New to digital stuff. Help me out.

[kingjoemom]

I'm selling my gear and going to digital because I play too many different kinds of music to just have one amp and some effects. I would like a pro rack rig with an Axe FX and things like that but I don't know how any of this kind of stuff works. I think I want a floorboard modeler but I don't know what to get. I don't have that much cash to spend, maybe a thousand dollars.

1) What floorboard modeler should I get?

2) What amp should I run it into?

3) Or if there's a better way to make noise out of the FX unit, how would I go about doing that?

[tripp2k]

You'll get quite a few answers, but the following are available at your local GC and should involve you spending some quality time demoing them:

Digitech RP500/RP1000
Line 6 POD HD500

I'll let others chime in on amplification as I've just taken my first step (in production) away from a couple of keyboard amps and sub. I'd recommend doing a search on member GASP100 in this section who has been around the block a few times on this topic. His chase has been very informative for me even though I rib him from time to time about his pursuit. Really good stuff in his posts :aok.

[Axe-Man]

I'm selling my gear and going to digital because I play too many different kinds of music to just have one amp and some effects. I would like a pro rack rig with an Axe FX and things like that but I don't know how any of this kind of stuff works. I think I want a floorboard modeler but I don't know what to get. I don't have that much cash to spend, maybe a thousand dollars.

1) What floorboard modeler should I get?

2) What amp should I run it into?

3) Or if there's a better way to make noise out of the FX unit, how would I go about doing that?

There are many modelers and ways of amplifying them so I guess the first question is:

Do you have any decent guitar cabs?

If so, you can always buy a modeler and a cheap SH power amp (tube or SS - I myself like tube) and your probably golden for your $1000.

Now it might not be as flexible as a Fractal Atomic Full Range or a QSC K10-K12 FRFR rig but it likely will sound great and more 'amp like'. The QSC or Atomics are around the $1000 mark just for one cab. Cheaper (not necessarily poor sounding) FR cabs don't play as well with modelers from my experience anyway.

The Line 6 HD 500 POD is a floor board with some very solid tones for the money and a lot of FX thrown in...though about half are useless or crap (I own the M13 they come from) but you get over 100 FX and a looper which is pretty cool for jamming.

The 11R has great modeled amp sounds with solid stomp box style FX and great reverb and it includes a full DAW (digital recording studio if you like with a piano and drums and synths and FX) thrown into the deal. It's a rack unit unlike the HD which is a floor board. The cheap as dirt Rocktron Midimate floor controller can be sourced SH for the 11R and it works beautifully.

The Axe FX is out of your price range unfortunately.

The RP series is another good system as is the GSP1101.

I myself rank the progression: Axe>11R>HD>GSP/RP>Tonelab though I've never personally heard the Axe in real life. Clips of it are great though.

[weathertite]

Welcome King,

I've had a few digital items. Art SGX 2000, Vox Tonelab, Rocktron Prophesy II, Rocktron Voodoo Valve, Digitech GSP 1101, Digidesign Eleven Rack, and now the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx Ultra. I have tried a few others but did not like them well enough to keep for any length of time. Some of the ones listed previously did not stay around more than a week either. Of the models listed above the GSP 1101 would be with in your budget and the Control 2 is a pretty nice and effective floor unit. The Eleven Rack is still in my rack, but I do not have a floor board for it. The Eleven Rack has seen no play time since I purchased the Ultra. You will also need to decide how you are going to amplify, either via traditional amp, stereo power amp, FRFR, etc. Take a look around on this forum and others and there are a lot of very knowledgeable people that will give you a great many options, opinions, and then begins the journey to find the answers that will put you into tonal variety and maybe even nirvana. Enjoy the ride.
:BluesBros

Welcome to the page,

Ed
:hide

[kingjoemom]

I think I'm going to get the HD500. I have a 4X12 cab, its just a little to big for my taste. What do you think is the best way for me to make noise with the HD500?

[weathertite]

Hey King,

What do you plan on using for power, as you can not just plug the HD into the cabinet?

Ed
:BluesBros

[randombastage]

HD500 and a power amp for your 4x12 or else

HD500 and buy a used older model Atomic 112-18 (or the Atomic 212-50)

Those will run you just under a thousand. For just over a thousand do the HD500 and a QSC K10.

Any of that will make some awesome sounding guitar music.

