Zoom 707 II

I would say easy to use if you are already experienced in music but a bit tricky if you are not.
To edit and save different patches is simple. It's a matter of selecting a patch, pressing edit and doing the rest. The manual is quite helpful, but you must read it carefully. The manual doesn't help much when explaining each effect and feature and what it does.

I'm using a Washburn Strat through some crappy Kustom 20 watt amp. For the crappy setup i have, i must say the sound is impressive. Is is quite difficult to get exact sounds of other bands though, unless u have the right amp and guitar. Even then you have to fiddle alot. Fuzz is bad and acoustic sounds are horrific. Acoustic sounds like a retarded, deep banjo. Distortions and amp simulators are a quite impressive though and it can generate quite a bit of power. The rest of the effects are good but better can be achieved with other products.

I would say pretty reliable. It's only giving me a bit of a problem with the input jack but i am pretty happy to use it without a backup at all. It is also very strong.

Never dealt with support, so no comment, but heard it's crap.

Overall i would say it is definitely good for small gigs and playing for friends and stuff, and it's a great multi effects pedal for the price you pay. But there definitely is better out there i must say. I would definitely upgrade if i could. It only seems to sound good when really good equipment is used (guitar especially). My best feature is the wah effects, although i haven't really tried any other wah pedals. I like the drum machine, as it helps mostly when practicing.

Overall not bad. Easy enough to change between patches, while the stompbox effect is very useful. The expression pedal is supremely bad though. The range is far too limited and the sensitivity is annoying. Press down too hard (which isn't even that hard) and the thing turns off. Although the pedal can be customised to your personal setting it still remains shit afterwards. The recording facilty is very easy to use though on otherhand, and the ability to loop tracks is very useful.

This pedal is an absolute joke. The sound is almost unusable. The distortion are poor, falling into two categories... Extremely treble heavy with obsene hiss or an attempt at classic rock but thin and hollow sounding. The general effects are pretty useless, the wah is unusable, distortions are poor, chorus sounds far too manufactured you can actually hear the fakeness of it. The few bright points are the delay is pretty good and some of the amp modules are usuable that are preprogrammed patches. Reverb is ok, but makes lil difference to sound.

Overall if you wanna sound good on stage avoid this!!!!!!!!!

Has never broke down on me. Not the best built piece of kit, made mostly outta plastic and there is no lighting on the foot pedals so you need to take night vision goggles with you to dark gigs.

Never used them

I'm a aspiring musician, and when writing songs require a diverse range of effects. I don't want to have to use the same distortion on all my songs, the same acoustic patch for others and same lead patches for soloing but the limits of the effects on this unit mean i often do. The pre set patches are UNBELIEVABLY SHIT! Im amazed at who programmed it because he obviously didn't have ears. The preset patch BARK is the best, i think they forgot to put in the "id rather listen to a _ _ _ _ than this patch...."

In summary absolute shit. Avoid like the plague, is absolute poo.

This is an update to my earlier post, in which I was a bit critcal of the ZOOM 7072, just a bit harsh on the distortions, I was impressed with the unit otherwise.

After a week's work of patch editing, I gigged this last weekend and was excited to try out some of the patches I had worked on at home through my son's practice amp. I was fired up to see how the 707 would sound through my stage rig now that I had begun to finally get serious about really using the editing to its fullest extent.

I didn't create instant sonic heaven, but I had succeeded in solving some of the issues I had with the unit. A couple of patches I created worked well through my rig, especially a TubeScreamer-on-steroids style patch that really sang with beautiful, full mids. Real nice. I used to be very wary of modeling units, but I think I may be a convert. I still like to use a couple OD pedals with this, just for fun, but I am finding that a user can create any Overdrive/Distortion tone you wish, it just takes a few sit-down sessions of editing.

So, I guess that what I am saying is that I would advise anyone buying this pedal to be patient. I realize that I have at least a handful of gigs worth of live usage and bedroom editing before I get these patches to mesh with my rig and sound their best, but I know that with now they sound pretty good. Again, ALL the modulation effects sound great, compression/isolator are good, amp simulation is fine, best in the Marshall area, reverbs and delays are very good, very nice stuff, all in all. I know some have been highly critical of the editing, saying that you can't do this or that, but aside from some effect-combining issues, I haven't found any important editing limitations. Bottom line: I like this device quite a bit. It sure beats stringing out eight pedals!

