LINE 6 TONEPORT UX8/GEARBOX SOFTWARE - NOW WITH CONCLUSIONS! [Archive] - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums

Anderton

02-19-2008, 06:44 PM

Although probably known best for the their effects processors and amplifiers, Line 6 has quietly developed quite a line of interfaces over the years. These have tended to be relatively inexpensive, musician-oriented boxes with the Line 6 "special sauce": GearBox software, which basically takes their effects/amps DSP and puts it in a computer context. The other unique element is what Line 6 calls ToneDirect monitoring, which basically minimizes latency when monitoring processed signals to the point where at worst it's not objectionable and at best, not even noticeable.

We'll get into the GearBox software and ToneDirect monitoring later on in more detail, but let's start with an overview. The UX8 is clearly designed to be more upscale than the previous TonePorts; hardware-wise, it offers eight mic/line ins with mic pres, two instrument ins, S/PDIF in and out, eight individual outputs, two footswitch jacks, an expression pedal jack, +48V phantom power (but not for each mic input -- there's one switch for inputs 1-4, and another for inputs 5-8), and two headphone outs that can have different mixes, which is good if you want one to be a main mix and one a cue mix for, say, a vocalist. The UX8 is also rack-mountable.

Although as expected the UX8 includes GearBox software, it also includes plug-in versions you can use in VST/AU/RTAS-compatible hosts. I believe this is a first for Line 6; with the other TonePorts, getting plug-in capabilities was an optional-at-extra-cost kinda deal.

My take is that this is designed to sit in your studio and serve as a primary interface for those who need considerable I/O, appreciate the sound of Line 6's processing, and want to keep the budget down (the UX8 lists for $699.99, but a quick look at the Musician's Friend page for the UX8 (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-UX8-Toneport-Recording-Interface-?sku=241405) shows a street price of $499.99). Getting the GearBox software in a plug-in compatible form is a big plus, by the way; it's good stuff, and applicable to vocals, bass, drums, etc. as well as guitar.

If you want to see Line 6's info on the UX8, click here (http://www.line6.com/toneportux8/index.html).

The attached photo shows most of the front panel. More pix to follow...

Anderton

02-19-2008, 06:56 PM

I hate Pro Reviews about interfaces. I love Pro Reviews about interfaces. Why? I love 'em because they often get a lot of page views and posts. But I hate 'em because I can't test them out with everything, and it seems that interfaces are a finicky bunch. Witness what happened when the Intel Macs came out: In one fell swoop, drivers around the world were rendered useless until updates and patches came along. Yet with an interface I was testing at the time, it worked fine because I was testing it on a PowerPC-based G5 - so of course, I wrote that it worked with my Mac. Windows is a little better in some ways, but worse in others because there are so many permutations and combinations of components...so you end with posts like "I found out that I could get my interface to work if I used a computer with chipset A instead of chipset B, disabled my wireless networking card, hit Control-J while spinning around three times, and wore gray socks...but only on weekdays."

Line 6 has stuck with USB for connectivity but unlike the other USB 1.1-compatible TonePorts, this requires USB 2.0 to handle the greater amount of I/O. And I will say that USB 2.0 interfaces seem to be less problematic overall than FireWire. Maybe I'll end up eating my words at some point during this review, but if past experience is any indication, hopefully I'll be spending my time talking about things like GearBox software instead of dealing with compatibility issues. And I don't plan to be merciful, as I'll be trying this with several computers.

However, I should mention a USB problem I already solved: Nasty crackling and pops with the TonePort KB37 (a Line 6 interface with built-in MIDI keyboard). It turns out that despite going into a different physical connector than a pair of USB hard drives, all the USB connectors on my computer are controlled by the same controller chip -- and apparently, the USB bus was not designed to be a highway for audio. The folks at PC Audio Labs recommended I try a separate USB card (thanks, guys!), and as soon as I plugged audio devices into it and the hard drives into the motherboard's USB connector, all was well. So, I'll be plugging the UX8 into the card, and recommend that anyone else who has lots of stuff hanging on a USB bus consider getting a separate USB card for audio gear.

The attached image shows the part of the rear panel containing the USB 2.0 port, SPDIF I/I, and 1/4" jacks for the footpedals and expression pedals.

Anderton

02-19-2008, 07:08 PM

Before going further, I should explain why this is important.

First of all, this is not the same as a feature you may have seen in some interfaces called zero-latency monitoring, which is basically a way to bypass the computer altogether, and simply patch the input to the output through hardware. While the concept works and is effective, you won't hear any plug-ins inserted into your computer, because the computer is bypassed entirely.

If you do want to hear the plug-ins inserted in a host program like a DAW, and have tried to monitor through the DAW, you've surely noticed the d......e......l......a......y from input to output. ToneDirect monitoring lets you use your host software and hear the results of any processing added by the GearBox software. The TonePort series does not use hardware DSP within the interface to accomplish this (which was my first guess), but instead, dives deep into the Windows and Mac to bypass the layers imposed by Windows and the Mac OS respectively. As a result, latency is low enough that it's pretty much not significant.

That's the good news. The bad news -- or maybe not, as we'll soon see -- is that the processing is not done like a standard plug-in, but on the way to your recording program. This is just like the old days of recording, where you got your sound, then recorded it; in today's world, it's common to record your instrument first, then get your sound through plug-ins.

While the latter is undeniably more flexible because you can change your mind at any time about what you want your instrument to sound like, I'm not sure that's inherently better. I've found that making a decision about the sound you want and recording it lays a firmer foundation for a tune than laying down tracks that are essentially uncommitted. (As a side note, when I reviewed the Line 6 KB37 interface for EQ magazine, I found that I was actually more productive and songs were recorded more quickly when I had to commit to sounds as I worked on a song.)

However, this is also why it's nice that Line 6 includes the GearBox software in plug-in form (VST, AU, RTAS) so you have a choice. For example, if you're singing, you might not trust what you're hearing because you're hearing your own voice at the same time. In that case, you can record the vocals dry, and add plug-ins later. But if you get some kickass guitar sound using the GearBox and doing ToneDirect monitoring, go ahead and record it.

Well, we've used up my time for today, particularly because I have a bunch of photos that I need to prep before I can post them. Catch you later...

Anderton

02-20-2008, 11:49 AM

There are eight balanced line/mic inputs, as you can see on the first photo. But let's talk a bit about build quality, which is something Line 6 doesn't really trumpet and yet they get a lot of things right (those who followed the Floor POD pro review may remember the various photos of the insides showing some extra touches designed to increase reliabiliy).

You'll note that the XLR connectors have two screws holding them in, and the 1/4" jacks have actual nuts holding them to the panel. This is different compared to some budget units, which depend on the soldered connection from jack to circuit board to hold the jack in place. While this works, it is inherently far less reliable than anchoring the jacks to the chassis itself.

But what happens if a jack gets corroded, or simply wears out from repeated plugging and unplugging over a period of years? A look at the insides (second photo) reveals that the UX8 is very intelligently designed with respect to servicing. The 1/4" jacks all attach to a circuit board, which connects to the rest of the unit via a ribbon cable. If you were handy with a soldering iron you could unscrew all the jack nuts, unsolder the bad jack, and solder in a new one; or more likely, you'd just swap out the old jack board for a new one. I estimate the total repair time would be about 15 minutes.

Anderton

02-20-2008, 12:02 PM

Inputs include two instrument inputs (first photo), S/PDIF, and the eight mic/line inputs. The instrument inputs are on the front, which is appreciated so I don’t have to reach around the back of the rack. I’d give extra credit if the instrument jacks were paralleled on the back as well, but looking at the back panel, there really wouldn’t be room anyway so the point is moot. Note that the instrument inputs have pad switches to accommodate instruments with extra-hot levels.

The second photo shows some of the line/mic inputs, which are identical. As mentioned previously, you can enable phantom power for inputs 1-4 and inputs 5-8, but not individual inputs. As the 1/4" jacks don’t get phantom power, you could, for example, enable phantom power for inputs 1-4, plug mics requiring phantom power into inputs 1 and 2, and line sources into inputs 3 and 4.

