DigiTech GNX2

Previously owned a gt-3 so learning to use the gnx2 was no big problem. What was aproblem however, was when adjusting numerous parameters, the rotary knobs would never quite turn the way I would like, ie it was very hard to make small changes. Led display was also pretty useless.

Wish I has kept my gt-3. This thing sounds like crap. I play an Am Del start with vintage noiseless p/ups and could not get the noise gate to work well. It was always cutting or clipping notes early or extremely noisy. Some ok distortions are available if you play a lot of death metal and tweak the thing enough, however the "stomp box" modeling is somewhat of a joke as they all sound the same, and all are very muddy sounding. As for clean sounds and effects, that is really a joke for this unit. I also own A $70 zomm 505 and this thing has better chorus and delay than the $350 gnx2.

Definitely would not gig with this thing w/o a back up. After using this thing for only an hour in a cool and controlled environment, it gets so hot that you will burn your fingers if you touch the back of the unit. I contacted digitech about this problem, and their respone was that "some heat dissapation is normal". Hm since the warranty on this thing is only 1 year, I wonder how much it will cost to fix this damn thing when it finally melts down, because it gets really warm, and previous experience with solid state electronics tells me that high heat + solid state = problems!

All I can say here is that digitech did respond promply to my e-mails. Usually had a response in less than 24 hours.

Wish I hadn't sold my GT-3. If you are looking for a multi effects unit, do not purchase this unit. Go get a gt-6 or pod and you will be much happier!

Ok...this thing IS easy to use...considering the amount of sounds, the programibility, the overall features...yeah, this thing is fairly simple to use ....provided you spend some time with it...the manual and the unit itself are great...fact is, i've never seen so much packed into a single unit as the gnx2...that in itself is impressive...

for all the features, the layout is definitely easy to use...i'll give digitech the edge here over ANYTHING else on the market...hey, just look at the boss GT-6, i get sick just lookin' at it...

by the way, i am a professional musician who has played and/or demo-ed just about every piece of gear you ever heard of...these are my opinions, but these opinions are also based on how i earn my living...

ok, digitech, this is where it's time to face the facts...the topic here is sound QUALITY...not QUANTITY...

if I were a beginning guitar player who knew little, if anything, about effects, i would rate this product highly...for the money, it does introduce A LOT of features for a very reasonable price (effects, modelling, LFO's, pedal control, rhythm machine, tuner, computer interface, and the list goes on)

but, again, i am a professional and this is a catergory based on quality and, let's face it digitech...the quality SUCKS BIG TIME!!!...nobody who depended on music to make a living would depend on this piece of gear...that's the truth...i've never heard of ANY professional that ever used this...i would personally recommend the yamaha dg-stomp heads and shoulders above this for ANYONE...it gives you the modeling and effects and is also useable in a professional environment...the quality of the gnx2 is simply a joke that no pro would ever consider...sorry, but that's the truth your snazzy ads don't mention!!!

honestly...it seems sturdy enough for regular use...unless you're in a punk band in which case you wouldn't even consider this product...but, yeah, for the price it's sturdier than one i would reasonably expect...good job here, digitech...

not for this product, but i have contacted digitech for support and they were very helpful...what can i say...better than boss/roland, line 6, ibanez most of the other well-known companies...

look, no professional would ever consider this all-in-one miracle cure...but again, for a beginner, it's a nice introduction to effects and modelling...but unless you're a karoake machine (and even then) you're never gonna seriously use all or even most of these features...my advice is buy a bunch of pedals, play with your band, and only keep the ones that seem usable after 2 weeks...and return the rest...let's be honest, that's why any honest dealer will give you 30 days to try any gear...

in summary, shit gear like this is why the guitar has lost its edge in rock and roll...an emphasis on quantity over quality is what mass-market companies like digitech is all about...don't believe the hype, the ads, or the reviews by people who are in reality paid to promote this crap...take your time, look around, spend your hard-earned cash wisely and buy quality gear that allows you to find your own sound!!

I have found it quite easy to use. I don't use all of the different effects, but have found the ones I really like to be very easy, especially using the midi interface. Patch edits are routine with the GNX2. Didn't even need the manual at all.
I am going to upgrade to 1.1 tonight, but even 1.0 works well for me.