Well, folks, this is my first multi-effects unit; until now I always had 6 or 7 pedals strung out across the stage. I wanted to emilinate a few pedals to regain some of my signal and tone. I used to be a keyboard player many years ago when DX7s and Juno 106s ruled the earth, so, even though I am essentially just your average stomp-box-lovin' guitar player, I have had much experience fiddling and editing. The Zoom is not that hard to understand once you've read through the manual five or ten times (har), and figure out some of the things left out of the manual.

I am using this with Strats or a Schecter with humbuckers, through a Peavey Classic 50-410 and a Peavey Bandit. I originally thought that perhaps I could get rid of most of my effects, but, alas, after six months of owning this unit I still use my dostortion pedals after the 707. I need to tweak some of the distortions, most of them sound awful, way to gained up and every nasty frequency you can think of. Old Marshall sounds good, pretty close. Van Halen? Ha! If Ed played through an old Peavey Mace, maybe...the modulation effects are very good, chorus is beautiful, compressor is helpful, delays are very good, all in all a pretty good unit...except those darn distortions.

Mama always told me, "Plastic is as plastic does, Forrest." It's plastic, that worries me quite a bit. One drunk biker fall down go boom and it's all over for the Zoom, methinks. Is it too darn expensive to make these boxes out of carbon fiber? Come on, guys, no more plastic!

I've been playing over 20 years, and have played more gigs than I'll ever remember(blame it on the weed)..I've been using the Zoom onstage now for about four or five months, but have just been digging into it in the last month. It works just fine for me. I had a bit of trouble setting unity gain at first, but now it sounds pretty darn good. Right now I use it for primarily modulation effects(chorus, delay, reverbs) and the compressor/limiter. Acoustic guitar simulator sounds very good through the PA. I still throw a Tubescreamer and a Shredmaster after the unit though for my overdrive/distortion, I just don't like very many of the Zoom's distortions.

This unit is really easy to use if you are familiar with other mult-processors. Editing is easy and when the user pushes the edit button the editing sequence defaults to "patch volume" so even live; some editing is possible on the fly. I bought this unit used and never had a manual.

The effects on this unit are pretty nice but as with ALL of these type units; the factory patches are not very useable. Usually the intensity of the effects is simply too extreme. (Kinda like when we were kids and didn't really know that there was an overdrive setting other than "10") 25 years on the road and we almost all learn that less is more. I've used this unit with all kinds of amplification from a small Kerns hybrid tubeman jr. to an old Lab series "L" like B.B. King's and a few Fenders; big and small.
Its a quiet unit. Quieter than my early series Line 6 POD, for sure. I'm a big Line 6 fan but my POD is too noisy for live gigs, especially if the stage and club are full of neon beer sighns.
This unit has some very nice tube overdrive patches. Sure it will do some super-saturated "Rivera" ninja tones as well but how often does a REAL working musician really use a "Spinal Tap" kinda tone? It actually re-creates some very nice overdriven Fender delux type tones. Nice useable time and modulation effects too.

Well built unit. The knobs are nicely recessed. And I've had no problems.

No knowledge of Zoom's customer support

Overall; this is a great "bang for your buck" processor and the drum patches are a great alternative to a clicking metronome. The amp simulation is fairly good and the real time knobs; especially for output volume make this a good live performance processor. I've been playing and touring professionally for over 20 years and its a shame to go out and hear just how AWFUL an un-knowledgeable player can make these sound. I would recommend that beginners buy an "un-programmable" "stomp box" type effect instead of a programmable multi effect like the 707. There's just too many options with a unit like this. If you are a novice and you are having trouble programming useable patches; try spending 20 or 30 bucks with a professional guitarist that can help you aquire a good basic knowledge of tone and effects. There's really nothing worse to listen to than some kid that has spent a million hours practicing modes and scales and still has no clue about TONE! Speed without good musical sense....kills... (it kills you chances of making a living playing guitar.

Well, I might be a smartass, but it took 15 minutes to get it right. Both playing, editing and drum machine, sampler and everything. 9 of 10 only because of the manual, which is a little frustrating.

I use Yamaha ERG 121 through the ZOOM and into a Marshall 15 W practice amp. The ZNR module works really great. There is no noise even at the hi-gain patches (guitar volume - max, amp - clean, volume 80%). The Metal effects are great. I play rock, heavy metal and blues, and it suits me fine. It's great! My fav band is Judas Priest and hopefully I can get these glenn solos sound with some twickin'. Blues are fine as so are all the overdrive, funk and jet patches. Echo and acoustic based are well made too. There are some frustrating effects with a lot of phase modulation and flanger in them but I guess it's fine - I'm not into that kind of music.