The inputs are basic: A level control, signal present indicator (green LED), clip indicator (red LED), and for the mic in only, a –20dB pad and low-cut filter to help minimize rumble, hum, popping, etc.

Anderton

02-20-2008, 12:13 PM

I got a little ahead of myself and forgot to mention what you get with the UX8 package, so check out the first photo. You of course get the unit itself (in the photo, I took the top off for a "bonus look" at what's inside). On top of that, from left to right, is a 6' USB cable (it's somewhat upscale in that it also includes an EMI/RFI suppressor, presumably something ferrite covered by a plastic cylinder), the CD containing software (which is probably more or less useless, as there always seem to be newer versions of software on the Line 6 web site), and to the right, the IEC-compatible line cord. For good measure, I took a shot of the internal power supply -- no wall wart!

Anderton

02-20-2008, 12:37 PM

The first photo shows the right side of the front panel, with the output section to the extreme right. The second photo shows a closeup of the output section. There’s a main level control for outs 1+2, along with a Mute button. This is much appreciated, as you can have your monitor speakers ready to go, but when you’re recording vocals, you can mute the speakers and just listen on headphones. Or you can do a quick mute/unmute when you’re plugging and inplugging from the inputs. To the right of that is the power switch.

Note the two headphone jacks on the bottom, each with its own volume control. One is tied to outs 1+2 and the other to outs 3+4.

The third photo shows the outputs on the back. You’ll note the two main outs, and six individual outs. One thing that’s very useful in terms of extra outs is if you’re using the UX8 with software that allows inserting external gear as if it was a plug-in (such as Cubase 4, Sonar 7, and Live 7), because you need an extra set of ins and outs for each piece of gear you want to use. I consider multiple outs increasingly important as more programs offer this option, and as more people realize that some of their favorite hardware gear will likely never be implemented as a plug-in.

You’ll also notice the S/PDIF in/out, but also look at the power requirements: The power supply accommodates voltages from 100-240V, at 50 or 60Hz. Therefore, if you want to use the unit overseas, all you need to do is buy a suitable line cord that matches the physical power connector you intend to use. For someone who’s carried a heavy, stupid transformer all over Europe to deal with my 115V gear, I’m all in favor of this type of power supply!

Anderton

02-20-2008, 12:42 PM

I couldn’t resist…here’s a shot of the analog meters. Some people think the analog meters look kind of cheap or weird, but I don’t agree: My DAW software has plenty of peak metering, so the averaging function provided by an analog meter adds an extra signal monitoring aspect. But hey, I also just plain like illuminated meters and moving needles! Maybe it’s just old habits dying hard, but it takes me back to the days of watching the meters on my old reel-to-reel recorders. A little nostalgia amid all the high-tech stuff is my studio is kinda nice.

Also note that these meters have actual calibrations, unlike the meters in the TonePort KB37 interface.

Anderton

02-20-2008, 12:56 PM

Before installing the software tomorrow and getting further into the interface, I always like to include some inside shots so here we go.

The first photo shows the heart of the electronics: An Analog Devices SHARC processor, which is used in a ton of audio gear (I first encountered the SHARC in the Creamware DSP cards). But check out the second photo, which shows pads for two more big chips. What is Line 6 planning for the future? Is this going to be the start of a line of big interfaces? I doubt they’ll comment, but still…I don’t think the circuit board designer put those pads in just for grins.

Next up: An overall photo of the insides. It’s fairly standard stuff: Several circuit boards connected by ribbon cables. The next photo shows the back of a channel strip; note the two level controls toward the bottom. They don’t appear to be hermetically sealed, so I presume that if the unit is in a dusty environment, you might need to pop the top every couple of years and squirt some contact cleaner into the pots. Maybe someone from Line 6 can comment if I’m off-base here.

The final inside shot shows how the circuit board mounts to the front panel, using standoffs and screws with (yes!) lockwashers. I think lockwashers are essential for reliability, but a lot of gear simply throws a nut on the screw and leaves it at that. This is probably okay if you don’t expect to move the unit around, but again, I appreciate that Line 6 has paid attention to these kind of details, particularly because they aren’t obvious to the end user, and I doubt that any salesperson at your local GC is going to say “Let’s take the unit apart…check out those lockwashers!” But that’s the beauty of pro reviews: We get to uncover all these little details.

Anderton

02-20-2008, 03:49 PM

Earlier, I commented how while it's good that the UX8 gives you the option to use the GearBox software as standard plug-ins, I often prefer recording the processed track using ToneDirect monitoring and get on with the process of making music.

As I was leafing through the March 2008 issue of EQ, I came across an interesting corroborating comment by John Wood in an article on recording Nick Drake. The interviewer, Jeff Touzeau, asked "How do you feel about the changes that have occurred in the recording process since you worked with Drake?" to which Wood replied:

"The decision-making process has been compromised. Up until the advent of 24 tracks, you had to make decisions as you recorded. You couldn't say 'Oh, we'll do another one of those. We'll dump it on another track in Pro Tools." You had to get on and go with what you recorded, and just build an album from there. I think this is one of the reasons that, for me, Nick's records have massive vitality...there is no longer the sense of performance in albums that there once was. If you have to start resorting to picking apart things with a computer, then I think you need to ask yourself where your music has gone. People spend most of their time trying to control the environment they are recording in, making decisions that really do not have a lot to do with the music itself."

JJost

02-21-2008, 11:32 AM

Hi Craig!

Jesse Jost here from Line 6. I’m available to answer any questions you and other forum participants may have, or just provide the occasional fun fact. So far you’ve done a great job presenting UX8 out of the box (and under the hood).

JJost

02-21-2008, 11:46 AM

...the processing is not done like a standard plug-in, but on the way to your recording program. This is just like the old days of recording, where you got your sound, then recorded it; in today's world, it's common to record your instrument first, then get your sound through plug-ins.

While the latter is undeniably more flexible because you can change your mind at any time about what you want your instrument to sound like, I'm not sure that's inherently better. I've found that making a decision about the sound you want and recording it lays a firmer foundation for a tune than laying down tracks that are essentially uncommitted.

I agree, I'm often more satisfied committing to my tone before I record than after (especially for guitar, but less so with synths). ToneDirect Monitoring enables a natural feel, which permits you to play the part so that it matches the tone. Anyway, I've found a happy middle ground. The UX8 can send numerous streams to your DAW simultaneously, including:

Completely dry
Semi-processed (e.g. amp and cab only)
Fully-processed (e.g. amp, cab and tail-generating post effects)

So most of the time I record dry and semi-processed simultaneously on to separate tracks. The semi-processed is good since the guitar tracks usually need to “share a room” with other voices in the project. I’ll sometimes use the plug-in on the dry track, using a different amp and cab to create a dual tone effect, or if not, just archive it.

Anderton

02-21-2008, 12:26 PM

Good point Jesse, thanks! Sounds like what you're describing is basically an "insurance policy" in case you end up feeling you need to make some changes.

Cowinacape

02-21-2008, 02:16 PM

Subscribed, looking forward to reading more of this review.

Anderton

02-21-2008, 09:56 PM

My laptop is connected to the net so I can write, and my PC Audio Labs 8-core Intel machine is busily installing the Line 6 software. Line 6 is very specific about "Install the software before plugging in the hardware" and out of deference to the Wide World of Software Updates, I have connected my music computer up to the net -- which I am loathe to do, but...

Okay, it says "setup was completed successfully." I guess that means it's ready to accept the interface, and the plug-ins have been installed.

Now to hook up the interface...must find USB cable...

Anderton

02-21-2008, 10:01 PM

So far so good; Windows XP says there's new hardware, and I told it to install the drivers automatically.

