Zoom G11 Review
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Sure. Which one did you get? They can all be made to sound good.
NegativeEase
New member
I feel like this review should be rewritten in a concise review -as presently it unfolds like a mystery novel in chapters -which means to get a full informed assessment of the until after giving it enough time to put it through it's paces requires reading 5-6 different updates that unfold a new disposition 
Nah, I kid -I enjoyed the read.
Nah, I kid -I enjoyed the read.
These days, with modelers, how responsive the company is to suggestions as well as how often updates are likely to come should be a big concern. Many first generation devices come with flow-of-use issues that could be fixed by a responsive company, and bugs that can be squashed with a larger user base. If they don't have a history of updates or responses to questions (like Roland, let's say), I pass. We have other choices these days, especially for big money items.
The G11 workflow is good, it is what it is. And it probably will never be anything more. There were a handful of FW fixes over the past year, but its not like they are developing it, just fixing bugs.
With exception of the defective LCD screen on this one, it seems pretty solid.
The touch screen is actually quite responsive. Its definitely a different workflow from menu driven processors. You have the virtual chain on top which you can touch to add, delete, or remove effects, and the pedal windows show all the parameters, which makes it quite immediate. You dont have to save, just twist knobs and move pedals around. The only menus are when you want to change an effect.
At 600 this is competing with the HX Stomp. Id rather have this. I know the HX have many more features, but I wanted a full size board with a decent screen.
Besides the first day I spent trying to mix cabs and IRs, it was actually really easy to get my tones. Undecided if I will get a replacement, a GT1000, or an FM3. One thing I absolutely hate about non-touch screens is entering patch names with an encoder wheel. And the FM3 has a tiny screen, its geared for using the computer.
Tomorrow I will play around with the IR loading and see how well it works. Sadly, their online tone library appears to have nothing for the G11. Either no one bought it, or the company tanked and laid off a bunch of people.
I feel like this review should be rewritten in a concise review -as presently it unfolds like a mystery novel in chapters -which means to get a full informed assessment of the until after giving it enough time to put it through it's paces requires reading 5-6 different updates that unfold a new disposition
Nah, I kid -I enjoyed the read.
Yeah I know I'm going crazy. I'm sure you can tell its a big deal for me.
Gtrjunior
New member
I got the Atomic Amplifire 12. I bought it used and some patches sounds good and others just ok. My issue is that I just don’t know what all the parameters do. Lol I find the eq-ing confusing. High/low shelf, high/low cut, parametric, graphic it all makes my head spin. Haha!
The advice I can give about EQ blocks is that its easy to go down a rabbit hole of tweaking the EQ to get it to sound like "the sound in your head."
When you are tweaking the sound with EQ, always use a recorded reference tone or target that you are trying to match, that way you don't go out of bounds.
Never free form sculpt with the EQ. What happens when you do that, you spend hours getting it to sound great, then the next day you come back and are like "what was I thinking".
Gtrjunior
New member
Good advise....
The other thing I have a bit of trouble with is this sort of almost brittle feel, not so much the sound but the feel in the upper mids/high end. I can “almost” dial it out and get it sounding good. Then when I A/B it with my Quickrod, the Splawn eats it for lunch.
Is expecting it so sound more like a tube amp unrealistic?
I’ve been using the 5150 model and I like it. It sounds good but it’s definitely no tube amp.
Are you playing it through the loop of your Splawn? Comparing the AA12 preamp to the splawn preamp in A/B?
IME, most modelers, when you turn off the cab and speaker sim can be made to sound very close if not identical to tube preamps. You just need to get the EQ curve right.
What you do is put the Splawn preamp in the loop of the AA12. Set it up so you can A/B between the Splawn and the built in model. Put a graphic EQ after the AA12 model. Then tweak the EQ and A/B until they sound the same.
When you do this, its a real eye opener. The magic of tube amps mostly comes from the speakers and the power amp. The AA12 is supposed to have really good marshall style tones.
Final Thoughts...
I really like this processor. Its not competing against the Helix or FM3, its more of an expensive mid-range processor. Its competition is the HX Stomp or Pod Go. I'm not aware of any other current gen products in this price range besides the Mooer stuff, and they have lost court cases for algorithm theft so IMO, no one should be buying any Mooer products (or Chinese companies) on principal.
The question to ask, is it worth an extra $100-150 over the HX Stomp or Pod Go? And also, do I need more processing and features to justify the cost of a "flagship" processor? Point of comparison, the G11 and Pod Go have 9 effect slots, the Helix supports 3x as many.
I have never gelled with Line 6 products, and I have bought and returned a few over the years. It comes down to personal preference. I have linked two demo videos below of the sounds (Guitar Bonedo). To my ears, the Zoom does low and mid gain tones better with a more open and articulate sound. If you listen to the demos below, I think you will hear what I do. The Pod Go seems to have a greater selection and focus on high gain tones. I like the G11 high gain tones, but there aren't alot of different amps in this category. I personally think the G11 tones are better overall than the Helix family.
So what do you get for the extra $100-150 over a Pod Go? You get a great interface, you get a drum machine, you get dedicated amp controls.
The interface, the ability to type in patch names on the touch screen, or drag and drop effects makes it easy to use. By default, everything is foot switchable without any programming so WYSIWYG. I have used it for three days and I already feel like I know it inside out.
