Line6 Guitarport

[Gorecki]

I'm considering getting one of these little guys to facilitate a little parlor wank station.

I can't seem to find a heck of alot of sample sound examples and wondering how the little bugger sounds and works.

I know some performance elements are entirely dependent on the system it is being used on but anyone actually have one that works well, if so how do you do what you do with it? What do you do with it?

Even if the Line6 'Insane' gain tone is remotely like that of the Spider II amps, I'd likely pick it up for that alone..but I figure I'd farm for some input from the PGMC.

Edited September 21, 2005 by Gorecki

[Simo]

My singer's got one along with the Riffworks software, I've used it several times and I love it, I'm hoping to get myself one very soon. The range of sounds is very impressive and the quality is superb.

Line 6 are also bringing out the Toneport this winter, which from what I've read is basically a Guitarport but with even more features...

http://line6.com/toneport/

[Gorecki]

I have looked over the coming TonePort and it looks good but for my purposes is overkill. I'm not planning to use it for tracking (got a studio for that), just a means to use a laptop as a single source for playback and play along in our parlor.

[GodBlessTexas]

I just sold mine last month on ebay when I got my POD XT Pro. For the money, I think you'll be hard pressed to come up with a more robust package than the Guitarport. And you don't need riffworks unless you just want to use their software. You can use the GuitarPort as a windows recording device and send it into any audio package, including windows audio recorder. I used it with an older pre-Adobe copy of Cool Edit Pro in multi-track mode. As far as tone goes, it's good. I'd record some sound samples for you, but as I said, I don't have it anymore. The only reason I got rid of it was because of the Pod XT Pro.

Then again, riffworks is nice and just about idiot proof, so there's not much of a learning curve. And the built in drummer is kinda nice too.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

[Gorecki]

Cool! Did you use it as a 'Preferred Audio Device' in Windows or did you chain it into another audio interface? Glad to hear you had it working with CoolEdit (I still use the 2-track CoolEdit '96 for quick track chopping) because it suggests I should be able to get it to work with just about any package and it certainly wouldn't hurt to be able to throw some ideas down in Cubase on the fly but like I said, it's more for a wanking/training system setup that I will likely use the most with headphones.

How's the 'Insain' settings compared to the POD?

Speaking of eBay, what licensing issues would I run into if I got one used. Many things once licensed by someone are nearly useless after. I have no desire to use their companion online service but if I purchased one used, would I be in a place of possibly not being able to get it to work at all? IE, I mentioned Cubase, once registered, it's useless, especially without the Dongle the package requires.

Thanks for the input guys, it would be really nice if I could demo the things somewhere but so far, no one has one setup.

Edited September 22, 2005 by Gorecki

[GregP]

I can't speak from first-hand knowledge, but everything I've read and learned about the GuitarPort indicates that there won't be licensing problems with buying a used one. Install the software, and your Guitar Port becomes a new device. If you're running, say, Cubase, You select the Guitar Port as your recording device.

HOWEVER,

Remember that for low-latency recording on a PC, the standard is still ASIO drivers for your sound device. This is what GuitarPort uses (it also includes other drivers, but in a recording package you will probably be using the ASIO). The ASIO spec does not allow for multiple ASIO devices to be recorded at the same time. In other words, you'll be doing the guitar parts all alone (which is fine for most people, including me) and not alongside, say, a singer or a bassist.

Greg

[GodBlessTexas]

Cool!  Did you use it as a 'Preferred Audio Device' in Windows or did you chain it into another audio interface?

It shows up as a preferred audio device, and I selected it in the device configuration menu of Cool Edit. It was only connected via the USB cable. I also had it run to my soundcard's line in via the headphone out on the GuitarPort, but that was just so I could listen to myself as I played and then playback the track via Cool Edit without having to switch headphones or inputs. The actual recording was done over USB.

Glad to hear you had it working with CoolEdit (I still use the 2-track CoolEdit '96 for quick track chopping) because it suggests I should be able to get it to work with just about any package and it certainly wouldn't hurt to be able to throw some ideas down in Cubase on the fly but like I said, it's more for a wanking/training system setup that I will likely use the most with headphones.

Yeah, that should work. It's got a lot of neat training tools (metronome, lessons, tracks from GuitarPort Online) and recording is done with it sound pretty nice.

How's the 'Insain' settings compared to the POD?

Insane is pretty good, and was one of my favorite models on the GP. The POD XT sounds a little better, but the GP is still very good.

Speaking of eBay, what licensing issues would I run into if I got one used.  Many things once licensed by someone are nearly useless after.  I have no desire to use their companion online service but if I purchased one used, would I be in a place of possibly not being able to get it to work at all?  IE, I mentioned Cubase, once registered, it's useless, especially without the Dongle the package requires.

The software is free, though you need to register to get to the download section. It's required for the unit to work. As far as dongles, the hardware component (the red box with the knob) is the dongle. As long as you have it, the software will work and you're golden. Line6 is very good about resale of their gear. I removed the hardware from my line6.com/guitarport profile when I sold it, and the guy who received it had no problems registering it to himself and getting it up and running.