While the hard disk rotates, now might be a good time to mention that the UX8 does not include any kind of MIDI interface. That seems a bit strange owing to the otherwise upscale nature of the device, but I guess that means Line 6 is emphasizing the audio aspects. And the good news is that yet another set of MIDI drivers is NOT being installed into Windows, which would bring me closer to the Windows MIDI port limit (a really stupid aspect of the OS, but hey, no one's perfect...).

Windows is saying the UX8 is installed. Let's find out.

Anderton

02-21-2008, 10:11 PM

I have some actual work I need to do with Sonar, namely, I'm working on a loop library where I need MIDI in and of course, audio. As the UX8 doesn't provide MIDI, I connected up the KB37 to provide MIDI and for whatever reason, it was considered new hardware -- even though I just used it last night.

Hmmm...after connecting the KB37 and booting Sonar, now Sonar isn'tn seeing the UX8 under audio options. Time for a restart -- the universal solution to all things perplexing that relate to computers :)

Let's see what happens next.

Anderton

02-21-2008, 10:41 PM

Windows won't start up. I've disconnected the UX8 and the KB37 and am now rebooting...not the first time I've encountered USB problems with new hardware...sometimes it takes a while for Windows to figure out what's going on when you have lots of things hanging on the USB bus.

I've plugged in the UX8...plugged in the KB37...okay, all is well now: Both show up as options within Sonar. I've selected the UX8 for audio, and the KB37 for MIDI.

Hit playback...hmmm, something's not right. Audio doesn't start until partway through the first measure, and there's some kind of distortion. Think I'll try a different program; Sonar keeps saying the UX8 outputs 1+2 are in use by another program.

Let's try Sound Forge...

Anderton

02-21-2008, 10:54 PM

So of course, I boot up Sound Forge, and it tells me there's an update available. Guess I'll just sit here and wait for 71MB to download...

And wait...

I guess this is a perfect opportunity to tidy up the studio a bit :)

Ever notice that nothing goes easy with digital audio and computers?

Wait a little bit more...

Okay, it's downloaded. Time to run the update..."This may take a few minutes."

Sound Forge is now opening proudly at 9.0e. It plays back through the UX8 okay, but I'm getting lots of crackles so remember my own advice about NOT plugging a USB audio device into the motherboard USB bus, I'll plug into the same card as the KB37.

Anderton

02-21-2008, 11:06 PM

It sounds perfect, and that clinches it: If you're going to use USB audio, get a separate card for USB audio devices if you have anything hooked up to the motherboard's USB port. Mark my words, this is a tip that's going to help a lot of people :)

Let's try Sonar again...it sounds fine, except that on very rare occasions, it gives a sort of "stutter." When I've experienced this problem in the past, it's been due to multi-core issues...let's go Options > Audio > Advanced and disable multiprocessing.

[15 minutes later] That did it, no stuttering. Don't know if it's a Sonar issue or a driver thing or what, but suffice it to say it works.

I'm going to work with this for a while and report back on the results. I'll enable multiprocessor operation again, but adjust affinity using the Task Manager to see if the setup is happy with 2 or 4 processors. I'll let you know what happens. Suffice it to say, I have the UX8 working exactly as it's supposed to on Windows XP/Intel. We'll try an Intel Mac next.

Anderton

02-22-2008, 12:46 AM

I've worked with the UX8 for over an hour and a half straight, and as long as multiprocessor mode is disabled in Sonar, playback is flawless. I tried enabling multiprocessor mode and setting affinity to two processors (as well as to four processors), but got the same "stuttering" type of sounds.

I'll boot up Cubase next, which also has the option to check or uncheck multiprocessing.

Anderton

02-22-2008, 01:14 AM

I loaded eight tracks into Cubase and it worked fine with multiprocessing enabled or disabled. I then went back to Sonar, and created the same file with eight tracks and, interestingly, didn't have any issues with multiprocessing, either. I figured that the reason for a problem with Sonar might be that I had a ton of soft synths loaded into the project, as the projects with only digital audio worked fine.

Incidentally, I tried changing buffers and such, but ultimately, it seems that Sonar's Multiprocessing mode doesn't agree with the UX8.

I suppose for the sake of completeness I should create a project in Cubase with a ton of soft synths too, but it's late...and I think it's probably time to try the UX8 with some other programs, and then some other computers.

Cowinacape

02-22-2008, 01:19 AM

Not plugging into the motherboards USB port, but rather a USB add in card, is that Windows-centric advice, or good advice for Macs as well?

Anderton

02-22-2008, 12:31 PM

Not plugging into the motherboards USB port, but rather a USB add in card, is that Windows-centric advice, or good advice for Macs as well?

I'll find out in the next couple of days :) I think it may be motherboard-centric instead of OS-centric, but that's speculation.

keithtoxic

02-22-2008, 08:32 PM

I've heard that the hardware in a mac is made so you don't need to work with the outside USB and that the motherboard port is fine, but this could just be the usual apple fanboys pretending. Btw, I'm writing this on a mac, nothing against apple or anything, just the user base tends to spread false info.

I'm enjoying this review, as I'm currently under the decision between a presonus fire and the UX8.(already own the KB37, and love it, but definately need more channels)

Anderton

02-26-2008, 06:19 PM

Next up: Installing the UX8 with a dual G5 PPC Mac. This should be a more realistic "first-time user test," as I don't have any Line 6 interfaces installed on the Mac, but do on my main Windows machine so the drivers and such were already pretty much there.

Installation is the same deal was Windows: Install the software first, then attach the hardware. I noticed it installed the GearBox software as AU plug-ins -- good! The GearBox stuff will be a great addition to the existing roster of AU plugs.

After restarting, the Line 6 folder screen shows up. Line 6 recommends that upon installation, you call up the Line 6 Monkey utility to check for updates and such. As expected, an update is available...click on OK...here comes the download, and the latest Line 6 Monkey is ready to go.

Anderton

02-26-2008, 06:35 PM

For the uninitiated, the Line 6 Monkey program (maybe someone from Line 6 could explain the name, I'm sure there's a story behind it!) checks your Line 6 software - drivers, firmware, GearBox, etc. - and communicates with the Line 6 server. It then shows (see image) whether updates are available, and for what elements of the Line 6 package.

In this case, it's showing that new drivers are available, as well as an update for GearBox. It also mentions that a Leopard public beta version is available...hmmm...we'll, I'm still using Tiger so I won't concern myself with that for now.

Now I'll update what needs to be updated. I must say that even though this requires hooking up to the net - something I don't like to do much with music computers - it really does turn driver installation and updating into the "no-brainer" category. You still have to go through the usual hoops: Install, update, restart, update next item, restart again, etc. - but you don't have to think about it. Note also that the procedure is pretty much the same whether you're using Mac or Windows.

After updating the drivers, the Mac wants to restart. Okay. Now I'll update the GearBox software from v3.50 to v3.51, which requires a 147MB download. I sure am glad that I'm not on dial-up any more :)

Question for Line 6: If you are on dial-up, can you get an update CD from Line 6 somehow?

Anyway, while awaiting the download to complete, I'll prep the Line 6 Monkey image and post that.

Anderton

02-26-2008, 07:29 PM

It's basically installing the software from scratch, with the whole deal about not having the hardware connected during installation. I'll check the Monkey again...yup, the update showed up, and everything is listed as being current and ready to rock.

The only glitch is that when I hooked up USB to the UX8, the Mac showed the Screen You Don't Like to See saying that it's necessary to restart. Okay.

All seems well; a quick trip to Audio MIDI Setup shows the UX8 as recognized, and capable of doing 44.1, 48, 88.2, and 96kHz sample rates. And, volume sliders are active for all 8 channels.

So, let's call up BIAS Peak LE and play back some sounds through it...

Hmmm...

Well, there seems to be some kind of problem. The system starts and the UX8 is recognized, but as soon as I call up an audio application, the system "loses" the UX8. I suspect this may have to do with a corrupted download of the 3.51 GearBox software, because the .DMG file doesn't show the usual DMG icon, and there never was a notice to plug in the hardware.

However, it's time for dinner :) I'll re-install the drivers after dinner, and we'll see what happens then.

