# Help me choose a multi-effects unit!! Zoom vs Vox vs Digitech vs BOSS



## rx (Jan 31, 2013)

Zoom G3X Zoom G3X Guitar Effects & Amp Simulator Pedal | Musician&#39;s Friend






Vox Tonelab ST Vox ToneLab ST Guitar Multi Effects Pedal | Musician&#39;s Friend





Digitech RP355 DigiTech RP355 Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal | Musician&#39;s Friend





Zoom G2.1Nu Zoom G2.1Nu Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal/USB Interface | Musician&#39;s Friend





Boss ME-25 Boss ME-25 Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal | Musician&#39;s Friend






*Common features:*

Patch editing software. 
Chromatic tuner w/ colored LEDs.... EXCEPT the BOSS ME-25, which doesn't have dedicated tuner LEDs for stage-use. 
USB connectivity - 16bit/24bit/44.1khz (bit rate/depth)
they all comes with a recording software EXCEPT the Vox Tonelab ST. (no big deal, as I already have my own software)


*
Features that make it stand out:*

*Zoom G3X:*
includes loop functions
includes simple drum machine
may be USB-powered
94 stompbox models can be used in any combination
good LED display

*Vox Tonelab ST:*
tube
easiest to use out of the five
no looper or drum machine

*Digitech RP355:*
crapload of effects and amp models
no battery support
built-in looper
*
Zoom G2.1Nu:*
includes loop functions
includes simple drum machine
may be USB-powered
extremely fast patch switching

*Boss ME-25:*
power supply NOT included
MAY be the best sounding out of the five, but not confirmed
built-in looper
no amp simulation



Decisions, decisions....... right now I'm leaning more towards either the Zoom G3x or the Vox Tonelab ST. What I love about the Zoom G3x is the fact that it can be powered via USB, so it can easily be taken to different recording spots without an AC adapter. the good LED display is a plus too. The Vox Tonelab ST probably offers the best distortion and/or amp simulation sections and is a lot easier to use than the other four, but it lacks certain features like the looper, drum machine, and USB power. The Zoom G2.1nu just seems like a smaller G3x with a less intuitive display. I don't know much about the Digitech and the Boss units. 

I will be using the multi-effects unit for pretty much everything.... distortion (very important), effects, wah, playing through headphones at night, putting it in front of an amp, using it to record directly into the PC, gigging, etc.

Any input welcome and appreciated 

:love:


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## rx (Jan 31, 2013)




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## rx (Jan 31, 2013)




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## JLP2005 (Feb 1, 2013)

Previous owner of VOX Tonelab ST here-- returned it and bought a POD HD 500. And as for the whole 'tube' thing, there's a video on youtube where some guy *takes the fucking tube out and there are 'glowing' red/orange LEDs under it that makes it 'look' like the tube is running hot. LAME. It's almost a fucking scam.* So scratch that shit off your list. It's bad, hard as fucking shit to navigate, software drivers blow weiners, and shitty customer support.

Can't chime in on any of the other MFX units, but the BOSS pedals are always a good option.


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## GizmoGardens (Feb 1, 2013)

+1 to the POD HD series. Far be it from me to back ANYTHING made by Line 6, with the exception of the old flextone series, but my friend just got an HD400 and it doesn't sound half bad. Another bonus is that it comes in super handy for home recording. You can usually grab one used for around 200 bucks.


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## sage (Feb 1, 2013)

I'm guessing that price is the reason you've left out the POD HD pedals as the units you're suggesting are all in the $200USD range and the POD HD 300 is around $330. And you're in Korea, so who knows what kind of jacked up pricing you're having to deal with there. 

So, I've played with the Zoom 2.1 unit. Helped a friend program in some tones and I can honestly say I was impressed with the options and quality of sound for the price. I think it's pretty decent value, but I would never buy a plastic pedal again. I cracked an old DOD unit once and there's no coming back from that.

I've used an ME-50 before and the ME-25 is the little brother of that pedal. It's a pretty cool beginner multieffects unit and has a metal chassis. Not as easy to program as the Zoom and I think it has fewer effects, but the delays are nicer and the chorus is more lush sounding. 

I'd stay far away from the Tone Lab. I didn't like it. It's actually really put me off of anything Vox, which probably isn't fair, but, ugh. Maybe I was having a bad day. 

The RP355. I used its predecessor for a while. It's really versatile and packed with features. When you look at the feature list, it looks like it's got everything the Pod HD series has for 1/3 the price of the HD500. It's about 1/3 as good also. While it has everything in there, it's not easy to access it all with the 3 buttons they give you. And it's still plastic. 

Out of all of these, the one with the least features, the ME-25, is probably the best quality in terms of build construction and usable sounds. However, were I you, I'd save 50% more money up and go with at least the HD300. You won't be looking to replace it as quickly.


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## JLP2005 (Feb 1, 2013)

sage said:


> I'd stay far away from the Tone Lab. I didn't like it. It's actually really put me off of anything Vox, which probably isn't fair, but, ugh. Maybe I was having a bad day.




Quoted for truth-- I've found that the AC-30/15s are great amplifiers, and they make great wahs, but everything else that I've seen from them is just ass.

CAVEAT:

The octave effect on the Tonelab ST was fucking DELICIOUS.


