I sold my soul.....

[Muadzin]

Things always go in cycles. In the 80's digital was the future and you had to pay people to get the older analog stuff. Then we went fully 180 and digital became a curse word, analog was king and musicians became more conservative then cavemen. Many still are today but the cycle is moving the other direction again. You can never convince an analog diehard due to confirmation bias but put a high end modeler up against the real deal in a blind test and even they will be hard pressed to tell the difference. And there's a new generation of guitarists growing up who started on modelers on for whom digital is no longer a curse word.

Personally I had nothing against digital. I kinda liked it because I'm a contrarian. When most people want analog only I want to be different and go the other way. If only because I would stand out against the pack. Which never hurts in music. You lot all want dark murky analog delays? I'll take pristine clean digital delays then instead! I do like analog things because its fun to build stuff. Because a well soldered board is a thing of beauty in its own right. Because I find soldering to be relaxing, almost zen. And its fun to play with pedals. But I like the versatility that digital gives me even more. And a virtual pedal board and amp is better for my back then real ones.

[Sensei Tim]

good blind head-to-head test using the Ax8, Kemper, Helix, and Bias heads vs a Mesa Mark IIc+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDF1oFyBI6U

and the results:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0deE5xaK4n0

[Pavlos]

I know what you mean about trends, analogue versus digital, valves versus solid state, big amps versus small amps, all in one multi-effects/racks versus stand alone pedals. I've seen fashions change a few times and personally I think they all have a place depending on what suits your own particular needs/budget. There are some fantastic digital effects pedals, some amazing rack units too, but there are also plenty of brilliant analogue pedals and amps of all descriptions too, so if it works for you then go for it and damn the naysayers  at the end of the day it is all about making music with equipment that you enjoy using and that inspires you. It doesn't matter if that is a single pickup guitar straight into an amp using the shortest possible cable, or a switch and pickup laden mega-axe into an array of the most mindblowingly complex multiple pathway processing units feeding 15 different amps, just as long as it makes you feel like an excited kid and leaves you with an idiot grin on your face

[Muadzin]

Sensei Tim wrote

good blind head-to-head test using the Ax8, Kemper, Helix, and Bias heads vs a Mesa Mark IIc+

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDF1oFyBI6U

and the results:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0deE5xaK4n0

What I found odd was that the Kemper actually sounded the worst, well slightly less good, out of the bunch. The AX-8 sounded very good, but I'm willing to admit there being some bias in that regard. It also sounded like the Helix had more highs, just like in the Mitch Baker vid.

Pavlos wrote

I know what you mean about trends, analogue versus digital, valves versus solid state, big amps versus small amps, all in one multi-effects/racks versus stand alone pedals. I've seen fashions change a few times and personally I think they all have a place depending on what suits your own particular needs/budget. There are some fantastic digital effects pedals, some amazing rack units too, but there are also plenty of brilliant analogue pedals and amps of all descriptions too, so if it works for you then go for it and damn the naysayers  at the end of the day it is all about making music with equipment that you enjoy using and that inspires you. It doesn't matter if that is a single pickup guitar straight into an amp using the shortest possible cable, or a switch and pickup laden mega-axe into an array of the most mindblowingly complex multiple pathway processing units feeding 15 different amps, just as long as it makes you feel like an excited kid and leaves you with an idiot grin on your face

Truer words were never spoken!

Another score for the Axe yesterday, I managed to recreate a sound I had once made in an old Boss GX-700 (anyone remember those?) and it sounded pretty spot on. It's like 8 or 9 effect blocks in series. I always liked that sound which I called the laughing hyena, but I could never justify dragging that GX-700 along just for that sound. And now I can.

[Sensei Tim]

i used to have a boss gx-700 - that used to be my dirty tone for years until i scored an ADA MP-1 :)

[Muadzin]

Wow, ye olde old school flashback, when racks were still king.

I bought one once from a guy who ran it straight into a poweramp. They were good units. Easy to work with