Anderton

02-26-2008, 07:57 PM

Looks like pilot error. My daughter had come in to tell me it was time for dinner, and her dog jumped all over me to say hi...and apparently, pulled out the USB cable from the back of the unit because it's sitting there on the floor!! No wonder the computer didn't recognize the device as being connected...

That's the nice thing about Pro Reviews, the real-time nature can reveal that from time to time, I manage to be a complete idiot.

Back after dinner...

Anderton

02-26-2008, 11:25 PM

Yes, everything's working perfectly. The UX8 is showing up with everything, and playing back with no problems. As a matter of fact, I don't know if they have any special mojo in the headphone amp, but I was listening to some cuts through iTunes and they sounded really fine.

I think there's a lesson to be learned here...based on the actions I've seen of some people, when the UX8 didn't work at first, their first reaction would have been to go on every web site and post (in all caps, of course!) UX8 SUCKS THIS IS CRAP i AM GOING TO BUY SOM,ETHING ELSE THAT WORKS! LINE 6 SUX! instead of blaming a small, black poodle named Spice :)

And the first download was corrupted, too (another lesson: Don't download big files while the weather is electrically funky). It took a second download to get the software properly.

But, once things were done as they were supposed to, everything has worked fine. I've tested the UX8 in iTunes, Peak, and Digital Performer, and so far, everything works exactly as advertised. I haven't really stressed the programs out yet, or seen how many GearBox plug-ins I couldn insert without the system screaming for mercy :), but I'm very pleased with how this is all working out.

JJost

02-28-2008, 10:01 AM

For the uninitiated, the Line 6 Monkey program (maybe someone from Line 6 could explain the name, I'm sure there's a story behind it!) checks your Line 6 software - drivers, firmware, GearBox, etc. -

The term may have originated during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain when children were used to grease the large rotating axles which were used to transfer power from one centralized steam engine to all of the machines on the factory floor. These children, covered in grease and crawling in the tight spaces in the ceilings, were equated with monkeys.
...or so it has been claimed in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grease_monkey).

The "monkey" (as we call it) is not unlike the enthusiastic service station attendant from the '50s who would provide numerous checks and updates to one's vehicle during a fill up. I believe this is where the term "grease monkey" originated, and you can see in the Line 6 Monkey logo our own grease monkey courteously servicing your wares with a smile and 1/4" cable in hand. Truthfully, he's probably more of a code monkey, so maybe he ought to be sporting a pocket protector and a Red Bull... Anyway, in the early days of Monkey development the term had such affection, it simply stuck.

JJost

02-28-2008, 10:08 AM

Question for Line 6: If you are on dial-up, can you get an update CD from Line 6 somehow?

We don't have many dial-up customers, although our Customer Service group does take a call from one from time to time. Dial-up customers usually understand that their internet connection is inherently limited and attempt downloads from elsewhere. We'll also burn installers to CD-R and mail it out to them.

Anderton

02-28-2008, 01:31 PM

I figured I try the UX8 with an Intel Mac next. No electrical storms, no dogs, and no pilot error...everything installed and played back perfectly. The system is currently running 512 samples while playing back an extremely complex Logic Pro project and accompanying movie...pretty good.

I'm coming to appreciate the Line 6 Monkey thing more and more, it really does simplify dealing with updates and downloads. I like the way it analyzes what you have and acts accordingly; I also like the Line 6 "unified field theory" approach to software where there's one basic package that supports all their stuff.

Anderton

02-28-2008, 01:41 PM

I'm starting to get past the "this is cool, and everything works!" phase to the "let's try to identify some limitations" phase.

So far, I've found two:

1. There's no MIDI interface. This will be a limitation for those who use MIDI, but would like the UX8 to be the only interface they need to use. I'm using the KB37 to provide keyboard input, but that doesn't have physical MIDI ports, either. So, if you plan to use the UX8 and do MIDI, consider adding something like the TAPCO Link.MIDI, which provides 4 ports and seems pretty bulletproof.

2. Only the first two inputs are really flexible. The other six can choose between mic and line only; the first two can choose among instrument, mic, line, or SPDIF (see attached image). In practical terms, though, the only time I could see an actual problem is if you wanted to feed something in via SPDIF while playing an instrument, which I imagine would not be too common an occurrence. The workaround, of course, is to record whatever you want to feed in via SPDIF, then record your instrument part.

I don't consider this very serious, but wanted to mention it for the sake of completeness.

Alndln2

02-29-2008, 02:12 PM

Is Sonar multiprocessing still a no go? Is it Sonar?

Anderton

03-01-2008, 12:17 PM

Anderton

03-09-2008, 10:43 PM

Hey everybody - sorry for "going dark" on you, but I've had to get all my video/audio/music gear ready for Frankfurt (I leave in about 10 hours). One of the drawbacks of a hardware pro review is that if I'm traveling, I can't really do anything...but the advantage, of course, is that I can pick up where I left off once I get some of the Frankfurt videos edited. Meanwhile, perhaps some others will have taken the plunge with the UX8 and continue to post their experiences as well.

What I can say is that I've been using it a fair amount just to do things like get my music library in shape to take with me to Messe (you don't think I write all the soundtracks for the videos on the spot, do you:))? It's been happy and stable, with the caveat of disabling multiprocessor support in Sonar. As it doesn't seem to have similar problems with multiprocessor support in Cubase, I'm starting to think there's some kind of incompatibility that will get fixed in someone's point release.

One other thing before I go: I'm really quite surprised at the mic pres, especially given the cost. They're clean and functional. As long as you're not expecting "tubes+transformers boutique performance," I think you'll be pleasantly surprised as well. And I've been very happy with what I do to my voice with the GearBox software.

When I return from Frankfurt, my plan is to give audio examples of the software as the hardware angle seems pretty well covered...it works with PPC Mac, Intel Mac, and XP...but I really think that having the GearBox plug-ins represents significant value, and the audio examples will show you why.

See you in about 10 days...

JJost

03-10-2008, 12:06 PM

Not sure where the problem lies, and Jesse hasn't responded...I have similar problems with the KB37, but not as pronounced. It's not that it doesn't work; it's that there's occasional stuttering when you start to push the CPU, and no stuttering when you're using a single processor.

The issue with SONAR issue multifaceted. In part, it was caused by some Windows problems, but we've developed a workaround in our driver which fixes the problem on XP. This will be included in a pending GearBox update - expect Monkey to give you a heads up sometime soon. On Vista, this issue is resolved Vista Service Pack 1, so we advise our Vista users to run the update now.

Ashmil

03-26-2008, 05:20 AM

Interesting unit...

I'm thinking of getting a UX8 to go with my new Macbook. Now, I'm led to understand that FW is considered superior to USB for audio interfaces, particularly on Macs... something to do with FW's sustained data transfer, rather than USB's bursts? However, I'm attracted to the UX8 because of the Gearbox options. So: is the UX8 proving to work well with the Mac under stress? - for example, can it record on all 8 inputs simultaneously at 24/96?

Anderton

04-07-2008, 09:43 PM

Okay...I'm back from Frankfurt, I've posted 3 hours of Frankfurt videos in the theater (check 'em out!!!), went through 10 days of a nasty flu, and I'm ready to get back to the Pro Reviews.

But let me start off by addressing the FW vs. USB thing. First, let me tell you where I'm coming from: I use both Mac and Windows machines. I love them both when they're working, and hate them both when they're crashing :) So I have no political affiliation.

In my experience, Firewire has been more problematic than USB on the Mac. What alerted me to this was the Pro Review on the TC Electronic Konnekt, which had Mac people swearing at the unit and Windows fans swearing by it. Apparently, the Intel Macs had some Firewire issues and TC was helpless to do anything until the problems got fixed. I also read that Apple changed the Firewire chips mid-stream in production, and that caused problems as well.

