Rocktron, Boss, or Vox?

[bonehead189]

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a good quality sounding reverb and delay pedal. I gave thought to the Boss Space Echo at first, but then after seeing what price they go for, I figured it would be more practical to get a multi effects floor pedal instead.

I've been in a continuous struggle, however, trying to decide which of these three to purchase: Rocktron G-100, Boss ME-70, and Vox Tonelab LE.

I'd like to know which of them has the best sounding delays and reverbs, and of course which one is better overall. Seeing as they're closely priced, I don't mind paying a little more for one or the other. I'm open to any and all suggestions.


Thanks in advance,

Donovan

 

[mr_fender]

If all you need are reverb and delay, you might be better off going with separate pedals. I mainly use a Line 6 Verbzilla for reverbs and a Boss DD-7 for delay. Both sound great with my Mark IV. I also just picked up a Line 6 M9 to try out and it has the same reverbs and delays as their verbzilla and echo park pedals. Both sound great. $300 for a verzbilla and an echo park. $400 for the M9. M9 has tons of other great effects too like really nice choruses, compressors, etc. The looper in the M9 is fantastic as well. Just a thought.

 

[MrMarkIII]

For Boss: the DD-5 Delay with a FS-5U for tap tempo (easier to use than the DD-6 or DD-7), and the RV-5 Reverb.
The ME-70 can't be used with the four-cable method. Get a GT-8. You could probably find a used GT-8 for $50 more than a new ME-70 or even a Space Echo.
The Space Echo has great delays, but the reverb is crap, as it's based on the original, which was just a short spring reverb.
For a bit more money ($50-70 used) but more options:
TC Electronics Nova Repeater Delay and Nova Reverb.
Hope this helps

 

[bonehead189]

I'm going to try out the individual reverb and delay pedals, but I think it'd be a better buy for me to get a multi effects unit. Who doesn't like getting a little more out of their money in a multi effects unit? Would the TC Electronic Nova System stand up against the Boss ME-70, GT-8 or GT-10? The price range I'm willing to spend is from $200-$500.

Btw, what exactly is the four cable method?

Thanks again!

 

[UKBoogieboy]

What ever you do stay clear of line 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had the Echo park, and Verbzilla, sold both because I couldn't use them with the noise they make!!!!
When the Line 6 delay is off, you get a buzz/hum everytime the tempo ligh flashes, there is also lots of hiss, the verbzilla is all hiss aswell, terrible things.
I experimented with all of my pedals until I found it was these 2, and both together they double the hiss.
I use a VERY low noise/noiseless diago powersuppy, the best you can get, powers up to 30 pedals with 3000ma, plugged into a power conditioned socket and circuit breaker, and tried it in different places.

Look up on the internet, I thought I might be unlucky with two noisy pedals but it seems they are well known for it, especially the Echo Park.

 

[emperor_black]

Btw, what exactly is the four cable method?

Thanks again!

All instrument cables...

cable 1: Guitar -> Input of Multi-fx unit
cable 2: Send of multi-fx -> amp input
cable 3: Send of amp -> multi-fx return
cable 4: Multi-fx out -> amp return

This way, you place your fav amp's preamp into the multi-fx. Saves you from using the multi-fx's (usually) crappy distortion models.

Multi-fx is like a jack of all trades but master of none. Avoid using multi-fx if you can. BUt if you get one for a great deal, why pass on? :mrgreen:

 

[UKBoogieboy]

My best advice is get a Hardwire Delay/looper, and a Hardwire Reverb.
Much better than Boss and line 6.
The hardwire Reverb is LEXICON=the best.
Hardwire run at 18volts using a standard 9volt adapter, this is what you need for amp loops which are designed for rack effects NOT stomp boxes like Boss which haven't got the head room for a big amp signal going through it.
The T.C. stuff is great but is still only 12volts and will struggle on 9volts if going in the amps loop, they are ok on 9volts with a guitar plugged straight in and with the output not too high.
Also the T.C. need to be calibrated to the signal, if you use a mesa where the master volume is al;so the send level like the F50, Express etc. Then everytime you move the amps volume knob you will need to RE calibrate the T.C. Thats why I went for the Hardwire which is also true bypass so doesn't affect your tone, even when the T.C. is off it converts your signal from analogue to digital and back which somepeople says makes their sound sterile.
Hardwire pedals are really cheap aswell, top quality come with a knob protector, HA!¬!!!!!!!!!!! The knobs turn in stages, in notches. I bought the Delay and tuner, but I am getting most of them.

