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Line 6 - Have we lost our minds!

jdwinva

jdwinva

Supporting Member
Aug 3, 2005
1,649
985
Leesburg, VA
#1
A while back Line 6 release a line of digital wireless devices for guitar/bass. They were the Relay G30, G50 and G70. The primary difference was build quality (plastic vs metal housings) and floor vs rack mount. OK.

So I purchased the G50 for $349 and have been blissfully happy ever since.

Now Line 6 has issued a new line with the G70 (floor) and G75 top of amp format. The price of the G70 is $499!!!!!!!!!!!! Are they kidding?? Unless the G70 comes with cage dancers that carry your gear and set it up, how can they increase the price by 45% and offer essentially the same product in a new housing?
 
#4
Couple things here - the G50 was a $399 system until only recently. They price dropped it by fifty bucks in advance of the G70 announcement. Also, the G70 adds the ability to connect multiple transmitters, do some different routing internally, and some other processing. They have improved the product with only a $100 premium over what the G50 used to cost.

The G90 is still out there for $600 on the top end too. It fits. Everyone's mind is in tact.
 
#6
the G70/75 looks like it's gonna be a big improvement over all of it! (the OP mis-typed, there was no "G70" before)

a proper metal case (like the 50) that uses normal 1/4" plugs (like the 30), and a base station with a whole bunch of programming options. there's USB ports on both base and beltpack for future firmware updates, and the system now claims 1.5ms latency instead of the 4ms it has now, which is pretty awesome, eliminating the one even theoretical audio snob complaint about digital wireless.

i have a G50 now and i totally want this.
 
#10
hobbes1 said:
I sure hope this is a joke. I'm a guitar player as well and while I use a G50, and other Line 6 gear, I'm pretty sure no one would characterize that company as "premium". Even with Yamaha now owning them.
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Geez, I wouldn't quite call it premium or lower end.. The Line 6 is a very workable wireless solution, at least until they start competing with other wifi devices, and so far, I seem to be the only one around that's had to deal with that. and I did successfully.

When I think of premium RF, I think of Lectrosonics. I paid $2100 for the transmitter and receiver for my bass and it sounds as every bit as good as a cable. I don't suggest that for everyone, mind you. But besides sound, I wanted the robust RF performance of the Lectro stuff, which is industrial-strength stuff and used by nearly all of the national broadcast companies fore their various wireless needs. It wasn't cheap. That's why I'm still driving an old pickup with 300,000 miles on it (which, thankfully, is still running really well and the air works, too!). I do need to look into the Fractal stuff, I've been hearing about it a lot lately. (EDIT: Does Fractal make RF gear for guitars and basses? I'm not seeng it on the website)

Having said all of that, with so many satisfied users of the Line 6 stuff (and we see a lot of it being used by players with national acts, too), it must be quite good.
 
#11
The 2.4 band may hit the wall quick. Many cable vendors now have free wifi to go along with it. Half a mile away is an xfinity wifi from me that I can easily connect to. I travel around and find lots of connections. There are FCC rules on transmitting power, but somehow they're able to reach pretty far.

If the government gets involved in free wifi, well they could possibly raise the power limits for the free networks. Microwave or not, it still pretty safe levels. There will be many repeaters also. It could get pretty crowded.

Other rf bands are probably going to have to go digital to keep up with demand. Heck, all TV broadcasts went digital to make more room. Seems that all that open bandwidth is all gone.
 
#15
Big_Daws said:
doesn't mean that its high end. just means he's sponsored!
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While I understand your cynicism, I don't think Billy comprises on anything when it comes to gear. I think he is very aware of of all aspects of his equipment and every nuance of his set up down to the smallest detail. He is also a man of very high integrity. I don't think he would use something just for the money.
 
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#18
Up the dose said:
While I understand your cynicism, I don't think Billy comprises on anything when it comes to gear. I think he is very aware of of all aspects of his equipment and every nuance of his set up down to the smallest detail. He is also a man of very high integrity. I don't think he would use something just for the money.
Click to expand...

well its free gear for him right. as long as at the end of the day the gear doesn't compromise sound, who's to complain. i would say what ever i like as long as it was free!

is it cynicism....probalby...but ive worked in this industry long enough to know that nothing really suprises me!
 
#19
to be clear, I'm not trying to bash Line6. I own their Dream Rig (JTV variax/DT25 head/POD HD500) as well as the G50. It's solid, sounds good and meets my needs. I do not think of Line6 as premium though and I don't know any (nor have I seen any online posts on any forums like TGP, Huge Racks Inc, Rig Talk, etc.) guitar players who do. They are making solid products at a generally affordable price point (although their PA gear is pretty pricey, IMHO). I'm not a Line 6 hater or fanboi...they just make tools of the trade.
 
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