Zoom 9150 Valve DSP

Pretty easy to use for a menu-driven interface. General blocks of effects can be turned on or off on a patch on the fly. So I would say that's a bonus vs. the other gear of the era (Digitech's GSP or ART SGX, etc)-example, on a certain patch, if you don't want the delay, hit the "delay" button and it's gone until you change presets. Manual is pretty easy to get around. They explain things pretty well.

I have/had a love/hate relationship with this. Didn't like it at first, but after I got tired of the Digital distortion from my Digitech RP 100, I've started liking this. One great thing is that it works better at pushing the signal through my rack of gear (Digitech DSP256xl-DOD D12-Lexicon MPX 100) either clean or distorted. I found the digital signal from my RP100 just didn't cut it. Plenty of presets (99) for user and factory. I really only use a couple of presets: the stevROK for distortion, and SILK for clean. those pretty much cover a lot. Editing the effects: chorus, flange, step, pitch, etc can give some nice sublte to weird effects. So this unit is pretty flexable. It's a bit noisy, but the ZNR keeps things sounding good, and to my ear the distortion it produces whether clean or dirty just sounds really good. Funny to see some of the preset names: Yngvie, Steve Stevens, Jake Lee, etc. Unit is from early 90's remember.

seems reliable. Hate the wall-wart.

never dealt w/ them. don't know.

Like I said, I've had a love/hate thing w/ this. If you're looking for a tube distortion sound-which I was-I think this is a good option. It sounds warmer than my digital RP100--the digital has its place, but at times I think, seems cold/sterile/flat. The Zoom has a wide range of sounds, and when I kick in a heavy distorted patch, it makes my old 50 watt amp sound real good. Not sure how it compares to someone's tube amp, but it gets the job done for me. I see them pop up in the 75-100$ range, and I think it's worth that. Only wish I had the pedal that goes with this to make some of the other parameters work in real time (wah-pitch, etc).

This unit is very easy to learn and creating patches is very simple with a little common sense.The patch levels are tricky but if you use bypass to judge your true level you shouldnt have much problems.

I use the 9150 with a Peavey tg raxx preamp (the front end of their classic series amps) into a TubeWorks MV962 poweramp,I also use an ART X11 midi foot controler and a Dano Daddyo to boost gain on a couple of my overdrive patches.Im a classic rock/blues influenced player that also likes some pop and alternative tunes and tones.Ive been playing since 1968 and have been on that pathetic tone quest for nearly 30 years.Guess what?If youre a musician instead of a wanker then no one or even two or three amps is going to satisfy you--!,forever.Ive owned Fenders MusicMans Acoustics Sunns Carvins and a Marshall jmp mk4 for over 20 years and none of them have given me the satisfaction and fun that this unit has given me.The overdrive1 and rythym1 are dead on great guitar tones.If a Marshall jmp or a 66 Fender DeLuxe as well as Sunn Model T rate 9s and 10s on tone then I guess Ide have to give this a 9 or a 10 as well, not only for tone but for diversity.The efx are very good sounding to me and on par with the TC electronics G major.

This thing is 6 years old and keeps on a tickin--used it for 6 months gigging and no probs whatsoever!

really dont Know

Ive been Playing since 1968 and owned nearly a boatload of equipment incl guitars amps efx pedals etc and none has delivered the goods as well as this unit.One could get ingulfed into the various tones and efx so much as to loose some guitar skills if not careful.I pick a tone of the day and stick with it so as to not spend all my time tweaking buttons.This is an incredible tone tool for both live and studio applications and i have been able to get as close as i really possibly could to a number of tones that would just not be possible on any one amp head.I have tried a few other preamp dsp units but they were way more complex to use and I really didnt like the pre amp tones as much.One thing to be aware of is volume patch levels--- this can be a bit of a pain but like all tools it takes time to learn.

Easy. Once you get used to the handling, you will generate good effects in notime. the display is a little small, but ok. I don't have the footswitch, so it is a little bit annoying to change the patterns.

Well, sound is great, once you find your right settings. Don't try the bybass without an amp. That sounds crappy. The preamp tube is performing a great job, though a little noisy. All I can say is, with this baby I played the greatest Six Feet Under distortion and a grand sex pistols OD! Keep away from delaying efx, that's something the people of ZOOM are not capable of.

