Due to apartment size and my kid getting older and needing more space, I have been forced to downsize my area for practice. So that meant needing to ditch the amp and pedalboard and getting an all in one practice module. I picked the Zoom B1Xon.
I never in a million years thought this thing would inspire me or impress me. After all, how could digital emulation ever rival my beautiful, juicy analog pedals????
Seriously, the od's and fuzzes are amazing on the Zoom. I can't really discern too much of a difference between my "real" pedals and the emulations. At least not at bedroom levels with headphones. Add in the tons of modulators, envelope filters, synths etc, aux in, the expression pedal and the abillity to do deep editing and it all adds up to a seriously effective tool for home practice (and recording) that lets you keep the pedals safely packed away.
The Zoom will not be replacing the board for live use, but now I can keep the pedalboard safely in storage in between rehearsals and live gigs and just rely on the pretty amazing sounds in the Zoom.
The only sad thing about buying the Zoom is that I may be on the "done with dirt" bandwagon now. I've had a Hot Wax and Pork and Pickle in my cart for weeks now and just can't bring myself to hit the buy button. Same is true for the Deep Animation too. Why buy a $270 envelope follower when the ones on the Zoom are good enough the 3 times I play with that sound a year?
Anyhow, the Zoom is great.
I never in a million years thought this thing would inspire me or impress me. After all, how could digital emulation ever rival my beautiful, juicy analog pedals????
Seriously, the od's and fuzzes are amazing on the Zoom. I can't really discern too much of a difference between my "real" pedals and the emulations. At least not at bedroom levels with headphones. Add in the tons of modulators, envelope filters, synths etc, aux in, the expression pedal and the abillity to do deep editing and it all adds up to a seriously effective tool for home practice (and recording) that lets you keep the pedals safely packed away.
The Zoom will not be replacing the board for live use, but now I can keep the pedalboard safely in storage in between rehearsals and live gigs and just rely on the pretty amazing sounds in the Zoom.
The only sad thing about buying the Zoom is that I may be on the "done with dirt" bandwagon now. I've had a Hot Wax and Pork and Pickle in my cart for weeks now and just can't bring myself to hit the buy button. Same is true for the Deep Animation too. Why buy a $270 envelope follower when the ones on the Zoom are good enough the 3 times I play with that sound a year?
Anyhow, the Zoom is great.
