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mooseherman
Published on 02/09/10 at 14:56
I stumbled upon this multifunctional device while I was looking for recording interfaces. I was using this primarily as the recording interface, since all I really had to record was guitars. The main selling point of this feature is that it is a very high-tech amp modeler, a recording interface, and an effects processor all in one. I used it as a console for home recording, so I didn't use it in combination with any other consoles or preamps or anything. The amp has a guitar input that is specific for the amp modeling and effects processor, Stereo balanced XLR outputs and dedicated 1/4” outputs, and an XLR mic input with 48V phantom power and a pad switch. The device also features an Integrated FX loop to hook up the effects you already own. The device can also be controlled with MIDI. It also has a tuner, a USB connection, and 2 line-level 1/4" inputs.
UTILIZATION
This device is relatively new, so there are still a few things I'm unsure of, mainly the frequency and quality of updates. As of now, though, I'm not gonna need an update anytime soon. The latency in this thing is almost nonexistent, since it relies mostly on the interface itself to process. The drivers are stable thus far, and they make things easy even on a home recording setup. I am almost positive this will only work with Pro Tools, since Digidesign is the creator of both products. It's capable of playing up to 8 simultaneous channels at once.
SOUND QUALITY
After the basic installation, which took some time, I didn't have any problems. It's about as tedious as installing and new piece of hardware would be. The manual definitely helped me through the entire process pretty clearly, without it I would have been pretty lost. The regular functions of the device, including amp modeling and effects, can be controlled via the plugin that comes with the device as well as on the device itself. In addition, using the plugins allows you to recall previous settings in Pro Tools very quickly.
OVERALL OPINION
I was pretty impressed overall with the variety of sounds that are available on this thing. I think that it's one of the best amp modelers out there. The promos for this product cite its Z auto-impedence as the reason for its pretty realistic emulation of classic amps, like Fender Twins, Marshall stack, Vox AC30s, and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifiers. As someone whose used the aforementioned amps, I can say that it's about 85% there in terms of tone, which, for the price, is very very good. The effects leave just a bit to be desired, but I was never a crazy effects fan anyway. I think that this is a great idea for someone who needs a range of tones that sound pretty good, and can't afford to invest in a multitude of amps and effects. I have never recommended this before to anyone, given my preference for analog equipment (even when recording digitally in Pro Tools). But this was pretty impressive. Highly recommended to newer engineers, more established studio owners with the real amps and effects should probably skip this.
UTILIZATION
This device is relatively new, so there are still a few things I'm unsure of, mainly the frequency and quality of updates. As of now, though, I'm not gonna need an update anytime soon. The latency in this thing is almost nonexistent, since it relies mostly on the interface itself to process. The drivers are stable thus far, and they make things easy even on a home recording setup. I am almost positive this will only work with Pro Tools, since Digidesign is the creator of both products. It's capable of playing up to 8 simultaneous channels at once.
SOUND QUALITY
After the basic installation, which took some time, I didn't have any problems. It's about as tedious as installing and new piece of hardware would be. The manual definitely helped me through the entire process pretty clearly, without it I would have been pretty lost. The regular functions of the device, including amp modeling and effects, can be controlled via the plugin that comes with the device as well as on the device itself. In addition, using the plugins allows you to recall previous settings in Pro Tools very quickly.
OVERALL OPINION
I was pretty impressed overall with the variety of sounds that are available on this thing. I think that it's one of the best amp modelers out there. The promos for this product cite its Z auto-impedence as the reason for its pretty realistic emulation of classic amps, like Fender Twins, Marshall stack, Vox AC30s, and Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifiers. As someone whose used the aforementioned amps, I can say that it's about 85% there in terms of tone, which, for the price, is very very good. The effects leave just a bit to be desired, but I was never a crazy effects fan anyway. I think that this is a great idea for someone who needs a range of tones that sound pretty good, and can't afford to invest in a multitude of amps and effects. I have never recommended this before to anyone, given my preference for analog equipment (even when recording digitally in Pro Tools). But this was pretty impressive. Highly recommended to newer engineers, more established studio owners with the real amps and effects should probably skip this.