Lexicon MPX G2

Learning curves are of all different shapes, and this one is a sharp, steep angle. I have to say in all honesty that once you get over the top of the curve, you not only feel great, but you think, hey, this is how it should be. It's tough to explain, but if you've owned lots of digital musical gear like me, they all follow a certain type of logic, which is usually wholly illogical. Programming the G2 is logical, which is why its almost impossible at first. But then you get it, and it's rewarding.

However, some other negatives come into this section, which is really what drags down my rating here. I'm not submitting a separate review on the (completely necessary) MPX-R1, so I have to add here that its scheme for doing amp switching was annoying and tough. I'm sure it works great on some amps, but for my Tech21 T60 and/or my Fender Blues Deluxe, not so much. There was no way to change the functions of the two relay switches, even though the manual led you to believe you could.

Finally, as everyone below correctly surmises, this thing is a tweakers dream. It is an awesome concept to be able to route any effect or parameter to and from anywhere else, to control the mix level of every portion of the signal chain, etc. And mind you, I'm a gearhead for sure, but I have to say the unthinkable: for a piece of gear to potentially be used live, this thing is just plain over-engineered. After every rehearsal and gig, it was back to the knobs and buttons to refine and tweak more and more, and it just got to be too much. I would have kept it though, but I didn't, as you'll see below.

My setup with the G2 was basically just my Fender Am. Dlx Strat and/or a Godin LXG-SA into the G2 and a TC SCF stereo into the Tech21 and Fender, using the preamp of the Tech21 for lead sounds. The ability to separate the pre-amp and loop portions is just genius.

I'm not going to get into comparing the models of the certain specified effects to the real deal, because obviously someone who has used both can tell the difference. I could. But, that doesn't mean they don't sound absolutely great. They do. The review below me nails it down: the genius of this piece is that is TOTALLY TRANSPARENT. The sound of your (hopefully great) guitars and amps shine through. I can't say enough about how good everything sounded-- the wahs, delays, verbs, rotovibes, compressors, etc. were all amazing.

Well, what comes after a 5 on ease, and a 10 on sound?

A 1 on Reliability. My first R1 arrived and had a bad switch on two functions, so that when you stepped on the switch, it turned that effect on and off like 4 times quickly, usually ending up the opposite state of what you wanted--kind of a drag. I called Lexicon, they said to return it. AMS was cool--they shipped a new R1 immediately, in time for my next weekend of gigs. Guess what? This R1 was bad too. The screw that adjusted the tension of the pedal did nothing, and the pedal just flopped around. Another call to Lexicon, and this time I returned the whole package, thinking I'd be better off with a local dealer than AMS for this particularly high-end item (I usually have great luck with AMS). So I got a third set. And guess what? Three switches on the R1 were broken.

The whole thing here, folks, is that I have a lucrative day job, and gig frequently every month, BUT $1800 IS A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT UNRELIABLE UNDER MY FEET, NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT SOUNDS? I mean, you can't really gig with a backup here, you know?

Two more things I add to this catagory. Because of the inflexible relay switches, it was all too easy to be going for the only switch that would do the lead channel of my amp and accidentally hit another switch instead.

Finally, including a toe switch on the pedal seems like more genius, but in performance it was far too easy to switch it off when sweeping the pedal (i.e., with Wah) to the top. Again, not good in live performance.

And from a 1, we go back to 10. Lexicon responded to every question and request promptly, courteously, and always with the result I needed. I thank them for that.

My band plays R&B and Rock. Jimi, Bonnie, Stevie Ray, Bill Withers, Hiram Bullock, many others. The G2 & R1 combo seemed a perfect match on paper, but just wasn't in the end. I've been playing 23 years, 18 of those professionally. In the end I went back to individual pedals after years of inferior multi-effect units. My signal is now Vox Wah - Boss Octave - Ibanez TS9 - Tech21 pre-amp. Then, in the fx loop: TC SCF - Line6 DL4 - Alesis Nanoverb - Tech21 return and Fender (stereo). I couldn't be happier with my sound. I had to build a pedal board and hard-wire it to avoid the hassles of constantly setting it all up, but since then, the sound is everything I ever wanted.

