GSU_Eagle
From Roswell Street Baptist Church, First Baptist...
I'm sure this has been discussed a thousand times and I see that many of you actually approve of multifx, but I'm considering trading/selling my POD XT live and getting stompboxes. I already own a voodoolab sparkledrive to even out the fairly flat/thin overdrive I get from the POD... but I'm just wondering if it would be worth it to make the change.
I'm really on the fence about it. As far as the general attractiveness of having stompboxes go, I'm really pulled in by it. And all the POD does for me now is volume and delay as far as effects go... so its not being used to its potential.
If i do make the change though I'm looking at several delays:
memory boy (either regular or deluxe)
Boss DD7 (mainly if i get a regular analog delay or just a reverb pedal)
TC Nova Repeater
thanks
I think perhaps you've already put your finger on the main weakness of the modellers - the overdrive effects aren't great. The Sparkledrive is a pretty good dirt pedal, so just run it in front of the XT.
You're not going to hear too much (or even any) difference in the delays (if you think about it, you've got the DL4 delays in the XT).
My pedalboard 9 months ago...
Ernie Ball VP - Banzai New Rising Sun II (twin clean boost) - NOC3 Firefly (tubescreamer) - NOC3 Pure Drive (midgain boost) - Blackstone mosfet (twin overdrive) - EHX Pulsar trem - Eventide Timefactor delay
I now use the POD HD500. The only things I miss are the overdrives, but even then, a couple of the models on the HD500 get extremely close (the Colour Drive and the Tubescreamer) to what I want so that no one else will notice really. Plus I can still use the other pedals in front if I want - frees up some more processing power for other things on the board.
I had a debate with someone else the other day about this - a lot of guitarists still feel nervous about using a modeller instead of an amp, but as far as I can see (and i've used my POD HD500 and a Fractal Audio AxeFX) the debate is only really about the look of it now, because the sounds modelled are really very good now. Might not be perfect models, but they're close enough that no-one apart from a guitarist is going to notice... and even that guitarist will have to have owned some nice valve amps.
Additional point... people complain about the modeller units sounding thin - you've got a bass & mids dial on them that you can crank up, or ask them to do it at the mixing desk!
There's two subjects here, multi effects v singles and also modelling. I will not willingly use either.
IMHO the biggest problem with modellers or any direct method is that you rely on the sound engineer to provide monitoring. If you bring your own moitor you might as well take an amp. If you use in ears that's probably the best solution. However most mixes in most local churches that I have attended are awful. In my own church the electric guitar is often buried in the mix and that's micing a guitar amp. If you can solve that one, a decent modeller will be fine.
The advantage of multi effects units is that the sounds can be programmed which is great for performance but what if the leader swaps a song or wants improvisation? How about the modeller or amp breaking down and the replacement doesnt sound the same? How do you tweak on the fly?
RE only the guitarist noticing the difference it is a valid point. But this guitarist sounds better when he's happy with the sound. I'm actually not that fussy, give me any decent guitar and any decent amp and I will cope.
If you (anyone) can cope with the thin sounds of a modeller, the expense of the Fractal or the over processed sounds of a modeller, then go for it. Less weight and less to go wrong. You can even take two. If you cannot then use your pedals/amp/whatever.
It's a tough question and in the end, one only you can resolve. I personally wouldn't use a multi-effects, but have no problems with them or others using them. It's simply a personal preference.
Martin has pointed out the strengths of a multi-effects unit. Another downside of individual stompboxes is the connecting, pedal order and placement, which pedal board, questions over which patch leads are best etc, buying and fixing velcro or cable ties/screwing onto boards etc hassle. Conversely, if a single effects unit does go wrong then you have no effects, as opposed to one stompbox/lead failing which leaves you with the others (after a nimble bit of re-wiring). I never use batteries with stompboxes, although have some on standby.
It may also depend on your amp and where you play, as these other factors may have some bearing on your decision - eg space saving? Or maybe your modeller doesn't work so well with your amp? In which case getting a decent tube amp would be my first recommendation. I prefer separate effects simply because of the range of sounds you get from individual pedals that aren't always replicated by a single modeller - although as Irish Admiral points out, they're increasingly getting better. As Martin says, most people won't hear much difference, esp in the average church building with un-trained techs. But for me, it's more about my confidence in the sound of my individual stompboxes.
If you decide to go with individual delays, I've used the Memory Boy and found it too digital for my liking (personal preference). I have and use the excellent and varied Boss DD-7 with an external tap tempo (I also the Hardwire Reverb which is great btw). The Nova Delay is owned by Andy H who's on these forums so he'll be able to give you a decent assessment, but I like it and the reviews are all positive.
One advantage of the multi-effects is it saves endlessly researching on 'what's the best overdrive' etc etc type questions. It's a trap easy to fall into and not always the best use of time LOL! What I'd say is compare your Sparkle Drive on its own direct into the amp with your modeller direct into the amp and nearest 'Sparkle Drive' sound. Is one drastically different to your ears? If it is to you, then it's important to go with what you like. Even if others can't hear the difference, you don't want to be forever thinking, 'if only I'd gone with what I really liked..' etc. If there's no difference then stick with what you've got, or upgrade the effects unit to a better one like Irish Admiral has. Go into a shop and test a unit against one of your own pedals / with your own amp and guitar if they will let you. As always, it's your sound that's important, not necessarily what others think or reviews say :)
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OK as far as the sound goes.......
YOU will hear a difference.
probably
about 2% of the congregation will hear a difference IF AND ONLY IF they are guitar nuts.
no one else will notice a thing.
so.
advantages either way?
you can stack delays etc, and get some strange atmospherics going on if you use individual pedals.
with MultiFX you can have 100 different delay settings available at a touch of a pedal rather than crawling around the floor to adjust the knobs between songs.....
if the power lead falls out of a multi, you know which lead it is. if a pedal's battery goes flat it could take you 10 mins to find which pedal has died.
a multi takes up less space on the floor.
oh yeah, you already have an excellent multi!!
does it come across that I'm a multi person?
I HAVE owned at least 3 zoom multi pedals, and I currently have an ART Multiverb, roland GP8, GP16, V-Amp pro, DOD G7all in a rack, midied together, but I mainly use my POD liveXT with a variax.