Stompbox or multi effect

[Nitrox]

I don't have any effects and i'll be buying some soon and I need some help deciding if I should get stompboxes or a multi-effects processor or both. I will be using a lot of effects, they'll be: wah, phaser, flanger, octaver, delay, chorus, tremolo, whammy, synth and compressor. If I should get a multi effects what company should I get it from

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

You may to do a combination of the two:

Try to Line 6 MM-4 Modulation Modeler for flanger, chorus, tremelo, and phaser.
Try a Digitech Whammy for Whammy.
etc,

Or, you could just try a Boss GT-8. Those things look bad@$$.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

IMO the choice between stompboxes and multiFX is a balancing act.

Stompbox advantages

• Better/more varied FX (esp distortion/wah). Not many multiFX boards offer a whammy capability.
• Easier to have FX before amp & in loop
• Greater FX routing options
• No arbitrary limitation in combinations
• Easier to set up (e.g., no programming)

MultiFX advantages

• Cheaper than comparable set of stompboxes, cables, power supplies, etc.
• One-piece unit
  • Smaller
  • Lighter
  • No pedalboard mounting issues
  • Carrying cases easier to find
• More convenient
  
  • Programmed patches mean no tap dancing
  • Single power supply
  • No need to troubleshoot bad interconnects

It all depends on what's most important to you. I have both a stompbox pedalboard and a POD XT Live that I use as a multiFX. Since I got the XTL, I haven't really been using the stompboxes because it's easier to schelp around and I got tired of tap dancing. I'll admit that I miss my standalone wah and OD pedals but at the moment I'll take the convenience of the multiFX.


My $0.02, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.

 

[Nitrox]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

How does the pod sound like?

 

[audiodog]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Stomp boxes will give you better sound, however stomp boxes are a hell of a lot more expensive, especially when your adding the pedalboard and power supply(s).

My opinion would be if you have a quality tube amp that you like, and your are in a band/play live/going to the studio, go with the stomp box route... However if you are just a 'play at home guy' go with the cheaper route, multi-effects pedal.

If you are gonna get a multi-effects pedal, I would either go with Vox or the Boss GT-8... I haven't heard the POD yet.

 

[pac112]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

how much money do u wanna fork out?

 

[Nitrox]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

No more than £300

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Stomp boxes will give you better sound, however stomp boxes are a hell of a lot more expensive, especially when your adding the pedalboard and power supply(s).

OneSpot or Godlyke single adapter power supplies with a daisy chain (5) will handle that problem. I used to spend a crapload on batteries and then I bought a OneSpot last summer and have never looked back. The OneSpot handles the load and voltage of most pedals too. If the plug on your pedal is differant (like with the Line6 MM-4, or it's 12v, or a DOD stompbox) you can just buy the adaptor for an extra $2.99. Simple. Easy. Effective.

 

[pac112]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

since u got quite alot of deniro to burn,i'll say get the individual pedals that u need,except for the digitech whammy, its kinda prices. get that one later.

 

[grams]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

I agree to everything above...

I would look for the sound of the fx - I guess you have specific sounds in your mind. Try to dial those in with the multifx-things. If you can't get them try it with stompboxes. But keep in mind that you might have to step on a lot of pedals "at once" (as said before) while you can program it all on one multifx switch...

I am currently getting stompboxes because I don't like the fx sounds...hm, maybe I'll makeup a switching system for the units...

 

[Nitrox]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

I was also considering Roland's synth products with the midi pickup. What do you guys think about them?

 

[Destroying Angel]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Ive tried a couple different multi effects and ive hated them all, they just dont sound right to my ears. Im all for stompboxes. As for the roland/ midi pickup, ive always been interested in those. I used to know a bit about them but never played one. I guess they have a newer version out now that fixes the tracking problems the older ones had.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

I LOVE the POD xt Live. Much simpler to set-up one unit. Great sounds.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

OneSpot or Godlyke single adapter power supplies with a daisy chain (5) will handle that problem. I used to spend a crapload on batteries and then I bought a OneSpot last summer and have never looked back. The OneSpot handles the load and voltage of most pedals too. If the plug on your pedal is differant (like with the Line6 MM-4, or it's 12v, or a DOD stompbox) you can just buy the adaptor for an extra $2.99. Simple. Easy. Effective.

Until you run into a ground loop. Or if you want saggy power for your wahs and/or ODs. Or if you want/need different voltages (I think you're off base with the 12V claim). Finally, if your stompboxes are odd sizes or don't have their power jacks on the top, daisy chain cables are a major PITA. A top shelf power supply is probably overkill 'til you run into one of those cases. It's a luxury item but it can get you better tone and fewer headaches in the long run.

 

[audiodog]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Oh, and one more thing about stomp box. Stomp boxes will suck out your tone unless they have true bypass switch in it or you can buy true bypass swtiches for about $65.

