Looking for a FX unit for live

[Jevil]

FUCK, I've posted in the wrong forum by mistake. Move it Lasse, and sorry.

I've been using a PodXTPro as MultiFX but it is broken for the second time in one year and a half "Invalid Code Error 01". it is one of the early units, so it is quiet old.

I mainly use Noise Gate, EQ, and subtle delay and reverb for solos.
I noticed that when FX were toruned off in my rig, it sounded better, so I'm lokking for a MultiFX processor with basic effects that NOT alter the sound of the amp.

Another condition is that is has to bracked and controlled with a simple and cheap midi pedal, I don't want to have those superb floor-multifx on stage close to the metalheads, beer, spits, blood, semen... I have to clean my Line6 PodXt controller floorboard after every show.

TC G-major? Is that good?


FUCK, I've posted in the wrong forum by mistake. Move it Lasse, and sorry.

 

[Sweetnothing]

I didn't liked the GMajor when I had it ( version 1 though), but it's really dependant on the amp you're gonna use it, I used with my 5150 and it wasn't transparent, the input level was too sensitive for that amp in particular.

However, I still think Tc Electronic's bigger brother, the G System is waaay better, but pricier ( also lets you incorporate 4 stompboxes in the chain, nice for tubescreamer, whammy and whatever you wanna use)

Is it for the triaxis rig? you have two loops right? maybe just use a dedicated gate on one loop and then the fx on another loop would be an option?

 

[Sweetnothing]

And Gianna Michaels distracts me, a LOT

 

[Pekka Posio]

The G-major does suck tone a bit and the inbuilt noise gate isn't very good. It also depends on your amp (for example Dual Rectifier has more suitable fx loop for G-major than 5150). G-major has low-Z inputs so it's good idea to put something like external noise gate (I use ISP Decimator w/ 5150 II) or tuner before the G-major in the fx loop. Also G-major's amp control can only change 2 parameters in your amps channels, so if you have more than 2 channel amp and you want to use all of them you need to use the amps own channelswitcher for that.

 

[Pekka Posio]

I didn't liked the GMajor when I had it ( version 1 though), but it's really dependant on the amp you're gonna use it, I used with my 5150 and it wasn't transparent, the input level was too sensitive for that amp in particular.

The biggest problem I have is that everytime I turn the "post" knob in the 5150, I have to readjust all the levels in noisegate and Gmajor. 5150 master volume is before the fx loop :S

 

[Sweetnothing]

The biggest problem I have is that everytime I turn the "post" knob in the 5150, I have to readjust all the levels in noisegate and Gmajor. 5150 master volume is before the fx loop :S

Yes, that's why I said it's more of an amp design problem...and anyway, the gate was awful with the 5150's noise. And I felt some kind of "digitalness" in the sound whenever the gmajor was on the loop.

That's why I recommended using the gate on a separate loop and just fire the fx when needed

 

[Jevil]

Is it for the triaxis rig? you have two loops right? maybe just use a dedicated gate on one loop and then the fx on another loop would be an option?

Triaxis is on sale so actually for my next amp, which I haven't decided yet.
I think my triaxis has only 1 fx loop.

 

[Mago]

The biggest problem I have is that everytime I turn the "post" knob in the 5150, I have to readjust all the levels in noisegate and Gmajor. 5150 master volume is before the fx loop :S

Yop, altho you could set it for like stage volume and be set, but I don't do that because as said,everytime you change the knob you have to re set the threshold.
I don't hear the G-Major (I) sucking tone a lot. I does suck a TINY bit of highs, but that's about it imo. nothing that I would hear when having earplugs in for rehearsals or live. and for live there should anyway be a lpf so it wouldnt matter anyway.
For the rest the G-Maj is fine imo, but I can't compare it to other units as it's the first FX thingy I had

 

[Pekka Posio]

Yop, altho you could set it for like stage volume and be set, but I don't do that because as said,everytime you change the knob you have to re set the threshold.
I don't hear the G-Major (I) sucking tone a lot. I does suck a TINY bit of highs, but that's about it imo. nothing that I would hear when having earplugs in for rehearsals or live. and for live there should anyway be a lpf so it wouldnt matter anyway.
For the rest the G-Maj is fine imo, but I can't compare it to other units as it's the first FX thingy I had

Gmajor sucks especially low end, at least @bedroom volumes. I like Gmajor in the rehearsal space and with loud volumes I can't hear drastical differencies. That unit just makes my leads and cleans sound incredible for the prize of little bit weaker rhythm tone than without it. I also think that it adds pretty much hum to my sound, but that's why I have ISP Decimator.