[buddaman71]

HD500
2U rack with a power supply
Rocktron Velocity 300 power amp
Stereo 212 Cab

Pretty sweet for a more traditional little stereo "guitar-type" modeling rig.

QSC K10 is a great option for a FRFR rig.

[burningyen]

HD500
2U rack with a power supply
Rocktron Velocity 300 power amp
Stereo 212 Cab
He can do that for <$1k?

[guitarnet70]

He can do that for <$1k?

Well if he takes everything out of the pod 2nd hand from $ bay, maybe...

[burningyen]

Take your guitar and your best set of headphones to your local store and try out as many different modelers as you can. Spend some quality time with each one, turning off all FX and getting a feel for how convincing the amp sims sound to you. How you amplify will depend on how much of the $1k you have left after buying the modeler. Your amplification options get more limited as you step up to the more advanced modelers.

[kingjoemom]

If I buy a QSC 10, will I have to buy a power amp? Or with an Atomic 1X12?

[guitarnet70]

If I buy a QSC 10, will I have to buy a power amp? Or with an Atomic 1X12?

They are powered speaker, no need for amps

[kingjoemom]

Hot Dog! So how much cash are they? Would they fit in my budget?

[guitarnet70]

Hot Dog! So how much cash are they? Would they fit in my budget?

Last time I looked at was 699 for the QSC and 899 for the Atomic, but I know that in US they are a bit cheaper...

[forum_crawler]

Consider this:
GSP1101 + ART SLA-1 + Control 2/(Tech 21 midi controller + wah + volume) and you may even be able to keep it under $1K.

I have never tried the Axe Fx. Maybe it is super awesome, I don't know for sure, but since I do already have a tube amp with analog effects I don't find the need to get a piece of gear that almost gets me that tube awesomeoness I love so much. So the GSP1101 does the job for me as far as practice setup is concerned.

[kingjoemom]

If I were to get an atomic reactor fr cab active conifg. would that be a good idea with the HD500?

[cob666]

Yes, the Reactor would work with the HD500 as would pretty much any FRFR system. The QSC K10 is an awesome little package and sounds MUCH bigger and is pretty freakin' loud.

If there is a local GC to you, take your #1 guitar and play through a POD HD. Be sure they let you plug the HD into an FRFR in the Pro Audio dept. Most GCs have QSC K10-12 or Mackie SRM monitors in stock. That way you can actually hear what it sounds like through an FRFR setup.

Also, don't get hung up on going stereo. Almost ANY place you're going to play at will most likely be running the FOH system in mono and if you're playing someplace small that doesn't require the guitar to run through the PA the crowd won't be able to tell that your 2x12 cab is stereo.

[kingjoemom]

So you say the K10 is louder and bigger. Would a tube vs SS monitor be an issue, like would one sound better over the other? And would a guitar cab/amp be a better alternative to a powered monitor?

By the way, what does frfr mean?

[randombastage]

FRFR = full range flat response
As in a PA cabinet or near field studio monitors versus a guitar specific cabinet. Not all PA cabs are true FRFR but they are much closer than a guitar amps matching cabinet that is designed to only reproduce the frequencies that are expected to be coming from a guitar amp.
With a frfr you can let the cabinet/speaker modelling work it's magic turning your one frfr cab into a variety of cabs simulating stuff like 4x12 25 watt...30 watt...75 watt cab/speakers a 2x12 fender twin cab....a vox 2x12 cab, a 1x12 open back...closed back....tweed ... etc.etc.

[kingjoemom]

Ah wow that sounds cool. So is the K12 much better than the K10 or is the K10 a better deal?

[kingjoemom]

My budget is now $1500, I miscalculated. So if there is anything new you would like to recommend me go ahead. I'm still thinking the POD HD 500. That leaves me $1000 for other things. What should they be?

[burningyen]

If there is a local GC to you, take your #1 guitar and play through a POD HD.And a DigiTech RP. And a Vox Tonelab.

[burningyen]

My budget is now $1500, I miscalculated. So if there is anything new you would like to recommend me go ahead. I'm still thinking the POD HD 500. That leaves me $1000 for other things. What should they be?Many in this forum consider the FBT Verve 12ma the best prosumer powered monitor available. It would be within your new budget.

[kingjoemom]

What is prosumer?

[burningyen]

On the cusp between consumer-level and serious professional-level equipment.