DigiTech GNX4

This is what I had (and why I returned it or sold it on ebay)
I've had a mix of pedals
(loss of tone, too many cables) $400,

then I had the Johnson J-Station
(great sounds but not easily gigable) $150

then I bought the Boss GT-6
(great but no Mac editor)$375

then I bought the Digitech RPX400 $250
(but the promised Mac Editor never materialized),

then I bought the Korg AX10G $180
(glad it was battery powered but I couldn't save patches outside of unit and the sounds were just ok),

then I bought the Magicstomp $200
(great size and sound but again no Mac OSX editor and no expression pedal)

I finally bought this $600 Digitech GNX4 and since I'm used to programming and I had the RP400 I knew the GNX4 was related. It is fairly easy to use when programming guitar sounds but I haven't quite figured out the 8 Track recorder, the MIDI drum machine, and the MP3 Player. Other wise it seems easy and very extensive. But what puts this one WAY over the top of all the other pedal boards above is the editor.
1. You connect this via USB to your computer,
2. turn on the editing program and let it recognize your GNX4
3. edit the patch while you have your guitar on your lap,
4. save it on your pedalboard AND/OR your Compact Flash Card AND/OR your computer SWEET!!!!!!!!

Sound isn't great but if you're willing to put in the time it can really do some amazing things. I'm using Brian Moore guitars (Electric/acoustic/MIDI) running into a Fender Blues Junior or my computer OR my Fender Powered PA speaker. I haven't quite figured out how to use the speaker comp button yet but so far it seems like any patch may need to have 2 separate settings. 1. for a tube amp and 2. for your computer recording. It is really only a matter of EQ. Other than that I have been able to make some fairly amazing patches. Obviously, you can't compare this to a tube amp with spring reverb but it would take thousands of pedals to get all of the sounds you get out of this board and when it comes down to it all I want is versatility over carzy audiophile so-called perfection.

Seems tough we'll see

They are cool and they are in the US. I rarely was able to reach Yamaha or Boss.

I love this thing, but I'm never completely happy so here is what I like/don't like:

LIKE:
Sounds
Recorder
extra inputs (1/4 mono, XLR mono w/ Phantom Power, 14/ Stereo Line inputs)
Separate outputs: Guitar, PA or together
Compact Flash Card
BEST OF ALL is the XEDIT Editor I can save all of my settings and it is instantaneous.

DISLIKE:
Size
Weight
Cost

The positives outweigh the negatives and you get what you pay for. A decent pedalboard with a recorder/player and tons of inputs. I would buy another one if I could afford it.

I previously owned the GNX3 (still have it,actually) so I kinda knew whaere to go any way. But the manual is easy enough to follow, just have to be patient. The main reason I bought this was for the updated drums and the new mp3 player. More on that in the overall section.

There's enough here for anyone to find a lot of good sounds. I own the POD and PODxt, a Korg Pandora, a Fender cyber Twin, a Line 6 Flextone 2, and a Vox Valvetronix (which is a great amp). All of these are modelling amps or effects and all have different qualities, but the GNX4 ranks right up there with the best modeling sounds (except for maby the Vox.. but that is an amp). I also own some tube amps, Marshall's etc and I try not to get caught up in the tube vs digital debate. I want good tone and ease of use. I'm rambling, sorry. Back to the GNX4; I run it through some inexpensive StudioPhile monitors off my desk and it sounds really good. It is also suprisingly loud as well.

No probs yet, only had it a month, but it seems built well.

Haven't had to use them.

Now this is where the good stuff comes in. Over the last few years I have bought a tremendous amount of gear. Besides the 5 amps and 5 different moodelling pedals, assorted other pedals, and the 25 guitars I own ( I have VERRRRRY BAD GAS), I have bought several play along backing track books (as well as others). I have probably 150 differrent backing track CD's of assorted quality. Prior to this I would pop a cd in the stereo and play along. It was okay but a little akward. the main reason I bought the GNX4 was the ability to download those backing tracks (as mp3's) from my lap top to the GNX4 on a compact flash card. Doing this was a breeze and since I got the hang of it, I've been able to play along w/ a virtual band, all coming through my monitors. I can adjust the levels and can plug in a mic as well, although I'm a terrible singer lol. But the GNX4 has a talk box sim in it, so now I can play all of Rocky Mountain Way.... very cool. It also came with Pro Tools and some other recording software, so I can't wait to start making my own mp3's. I've been on this thing for 2 full days now and realize that a majority of my other gear is now obsolete (watch my fire sale on e-bay). Any one man band can make great use of this, at a far more inexpensive cost than other gear. Amateurs like my self will find this invaluable as a practice and learning tool. Untill I got the GMX4 I was starting to find myself stuck in a rut as far as my playing went. I use to rent out a studio practice place with some other guys with the thought of playing "live" 2-3 times a week. That soon became once a month, and half the time, the guys wanted to get drunk or high and not play ( not that there's anything wrong with that). Now with the GNX4, I don't need to pay the $150 per month for the studio, cause I can do it all at home.