Note above that the price paid includes the R1. Yes, I miss that incredible sound, but now I have 98% of that sound for less than half of that cost -- and it has yet to break down. No regrets.

Well this unit is not cheap but if you're looking at getting it you're probably aware of this and at a level of playing where you don't mind droping some bucks on your equipment in order to achieve good tone. As this is a high end item it has a LOT of features and in-depth programmin ability, this means that it's not as easy to use as a lot of other equipment out there. You need to be a tweaker to enjoy the full power of this unit.

Very transparent, your guitar tone comes straight through so make sure you have good tone to start with (as it should be!) the effects are blended in well and sound good through the over all mix. Everything is really top quality. The pre-amp/distortion sounds are in there but this requires a LOT of tweaking - much more than anything else in the unit. Very hard to get a great sound and you'll probably never get a metal type distortion but Zeppelin or Hendrix...yea it's in there SOMWHERE. The thing is this unit needs to be set up very different depending on your set up. I am using two different strat plus model guitars one with the EMG David Gilmour pro series pick-up config and the other is the same thing except I put the EMG 89 humbucker in the bridge (these are great see EMG's site for more info)
I go to the Lexicon then to a Mesa 50/50 power amp out to a Mesa 2X12 Recto Cab (vintage 30 celestion speakers) I play somewhere between David Gilmour of Pink Floyd Fame and Page of Zeppelin. For me, almost every patch I have, I need to turn the bass on the lexicon down to zero OR LESS. Took me a while to figure out why my pateches were so boomy (sounded horrible) I was worried that I had just spent a lot of money on crap but then the tweaker in me came to the rescue and after a few weeks of tweaking I have some <REALLY GOOD SOUNDS> Overall, top notch but will ned to TWEAK A LOT depending on set up and tone desired. Patches it came with were not usable for anything through my set up. My current patches have NAILED some Hendrix/Page/Floyd sounds and the way the unit works with the R1 controller is fantastic for live use- this controller is really powerful!

Made very well, I've owned a lot of units, my last was a Boss GX-700 and the Lexicon is made much better of course. It's still an electronic item so you don't want to play football with it but put it in a good rack and no worries.

Alright... There are other companies that have patch exchange forums on their site and I would LOVE to see that. I have e-mailed and suggested this but I don't think it's going to happen. They always respond to e-mail though so that's pretty good.

I would say that having the control unit is a must (R1) this is a big statement considering the controll unit is pretty expensive in it's-self. IF you have the control unit and IF you are a TWEAKER then in live or recording situations this unit is a solid 9. if you're not a tweaker don't even bother. If you don't have the controller then it's still fine for studio use. Good equipment but you pay for it too.

not for the midi impared

Actually sounds good . Great delays, chorus, echo, Distortions are good if you tweak them.

fragile

Got a call in now. has a FAQ site that gives good pointers.

Nice attempt at a tube screamer. you have to tweak it but it can be done. I have an original TS and it comes close enough to give it a second listening to tell the difference.Great delays, chorus, tap echo
etc. This unit is a good live performance unit. Dual inserts for analog befor amp effect and effects loop inserts. the midi foot controller is a must to realy use this unit. the manual is probably the worst writen night mare for the midi impared but you can figure out the nessesities. nice to have a users web site with tweaked settings. come on guys lets help each other out here.

not for the midi impared

Actually sounds good . Great delays, chorus, echo, Distortions are good if you tweak them.

fragile

Got a call in now. has a FAQ site that gives good pointers.

Nice attempt at a tube screamer. you have to tweak it but it can be done. I have an original TS and it comes close enough to give it a second listening to tell the difference.Great delays, chorus, tap echo
etc. This unit is a good live performance unit. Dual inserts for analog befor amp effect and effects loop inserts. the midi foot controller is a must to realy use this unit. the manual is probably the worst writen night mare for the midi impared but you can figure out the nessesities. nice to have a users web site with tweaked settings. come on guys lets help each other out here.