This is where I disagree with the two who low rated this box. I can not believe they actually have GNX2's and rated them so low. I have had a Roland GT5 along with others, and the GNX2is by far the easiest to use and best sounding box I have ever owned.
The effects are real. They are not overprocessed sound that sounds canned like my Roland did. Everything is totally tweakable.
The amp models are also very close and the variety is awesome.
I play either a highly modified Telecaster, (57 PAF Plus at the neck and splittable Dimarzio Chopper T on the bridge), or a Strat through it. The variety of sounds and flavors is totally without number and the quality of each is superb.
Believe it or not I play guitar into the GNX2, then into either the main mixer or into a 1938 Wabash amplifier that has low gain input amps and then push pull 6V6's on the output with a tube rectifier. This combination is the finest setup I have ever used.
I had a Vox Valvetronix, and someday will have another I believe. But I must say here that the GNX2 and the old 38 Wabash with the 12 inch Field Coil speaker and all intact is by far the most incredible guitar rig I have ever used.

I think I could probably use this thing to block my Ram Truck wheels if I needed to and then play a concert with it. It is one well built piece of gear.

Haven't needed anything but upgrades and things found on the Digitech website. It was all there.

I will keep this box as a permanent member of my gear. I can play it using any guitar through any amp and it sounds incredible at anything I try to make it do. Though I do like my Tele mod and the Wabash amp most for my own sounds, it is versatile enough to do anything.
If lost or stolen I would get another right away. There is no doubt. I tried a ToneWorks and some others first, but this is my unit and it and I do well.
Again, I don't know what the low raters were talking about. I think they must have been jealous V Amp users who never even heard a GNX2.
Try it for yourself. You WILL take it home.

I don't know what the last reviewer was talking about, if you can work a VCR, DVD player or home stereo this thing is straight forward.
Anyway just some tweaks or download a patch and your in business.
The manual is consice and gives a good foundation for building your sounds. I have the latest firmware 1.1 and is easily upgraded via midi (don't have to send it away for 2 weeks!).

I have to write this review as I feel a couple of reviews before this one are outlandishly inaccurate. It isn't the Digitech hype that matters, all manufacturers can spin your head with verbage, try the user forum and hear what people have to say!!!!
People shouldn't expect the factory presets to be their savior, otherwise the already $1000's of dollars spent should have saved them from the continued search for 'sound'. As players and listeners we are always tweaking our 'sound' so tweak you'll get something you'll like and maybe spark a new riff or idea.

I am using an Ibanez JEM, mostly, a Bryston 2B power amp into a pair of older soundcity 15" reflex cabs with horns, as well I like going direct with the spdif (digital) output into my computer for recording. But you can plug this thing into any setup and get a great sound if you've a clue.

This thing can capture pretty much anyone's sound and setup...Vai, Satriani, Gilmore, Petruzzi, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Hendrix, etc and if you're looking for a sound, or are too lazy (or a neuron short of a synapse) then you can download patches, that other users spent the time to create, of your favorite artist and/or musical genre. Hey, even easier than working that remote for your cable TV box!!!

The distortion this unit produces is excellent: either an overdriven Marshall JCM, using one of the many 'tweaked' amp models or a Boss DS-1 using one of the 'tweaked' stompbox models. Just about anything is possible! You can go from almost inaudible farty fuzz to the most saturated infinite sustained distortions. The other effects are 24Bit CD quality using 24Bit AD/DA converters and are rich, lush and real. Again, you need a couple of neurons, and some hearing left to appreciate the complete sound palette that the GNX2 produces. Hey, even your amp and stomp box(es) needs tweaking to get "your sound", well, I can pretty much get your sound and everyone else's out of one 6lb. box!!!!

This thing is built like a tank. I would and do use the unit without backup.

I have dealt with Digitech over the years and have found them to be extremely helpful with information, product upgrading, and repair. I had sent a smoked GSP21 Pro to them, after it had dropped from about 6 feet to the cement, and I got the thing back in 2 1/2 weeks working great and a friend is still using it!
They've sent me upgrades, software CD's and various other request items generally at no charge. Of course some things you pay for but that's only to be expected.

