Question; any progress after Pod and J-Station?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jan
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Jan

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Two years ago I bought myself the J-Station, an interesting guitar amp modeling unit with 24/44.1 Spdif out.

I was wondering if we got any further in the mean time?

That is to say, I never was completely crazy about the sound the J-Station and Pod produce. I don’t like the concept of guitar amp modeling. The distortions suck. I would prefer if they would just concentrate on the best possible guitar sound a digital box can produce without worrying if it is an original Blackface etc.

Bottom line: Do we have something new (with SPDIF out) that sounds better, (even a next generation kind of modeling unit). Something that really has a good distortion sound?

Thanks,

Jan
 
Yes!

The Digitech Genesis3 and the GNX3 are both very cool.

I still use my J-Station a lot. Combining it with real mic'ed amp tones is the way to go. It's not like just because a couple of years have passed the J-Station suddenly doesn't sound good. Good tones are good tones.:rolleyes:

My buddy swears by the POD PRO, I thought it sounded pretty much like the regular POD, which is fine. VOX and Fender both came out with modelling amps like the Johnson Millenium. They were ummm, o.k. It does seem that modelling innovations have kind of levelled off, maybe it's the calm before the storm.

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."
-Thomas Jefferson-
 
Sort of

I would have to say that all we've really got are a lot more options, and prices have dropped. Which is always a good thing, I suppose, so it is progress.

In terms of any sonic breakthroughs, amp models are still amp models. Nothing really breathtakingly realistic has come out to really change the landscape or anything.

What we're really starting to see are more DAW plugins popping up. "Amp farm" is becoming very popular, as is "Revalver," while Mackie/Universal Audio have released "Nigel," which is available on their UAD-card platform. Line 6 have also released a version of their POD that connects via USB port, with all the amp models being software-based, and downloadable from their web site.

So a lot of interesting options out there; particularly for the home-rec'er on a budget, but still no major sonic breakthroughs.
 
I more or less bought my J-Station out of “technology driven” motivations. I have always been a big believer in a digital effects unit as an alternative to bulky amplifiers and will continue to buy them. Especially because I like to use them for recordings.

From my first Zoom, that I bought I think in 1990 but scarcely used because of its bad sound quality, to the J-Station, seems a giant step. More headroom and less noise, that’s for sure.

At this moment however, I find myself frequently playing on a second hand ZOOM 9030 DSP (must be from about 1994?) that I bought two years ago. That box produces sounds that I simply like better then the J-Stations boring distortions despite the fact that it probably uses only 5 bit technology. Unfortunately it makes a lot of noise and does not have a 24/44.1 SPDIF out etc.

Could anyone provide some more information on the “good sounding” upgrade candidates mentioned above?

Should I just sit and wait for better times?

Thanks,

Jan
 
well i think there is something new that from the first review i heard it blows away the pod, j- station, and the gen 3
its a new unit from mesa made for recording and it uses real tubes, check it out at mesaboogie.com i think i will be putting my pod up on ebay........

bostonfan2
 
Hi,

I've recently been reading good reviews on the new "Rocktron Replitone MP" modelling amp...which is supposedly much better than the POD Pro...and, only 1/2 the price.

See pasted info from their site below:

***Replitone MP Preamp***

Now get the same incredible features found in our award-winning RepliTone combo amps in a single-rack space preamp package with the RepliTone MP. The ultimate in DSP modeling technology and effects processing, the RepliTone MP includes Rocktron’s breakthrough Digital Tube Replication (DTR®) to accomplish an astounding job of replicating numerous vintage and modern amplifiers.

The RepliTone MP offers 16 vintage and modern amplifier replications, including Tweeds, Plexi’s, Fuzz Tones, Jazz Tones, Thrash, and Class A 70’s Style. Each replication features all of the dynamic characteristics of the original tones including EQ, gain structure and attack dynamics, (or to put in guitar player language – "The FEEL of the REAL THING.")

The controls of the RepliTone MP are laid out in a traditional amp style with knobs for adjusting Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain and Volume. Additional controls for Effect Adjust, Reverb Level and Delay Level make it extremely simple to use and adjust in those real critical moments on stage.

The RepliTone MP features a programmable 24-bit DSP effect section based on our world-class standard IntellifexÒ . Dozens of effect configurations include delays, choruses, flange, phaser, compressor, wah, tremolo, detune, rotary speaker and reverb. Dialing in just the right amount of effects is made easy by using the Effect Select knob to select the effect and adjusting the Effect Adjust knob to modify it. HUSH® noise reduction technology is also included to keep things quiet.

Delay Time or Trem Rate can be set on the fly with the Delay Time and Rate buttons. 128 MIDI programmable presets (which can be switched via any MIDI controller) and stereo effect loop make it very easy to use tons of tones in any live situation.

The studio is also a perfect place for the RepliTone MP. Not only can you achieve almost any tone you want, you can use the Headphone output with Speaker Simulation to run the RepliTone MP direct in STEREO! In addition, plug the RepiTone MP into your computer and access other presets from our website, plus share your presets with other Rocktron users worldwide. A simple and easy computer interface allows you to customize your presets right on the computer; check it out today.



Rocktron do make some great gear...so maybe this new puppy is the bizzo....BUT, I haven't been able to DEMO it yet- coz nobody here in Toronto carries it at the moment :-(

Anyone out there been using it?????

10 - 4, over...


KEV
 
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