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## rx (Feb 1, 2013)

JLP2005 said:


> Previous owner of VOX Tonelab ST here-- returned it and bought a POD HD 500. And as for the whole 'tube' thing, there's a video on youtube where some guy *takes the fucking tube out and there are 'glowing' red/orange LEDs under it that makes it 'look' like the tube is running hot. LAME. It's almost a fucking scam.* So scratch that shit off your list. It's bad, hard as fucking shit to navigate, software drivers blow weiners, and shitty customer support.
> 
> Can't chime in on any of the other MFX units, but the BOSS pedals are always a good option.



yeah but that doesn't mean the unit doesn't require the tube right? it's just for aesthetic reasons 

thanks for chiming in


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## rx (Feb 1, 2013)

any more suggestions?


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## rx (Feb 1, 2013)

i think i'm going to settle with the Zoom G3x. i've read only good things about it.


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## JLP2005 (Feb 1, 2013)

rx said:


> yeah but that doesn't mean the unit doesn't require the tube right? it's just for aesthetic reasons




The unit does not need the tube to function. Now, aren't you glad you saved yourself some money?


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## rx (Feb 2, 2013)

JLP2005 said:


> The unit does not need the tube to function. Now, aren't you glad you saved yourself some money?



did you watch that video on youtube?  the tube is used only for the distortion models, not the digital models. hence the guy playing only the effects with the tube out, but not with distortion.

anyway, i'm probably gonna go with the Zoom. firmware updates = win


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## guitaruser11 (Mar 6, 2013)

Did you already choose one?
I'm doubting between Digitech RP355 and ZoomG3X.

Pro Digitech:
Possible to have an aux input, you can play backing tracks through the machine.

Pro Zoom:
The looper let's you use the drum machine, this is not the case with the Digitech.

Question:
If you're playing live and you want to add multiple effects (for example: delay + wah) in one easy move, is this possible with both Digitech and Zoom?


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## ShadowFactoryX (Mar 6, 2013)

actually if you can swing a little more cash, get a zoom G5.
But I'd personally look for a HD500 used, worth the money for sure.


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## Ishan (Mar 6, 2013)

From all these, the G3X is the best of the bunch IMO. 6 effects at the same time with very flexible routing and great tone.


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## guitaruser11 (Mar 7, 2013)

Zoom G3X is ordered!


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## rx (Mar 9, 2013)

I ended up purchasing the G3X a few weeks ago. great unit. the effects sound really good. distortion is kind of dismal, although that is sort of expected from a Zoom unit. 

computer recording works well too!


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## randomas (May 16, 2016)

Hi there! Hope this isn't too much of a necro ... 
I'm in the same conundrum about changing a multieffect and have come down to just about the same selection. 
My priorities are usb interface, good speaker / headphone output and aux line in to jamm along to other music (drumm machine is a plus). 

In the end I've come down to the boss me (25 or 80 according to what's going second hand) and the digitech rp360. 
I had to scratch the G3 off the list (even though it seemed to be the most convincing) because it has no line in ... 

I've considered an amplifi tt, but line-6 just chenged distributor in Italy and I cannot find any. 

At the moment I'm using a spider IV 75, but I'm going to have to play into heaphones mostly from now on. 

I would like to avoid getting a multieffect to find that it's worse than the modelling amp I have. 

Any advice?


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## Splenetic (May 16, 2016)

JLP2005 said:


> The unit does not need the tube to function. Now, aren't you glad you saved yourself some money?





Doesn't it need the tube for certain things, but not others? If I remember correctly, any overdriven and high gain sounds used the tube.


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## Veldar (May 17, 2016)

Zoom is great get it.


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## randomas (May 17, 2016)

Veldar said:


> Zoom is great get it.


Zoom doesn't have a line in ...


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## punisher911 (May 17, 2016)

Digitech rp360
And holy three year necro bump, batman!


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## Rachmaninoff (May 17, 2016)

rx said:


> I don't know much about the Digitech and the Boss units.



Boss uses the same COSM algorithms for *decades*, the newer units just have more processing power and switching options. It's good for clean sounds, but high gain stuff just sounds muffled. I owned a GT-8 in the past, but after starting using Line 6 stuff I'm never using Boss again.


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## randomas (May 18, 2016)

Looks like, in spite of my preferences, I'm going to get the zoom ... It turned up cheap second hand ... 
Just from Youtube demos of the boss products, they tend to sound "more digital" than the others, they have that drasted separation of harmonic overtones on high gain that make them sound like organs, and I really hate it, my spider IV does it to some degree too... Digitech and Zoom seem to do it less. 

One thing though, the me-80 really looks like a dream to control switch wise. The RP 360 can be easily expanded with a self built foot-switch, while the g3x needs to be physically hacked (I guess I'll get round to it eventually). 

Quick question, what does aliasing sound like? I know what it is and what it looks like graphically, I don't know what it sounds like. Can anyone point me to an example recording?


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## Rev2010 (May 18, 2016)

randomas said:


> Quick question



The responses following yours show why necro-bumping is usually a bad idea. Don't be shy to create a new thread, at least it will avoid people replying to 3 year old posts not noticing the age of the posts they are replying to.


Rev.


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## randomas (May 18, 2016)

Rev2010 said:


> The responses following yours show why necro-bumping is usually a bad idea. Don't be shy to create a new thread, at least it will avoid people replying to 3 year old posts not noticing the age of the posts they are replying to.
> 
> 
> Rev.



Yup, made the mistake, learned the lesson.


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