Maarcn3
Banned
Member
HX Effects is great too, but VP4 might be overkill if you don’t need tons of blocks.
rsm
Well-known member
Thinking about getting a VP4 since it does a few things I've been looking for not available in my HX-Effects and GX-100; I'll likely sell the HX-Effects.
What's missing from the VP4 is non-MIDI amp channel switching, not a deal breaker because I have a channel switch for most of my amps, and the main amp I'll be using with the VP4 has MIDI channel switching, I just need the 1/8" to 5-pin cable.
I'll mostly be using compressor, chorus, filters and delays, with some other effects (i.e., not all at the same time or same preset), so VP4's 4 effect blocks are sufficient. I also don't need stereo effects loop.
I heard rumors of a Mk II or VP8 maybe as early as 2027; having 6-8 effects & footswitches would be nice to have, so would a non-MIDI amp channel switching capability.
AFAIK, the VP4 doesn't have an analog dry-through even if all effects are off; again not a deal breaker.
Any experience updates / lessons learned on the VP4 from long-time owners? Am I missing anything?
What's missing from the VP4 is non-MIDI amp channel switching, not a deal breaker because I have a channel switch for most of my amps, and the main amp I'll be using with the VP4 has MIDI channel switching, I just need the 1/8" to 5-pin cable.
I'll mostly be using compressor, chorus, filters and delays, with some other effects (i.e., not all at the same time or same preset), so VP4's 4 effect blocks are sufficient. I also don't need stereo effects loop.
I heard rumors of a Mk II or VP8 maybe as early as 2027; having 6-8 effects & footswitches would be nice to have, so would a non-MIDI amp channel switching capability.
AFAIK, the VP4 doesn't have an analog dry-through even if all effects are off; again not a deal breaker.
Any experience updates / lessons learned on the VP4 from long-time owners? Am I missing anything?
T
tvegas99
Member
I read through the thread and didn't notice that many people mentioned if they were using this in front of their rig, in the EFX Loop or 4CM
I'm guessing most people are just using it up front??
I'm hoping to use it via 4CM in the near future, anyone else using it this way???
I'm guessing most people are just using it up front??
I'm hoping to use it via 4CM in the near future, anyone else using it this way???
rsm
Well-known member
I use my HX-Effects and now GX-100 in 4CM; that's my plan for the VP4 too; if I buy one; e.g., compressor, filter before; chorus, delay after. I hate reverb, I rarely use it, but good to have it when I actually want it
rsm
Well-known member
good to know; even better now!
4406cuda
Well-known member
I use it in 4cm
C
Classic
Active member
Steve Stevens uses his in the fx loop
P
PiggySmallz
Well-known member
I use mine in the fx loop but going to try 4cm as I may want to use a drive pedal up front and trim down my board further.
A VP8 would be ideal if they end up making one of those. I'd never use a standard pedal board again.
A VP8 would be ideal if they end up making one of those. I'd never use a standard pedal board again.
LP Freak
Well-known member
Yeah, it’s a shame this doesn’t do channel switching with 1/4” jacks. I’m still using the FX8. How much of an upgrade would the VP4 be minus the channel switching?
Meeotch
Well-known member
I miss my FX8. I have the VP4 and yes there's a larger effects library, and the unit has more processing power, but that's about it. You lose the stereo outs, relay switching, and all the extra footswtiches. The effects are glorious, but I can't say the VP4 is that much better, if any.
A VP8 would be the logical progression from FX8 IMO.
grimmchaos
Well-known member
I'm using mine 4CM here. It's feeding midi to a Suhr midicontrol to do the channel switching on my amps. I don't really need to use it 4CM, but It's come in handy a couple times. You can also set it up so that each preset has a different number of blocks in front/loop.
4406cuda
Well-known member
I am also using the Suhr Micro MIDI.
LP Freak
Well-known member
Good to know, thanks
PBGas
Well-known member
Run mine with an SLO-100R in 4cm and my X88-IR in 4CM. Works amazingly well and the midi controls the X88 to switch channels. I've had both of mine coming up to a year and a half with no issues. I've used them live over and over and at all rehearsals. The only issue I found last year was the the Trutone CS6 with a couple of other pedals was just on the edge of being able to power everything and thus I noticed a couple of issues with switching once in a while and some issue with my wireless not having enough power. I upgraded to a Cioks CS7 with one of their flex parallel adapters and all is perfect now and no more issues.
DrewJD82
Well-known member
I’ve got mine in 4CM.
Guitar- Wah- Left side VP4- Loopswitcher- Amp
And the right side is in the amp’s effects loop.
It’s fucking glorious. I’m using a Plexi50 as a pedal platform, it’s set mostly clean. The first day the VP4 showed up it knocked 2 pedals off the board, a Lovepedal Vibe and I took the compressor out of the loop switcher because the VP4’s compressors are outstanding. The effects are top notch in general, you’re not going to get a better collection of quality like this without buying several rack units and spending a good chunk of change.
Super easy to pick which effects go in front or in the loop, there’s a page dedicated to it and it’s just turning a knob left or right.
T
thiscalltoarms
Member
Last I checked, Steve runs his in the loop of his IR load box. So post amp and post IR, that's a little different than FX loop 4cm.
DrewJD82
Well-known member
Figured I’d post this here, but Sunday I yanked my VP4 off my board and ran it into my Plexi50 in 4CM, just the VP4 with no other pedals. I wanted to see if I could dial in some grab n go patches where I’m just using the VP4 either straight into an amp or 4CM.
The Drives have really come a long way, the amp is set clean with no breakup, (3.5 Normal channel), the first boost I turn on is the FAS Boost, Fractal’s own boost, which I was enjoying more than anything else and it reminds me a bit of the Lovepedal Tchula with less of a volume jump. For the higher gain stuff it’s the Suhr Riot GE model. There’s basically a Clean/Crunch/Dry High Gain/Lead preset, with the lead stacking both Drives.
The Drives have really come a long way, the amp is set clean with no breakup, (3.5 Normal channel), the first boost I turn on is the FAS Boost, Fractal’s own boost, which I was enjoying more than anything else and it reminds me a bit of the Lovepedal Tchula with less of a volume jump. For the higher gain stuff it’s the Suhr Riot GE model. There’s basically a Clean/Crunch/Dry High Gain/Lead preset, with the lead stacking both Drives.
