jdosher
Inspired
Is the Axe as good as the Zoom G3?
Okay, okay. I'm not being serious.
I do have a real question though. I'm looking for a cheap Axe Fx "substitute". I'm asking on this forum so I can get a "compared to the Axe" reference. Here's the deal:
My Axe Fx II lives at the rehearsal space and I need something for doing direct recording for working on song ideas to share with the band. My current method is to run through some of my standard pedals, the last in the chain being a Tech 21 Leeds pedal with the cab emulator on. This then runs into my mixing console. The eq added by the "cab" helps a lot, but it's not great. Also, I kind of need to better emulate the sound of two different rigs (my band-mate's rig vs my rig); recording two guitar parts with identical sound doesn't help differentiate the parts very well while tracking, or as I'm writing.
I was looking into getting a GSP1101 (had one before, and they're pretty darn good for the price), but they're still $300+, 5-year old tech, and even the people that make the 3rd party firmware for them seem to have called it quits. The Zoom G3 popped up on my radar and I'm wondering if anyone here has one and can comment on how they sound and function. Or if you've had experience with other sub $200 devices that'll give me not-too-crappy amp and cab sims. I know what to expect from the Axe, and I'm not expecting that from a cheap unit, but I want something better (and more flexible) than my current method.
Criteria:
- Multiple amps/cabs so I can dial in 'my sound' and 'my band mate's sound' and access each with a button press or two
- Stand-alone; I don't want to mess with plug-ins or latency (and I'll also use it for practice at home, where I don't want to mess with firing up my DAW)
- Basic FX would be handy, but that's easy - the quality of the amp/cab/mic sims are more important for what I'm hoping to find
- Affordable, but not horrible. "Nowhere close to the Axe, but still usable" is what I'm looking for.
If the GSP1101 is still light-years ahead of the Zoom G3, I'd spend the extra I suppose. I just know that 5-year newer technology can easily mean the $169 Zoom sounds on par with the GSP1101 for less money. I'd probably find myself wanting the GSP's foot controller too, so I'd end up spending more than I'd planned.
Okay, okay. I'm not being serious.
I do have a real question though. I'm looking for a cheap Axe Fx "substitute". I'm asking on this forum so I can get a "compared to the Axe" reference. Here's the deal:
My Axe Fx II lives at the rehearsal space and I need something for doing direct recording for working on song ideas to share with the band. My current method is to run through some of my standard pedals, the last in the chain being a Tech 21 Leeds pedal with the cab emulator on. This then runs into my mixing console. The eq added by the "cab" helps a lot, but it's not great. Also, I kind of need to better emulate the sound of two different rigs (my band-mate's rig vs my rig); recording two guitar parts with identical sound doesn't help differentiate the parts very well while tracking, or as I'm writing.
I was looking into getting a GSP1101 (had one before, and they're pretty darn good for the price), but they're still $300+, 5-year old tech, and even the people that make the 3rd party firmware for them seem to have called it quits. The Zoom G3 popped up on my radar and I'm wondering if anyone here has one and can comment on how they sound and function. Or if you've had experience with other sub $200 devices that'll give me not-too-crappy amp and cab sims. I know what to expect from the Axe, and I'm not expecting that from a cheap unit, but I want something better (and more flexible) than my current method.
Criteria:
- Multiple amps/cabs so I can dial in 'my sound' and 'my band mate's sound' and access each with a button press or two
- Stand-alone; I don't want to mess with plug-ins or latency (and I'll also use it for practice at home, where I don't want to mess with firing up my DAW)
- Basic FX would be handy, but that's easy - the quality of the amp/cab/mic sims are more important for what I'm hoping to find
- Affordable, but not horrible. "Nowhere close to the Axe, but still usable" is what I'm looking for.
If the GSP1101 is still light-years ahead of the Zoom G3, I'd spend the extra I suppose. I just know that 5-year newer technology can easily mean the $169 Zoom sounds on par with the GSP1101 for less money. I'd probably find myself wanting the GSP's foot controller too, so I'd end up spending more than I'd planned.