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MULTIEFFECTS UNITS

GROUP TEST

Words:Henry Yates Photography:Joseph Branston

MULTI-EFFECTS

UNITS

GROUP TEST

SOMEday, youre gonna be a star,baby. Youll have a pedalboardthe size of a railway sleeper, a glittering pick nmix of boutique pedals and a faithful tech totweak your Fractal Axe-Fx in the wings. Rightnow, however, youve got 24 hours before youplay a pub covers set including songs by RATM,Radiohead and Muse and less than 100 in thebank. What the hell are you going to do?

The answer is obvious. You need a multi-effects unit, otherwise known as the all-in-oneboxes of black magic that get more tones intoyour arsenal, for less cash, than anything else. Adecent multi-effects box will tick all the majorboxes wah, filth, flange, phaser, delay andwhile gear snobs will remind you that theres nocomparison to dedicated pedals or rack gear, wehave high hopes for the four units on test. Allpriced below 100, the Zoom G1XN (75),

DigiTech RP90 (89), Gear4Music GP120 (64)and Vox StompLab IIG (83) offer amp modelsand effects, editing capability, drum machinesand expression pedals for adjusting parametersin real-time. But which one had the mostprofound effect on us?

This month, TG gives four budgetall-in-ones a kicking and decideswhich one gives us happy feet

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MULTIEFFECTS UNITS

GROUP TEST

AT A GLANCE

TYP E: Multi-effects

EFFECTS: 54

PATCHES: 40 user, 40 preset

CONTROLS: Module selector, value control,

2x bank footswitches, 3x editing keys,

expression pedal, rhythm key

SOCKETS: Input, output, power

POWER: 4x AA batteries, PSU (included)CONTACT: Zoom UK 01462 791100

www.zoom.co.jp

FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY

USABILITY

OVERALL RATING

SUMMARY

FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY

USABILITY

OVERALL RATING

SUMMARY

GEAR4MUSICGP120 64

THATSright:64. Its an

insane price tag in a market wherea single overdrive pedal doesntcost much less, and immediatelymade TG warm to this own-brandunit from the UK retailers. TheGP120 doesnt feel remotelycheap or nasty, with its road-worthy chassis, industry-standard

footswitches and smooth-dippingpedal. Nor does it skimp on thetone menu: 54 effects might nottop the Line 6 POD, but given youcan tweak them and stack them,surely only Matt Bellamy wouldwhinge about not getting thesound I hear in my head.

The GP120 has one tangibledeparture from its rivals a backlitscreen that gives a clear overviewof your virtual daisy chain. As aresult of this intuitive vibe, TGsoon began experimenting beyond

the stock presets, and we wereimpressed to find some seriouslyusable sounds. Judged on puretone, wed admit there are unitsin this test that get you closer tostompbox quality, but youll haveno complaints with the jaw-breaking simulations of various

classic distortions and overdrivepedals, and youll love the mind-expanding Floyd-style reverbs andEdge-worthy delays.

With meaty beats from the drummachine, it all gives the impression

that the GP120 would be perfectfor the young bedroom jammersetting out on the path to findinghis or her own tone (grizzled proswill be less impressed, but then themulti-effects market isnt aboutthem, anyway). And at 64, itshard to beat.

AT A G LA NCE


EFFECTS: 54


CONTROLS: 2x patch footswitches, effect

selector, 5x editing keys, parameter

control, expression pedal

SOCKETS: Input, output/phones, power

POWER: PSU (included)

CONTACT: Gear4Music

0843 155 0800 www.gear4music.com

FOUNDEDin 1983, Zoom helped kick-startthe multi-effects boom, and soldmost of the TG team our schoolboyunits. Theres a nostalgic thrill to

the G1XN, which operates in muchthe same way as our mothballedZoom gear, but dont be fooled:this souped-up modern all-in-oneis the next evolutionary step.

There are features to burn, butZoom doesnt make you study themanual before you get rocking,and there are plenty of thrills fromselecting Play mode and simplycycling the preset banks. If youveused a multi-effects before, this is

a familiar concept. Each preset ismade up of effect and amp models

but the tone quality has gone upseveral notches, and where oncethere was a plastic aftertaste, heresettings such as Jimi Fuzz have areal valve-like response.

