Suggestions for studio quality fx

Dragoneti

Dragoneti

New member
Hello everybody!!

I would like your opinion/suggestions on my next fx “quest”… :) I would like to move towards a more “studio digital rack” quality effects for my JVM. I have already moved to completely digital fx as nowadays I play with a TC Modulator (replacing some mxr flangers phasers etc) + a DD20 delay (and occasionally a RV5 reverb). The boss pedals are pretty good, but have a more “pedal” sound than a rack pristine sound which is my target.

So I have narrowed my options down and I’m looking for your feedback about them.

1) Replace the dd20 with the nova delay and maybe, later on, the RV5 with the nova reverb (after all most of the times the reverb from JVM is sufficient so…not an immediate need). This option is the less costly one as I already have the modulator… so it will cost about 250 to 500 (if I buy the reverb) euros and will be the most easy to adjust and control.

2) Replace all pedals with a rack unit, such as the G Major 2. I think for starters I can use (at least that’s what I have read on the net) a podxt live that I have as a midi controller. With this solution I gain the "complete solution" control (less AD/DA) as well as some options such as killdry to use the unit on parallel loops that some of my marshall heads have. Initial cost will be about 500 euros but sooner or later I will have to have a midi controller and a rack case so cost will rise eventually. The problem is whever it has a better sound than the nova pedals.

3) Remain on pedals, but instead on going to TC move towards Eventide pedals (first the timefactor and later on the modfactor). Of course cost wise is goes pretty high and I don’t really have a need for the weird/space sounds these pedals can produce, but on the other hand I gain the killdry and level management options from rack units. Not all that important but if the quality in sound is also distinctively higher then it may worth the cost but at the moment is the least probable option mostly due to the high cost (about 900 euros).

What option would you choose? What will produce the better sound? I’m into 80s hair metal/ hard rock and as such I only need fx as chorus/flanger/phaser/delay and reverb, nothing more. What would be better 2-3 nova pedals or a G major 2 for that sound only?

Thank you in advance!
Stelios.
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

I had the TC G-major. All I can say I got tired of the menus... It takes a lot of time to get the sweet spot, but when you find it... OMG.
Anyways, I have changed the multieffects for pedals bcs it's more manageable in that way... and it works for me.

edit: The G-major is a good choice if you can handle the menus nightmare, actually I missing it a bit now for the following features: Noise Reduction, tuner, 2 relays, midi in/out/thru and stereo outputs.
 
Last edited:
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

This thread is great! It reminds me of me in the late 80s. I guess some lessons can only be learned the hard way....
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Thanks for your replies!

My main concern is about the sound quality. I want the best possible for that kind of money (mainly the cost of the first 2 options) without the problems of analog pedals in a fx loop. As i already said i had (and still have, i never sell equipment) all kinds of analog pedals like evh flangers phasers etc which although they sound good, in fx loops they had all kinds of problems such as volume drops, noise etc whats why i moved towards digital fx. My modulator, for example, has all the sounds of the above pedals without having a concern of placement in my ring.

The main question is should i just buy two more nova pedals and be done or will i benefit from a single unit in the form of g major 2, which will have a single AD/AD signal convertion and the killdry and more extensive level options? i don't care about menus and the difficulty of making sounds, after all i just need one sound per fx, not a 1000 preset and all that. Nor is of any concern the movement of the rig (although i can manage quite a bit, built wise) as it is set on my play room almost permantly, and the main thing of worry would be the amp and 2 4x12 cabs, not a single rack processor! :)

Thanks again for your aswers!!
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Yeah? JMD:1? why is that?

I usually don't like "modeling" sounds except recording/ noodling something at late night where my podxt live is sufficient. Normally my all tube marshall heads (JVM, DSL, TSL's, some of which has been modded my Mercury OT etc) cover all my sound needs amp wise. The fx part is the one that's in question.
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Pedals really do not have much good useage in a loop!
As they are serial beings....
And with loops a linemixer with 19" stuff is where you wanna go......
Parallel is the only good sollution if you like the fidelity to be up there.
But apart from the modular setup, it is heavy, and takes up alot of space.
Can be a pain to setup and sound good, as tweaking just is more cumbersome with such stuff!

