IK Multimedia TONEX

[Sascha Franck]

I officially made the switch to the Tonex One. It’s interesting how there are some things I like better about it than the big Tonex and vice versa, rather than it being a straightforward downgrade.

I considered the big boy for a short while, but along with the Pirate MIDI Pico (which finally seems to have landed in Germany...) the TXO will easily beat it just for the autosave functionality alone, add to this the vastly less space it needs on my pedalboard.

 

[synthpenguin]

I considered the big boy for a short while, but along with the Pirate MIDI Pico (which finally seems to have landed in Germany...) the TXO will easily beat it just for the autosave functionality alone, add to this the vastly less space it needs on my pedalboard.

Yeah, it’s nice to not have the pedalboard space used up when I’m not actually changing presets much anyway! Right now my two main A/B presets are basically just… power amp capture only, and power amp capture with IR + reverb. And then I stuck a few other full amp captures in there, but tbh I haven’t looked at how to swap between them on the actual pedal yet lol (I’m guessing it’s some alt function)

Let us know how the Pirate MIDI thing works out! I think I’m more interested in the Mini or Plus vs the Pico, but I’m curious to hear what you think of the experience in general.

It would be nice to be able to seamlessly utilize the delay and chorus on the Tonex because I think they’re actually pretty nice.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Let us know how the Pirate MIDI thing works out!

Sure thing!

I think I’m more interested in the Mini or Plus vs the Pico, but I’m curious to hear what you think of the experience in general.

I might've been interested in the Max, as I could've used the switches for a minimal setup and would liked the touchscreen even more, so I wouldn't have to bother with any connected phones (I will likely dedicate an old one just for that setup and keep it in the pedalboard case), but both the Plus or Mini would be pointless for my use case (as I'd need something else to edit anyway).

Whatever, it's not exactly a cheap unit anymore anyway, paid €82 for the Pico plus shipping from AUS and will have to pay another €14 for customs and what not when it arrives.

Maybe I can find someone to build me a Pico clone for the second TXO locally. Parts are like <20 bucks and it's minimal soldering, from all I know.
But before that I need to give it a thorough testdrive.

 

[Shask]

I considered the big boy for a short while, but along with the Pirate MIDI Pico (which finally seems to have landed in Germany...) the TXO will easily beat it just for the autosave functionality alone, add to this the vastly less space it needs on my pedalboard.

I have a Polar Mini connected with a Chocolate Plus controller. It works well, and I like being able to see the preset names on the screen.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I have a Polar Mini connected with a Chocolate Plus controller. It works well, and I like being able to see the preset names on the screen.

I possibly don't need that once done with the initial setup and a handful of gigs where I might finetune things via the app, because I'll be running it MIDI-switched from my GT-1000, so that's taking care of any naming duties (I'll likely resort to 4-5 captures max. anyway, at least on my main live setup, as I still have quite some pedals on there).
I actually liked the idea of having a screen on a Pirate MIDI device - but the Pico is expensive enough already for what it does.

 

[synthpenguin]

Yeah, it's easy to start to get into "probably should have just gotten the big Tonex" territory when you start adding too many accessories.... though having a more flexible layout than one big pedal is helpful too.

While I'm back and forth on what I'm doing with my HX Stomp (I'm either sticking with it, aiming to switch to a VP4 + headphone amp combo, or replacing it with a couple dedicated stereo pedals + a headphone amp...), while I do have it (or the VP4), I could just use that as a MIDI controller for a Polar device, which is what I was previously doing with my big Tonex anyway.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yeah, it's easy to start to get into "probably should have just gotten the big Tonex" territory when you start adding too many accessories.

Defenitely.

Still, I think I need a second Pico (or DIY thing based on the Builty github thing) one day because I have a cunning plan for a super compact setup. Basically it'd just be the TXO in the Stomp's loop and whenever I need more sounds, I'd add a small MIDI controller. Will have to check whether that'll work at all, though, as I don't ever want to switch patches on the Stomp (too large of a gap, plus I want to access parameters kinda globally), so the TXO would have to switch patches while the PC commands should only trigger the on/off status of whatever it might be on the Stomp. Not sure it can exactly do what I want, but that might as well be up to the MIDI controller in use (could possibly send PCs to the TXO and CCs to the Stomp).
Will give all that a testrun once the Pico arrives.

 

[Byrdman]

I sold one of my old combo amps, Monoprice Stage Right 15w, I had laying around and just ordered a used Tonex Capture from GC for $179 to see if I can make better captures vs my Stomp XL. Looking forward to redoing my Marshall SC20H & Origin 50H! If not, I can always return it.

 

[Shask]

I possibly don't need that once done with the initial setup and a handful of gigs where I might finetune things via the app, because I'll be running it MIDI-switched from my GT-1000, so that's taking care of any naming duties (I'll likely resort to 4-5 captures max. anyway, at least on my main live setup, as I still have quite some pedals on there).
I actually liked the idea of having a screen on a Pirate MIDI device - but the Pico is expensive enough already for what it does.

I thought about building my own since I build a lot of my own pedals and amps, but in the end, for as cheap as the Pirate MIDI stuff was, I just didn't feel like dealing with it, lol. The 3D printed case is better and smaller than what I would use. It gets pretty hot also, so the vents and such help.

I dont like 4CM setups, so I usually run it through other pedals. I don't really use one setup though. I rotate between all kinds of things. I am basically just using it like a 4 channel amp right now.

