Multi fx units vs stompboxes...FIGHT

monquixote

Travisthedog said:

I really though the nova modulator would do the trick but it was a complete ball ache to use live. Although the effects were ace

Agree complete pain in the arse, but sounds brilliant. It's so unfriendly the bass player in my band got it into a mode where none of the patches worked and it took about an hour to work out what was wrong with it

Travisthedog said:

So what is the currently accepted line up of giggable multi modulation effects?

G3, M5 then whAt?

G3 of everything I've tried, but it's still not on my board. 

Drew_TNBD

Yup. Heard all that. Been around this .. er.. roundabout, several times.

I really want to like Multi-FX's, because I genuinely think some of them sound better than individual pedals. But individual pedals are easier to use, more hands on, less finnicky, and if you get tired, you don't have to trash the entire unit... just that one pedal you've suddenly started to hate.

The Line 6 M13 is a brilliant bit of kit. But it's really showing its age. The midi functionality is shite, and doesn't instantly transmit the data, which creates latency in your rig. The algorithms are a bit too simple and don't stand up to more modern sounds, and the whole thing just feels a bit aged. It's bypass tone is also a bit crap... built to a price basically. If it weren't for that, I'd use one!

The Boss GT-100 is probably the best multi-FX I've used. But even then, it's quite limiting. Ultimately... I'm back to individual pedals.

Roland

ICBM said:

.... someone once tried to nick my Fuzz Factory at a gig… he got quite a surprise when he discovered it was bolted down!

A passer-by tried to nick my old floorboard when we were loading up after a gig.  It was one of those cartoon moments because his hand got caught in the handle, but he wasn't strong enough to lift the box, so his legs walked on leaving his body behind.

Nowadays I use multifx to avoid tap dancing

photek

Kebabkid said:

Adolfhipster said:

Love the nova system.

How have you got over the slowness of the buttons on preset changes, or doesn't it bother you? Also, are you using it purely on its own, or with pedals, as aren't you stuffed with pedal placement on the latter? FX loop or front end of amp? Sorry, I wanted this unit to work for me, but there seemed to be a few things in the way, so I'd be interested to hear what others thought of it.

@Kebabkid What do you mean by the slowness on preset changes?  If you mean changing presets 1,2 and 3 then I have no lag at all on my nova system. Changes between banks of presets is a pain I guess.

monquixote

It felt like mine lagged, but I think it was actually that it doesn't switch until your foot comes off the pedal which feels quite unnatural. 

photek

Ah that might be it then. I guess I am used to it, I will check tomorrow.

John_P

I loved my Nova but I couldn't get used to the switching - I keep toying with getting another one for a mini board but I'd need a midi pedal to switch patches...

I love using stomp boxes for the sounds and ease of swapping and experimenting with new toys but I can't cope with all the tap dancing on stage so I'm all for anything that cuts that down - there seem to be a lot more gigrig type loop controllers available these days so if I was putting a board together now I'd go that way.

Adolfhipster

I don't notice any lag at all..... Its fantastic. I use it in stomp mode.....

Clarky

I couldn't go back to using stomps….

they just can't jump through the hoops I need them to..

Kebabkid

monquixote said:

It felt like mine lagged, but I think it was actually that it doesn't switch until your foot comes off the pedal which feels quite unnatural. 

@photek - This ^^ - I just didn't like it - a personal thing.

Cirrus

Drew_fx said:

I really want to like Multi-FX's, because I genuinely think some of them sound better than individual pedals. But individual pedals are easier to use, more hands on, less finnicky, and if you get tired, you don't have to trash the entire unit... just that one pedal you've suddenly started to hate.

The Line 6 M13 is a brilliant bit of kit. But it's really showing its age. The midi functionality is shite, and doesn't instantly transmit the data, which creates latency in your rig. The algorithms are a bit too simple and don't stand up to more modern sounds, and the whole thing just feels a bit aged. It's bypass tone is also a bit crap... built to a price basically. If it weren't for that, I'd use one!