But Windows isn't immune, either. I had USB problems with my wonderful PC Audio Labs computer, and what fixed it was installing a USB card and running my audio off that, while running hard drives etc. off the motherboard USB controller. It turns out there's a potential problem with the Inter controller chips; I was recently advised to turn off all the network controllers in device manager, install basically any network card, and watch my latency get reduced by a huge amount.

While I haven't stressed the UX8 to the max with the Mac, I have stressed the hell out of it with Windows and it's been great. There's no reason why USB 2 can't perform at least as well as FW 400, and again, based solely on personal experience, I've had less problems with USB than Firewire.

If I get a chance, I'll try running the UX8 at 24/96 with a Mac and see if I can make it blow up :)

BTW you're wise to be attracted to the UX8 because of GearBox...it's great software. But also remember it's available separately if you want to use GearBox with something else. However, you don't get the ToneDirect monitoring if you use the GearBox as standard plug-ins.

Cowinacape

04-08-2008, 01:18 AM

If I get a chance, I'll try running the UX8 at 24/96 with a Mac and see if I can make it blow up :)

Excellent, but it doesn't count unless you let the magic blue smoke out :o Glad to hear this review is on it's way back :thu:

pbognar

04-17-2008, 04:03 PM

nerol1st

04-17-2008, 10:44 PM

Can you monitor inputs 3-8 via gearbox? Actually how do these work?

Anderton

04-19-2008, 02:34 PM

Ok - time for a dumb question / speculation:

Any world if Line6 are considering a USB 2.0 version of the KB37, for more audio bandwidth and so that only one external USB device can be used for audio and MIDI?

If the answer is not readily shareable or available, does anyone know of a USB 2.0 complient device which is similar to the KB37, ie. MIDI keyboard with reliable audio interface (but operating at USB 2.0 bandwidth...)?

MIDI uses very little bandwidth, so there's no real reason for the KB37 to do MIDI via USB 2.0 and it would cause compatibility issues with those who have USB 1.1 but not 2.0. As to the audio section, you can get 2-4 tracks reliably with USB 1.1 (depending on sample rate) so again, no real need to go to 2.0.

Anderton

04-19-2008, 02:40 PM

Can you monitor inputs 3-8 via gearbox? Actually how do these work?

GearBox is "married" to inputs 1 and 2 and the digital (SPDIF) I/O. Within that context, you can choose any of the "flavors" for those ins: instrument, mic, mic stereo, line, line stereo...see the attached picture.

Inputs 3-8 are standard mic/line inputs.

Anderton

04-19-2008, 02:48 PM

I've noted that the UX8 sounds good, so I thought y'all might be interested to know that the UX8 uses the same A/D converters as in the Apogee Ensembe and Focusrite Saffire Pro.

The other interesting tidbit is that the UX8 has true 96kHz support, not the upsampling conversion as used the in KB37 and other TonePort products. Unfortunately, I'm having some issues at 88.2 or 96kHz with my computer; Line 6 can't reproduce the problem so they think it might be related to my particular system, which is an 8-core Intel Xeon-based machine from PC Audio Labs. Both Line 6 and PCAL are in the case...my gut tells me that the drivers somehow don't get along with all those cores, but I'll know more as their tech guys dig into it.

Anderton

04-19-2008, 03:28 PM

Line 6 TonePort UX8: The GearBox Software

Let's put the hardware aside for a while, and look at the software that comes with the UX8. As far as I'm concerned, the only remaining hardware issue is the 96kHz thing with my main music computer, as I've tested it on numerous machines and can record all day with all inputs at 44.1 or 48kHz - no pops, clicks, dropouts, or other issues.

There are really two parts to the GearBox software. The first is a hardware control panel, and the rest is audio processing software. The hardware control panel is active as long as the interface is connected, while the audio processing section can be used in stand-alone mode, or a plug-in within a host. This is opened optionally if you want to use it.

The Driver tab (first image) tells you the current sample rate and bit depth, as well as ASIO settings if you have an ASIO client running. This page is also where you set the ToneDirect monitoring buffer size. I can get away with really small buffers, and as noted before, the ToneDirect monitoring thing is great if you're used to hearing latency when playing guitar through your computer - with small buffers, monitoring latency becomes insignificant.

The Inputs and Recording tab (second image) is where you select the input sources. Note the green "LED" next to Input 1: This is set to instrument, and the green shows there's signal present (from a guitar, in case you wondered). The drop-down menu is selecting the source for input 2, which can be instrument, mic, line, or S/PDIF. Inputs 3-8 can choose from line or mic, and be treated as stereo pairs (3+4, 5+6, 7+8) or as individual mono ins. As the window notes, when GearBox is running, inputs 1 and 2 are configured within GearBox itself.

Next up, the Outputs and Monitoring tab (third image). This is what other manufacturers would call a "zero-latency monitoring" setup, as it allows mixing the input directly into the hardware output. Note that this is not the same as ToneDirect monitoring; with the latter, the signal actually does go into the computer to use the GearBox plug-ins, but bypasses all the operating system layers in order to give the fastest possible response. Note how input 1 is playing, and because it's panned to center, shows up at equal level in output 1 and output 2 (left and right).

Finally, we have the MIDI tab (fourth image). This is where you assign the expression pedal and two footswitches that can plug into corresponding jacks on the UX8 to parameters within GearBox. This is pretty straightforward; for example, the drop-down menu shows footswitch two being assigned to the "Previous Tone" option (i.e., preset decrement, basically).

Now, you'll also note a "To MIDI Out." Huh? There are no MIDI jacks on the UX8...

Well, if you have another MIDI-compatible interface, you have the option to treat that as MIDI in for the UX8. As to MIDI out, the UX8 presents a virtual MIDI out port to other applications. So for example, suppose you have a soft synth and you want to control its level from the expression pedal plugged into the UX8. You would select the UX8 MIDI out as the soft synth's MIDI in, assign the expression pedal to MIDI CC in the settings window "To MIDI Out" field, then specify controller 7 (assuming that's what changes your soft synth's level) in the settings window "MIDI CC/Action" field. Also note that you can set the footswitch action to momentary or toggle.

I do wish the UX8 at least had a MIDI in; then I could plug a control surface into it and use it to control GearBox and other programs without needing another interface with a MIDI in (when I need a MIDI in, I use the one in my E-Mu 1820, or the Creamware SCOPE MIDI in).

And that's pretty much it for the control panel.

Anderton

04-19-2008, 10:40 PM

All right, let's get into the processing...

The backstory on GearBox is that it basically takes the algorithms used in Line 6's Vetta amp and their PODxt and puts them in software form. However, until fairly recently these algorithms could be used only with the ToneDirect monitoring, and recorded as if you were recording an external signal processor. Furthermore, you didn't get all the Line 6 algorithms when you bought a TonePort interface, but a sort of "greatest hits" with expansion packs optional at extra cost.

However, the introduction of GearBox Gold made these algorithms available for Windows VST and Mac AU, followed shortly thereafter by RTAS versions for both platforms. GearBox Gold includes all the available expansion packs, meaning you have a ton of amps, cabs, and processors. Another version, GearBox Silver, also contains a collection of plug-ins but with a lesser number of models.

With me so far? The UX8 includes GearBox software, but while it doesn't have as many models as GearBox Gold, what it does have can be used with the ToneDirect monitoring process while recording, or used as conventional plug-ins. I believe the UX8 is the first Line 6 interface product to include GearBox software as a plug-in, not just for ToneDirect monitoring. I'm sure someone from Line 6 will correct me if I got any of the above wrong...

Anderton

04-19-2008, 11:54 PM

The UX8 version of GearBox includes 18 guitar amp models, 24 guitar amp cabinets, 5 bass amp models, 5 bass amp cabinets, and 6 vocal preamp models. As to processors, there's a Noise Gate, Volume (suitable for controlling via the expression pedal), 2 wah models, 10 stomp box models, compressor, semi-parametric EQ, 6 modulation effects, 3 delay effects, and 5 reverbs -- the same basic roster as what's included in GearBox Silver. For comparison, GearBox Gold has 78 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 28 bass amps, 22 bass cabs, 6 mic preamps, and over 80 stompbox and studio effects.

