4-cable method FX units with midi

Drew_TNBD

Yeah, don't really want to buy an Axe-FX II to solve this, I would buy an Ultra for sub-£1000, but I reckon even a tiny gap of silence will make my balls curdle.

octatonic

Drew_fx said:

Yeah, don't really want to buy an Axe-FX II to solve this, I would buy an Ultra for sub-£1000, but I reckon even a tiny gap of silence will make my balls curdle.

You could use a couple of expression pedals to blend/switch effects in and out.

guitarfishbay

octatonic said:

guitarfishbay said:

The toughest bit is finding a MFX that ticks your other boxes!  Without compromising I don't know what to suggest.

It is really easy to find that multi-fx unit, but Drew doesn't want to buy it.

Lol.  A £2k FX unit to switch an £800 amp head does feel the wrong way around though.

octatonic

guitarfishbay said:

octatonic said:

guitarfishbay said:

The toughest bit is finding a MFX that ticks your other boxes!  Without compromising I don't know what to suggest.

It is really easy to find that multi-fx unit, but Drew doesn't want to buy it.

Lol.  A £2k FX unit to switch an £800 amp head does feel the wrong way around though.

Especially when the amp head models are inside the Axe FX 2 as well- and they naiedl the 100W EVH too.

I agree, it is nuts.

Also, closer to £3k if you include the MFC101 controller.

The reality is though that no other multi-effects does what he wants without being a kludge of some type- hence Drew's been here a couple of times already.

In his situation I'd either make friends with tap dancing or get a Gigrig G2 or similar switcher.

Drew_TNBD

Oh I've made friends with tap dancing for the past two years or so. I can do it and have no real problems, but between that and the channel 2 volume boost issue it seemed like a good opportunity to re-explore the issue.

digitalscream

Out of curiosity, what was the problem with using the G-System? I remember you talking about it, but I don't remember exactly what it was...

Drew_TNBD

digitalscream said:

Out of curiosity, what was the problem with using the G-System? I remember you talking about it, but I don't remember exactly what it was...

I don't even remember anymore dude, been exploring this issue so hardcore that I've forgotten the essentials! I *think* it was to do with gaps of silence when switching, but not 100% sure. @John_P was going to do a audio clip for me at some point, as he uses a G-System with his EVH 50-watt.

digitalscream

It might also be the lack of reverse + forward delay simultaneously, but you could always stick a pedal in one of its loops to fix that.

Drew_TNBD

Agreed!

chrispy108

http://www.iconnectivity.com/iConnectMIDI4plus

This one says: " iConnectMIDI4+’s MIDI host port supports up to 8* USB MIDI synths, controllers, etc. enabling all computing devices that are connected to iConnectMIDI4+ to send and receive MIDI and Audio from devices that are connected to its USB host port."

You'd get that unit and two G3s on a rack shelf or small pedalboard, leaving you with a midi controller out front?

guitarfishbay

Drew_fx said:

Oh I've made friends with tap dancing for the past two years or so. I can do it and have no real problems, but between that and the channel 2 volume boost issue it seemed like a good opportunity to re-explore the issue.

Devils advocate -

If you're happy tap dancing why not just sell the JVM and get the 100 watt EVH.  No shared controls and a smidgen more balls.

https://soundcloud.com/judgementnate/evh-50-and-100-watt

Then keep the 50 as a backup and live with it as a 2 channel amp using a pedal for crunch sounds.

When and if someone releases a reasonably priced MIDI multi FX that ticks all the boxes sell the 100 watt EVH and buy a second 50 watt EVH and that pedal.

digitalscream

Or get the 100W EVH and pull two power valves if that sound's definitely what you're after...

Drew_TNBD

I *LOVE* the fact that the 50-watt is light and not a back breaker to carry, but still has plenty of clean headroom and still sounds brutal - the first 50-watt I've played that did that! Not adverse to getting the 100-watt, but would love to make the 50 my main gigging amp. I'm not 100% sure about selling the JVM, but it is an option.

guitarfishbay

Drew_fx said:

I *LOVE* the fact that the 50-watt is light and not a back breaker to carry, but still has plenty of clean headroom and still sounds brutal - the first 50-watt I've played that did that! Not adverse to getting the 100-watt, but would love to make the 50 my main gigging amp. I'm not 100% sure about selling the JVM, but it is an option.