Agreed. I bought an M13 with the intention of selling basically my whole pedalboard. But it just didn't cut it when I did some side by side comparisons, even coming up short against a line 6 DM4 in the distortion modelling camp. I'm sure it's an issue of cheap digital converters and analogue circuits.

It is, however, the best looper pedal I've ever used. Nothing else comes close to having separate buttons for every function you'd need, which makes it a joy to use live when your attention is split.

I really like individual pedals - one box, one function. It just works for me. There's infinite scope to string together settings that don't work, but when you get a pedalboard that gells with your playing style and taste I think it's hard to beat.

hotpickups

I use a möbius for my modulations and the size is good if you don't want a massive board. My other pedals are delay, overdrive, comp and wah. So it's quit compact which is a thumbs up for the multiple fx

Drew_TNBD

I have a Nova Modulator, and I modified it so that instead of a tap tempo switch, the switch on the right would scroll up and down the presets. Works much better than stock imho.

TC dropped the ball this year. I don't care about the ditto looper.

monquixote

Drew_fx said:

I have a Nova Modulator, and I modified it so that instead of a tap tempo switch, the switch on the right would scroll up and down the presets. Works much better than stock imho.

TC dropped the ball this year. I don't care about the ditto looper.

That's a great idea. 

I kept looking for a mode that would do something similar, but to no avail. Having to kneel down to change presets is whack.

Drew_TNBD

monquixote said:

Drew_fx said:

I have a Nova Modulator, and I modified it so that instead of a tap tempo switch, the switch on the right would scroll up and down the presets. Works much better than stock imho.

TC dropped the ball this year. I don't care about the ditto looper.

That's a great idea. 

I kept looking for a mode that would do something similar, but to no avail. Having to kneel down to change presets is whack.

It's *really* easy.

You open it up - taking great care not to break any screws or what not - desolder the switch from the upper PCB. Flip it around. Solder wires from the switch to the back of the button on the PCB. There are only two points of contact to solder and as I recall, the polarity doesn't matter.

It'll work with any of the switches actually. You're essentially wiring the footswitch in paralell.

Drew_TNBD

Here you go:

http://www.freestompboxes.org/viewtopic.php?t=13652&p=153734

DarnWeight

RE: Zoom G3

I got one of these to fill the mods/delays/verbs/fruities gap alongside individual dirts etc., and yes, it'll do this, and yes, a lot of the individual fx are rather good as standalone models....but, I've had a bit of an epiphany over the weekend.  Stacking multiple delays and verbs (paying close attention to mix and repeat levels) is yielding some really nice lush ambient tones.  I guess I've been overlooking this "modular" aspect of the G3, but I have to say, I'm pretty amazed with the sounds I'm coaxing out of it now.

photek

I have actually moved back to pedals (mainly because I got bored of not having parcels show up every week with new boosts and drives to try ) )

If TC bring out a new Nova with 4CM and some updated bits and bobs I think it would dominate the multi FX market. The current one is outrageously good considering you can pick them up for the price of a decent overdrive and delay pedal.

ragingben

I've always loved multis, bit find presets actually hinder me live. When we gig I just want everything right there where I can see it and a just it without having to faff about saving etc. However, if you need lots of sounds you can't really go wrong with most of the decent modern ones. I liked the nova in the loop with a compressor and drive pedal up front, but it was a pain in he ass in the long term. Love to try a complete solution like Kemper/axe fx 2 though, could be the end of gas in a box

Axe_meister

I love the g-system.
Best of both worlds. My first two banks are setup with the basic drive and clean settings. I've programmed each path with a generic fx setup, e.g simple chorus a delay and some reverb. These however are switched off so I can stomp on the button to bring them online, much like a pedal board, tweaking is fairly easy.
Then further up the banks I have song specific patches.