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Until you run into a ground loop. Or if you want saggy power for your wahs and/or ODs. Or if you want/need different voltages (I think you're off base with the 12V claim). Finally, if your stompboxes are odd sizes or don't have their power jacks on the top, daisy chain cables are a major PITA. A top shelf power supply is probably overkill 'til you run into one of those cases. It's a luxury item but it can get you better tone and fewer headaches in the long run.

What's a ground loop?

Honestly though, I haven't any problems with "saggy power" to my wah or my overdrive. They sound pretty much the same with or without the power supply (i.e. using a battery).
As far as the power jack/daisy chain thing the power supply input for my wah, line6 MM-4, and all my other stompboxes are in differant places and I haven't run into any problems with getting the jacks to pedal inputs in a daisy chain configuration. It's really a matter of where you place the pedal in relation to everything else when you run into PITA problems.
I'm not sure what the voltage is on the Line 6 MM-4 but the jack size isn't your standard 9V (like on a Boss pedal), but I picked up the adapter for it and the everything's working great.
I may be a fluke, but I'm going to say it again, I haven't run into any of these problems.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Oh, and one more thing about stomp box. Stomp boxes will suck out your tone unless they have true bypass switch in it or you can buy true bypass swtiches for about $65.

There's no reason why a well-designed buffered pedal can't sound as good or better than a "true" bypass pedal. Also, if you chain together a lot of "true" bypass pedals, the capacitance of the cable and connectors will suck tone, too. That is, unless you have a quality buffer in front of 'em.

What's a ground loop?

It's hum caused by eddy currents through your ground connections.

Honestly though, I haven't any problems with "saggy power" to my wah or my overdrive. They sound pretty much the same with or without the power supply (i.e. using a battery).

The idea of saggy power is to make the power supply react more like a battery, yielding a more organic feel in some fx.

As far as the power jack/daisy chain thing the power supply input for my wah, line6 MM-4, and all my other stompboxes are in differant places and I haven't run into any problems with getting the jacks to pedal inputs in a daisy chain configuration. It's really a matter of where you place the pedal in relation to everything else when you run into PITA problems.

I'd rather not have my FX placement be dictated by a daisy chain cable. On my board, I tried using a daisy chain and it just wasn't happening. Different strokes...

I'm not sure what the voltage is on the Line 6 MM-4 but the jack size isn't your standard 9V (like on a Boss pedal), but I picked up the adapter for it and the everything's working great.

It doesn't require 12V. The adapter simply gives you a different plug, not different voltage.

I don't have anything against the Godlyke or OneSpot. I know a number of people who use them with great results. You're not unusual in your satisfaction. Glad the daisy chain thing works for you. I'd certainly be happy to reclaim the space on my board occupied by my power supply but daisy chains make me crazy.

 

[audiodog]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

There's no reason why a well-designed buffered pedal can't sound as good or better than a "true" bypass pedal. Also, if you chain together a lot of "true" bypass pedals, the capacitance of the cable and connectors will suck tone, too. That is, unless you have a quality buffer in front of 'em.

Are boss and MXR pedals "buffered"? :question:

Where did you find out that buffered is just as good as true bypass? :question:

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

It's hum caused by eddy currents through your ground connections.

Oh yeah. I get that pretty bad.

The idea of saggy power is to make the power supply react more like a battery, yielding a more organic feel in some fx.

Really? When I used my Digital Delay with a "saggy" slowly draining battery it eventually sounded like crap everytime. "organic" or whatever, it didn't sound good to me. That AC Adapter was the best thing to happen to my delay.

I'd rather not have my FX placement be dictated by a daisy chain cable. On my board, I tried using a daisy chain and it just wasn't happening. Different strokes...

Yup.

It doesn't require 12V. The adapter simply gives you a different plug, not different voltage.

Yeah, I was totally wrong about that. My bad.

I don't have anything against the Godlyke or OneSpot. I know a number of people who use them with great results. You're not unusual in your satisfaction. Glad the daisy chain thing works for you. I'd certainly be happy to reclaim the space on my board occupied by my power supply but daisy chains make me crazy.

I think I got lucky because the only adapater I use that isn't the OneSpot is a Boss PSA for the delay at the end of the chain. I also line the effects fairly close and in somewhat of a straight line so the daisy chain can get full access. There's no crossed-wires or any of that garbage. At first I was pretty confused and just got in a tangle of wires but getting rid of two or three pedals, keeping only the essentials, also helped quite a bit.

I'm going to go home this weekend and take a long hard listen to my sound and double-check if any of that stuff you mentioned may be going on underneath that pile of effects on my board.

 

[aleclee]

Re: Stompbox or multi effect

Really? When I used my Digital Delay with a "saggy" slowly draining battery it eventually sounded like crap everytime. "organic" or whatever, it didn't sound good to me. That AC Adapter was the best thing to happen to my delay.

Like I said, saggy batteries are considered desireable for ODs & wahs. I can understand how a delay would sound like doo doo.