This is a fairly complicated unit to use but I found myself doing most of the thing s I wanted to do without any help form the manual. It's got a killer manual and it's very well thought out.

Fantastic sound quality. Before this I had been using a Roland (BOSS) GT-5 and I rate it right up there with the GT-5. The major difference is that this unit will do so much more. You can warp sounds and use the expression pedal to go from one amp to another. In the GT-5 you could assign the expression pedal to go from clean to distorted, etc. but with the GNX4 you can go to a completely different amp model, tone, etc. It's awesome!! The 8 track section is very versatile. Best looper out there because you can loop on 8 tracks. Get the GNXFC if you really want to be hands free. Just a top notch unit that is way ahead of anything else out there for a guitarist who want to have an arsenal of sound at hand. Distortions are best out there. Clean patches can be built to sound like pristine tube sound. Couldn't be happier with this unit.

Don't know yet but it's made out of metal so I would guess it's pretty tough.

Never dealt with them.

I play a variety of styles and I've been playing for about 35 years. This is the best effects pedal I've run across, period. Worth every penny.

I'm going to give this 9, cos it is really easy to use for what it does. What i mean is that this thing has so many features that it might have been a nightmare for even experienced players, let alone beginners, BUT digitech designed it to be simple yet powerful IF YOU UNDERSTAND MORE THAN JUST TWIDDLING KNOBS ON STOMPBOXES! Im not going to give 10 because i dont think everbody will find it easy - particularly if you havent used multi FX before. DO NOT buy this unit if you hav NO experience of multi fx or computers. You will hate it. If you are a technophobe - you will hate it. If you want to just twiddle knobs - you will hate it. But if you want a workstation that it can effectively relegate ALL your pedals/amp/recorders...hell even other band members, to the wastebin, then get this. You won't look back.

The things that i would give 10 for are the things that usually i'm shaky with. Like most people can use a multi fx unit and program etc, by now, but i just cant get along with the recording side of things. This thing is so easy, yet so powerful, it's a joke. I have an add on controller for drum playback when in preset mode and this is great too.

Forget about the basic amp sim/fx side of this unit. That's not what you bought it for....right! If you bought it just as another FX unit you will be dissapointed because it is no better that any other at this (ie amp sims/FX), but you bought it for the Recorder/MP3 playback/Computer recording side/Midi Drum machine/JamMAn system....yes? Consider if you need these or not, cos if you don't, you dont need this unit. Get a ME50 or something.

Sound quality is bob on. It's not fantastic and it doesent replicate 100% everything it tries to, but it does so with style in all counts. It will not replace the real thing, but it doesent need to. To get all the sounds this thing can offer would take a warehouse for storage, WITHOUT all the extra features.

I really didn't think i would like this at all. I wanted to simplify my gear and sold a bunch a pedals to get this for live use. But i also wanted a JAM/Loop function for live use and a decent drum machine and to be able to get my ideas down easily. I originally was using a ME50 for FX only, my Marshall DSL Valve amp for all tone Distortion/ RC20 for loops/ RT 323 for Drums/ Whammy/ Wah/ Compressor/ Tuner/ Assorted other bits.....aargh cables everywhere and i STILL couldnt record on the fly. The sound was good through this rig, but it cost probably #2000 or so. It needed simplifying.

I switched to the GNX4 and well its pretty amazing. It can do the same as i had before but much easier.

From what i heard the GNX3 was lame on the drums. This seems pretty good. The great thing here is that you can import MP3 files (i use licklibrary MP3 backing tracks from Total accuracy) and you can map these into your CompactFlash card and you don't need a band anymore. Amazing. Or you can record a live backing session at a band practice through the mixer/mic input, save it to MP3 on your CF card and practice at home for the next gig. That is just amazing!!What.

I could go on for ever about the possibilities of this thing. I recommend you check it out for yourself. You won't need another unit like ever as far as i can see.

Its hard metal so i can see it lasting the test of time.

Its not gonna like water/lager/P**S at a gig though so beware.
.
Too early to really say.

Website seems good. Not needed otherwise.

Look, this is an early days review cos there is only one other at the moment. I have only had this thing a week, but it has opened my eyes and my creativity already. Its gonna take weeks to learn all the options, but i can see this is gonna be a hit.

I really thought i was going to hate this and regret it. I have had MANY FX units and in truth never really liked any of them. I STILL don't 100% like the sound of this in regards digital distortion, but you and i must remember that it is IMPOSSIBLE to 100% replicate the dynamics of playing loud through a valve amp. You just cant and you never will. So just ignore the snobbery and play. Buy a really good amp like my DSL marshall all valve and it will warm up the sound a bit through the valve power stage. You really will hardly notice the difference. Its there but its USABLE and this is what matters.

As regards the unit as a whole, well its stellar. It does all that it says and it does it with style.

There is NOTHING out there that i know of that can replicate this in one all in unit. Nothing!!!! How that bank balance at Utah must be ringing. Good luck to Digitech, they deserve it.