I have to admit, when I first started editing patches for this unit, I was blown away. There is a lot to tweak and play with, and working through the manual was kind of tedious. The best thing to do with it is to just start editing the factory presets until you get used to the controls, then start building your own from scratch.
As far as an all-in-one unit goes, the g2 is intelligently laid out. I use it primarily for live sounds, and I feel like I can tweak on the spot if I need to on stage. The soft row function is great. It gives you easy access to settings that you tend to change a lot.
This unit is clearly geared towards tweakers. If you're the type who uses factory presets, you should get something else. In the end, I spent about a week building presets to use in my band.

I play a PRS Mcarty with duncan JB and Jazz. I run this into the g2, out to a boogie triaxis, back to the g2, back to the triaxis and then to a boogie 50/50 stereo amp. Usually I have 2 2x12's, but for smaller gigs, I have another 2x12 wired for stereo.
The G2 has a very noisy pre-amp section. Especially when higher gain is pushed in the vertual pre-amp section. To be honest, I HATE the gain section on this thing. It could have been designed far better. There are very few things that it is really usable for. The only time that I really use it is when I want to get a SUPER saturated sound. The tube screamer sound is a let down. Trying to get tube-warmth out of this thing is impossible.
That being said, there are LOTS of really good sounds that this unit can make. The reverbs and delays are the best I've ever heard for a unit designed for guitarists. THE REVERB IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE UNIT ALONE. Wah sounds are good (with no tone suck!) univibe sound is right on. Chorus is super lush, but tends to kill the volume significantly.
Some sounds are a little cold and digital by themselves. Namely detune/harmonizing.

I DON'T RECCOMEND THIS AS A STAND ALONE UNIT!!!!!
If you don't have tons of warmth coming from your guitar and amp, don't bother with this. This unit is transparent. If you start with bad tone, you'll end with it.

I depend on this little baby big-time. I replaced a lot of gear with this baby. I play gigs with it. I rely on it, and it doesn't crap out on me like some of the vintage stuff that it replaced. I don't have to go to gigs with a soldering iron and extra 9-volt batteries anymore.

The lexicon people are great. The CS guy didn't know much, but he got back to me with specifics when he didn't know the answer to a question. Pretty laid back and got the job done. Better service than I've gotten anywhere else recently. (not saying much)

I play in 3 different musical groups. My main project is a groove-rock band. Lot's of opportunities to play with funky effects and stuff. Lots of squeezed liquid gain leads (the overdrives don't come from the lexicon).
My second project is a small jazz/rock combo. I use all clean sounds with some spacial effects.... mostly reverbs and eq.

As I said before, I woldn't use this unit if I didn't feel like I already had tone. It is transparent, so if I have a heavy rock tone going through it, I don't lose it, or if I have warm jazz going through it, it works. This isn't something that you buy to get tone, but rather something you buy to get effects. Tone is another matter.

This is Lexicons attempt to offer an 'all in one box' for guitarist. Let me just say that one must tread lightly with these swiss army approaches for obvious resons. Lexicon, however, has the recording professional in mind and this box costs over $1300. Plus the $500+ pedal board which is a MUST for this unit. That's a lot of money! Is it worth it? Maybe. Let me just say that this aint no Boss GT-5. BUT For the money I could buy a hi-end time based effects processor and reissues of many of the vintage effects offered by the MPX G2. It wasn't worth it for me. Mainly due to the buzzy, spoungy, digitized preamp gain textures. Now that you know the punchline, read on for the review proper....

The MPX G2 is no different in ease of use than any other processor, IMO. Everything is logically laid out and the manuall is well written with lots of background on different types of effects. The preamp section was wonderfull in that there were many parameters for shaping the tone from vintage to modern sounds. The controls are very responsive to a light touch. Very easy to to move your way around. Actually, ease of use is probably a step above most rack processors. I enjoyed programming and editing and felt the controls were very powerfull.