 

[UKBoogieboy]

Btw, what exactly is the four cable method?

Thanks again!

All instrument cables...

cable 1: Guitar -> Input of Multi-fx unit
cable 2: Send of multi-fx -> amp input
cable 3: Send of amp -> multi-fx return
cable 4: Multi-fx out -> amp return

Strange way of doing it! :?

 

[emperor_black]

My best advice is get a Hardwire Delay/looper, and a Hardwire Reverb.
Much better than Boss and line 6.
The hardwire Reverb is LEXICON=the best.
Hardwire run at 18volts using a standard 9volt adapter, this is what you need for amp loops which are designed for rack effects NOT stomp boxes like Boss which haven't got the head room for a big amp signal going through it.
The T.C. stuff is great but is still only 12volts and will struggle on 9volts if going in the amps loop, they are ok on 9volts with a guitar plugged straight in and with the output not too high.
Also the T.C. need to be calibrated to the signal, if you use a mesa where the master volume is al;so the send level like the F50, Express etc. Then everytime you move the amps volume knob you will need to RE calibrate the T.C. Thats why I went for the Hardwire which is also true bypass so doesn't affect your tone, even when the T.C. is off it converts your signal from analogue to digital and back which somepeople says makes their sound sterile.
Hardwire pedals are really cheap aswell, top quality come with a knob protector, HA!¬!!!!!!!!!!! The knobs turn in stages, in notches. I bought the Delay and tuner, but I am getting most of them.

Ah man, you're building up my GAS for the Delay/looper. I have been trying hard to suppress my GAS for one. :lol: What he says is true. I have the Hardwire TL-2 Metal distortion and I swear, this pedal is different than the others out there. Its got that tubey sag where the lowend comes first and the highs follow and sounds deep. but I dont understand how a pedal can run at 18 Volts with a 9 V adapter. I thought they operate at a consistent higher current than other pedals. But what you're saying about the headroom totally makes sense. Its basically the difference in sound between a mxr 10 band (also runs on 18 V) vs a Boss GE-7.

 

[emperor_black]

Strange way of doing it, this means your amp is in the loop of the effects unit, the effects are usually in the loop of the amp! If you press bypass on the effects loop you will turn off the amp! And I'm not sure the effects are made to handle the volume of an amp going into it, the loop on the effects unit is whats called an insert point on a desk, so on an effects unit like the Boss GT10 you can insert a volume pedal AFTER the compressor and overdrives as appropiate when using a volume pedal, or other effects that need to be post compression and drive.

Also if you want to use the drive on the amp, you don't want it going into the effects unit loop, this would place the overdrive AFTER the compressor, you want the overdrive before the compressor so that the amount of drive depends on pick attack, putting the amp drive PRE compressor will kill the drive intensity!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, its very confusing, but trust me, once you get it working, its THA BOMB. I was running a Marshall JMP1 with a Boss GT-8 and a carvin TS100 and it was just awesome.

Inserting your amp's preamp into the multi-fx allows you to use the mfx's pre-distortion models like overdrive, boost, compressor, wah, etc. and also the post-distortion models like reverbs, delays etc. Your amp's volume is mostly controlled by the master or o/p which is usually working post pre-amp. So, your mfx is fine. Also, you have to make sure you maintain unity gain all across. Or else very soon it will start sounding like crap. Its not simple to set it up. but once you do, you'll be so glad you did. I mean, what's better than a Mesa's distortion yeah? :mrgreen:

 

[emperor_black]

Here is an extensive tutorial about setting up a Roadster and GT-8 using the 4 cable method.

http://www.bossgtcentral.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15277