£300 to spend on a modeller - new or used - what would you get?

NelsonP

So, what would you buy and why?

guitarmangler

What do you need it for/to do?
Best for sub £300 for recording/playing on headphones is an app for your computer ( bias/helix/scuffam etc).
Live? Maybe a second hand hd500x? 

NelsonP

It's for a mate. He needs it mainly for jamming (DI'd to a PA).

Some home use - playing on headphones (so aux in handy), basic recording etc.

ICBM

Boss ME-80. Because it will do exactly what he needs and is the simplest to use, especially in a jam/gig situation where you haven't necessarily been able to programme it all and might need to adjust it quickly on the fly - all the controls are traditional knobs and if it's in Manual mode it works like an analogue pedalboard.

(I would have said the ME-50 as usual, but it's less good for DI'ing since it doesn't have the preamp modelling.)

John_P

Almost the price of a used atomic amplifire and probably the price of the firebox.  Imo the atomic sounds are as good as the fractal and helix but with less features and the best you would get for that price.  

mr-mac

Gsp1101 and control2 floorboard would come in under budget s/h and will handle DI and 4 cable.  Install in a small 2u rack and a great wee portable system.

c63 firmware and can handle anything.  Also easy to fire in a global eq or tweak sound as has volume, gain, treb, mid, bass for amp model on front.  And floorboard allows changing preset and turning fx on/off.  If you have a midi amp it can even switch channel for you

It's what i have and unlike any other modellers i have tried hasn't left me wanting to change or spend months pissing about looking for tones i don't feel shortchanged with.

had a headphone socket, usb recording but will also act as good quality usb audio for monitoring recordings back or playing along to something.

Can be set up so has XLR to desk and 1/4" for amp use (so cab model on xlr but not 1/4") so easy to setup depending on what kit is there but also just a couple of button presses to change that too.

only thing its not got is an aux in but not sure what that was for (if for playing back to a track you can do that from PC using gsp as sound card and play along)

LuttiS

HD500x as above

flying_pie

Depends on the needs. 

I think a couple of units like the HD500x and some of this digitech ones (probably not the GSP 1101) have an irritating gap between changing patches whereas most Boss units don't. Most won't do trails for delay when switching banks. This may not may not be important for him.

Another consideration would be does he need a looper or 4 cable method integration. Some units do that and some don't 

mr-mac

flying_pie said:

Depends on the needs. 

I think a couple of units like the HD500x and some of this digitech ones (probably not the GSP 1101) have an irritating gap between changing patches whereas most Boss units don't. Most won't do trails for delay when switching banks. This may not may not be important for him.

Another consideration would be does he need a looper or 4 cable method integration. Some units do that and some don't 

Gsp1101, can do 4 cable and direct to pa at same time if needed... immediate patch change and even preserves full tail offs from previous patch as it has two processors in it.

Boromedic

Atomic Amplifire for me as suggested above, better option than the Line 6 HD range I think, especially as you can add IRs into the mix. Most people seem to put its sound quality up in the Axe/Helix/Kemper range. Maybe even the AmplifireBox, can't speak for the Boss ME range although I once had a GT8 and was unimpressed with the modelling sounds unless you had it soaked in delay and verb.

Branshen

I've recently been thinking about this and I would go amplifirebox which sounds very good going DI to PA. You get delay and reverb and a footswitchable drive channel/pedal too.

The only downside is that the reverb and delay are not footswitchable I believe. 

gearaddict

I was watching an amplifier AA3 on eBay last week...it went for 275 in the end. Something like that would be a good option. They dont come up very often though.

As an aside...how  come Andertons have a monopoly on selling these things and will that deal ever come to an end so we get some better pricing on the atomic stuff?

John_A

Anderton's are the importer, so if they started importing through normal channels then selling to shops they would most likely be more expensive.  Think they are pretty cheap IMO

Boromedic

If you're patient enough £300 will get you one on eBay too.

RandallFlagg

Atomic Amplifier (AA3) for sure, I have one and it's great, sounds right up there with the Helix and Fractal

gearaddict

Worth paying the extra for the AA6? Or are you just as well getting a tech21 midi mouse or similar?

Boromedic

If you're buying new now, I would certainly consider getting a 6. I've not used a midi pedal yet, however I'm going to get a DAElectronics one when I do

gearaddict

Yeah, it's whether it is worth spending the extra 250 quid or so on a new AA6 compared to a used AA3...although once you budget for a separate midi controller there is not much of a difference.

John_P

gearaddict said:

Yeah, it's whether it is worth spending the extra 250 quid or so on a new AA6 compared to a used AA3...although once you budget for a separate midi controller there is not much of a difference.

Depending how you set it up and what sounds you need, I found the 3 footswitvhs to be more flexible than I expected as they can each flip between two presets and they can be assigned directly to effects within a preset.   I used to ha Eminem set for 4 patches on switch A and B with the C switch bring in a variation - usually a boost and delay so I had pretty quick access to 8 sounds.       Granted the 6 will be better but I did loads of gigs on a 3.   

NelsonP

My mate bought a POD HD500x. He's very pleased with it.

MattBanshee

5 second-hand Line 6 M5s