I used the MPX G2 with a Lexicon 284 Signiture amp (with all Mullard tubes) and a Mesa 2x12 with celestion vintage30's. On the floor is a Fulltone Fulldrive2 and a Teese RMC2 wah. My main guitar is a LoneStar strat with a PearlyGates humbucker.

The preprogrammed patches are pretty good. For instance I could jump right into things using the VintageRig or BlueChip. The EVH patch was another great, but it sounded more like Bush than EVH (I actually used this to do covers of Bush songs during our set and even learned a few new Bush songs to take advantage of this patch)! As far as the other artist patches, none of them sounded like who they were supposed too, but who cares. The effects themselves were great. Very lush sounding. I especially likes the Flange24 which is the best, most lush flange I have ever heard! The univibe effects were also right on the money. Unfortunatly, adding more than 3 effects at once severly depreciated your signal and the unit was very noisy! Well, not very noisy, but too noisy for a $1300 doller effects engine! The noise gate worked okay but was substandard. Even the Boss GT 5, a great middle of the road guitar processor, had a better noise gate with less parameters to boot! An example of the noise level: do you think adding 20% reverb at 0db at the end of effects loop should cause an audibal hiss to your signal? The weakest link is the preamp section. Like I mentioned, it can best be characterised as buzzy and spoungy with no real warmth. I tried to mainly utilize hi gain settings and even after I finally dialed in what I wanted, I found it lacking in what other amps or processors could give me. Do not even bother going for a more classic rock vibe. The tubescreamer effect was good within the muck of the other Lexicon gain offereings but -- I A/Bed it too a cheapo sound tank tube screamer and found they were very similar in noise level (remeber how notoriously noisy the soundtanks are because of the plastic casings), and uh, the soundtank sounded better. When compared with a vintage TS808, it was embarrassingly (for Lexicon) not even in the same sound spectrum. And I'm a player who is not particularly found of TS's nor do I use them much. The wahs were okay for crybaby emulations but the Vox was poor, and nothing came close to beating the wah sounds produced by a Teese wah.

I sent this $1700 (w/ the pedal board) investment back before anything could go wrong.

I did not take advantage of the CS for this unit but I did call Lexicon once for info on the signiture 284. The person I spoke with was nice and friendly but didn't seem to know very much. I got general asnweres to specific questions and I think I informed him more than he did me! But hey, CS is always like this 90% of the time.

This would be a must have stand along effects processor if it did not have the preamp section. Even if the effect signal is a bit noisy. The bypass feature was great and adding effects or using the processor never colored the signal! The preamp section is piss poor, however. I mean, it really is bad. I feel like this is a joke because it costs so much!! I would have used it just for the effects but the cost does not make it worth it. Maybe I sound poor, but do some math, man. You can get the new TC Eclectroncs M1 and D2 and still have cash left over to buy a couple floor effects. Or you can get a Rocktron effects processor for time based effects and have a chunk of cash left over for Fulldrive vintage reissues including chorus, flange, tremolo, univibe, wah, or overdrive. Create your own scenerios people because you can easily come out with more sound [quality] for your money than the Lexicon MPX G2.

At first this unit looks like it prety hard to operate,but when you`re geting use to it it`s very easy.

I`m using the G2 with a Egnater ie4 preamp and Marshall el84 20/20 poweramp thru a 4x12 Marshall cab.The pedalsimualtions are great,like the wah pedal and the tubescreamer.The delays and reverbs are good to.
The week part is the chorus and pith effects.
Im using a Tc 1210 chorus insted.With this setup I can get the same sound as Lukather.He is using Lexicon for reverbs and delays,and Tc for chorus.

It`s very reliabel.

Don`t know.

I`m playing pop/rock Like Toto,U2,Simple Minds.It`s a god match.
If it was stolen I would buy it again if I could afford it.
It`s pretty exspensive.I had a G-forse but it did`t sound that good.
The reason for that is because the G-forse are prosessing all the signal and there are only one prosessor.The G2 have one Lexi chip for reverbs and a motorola chip for multi effects.It also have a direct path of the singnal to the output.You are mixing the eff. with this signal.

