Zoom G5 first thoughts

[Sash]

Picked up the new G5 this afternoon and thought I'd share my first impressions comparing it to the G3 I have.

Good Stuff
1. Sound wise it's pretty much identical to the G3 but with more amp models.
2. WOW - you can have 3 amps in a single patch and all on if you really want.
I managed 3 amps and a reverb before I got the dsp limit warning.
3. You can have empty slots which save dsp. The G3 you couldn't do this.
4. The G5 remembers your scroll settings per patch
5. You can mute the sound when you engage the tuner unlike the G3
6. G3 patches can be copied in the editor into the G5 no problem

Bad things
1. Still no way to disable the autosave.

These are my observations after only half and hour. I'll post more if I find other stuff. BTW it's still much smaller than my HD500

Simon

[stratchamp57]

Does it have usable clean tones unlike the g3?

[jbealsmusic]

Sounds like a decent unit! I can't wait for the flood of reviews, demos, and clips to hit the forums.

[6stringgrind]

What are the added amps?

[Will Chen]

Originally Posted by Sash

2. WOW - you can have 3 amps in a single patch and all on if you really want.
I managed 3 amps and a reverb before I got the dsp limit warning.

This makes me wonder if they intentionally handicapped the G3...

Originally Posted by Sash

5. You can mute the sound when you engage the tuner unlike the G3

When you hit the button to enter tuning mode on the G3, keep holding it and it mutes...

[iridereallyslow]

I can't wait for these to come out in the US! Can you tell us more about the DSP limit. For example can you run one amp and say 3+ effects all simultaneously? Or how many effects can be used simultaneously while using 2 amps at the same time. Also how is the boost feature?

[Dr Git]

wow. i've been waiting too to hear the reviews...thanks for taking the time to post your initial thoughts

[mpr]

Originally Posted by Sash

1. Still no way to disable the autosave.

What's that autosave?

Originally Posted by 6stringgrind

What are the added amps?

G5 listed here: http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/g5/spec/
G3 list: http://www.zoom.co.jp/products/g3/spec/

[stratchamp57]

Can you run a signal chain like this with the g5?:

Wah-Comp-distortion pedal-amp model-mod effect-delay-reverb

If that can be done, oh man......

[fly135]

Seeing as how the G3 was totally flexible in order I don't see why the G5 wouldn't be. I think the G5 is going to be a hit when it gets to the stores.

[Sash]

Originally Posted by stratchamp57

Can you run a signal chain like this with the g5?:

Wah-Comp-distortion pedal-amp model-mod effect-delay-reverb

If that can be done, oh man......

Yes it can be done and more. I've just loaded
Pedal Cry - Comp - T-Scream- BG Crunch - Stereo Cho - Stereo Delay - The Vibe - HD Reverb - Custom Z Pedal in one patch.

The auto save is that the unit remembers your last thing you did so if you turn a pedal off, it stores it that way. I personally wish this was a switchable thing.

I need to spend more time with it but the Soundcity amp cleans up quite well. I think all the amp models are a bit 'hot' though. It would be nice if they could have given us more clean headroom before the crunch sets in.

Simon

[jwoertz]

You can mute the sound when the tuner is engaged on the G3, too.

5. You can mute the sound when you engage the tuner unlike the G3

[stratchamp57]

Originally Posted by Sash

Yes it can be done and more. I've just loaded
Pedal Cry - Comp - T-Scream- BG Crunch - Stereo Cho - Stereo Delay - The Vibe - HD Reverb - Custom Z Pedal in one patch.

The auto save is that the unit remembers your last thing you did so if you turn a pedal off, it stores it that way. I personally wish this was a switchable thing.

I need to spend more time with it but the Soundcity amp cleans up quite well. I think all the amp models are a bit 'hot' though. It would be nice if they could have given us more clean headroom before the crunch sets in.

Simon

Wow, this thing could be a poor man's hd500.

[toneseek]

I think the clean tones on the G3 are actually quite good - but you need to make the gain super super low on them. This would apply to the G5 as well. In another recent post, I posted a link to some sounds I recorded with the G3 vs. a real Vox AC15 set to clean. Really a very very good emulation, but again gain levels need to be super super low.

The G3 defaults to higher gain and noisy settings, so you have to tweak to get nice cleans. Can also do some mean mean crunch and blooming Dumble tones as well.

http://soundcloud.com/toneseek/sets/...itech-rp155-vs

So, I am not counting out the G3 for clean anymore. I also tweaked the Fender Combo amp model on the G3 and got it really clean and nice last night. If G5 has the same sounds but everything else, its a no-brainer for me!

[toneseek]

Where did you get the G5 if I may ask? Having trouble finding them anywhere nearby and my usual online haunts are out of stock or still waiting for initial stock. I've got GAS bad