Dependable, robust. Well, the dialknob doesn't seem to overdue a heavy handling. I don't have a clue what about the tube or the battery inside, but it fell for two times and never broke a leg. I think it is a little weak without an amp to play on a gig.

Didn't need it so far

I guess you can play anything with it...almost: Keep away from the clean bypass. I played in a metal band for three years and in the last half I played it wiht this effecter. Great sound if you like a fat distortion. I use it for home recording right now, and the dist and OD are very great. Now I am playing Punk and Rock Music, with an Ibanez S-Classic and a Fender twin Combo. I guess, if I had the 8050 footswitch, I would use it much more on live gigs.
I would buy it again, I guess, but since it is out of production, I would rather buy another. Compared to other Efx I know, it has a great sound and ease of use.

I bought this unit from a pawn shop with no manual and no power cord. I have found it simple to dial around but many of the presets have different values and I can't wait to get a manual to find how to change that. I have a Fender tube amp but I hate carrying it to my acoustic gig only for a couple of songs. I also get too loud with it. This unit was exactly what I was looking for.

I have played Fender tubes for years and have a bad back to show for it. If you want that sound buy a weight belt. If you want the closest thing this unit is it. I have tried amny different ways and many different dollars to create this same concept. This unit give me the warmth and options I want and need.

Cranks on everytime I use it. Thinking of replacing the tube cause I have no idea how old it is.

Don't know how to get a manual.

I play Beatles, Van Morrison, Santana, Clapton, Robben Ford, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jazz standards. I have been playing out for 7 years. I have been playing for 20. I do not use distortion I use overdrive. I like to keep it simple but I will do the work if it makes me sound better than I am. I love to play guitar and this makes me want to play more!

This unit comes with a lot of pre programmed sounds most of which are not very good. However, with a bit of persistance some real good sounds can be dialled in. Very easy to call up patches via the 8050 foot controller and easy to arrange patches into logical groupings. It takes a little while to get used to the editing menus but nothing is too hard. The manual is easy enough to follow.

I use a Jap Fender Strat into the Zoom and then go into the PA. I find some good equalising gets rid of any of the usual buzziness that goes with this type of unit. Most of the pre sets are too loud ( patch level ) and are therefore noisy, if you turn them down a lot of the noise disappears. All of the effects work well enough, however the distorted sounds are not as good as real valves ( of course ! ) I am going to try using a SansAmp for my driven sounds and use the Zoom for all the effects/levels/patch switching etc... There are some very cool unusual effects that have their place in some types of music too.

I bought this unit in a hurry second hand after my Roland GP-8 died . The unit itself has given me no problems at all. One switch on the foot controller gave up one night so I could not easily change banks but a quick trip to my tech and it was fixed easily. I have my sounds grouped in banks anyway so I used the front dial to change banks between songs so it was not a big hassle. The rack mount brackets are a bit loose, so you will need to figure out a better way to make sure it is held solidly in your rack. I use long pieces of trusty gaff tape to hold the brackets more firmly to the unit. Works for me!

Never had to contact them. The website has no reference to this unit at all.

I have been playng for around 15 years. I currently play in a duo/trio that caters to a wide range of audiences so I need a very versatile set up. This unit lets me program sounds to cover everything from jazz to early rock and roll to 70's disco to 80's rock and even a few Van Halen type sounds. I even put my acoustic through it. The clean, jazzy and slightly driven sounds are great, the hard driven sounds could be better but will pass the test for most punters when playing live. Using an expression pedal to control patch parameters is a very handy tool also. ie fatten a sound up momentarily without changing patches, or change EQ on the fly, set up a Wah effect etc... good stuff.

Needs some time to get good sounds.
But editing is quite easy and comfortable.
Manual with all four languages on on side is not the best solution.
I think this unit is no longer produced

I'm using an APEX - guitar with two humbuckers. I don't agree with others characterising this item as "noisy". That depends on the settings and of course on the noisereduction. The effects are rather good, although nothing can beat a tubeamplifier. I go directly into the mixer with it, my pa is a 6 802 Bose-system, and I'm quite satisfied with the different clear and distorted sounds I can get. So far I've been using only an Alesis quadraverb gt, so concerning distortion I seem to have some advantage with the zoom. When I look at the negative ratings of some people, I got the impression, that those don't occupy enough with their gear (maybe they don't (can't) read the manuals.

