Revisiting the Digitech RP350

[slayerbear17]

I bought this in 2007, just to tie me over till my equipment arrived from Oz. Never tried it live, always in a recording situation.

I loved the fact you could dial it in via computer, no more bending over or knob twiddling. As the years went on I used it more and more just for scratch tracks or dialing in a quick effect.

Going straight into the interface, gosh did it ever sound tinny, lifeless, sterile. I came to the conclusion that it was a glorified expensive metronome.

Last couple years studio gear got better, I used the RP350 for effects and a click track. Most time I'll record a dry track and players request a track with effects on it while playing, so I,ll just send it thru the patchbay.

I decided to go back and try this unit again. Ran it thru a 15 band Eq and a Compressor, it sounded fuller ( well Duh!! ) huge improvement. I think with a bit of work this 20 something YO unit can still have a purpose, Although hard to justify with IR's, plug-ins etc etc being around and being able to dial in a quicker sound then these " Modelling " units.

I got to get around to trying it in a rehearsal, it obviously needs a lot of help to push a decent signal thru.

Any current or past users?

 

[burningyen]

I happily gigged with an RP355 for a few years and bet it would still sound up to par with current units with an IR loader.

 

[slayerbear17]

I happily gigged with an RP355 for a few years and bet it would still sound up to par with current units with an IR loader.

What was your setup if you don't mind me asking?

 

[burningyen]

What was your setup if you don't mind me asking?

Sure, I had a Peterson Strobostomp, Rocktron Banshee, Roland GR-20, and Boss VE-20 around it:

And the monitoring evolved in 4 stages:

Tech 21 Power Engine 60
Tech 21 Power Engine 60 with a Beyma 12GA50 whizzer speaker
QSC K10.1
QSC K10.1 with Jay Mitchell's tweeter phase reversal mod.

 

[Manny Scott]

I love the lexicon reverbs in it

 

[I AM MEDUSA]

I bought this in 2007, just to tie me over till my equipment arrived from Oz. Never tried it live, always in a recording situation.

I loved the fact you could dial it in via computer, no more bending over or knob twiddling. As the years went on I used it more and more just for scratch tracks or dialing in a quick effect.

Going straight into the interface, gosh did it ever sound tinny, lifeless, sterile. I came to the conclusion that it was a glorified expensive metronome.

Last couple years studio gear got better, I used the RP350 for effects and a click track. Most time I'll record a dry track and players request a track with effects on it while playing, so I,ll just send it thru the patchbay.

I decided to go back and try this unit again. Ran it thru a 15 band Eq and a Compressor, it sounded fuller ( well Duh!! ) huge improvement. I think with a bit of work this 20 something YO unit can still have a purpose, Although hard to justify with IR's, plug-ins etc etc being around and being able to dial in a quicker sound then these " Modelling " units.

I got to get around to trying it in a rehearsal, it obviously needs a lot of help to push a decent signal thru.

Any current or past users?

Turn off the internal stock cabs and slap a Mooer Radar on at the end of the chain.
...Then take a selfy as your jaw drops in awe.

 

[Warlock279]

Wish I was using an RP350, would be a step up from the RP100 I've been using for the last 3 or so years!

Running it into the power-amp in on my amp [cause the pre-amp's got ... issues], I've got a small handful of sounds I kind of enjoy, and another half dozen or so I don't mind.

The amp models, while limited, aren't too bad really, tho they suffer from having about 437% more gain than anyone should ever use. I'm kind of fond of the Rectifier model, set to low gain, its surprising responsive. I REALLY quite like the pickup simulator.

Cab sims are [on the RP100 anyway, the 350 appears to have different cabs] nothing short of dreadful. Even if I'm using headphones I might leave the cabs off, and heavily EQ it instead.

Being far too familiar with the 100 and looking over the manual for the 350, with an out board IR loader or something like the CabDrvVR I think you could some very serviceable sounds out of it.

 

[slayerbear17]

I gotta spend some time with this and get back, it sounds like a diamond ( mmm a Faux ) in the rough with the right settings. I may have not realized its full potential under the right gear.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

I gotta spend some time with this and get back, it sounds like a diamond ( mmm a Faux ) in the rough with the right settings. I may have not realized its full potential under the right gear.

The RP generation (and also the GSP1101) is capable of some great sounds. The problem with it (IMO) is the lack of dynamic range. Even on edge of breakup settings putting a drive in front (both an in-unit drive or an external one) will not make the volume increase.

 

[Lele]

The RP generation (and also the GSP1101) is capable of some great sounds. The problem with it (IMO) is the lack of dynamic range.

I agree, this is the major problem with all the inexpensive modeler, together with the cabinet/mic sims.
I used the Digitech RP250/500/360 for several years, for live gigs, too.
The RP350 has less amp models than the 500/360, and among the ones included in the RP350, too, I remember I liked the '77 Master and the Matchless. Imho they had a slightly better dynamic response than other amp models.

 

[Mad-kiwi]

The RP generation (and also the GSP1101) is capable of some great sounds. The problem with it (IMO) is the lack of dynamic range. Even on edge of breakup settings putting a drive in front (both an in-unit drive or an external one) will not make the volume increase.

I gigged with the 350, 500 and mostly the 1000. This at the time, was my single frustration. The only way I could lead boostceffectively for a solo was a ts7 or BB2 after the unit. Workedxwell and sounded great but annoying to HAVE to add another pedal to an mfx.

I soldxall mine when I went helix but missed a few sounds so bought the latest rp360 without pedal. I'm really keen to try it with an ir solution post box now.

 

[Man_on_the_Silva_Mountain]

I agree, this is the major problem with all the inexpensive modeler, together with the cabinet/mic sims.
I used the Digitech RP250/500/360 for several years, for live gigs, too.
The RP350 has less amp models than the 500/360, and among the ones included in the RP350, too, I remember I liked the '77 Master and the Matchless. Imho they had a slightly better dynamic response than other amp models.

I went from the RP-350 to the RP-1000 .. Had issues with dynamic response .. Had more options to choose from with the move but found myself using the Matchless most of all .. sure, I wouldn't mess around with others and some were quite good. .. Though for the most part all roads led back to the Matchless