I play a wide range of styles: blues, jazz, fusion, funk, classic rock, neo-classical, heavy metal and have been playing for 28 years. I also have a '79 Les Paul Custom, Ibanez RG770, '67 Yamaha Acoustic and a Rocktron Chameleon.
I would definitely buy another one if stolen or lost.

What I love about this unit is it's ability to capture a sound and how well the pedal board is laid out. I can turn on/off effects or control them with the built-in expression pedal.
The only mild peeve is that there is a few milliseconds delay between switching patches which can be timed quite easily and/or you can go into fx-mode.

Compared to the Boss GT-6 which also sounds good, the GNX2 was easier to get started with and has a ton of support. At last glance there were 300+ patches available, user's forum and just generally lots more support. Support from the manufacturer and the user community ranks very high with me and was the deciding factor in choosing the Digitech.

The GNX2 plugs right into the PC and allows me to digitally record the guitar with ease. The sound is incredible and with some background tracks and vocals I can put it all on a CD for less than a $1 and people think I paid $18.95 and might say "wow whose this band", "I think my friend just bought this CD recently"....That's enough to tell me that I made the right choice and the GNX2 doesn't just sound good only to me.

Just purchased this thing because of all the hype. Definately not on my list of easier processors to use. Players of the game "SIMON" should be right at home here though. If you are quick enough to remember what parameter each flashing light controls, you are on your way. Editing patches is quite cumbersome, compared to other units. Manual is just a manual. As for upgrading, the only way they can upgrade this unit is to melt it down and start over.

I am a tried and true country/ country rock player. I play tele's and strats through my Fender Super 4x10. To date, all I use is a Dyna-Comp compressor, an ORIGINAL TS-9, and a Boss ME-6 pedal board for slight delay and chorusing features only. I often carry additional stomp boxes and 2 other amps, a Mesa and a Marshall combo depending on the room and venue. I wanted something I could plug in, dial in, and have all at my disposal that I would normally carry. I'm not sorry....this thing sounds like total shit. It is a rookie box....obviously made by people who know absolutely nothing about what a real guitar should sound like and made for people who have no idea of what a guitar should sound like. It's honky...(can't disable the eq), noisy ( what the hell is all that hissing noise? ) and sounds no better in general than someone swinging a cat aroud by it's tail. My old, plastic Boss ME-6 blows this thing to pieces as far as distortions and effects, if I ever needed them. I would not even attempt to insult my favorite artists by trying to clone them with this train-wrecked transistor box. Everything sucks from A to Z on this box, which was apparently created for rich daddy to give to his rich kid with the bamboo guitar he got for Christmas. The only stage use for this box I could come up with was to use it as a sort of wedge to tilt my amp back a little..it works GREAT for that. OK- lets get serious, guitar players..you KNOW if you want the real sound you need the REAL deal..not some wired piece of crap, and yes, curiosity got the best of this old school, guitar/amp type dude...I should know this. And I think you do as well. Save your money..DON"T buy it!

I can actually say that this thing will last forever....mainly because I will never use it. Again, all I use this thing for is to tilt back my amp a little so any available 2x4 should do the job in a pinch..no back-up required

Just seeing what they have tried to pass off as a serious effects unit demonstrates to me that they, in fact, have very little knowledge of what guitar players are looking for. Perhaps they should contact us instead. We will help you, Digitech...all you have to do is ask.

Overall, simply a waste of money. Box it comes in is pretty cool though ( lots of colors n' stuff ). Really, though, as guitarists we all know our unique tone or that which we are seeking and tend to mark that as a reference point for all comparisons. Real guitar players know that the only true tone comes from your hands, and can only be dressed with effects. For me, there is nothing in this world that some electronic company can create that will replicate hands, feel, and that balls to the wall sound of a guitar plugged straight into a tube amp. I purchased my GN-X 2 through mail order, based upon what I had read and seen, and my curiosity. My mistake..if you can't find what you want, plug it in and scream in 5 minutes, just forget it. Bottom line: this thing is an expensive joke someone at Digitech created and they are now all laughing at us. Ha Ha

I've had experience with multi fx units so it wasn't too bad. Someone new to multi fx pedals would have to break out the manual.

