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Rockmonster
Published on 03/26/08 at 19:45
Boss GT-8...wow. Loads of effects.Loads of amp models.Loads of DISTORTION pedal models! Sheesh...what will they think of next? Anyway this guy has MIDI,USB,PCP... lol. All digital..I think..unless there is something analog on the compression and e.q.'s. Definitely ZERO tubes in this baby. Everything seems to be a model of something. Foot pedal...definitely not rack mountable, (but they do have the GT8 studio version... twice the price... not sure the benefits.. besides sticking it in a rack and then having to buy ANOTHER footcontroller.. grrrrr)
UTILIZATION
Um...Very simple as far as programming, saving presets, etc. Pretty intuitive, but you will need to consult the manual.... which compared to the manual for the Digitech GSP2101 (yeah, yeah...I have a review out for that) is very, very simple. It is pretty straightforward, but like anything else, when you want to really seriously build your own presets from the ground up..you will have to use the manual..(sorry kids!)
Lots of knobs, dials and buttons... so for sound shaping, amp models,distortion models.. easy to get started. The presets are actually not terrible either... so... you can hit the ground running.
SOUND QUALITY
Mmmm.. varies. I am not so crazy about the cab models...I prefer running this into a tube poweramp, then into closed back cabs as a preamp. Quiet. Exciting high gain models.. clean models are good, certainly usable... bordering on very, very good. I have heard a lot of complaints about digital artifacts and fuzziness from this unit. I think with a good tube power amp, it adds an organic flavor, and couple this with some good warm speakers you can get a bit more tube life and more active harmonics. The effects on this unit are not great...I guess I would compare them all to floor pedal type effects. No TC or Eventide here. They are missing the parameter controls and quality that you would expect from any world class effects unit, but it is certainly usable for live work as an all-in-one solution... very convenient and easy to tweak according to the venue. The highlight models would be the 5150 and Soldano models...not spot-on, but lots of fun. Pinched harmonic madness with either of those. Wah models are surprisingly decent..fair amount of variation and gets very close to Crybaby's etc. Using Les Pauls,Strats,Tele's, other metal-ly type guitars. Run it into a Carvin T100 power amp into a pair of Eminence Cannabis Rex equipped closed back cabs. Sometimes run a Keeley TS-9 and Vox Clyde reissue on the front end for variation.
OVERALL OPINION
Had this unit for about 2 years now...I like the portability of it, the amount of effects and truly, the overall quality of models/effects are great for such a compact package. You could just take this to a gig and hook it up to the mixing board. Not the greatest and most real deal for dynamics, but it would work as a great backup or for low level type gigs. Instant upgrade hooked into a tube amp and good cabinet. Brings it into more real amp territory.I play a lot of different things...I think this is probably overall superior in realism over the Line 6 floorboard alternatives...( At least for the 2 high gain models.. ) and although I would never really consider going into the studio to cut an album with this (or anything from Line 6 for that matter) It is a great value for overall quality and quantity of effects. Perfect live solution.. with an effects loop to add whatever extra "gotta have" effects into the mix.
UTILIZATION
Um...Very simple as far as programming, saving presets, etc. Pretty intuitive, but you will need to consult the manual.... which compared to the manual for the Digitech GSP2101 (yeah, yeah...I have a review out for that) is very, very simple. It is pretty straightforward, but like anything else, when you want to really seriously build your own presets from the ground up..you will have to use the manual..(sorry kids!)
Lots of knobs, dials and buttons... so for sound shaping, amp models,distortion models.. easy to get started. The presets are actually not terrible either... so... you can hit the ground running.
SOUND QUALITY
Mmmm.. varies. I am not so crazy about the cab models...I prefer running this into a tube poweramp, then into closed back cabs as a preamp. Quiet. Exciting high gain models.. clean models are good, certainly usable... bordering on very, very good. I have heard a lot of complaints about digital artifacts and fuzziness from this unit. I think with a good tube power amp, it adds an organic flavor, and couple this with some good warm speakers you can get a bit more tube life and more active harmonics. The effects on this unit are not great...I guess I would compare them all to floor pedal type effects. No TC or Eventide here. They are missing the parameter controls and quality that you would expect from any world class effects unit, but it is certainly usable for live work as an all-in-one solution... very convenient and easy to tweak according to the venue. The highlight models would be the 5150 and Soldano models...not spot-on, but lots of fun. Pinched harmonic madness with either of those. Wah models are surprisingly decent..fair amount of variation and gets very close to Crybaby's etc. Using Les Pauls,Strats,Tele's, other metal-ly type guitars. Run it into a Carvin T100 power amp into a pair of Eminence Cannabis Rex equipped closed back cabs. Sometimes run a Keeley TS-9 and Vox Clyde reissue on the front end for variation.
OVERALL OPINION
Had this unit for about 2 years now...I like the portability of it, the amount of effects and truly, the overall quality of models/effects are great for such a compact package. You could just take this to a gig and hook it up to the mixing board. Not the greatest and most real deal for dynamics, but it would work as a great backup or for low level type gigs. Instant upgrade hooked into a tube amp and good cabinet. Brings it into more real amp territory.I play a lot of different things...I think this is probably overall superior in realism over the Line 6 floorboard alternatives...( At least for the 2 high gain models.. ) and although I would never really consider going into the studio to cut an album with this (or anything from Line 6 for that matter) It is a great value for overall quality and quantity of effects. Perfect live solution.. with an effects loop to add whatever extra "gotta have" effects into the mix.