Dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age.

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6/4/2000 1:34 PM

Scott

Dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age. While I'm a firm believe in tubes and analog, I finally broke down and bought a Line 6 modulation unit because some of the sounds were just so good. My question is this...does anyone else who has the unit find the UniVibe sound to be just a little "off"? Can this thing be internally tweaked like the POD via my computer? Has anyone found a setting through the controls that captures the right sound? To my ears it seems that L6's Univibe is too sharp. It doesn't "rotate" evenly. As always any info is appreciated greatly.

 

6/4/2000 2:31 PM
Gavin Allred	The latest issue of Guitar Player reviewed the delay and modulator pedals. If I remember correctly, the reviewer stated that the modulation pedal wasn't as accurate as the delay pedal. I also think he specifically stated that the Univibe model sounded lumpy.     gavin

 

6/4/2000 3:47 PM
Gus	I own the delay, friends that play out use the delay but they did not buy the modulator petal because unlike the delay some effects are good and some are weak. (they did not like the phase 90 and univbe FWIW). I think of the modulator petal like a new CD you might get one or two songs in the 72mins. I think sometime people feel that on has to use all that is there.

 

6/4/2000 9:52 PM

Scott

I bought mine used for $150. I figured at that price I could get rid of it with little or no problem. For me, the decision was based on either carrying the L6 or my Vibratone around for the rotating speaker effect. After some tooling around, I got a rather satifactory sound out of the L6. I'll admit their Leslie 145 leave a little to be desired, but as for the flangers/choruses/vibratos, I did find working sounds. I mean how often does a blues player need a flanger? It would be nice if I could get the Univibe patch a little closer, however the fact that the rotating drum speeds up/slows down gradually like the real thing is pretty cool. The ability to slip it into my gig bag and not throw out my back? Well worth the $150.

 

6/5/2000 12:17 AM
Brad	<"I'll admit their Leslie 145 leave a little to be desired">     Well, Scott....gonna be pretty hard to simulate the sound of a real Leslie with ANYthing, to be fair.   Nothing like the dopplerized sound of spinning speakers bouncing off everything.   Brad

 

6/5/2000 2:45 AM

Scott

My thought on the L6 is that between a Vibratone and a Univibe, one would think that the Vibratone would be harder to duplicate. Yet IMHO, the Vibratone sample is not that far off. Granted nothing will ever replace the sound bouncing off everything, but this comes fairly close. I'm just surprised/disappointed that L6 did not seem to spend as much time on the 'Vibe. I've owned original Univibes and I could tell immediately that their sound was off. As for the rest of the sounds...I'm not a vintage snob. A flange is a phase is a chorus. Yes there are some pedals that stand out in my mind, ie: Small Stone, EBS UniChorus, Phase 90...but quiet and reliable versions of these pedals are much more desireable to me even if the sound is not dead on balls accurate. The other nice feature on the L6 is that with the expression pedal you can change the speed of all the effects on the fly. When was the last time you could do that with your Maestro Mini-Phase? There is always a trade off. It comes down to individual choice. Since I have hit the big time yet and I don't have a roadie to carry my Vibratone for me, the L6 has a secure position on my pedalboard for now.

 

6/5/2000 1:34 AM

floydfan

I'd say most of the effects in these line6 pedals are a little off. I've tried them. Think about it though, It would be damn near impossible for one box to replicate ALL the effects as those pedals try to do. Remember why alot of people gave up on effects racks and got back into single effects pedals? If any one pedal could do it all, it would have to be enormous to hold all the individual effects that are supposed to be in it, and in my opinion, that would be the ONLY way to nail them all. Imagine what that box would cost! (especially with the delay chips discontinued, $600 for a Moogerfooger or way huge, give me a break!)   However, I do think the Line6 pedals are pretty damn good, even if they don't nail it.   This brings me to another point. You always see people and dealers saying that the newest effect or reissue effect is "nowhere near the original". Well, hell, maybe they're better. So if a pedal doesn't sound quite like the Million dollar flavor of the month effect, which maybe right, does that mean it doesn't sound good? Heck, I think alot of the reissues or copies do sound better. I think ALL the Eh reissues and the modern dynacomps kick butt compared to the old stuff (thanks Mike!), and some of it doesn't quite match the originals. God I wish these things were more like the originals, I sure do miss that power supply hum! Man I wish these new Microsynths would have stray noise and breakdown every other week like the old ones did.   Basically, I'm just saying that because some dealer whos trying to salvage the value of his vintage stuff or some vintage-only snob says something "doesn't sound like the original stuff"   Doesn't mean it is not worht looking into, it could be just what your looking for.

 

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