 

[Sascha Franck]

for as cheap as the Pirate MIDI stuff was,

Hm, I'm paying more for the Pico than for the 2nd hand TXO.

It gets pretty hot also,

Oh, that's good to know. I will need to observe that once the thing arrives, placing it in a spot where it gets enough air flow.

I am basically just using it like a 4 channel amp right now.

That's pretty much what I'll be doing as well. It'll likely be 5 in my case, possibly clean, dirt pedal platform, acoustic and two "Tonex best" captures that I love the most at whatever point in time.

 

[Shask]

Are you uploading them to Tonenet? If so, I would like to check them out. I'm always messing around with different DR captures for songs our band is doing.

No, I haven't uploaded anything to ToneNet, but I have shared a few presets here and there. I generally like big heavy chuggy tones, so they might be too heavy for most, lol.

I eventually want to capture my other amps, and all my Synergy modules at some point also. I generally like specific sounds, usually involving ODs in front, and EQ pedals in loops, so I like that I can bake those tones all into 1 sound.

I find if I want to use the capture with a solid state poweramp and real cabs, then it is best to capture the amp actually plugged into the cab. When my goal is to play it with IRs on the computer, I have gotten good results just using a reactive loadbox plugged into the computer, tweaked for that IR. Just using a buffer in front of the amp can help also for whatever reason for feel. I have been using a bypassed Klon clone for that. Using transformer isolated cable runs and an isolated power supply for any pedals helps keep the noise down. So many captures on Tone Net are noisy as hell. I have been able to get crazy gain at reasonably quiet noise levels.

 

[Shask]

Hm, I'm paying more for the Pico than for the 2nd hand TXO.



Oh, that's good to know. I will need to observe that once the thing arrives, placing it in a spot where it gets enough air flow.



That's pretty much what I'll be doing as well. It'll likely be 5 in my case, possibly clean, dirt pedal platform, acoustic and two "Tonex best" captures that I love the most at whatever point in time.

I think I bought the Polar Mini for $80, and that was before the US NO POLITICS BS and Pirate MIDI's halt on US shipments. I think I actually have 8 sounds loaded on mine because I can bank up on the Chocolate Plus, but generally only use 4.

I mostly have it plugged into a 'pedal playground' for now. I think I run it through a 2290p, SDE-3000D, and 2 TC Plethora PX1s, but I am always moving stuff around.

 

[Shask]

Hm, I'm paying more for the Pico than for the 2nd hand TXO.



Oh, that's good to know. I will need to observe that once the thing arrives, placing it in a spot where it gets enough air flow.



That's pretty much what I'll be doing as well. It'll likely be 5 in my case, possibly clean, dirt pedal platform, acoustic and two "Tonex best" captures that I love the most at whatever point in time.

Here it is. You can see how small it is, and what the screen looks like in comparison to the ToneX One.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Come to think of it, maybe the Pico will run a little less hot as it has no display. I shall see in two days.

 

[Shask]

Come to think of it, maybe the Pico will run a little less hot as it has no display. I shall see in two days.

Yeah, it is possible the screen is causing the heat. It gets pretty warm. I dont use the phone app very much, but it works well. You connect to it via WiFi within the first 90 seconds of turning it on.

 

[Sascha Franck]

So, the PM Pico arrived. Amazing device, worked right out of the box so far. Pretty much zero gap when switching patches via MIDI. Along with trail spillover (in case I use reverb/delay) from the GT-1000, it should defenitely not be noticeable (only checked with the Stomp so far). Great start, things will likely only get better from here.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, quite obviously, patch switching via GT-1000 works every bit as supposed. Pretty much no perceivable gap. That's just excellent.
Likely won't use it like that on friday's gig, though, as I'd have to recable some stuff on the board and - even more important - reprogram my GT-1000 patches, which is like the Dmin chord experience in modeling land, namely the saddest of them all.

 

[laxu]

Ok, quite obviously, patch switching via GT-1000 works every bit as supposed. Pretty much no perceivable gap. That's just excellent.
Likely won't use it like that on friday's gig, though, as I'd have to recable some stuff on the board and - even more important - reprogram my GT-1000 patches, which is like the Dmin chord experience in modeling land, namely the saddest of them all.

So what does your rig look like now and how is it routed?

 

[Sascha Franck]

So what does your rig look like now and how is it routed?

Let me rather describe what it will look like (in case I don't feel adventurous tomorrow, until friday it'll be the old one as shown in the pedalboard thread).

- GT-1000 as the brain.
- Dirt pedals in loop 1.
- TXO in loop 2, patches switched via MIDI.

And that's already it, really. I will describe some details when I'm done with all the recabling (I might stumble over issues or additional ideas...).
I already mentioned this before, latency of a fully loaded patch with both loops running serially and the TXO in loop 2 is pretty much exactly 3ms (which should almost be a world record in modeling land).

 

[EOengineer]

I keep capturing my 5153 50w and Triple Recto every few days as I learn more tricks to make them better.

For example, I got a separate reamp box as the one in the Axe IO is weak, so I use that to match the level of my guitar. I also find I need different captures based on if I plan to run it through a poweramp and cab, or direct with IRs. The EQ is way different for the sound I like. Some other examples are real cab vs reactive load connected, and buffer in front of the amp or not.

Which reamp box did you get?