Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've had this unit for over a year now, and have used it for practicing (mainly through headphones, occasionally plugged in to my little Marshall MG15-CDR), a few jam sessions, and a bit of recording into GarageBand on my MacBook Pro.
On the positive side:
- Very solid construction.
- USB audio interface works great with GarageBand, both for input (guitar signal going to MacBook) and monitoring (listening to already recorded tracks plus the track you're recording via the G2.1u's headphone output). When connected via USB, it gets power via USB too.
- Runs for several hours on 4AA batteries. I use rechargeables. (Never bothered with an external AC adapter).
- Excellent sound quality. All the fx sound quite good. The ZNR soft noise reduction really handy if you've got a bit of low-level hum/buzz from single-coil pickups.
- Pretty easy to dial in your own sounds.
A couple of downsides:
- No aux input! IMO this is *the* single missing feature that limits this unit's usefulness for practicing. I would love to be able to plug in an iPod. (Thinking of buying a Line 6 Pocket POD for this).
- The cabinet / mic modelling doesn't sound very convincing to me.
- With only two foot switches for stepping up/down through your list of patches, it can be awkward switching patches in the middle of a tune (e.g. between rhythm and lead settings) unless you've stored them on adjacent patch numbers. Really no way around that without having a bigger box with more footswitches.
All in all, a nice unit, and good value. Probably most useful as a recording interface using the excellent USB audio interface. OK for for live use (with caveat about limited footswitches) and for practicing (as long as you don't want to jam along with your iPod).
..............
Update December 2008: I got myself a Vox Amplug AC-30 a while back. Fun little unit (if a bit overpriced for what it does) - plug it into your guitar, plug in a mp3 player & some headphones, and jam away. Turns out it can also be used to get around the G2.1u's lack of an Aux input.
Just plug the Amplug into the G2.1u's output, and connect your headphones and mp3 player to the amplug. With the right settings on the Amplug (at least the AC-30 version), the Amplug runs pretty clean, so at the Amplug's headphone output you hear essentially the same as you'd hear if you plugged your headphones directly into the G2.1u.
Obviously this is a bit of a kludge, but if you happen to have both units, this is an option...
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The G2.1u pedal offers two algorithms: One for live and one for recording. The sound you created at practice or in the studio can now be brought straight to the stage. Or take the sounds you worked out during a rehearsal and apply them seamlessly in the recording studio. Your creative scope has suddenly doubled.
96 kHz sampling brings out authentic sounding tube amp harmonics Everyone knows that the sound of tube amplifiers is the ultimate in guitar tone. By employing high-accuracy sampling at 96 kHz, G2.1u pedal faithfully model these sonic properties, right up to the highest harmonic register. Dynamic range is also excellent, thanks to 24-bit A/D/A conversion. These extremely high levels of digital processing also make your playing sound cleaner and clearer thanks to the fast processing speeds.
ZFX-3: A new-generation DSP from ZOOM The heart of any multi-effect device is its processor and decoder section. Zoom has reached a new level with its newly developed ZFX-3 chip. 32-bit architecture ensures smooth and detailed signal processing. Accuracy and speed bring out the character of your instrument without restrictions.
54 high-quality effects made possible by 32-bit processing A total of nine effects modules are included, including dynamics, ambience, drive, and modulation. Together they offer 54 types of effects. The Harmonized Pitch Shifter lets you play along in key. Use long delays or multi-tap delay of up to 5000 milliseconds. Select dynamic flanger and have the effect level controlled by picking intensity. Select from three types of modulation waveforms for the tremolo. A multitude of high-performance choices opens up totally new territory in this class. Touch up the harmonic register with the six-band equalizer. The cabinet simulator gives a choice of mic positions. The G Series has in incredible level of flexibility and the ability to create an awesome array of great tones.
Latest modeling technology supports 16 different drive sounds By digitally simulating the clipping action of analog devices such as tubes and diodes, the G Series faithfully duplicates the distortion of tube amps and vintage effects. This includes not only the superficial sound character but also elements such as depth and dynamics. As you start using the G Series, you will be amazed by the realistic balance between fundamental notes and harmonics that is essential to a great analog tone.
The right tools for the job: Editing controls with analog feel The three rotary knobs let you tailor three different parameters at the same time. This could be the equalizer bass/midrange/treble, or the chorus depth/rate/mixing level, or the delay time/feedback/mixing level. It's like having an array of stomp boxes ready for action. In play mode, the three knobs are assigned to drive effect gain, tone, and patch level. This lets you quickly match the unit's performance to the guitar or amp type, room acoustics, or other factors. Delay time and modulation rate settings can be made directly via the intuitive TAP key input.