 

[MarkG]

Gmajor sucks especially low end, at least @bedroom volumes. I like Gmajor in the rehearsal space and with loud volumes I can't hear drastical differencies. That unit just makes my leads and cleans sound incredible for the prize of little bit weaker rhythm tone than without it. I also think that it adds pretty much hum to my sound, but that's why I have ISP Decimator.

Thats odd, my unit doesn't add any hum at all. Once I got the levels dialed in I also don't notice much of a tone loss (nothing the onboard EQ can't fix in any case).

Once you have the threshold etc. dialed in, leave the preamp levels the same and you won't have to touch them. Adjust volume with the poweramp and there's no problem.

Like others have said, you can use it to switch between two channels, but no more. I like the unit, especially for the price. If I had more money I would go for its bigger brother the Gforce, which is a bit more dynamic sounding.

 

[Mago]

Gmajor sucks especially low end, at least @bedroom volumes. I like Gmajor in the rehearsal space and with loud volumes I can't hear drastical differencies. That unit just makes my leads and cleans sound incredible for the prize of little bit weaker rhythm tone than without it. I also think that it adds pretty much hum to my sound, but that's why I have ISP Decimator.

Well, playing a 6505+ at bedroom volume is kind of pointless for me as it sounds like crap that way, so I don't know about how it behaves at that volume, I only use my head live and for rehearsals.
I mentioned the high stuff because we once made a shootout with the preamp only & preamp and the unit in various styles -> impulse. I picked out the with only preamp in a blind test, the differene was it ate some high end.
But seriously nothing I would worry about for rhythm playing.
If I can dial in a way with the board to switch off the FX loop for rhythm, then I'd do it, but I wouldnt have a problem playing through the bypassed g-major.
Also not noticed any much humming or so, but the peavey is a noisy mofo anyway.
There was some strange humming, but managed to get that off with some settings on the output (dunno which one now though).

 

[Jevil]

I've been offered a second hand (but very new-like) G-major for 200 €. Is it good deal?

 

[sprack]

That's around the going rate in the US for the GMajor. The rev2 is more like $500-600 range.

 

[arvoitus]

Rocktron Intellifex is a great unit which can be bought pretty cheap.

 

[ArthurD]

I would go for GFORCE or AXE FX

 

[Felix Neumann]

I recommend Gianna Mi...ehm I recommend the POD x3 live!

 

[Jevil]

Ups, I forgot to mention that I already have a PodXt Pro but is broken and I don't know if it worths reparing for using as multifx.

 

[Ashgarth]

I had a rocktron xpression a couple of years ago and it was pretty nice...similar to the g-major, but less tone-sucking!

 

[drew_drummer]

PodHD500 has a LOT of tone-suck. Avoid.

 

[kvoid]

Get a Behringer Rev2496. I got one for 105$ shipped off the bay. Look up the 20+ page gearslutz thread if you don't believe me. Awesome stuff in there too if you know your chips. Works great with a guitar. Dual engines so you can run any two algorithms in any imaginable routing. Doesn't have a pitch-shifter/octaver however so no shimmer sounds is my only complaint. But it is a pro piece through and through, might even see use in the studio (although in comparison with today's PCs and plugins I highly doubt that). It does also have a multi-band compressor, graph editing of patches, and is the easiest multi-fx unit I have encountered. They do go bad pretty often but it is almost always rectified by opening it up and removing the gobs of hot glue in the unit. Analog Devices SHARC and an early ARM doing the lifting in this one. Digital outs, full mixer. The works.

I also have a Roctkron Xpression I got recently for about 120$ also off the bay. It's a nice unit but delay comes after modulation and there's no way to change that (stupid imo). In comparison with the Behringer it's got nothing on the V-Verb, in terms of sound, flexibility, ease of use, the Behringer rapes it. This one does all of it's effects simultaneously. Old cheap Motorola DSP in there, and a pain in the ass to program, although it is pretty logical and straight forward, they could have added a few more buttons and rotaries to avoid the endless click-through menus to make a decent patch.

I'm not a big fan of TC unless it's the higher end units.