As a multi-effect/modelling stomp box the GNX4 is fairly straight forward - plug your guitar in, run an output to your amp or other medium, choose a patch and play. They have done away with the 'target system' utility found on the GNX2/3 and opted for a much easier-to-use 'speaker compensation on/off switch located next to the outputs. Mono or stereo output is an option as well.
Editing patches is done via a grid system located on the face of the GNX4 and is basically the same process as was found on the GNX3 although the new layout is an improvement with its isolated amp/tone/ effects sections. This is a relatively small and easy learning curve and works well.
The manual is very thorough but as it has to cover a lot (the GNX4 offers a lot, perhaps more than most people would use) it can be hard to absorb in one sitting. I would recommend it as bed time reading just to discover a part of the machine you could invest time in the next day.
The Pro Tracks Plus manual is also included in the package and it does a fair job of explaining a sometimes daunting program in its 60 pages. Mac users get a copy of Bias DECK SE but (as usual) little support - you'll have to make do with the online help.
Interfacing the GNX4 with a PC running XPHome and a MAC running OSX 10.3.4 was no problem - read the manual, take your time and all will be cool. The GNX4 shipped with firmware version 1.1 and, so far, seems to be bug free.

I've run the GNX4 into the effects return of a Marshall Valvestate combo, a Laney VC 50 combo and directly to the computer. Guitars used vary between a US Standard Tele, an ESP Eclipse II (do yourself a favour and play one, they're ace) and an Ovation Custom Legend. I'm an old pro and can play most styles - thrash, jazz, country, death, punk, pop, etc, yawn, yawn. All configurations give good results.I haven't taken it out to gig world yet but I've used a GNX3 in a live situation extensively and I would expect the GNX4 to give just as satisfactory results. The FOH guy appreciates the direct connectability as well.
Excessive noise is easily controlled with the inbuilt noise gates and you'll probably need to employ them if you're running direct to the front end of, say, an old Marshall.
Effects wise the GNX4 is laden. We're not just looking at a GNX3 upgrade here, rather it is a hybrid of the GNX3, BNX3 (bass version) and recent RPx400. It has 48v Phantom power facility as well so it can be used for everything - bass, guitar, vocal, keys, you name it.
It took me about half an hour tops to install the editing software, XEdit 1.1, into a MAC and a PC and I haven't stopped having a ball and perhaps more importantly, creating with it, since. I have to say that the marriage of technologies - sequencer and modelling - is a godsend and nothing short of inspirational. DigiTech's packaging and web site makes a point of the Lexicon Pantheon plug-in inclusion and it was not until trying it that I realised just how great sounding this plug-in is. You won't be dissapointed. The GNX4's dedicated amp models and effects are typical DigiTech quality, very high. This is why I have chosen DigiTech in the first place since their DSP128 - they always sound great. The amps and effects on offer don't differ greatly from the GNX/BNX3 but there is noticeable improvement in the pitch-shifting department. For instance, dialing in a -12 semitone pitch shifter renders a very convincing octaver where previously it lacked a little due to the slow tracking. This is a welcome improvement.
How good are the amp sounds? Pretty damn convincing. In fact, and I had a chuckle at this, Patch 59 features the best factory EVH (circa VH1/2) emulation I have ever heard. The GNX3 version sucked but I reckon even Eddie would get a kick out of this one. You can store 80 presets on board and as usual there is the same amount of factory presets from which to build your own.
A mention needs to be made about the on board recorder. Unlike the GNX3 there is no built in memory. This may be due to the focus on the USB-Audio capability of the machine but if you want to use the use the machine's own 8-track recorder you'll have to fork out for a CF Card or go without. Cards are currently available in 32Mb to 2Gb configs and prices will vary from region to region. About a buck a meg is a good ballpark figure so a 2Gb card might cost you as much as a laptop and for my money a laptop equipped with XP and a decent hard-drive would be the preferable option. Each to their own I guess.

Can you depend on it? Can you depend on any computer? To a large extent, yes. Just treat it nicely. The chassis is solid, the buttons are made for jumping on and the connections seem to be of the no compromise, built for rock and roll variety. Like any pedal though, it probably won't appreciate to much beer, sun, or excessive voltage. I'm giving the big fingers-crossed 9 for this one.

Due to having used DigiTech's products extensively for nearly 20 years I have had cause to deal with them on several occasions and all have resulted in a quick answer, repair or friendly advice. I am now employed by them from time to time to demonstrate their products but I wouldn't do it if the products were crap. They're not (mostly!) and I'd be happy to show this one off.

As I've mentioned before I play most styles, quite often and have done so for over 2o years. I own a ton of gear but I favour things that are easy to use, sound good, are inspirational and won't break down or give you grief on stage. Price isn't always important but must fall into the 'reasonable' catagory.
Several things separate the GNX4 from everything else - great sound, the connectivity, web and manufacturer support, price and construction. I have tried Roland, Zoom and several high end rack products but the GNX4 delivers bang for buck in many areas most other brands don't even approach. I like it. A lot.