Author Topic: NMD (New Modeller Day) (Read 2763 times)

AndyR · « **on:** June 14, 2008, 07:45:27 PM »

Well, I've been using Line6 for a good few years. A POD2, followed by a PODXTLive, which I found to be a vast improvement (some Line6-ers don't, or so I understand).

I've been using the XT for at least 2 years, been very happy with it, mastered it's complexities, happy to recommend it, blah, blah...

But good ole MDV on here here started me wondering...

Just got me a VOX Tonelab LE today. I got a local shop to get one in from another branch for me to try, on the understanding that I was very happy with my XT, but wanted to find out what the VOX was like.

I took my IT'd Strat and my own headphones to give it a go. I wasn't expecting there to be a big difference, and if there wasn't, I wasn't buying. But it only took an hour of experimenting and exploring the possibilites and I was completely sold!

I'm keeping the XT as well, but the official "Andyr recommendation on modellers" has now changed :D

The XT's not cr@p, it does a job of work, and I've loved it. But the VOX, for me, outclasses it in most areas (and it's cheaper!)

MDV - MANY THANKS for your posts about it over the last few months

(and also thanx for not saying the POD was "less than desirable" whenever I mentioned it recently - that might have closed my mind to trying the VOX! :roll: )

And PS, for those who are wondering "modeller? WTF?" I do have a valve-amp, but we're in a terraced flat, there's no room for it to be out, and it's too darn loud, and the environment's too noisy to record it mic'd up.

sgmypod · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2008, 08:16:07 PM »

Had the XT and yes there aren't cr@p, but the vox is better sounding to me

BigK · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2008, 09:55:31 PM »

Nice-one, What are the high-gain sounds like? I keep reading reviews on harmony central and the like saying its not that great for metal.

andymac · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2008, 10:28:27 PM »

I currently have a XT live and use it for rehersals. Live I just turn off the amp and use it for effects into the fromt of my amp.

Can you turn off the Amp emulation on the Tonelab, and just use it as a multi effect in front of an amp?

Andy

AndyR · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2008, 09:17:21 AM »

Still getting used to it folks - very happy so far though.

Overall, in comparison with the XT I'd say I get more top-end bite (which I was always searching for in mixes) without so much added "fizz".

Having said that, I lean more towards "older" blues/rock tones. I was specifically interested in the fender and vox models - I've never got to full "happiness" with the XT versions. Within 10 minutes in the shop I knew the Tonelab was going to deliver on that. Also, the early 80s M/V "marshall" model works a lot better for me on gain of around 5 or below - I can actually model how I used to use my own valve amp live with it!! Bliss! (That's an early 80s Laney Protube 50W M/V, a year or two before the AORs came out - basically a Marshall M/V clone)

Jack, I've heard that about hi-gain on the Tonelab as well. I haven't tested too much down that road yet. What I have found is that there is an "authentic" valve-amp hiss that I suspect will become more apparent with higher gain. There is a noise reduction setting, but I tend not to use those in a modeller, I limit it in the DAW afterwards, I seem to have more control that way (and I hate the sound of "noise" decaying with the note while I'm playing!)

In addition, the Tonelab feels much more like playing through a valve amp. I've never used a real valve amp for high gain - and I suspect that if I want high gain stuff (in my environment, that is, a home studio/living-room) that I will prefer what seems a more processed sound from the XT. But for good ole "blues/rock" tones, the Tonelab is a stunner.

Andy, yes, I believe you can turn off the Amp sim but it does remove some other functionality (can't remember what, I don't do it so my eyes glazed over when I read about it! - go to the VOX site, you can download the manual, it tells you in there. I downloaded and read it before I went to the shop so that I had half a chance when testing it!)