Before going any further, let me get subjective for a bit. My general experience with amp sims is that I'm rarely happy with the sounds until I tweak them, and the ones from Line 6 are no exception. When I hear people condemn amp sims, I often wonder if they've taken the time to optimize the settings for their playing style, guitar, choice of pickups, musical style, etc. I've been able to get some great sounds out of GearBox, but only after I've taken the time to customize them to my tastes.

GUI Basics. When you open up GearBox, you're presented with a GUI that has three main sections -- see the first image. In stand-alone mode, the very top has a strip with preset selection, monitor volume, mute for monitor (but doesn't mute the record send), GearBox tone engine bypass, and tuner. And of course you want to see what the tuner looks like, so click on the second image. When used as a plug-in, this strip shows only preset selection -- I don't know why the tuner goes away, it would be handy for programs that don't include a tuner.

Right below this top strip is the GUI for the amp you've chosen. This shows their AC30 emulation. When you call up a guitar or bass amp, it includes a default matching cabinet but you can mix and match amps/cabinets without restrictions. When you call up a mic preamp, as expected there's no matching cabinet.

Toward the middle is a serial chain of effects. Some of these, like the Noise Gate and Compressor, have only one option; others, like the Stomp effect, have several possible effects you can insert in that "slot" in the chain. The third image shows the available stomp effects.

Effects order. The order of effects is mostly fixed, but you do have some options. The Volume, Modulation, Delay, and Reverb effects can be switched pre- or post-amp, although their relative order doesn't change. For example, whether Modulation and Delay are before or after the amp, Modulation will always be before Delay.

At first, I thought this would be limiting because I often like to compress guitar signals going into an amp, and it appeared the Compressor would always be post-amp. However, the Stomp effect has a Vetta Compressor option which takes care of the problem. However, if I want the signal path to go Compressor > Distortion > Amp, it's not possible because for the Stomp effect I can have Compressor, or Distortion, but not both. In a case like that, I just choose an amp that offers the possibility of lots of distortion.

When you click on one of the effect slots, its GUI opens toward the bottom of the Window. For example, in the first image, you can see the Analog Delay with Modulation (read: E-H Memory Man) effect and in the third image, one of the distortions that -- oh, let me make a wild guess here -- models the Rat distortion box.

The Bottom Strip. The strip along the bottom, which appears only in stand-alone mode, deals with with tone storage, metronome, a player, and other functions. None of these pertain to using GearBox as a plug-in. One other difference is that the plug-in version includes input and output level controls. For comparison, the fourth image shows GearBox when used as a plug-in within Sonar 7. This shows the Plexi Lead amp model along with the settings for the EQ effect.

Anderton

04-20-2008, 12:25 PM

When you click on the Amp module in the signal chain, you see a graphic of a cabinet and a mic as shown in the image (this section is highlighted with the rest grayed-out). You can move the mic closer to the cabinet for a drier sound, or farther away to add in reflections.

There are four mic types: 57 on axis, 57 off axis, 421 dynamic, and 67 condenser. Let's hear how using one mic over another affects the sound. The audio example (mictypes.mp3) uses a basic guitar amp sound from the Brit Gain amp, and the mic changes every four measures, going through the above order (i.e., starting with 57 on axis and ending with 67 condenser).

One of the things that continues to mystify me about amp sims with mic options is how one mic option can sound terrible with one amp/cabinet model, and wonderful with another. Nor does it seem like there's any predictability to this, and really, you need to experiment if you're going to get the best possible sound. For example, I definitely liked the 67 condenser the best with the particular amp/cab sound in the audio clip.

Anderton

04-22-2008, 01:01 PM

Let's listen to some of the high-gain amp models; I thought I'd start out with the Line 6 models as opposed to the more "emulative" ones. These are solely the models and "linked" cabs (calling up an amp calls up a default cab, but you can change it if you want). There are no other effects in the chain, so this is pretty much the "raw" sound. The first part of each amp example has a more muted, chunky playing style; in the second part I let the chords ring out so you can hear the difference in how the amps react.

The first audio example plays, in this order:

Line 6 Chemical X (with 412 dynamic mic)
Line 6 Spinal Puppet (with 57 off-axis mic)

The second audio example plays, in this order:

Line 6 Insane (with 67 condenser mic)
Line 6 Treadplate (with 57 off-axis mic)

As you heard in the example in the previous post, the mic has a big influence on the sound. I chose these mics because I thought they sounded best with the amps, but of course, that's pretty subjective.

The image shows the face plates for the four amps, which prooves that Line 6 doesn't take this all too seriously... :)

tradivoro1

04-23-2008, 09:20 AM

Anderton

04-23-2008, 11:47 AM

What I was planning on doing was recording one vocal snippet, and processing it with the different preamps - like what I did with the miking options a few posts ago. You'll hear a definite difference. FWIW the GearBox software is my go-to program when I record narration.

And anyone else reading the Pro Review...please let me know if you have any requests about what else you want me to cover.

Anderton

04-23-2008, 11:08 PM

Hi Craig, thanks for the tips of maximizing the amp models on this and this unit looks better and better the more I read about it (really all these companies should be compensating you for giving such insightful explanations of their products)...

Companies have to pay Harmony Central to host the Pro Review, which just about covers the bandwidth and moderation. However, they have to pay in advance, so they don't know how the review will turn out. As a result we get mostly companies who have confidence in their products :)

There's more about this in the "Pro Review FAQ and Forum Rules" thread. One of the best things about Pro Reviews is that is has a system of "checks and balances"--you can't say something's great when it isn't, and vice-versa, because there are thousands of people looking over your shoulder. And frankly, it takes some of the pressure off me--if I miss or misunderstand something, someone will correct me.

Okay, now I think it's time to record some more examples...I must say that aside from the 96kHz issue with my computer, the UX8 has been performing very well.

tradivoro1

04-24-2008, 07:52 AM

That would be interesting too, post processing to make sound different or better... Thanks...

What I was planning on doing was recording one vocal snippet, and processing it with the different preamps - like what I did with the miking options a few posts ago. You'll hear a definite difference. FWIW the GearBox software is my go-to program when I record narration.

And anyone else reading the Pro Review...please let me know if you have any requests about what else you want me to cover.

Anderton

04-24-2008, 12:16 PM

That would be interesting too, post processing to make sound different or better... Thanks...

Well remember with the UX8 that the GearBox software offers two different options: ToneDirect monitoring, where you record the sound "on the way in" to your sequencer with no discernible latency, or using GearBox as standard plug-ins, where you basically record a dry signal, then modify it after the fact with the plug-ins. On the computer you'll have the option to monitor "through" the plug-ins, but there will be more latency compared to ToneDirect monitoring. However, of course when mixing down if you want to experiment with different plug-in sounds, you can do so and latency is not an issue.

Make sense?

Anderton

04-25-2008, 01:07 AM

Here are some crunchy sounds that show how the GearBox software performs for chunky rhythm guitar parts. The first one, AC30 Crunch, is a patch I programmed that's pretty responsive; the image shows the main control settings. The second, Citrus Rhythm Crunch, has a ruder, dirtier sound.

Anderton

04-25-2008, 01:11 AM

These are two patches I programmed, along with screen shots of the main control settings. Rhythm Medium Drive uses a simple amp model, but has good character. Rhythm Big and Beefy is a much bassier sound, with a little reverb thrown on to make it interesting.

Anderton

04-25-2008, 01:16 AM

Rhythm Retro is another crunchy rhythm, but what makes this interesting (as you can see from the image) is that there's no amp model -- just a fuzz stompbox modeled on the EH Muff Pi and a cabinet. The next sound moves over to more of a lead sound; Lead Sweet Dirty Reverb is a more soulful, responsive type of lead as opposed to pure crunch.

Anderton

04-25-2008, 01:20 AM

Here are two patches that ship with GearBox. Blossom is a brash, rocking lead sound, whereas Achtung Tone is a little more tame than Blosson, but more aggressive than Lead Sweet Dirty Rhythm in the previous post.

