Newest Guitar Multi-Effects Processors, floor/rack, etc.

[flyingace]

I recently sold my Zoom G5n. It sounded okay, was decently easy to set up with the desktop software but it just didn’t WOW me.
What is the best available today?
What is the best but most affordable today? ($300-500 price range)
What offers the most iconic ”patches”, to say, play specific songs instead of guessing what would work best? (I know, it’s fun to just know effects and what to put together to play pink floyd or boston, or Beatles, etc. but looking for easy, quick right now)
Thanks all!

 

[Ujn Hunter]

If you had asked a few months ago, I'd say the HeadRush MX5 as it was $399 with probably the best hardware in/out and DSP capability along with the easiest to use touch screen for editing and the best Looper of all the $300-600 price ranged Multi-FX... however it's now listed at $499 (which is more than I'd spend on any of these things to be honest) so I'm not sure. If you want the MOST iconic patches, you'd have to stick with one of the more heavily installed bases of users... so probably Line 6 something... but I'd seriously be looking at what has the most features that apply to your needs over "user patches".

 

[flyingace]

If you had asked a few months ago, I'd say the HeadRush MX5 as it was $399 with probably the best hardware in/out and DSP capability along with the easiest to use touch screen for editing and the best Looper of all the $300-600 price ranged Multi-FX... however it's now listed at $499 (which is more than I'd spend on any of these things to be honest) so I'm not sure. If you want the MOST iconic patches, you'd have to stick with one of the more heavily installed bases of users... so probably Line 6 something... but I'd seriously be looking at what has the most features that apply to your needs over "user patches".

Thanks Ujn,
I think why I’ve been through several of these kinds of units over the years is that they tend to be gadgety in the end instead of something I really use. A way of saving a set up on a pedal board for specific songs I like to play.
I went through my analog/boutique pedal phase back in 2010, then into the TC Electronic GSystem (which I absolutely loved but TC just failed to support it in the end and talk about complex, noisy unless you ran the 4 line TRS rig with hum eliminators, etc. ridiculous), then into the Zoom G5n, which albeit was the easiest of all to use and play live. I kind regret selling it now.
Maybe I’ll go back to Zoom with the G11? Or just splurge and go for the Helix, which seems to be the defacto standard with lots of universal support… just flagship priced And super complex.
OR maybe I should just go back to individual pedals. I usually know what sound I’m looking for: delay when playing 70s and 80s (cure, Pink Floyd), chorus only occasionally, compressor, OD/Dist/Muff (I still own my fav OD by MXR “78 Badass Distortion” and I have a NYC (BIG BOY) Big Muff), reverb pedal? Tremolo? It can get costly thinking of all the things I might use (and likely never do!) before budget is empty and board is full…
Dilemma: Digital MFX for a little bit of everything or Analog pedal board for essentials?

 

[flyingace]

I’m now looking at the TC Electronic Plethora X5 for simplifying the old style pedal board concept with a little bit of programmability, but not overly complex. Price is about $100 more than I want to spend but… Watching more videos first. Anyone own one? Thoughts?

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Tc is so mediocre. UjnHunter suggested the Line 6 Helix. Go Native.

haha..ya know...everything after 1993 is garbage. The best of the best rack was like , a Korg 8000. It is arguably better than a 3500HSE. Eventides are expensive, but I saw a AM8000R for $120+SH on eBay . Wow. Korg effects from the 8000 series are absolutely the best of those original algorithms. The Korg AM is not midi linkable for BPM. The DL8000 is midi BMP linkable. Lexicon is dampened and darker. Eventide can be too complicated. Roland is crap. KORG is just right ..

I would use KORG.

 

[flyingace]

Tc is so mediocre. UjnHunter suggested the Line 6 Helix. Go Native.

haha..ya know...everything after 1993 is garbage. The best of the best rack was like , a Korg 8000. It is arguably better than a 3500HSE. Eventides are expensive, but I saw a AM8000R for $120+SH on eBay . Wow. Korg effects from the 8000 series are absolutely the best of those original algorithms. The Korg AM is not midi linkable for BPM. The DL8000 is midi BMP linkable. Lexicon is dampened and darker. Eventide can be too complicated. Roland is crap. KORG is just right ..

I would use KORG.

Thanks, I'll look into the Korg stuff, never even tried any of it over the years. I am worried about buying more TC Electronic after they screwed all of us on the G-System by not supporting it. With the editor, it's not useless, but it's definitely harder to use. Korg has screwed me a few times on Keyboard support over the years too. Right now, I can't open the editor for my SV-1 Stage Piano using newer Mac OS systems. I guerss I'll need to buy another old computer to keep around just for this kind of stuff? ugh.

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

Not sure about that..

In the VST amp sims most include a LoFi delay in the model. To me that is what you want. Those older processors like the KORG A's, 8000's or Lexicons PCM 70/80/90. The Eventide 3-3500HSE are amazing units for delay. To me those are your go to devices. The rest are poorly updated copies save a few.

 

[rubbertrampray]

This may not be what you had in mind. But you may want to take a look at the Boss Katana Head. It's a 100 watt amp head but it has all the processing you could want and it can be plugged into a cabinet or it has a small built in speaker or right into a mixer or headphones. It sell for under $400. I have a Katana Artist that I'm VERY pleased with. The Tone Studio software is reasonable easy to get used to as well.

 

[Manslick]

Try out a fender cyber twin.

 

[Manslick]

You can probably get 1 used for the price of a new pedal.

 

[flyingace]

Well, after much thought, and for my recording needs, I don't really need another amp since I don't gig, I went with a Helix Floor. Portable, headphone capable and direct outs for both guitar and bass. We will see if it will make me happy with OD and Distortions. IN the past, and mainly why I went with the G-system in the past, was that digital OD/Fuzz, etc. just always sounded so fuzzy to me, not like a good pedal, which I own. So I may end up going back to the G again... we will see.

 

[Trichter]

Line6 pod go could be worth a look.

 

[PorterhouseMusic]

Agree - if you need it to do a lot of different tones/sounds that sound like this or that song - the Pod Go may be the thing.

But if you are interested in KILLER tone in a box at that price range - I would look at the Strymon Iridium.