Yep the 100 is almost unnecessarily large according to my non educated opinion (I have no idea how to design an amp!).  My Roadster has an extra channel plus lots of extra switching options yet is considerably smaller than the EVH head.  I have no idea why the EVH has to be so large except for cosmetic reasons.

Drew_TNBD

guitarfishbay said:

Drew_fx said:

I *LOVE* the fact that the 50-watt is light and not a back breaker to carry, but still has plenty of clean headroom and still sounds brutal - the first 50-watt I've played that did that! Not adverse to getting the 100-watt, but would love to make the 50 my main gigging amp. I'm not 100% sure about selling the JVM, but it is an option.

Yep the 100 is almost unnecessarily large according to my non educated opinion (I have no idea how to design an amp!).  My Roadster has an extra channel plus lots of extra switching options yet is considerably smaller than the EVH head.  I have no idea why the EVH has to be so large except for cosmetic reasons.

Coz Van Halen.

Same feckin' reason the volumes for channel 1 and 2 aren't matched. Apparently you can mod it (a single resistor change!) to even the volumes out, but it increases the gain on channel 1 which isn't really what I'm after.

guitarfishbay

Drew_fx said:

guitarfishbay said:

Drew_fx said:

I *LOVE* the fact that the 50-watt is light and not a back breaker to carry, but still has plenty of clean headroom and still sounds brutal - the first 50-watt I've played that did that! Not adverse to getting the 100-watt, but would love to make the 50 my main gigging amp. I'm not 100% sure about selling the JVM, but it is an option.

Yep the 100 is almost unnecessarily large according to my non educated opinion (I have no idea how to design an amp!).  My Roadster has an extra channel plus lots of extra switching options yet is considerably smaller than the EVH head.  I have no idea why the EVH has to be so large except for cosmetic reasons.

Coz Van Halen.

Same feckin' reason the volumes for channel 1 and 2 aren't matched. Apparently you can mod it (a single resistor change!) to even the volumes out, but it increases the gain on channel 1 which isn't really what I'm after.

Lol.

Have you seen this -

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_amps_detail.asp?stock=13092016545116

"Adjustable bias control, dual speaker jacks on amp rear panel, resonance control for each channel on amp rear panel, increased gain on channel two for more sustain, re-voiced channel two for improved low-mid frequency definition, increased gain on channel three for greater sustain, improved range of “low” control for channel three, special Stealth aesthetic"

No idea why they didn't just put MIDI on this thing too.  Though mega lol at the thought of more gain for Ch3.

Drew_TNBD

)

Yeah that is a bit ridiculous! Those EVH fanbois will lap that shit up though!!

John_P

Drew_fx said:

digitalscream said:

Out of curiosity, what was the problem with using the G-System? I remember you talking about it, but I don't remember exactly what it was...

I don't even remember anymore dude, been exploring this issue so hardcore that I've forgotten the essentials! I *think* it was to do with gaps of silence when switching, but not 100% sure. @John_P was going to do a audio clip for me at some point, as he uses a G-System with his EVH 50-watt.

Indeed.   I just got in from work and set up the amp and pedalboard of doom.   I'll try to sort a recording later but I can confirm that there is no silence or delay when switching with the Gsys.  I use two clean sounds (ch1), crunch(ch2) and two higher gain(ch3).   There is a noticeable jump as the amp switches channels but that is due to the very different sounds.  Flipping between my two cleans or two high gain while holding a chord is continuous with only the change in effects happening - no dropouts.

I'll let you hear it once I figure a way to do it in the living room.

John_P

Ok just recorded so quick clips for you @Drew_fx
(ignore the playing, tuning and bad hum I'm getting!!   Just using an iphone a couple of feet from the amp)

Switching between two clean sounds (changing while the chord is held)


Switching between 3 gain sounds - crunch, high gain, higher gain with delay playing chords


Switching between gain sounds single notes


Hopefully that works - I kept it quiet so you can hear me stepping on the switches.

octatonic

digitalscream said:

Out of curiosity, what was the problem with using the G-System? I remember you talking about it, but I don't remember exactly what it was...

Switching delay & it is very fiddly with 4CM IIRC.

Steven Wilson used a G-System for a long time, maybe still does, but the switching is done with a Gig Rig switcher.