It looks fragile. But it's not. Firstly I was afraid to step on the expression pedal. It looks so weak and little. Though it's plastic the material is very durable. No problems at all. It should have been metal but...Oh never mind...

Never dealt with them.

As I said I play mostly rock, hard rock and heavy metal (with some blues somewhere around). I own Marshall JH-1 Dist. pedal (great gear but a little noisy), Ibanez Death Metal Dist. pedal (awful), Digitech RP200A.
If stolen or lost? Maybe try and find another one. Cause if I had the money I would defenetely buy a Rocktron Prophecy preamp/effect and a valve marshall amp and a BC Rich guitar or maybe a Hamer. :) But I don't.

How easy is it to get a good sound out of it?

It's not easy, cause its not possible. This product gives the words "plastic fantastic" a new meaning:( I mean..these sounds has no punch..i was very dissapointed.

Other: I read the entire manual and that didnt help me in making better sounds cause this shit sucks ass. Believe me I take these things serious and now in time ive become pretty familiar with effect products. After delivering this back i bought POD xt which fitted my uses much better:)

But it is easy to use, cause it has few possibililtys and it suxors.

I wont say anything more than this: Please dont buy this product. In doubtful more than 1 month ull get tired of it when u realize it has very little to give you.

The effects ARE WEAK! POOR SOUND.

Ive been trying it on many different amps, everything from marshall 50 watt standard to studios. It sucked, but sucked less in studioproducing.

I didnt have any problems with it, but it has lot of plastic..if one buy this product one should be careful with the pedal for instance. I dont think that pedal with last for ever if u treat it in the "street musician way".

THEY SUCKED! Asked questions, never got answered. suckedsucked

Metal
Playing for 8 years
My gear: Yamaha RGX 420S, PODxt + FBV4, Marshall 50 w transistor

I'd say fairly easy to use. The hold-delay thing boxed my brain for a while, but found it funky when i finally got it to go. Getting patches in the right order is a bit tricky, as theres only 2 things to press you have to get your patches lined up one after another if you want to switch between them during songs, which can be quite hard to work out. Though, this should be obvious when you look at it, as, indeed, it only has 2 pressy things.

Well. I did use this with my crappy practice amp, where it sounded fine. Anything would make that amp better. Then i got a decent marshall amp. The clean sound on the amp is great, and the distortion is everything i'd want. Then i plugged the Zoom pedal in, and turned up the efects loop. Instantly theres a notable lack of quality in the zoom's clean tones, it becoming dull and just generally not nice to listen to. This distorted isnt as nice, either.

The distortions, I've found, are way metal, or way crap. Not really anything in between. They just sound mangy.

Having said all that, it has been used for a few more gigs than it probably should have, and eventually sounds ok if i fiddle around with it for a while before every gig.

Not really a question of would i use it without back up, I have. Unfortunately. Midway during the first song of a gig, the press on the pedal to bring in some distortion was met by a dredening crackle. Then silence. Rest of the band; fine. They played. I tried. There was something between my guitar and amp sabbotaging my sound. Zooooom. Bastard. Dodgy output jack. After scurried re-plugging i managed to play without the pedal, but those few mortified seconds of "." have put me off this thing big time. It's now fixed, but now nother problem has appeared.

Maybe its just mine, but it seems to be going 'slow' now, as in theres a delay between pressing the pedal and the patch name changing on the screen. Even the tuners response time has went way up, taking a good second or 2 before registering theres a note to be analysed.

Not liking this as it gets older...

Not tried. Just went back to the shop to get it fixed. They were nice.

I suppose it was alright when it was new and i didnt need much out of it, but now i am beginning to need a decent sound from my guitar at gigs, recording etc., i think this is on the road out. I cant think of who i'd reccommend this to now, so i'd have to say nobody. Its not totally crap, though, but i just cant stand it any more.

N?o e muito facil de se usar, devido a grande diversidade de controles e selec?es. Os sons de fabrica s?o bons, mas merecem modificac?es. Os patches s?o razoavelmente faceis de se editar, desde que n?o se queira mudancas muito radicais. O manual e peca fundamental para operar esta pedaleira.