Preset patches ready to use for recording or live performance The unit comes preprogrammed with a total of 40 preset effects patches. 20 pairs of similar sounding and similarly named effects are optimized respectively for use with a guitar amp on stage or for recording with DAW software or a mixer. There are settings for duplicating well-known amps and stomp boxes, settings that are modeled on the signature sound of famous guitarists, as well as totally original Zoom creations. There is also enough built-in memory to store up to 40 of your own effects patches.
World's fastest patch change speed: 5 ms Thanks to the speed of Zoom's new processors, that annoying interval when switching patches has been all but eliminated. With its amazing speed of 0.005 seconds, the G Series pedals never miss a beat. When changing from rhythm to lead, you no longer need to press the switch slightly in advance. Simply push the foot switch and start playing the solo phrase. No more fear of losing the rhythm when making patch changes.
Built-in auto-chromatic tuner for guitar The guitar tuner can be called up instantly by pushing two foot switches together. High-brightness LED indicators make the note readout easy to see also on a dark stage. The calibration range is 435 to 445 Hz, and mute tuning without sound output is also possible.
ZNR makes those playing pauses silent Zoom Noise Reduction (ZNR) was developed specifically for guitar. While keeping any alteration of the original sound to an absolute minimum, ZNR shuts out unwanted noise in the playing pauses. Even the tails of long sustain notes come out beautifully, with natural release. Additional flexibility is provided by two noise gates. The vintage type DIRTY GATE is a great match for fuzz sounds, while the high-speed muting of the GATE setting brings heavy riffs into clear focus.
Integrated drum machine with PCM sound sources Realistic drum sounds derived from PCM sources are arranged in a variety of rhythm patterns for different musical genres. The 40 rhythm variations include the steady 8-beat of Rock and Pop, funky 16-beat, a "Jazzy" 4-beat, some great shuffle riffs for blues sessions, and many more choices. Rhythm training is a cinch, and the rotary knobs let you quickly make tempo or level adjustments.
Ultra low noise design: 120 dB SN ratio and -100 dB noise floor Specifications such as a signal-to-noise ratio of 120 dB and noise floor of -100 dB demonstrate a level of performance that is unsurpassed in this class. Background noise is a thing of the past, leaving the unit free to produce only its own superbly transparent sound. Especially when using reverb effects such as Hall, Room, or Spring, the low noise floor combined with 96 kHz sampling and 32-bit processing results in breathtaking performance.
Sturdy metal chassis and rubber damping for superior toughness and durability The combination of a solid metal chassis with shock-absorbent rubber damping ensures that the unit can stand up to the rigors of use on stage. Take it on the road or into the studio, the G Series will not let you down.
Two-way power allows use just about anywhere Thanks to its circuit design optimized for low voltage operation, the unit will run for more than 7.5 hours on a set of four IEC R6 (size AA) batteries. A separately available AC adaptor (AC-0006) can be plugged in for extended studio work, whereas on stage you never need to worry about AC power.
Optional foot switch allows versatile remote operation With an optional foot switch (FS01) you can set tempos for delay time and modulation rate. Other selectable functions include bank switching, drum machine start/stop, and delay hold on/off switching.
Expression pedal adds further versatility to your guitar play The built-in expression pedal is a great way to control effect parameters in real time. Control the vintage wah, pitch shift, or adjust the volume dynamics. Go beyond conventional pedal effects by varying drive gain or modulation rate, and adjusting the mixing ratio of delay and reverb. The dedicated PEDAL ASSIGN key and status LED indicators make it a cinch to select the effect to control. Effect on/off switching is also possible by pushing the pedal fully down.
USB port enables computer recording The USB port allows the unit to function as an audio interface for a computer. Simply connect a USB cable to utilize the high-quality sound of the G2.1u in a computer-based recording system. The high-performance DAW application "Cubase LE 4" comes bundled with the unit, so you can start creating sophisticated music straight away. Because playback from the DAW application can be monitored at the G2.1u itself, there are no latency problems during recording. Powering the unit from the computer via the USB bus is also supported.
What's in the Box Zoom G2.1u Pedal, AC Adapter, User's Manual, Cubase LE Install Disc
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