Modeling Multi-effects floor units

[King David]

OK, I have the Boss GT-6B. I have liked it, but I have bought a new bass, and the bass is hotter and it distorts the unit. I am thinking of trying another, but if I have the best, then I guess I'll tweak some more. Her is wher you come in, please rate these on the best modeling.

I use some effects. I mainly use chorus. I have messed with distortion, but I cold not get a consistent tone. I really like the swell thing in the Boss GT-6B, but I can live without it. The modeling piece is the most important to me. I want it clean when I need it clean, and aspy when I need it raspy and I am just getting too much disotrion right now.

Pick the best and tell why!

Oh, and one other thing have you tried it with an active bass? One that is pretty hot?

 

[thebassclef]

The line 6 is a great modeler without all the generally unusable tones of some of the other ones. I have owned both the digitech and the Line 6 and really prefered the Line 6 for Gigs and recording. More traditional sounds.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Have you tried turning the bass down???

 

[vindy500]

Have you tried turning the bass down???

its so much better when you can use it at full volume. i think that wud be a pain in the butt.

 

[King David]

Yes, I can turn it down. The problem with that is that when I use some overdrive and/or distortion it makes it a ral volume game to get a consistent sound!

 

[syciprider]

Must be something with your set up. I run several drive pedals in front of my active basses which are known for burly preamps (Stingrays) and my GT6B does not distort at all.

IMO Line 6 is the better multi for modeling. Boss is the choice for effects.

 

[King David]

syciprider, are you using the pre-amp on the GT-6b? If I turn off the pre-amp in the GT-6B, it does not have the unwanted distortion. I can eq the daylights out of it and it does not distort. I have turned down the gain to almost 0 and it is fine, but then again, I want a little overdrive, but not in your face unwanted overdrive all the time.

 

[syciprider]

Hmm. That may be it then. I use a head+cab set up and eschew the Boss preamp. I'm not at home so I can't check but is it possible to "move" the pre into another spot in the signal chain? Maybe before the distortion/overdrive?

 

[King David]

I do not use distortion or overdrive unless it is intended in the pre-amp, so that is not the cause, but yes you can move it.

 

[brandonwong]

Its the preamp modeling section that is causing the distortion.
I have the V-Bass unit and i believe it utilises the same modeling.

If you enable the preamp section, be sure to set the gain on it low enuff so the signal doesnt distort. I think Roland/Boss is trying to to emulate an overdriven preamp, SVT, Trace, etc etc

 

[King David]

Yeah, I like a touch of OD in there to spice the tone up a little. I also like the warmth that the pre-amps offer.

I just can't get good control over it.

 

[King David]

It looks like the polls are slightly leaning toward the POD. Do the patches change quick enough to do it in the middle of a song?

 

[billbern]

i've had my bass pod xt live for only a few weeks. my previous experience is with a boss me-50b. i find that the patches change much faster on the pod than the me-50, to me i don't notice any pause at all. i'm sure if you're holding a note and change patches, you'll hear something. i didn't research everything on the market before i got the pod but the features that attracted me were

modeling was most important

input pad for controlling drive and sensitivity, i use basses with drastictly different output levels

pre or post placement for volume pedal, to control input level

ability to mix DI in all patches

crossover for mod. and delay

para. eq in addition to modeled amp tone

able to turn cabinet models off and still have pre amp models

i'm very happy with my choice so far, but i haven't done much with the effects. i'm finding that the effects need alot more work and tweaking to get right than the me-50b. i liked the me-50b quite a bit for effects, but preamp modeling is what i wanted to get into.