Esta pedaleira realmente me surpreendeu, principalmente pela faixa de preco que se paga. Por R$600,00 esta pedaleira e mais do que se espera. Os sons n?o s?o profissionais, mas o que vc esperava por R$600,00. As pedaleiras profissionais custam mais de R$1.500,00. Para montar um set de pedaizinhos, vc gastaria mais de R$3.000,00 em pedaizinhos da Boss. Da pra chegar muito perto de sons muito profissionais. Da pra simular muito perto dos amps famosos.

Ainda n?o usei em shows, e acho que nem usarei, devido a carcaca ser de plastico e n?o acreditar que seja muito resistente. Em casa ela e show, sem problemas e defeitos.

Nunca tive problema.

Vou repetir o que ja falei antes. Se vc comparar esta pedaleira com uma GNX da Digitech, ou uma ME-5 da Boss, ou uma JMP-1 da Marshall, n?o da pra ser feliz. Se vc e profissional e pretende ganhar dinheiro em estudios ou ao vivo, esta peddaleira ainda n?o e a soluc?o. Agora, pra tocar naquele sarau, no estudio do seu amigo, pra ensaiar sua banda, para compor em casa, esta pedaleira e perfeita. Tem tudo que se precisa em uma pedaleira, por um preco acessivel. Considerando o custo-beneficio eu dou uma nota 10, por que vale cada centavo.

This was a bit of a pain to get a good sound out of, the manual i didn't find too helpful, but spending a weekend adjusting it's settings with it plugged into my amp (Carlsbro GLX 100), and plugged into my pc, i've managed to get some good patches i'm very happy with. (Modified MTZONE, violin, and PATM i think). the other sounds i haven't played around with the settings much yet, because it's a bit awkward having to use the combination of buttons/knobs to setup each effect to suit the equipment it's used with. The manual is fairly clear, but to be honest i get fed up reading it, as ive found several hours mucking around with the settings on the zoom and my amp is the only way to easily achieve good patches, and work out how it works. Never bothered checking for pgrades, never had a problem with it.
But, the price is very reasonable, even wwhat i paid for it, so this is some compensation.

I use a Gould (Les Paul copy) with ernie ball 10's, a Washburn KC40v with ernie ball 10's, & a Jackson PS37 King V with ernie ball 9's, through the zoom to either my pc or my Carlsbro GLX100. The reason i run 10's on two of the guitars is that i thought the zoom sounded a bit shitty to be honest, but realising thinner strings affect the output from the guitars pickups, i changed the strings, which completely cured the "weak" sound. Completely. Sometimes i guess obvious things like using thicker strings aren't so obvious. I haven't really tried to emulate any of my favourite artists sonuds, but i'm very happy with the sounds i have. Trying to produce favourite bands sounds would involve too much fiddling with the somewhat awkward settings... plus i find it really clear sounding.. having changed the strings...

Never had a problem, never gigged it. thrown it around quite a bit, the plastic is very solid. Never lost my settings. always treat it with respect electricly though - plug psu into zoom before plugging psu into mains etc.

Never needed to.

I play metal (metallica/megadeth), rock (darkness), Industrial (NIN, ministry), old goth (The Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the nephilim), and even occassionally light hearded bonjovi/bryan adams kinda stuff, no real prob;ems. I've been playing guitar since 94, and this is my fave fx pedal so far. Definitly helps me play more music, better. The stereo output is a definite bonus, ability to use headfones / plug straight into pc is good. I strongly dislike most of the default patches however... Currently im comparing it to a digitech rp100 im playing with... so far the zoom wins hands down.
Love my modified patches. Hate the wah/volume/mod pedal. it doesnt have enough range, and feels fragile. Dislike the closeness of the pedals to each other another 5mm to 1cm of plastic width on each pedal, and a gap between the wah pedal and the other pedals would be a big improvement. Don't like the fact that when im trying to sample using the pedal, it seems to disable the fancier parts of effects i've configured. but then, i hardly use that function anyway.
If it was stolen, I'd happily replace it with the same pedal, but if zoom fetched out a pedal that was 1cm wider on each pedal, and had a wah/mod pedal with a physically better range and more solid feel, and when sampling all the effects worked correctly, and it could take a vastly bigger memory card, for #20 more, i'd buy that instead. Probably would upgrade to something more expensive, but for the money you can get this for now (under #100) i'd definitly have another as a backup. Excellent value for money.