OK, I'm really into digital multi-effects and I found this difficult to use at first. But I *LIKE* that because it means the unit is very flexible. After using it several times, it became a lot easier to use and I got used to the interface. It does have a good interface as you don't have to carry the manual around once you learn how to use it (some units require the manual for effects reference). The manual is fairly large and all of the settings are in there, but the table of contents is a good thing when you need to remember what a perticular setting does.

This thing is awesome!! The delays are the absolute best I have ever heard. The reverbs are... well, it's a Lexicon. The distortions aren't bad as long as you use them right. Some of the distortions are for use with an amp and others are not. Use the right ones or else it sounds pretty bad.

I use this with a Strat, a SansAmp, and direct into the board. Generally, I play classic rock music like some Pink Floyd, Cream, Tom Petty, and even some Black Sabbath. The sound of this unit is fantastic. I use the SansAmp for a slight overdrive and the Lexicon MPX G2 to drive it over into distortion, but I occasionally use the Lexicon MPX G2's distortion on a clean setting or a hard distortion on the SansAmp. It took a bit of playing with, but I eventually got some really good sounds out of it. The SansAmp is in the effects send of the MPX G2 and this lets me drop it out if I want to use the G2 on its own. Likewise, the G2 has a &quot;straight-wire bypass&quot; (I believe it; you can hear the relays click) so I can use the SansAmp without the MPX G2. (Although, I really don't do this as I like having some reverb or delay)

Unfortunately, the unit has 250 presets and 50 user programs. I would have preferred the other way around. The presets are usable, I guess, but I generally prefer creating my own sounds instead of using someone else's.

This unit is pretty reliable for me hauling it around like I do. I'm pretty careful with my gear, but I've had the wall wart fall onto it out of my power strip. No problem. I did have it boot up once and not detect the insert cables. I shut it down, checked the cables, and turned it back on and it worked.

The software version is 1.00 and it has never locked up or become confused. The software seems to be rock solid.

I haven't dealt with the tech support, but Lexicon has a decent knowledge base on their web site which was good to browse for some information on the unit. I wish their knowledge base was easier to browse, but the information there was pretty good.

This unit is perfect for me. I like the sounds of vintage gear, but prefer the quietness and flexibility of digital gear. This lets me do both. It certainly took a while to become familiar with the unit and now that I did, it really shines.

I used to use a Digitech RP-10 which I wanted to upgrade to something better when I knew what that was. I looked at the Digitech VGS2120 as I was happy with the Digitech gear at the time. When I saw that the Lexicon MPX G2 had digital recreations of vintage effects, I knew what I wanted. I compared this to the manuals of the VGS2120, the TC Electronics G-Force, and some of the Rocktron gear. This unit beat them all IMHO. The G-Force seemed to come the closest, but the MPX G2 made it easier to get the vintage rock sound I was after. My friend has a Digitech Studio 400 which is basically the digital section of the VGS2120 and this unit is MUCH, MUCH better than that. I've seen some ok delays, but the G2 has the best ever.

The only thing I wish this unit had was more memory for user presets. (Or even a PCMCIA card expansion slot)

I have this paired with the MPX R1 foot controller which makes controlling all my gear easy. It works with my MIDI gear and also has analog switches for the analog gear. (I wish this was on the G2 instead of the R1 foot controller)

I am extraordinarily happy with this unit. At first, I was concerned about the cost, but it really makes up for it. It is fully routable (including the effects loop) and has a fantastic sound. If you add up all the gear it emulates, this unit is a bargain.

Like any rack mount effects device, you are going to have to be somewhat patient, as well as, willing to read the manual. The G2, at first, is a bit overwhelming. The amount of parameters is kinda scary, but once you spend some time fooling around with it, things come together. The sort function helps you find presets based on effect, guitar style, function (input, input + effects loop, stand alone, etc.) as well as, midi maps, and the last 10 presets loaded. The patches can be tweaked as much or as little as wanted, and the most frequently used parameters can be saved to the soft row key. The manual is very well written and layed out, and if you need more info---customer service is very fast and friendly. The only thing I don't really like is the Screen. I think Lexicon should have made it larger like the T.C. G-Force. Aside from the screen, the G2 is about as easy as they come. Moving effects, progrming,adding modulation, etc.. is really easy AFTER YOU READ THE MANUAL, AND PLAY AROUND WITH THE UNIT!

