Multi effects or seperate effects?

[Showman]

Ive been using a multi effects unit for a while.Its pretty nice.Whats the advantage of using seperate pedals?I used to use distortion and a delay but since i got my RP2000 AND RP1 I really like a compressor.

[Ringo]

some advantages are
Individual pedals are easier to use overall, for example adjusting them on the fly while playing live - opposed to a multieffect where you may have to scroll through menus, and / or have huge volume differences between patches.
Also with individual pedals you can mix and match from different manufacturers
e.g. Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss Delay, MXR compressor etc....

[BrianF]

I had various multi fx units through the years but a couple of things became obvious to me.

1) Most of the whiz bang effects that are interesting to hear and play with initially, but I wind up never using them...
2) the effects I do use can be achieved with simpler (separate) stomp boxes that almost always sound better and with higher quality, adjustability, fidelity than what is available in a multi-effects. I also prefer analog to digital effects anyway since they sound less processed and more pure.
3) separate effects offers the ultimate flexibility in changing your rig (with unlimited choices) as your style or tastes change.
4) In a multi FX your stuck with whatevers in that box. I found that way too constraining.

IMHO, YMMV...

[jordanl]

Originally Posted by Showman

Ive been using a multi effects unit for a while.Its pretty nice.Whats the advantage of using seperate pedals?I used to use distortion and a delay but since i got my RP2000 AND RP1 I really like a compressor.

I really want to like mult Fx units, I'd much rather have 1 unit with everything in it. But the problem is you're limited to one brand of effects. Brand X may have a great Overdrive, but awful sounding chorus, brand Y the opposite. And too many of em are difficult or impossible to adjust on the fly, you need to connect to a compuiter or navigate a difficult set of sub menus in limitted light.

With Pedals I can mix or match as needed: Blues jam grab an overdrive. Playing funk, I'll need an envelope filter and a phaser. so on.

I've noticed a lot of players in wedding bands and such use Multi FX, I can see where they would be useful for covering a wide range of material.

[11 Gauge]

a group of individual effects is what ultimately becomes my multi-effector.

not only do the multi-fx units suffer from some poor effects while excelling at others, but you can't swap out most of them, like you can swap out an individual pedal as your needs or tastes change.

so i really like to look at a bunch of pedals as a modular unit, or multi effect unit.

i will also use a multi effector with other pedals if it has a great patch or 2. i've got one of those cheapo Zoom 505 1st gen. multi effectors: while most of the effects sound too sterile or metallic, it does have a great fuzz patch (alright so i'm a fuzz nut). it also has a pretty cool 1 repeat stereo delay. the fuzz and delay are simply delicious.

i just redid one of my Teles, and i'm about to take possession of another Vibrolux Reverb. as such, the modular function of my pedals will allow me to alter the 'lineup' to work with the 'new' Tele and amp.

[Kurt]

IMHO the multi-effects unit itself colors your sound too much. In addition, many of the effects don't get used all that much. My situation requires, at most, a compressor, a delay, and some sort of modulation - phaser, chorus, or flanger. Each was chosen for exactly the sound I wanted and the whole approach seems much simpler - sometimes having too many choices interferes with what you want to accomplish musically. Also, separate pedals help from a backup standpoint - if one pedal goes, the night isn't ruined.

[old hippy]

been down both roads and back again many times.....depends largely on your tastes and whether or not you like hassling with cables and wall warts....i don't....it also depends on the multi you get...i snagged a boss gt-5 for $100, and haven't looked back....the only extra pedal i use is an occasional bad horsie wah.....

[MV80]

Hi,

I finally choose a BOSS ME-50 for overdrive/distortion and effects! I'm so glad to have made this choice. I sold my IBANEZ TS-9 and BOSS DS-1 to have more cash. The sound of the ME-50 is almost perfect with my US natural ash Tele and 65'Deluxe Reverb RI. The overdrive/distortion are wonderfull but I use principaly scream mode (better tone that my TS-9). Modulation and delay (analog mode) are superb. It's like having more pedals that you can use in a simple quality unit! Futhermore you can plug earphone and play at 3 o'clock am without disturbing anyone.

I consider myself like a tube's purist but I'm not rich enough to buy all my favorite pedals... I have to choose between buying a Maxon AD-80 RI and a Dunlop Cry Baby Classic Wah or the BOSS ME-50. I was very affraid to go digital but honestly with a good guitar and a good tube's amp the tone of the ME-50 is wonderfully good.

[el_extranjero]

There's another post here about the me50. I use one too and posted to that thread. I think it depends on what you want. I go for the max tone out of my guitar and amp combo, THEN look to the effects to add just a teeny bit. With that I'm happy with the ME50. It gives me the basics, Volume Pedal, Tuner, EQ, Chorus, Delay, without having multiple boxes.

If I were looking to it for more of my sound I might not be as happy. But my guitar amp combo gives me 90% of what I need, I just didn't want to add a vol ped, tuner, eq, etc. to my chain. This one box works fine for me.

[hippietim]

Currently my pedal board is loaded with a bunch of singles. However, I really like a few of the focused multi-effects units. I'm talking about things like the Line 6 Delay/Modulation/Filter modelers. They're multi-effects in the sense that they do several things but they're still just single effects at a time. I love having the versatility of these things. I have the rack versions of them right now and am thinking I'd like to have the pedals on my board instead.