Anderton

04-25-2008, 11:59 AM

I just received this email from Line 6 and thought y'all should know about it in case you wanted to get the plugs. Note that further down in the Questions section, there are links to several audio examples of the plug-ins in action.
--------
Special: all model packs and plug-in $169.95

SPECIAL: get it all for one low price.
Worth up to $400 if purchased separately.

For the musician who wants it all, this is a special offer to get every Line 6 upgrade and model pack available. Add full VST / AU / RTAS plug-in functionality plus every model pack available to max out the tone of your GuitarPort, PODxt family, or TonePort for one ridiculously low price.

Everything is included:

- Metal Shop model pack.
- Collector Classics model pack.
- FX Junkie model pack.
- Power Pack.
- Bass Expansion model pack.
- GearBox Plug-in Download.

Bundle offer ends April 30. Amounts shown in US Dollars (USD).

Order from:
line6.com/store/storefront.html

------------------------------------------

Questions? Read on...

- What is a Plug-in?
It provides seamless integration and flexibility with your computer recording application, allowing you to:
- "Re-amp" to change your sound after it’s been recorded.
- Run multiple plug-ins on a single track to create intricate effects chains.
- Create doubling effects and dual amp tones.
- Automate GearBox effects and settings with your recording application.
- Apply effects and amp processing to pre-recorded loops.
- Mix and master with studio-quality compressors, reverbs and preamps.

- What compatibility does GearBox Plug-in Download provide and on which computers?
Mac® RTAS®/AU, Windows® RTAS®/VST®

- What is a Model Pack?
It is a bundle of additional amplifier models and effects that can be enabled in your Line 6 gear to give you a whole new range of flexibility to dial in just the tone you need. There are different Model Packs available, depending on what style you would like to explore. This bundle includes them all.

- Exactly what amps and effects are included in each Model Pack?
Please see the following question. Each of the links contains the complete list of amps and effects, plus some audio samples.

- Can I hear some samples played through the Model Packs?
Yes, plug in some good headphones, and visit the links below.
Audio samples are near the top of each page, and you can select different samples by clicking on them near the left of the player:
Metal Shop: http://line6.com/modelPacks/metal.html
Collector Classics: http://line6.com/modelPacks/classics.html
FX Junkie: http://line6.com/modelPacks/fx.html
Power Pack: http://line6.com/modelPacks/power.html
Bass Expansion: http://line6.com/modelPacks/bass.html
(Includes Microphone and Cabinet models as well.)

- What if I already own a Model Pack?
If your gear came with a model pack pre-installed or if you purchased one already, this is still a great way to max out your tones and effects without paying for all of the rest of them separately.

- What if I already own the GearBox Plug-in?
If your gear came with the GearBox Plug-in or if you already purchased it separately, this is still a great deal for the complete set of model packs.

- Will all the tones and effects in the Model Packs work as plug-ins too?
Yes, any Model Packs you already own or included with this bundle will also have plug-in capability (as long as you have the Line 6 device with the activated plug-in and model packs connected to your computer).

- Is this bundle compatible with POD 2.0 or POD X3?
No, but you will end up with practically all the models in a POD X3.

- Exactly what Line 6 device do I need for this bundle?
Model Packs and GearBox Plug-in download are compatible with: GuitarPort, GuitarPort RiffTracker, PODxt, PODxt Live, PODxt Pro, TonePort GX, TonePort KB37, TonePort UX1, TonePort UX2, TonePort UX8, TonePort DI.

- How is this Gold Bundle offer different from the GearBox Plug-in Gold product offered in stores?
This Gold Bundle offer is only available as an electronic delivery from the Line 6 online store, but the GearBox Plug-in Gold is available from retailers and websites as a boxed product. Both offer the same model packs and plug-in functionality. The GearBox Plug-in Gold (box) comes with a TonePort DI device that must be connected to your computer. The Gold Bundle online offer does not come with any hardware because it is designed to be used with your existing compatible hardware in the place of the TonePort DI.

- What if I purchased a Model Pack or GearBox Plug-in Download at the original price?
Line 6 does not offer price protection, but if you purchased within the last 30 days, just return your license key for a refund and re-purchase now.

- Do I need to download anything after I purchase a Model Pack or GearBox Plug-in?
Probably not (just the "Monkey" if you do not have it already). Line 6 will give you a License Key after your purchase (found on the Thank You page, also in your account page, as well as in an email receipt we will send).

- How do I install the License Key
Line 6 Monkey is the utility used to install the license key. If you don't have it already, we will give you a download link and complete instructions (it's easy).

- Can I transfer some or all of the Model Packs or GearBox Plug-in to another Line 6 device?
Yes, you can transfer all of them together. This is another advantage of the Gold Bundle online offer versus the GearBox Plug-in Gold box version.

- What if my computer crashes, what will happen to my Model Packs?
The Model Packs and GearBox Plug-in are enabled in your Line 6 gear, so computer crashes will not affect them.

- Is there a Money-back Guarantee?
Of course, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund, no problem. It is as simple as pasting your license keys into a web page on the line 6 website, and then running Line 6 Monkey with your gear connected to your computer.

What is the cost in Euros?
This depends on your local rates and any fees from your credit card provider, but 25 USD is approximately 16 EUR now.

Got more questions?
Read the FAQ: http://line6.com/modelPacks/faq.html

justcrash

04-25-2008, 12:13 PM

I really want to pick this up, this is a really good price! :)

Anderton

04-25-2008, 01:05 PM

Well, I'm not here to sell GearBox software, but I thought this was worth bringing to everyone's attention because the price really is good--especially considering what you get.

Anderton

04-28-2008, 12:31 PM

Let's get into the six vocal preamp models. To me, this is the Gearbox "secret weapon" because when people think of Line 6, they think guitar/bass processing. However, I've been able to get some excellent vocal sounds out of the Gearbox software, particularly with a little judicious processing.

First, we'll look at the model front panels. The main visible differences are in the way EQ is handled, as well as the fact that four have a drive control and two don't.

Anderton

04-28-2008, 12:36 PM

For these audio examples, I've posted the original, raw unprocessed vocal, recorded through a Shure SM58 going through one of the UX8 mic inputs. The next three examples run the same phrase through the American Classic, Vintage UK, and Lo-Fi preamps. These are set totally flat with minimum drive, so you'll be hearing just the preamp "character," and nothing else.

Anderton

04-28-2008, 12:38 PM

Same basic deal as above, but with different preamps. I've re-posted the original, raw vocal for easy comparison. The next three examples run the same phrase through the Vintage, Modern, and Consolo preamps. Again, these are set flat with no drive.

Anderton

04-28-2008, 12:56 PM

In this example, we've taken the same raw phrase, run it through the Modern preamp, and added some processing. As you can see from the attached image, the "vintage compressor" model is enabled, and while an amp model isn't appropriate, adding some early reflections can add "life" to the voice. In this case, there's a reasonable amount of reflections being added, but I don't think the sound is gimmicky.

As to EQ, I've rolled off the low bass and a little bit of upper bass, so the voice cuts better through a video soundtrack. The High Mid control has the 5X button enabled, which multiplies the knob frequency (in this case, 747Hz, as shown by the info strip on the bottom that gives info on wherever the cursor is pointing). The boost at this frequency, around 3750Hz, makes the voice more present and crisper, while offsetting some of the dullness associated with dynamic mics.

In case this sound is familiar, it's what I used for a lot of the narration on the NAMM and Frankfurt videos done for Harmony Central's Theater :)

Frets99

04-28-2008, 01:22 PM

Anderton

04-28-2008, 01:23 PM

Here's one more example. This is a more processed vocal, designed for music instead of narration. Note the effects in use, as shown in the attached image: Gate, Modulation (set for a mild chorus effect), Early Reflections, Compressor, and Reverb. The image shows the Reverb GUI, with the Medium Hall algorithm selected.