I am running the following set-up in order: Gibson Les Paul + Tom Anderson Pick ups---Zvexx Super Hardon---2 Justin Everman Fuzz Drives---Zvexx Fuzz Factory---H&K Tube Factor---MPX G2---Bogner Ecstasy Combo. The G2 is hooked into both the effects loop and the input of the Ecstasy (One of the main reasons I bought the G2 was for this feature of placing the effects where I wanted them). The unit is very quiet on eveything minus all of my distortion boxes + channel 3 of the Bogner maxed out (any unit will be overdriven into chaos and feedback)---you have two noise gates if you do get things out of control. All of the effects sound great, especially the Reverbs and Delays( which are the best I have heard in a while). The Tube Screamer, Uni Vibe, and Tremelo, are very convincing, and sound so similair to the original, that the differance and price of the originals compared to the G2 is negligible.This is the first effects processor I have played that had a believable Wah pedal! The Distortion sounds pretty good but, it is really unfair to compare the distortion tonesof the G2 to the Bogner. The preamp section allows for a great variety of distorion from light clean boost to all out flame thrower. Do these sound like the real deal?...it just depends your set up. If you are playing quality gear then the answer is yes, but if you are running the G2 through a Peavey Predator into a Bandit---then the answer is no---you're still going to sound like shit! I would say the G2 sounds as good as the T.C. Electronic G-Force, only the G2 tends to lean more to the traditional/vintage sound, where the G-Force goes to the edgeof weird effects and back. I actually sold my G-Force to buy this unit and I'll tell you why. The G-Force sounds awesome don't get me wrong, but the presets sounded sterile, and really too weird. Aside from the few artists I recognized, the Patches sounded too similair or too weird and not really usable. The G-Force had no kind of preamp or distortion---as the G2 has a fully programable preamp that can be plugged directly into the console, power amp, or head phones. The distortions can be really good on the G2, if you take the time to adjust parameters. The presets on the G2 are usable out of the box, with little to no programing on some of them. The Delays can also have other effects inserted into its feedback loop. This is one of my favorite features about the G2. The control over the G2 by the MPX R1 is superb. I can mute, tune, control tempo, volume, continuous control, move banks, just about anything I need a controller for with the R1. It is built road worthy tough, and I don't hesitate to stomp hard while I am playing. Again, I can't rave enough about the G2, and what it allows me to do with my set up. I have had all kinds of processors---Digisuck, Roland, Roger Mayer, Fulltone, Boss, T.C., etc., and I sold everything for the G2---and don't regret a thing.

I have not gigged out with it, but it seems well built. The MPX R1 is the nicest foot controller I've seen. Its not cheap like the Digitech Control One, or the Line6 controllers. I would gig out without a back up---and trust my sound completely.

The customer support is great. Everytime I e-mail with questions I get a responce usually that day. Everytime I've talked to Lexicon, they have been great! They let me ask the stupidest questions without making me feel like a dumb ass!

I am a singer who plays rhythm guitar. I bought the G2 to simplify my rig and allow me to concentrate on singing the song. The sound quality is excellent and the unit allows me to add some flair to the my stage presense without tripping over a bunch of stomp boxes. I like just about everything about the unit except the small screen. Again, the sounds are amazing! As I said earlier, I sold my G-Force to buy it, and don't reget doind so. If you are going to buy an effects processor, you've got to try this baby out. Don't settle for what your local guitar store has, take the time to drive and see for yourself what quality sounds like. Whether or not you get the G2, or G-Force, get out of town and really listen to what's out there!