Thanks for the input guys, it would be really nice if I could demo the things somewhere but so far, no one has one setup. 

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Buy one from GC if you have one locally, try it out, and then return it and buy one used. The retail is less than $100 before tax, so it's not much more than buying a decent pedal.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

[Gorecki]

I can't speak from first-hand knowledge, but everything I've read and learned about the GuitarPort indicates that there won't be licensing problems with buying a used one.  Install the software, and your Guitar Port becomes a new device.  If you're running, say, Cubase, You select the Guitar Port as your recording device.

HOWEVER,

Remember that for low-latency recording on a PC, the standard is still ASIO drivers for your sound device.  This is what GuitarPort uses (it also includes other drivers, but in a recording package you will probably be using the ASIO).  The ASIO spec does not allow for multiple ASIO devices to be recorded at the same time.  In other words, you'll be doing the guitar parts all alone (which is fine for most people, including me) and not alongside, say, a singer or a bassist.

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Latency is exactly my concern, I would expect to use it as THE audio device in the system and between it being USB based and the intended system isn't a power house where even playing along with looped 2 track audio or a DVD would cause burps, churps, pops, clicks and would eventually drive me insane. To use it for tracking however would be purely a bonus and nothing more. No expectations to use it in the / as a studio. My M-audio Firewire I tried to use on the same box suffered considerably from latency issues no matter how hard I tweaked the box.

[Gorecki]

Buy one from GC if you have one locally, try it out, and then return it and buy one used.  The retail is less than $100 before tax, so it's not much more than buying a decent pedal.

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Thanks alot for the info GBT and BTW very graceful correction to my blundering the spelling of insane.

Seems like a worthy purchase at this point, for the price and the positive response regarding the unit the only variable at this point is the system I expect to use it on handling it well. Only way to answer that is to buy it and try it. But as I worked for GC for five years a long time ago, the person I would buy it from when returned would likely get grief (trust me I know) and I really don't want to go down that road.

Ahh..now that I think about it, what's the system spec's you used it on?

[GodBlessTexas]

Thanks alot for the info GBT and BTW very graceful correction to my blundering the spelling of insane. 

No problem. Just trying to give back what I can.

But as I worked for GC for five years a long time ago, the person I would buy it from when returned would likely get grief (trust me I know) and I really don't want to go down that road.

I didn't know that. I'll have to buy from someone I don't like the next time I intend to return something. One guy at the local GC has been pretty good to me, so I try and throw him a bone now and again, but I'm not a big fan of the rest of the staff.

Ahh..now that I think about it, what's the system spec's you used it on?

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Athlon 1Ghz (ooold machine from 2000) with 768MB of RAM. The system requirements list a PIII 500Mhz minimum with 128MB of RAM.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

[Mattia]

Greg, that's the first I've heard of the 'Only 1 ASIO device' thing, although honestly, I've never really tried multitracking with the two I've got on this machine (A GuitarPort, and an MAudio Audiophile 2496).

As for the GuitarPort, it's a lovely piece of hardware/software, easy to use, and it was great with the 1.0 software, and with the updated package, it's absolutely fantastic! Rifftracker looks like a waste of time, as do the online lessons; stick with it as a simple USB Audio interface (although it still wants plugging into your soundcard if you you want audio out over the speakers, design weirdness there) and amp sim, and it's great. As far as bang for your buck goes, it's probably unbeatable, and as a 'first piece of amplifcation' kit to give someone who isn't planning on 'playing out', I'd reccomend it over a cheap practice amp to anyone.

You mention your machine's no power house, so please, please check the minimum system requirements, and if possible make sure you beat them. The GuitarPort is mostly software with a bit of hardware to plug into!

Secondly, honestly, if I were to buy today, I wouldn't go for the guitarport. I'd go for the TonePort, which should only be about 20-30 bucks more than the GuitarPort, gives you the same amp models, plus bass amp models, but more importantly, the Mic input plus preamps, in case you ever feel the need to mic something up live. A friend of mine already runs his pre-amped mic through the guitarport for vocals, and I have to say it does a really nice job, just with the 'guitar' or 'basic preamp' models it's got, so I'd be very interested in the mic models.

This said, to each his own. It's a good piece of kit, and great fun to use.

[Gorecki]

Athlon 1Ghz (ooold machine from 2000) with 768MB of RAM.  The system requirements list a PIII 500Mhz minimum with 128MB of RAM.

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I knew the requirments but this stuff can be really picky but the box has a bit more pooh than the one you used it on.

So I'm hoping I'm in good shape. A USB audio interface gives me the shivers all by itself.

Thanks bunches guys, think I'll take a crack at it, it is pretty cheap.

[GregP]

Mattia- it's one of the well-known limitations of ASIO, unfortunately. It doesn't mean you can't have 2 or more on your machine, or switch between them, but you won't be able to multi-track with more than 1 ASIO device at a time.

A workaround that some companies have used is to have a unified driver. It's the driver that's the key, really-- if you have 2 or more M-Audio products from the "Delta" range (which includes the Audiophile), you can use them together because they all use the Delta Driver. As far as your sequencer goes, it would see it as just one device with multiple ins and outs.

