ZT Lunchbox for modeler - Opinion?

[Lele]

It slipped my attention... so far.
There is this little box ZT Lunchbox that gets very good reviews everywhere.
Do you have any experience with it with a modeler?
The small size is very interesting for me (ok, I admit I started another thread about small woofer frfr amps some days ago, and I did not mention it).

My main question is: if I use a modeler (RP500 in my case), with the amp and cab models enabled too, will I get some good tones, that can be sent to a mixer too (without a massive eq difference) through the amp/headphone out of the Lunchbox?

 

[Rena Rune]

you'll need to disable cab models and run it through the line in

 

[Lele]

As far as I can see, there is not a line in or a return/main in. There's just the ordinary guitar input.
And I read that there is an Aux-in, but it skips only the first gain control (of the standard guitar in) while the tone control affects it too.

Some things I like (in theory) of this little amp, is that there is a separate switch to turn off/on the speaker when you use the headphone out, so it means that I can still use it as a monitor while I use the line out too (into the mixer) and that in case it can work as a real guitar amp. But, yes, you're right, I'd like to use it like a frfr amp, too, as a monitor (of my modeler) for the tone going into the PA... I know, I want too much.

 

[Rena Rune]

And I read that there is an Aux-in, but it skips only the first gain control (of the standard guitar in) while the tone control affects it too.

Yeah, kind of crappy.

Try the Lunchbox Acoustic maybe.

 

[grorig]

I have all the 3 models of ZT (LB, LB ac, CLUB), the two LB sound like a little

box,the CLUB sounds like a bigger little box. I have used as monitors for Axe Fx,

Kemper, and other modellers and I didn't be satisfied.

AER compact 60 does the job much better than all these ZT.

 

[charley]

I'm curious if anyone has tried a modeler through the front end of the Lunchbox? Or through the loop of The Club? Please tell.....

 

[aizenx]

I've gotten some killer tones running my RP1000 into the front of the Lunchbox with the cabs turned off. You just have to tweak it for the amp - I set the tone control to noon and tweak the rp from there.

 

[U65_RN]

I have used various modelers (Line 6/BOSS/Roland) thru the EFX loops in my ZT Club and have been happy with the results. Also use a Retro-Sonic FET clean boost for addtional EQ. Very helpful.

 

[Jim Soloway]

I'm curious if anyone has tried a modeler through the front end of the Lunchbox? Or through the loop of The Club? Please tell.....

I tried it. It wasn't as good as running through a high quality FRFR cab but I thought it was a huge improvement over the basic sound of the Lunchbox.

 

[Lele]

I got it!
The first impression at home was of a weak and cold amp (considering on the contrary the reviews I read), that maybe could be nice as a personal monitor for the practice room, and the stage. Anyway, at home, I was disappointed.

Yesterday night, for the first time, I tried it during the rehearsals with my band (folk/country rock) and it was perfect! I love it. Now it's honeymoon period.
I put it on a table (about 1 meter from the floor) near the mixer, and about 2 meters (or maybe less) from me.
Even if the amp and cab models of my RP500 were enabled, for me the tone was very good, both from the Lunchbox and from the mixer (I used its headphone out at max volume to go into to the mixer). I used mainly the clean Vox AC15 and Fender Tweed Deluxe models, with some overdrive pedals sometimes (mostly the DOD250 of the Digitech modeler).

As to the tone, the small 6.5" speaker enhances the mid frequencies just a little, but in my opinion that characteristic is good to hear it better in the band context (I mean as a monitor for me), and anyway it is neutral enough to the extent that the tone going into the mixer and into the bigger powered cabinets (used for vocals and the other guitar player with semi-acoustic guitar) was very similar. So I'd say that it's perfect to tweak a nice tone to be sent to the PA.

My guitar has low-output (hum-cancelling) single coils. If I put the guitar directly into the amp, to be honest I don't like the sound very much. Even with the gain at maximum, I do get just a little overdrive (if any), and the loudness is not that strong. What's more, its tone for me is a little "cold" and "flat". But this is even better for my use with a modeler as I said earlier.
So, it seems that - for now - I have found a very portable, practical, tuneful and "strange" kind of FRFR. Thanks to anybody for the comments!
I think I couldn't use it in the band without the reinforce of the mixer. But I didn't try with an additional external speaker/cab.

The manufacturer support is great.
I sent some mails asking for technical information and I got exhaustive and sincere answers in few hours, from their engineers.
It is important to consider that the first part of production (that is serial numbers like ....1xxx and 2xxx) could have some overheating issues, so that it is better to turn off the internal speaker in case you use an external speaker/cabinet (driven by the Lunchbox speaker out) and till serial number 1xxx some units had some higher noise/buzz level. This is an information you will find on the net, and was confirmed by ZT Amplifier too. My Lunchbox is serial number 7xxx.

 

[stratzrus]

I tried it. It wasn't as good as running through a high quality FRFR cab but I thought it was a huge improvement over the basic sound of the Lunchbox.

I had the same experience with a Cube 60.

The Cube 60 is not a good option for amplifying the Axe FX but the Cube 60 did sound much better with the Axe FX in front of it.

It really all depends on how you look at it.

 

[blesscurse]

I have found that the Liverpool makes a very nice "clean" front end to a ZT Lunchbox.

 

[pathtaker]

I put a GT-8 into it. I was impressed by it for it's size and power but it was lacking to me. It is very "voiced" and kind of nasally. (IMHO). I returned it and got a Mustang 3 which I am loving so far.

 

[hippietim]

a buddy of mine had one - he brought it to rehearsal one night to run a POD X3 with and returned it the next day. it was not good. nope. not good at all.

 

[hippietim]

the tech 21 power engine is MUCH better sounding.

 

[blesscurse]

I have had good luck running a Digitech RP 355 into a ZT Lunchbox via an Xotic EP Booster. It's an amazing amp for its size and weight.

 

[awp]

While not an amp modeler I have had good success with my M9 into my Lunchbox. It holds up fine live although if you are looking for deep bass look elsewhere. The Lunchbox Cab helps but again not deep bass.

To my ears the LB has a character all to itself. I don't think it would play nice with all amp models.

Personally I'd suggest looking at a clean platform like the Tech 21 Power Engine.

 

[blesscurse]

Yes, the Lunchbox needs to be dealt with as any other guitar amp. Models and setting must be tweaked and adjusted, but the results can be quite good. It was not designed as a neutral vanilla modeler platform, so it cannot be treated as such.