All 9 effects blocks are flex blocks, so you can make any effect chain you want. In the Pod Go, I think it only has four flex blocks.
The biggest problem with the Zoom G11, the thing that you will wish it did better, is the 9 effect slot limit, which seems arbitrary. If you didn't use any IRs (just the built in cab sims) you will have filled up all nine slots and still have half of the processing power left over. Its not like Zoom is limiting functionality because they have a high-end product above this. The limitation seems more related to screen real estate. As you add pedals to the chain, the pedals scale to fill up the available space, and someone decided that they didn't the pedals getting any smaller on the screen (or looping over to another row.)
Nine simultaneous effects is enough for almost anyone, EXCEPT if you are using EQ blocks. The Graphic Equalizer takes up two slots, and a parametric EQ with only one band takes up a slot by itself. So if you intend to do any EQ sculpting, you will quickly run out of slots.
Anyway, I'm still undecided whether I keep the G11 or upgrade to a GT1000 or FM3. I know both of those products have many more features and would turn into a rabbit hole. The G11 frankly is doing everything I need, it does a good job at the few sounds I use, my only misgiving is the arbitrary limit of 9 effects slots, and how it limits heavy use of EQ blocks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaxAeWmpCqY&t=229s&ab_channel=GuitarBonedo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fRRU1E7hE&t=69s&ab_channel=GuitarBonedo
I really like this processor. Its not competing against the Helix or FM3, its more of an expensive mid-range processor. Its competition is the HX Stomp or Pod Go. I'm not aware of any other current gen products in this price range besides the Mooer stuff, and they have lost court cases for algorithm theft so IMO, no one should be buying any Mooer products (or Chinese companies) on principal.
The question to ask, is it worth an extra $100-150 over the HX Stomp or Pod Go? And also, do I need more processing and features to justify the cost of a "flagship" processor? Point of comparison, the G11 and Pod Go have 9 effect slots, the Helix supports 3x as many.
I have never gelled with Line 6 products, and I have bought and returned a few over the years. It comes down to personal preference. I have linked two demo videos below of the sounds (Guitar Bonedo). To my ears, the Zoom does low and mid gain tones better with a more open and articulate sound. If you listen to the demos below, I think you will hear what I do. The Pod Go seems to have a greater selection and focus on high gain tones. I like the G11 high gain tones, but there aren't alot of different amps in this category. I personally think the G11 tones are better overall than the Helix family.
So what do you get for the extra $100-150 over a Pod Go? You get a great interface, you get a drum machine, you get dedicated amp controls.
The interface, the ability to type in patch names on the touch screen, or drag and drop effects makes it easy to use. By default, everything is foot switchable without any programming so WYSIWYG. I have used it for three days and I already feel like I know it inside out.
All 9 effects blocks are flex blocks, so you can make any effect chain you want. In the Pod Go, I think it only has four flex blocks.
The biggest problem with the Zoom G11, the thing that you will wish it did better, is the 9 effect slot limit, which seems arbitrary. If you didn't use any IRs (just the built in cab sims) you will have filled up all nine slots and still have half of the processing power left over. Its not like Zoom is limiting functionality because they have a high-end product above this. The limitation seems more related to screen real estate. As you add pedals to the chain, the pedals scale to fill up the available space, and someone decided that they didn't the pedals getting any smaller on the screen (or looping over to another row.)
Nine simultaneous effects is enough for almost anyone, EXCEPT if you are using EQ blocks. The Graphic Equalizer takes up two slots, and a parametric EQ with only one band takes up a slot by itself. So if you intend to do any EQ sculpting, you will quickly run out of slots.
Anyway, I'm still undecided whether I keep the G11 or upgrade to a GT1000 or FM3. I know both of those products have many more features and would turn into a rabbit hole. The G11 frankly is doing everything I need, it does a good job at the few sounds I use, my only misgiving is the arbitrary limit of 9 effects slots, and how it limits heavy use of EQ blocks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaxAeWmpCqY&t=229s&ab_channel=GuitarBonedo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7fRRU1E7hE&t=69s&ab_channel=GuitarBonedo
Last edited:
Gtrjunior
New member
No, I’m not running it with the Splawn.
My goal for the A12 is to use it as a stand alone unit in church. I’ll run an xlr to FOH and monitor with IEM’s.
Cool. Brett Kingman has a great demo of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqF-m70fwdA&ab_channel=BrettKingman
Gtrjunior
New member
I’ve been watching some vids by Leon Todd too...he seems to be getting some good tones out of it too.
I just thought of another question.
Is there an easy way to volume match tones from patch to patch? I have programmed 3-4 tones but just can’t get a seamless volume match...there has to be a better way than to just switch back and forth between patches and judge it by ear.
I did do a Google search and found a thread on TGP but it’s still just a guessing game with the method described there.
I don't know if there is. I think that's a problem all modelers have. Just like balancing the channels on an amp.
There should be a global volume control so you dont have to keep adjusting patches once they are balanced.
Gtrjunior
New member
Thanks
Sorry about hijacking your thread.
Mods...I’d you deem it necessary this talk about the Amplifire 12 could be put into my thread about the church setup.
Gtrjunior
New member
Good idea....maybe I can find an app that does something similar.
A better solution would be to run the modeler into a mixer that has meters.
