intention was not to dismiss anybody's advice but there must be room for different opinions.

Itzko: For very extensive information on this topic, please read the following thread:

http://www.jcfonline.com/cgi-bin/ult...;f=12;t=000472

[ May 07, 2003, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: rodrigo_echeverri ]