Valeton GP-50, GP-150 and GP-180

[Sascha Franck]

So, I only really played through one NAM file so far. Why just one? Because I simply ended up just noodling around.

Seriously, after my first hour with the modeled amps, I really thought this would be nothing more but a handy backup tool already. But it's much, much better than that! This very NAM file just acts like the real deal and it sounds at least suspiciously close to how I remember it (I will possibly try to do some more thorough comparisons, got my Motu M2 with me as well).

Anyhow, here's the bad news for now: The looper is a buggy POS. Sometimes it manages to get your footpresses in time, sometimes it doesn't (and no, it's very very clearly not me, it's off by a huge amount). It's really as if some press actions aren't registered at all. Need to check with an external switch...
Also, it's only mono and it seems that some patches cause phase issues in mono, so loop playback volume goes way down.

Anyhow, NAM import is just great.
And as far as jamming goes, BT audio works very well.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Another downside: On the USB out of my Macbook Air, it doesn't charge fast enough to load the battery while playing - in fact, the battery seems to be used in addition. Seems to be charging when being switched off, though. But obviously, that kinda diminishes its worth as a mobile rig. Wondering whether it'll work at all just from bus power with the battery all the way down...

 

[bucephalus]

So, I only really played through one NAM file so far. Why just one? Because I simply ended up just noodling around.

Seriously, after my first hour with the modeled amps, I really thought this would be nothing more but a handy backup tool already. But it's much, much better than that! This very NAM file just acts like the real deal and it sounds at least suspiciously close to how I remember it (I will possibly try to do some more thorough comparisons, got my Motu M2 with me as well).

Anyhow, here's the bad news for now: The looper is a buggy POS. Sometimes it manages to get your footpresses in time, sometimes it doesn't (and no, it's very very clearly not me, it's off by a huge amount). It's really as if some press actions aren't registered at all. Need to check with an external switch...
Also, it's only mono and it seems that some patches cause phase issues in mono, so loop playback volume goes way down.

Anyhow, NAM import is just great.
And as far as jamming goes, BT audio works very well.

Which nam did you use? Do you have a link?

 

[Sascha Franck]

The external footswitch can't be used as flexible as I thought at first, either. Can't be used for looper operation, just to switch to and from looper mode. Also can't be used for individual block switching (only the internal switches can).

 

[Sascha Franck]

Which nam did you use? Do you have a link?

I took some time to convert some of my favourite Tonex patches to NAM - I think this here came from a free Suhr SL67 capture (can't reproduce right now) that I replaced the cab within.
Possibly safe to post it here (likely sounds no way like the original anyway as the Tonex software "calculated" the cab portion out):

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, recorded a DI in parallel (which the GP allows for, actually an incredible feature for such a cheap unit) and the OG NAM file does sound different, the GP tone is a little more "congested" perhaps. But defenitely not as much as to annoy me. But it might be yet different through a decent interface. Can only do some really meaningful comparisons when I'm back home on the 1st.

 

[bucephalus]

I took some time to convert some of my favourite Tonex patches to NAM - I think this here came from a free Suhr SL67 capture (can't reproduce right now) that I replaced the cab within.
Possibly safe to post it here (likely sounds no way like the original anyway as the Tonex software "calculated" the cab portion out):

Cheers Sascha

 

[Sascha Franck]

Another downside: On the USB out of my Macbook Air, it doesn't charge fast enough to load the battery while playing - in fact, the battery seems to be used in addition. Seems to be charging when being switched off, though. But obviously, that kinda diminishes its worth as a mobile rig. Wondering whether it'll work at all just from bus power with the battery all the way down...

So ok, this is bad, the unit can't exactly be charged from a Macbook's USB out. It just turned off while I was in Logic.

 

[Sascha Franck]

And while I didn't test anything, I'm pretty sure audio interface performance is absolutely poor. Tried to play the internal sound and the OG NAM plugin simultaneously and the latency was more than just obvious - while Logic was reporting pretty decent values. So I'd bet there's a recording offset that needs to be compensated (fortunately Logic can do that globally, but you constantly need to remember changing it when working with different interfaces).

Anyhow, just pressed record shortly before the thing went down (it's recharging now, don't have a 9V PSU with me, so I can't charge and work in Logic simultaneously, which actually is pretty damn annoying me already), I think that's not too shabby for a €119 unit:

 

[Sascha Franck]

Short resume for now: Defenitely a keeper but less useful and fun than I thought it'd be because the looper is shit and the thing doesn't charge via USB bus power (needs dedicated PD as it seems).

 

[Sascha Franck]

Also: Filenames are truncated to 10 digits and both captures and IRs can't be rearranged, you need to completely throw them out and reload them.

 

[ragingplatypi]

Short resume for now: Defenitely a keeper but less useful and fun than I thought it'd be because the looper is shit and the thing doesn't charge via USB bus power (needs dedicated PD as it seems).

Thanks for the detailed review.

 

[Sascha Franck]

So, while I still hate them for not doing the looper properly, this will become an invaluable jamming device for me without any doubt. Connect guitar, connect phones, grab whatever jam track from your phone (connected via BT) and go. Patch editing via the app is just a breeze, too.

As said already, I could also easily play almost any gigs with this as a backup. Could even do smaller gigs with this as the main dish.

 

[ragingplatypi]

Hearing your criticism and seeing the Pod Express selling for $130 now is making me give that one another look. If only the pod had Bluetooth.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Hearing your criticism and seeing the Pod Express selling for $130 now is making me give that one another look. If only the pod had Bluetooth.

I think this still beats the Pod Express more or less significantly, at least for my use cases.

 

[Dave Lewis]

Short resume for now: Defenitely a keeper but less useful and fun than I thought it'd be because the looper is shit and the thing doesn't charge via USB bus power (needs dedicated PD as it seems).

Here’s a picture of mine that charged with its USB cable and it can be powered with the USB cable into an apple phone charging plug or a power bank.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Here’s a picture of mine that charged with its USB cable and it can be powered with the USB cable into an apple phone charging plug or a power bank.
View attachment 57007

I am aware of that. It still doesn't charge when used as an interface.

 

[crickyo]

I am aware of that. It still doesn't charge when used as an interface.

Hi I have just got a gp50 and joined here trying to figure some stuff out hoping maybe you guys can help ,

Ive replied to you sasch because ive installed the

Valeton USB ASIO Driver V5.57.2 Setup.zip​

from the valeton site plugged into my laptop with a usb c > c cable and its now charging and used as an interface , maybe its the driver or maybe its the usb cable/port your using .

AS for my issues i have the chocolate plus bluetooth pedal and i just cant get the pedal to work wirelessly i have been able to get it to work wired but even that came with quirks, when trying to figure it out i found a few other posts online

one is a guy with a gp50 and chocolate plus right out of the box and it seems to work with no issues here it is


second was a post on a forum it might have been here where they said that with a gp5(not 50) the chocolate needed to be powered for some reason or it wouldnt work so i tried that and thats what got the wired connection working* (you only need to connect it to power for a second then you can remove the power and it will still work over usb)

The bluetooth is working seemingly on the gp 50 i can see it stop flashing when the chocolate connects (also connects fine to pocket master wirelessly no issues) but absolutely no commands are being sent(i got the commands for the midi here https://res.valeton.net/Uploads/wp/download/1765332901545.GP-50_Online Manual_EN_Firmware V1.0.5_251128.pdf) i cant figure out how to export it on android as it tries to get access to files but the cubesuite doesnt show in the permissions list

Cheers

 

[Dave Lewis]

 

[Dave Lewis]

This is great easy to understand info