I certainly use it without a backup, but I still have an amp and the quadraverb if somthing would go wrong.

I play all kinds of music from the last 50 years in a two piece band
I've been playing for 35 years. I own a Dynacord Reference 1000 and a quadraverb gt. If it broke, I'd probably try to get another one or try to get a Rocktron Chameleon or a Digitech or some similar thing. Having played for years only with tubeamps, I've finally made up my mind, that high voltage tubes are not replacable. Anyway I sometimes wonder, if someone in the audience would notice any difference, but it's for the sake of my feeling and comfort with sound. So where is a unit with preamp-tubes, one or two el-84s, the necessary speakersimulator and reasonable effects?

Easy to get a great sound once you understand how to use the parametric equalizers. The presets are almost all unuseable. The manual is good for explaining how to edit the patches and create new ones. Some of the MIDI info is in an Asian language. Summary - if you have used pedals then everything should fall into place easy.

I use the unit direct to a recording mixer via the headphone output (speaker simulator built in the headphone out). Also go to Laney AOR 30 watt tube amp or PA system live. I think the noise gate is pretty good considering the insane amount of distortion that can be dialed in! One thing I noticed is the 9150 can get that "tube" effect where if you hit the strings hard it breaks up with warm distortion and if you hit lightly/single coil pick ups it is clean. I feel that is the best feature. I have played in various cover bands, original bands, a real 22 piece jazz band, and studio recordings. Any style that pays money ;-). This unit can get the sound if you are willing to take the time to dial in the parametric EQs. If you don't set the EQs correctly it will suck. My favorite guitar players and bands are Steve Vai, Jimi Hendrix, Liquid Soul, James Brown, Sting, RATM, Limp Bizkit, and some ska. I can get whatever sound I want from the 9150 without an amp. My only complaint is the compressor only has a value of 1-4 (1 is not much, 4 is much more). I would prefer a threshold and release control. The best features are the warm distortion, fantastic lesley/rotating speaker effect, and very good parametric Eqs!

Never had a problem. I use it on gigs with an amp. I guess if it bit the dust I would go into the amp. In six years of playing that has yet to happen. I have replaced the tubes in my amp twice in that same time period.

Never dealt with the company. My bandmates have some other zoom products that sound terrible. Their website is terrible. Big fat "F" in this category. If you get this zoom product you are on your own. http://www.samsontech.com/zoom/ is the link. There is no manual or evidence that zoom ever made the 9150 on their website. The website looks very amatuer in general.

I play guitar, bass, keys, sing, and do a bunch of recording. I like equipment that has multiple uses and is reliable. I am very happy with the 9150. I also use it for my bass sometimes for warmth and my keyboard for the classic distorted lesley organ sounds. I would find another one if it got stolen. I feel the zoom still sounds good compared to new effects pedals. Only regret is the compressor limitation. It would be a super deal to get one used.

Very good as multi-effects, quite terrible as preamp...I think its valve is used to illuminate the chips.

I don't know...I've seen is quite easy finding someone to repair it.

Good effect

Pretty easy to use, loads of features and effects

This is the reason why I sold mine, the thing is SO F*CKING NOISY!!!!!! The quality of the effects are good, but even when the guitar volume is turned down, there is a lot of hum and noise. too bad. I think even the overdrive produces by the preamp valve is more than reasonable

Very realiable, never had any problems

I don't know, never needed

This is not a bad processor at all, you can use it for a wide range of music styles. The only problem is the noise, and that makes it useless for me.

i have had this unit for over five years now. i have never had any trouble out of it at all! this has been the best processor i have ever had! loaded with features and out standing effects and tones to die for! i cant say enough about it except where do i get a new battery for it! sincerly mo_rage

i cant say enough about it ! simply put its the best sounding easy to use processor i have ever seen!

never had any problem with it! except i would like to get a new battery for it!

hmmm never needed to have any support

im a devout metal head with many classical ,blues and jazz influences!
i have been playing over 25 years !and demand the best out of all my gear pushing it to the limit every show! over 200 a year! reliablity is must and sound quality is non negotable! zoom is my first weapon of choice! for the best signal processing !i know of zoom 9150 is king !