With guest tones from thelikes of Michael Amott (whocontributes the wah-drenchedcrunch from CarcasssBuriedDreams) and the unofficial butdead-on patches based on thesignature tones of EVH, Clapton

and more, the Zoom feels like thebest option for the axeman in a

covers band. In fact, the presets areso cool, you may never edit them(although its also dead simple tobreak them into modules, tweakparameters, then save to your ownpreset slots).

Ultimately, in a tight test, theG1XN is pipped by other units witha touch more tonal class. But thatshouldnt take the shine off what isa really solid choice and not justfor schoolboys.

ZOOMG1XN 75

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CLASSICamplegend

Vox has become an unlikely packleader in the modelling and effectssector, and the StompLab rangeis the newest trick from this Tests

oldest dog. Here, weve got theIIG, which feels tiny but serious,with a bulletproof metal chassiscomplete with amp-style dials, andinnards boasting a tantalising 104effects lifted from the arse-kickingValvetronix amp range.

The IIG aint perfect. Its lackingthe drum machine feature thatmakes the others such a laugh,while larger-footed guitarists willget frustrated with the weeny

expression pedal. But both in termsof operation and sheer quality of

effects, this unit deserves its topbilling. Instead of the standardeffects tactic of dividing presetsinto random banks, Vox has splitthe arsenal into categories, soyouve got softer settings (Pop,lets say) and the harder stuff(Hardcore, for example) atdifferent ends of a chunky selectordial. It works really well.

The lack of a true preamp valve(as per Voxs ToneLab series)

might suggest the sounds will beless rocking, but the IIG doesnt

drop the ball. Its packing a top-drawer selection of full-bodiedamp models no surprise that theglassy sparkle of the top-boostedAC30 is our pick but you couldlose a whole weekend cyclingthrough the crunches, grinds andswooshes of the effects settings onoffer. Offering quantity and quality,the IIG is almost as much fun asa trolley dash through the Bosswarehouse and a worthy winner.

VOX

STOMPLAB IIG 83AT A G LA NCE

TYPE: Multi-effects

EFFECTS: 104


CONTROLS: 2x bank footswitches,

expression pedal, cat egory/gain/level

controls, 2x effect t ype keys, editing key

SOCKETS: Input, output, power

POWER: 4x AA batteries, PSU (not includCONTACT: Korg UK 01908 304600

www.voxamps.com

FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY

USABILITY

OVERALL RATING

SUMMARY

WINNER

GROUPTEST

YOUDexpectDigiTech to

rule this test. The firm is behindmuch-loved stompboxes fromthe Metal Master to the BadMonkey, and with the RP90,theyve crammed in a selectionthat includes the iconic Whammy.Clearly built for live work, theresa nice, smooth travel to the pedal,plus footswitches so big you wont

miss em on a dark stage, while theMixer mode raises hopes itll betonally equipped for studio work.

The RP90 doesnt have abacklit screen, relying instead onan alarm clock-style numericalreadout, loads of LED lights (eachrepresenting an effect type), and

some quite fiddly buttons. Itsinitially a little confusing, andthough the Tone Library andEffects Library buttons helpfullygroup presets into genres, we feelit takes a bit more bending down

and button pressing to unlock thetones you want, especially afterthe ultra-intuitive Zoom.

More important is that DigiTechhasnt fumbled the quality. Theresa hugely convincing analogueedge to the amp models theMarshall JCM800, in particular,

sounds enormous while big-name stompers such as the IbanezTube Screamer are modelledwith such hair and grit that wesuspect would fool blindfoldedaficionados. Best of all is the

Whammy, which delivers the kindof Morello-flavoured car alarmmadness that shouldnt be feasiblein a cheap multi-effects.

The RP90 could give some propedalboards a run for their money and it took a British legend toprise its fingers off the gold medal.

AT A GLANCE


EFFECTS: 52

PATCHES: 50 user, 50 factory

CONTROLS: 2x bank pedals, expression

pedal, 2x editing keys, 2x value keys,

drums, store, tone library, effect s library

effects level, master level

SOCKETS: Input, 2x output, phones, pow

POWER: PSU only (included)

CONTACT: Sound Technology

01462 480000 www.digitech.com

FEATURES

SOUND QUALITY

VALUE FOR MONEY

BUILD QUALITY

USABILITY

OVERALL RATING

SUMMARY

DIGITECHRP90 89

GEAR GROUP

FEBRUARY 2013

237gear test

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