But when you use products from different manufacturers that have different drivers, this concept becomes tricky at best. I wouldn't be surprised if are some sorts of hacks and/or workarounds at the grassroots level, but nothing officially supported by the ASIO spec or the manufacturers.

The TonePort will be more expensive than the GuitarPort, for sure. I wouldn't hold your breath for the TonePort unless it really looks like it'll suit some need beyond the basic needs you've mentioned, Gorecki. There will be 2 models, one of which will be more expensive than a PODXT, and one of which will be somewhere in-between. The cheaper one still features an additional microphone pre-amp, headphones, 1 or 2 VU meters (I can't remember if the cheap one had 2 also), and a more rugged enclosure.

Greg

[Mattia]

The TonePort will be more expensive than the GuitarPort, for sure.  I wouldn't hold your breath for the TonePort unless it really looks like it'll suit some need beyond the basic needs you've mentioned, Gorecki.  There will be 2 models, one of which will be more expensive than a PODXT, and one of which will be somewhere in-between.  The cheaper one still features an additional microphone pre-amp, headphones, 1 or 2 VU meters (I can't remember if the cheap one had 2 also), and a more rugged enclosure.

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Um, the cheaper one runs about 130 bucks (street), no VU meters, no phantom power, 1 guitar, 1 mic input, bunch of software. The unit's big brother will run about 200 bucks, so both of them will be considerably cheaper than a POD XT, which makes perfect sense; neither needs DSP hardware, since they do all the modelling in software.

[GregP]

I had an article in a magazine here that I was going to refer to, but I can't seem to find it... wonder if it was one of the magazines I read at Chapters but didn't buy!

Therefore, I can't really argue, if you've seen the prices or have them right in front of you. If you're right, then I WOULD also just wait for the TonePort. At $200, I'd even wait for the UX-2 (I think that's what it's called) which is the larger one. Can't argue with a phantom-powered mic input for adding flexibility to the setup.

BUT, that's just me. Gorecki seems to have very specific and very modest needs, in which case the GuitarPort still might be the right choice at $60 used instead of $130 new.

Greg

[Gorecki]

BUT, that's just me.  Gorecki seems to have very specific and very modest needs, in which case the GuitarPort still might be the right choice at $60 used instead of $130 new. 

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YEeeeeeup!

[Gorecki]

Well for snorts and giggles I'll give my own little review on the unit now that I've had one for a couple weeks.

In general the views voiced here of the unit are genuine and pretty consistant. In the nuttiest nut, nutshell I can derive, it's a great little box for a $100.00.

I didn't ebay, I just bought it new so I had reason and means to throw it back in someones face if it wasn't up to snuff.

Overall sounds just as presets are really good, they've managed to emulate a lot of tonal qualities of many amp, cab and effect combos. To improve on the realism of some sounds, playing through speakers is much better than through headphones as in any situation with a guitar, the harmonic elements associated to feedback makes more of a familiar environment to a guitar player.

Latency is probably the largest cause and affect in the unit. The bigger the computer, the better it sounds. Especially when you start using tones that have heavy delay, reverb and modulation. I've sampled the unit on a few different systems ranging from 1Ghz P3 to a 3.4Ghz P4 including a mix of laptop and desktop systems, I'm currently completely content with it on a P4 1.6Ghz Dell Laptop. I believe their minimum specs are too low, my P3 1.0Ghz Dell laptop started to choak on heavier sounds and this system is more than double the minimum requirements.

As for what I see as needing improvement, well not much. Same old song when it comes to solid state type reproduction, it does a good job but it's certainly not tube driven. With rhythm type playing/sounds, it's great, melodic passages could use a little heat behind the meat. Also, extremely fast articulate phrases start to sound a little wierd when playing long runs in excess of 140bpm as 1/16ths, it's as if it simply doesn't have enough time to reproduce the sound in the same manner as a slower phrase. The Effects are quite limited and in a few cases cheesy. The Wha-Wha is pretty much useless, the delays, too limited, the reverbs...WAY too limited!

But to finish my in a nutty nut, nutshell, if someone was pushing the buttons to change the presents, I could probably gig with this thing plugged direct to the board. I have no intension on taking it back and don't see anything on the market that can do what it can for the money or even close.

Any questions?

[Simo]

My mate had a big latency problem at first but with simple tweak to his pc's settings and it was solved. I'm not sure what he altered (I'll ask) but the latency is unnoticeable now.

[Gorecki]

My mate had a big latency problem at first but with simple tweak to his pc's settings and it was solved. I'm not sure what he altered (I'll ask) but the latency is unnoticeable now.

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Thanks but don't bother. My boxes are performance tuned (so to speak) and doubt their is much in the manner of tweaking possible. When I make a reference to latency, it's quite suttle and probably not even noticable to most. I have wicked ears. I'm the kind of guy who can walk into a stereo shop and notice if speakers being demo'd are wired out of phase (which is insane in a stereo store but has happened).

Latency is more than just a delay from source to system it can also show itself in ways in the sound in general. Really now that I think about what I was referring to isn't as much latency but more so system headroom. When the processor is tasked it can affect things like reverb decay or spaciousness, long echo reproduction..etc.