Cheap(er) direct to board for live alternatives

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Kapo_Polenton

Kapo_Polenton

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So I am going to start jamming with a band that has all their own PA systems etc.., in most cases though, direct is preferred as in their view, more things can go wrong with a mic/feedback (not if levels are set right in my opinion but anyway). I would love to just mic myJCM800 and call it a day but i think they tended to in the past use line outs from the amp and just have the cab going for ambience. A small 1 x 12 combo won't have that same effect really. I also don't have a line out on the amp (only on my hotplate which on its own without emulation of a cab is gonna sound shit). So what are the alternatives? I'm not dropping thousands on an axe fx. I like amps and pedals. So I was thinking:

Cheapo: Pocket Pod + my pedal board for fx as I want them.
One of those Zoom floor units


Better: Bogner Blue pedal + my pedalboard into the smaller Palmer speaker emulator. Or I suppose really, my amp into the palmer but if i am going direct, why haul an amp.

Which would win out for the cab simulation? At the end of the day I just want to play. I've decided to hell with being a tone Nazi I think the keyboard player is pretty ripping and I want to play some Deep Purple and Boston etc..

Thoughts?
 
Kapo_Polenton":2vpei0pa said:
So I am going to start jamming with a band that has all their own PA systems etc.., in most cases though, direct is preferred as in their view, more things can go wrong with a mic/feedback (not if levels are set right in my opinion but anyway). I would love to just mic myJCM800 and call it a day but i think they tended to in the past use line outs from the amp and just have the cab going for ambience. A small 1 x 12 combo won't have that same effect really. I also don't have a line out on the amp (only on my hotplate which on its own without emulation of a cab is gonna sound shit). So what are the alternatives? I'm not dropping thousands on an axe fx. I like amps and pedals. So I was thinking:

Cheapo: Pocket Pod + my pedal board for fx as I want them.
One of those Zoom floor units


Better: Bogner Blue pedal + my pedalboard into the smaller Palmer speaker emulator. Or I suppose really, my amp into the palmer but if i am going direct, why haul an amp.

Which would win out for the cab simulation? At the end of the day I just want to play. I've decided to hell with being a tone Nazi I think the keyboard player is pretty ripping and I want to play some Deep Purple and Boston etc..

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

shameless plug :D ........viewtopic.php?f=6&t=125580&p=1490299#p1490299

before the axe came along, i used this direct a couple times. for the money, not too shabby at all. plus, use it like a normal pedalboard into the front of the amp when direct isn't desired.

steve
 
Well, after listening to a bunch of direct recording decives/solutions...seems to me i wouldn't be any worse off putting my digitech bad monkey last in the chain using the speaker sim/cab sim out to the mixer and using one of the bogner pedals or similar to push it. Would allow me to have delay at my feet vs in the loop as well.
 
The Diezel Herbert sim in the Zoom G3 is actually not bad and there is an XLR out on it. I've had plenty of experience micing a Diezel Einstein with a good condensor and the Zoom actually gets in the ballpark of the original recordings. The mod effects in it are really nice also-much better than the Line 6 M13 I had IMO-which sounded grainy and dark to my ears. Keep in mind though that with the amp sim on, it will only get on other effect at a time because of the processing load but you can probably pick one up used for nothing.
 
If you like standard Marshall tones, grab an RP1000 and call it done.

If you can tweak prsets alittle bit, you will like it. Being able to use it like a standard pedalboard makes it so easy to use.
 
I had a Sansamp thing for a while and it sounded good.

I've never really understood this line of questioning though. My amp has a volume knob on it and I just turn it down. :confused:
 
Not a matter of volume... matter of them wanting to deal with a mic'd signal from the amp. Volume not an issue as just as there is a volume knob on an amp, there is a gain/volume knob on a mixer. Just trying not to rock the boat too much early on but i figure if i bring my combo amp to a practice with a 57 and say that's all I got, they'll practice with it....
 
I've had surprisingly good success going direct with a Digitech GSP1101 or a Zoom G3 v2.
 
You could pick up a Palmer 09 for $100 or so. And then you'd have your amp and everything stays the same for you. ;)
 
I just spent 2 weeks with the 11 Rack (w/expansion pack). My Blackstar HT-Dual crushes it for mid-high gain direct to board through the emulated out.

I run the HT-Dual at home through phones or at band practice into a Mesa power amp. It is a great alternative IMO. My chain is Guitar>MXR GT-OD>Digitech Hardwire Delay>HT-Dual>either headphones or tube power/cab

If you like, I can throw a clip together tonight. I prefer the tone to my 5153 50 watt when playing at home.
 
That little blackstar HT-5 head i remember has a pretty good line out..... wouldn't mind hearing it if you can throw together a clip. Ever use it live?
 
POD HD 500. Been using one direct for a few years now and I've been pretty happy with it. It's not the same as an amp but for direct to board it's a good tool unless you want to get into Axe Fx money.
 
If you have various pedals , one of the sansamp pedals as a clean pedal platform will work (video below) , although higher gain stuff won't sound quite right

otherwise a Zoom G3 , Pod HD400 or 500 (300 could do i guess) , something from the Digitech RP line (500 , 255 or whatevers) are all decent options

i'd be tempted to try out the zoom, for the money seems pretty decent, had a hd500 for a while, was okay, frikkin huge tho


 
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