Comments on: @AES: Digital Guitar Stompbox Smackdown

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 19 Oct 2005 22:46:41 +0000

In an issue of Guitar One )I believe) about 2-3 months ago they showd the guita player from Fear Factory’s rig. MAC with GR1.2. It states he uses it only for clean sounds and it goes directly to the board.

By: Guest

Guest — Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:16:14 +0000

I’d like to see an actual rig set-up that can stand the rigors of the road. Where is someone going to put the laptop during the gig–on the ground where it can be stepped on? On top of the guitar amp?

By: admin

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:06:26 +0000

Oh, wait, I see what you’re saying. The new Guitar Rig 2 pedal is NOT just a controller. It’s an audio interface, too. Audio in AND out. Of course, Guitar Rig itself is just an effects plugin at heart, so if you’d rather use your existing audio interface and their control surface, or even your own control surface, you can.

As for latency, well, you’ve got the same latency you have with ANY computer effects system: you have to route audio in and out of the computer, by definition. But you don’t need a separate interface if you don’t want one; that’s the idea of this interface.

And while a downloadable manual would be nice, why not just ask NI customer support? They’re usually happy to answer questions. (Heck, I can answer this question!) Or pass the question along to me, and I’ll ask NI — watch for the new post today on GR2. ;-)

Peter

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 13 Oct 2005 02:47:37 +0000

This is exactly what I was going for in the first post. If GR 2 forces you to use it’s XLR’s as the only means of output somethings dead wrong here. To put it simply: either you can record and monitor straight thru your computer OR you are forced to use XLR outputs only. I can understand “Not sure what you mean” comment, as I can make no heads or tails just how NI expects us to use this thing. If USB2 carries the audio signal and thats all you need to know, fine, a real blessing. However, if the signal is forcefed back, you still need two audio inputs on your computer to monitor it (which would be idiotic since they claim it to be an “audio interface”). I know this might sound weird, but believe me I’ve grown accustomed to expecting the worst and beyond from just about any company. The fact that NI won’t let you download any manuals unless you register an existing and purchased product does’t exactly help. What you get is that your left with insufficent data to know just what this particular piece of equipment really does or is capable of. Just try to find a downloadable users manual of any of NI’s products BEFORE purchasing them and prove me wrong.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 09:36:29 +0000

I was hoping you could set up all the presets and then only take the pedal to the gig. I guess not.

I would love one of these, but I’m not sure if I can justify buying a laptop to take to gigs.

As for the USB2 thing, it’s the computer that does all the sound processing right? The pedal is just a controller? So to get the processed sounds out FROM the pedal, the USB2 must send the guitar signal to the computer, wait for it to add the effects and whatnot, then send it back to the pedal so it can output it through the XLRs/whatever.

That can’t be good for latency…

By: Guest

Guest — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 20:27:19 +0000

It makes prefect sense to include audio I/O since you might very well use it in a live setting, where you would’t have your other interfaces that you use when in the studio.

A Mac Mini in a rack running Guitar Rig 2 would be pretty sweet.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 18:43:03 +0000

It’s definitely an audio interface. It’s got headphones for monitoring + balanced outputs, as you say. USB is carrying input from guitar jacks one and two into the computer (plus control data), then you’ve got balanced outputs as your outs. (I’m guessing the headphones monitor ONLY the output signal, since the whole idea is using your computer as a virtual amp / FX box.)

Now, you don’t necessarily NEED the audio features if you’ve already got something like the FirePod. Native is assuming some of their customers don’t already have a direct box or guitar in plus an audio interface. The box is pretty nice for control, though, if that’s all you care about.

Oh, and . . . I have no idea why they chose USB 2 instead of 1.1. I’ll ask.

Other than that, the AmpliTube StompIO is the same basic idea, with more I/O — we should know more about once that gets closer to release.

Peter

By: Guest

Guest — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 17:44:55 +0000

OK. I’ts early days I know, but something puzzles me about Guitar Rig 2. It’s USB2 interface is supposedly an audio interface, but just what does it actually do? Native Instruments webpabe shows GR2 rigged via USB2 to a computer, but monitoring seems to be via separate balanced outs hooked to monitors. Hmmm, what gives, since NI touts it’s USB interface as an audio interface? Am I missing something here? I monitor my recordings straight thru computer, since a new fast Mac plus, say, a FirePod is quite capable of doing so. I mean, this setup seems a bit strange. Any ideas?