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goodbyebluesky
Published on 04/01/08 at 08:09
Digitech's RP line are computer chip driven multi-effects floor units boasting effects like flanger, phaser, rotary speaker, tremolo, envelope filter, chorus, delay, and reverb along with amp simulations of popular amps. Some have an expression pedal for assigning an effect to like the RP300A.
The RP300A features 1/4" input and stereo output jacks, headphone output, jam-along 1/8" input, and it includes an AC adapter to power it.
UTILIZATION
Let me just say, the presets might impress you in the store, but when you get home and really start playing you will want to start creating your own presets, which is fairly easy. Don't be deceived by the advertising, you can only use one effect at a time and not 12, but fortunately the effects are seperate from the compressor, delay, and reverb; so for example you can dial in your compressor settings, then your amp model, your effect like chorus for instance, then your delay settings, and then finally your reverb. But using chorus and phaser at the same time; you can't do that.
SOUND QUALITY
The effects are fairly good, maybe not as realistic as if you had individual stompboxes from Boss or DigiTech for each effect, but they certainly aren't junk by any means. They are quite usable, and they have up to 4 parameters to edit for each effect, which can be tedious but gives you more control. If you want LESS paremeters to edit and more simplicity then maybe the RP200 or 150 is for you.
I played a handful of instruments through this, mostly a Fernandes LP Junior style guitar and a custom Telecaster. I dug the clean sounds of the Blackface model with my Tele, and the Rectified model for distortion. I soon became addicted to swirling delays and whooshing flanger and phaser effects, and the spacey vintage vibe of the rotary effect. I was on an effects high for weeks. The compressor definitely comes in handy for getting even sustain as long as you arent heavy handed with it.
Ultimately, the amp models can sound a bit synthetic, and the effects don't sound analog, they are fairly obviously digital, but I think running into a good tube amp would greatly improve the sound from what I was playing it through: my old solid state Peavey combo.
I would imagine the speaker cabinet models would help in making this sound better for going direct into a PA system, but I still wouldnt want to unless I had to. Some comment it becomes thin.
OVERALL OPINION
I had mine for a couple years.
There are a lot of handy features I love like the headphone jack that let me practice or rock out at night with the wife and kid asleep, and the built in drum machine is cool even though half the beats are just too cheesy to be useful. The built in tuner is accurate and handy.
My least favorite feature is that some effects are just too complex. I wouldnt prefer NOT to have 4 parameters to edit to tweak my reverb for example, its just TOO much control. 4 parameters is nessesary for a complex effect like flanger though.
I owned an RP150 before this, the sound is comparable but the 150 was simpler. I don't use the expression pedal as much as I thought I would.
If you can pick one of these up used for well under 100 bucks, it is worth it. If you are going to spend 200 bucks for one new..... then I would buy a Line6 POD which has superior amp models.
The RP300A features 1/4" input and stereo output jacks, headphone output, jam-along 1/8" input, and it includes an AC adapter to power it.
UTILIZATION
Let me just say, the presets might impress you in the store, but when you get home and really start playing you will want to start creating your own presets, which is fairly easy. Don't be deceived by the advertising, you can only use one effect at a time and not 12, but fortunately the effects are seperate from the compressor, delay, and reverb; so for example you can dial in your compressor settings, then your amp model, your effect like chorus for instance, then your delay settings, and then finally your reverb. But using chorus and phaser at the same time; you can't do that.
SOUND QUALITY
The effects are fairly good, maybe not as realistic as if you had individual stompboxes from Boss or DigiTech for each effect, but they certainly aren't junk by any means. They are quite usable, and they have up to 4 parameters to edit for each effect, which can be tedious but gives you more control. If you want LESS paremeters to edit and more simplicity then maybe the RP200 or 150 is for you.
I played a handful of instruments through this, mostly a Fernandes LP Junior style guitar and a custom Telecaster. I dug the clean sounds of the Blackface model with my Tele, and the Rectified model for distortion. I soon became addicted to swirling delays and whooshing flanger and phaser effects, and the spacey vintage vibe of the rotary effect. I was on an effects high for weeks. The compressor definitely comes in handy for getting even sustain as long as you arent heavy handed with it.
Ultimately, the amp models can sound a bit synthetic, and the effects don't sound analog, they are fairly obviously digital, but I think running into a good tube amp would greatly improve the sound from what I was playing it through: my old solid state Peavey combo.
I would imagine the speaker cabinet models would help in making this sound better for going direct into a PA system, but I still wouldnt want to unless I had to. Some comment it becomes thin.
OVERALL OPINION
I had mine for a couple years.
There are a lot of handy features I love like the headphone jack that let me practice or rock out at night with the wife and kid asleep, and the built in drum machine is cool even though half the beats are just too cheesy to be useful. The built in tuner is accurate and handy.
My least favorite feature is that some effects are just too complex. I wouldnt prefer NOT to have 4 parameters to edit to tweak my reverb for example, its just TOO much control. 4 parameters is nessesary for a complex effect like flanger though.
I owned an RP150 before this, the sound is comparable but the 150 was simpler. I don't use the expression pedal as much as I thought I would.
If you can pick one of these up used for well under 100 bucks, it is worth it. If you are going to spend 200 bucks for one new..... then I would buy a Line6 POD which has superior amp models.