Am I the only one still using a rack?

[Coma]

Forgive my ignorance, but wasn't the whole rack thing basically a way to get effects and gear that couldn't be housed in a stompbox on a stage, in conjuction with not wanting to drag along an amp as a separate entity? I would imagine one of the reasons they died off (besides trends coming and going) was better sounding and more reliable multifx-units, modeling gear becoming commonplace etc.

 

[Mincer]

Forgive my ignorance, but wasn't the whole rack thing basically a way to get effects and gear that couldn't be housed in a stompbox on a stage, in conjuction with not wanting to drag along an amp as a separate entity? I would imagine one of the reasons they died off (besides trends coming and going) was better sounding and more reliable multifx-units, modeling gear becoming commonplace etc.

Pretty much. Also racks are heavy, and take up a lot of space. If they can do things functionally the same, take up less space, and be lighter, I am all for it. Racks were originally made for a time before multieffects, and you needed 1 unit per effect. At the time, rack effects were much much better in quality than pedal effects.

 

[donaldr]

My rack (see post #12) weights maybe 40lbs. This includes everything I need to make noise (preamp + power amp + effects + presets), I store my midi controller in one of the lid, all the cables are connected inside ready to go, and everything is fully protected against damage and weather.

What's the weight of your head amp?
What's the weight of your pedalboard + the hard case to store it + all the cables?
I would thing it weights more than my 4u rack (which is stereo).

I also have a 2u rack with an Eleven Rack that I use for ampless direct to FOH (mainly for bass now). Weights less than a pedalboard and takes 2 minutes to setup (XLR cable to FOH, cable to power outlet, cable to guitar, and cable to midi controller. All already connected to Eleven Rack).

I have a small pedalboard that is battery powered and can slip in my gigbag, but I really don't understand the big pedalboard thing and the form factor associated (plus having to deal with all the patch cables, power supply, tap dancing, one sound per pedal, or getting on your knees to adjust between songs, inter-connect/dc cables getting loose or knob position changed during transport and dealing with 9v/12v/18v pedals).

 

[El Dunco]

My rack (see post #12) weights maybe 40lbs. This includes everything I need to make noise (preamp + power amp + effects + presets), I store my midi controller in one of the lid, all the cables are connected inside ready to go, and everything is fully protected against damage and weather.

What's the weight of your head amp?
What's the weight of your pedalboard + the hard case to store it + all the cables?
I would thing it weights more than my 4u rack (which is stereo).

I also have a 2u rack with an Eleven Rack that I use for ampless direct to FOH (mainly for bass now). Weights less than a pedalboard and takes 2 minutes to setup (XLR cable to FOH, cable to power outlet, cable to guitar, and cable to midi controller. All already connected to Eleven Rack).

I have a small pedalboard that is battery powered and can slip in my gigbag, but I really don't understand the big pedalboard thing and the form factor associated (plus having to deal with all the patch cables, power supply, tap dancing, one sound per pedal, or getting on your knees to adjust between songs, inter-connect/dc cables getting loose or knob position changed during transport and dealing with 9v/12v/18v pedals).

I do like the hassle-free setup aspect of rack systems. What would be next level cool is wireless foot controllers. Shouldn’t be difficult as it’s nothing but instructions, no sound actually goes through it.

 

[Mincer]

I use a Behringer FCB1010 as the controller, with a wiring/power/midi loom going to the main rack. The pedalboard has its own case.

 

[El Dunco]

Wow, guess there's no "ignore" function, it's been a moment...

Was gonna make a serious post, but nah :wave:

Awh, come on. It’s been serious for a whole page. There is an ignore function but I wouldn’t do that because I’m interested in comissioning a guitar from you.

 

[donaldr]

I do like the hassle-free setup aspect of rack systems. What would be next level cool is wireless foot controllers. Shouldn’t be difficult as it’s nothing but instructions, no sound actually goes through it.

Bluetooth midi controllers exist.

 

[Securb]

I do like the hassle-free setup aspect of rack systems.

Until they are not. I have spent too much time in a dark club chasing cables in the back of a rack ever to want a rack setup again. Or at least never a huge NASA looking one like I had in the 90's. I do still have some rack gear I love but nothing that "needs" to be dragged out of the house. .

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, racks are not without serious drawbacks. It used to be that they absolutely sounded better and cleaner than pedals. For some time now, that hasn't been the case (and not many companies making rack gear except Fractal and Kemper).

 

[zionstrat]

There was something really special about being able to control every aspect of your tone through a MIDI cable.

I had a setting where my second pedal controlled the amount preamp on two different channels kicked in harmonizer and chorus and changed reverbs... All in a sweep of 127 data points.

It certainly was an incredible tone, however, I have no need to replicate it.. in the studio I'd use a couple of plugs to get the same thing, and live there more than enough standard tones get me in the ballpark... considering all of the masking going on.

Don't get me wrong, if I was pro touring, had support, and could keep a second rack online for backup, I would jump on it in a heartbeat..