I have a vox valvetronix 60 watt amp and play a Jackson Dinky (with a sustainiac which is killer) and an Ibanez 7 string (the magenta crush one). I have various fx.
I don't normally take the time to write reviews for products, but I felt compelled, especially with the media hype and Guitar Player's rave review. I couldn't even get to the fx because the distortions completely sucked. I've been playing for 25 years, teach part-time, write my originals and am a bitch about my distortion. Warp modeling my ass. The distortions sounded like one bad fuzz box (not in a "good" way) with little eq variations passing for different models. The warp idea is great, but what's the point if the basics sounds are crap?

I can't comment on this unit, but I gave my RP 14D to a bandate a couple of years. He told me it recently fried, started smoking..... Too bad, as the RP 14D actually had some great distortion sounds!

Don't know.

I play everything from metal to jazz, not great necesarily! My favorite type of music is 70's progressive rock. I wouldn't use this box for a fart sample!!!

(Sorry if I don't follow the review format to the letter, and for the probable length of this review, hopefully someone in the same or similar boat will be helped by my observations/research and/or be able to steer me in a useful direction fx-wise, which will become apparent as you read on...thanks, m.)

For reference, my normal rig with variations as follows....

Instruments....
50's Tele w/lindy Fralin Pickups
'57 Les Paul Jr.
'75 Strat
40's Richenbacher Lap Steel (yes , that was the original spelling, the "k" came later)
Collings acoustic w/Fishman Blender System
Weissenborn acoustic w/Fishman Rare Earth Soundhole Pickup
(I give the F.O.H. the blend, and the acoustic pickups go through the board/amps as well for stage monitoring and FX)

Pedal Board....

Boss CS-3 Compressor>Frantone HepCat>Fulltone Fulldrive2>Ernie Ball Volume Pedal (and tuner-out to Boss tuner)>Ibanez DML 20>Boss DDL5>Boss VB2>Boss PN2, all powered by Voodoo Lab Pedal Power (110 or 220 versions depending on country)

Amps....

2 amps, both running at the same time all the time (quasi stereo?), a combination of the following depending on venue/artist..

'66 Vibrolux Reverb
'66 Deluxe Reverb
'59 Bassman Reissue
'59 tweed Harvard
'60 tweed Princeton

...all maintained well and biased/tubed/setup for the most CLEAN volume before breakup.

I purchased the GNX2 after research that was NOT helped by any salesman anywhere (this site beats them hands down for feedback and knowledge of gear). I did talk to a guy at tech support at Digitech, and he was super-knowledgeable about the unit, though his answers may have been a little (or VERY) misleading in response to my very specific questions. I was trying to find a way to achieve at least a semblance of the possibilities afforded by my pedal board, especially when touring overseas and in situations where dragging a lot of gear around on trains and public conveyances would suck (the pedal board, though compact, seems to feel more and more like dragging a small automobile around, and the SKB keyboard-style case I fly it in doesn't make for fun train hopping in Italy or elsewhere). After a traumatic stubborn run with a Yamaha FX-500 and pedal controller about 11-12 years ago, I decided to lay off the multi Fx for a while till they got their shit together tone and usefulness-wise. It seemed like the GNX2 was looking pretty close to this, and my back was screaming at me with 3 weeks of UK train and plane riding looming. Plus, I figured if it sounded good it would be useful in all kinds of other situations from practicing to recording. Anyway, 1 double guit case and the fx in my luggage sounded nice and light. My review is in regards to above, to which I again apologize for the length.

EASE OF USE.

The first look at it seemed daunting, but a full read through the manual and a focused programming/listening session of about 3 hours easily revealed all the strengths (and weaknesses) of the unit. If the sound(s) of the unit and what it can accomplish are what you are looking for then getting the most out of it shouldn't be too hard if you give it a serious go. There are/were some programming possibilities I was lead to believe it could accomplish, which it can't, and there was nowhere in the manual that they were addressed in any way (if even to say or insinuate "nope, you can't do that")

The manual also indicated that you couldn't start programming from a "blank" sound, but as this is the only way to avoid the annoyance and tastelessness of the preprogrammed sounds they should have at least included a little section on how to create the closest thing TO a blank sound, which can be done easily after a disgusting trip through their idea of what one could call "sounds", bombastic, hyped-up crap that screams run as fast as you can to any guitar player of any style that has 1/4 of an ear for music or tone.