Although the overall intuitiveness of the unit is well achieved, and the flexibility of the unit is damn near as-good-as-it-gets, this power comes at a price: complexity. Of course, as anyone who has ever attempted programming one of these units could tell you, it's never an easy feat; there is always something of a learning curve even if it's only adjusting one's thought process to the interface. The MPX G2 is no exception in that regard. A good sound can be achieved right away- I think the presets in this box are among the best I've encountered of the many other rack units I've tried. And tweaking the presets to accomodate your own personal sound and tone is straightforward enough. But there is sooooo much available to the user- a ton of effects, an extremely versatile routing and ordering scheme, and a myriad of controller/patching combinations. And so it only makes sense that in order to really utilize this power, you have to be willing to spend some quality time working with the unit.

The manual is extensive and covers just about anything you'd need to know about the MPX G2, although I think an index in the back might be helpful so you could find stuff more quickly. It's pretty big, though (in fact the first page has an article titled "Why is This Manual So Big?") and I have yet to find a detailed rundown on the available internal control sources (i.e. sine & cosine for LFO's among many others) but I'm sure it's in there somewhere. Once again, an index would do the trick.

The firmware version is 1.0. No upgrades necessary since the unit first shipped.

I use the MPX G2 with a Rivera R55 (55 all tube 2 channel combo). Because the MPX G2 provides several different connectivity options, I can use it hooked into my amps effects loop, as well as infront of my amp. Tone afficionados will aprreciate this as you can place pedal-based effects before your preamp and time-based effects after the preamp (this is the best way to connect an amp and an effects unit without resorting to isolation cabinets et. al. and really makes a difference in sound if you're used to guitar>>processor>>amp setups).

Personally, I can't see why anyone would use distorion built into a rack effects processor- espcially if you've got a happening tube amp to do the job. As a result, I haven't used the gain options in the MPX G2 much. Only for a little EQ boost or just experimenting with some new edgier tones. I've use many rack units and never found one with a distortion that really did it for me. That's why god gave us amps. If you're using it to record, I suggest micing a a good amp.

All the other effects sound excellent to my ears. The UniVybe sounds real nice, as does the pedal wah. The chorus is smooth and clean, but did seem a little thin. The delays are out of this world! Really... Lexicon really has their act together on the delays, asd well as the reverb which is everything you'd think it would be coming from Lexicon.

Back to recording- I've never been a fan of cabinet emulators, but when you absolutely must record direct, they can help smooth out the "directness" of the sound. The MPX-G2's sound very good. And some of the patches, when played directly through a board (or headphones) are mind blowing. I see no reason why you couldn't get a good direct tone out of this box- it might take a little tweaking, but you'll be psyched in the end.

I've been hammering away at this thing- giving the controls and interface a thorough workout, and if it hasn't locked up on me yet, I don't know why it wquld! I even stress-tested it, by maxing various parameters and changing things around very fast, but saw no evidence of weakness.

I never use a backup. If my efeects unit failed, I'd play thorugh my amp with just overdrive and spring reverb for the rest of the gig. I feel safer using this as opposed to others because I realize the level of engineering that went into designing and building it.

I talked to tech support a number of times before I even bought the unit- just to confirm the unit's capabilities and possible flexibility. They were always helpful and very knowledgable (come on, when was the last time you called tech support and the first person you talked to knew what they were doing?). I have since contacted them both via phone and email and they've always responded as I would have hoped.

Overall, this is hands-down the best piece of guitar effects gear I've owned to date. I've tried stuff by many companies (e.g. Roland, Sans-Amp, Digitech, Boss, ART, etc. etc) and nothing comes close. I think the only thing similar might be higher end Rocktron, Eventide, or T.C. Electronics, but I researched them all and the MPX-G2 looked like the most flexible unit (which is what I was after).

I play rock/jazz/blues/funk of a hard/heavy foundation. I use a full range of effects from phase and wah to tremolo, pitch shifting, and serious delays, and I like to have full (and I mean FULL) control over my effect parameters in real time. The MPX G2 handles it all and then some.

The only drawback is that there is so much processing/patching/controlling available that it's a little overwhelming at first, but still well worth the time it takes to become well acquainted with the capabailities of this processor.