I'm not actually a big effects user. On the XT I tended to use the Sine Chorus, the EQ + Boost, and the Wahs. On the Tonelab, I haven't manged to learn a chorus I'm happy with yet, but I think I will. I was a little distressed to learn that the Wah counts as a "Pedal" effect (read "Stomp" for the XT) - but I'm not missing the ability to have the boost and the Wah together. I will say this for the various "Pedal" effects - OD pedals etc - they seem a lot more usable to me than the XT models. And the Wah itself - I was about to miss 8/9 different models - but no worries! You can configure it for one of two VOX models (changes the "notches" in the sweep), AND you can configure the tone of both the open and closed sounds - this is VERY useful.

Overall though, if you like the XTs effects - I think you might feel a little restricted with what's on offer in the Tonelab. It might be that quality outwieghs quantity though?! I'm not in a position to say really.

It does have an effects send and return - which is something I think Line6 have added to the X3 - but, again, I don't need it.

The ONLY quibble I have at the moment is no USB connection. I've downloaded the Sound Editor - nice and intuitive - but it does mean I have to get the MIDI/USB box, and find the cables, etc, etc, when I want to connect to the PC. But this is MINOR. I'm gessing that if they'd added USB, they'd have to be looking at including digital/soundcard type operation, and that would have pushed the price up.

Hope that helps guys!

hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** June 16, 2008, 10:25:08 AM »

The new Voxes (Black Diamond, what a cheesy brand name) have some more features, check my pic from LGS

AndyR · « **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2008, 12:12:11 PM »

Yeah, I saw that earlier Hunter...

Gave me a slight "D'OH!" moment :?

I seem to be quite good at buying "new technology" just as it's about to be upgraded with a new model...

(Guess which numpty bought a POD2 a year after the release of POD XT?! :roll: )

Having said that, the Tonelab LE seems to be doing the business for me. I like it's simplicity, and all the amps I want to model are in there... so no tears from me :D

(until they bring out the new modelling unit, and someone posts a "it's a real improvement on the LE, and the Blackface and AC models" REALLY sound like the real amps now..." !!)

MDV · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2008, 01:16:50 PM »

Very pleased to hear you like it, Andy!

And youre welcome :drink:

MDV · « **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2008, 01:27:59 PM »

Oh, and I use it for metal.

Its not as capable of in-your-face, skin-flaying tones as the pod is, but I find it has several factors that make it better for metal in practice - its sound is smoother and muti-tracks better, its mids are fatter and grindier and you can get some real heaviness out of it, and the lows perhaps arent as satisfying as the pods to listen to with it on its own, but they sit in a mix much better. The pod has more gain, but you dont need much at all (and should use multi tracking of low gain sounds) to record metal.

Edit: for clariification, the things I didnt (and dont, I still have it) like about the pod were - its lows were boomy and muddy, mids hollow and treble fizzy and staticy. I could get tolerable sounds with lots of hunting and EQing in cubase.

With the LE it took me 30 minutes to find something I was happy with.

Oh, and its laid out much more intuitively, the learning curve is practically non-existant. Its just founding out what sounds are what - where to find them and how to manipulate them is very easy.

AndyR · « **Reply #9 on:** June 16, 2008, 01:46:13 PM »

^ Listen to this man - I think he might be talking sense

Yesterday, I was finding that for my bluesy/scrunchy tones, I need less gain than I do on the POD to get the "aggression" or punch I want out of it. I ascribed it to more top-end bite, but mids being fatter and grindier describes it as well. On the POD I was often maxing the mids (with the inherent boxiness that can bring) to get some grind, but on this beast, I'm turning them down and still, er, grinding away...

I was also finding that some old "rock" tones (think something like Ronnie Montrose on Bad Motor Scooter etc), that are basically, er, "orrible" but are just what the track needed are now obtainable for me. On the POD, any approximation to those early 70s sounds really did sound "orrible" to my ears - on the Tonelab, I'm cranking out "old skool" rock sounds like this and somehow they sound more authentic.

MDV · « **Reply #10 on:** June 16, 2008, 01:52:11 PM »

:drink:

Another thing (that andy got very near saying above, but it needs to be spelled out!)

Its way more dynamic and responsive than the pod. WAY more. Want it to be more agressive? Play more aggressively. And vice versa.