Editing patches is pretty easy, though the "knobs"

Sound Quality

* What setup (i.e. what guitars and amps) are you using this with?

As noted above (sorry again for the length!!)

* Is it noisy? On what settings?

There is a pronounced hiss at the lowest noise floor (i.e. no amp models or fx going, and the output knob turned up to roughly match the output of the guitar)This can be lowered a little by making the patches "louder" (perhaps why they hiked up the factory sounds?) but there is always some noise going. Not as much as if you always had an overdrive pedal going, but WAY more than just a guitar turned up full sitting there with an amp on.

* Are the effects weak or do they always sound great?

The effects sound pretty damn good. I was trying to re create some of the above on my pedal board, but was eager to find new ones as well. Once I started messing with the effects I started to get psyched about it, became hopeful, and was into it. (i'm not talking about the amp models here).

* What amp are you using it with?

(see above)

* Can you get the sound of your favorite artists? Who are they?

Umm, there a lot...jimi hendrix, jimmy page, roy buchanan, danny gatton, jimmy bryant, chet atkins, les paul, bill frisell, angus and neil young, richard thompson, vini reilly, buddy miller, jeff beck, tony rice, david rawlings, scotty moore, frank zappa...about 10 million others of all ilk's.

* Are certain effects (distortion, chorus, ...) very good? Very bad?

In the factory sounds, you don't really get an idea of what each effect sounds like individually cause they are all hyped out with EQ and other programming SPLENDOUR, but in fact a lot of the effects did sound real good all by themselves, the distortions, while surely not exactly like the "stompboxes" they were modeling didn't include vast amounts of bad grating digital-ness, and some of them were real nice...with some tweaking i was able to create a few boxes that ranged from ovedrdrive/lead boost to full on neil-like feedbackish grunge that all sounded real good through my amps. It seemed like there was at all times, tho, this kind of high end spikiness that occurred on really loud percussive hits or jabs that you could sort of tailor out with compression or eq, but was disturbing as a global occurrence i have no idea what causes this. I believe I have everything set as it is supposed to be. The trem was nice, as was the vibrato, the leslie was kind of cold but with tweaking became righteous. I despise chorus, but fir what it is it did the job. The pitch shifter didn't track too good, but it was a blast to mess around with, as was the whammy pedal function. after hearing all the possibilities and experiencing the tweakability towards usefulness I figured I was on my way to digging it.

If I decide to keep it I'll let you know, sorry for reviewing before road testing, i know that's a major part of the equation.

(I'm saying sorry more than a canadian!)

The customer support guy was eay to get to and endured a lot of specific questions, like any good rep though he tailored his answers to my percieved need, and in doing so left me with a couple misconceptions and 1 or 2 out and out NON-truths about the unit's abilities, which lead to me buying it ...where had I known the real story I wouldn't have bought it. Man, it's hard to get a straight answer about thses kind of units, they are so feature packed and deep in the programming realm, yet they still haven't acheived a level of real, professional and toneful usefulnness. And some kind of dubious acheivment award goes to anyone who can handle the environment of a Guitar Center-like mega store long enough to get a real feel for one of these units. I imagine that using up to date methods of courtesy and diligent follow up you could probably get good service on this from the manufacturer.

The main reason(s) I probably won't use/keep this unit are as follows...

One thing I was assured of by the Digitech tech and the salesman, that didn't seem to be refuted or shown to be otherwise in any of the literature or the manual I downloaded on line, or by examination of the unit before buying was the following.....

