Best multi-effects unit for metal?

[TheDarkProject]

I'm going to be buying a multi-effects unit in the near future, and while I'm going to check all the Harmony Central reviews, and have a go on the top contenders myself in the guitar shop, I'd like some opinions here first to help me know what to look for. After all, they're typically packed with a load of stuff I'll probably never use, like jazz amp sims, grunge overdrives, and so on.

Basically, I'm hoping for at least the following:

• Acoustic sim
• Solo boost of some sort (perhaps Tube Screamer style?)
• Expression pedal, mainly for volume, sometimes for wah
• Crisp, cold distortion (none of that 'warm' 70s and 80s stuff... not my thing)
• Decent reverb and chorus
• Amp/cab sim for direct input to my sequencer (hopefully easily disabled for gigging)

The Boss GT-8 is the first one that comes to mind, though I'm considering one of the Digitech GNX offerings too. Any opinions on these, and are there any serious alternatives? For example, are the Korg boards (eg. AX3000G) any good? What about Zoom - I know they're cheap but some of the smaller stuff's really good for the price.

 

[kamikaze]

Been using the GT8 for over a year now. It's an amzing peice of gear that will do just about everything. It has all the goodies your looking for and cool feature that lets you change a preset just by how hard you pick, kinda neat. As with these types of units it takes time and effort to make a lot of your own cool presets. It's one of the spendier units but it's quality too. That's about all the advice I can give, Hope it helps!

 

[crushefekt]

I own a Digitech GNX series and they're built well but the GT-8 definitely kills in sound quality and features. Besides, they invented the Metal Zone. They know what they're doing...

 

[Stormwatch]

Here's some reviews of the GT-8, scroll to the bottom of the first page for someone clearly having a fucking laugh.
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Effects/product/Boss/GT-8 Guitar Effects Processor/10/1

 

[Dzhainoll]

Line 6 POD XT Live. If u r into effects, GT-8 is the choice. But if u r into amp sims, XT Live is the choice.

 

[Thidrek]

Behringer V-Amp 2 or Pro is kind of nice.

 

[Ayon Bangladesh]

Digitech GNX 4

 

[King Chaos]

I'm gonna have to say go with digitech.

I've only involved myself with Boss, digitech and zoom though... but of the three, digitech makes the best fake guitar sound... if you know what I mean.

The Boss GT series are noisey as sin, but when you get used to it, it's pretty merry and handy for onstage use. Beats getting a load of seperate pedals for practicality... but won't sound as good.

I use a really shit arse Digitech pedal to record my solo project stuff at home, and it doesn't come out half bad to say I'm just plugging it in to my computers line in, and my sound card is fairly gash on top of that.

 

[Dominick_7]

Digitech 2101 is awesome! Add a sonic maximizer and you can get anything you want with the fullest sound. Without it its awesome anyways!

 

[Earth Breather]

I am definately considering the Behringer V-Amp 2

 

[Hexer]

I am definately considering the Behringer V-Amp 2

why not the VAmp Pro? its still cheap enough and pretty much unbeatable in its price-area

 

[Earth Breather]

because I do not have any rack housing. and v-amp 2 is easy to use

 

[Hexer]

I dont have a rack, too lol, works fine
I plan to buy one though (I also plan to buy some more rackgear in the future, like a multi-FX for use with the Powerball)

 

[Earth Breather]

What is the baisic difference between the two though.

 

[Kreator/Destroyer]

i don't use one unit

- crybaby wah pedal
- digitech death metal distortion
- ibanez flanger/chorus pedal
- marshall effects pedal

 

[sevenways]

because I do not have any rack housing. and v-amp 2 is easy to use

yeh, it got many good reviews on web.
btw...do u use v-amp 2 on stage (live)?
im now thinkin abt multi fx for both live n' studio.