I have to say after trying one out that, to my thinking, the Zoom A3 is a step backward from the A2. The A2 allows up to 40 user-defined presets. The A3 only allows up to 20. The A2 allows users to make patches using any combination of the following clusters: guitar/amp simulations, EQ [choice of 3-band or 6-band], compression/limiting, modulation FX, and reverb/delay. The A3 has 3-band dedicated EQ, and dedicates one FX cluster to guitar simulations and requires the user to assign a guitar sim to each patch. This cluster can be bypassed in the A2. The A3 then allows only 2 other clusters which can be any combination of modulation FX, compression/limiting, reverb/delay, or 7-band EQ.
The only advantage I can see to the A3 is an XLR in which allows one to mic the guitar and add FX to the mic'd signal, and an XLR out which allows the user to use it as a DI box as well. However since I have an outboard DI box I can use with the A2, and almost never use a mic'd signal for playing live. I thought the A3 represented a poor value since one gets decreased functionality and versatility at a higher cost.