The fx on - off pedals 1-4, which can be programmed to turn effects on and off are NOT "fully" programmable. One is dedicated to turning off and on the "stompbox" model (distortion boxes), one for modulations and one for delays. The compressor, eq, and reverbs can't be toggled on and off at all, except by going to another preset (more on this in a bit). Further, only ONE each of the Stompbox, Modulation and Delay effects can be used per preset. Perhaps I was blinded by my personal needs or way of "seeing" a multiple effects unit in this regard....i.e. I OFTEN find the need for more than one distortion box, I OFTEN use more than one modulation effect and OFTEN even indulge in multiple delays!!! At the very least I figured the freedom to set this up (hopefully in a user defined order) would be an elemental aspect of this or any other "evolved" multi effects unit. I guess I was naive or just plain wrong. This pretty much sunk it for me, at least as anything but a toy that acts like a pedalboard. A preset can only consist of one each of the Stompbox Models, Modulation effects and Delay Effects. These are controlled by the pedals dedicated to them in FX Mode, pedals 1, 3 and 4 respectively. Pedal #2 is dedicated to changing the Amp Models.
Problem number two, which I gather is a hot topic, pro and con, in the digital multi-effects discussion(s) is the TIME DELAY you experience when changing between certain settings on the unit. I haven't measured it in milliseconds, but the length of the delay when changing from one preset to another, one amp model to another or one bank to another (as well as a couple other switching options) introduces a SIGNIFICANT delay that no musician would ever put up with. (for those who claim it isn't that significant, I would ask them if how they would feel about their guitar if every time they changed a pickup or adjusted the volume control they experienced a delay of the sort created by the GNX2, they'd throw it away!!!) In FX mode, when toggling off and on the effects via pedals 1,3 and 4, there is NO delay, and that's good, but the limitations of programming/setup in this dept. I discussed above. I will say the tech was up front about this particular time delay aspect of the unit (he didn't see it as a "problem" though)
Problem # 3 is a Time Delay problem even more worrisome and significant. When the amp models are engaged (sorry I don't have more on them, I was stymied before I even got to them) and I guess the processor (which they brag about in the ads/literature) is working at full capacity there is a time delay problem between when you pluck the string and the sound is produced. OUCH!!! I piled on a shitload of effects to one program, trying to use what seemed the most processor intensive effects all at once, and it DEFINITELY got worse!! The time delay between sounding the note and the sound produced from the unit was longer than the time that it cuts out to change a preset!!! To anyone who is willing to deal with this shit, GOD LOVE YOU.

I am disappointed with this unit, but I suppose were I to investigate the current crop of Digital Multi Effect Floor Units With Programmable Expression Pedals and Stompbox Modeling I would just end up depressed and disappointed anyway. I guess the price point of really super high powered kick ass digital processing (maybe a la the pricier pro tools or other recording rig's processors) hasn't come down enough to have it make sense in one of these kind of units, which if it COULD perform professionally would probably still not appeal to the curmudgeonly Luddites who pray at the altar of ana

Although digital modeling (or imitation...) will never equate the real stuff for obvious reasons, with the right amount of time and patience it is really possible to achieve outstanding sounds out of this thing for less than 400 quid. Editing the GNX2 patches is very straight forward and anyone should be able do it honestly! However, there is a very big difference between tweeking some knobs and actually creating a good sound, the former even a monkey can do it, but for the latter patience, good ear training and a good "feel" of what you want to achieve is basic.
The manual is just an introduction to the effects and to the layout of the unit, but as I have mentioned before, you cannot expect digitech or anyone else to tech you how to get good quality sounds out of it, it is up to you.
I haven't upgraded this thing, so I am still running under 1.0.

I've got an Ibanez 470 s-series with dimarzio's fred and paf-pro, but I respected the original single coil =). It may be noisy, but it depends on how are you playing with the patch settings, but I can tell you that if this thing is doing some noise it is either your fault (because you do not know how to porgramme it) or you need to change your cables.
For less than 400 pounds the effects are brilliant! yet again, you need to have patience. The problem with this unit is that it is being sold as if it was a beginner's gear, but it is not; it is the replacement for the RP-21!!! that thing isn't easy to use!!
I can get my sounds, and I can get close to the ones from my favorite artists, but never equal 'cause I do not use the same guitar as they do, nor I've got 3000 or more in equipment!!!

Yes, it is a very reliable unit. I used to own both a RP-21D and a RP-14D before this one and they had serious overheating problems due to the valves, so if you were on a gig with 1000 watt stage lights you should make sure that you had a fan aimed to the unit!!!
I will use it as it is, without any backup.

I've never dealt with them cause I have never had to. Good thing ain't it?