The Nova stuff is cheap POS stuff.......
You will want to keep your main signal, between the preamp and poweramp analouge and in parallel so that you can individually mix in the the effects needed.

Personally I used one unit for reverb, another for delay, another for eq's, one compressor with dual channels, kept the modulation in front, that was just how I like it, so there I used old pedals....

Anyways if it is just for recording and a fixed place for practise, then it is of no matter with the bulkyness....

But be prepared to spent alot of time making sounds, and then end up redoing them again when you play in the band....
Pristine and rock never really worked very well...
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

From what I could see, and this was briefly in a Guitar Center with someone else playing, the JMD:1 sounded exactly like a modern Marshall, and it had all the effects you're talking about built right in. From what I understand, it's pretty easy to control patches with the footswitch. I don't know about the feel, and I don't know about gigging levels, but at guitar store levels, it did exactly what you're talking about convincingly.
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Vasshu the humanoid typhoon said:
Pedals really do not have much good useage in a loop!
As they are serial beings....
And with loops a linemixer with 19" stuff is where you wanna go......
Parallel is the only good sollution if you like the fidelity to be up there.
But apart from the modular setup, it is heavy, and takes up alot of space.
Can be a pain to setup and sound good, as tweaking just is more cumbersome with such stuff!

The Nova stuff is cheap POS stuff.......
You will want to keep your main signal, between the preamp and poweramp analouge and in parallel so that you can individually mix in the the effects needed.

Personally I used one unit for reverb, another for delay, another for eq's, one compressor with dual channels, kept the modulation in front, that was just how I like it, so there I used old pedals....

Anyways if it is just for recording and a fixed place for practise, then it is of no matter with the bulkyness....

But be prepared to spent alot of time making sounds, and then end up redoing them again when you play in the band....
Pristine and rock never really worked very well...
Click to expand...

Yeah i know that analog pedals is not for fx loops even when the loop has a level switch, too many problems unfortunately... :( that why i'm geard towards rack style fx.

So your opinion is that i should steer away for the nova pedals an towards a rack fx unit with a killdry (or 100% wet capability) and use it in parallel loops? (in essense just like a wet/dry rig i sometimes utilize). The g major 2 is a good option? or what combination of rack processors (for mods/delay/reverb) will be best but without making the cost go sky high?

Yeah the rig will be on one specific place so no carry etc and i don't mind spending some time if the end sound will reward me! :)
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Dunno......
Get some used stuff.....
Most modern things are just cheap and does not sound very good.
Some Lexicon reverb or old Yamaha REV-7's, or Roland stuff, scoop up a used TC 2290....not as expensive as they used to be.
But get a linemixer with 8-16 loops....so that you can make all the effects go completly wet, and then adjust them on the mixer...only thing worth the while!
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Another unit to look at is the GSP-1101 by Digitech, It comes with a Control board that you can also use to change channels on your JVM. I really like the effects on it, and before that I had a Rocktron Intellifex. I wouldn't get a G-Major, as they have a lot of reliability issues, but a G-Major 2 might be worth while.

The only benefit to the GSP in that case is the noise gate and the Control 2. Aside from that, you could buy older rack gear, but you may find it harder to work with, plus you need a good controller.
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

Dragoneti said:
I only need fx as chorus/flanger/phaser/delay and reverb, nothing more. What would be better 2-3 nova pedals or a G major 2 for that sound only?
Click to expand...

I hate menus, too, and I count 5 pedals in your list. That's a lot of noise and hassle and cables and batteries. There are 5000 products like the below now, but this would be my first stop cuz you can have some FX in front of the amp and some FX routed to the amp's loop, or any combo. Trusted sources say it is dream-easy to use, just like a stompbox but with extra smarts. I've never tried it. You should. Or, its little bro the M9. I ain't tried thattun neither. You should.

line6-m13.jpg
 
Re: Suggestions for studio quality fx

+1 for the M9

One of my friends had it, and I gotta say, some deece effects in that thing.

Make sure you can put it in front of your amp AND in the effects loop. Ever since doing that with my GSP, I can't stress how important it is for some effects to be in the proper locations.

Edit: Actually, you can't do that with the M9, the M13 that PVFAN posted above is better for that very reason.
 
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