I play a little of everything except POP and Nu metal yaaak!!! For the rest, I can tell you that it is even possible to detune your guitar half step, full steps or even to B or A in order to emulate a 7 string using the whammy. And since I am not going to buy tones of guitars, this thing does the trick decently enough though!
I have been playing for almost 20 years now, and definetly for an amateur/semi-pro guitar player this thing is more than enough. The wah with time can really be a cry. I have compared it to almost everything and although some units like the GT-6 may sound more impresive at first glance, after a while they run out of ammo, a problem that the GNX2 has at a lesser extent.
Absolutely brilliant!!!! But please, do not expect that a 400 quid unit will deliver the same quality that a 4000 thousand rack does!!! And be patient. It will pay.

This was the first multi effects box I tried, and I could navigate around the built in effects within seconds. Modifying them is another story though, it took me hours to get through all of the built in effects, overwhelming was how I felt by the time I got modifying the effects myself. the manual is pretty straight forward though, so perserverance is the best thing here

Setup - Vigier Excalibur, direct into headphones.
Noisy - on some settings yes. Mostly the distortion sounds were a bit noisy, but otherwise quiet. The built in sounds do start to sound similar after a while, but some of the extreme example settings show you just how versatile it can be. Having said that, there weren't too many straight out of the box that made me think "Oh, thats the sound xyz used whenhe played abc".

Built like a brick. I was surprised at how heavy it was when it arrived.

Not yet. Web site is pretty empty though. Anyone know where I can get a supplier of MIDI - mini MIDI cables? or an adapter?

I like traditional blues, classic/hard rock. On the surface it sounds like it could do it, but I will need to dig around before I can honestly say if it can give me the sounds I like.

I find this unit easy to use and to modify patches.
The manual is like all technical manuals: it covers the basics but doesn't answer all my questions. That's what forums are for. :-)
My firmware revision is 1.1.

There are some items that can only be changed through GenEdit. I don't mind this too much except for the bass eq midpoint setting. I'd like to be able to set it without GenEdit. But I guess DigiTech ran out of knobs.

I have two guitars I use with this: a 1991 American Fender Deluxe Plus Strat, and a 1982 Gibson ES-347. Both guitars sound great on this unit. At home, I plug guitar to GNX-2 and the output of the GNX-2 into a small Fender 1270p monitor with one 10" speaker. Out live I use a direct box from the GNX-2 into our PA system, and a 1/4" out from the direct box back to my 1270p for private monitor. When I want to do live with just an amp, I run the GNX-2 into the effects return (power-amp in) of my Fender Deluxe 85. Normally the Deluxe 85 is an OK amp, but the GNX-2 makes it a cool amp. :-)

I can very easily get some 1970's Eric Clapton strat sounds with this box, although I don't strive to sound like my favorite artists. I usually just play with the sound until I get something my ear likes, which may happen to be similar to a favorite artist. Jazz tone is a little tougher, but fusion is not much of a problem.

The effects are top-notch, although the flanger and phaser seem to fluctuate the volume intensity. My higher-end GSP-2101 doesn't have that problem.

I own a DigiTech GSP-2101 which I really like. It has two real 12AX7WA tubes. I tried a J-Station and a Korg AX1000G. This GNX-2 kicks both of them around the block several times. The tone on the GNX-2 is very impressive. I can't quite get the phat tube tone that my GSP-2101 has, but the tone is very respectable and useable. I could not say that about the J-Station, which is after all a cheaper unit but has very impressive amp modelling. The flexibility of the GNX-2 (or Genesis 3) are really what makes it such a winner.

I haven't had it long enough to judge reliability. I always get a little nervous about a piece of gear that I have to stomp on. :-) The unit appears to be very solidly built. You could use it to hold down a large yacht at sea. The display cover is a bit flimsy. The footswitches are plastic, but seem robust enough. The expression pedal also seems solid.

I can't say enough good stuff about DigiTech support. They always get back to me and have generally been very competent and have helped me in many situations.

I've been playing for over 20 years. I find this unit very imspiring to play. I play every sort of music style and this supports just about every one of them. I would replace it quickly with the same unit. I also own a GSP-2101. The GNX-2 is going to start cutting in on some of its business. :-) As I mentioned above, the GNX-2 has better tone and more flexibility that other amp modelling products I've tried.