In this case the Mod section was placed pre-amp, so it would be in front of the compressor. The reason for doing this is so the compressor can even out any major level variations caused by the chorusing.

As to the preamp settings themselves, frequencies below 25Hz are cut to reduce rumble and plosives. There's a slight boost around 90Hz, to give the voice a little more fullness, and another boost around 3.2kHz, to add intelligibility. There's also a little high-shelf action to increase the apparent "air." There is no other processing on the vocal other than what's added by the GearBox softtware.

Anderton

04-28-2008, 01:27 PM

I really appreciate the work you're doing with this review. I have a UX1 which fills my non-professional needs nicely. It's amazing to see how it's "grown up". The interface is still simple to use. And the quality sounds very professional to me.

Thanks for the props! Now might be a good time for me to ask what else people would like to see showcased in this review. I know there was interest in the vocal options, but I think that's been pretty much covered at this point. I am planning on giving some more audio examples of effects with guitar, and then I think we'll be ready for conclusions. But please - if anyone has questions/requests/suggestions, feel free to chime in!

Anderton

04-28-2008, 01:45 PM

Okay, I couldn't resist...gotta do a lo-fi example, right? This gives the famous "DJ singing through a set of headphones plugged into the mic pre with the gain way up" effect. Before listening to the audio example, please sign the personal injury release form...thanks.

Effect-wise, you can see in the image that Drive is up all the way, there's a major dip at 180Hz, and some high shelf boost. There's also a big boost at 35Hz although honestly, I can't remember why I did that...

The Effect GUI shows the Analog Delay, which models that sort of Electro-Harmonix Memory Man effect where you modulate the delay to add interest. The Stompbox is set to Vetta Compression, and there's Vintage Compression later on to add further squashing.

Anderton

05-01-2008, 03:33 PM

You may recall I was having issues running the UX8 at 88.2kHz and 96kHz...lots of clicks and pops. Line 6 couldn't duplicate the problem.

Fred at PC Audio Labs, who I must say has been incredibly helpful in terms of support, suggested that flashing the BIOS might solve the problem as I was still running the mobo with a BIOS from 2006. The updating process was far easier than I expected: There's an ISO file on the PC Audio Labs web site, you download it, burn it to CD, boot with it in the drive, type FLASH, let it do its thing, then reboot.

After getting the computer back up and running, the UX8 works fine at 88.2 and 96kHz. So at this point, hardware-wise the UX8 now works with anything I can throw at it. All right!

JJost

05-06-2008, 12:27 PM

JJost

05-06-2008, 12:37 PM

Thanks for the props! Now might be a good time for me to ask what else people would like to see showcased in this review. I know there was interest in the vocal options, but I think that's been pretty much covered at this point. I am planning on giving some more audio examples of effects with guitar, and then I think we'll be ready for conclusions. But please - if anyone has questions/requests/suggestions, feel free to chime in!

Guitar examples are always fun, knock yourself out! (A couple of my favs are the '64 Blackface 'Lux and '67 Class A-30...)

If you're into working up bass examples, there are a few bass amps and cabs to choose from. As a practiced alternative to those, it might be interesting to try our "American Classic" preamp (modeled after an API 512 preamp with and 550b EQ - the "lunchbox")...

Anderton

05-06-2008, 12:49 PM

That's great news Craig! I guess the lesson here is to make sure ALL our hardware is running with the latest updates, even if everything "seems" good most of the time. Manufacturers almost always have a solid rationale for the updates they make available.

Yup. What's really weird is that the E-Mu 0404 USB worked fine at 96kHz, but not the UX8...now with the motherboard update, the UX8 works as well at 88.2 and 96 as it did before at 44 and 48.

But what's even weirder: I swear I can load more plug-ins in Sonar than I could before. I don't have any before and after measurements, but it really does seem to be the case.

BTW I don't want to put you through too much trouble, but if you could give a brief description of how Line 6 does the modeling process, I think people would find it interesting. Do you just mic an amp and hook it up to a spectrum analyzer, or what? I really don't have a clue and I bet most others don't either.

tradivoro1

05-09-2008, 10:59 PM

Hi Craig, thanks for putting up the vocal examples... My internet computer has been down and at work I can't hear this, so it's been a while to get to hear this... Definitely very interesting, I gather that these preamps are dedicated for the voice and not the guitar? I'm guessing the UK is supposed to emulate a neve? The lo fi stuff definitely can come in very handy in the right situations... Thanks for showing us all this stuff that the vast majority of us would not explore and or put to good advantage...

justcrash

05-10-2008, 08:28 AM

Hey guys, I just bought the gear box plug in, I can throw down some stuff for you to check out if anyone is interested. :)

Anderton

05-10-2008, 01:29 PM

Absolutely!! It would be great to have some other people sharing their examples.

Anderton

05-10-2008, 01:31 PM

[QUOTE=tradivoro1;27960283]Hi Craig, thanks for putting up the vocal examples... My internet computer has been down and at work I can't hear this, so it's been a while to get to hear this... Definitely very interesting, I gather that these preamps are dedicated for the voice and not the guitar?[QUOTE]

They're designed for voice, but actually, I've tried them with guitar and bass and they represent yet another "color." They don't have the distortion of the amps (except for the lo-fi), but you use the stomp boxes in front of them and get some useful timbres.

Guess it's time to record some more examples :)

Cowinacape

05-10-2008, 01:42 PM

Hey guys, I just bought the gear box plug in, I can throw down some stuff for you to check out if anyone is interested. :)

Please do! :wave:

picatainhas

05-11-2008, 06:12 AM

spookyrockstar

05-12-2008, 09:09 PM

Hey all!

Although my first post, I've been enjoying Craig's (hi!) Pro Reviews for quite some time! It's a great format. Even the occasional bickering that happens can often lead to insight/clarification/solutions for those concerned!

A question: Jesse, even though the UX8 review is still farily new, I've purchased the UX8 based on how much I love/use my UX2. It seems geared (wonderfully) towards bassists/guitarists, but I LLLLOOOOOVE the console/preamp emulations. Are there plans to make more (edit:vocal-pre-amp)emulations than the ones I currently have?

fingers crossed,
Ed Clare

Anderton

05-12-2008, 10:46 PM

Hi everyone, i'm not a pro and i am looking for something that allows me to play at home (using headphones) or thru some monitors.
I was thinking about toneport ux2 but that won't let me plugin a 2nd guitar and play them at the same time.
I was wondering if with ux8 i could do that, or in option (with a plus to the fact that it's a effect pedal board) the pod x3 live. This last one would be my favorite, i'm just not sure what to go for!

The POD X3 live is a fine piece o' gear, but it's really designed for live performance and it sounds like you want something more recording-related. The other thing I should mention is that once you start recording, you always want more :)

The UX8 has two instrument inputs that are dedicated to instruments like electric guitar and bass. However, that leaves six other inputs you can send to your computer, which can be mics or line level sources. For example, you could plug guitar into one instrument input, bass into another instrument input, stereo drum machine out into two line inputs, two mics into two more inputs, and still have two inputs left over - and of course, you get to use the plug-ins, but if you want to use them in real-time (e.g., as you record), they'll work only with the first two inputs. That means you could use them with your guitar + bass scenario, or with, say, a guitar + vocal or bass + vocal scenario.

However (still with me?) you can use the GearBox plug-ins on mixdown (i.e., non-real-time) without restrictions. So, for example, if you recorded all the tracks mentioned above (guitar, bass, two vocals, stereo drum machine) you could process all of them with GearBox plug-ins on mixdown, assuming your computer had enough power to load all those plug-ins. That's likely, as the plug-ins are efficiently coded and most computers these days are pretty powerful.

Does this help?

Anderton

05-12-2008, 10:51 PM

Although my first post, I've been enjoying Craig's (hi!) Pro Reviews for quite some time! It's a great format. Even the occasional bickering that happens can often lead to insight/clarification/solutions for those concerned!

Thanks for bringing that up, because one manufacturer told me a Pro Review accelerated their updating process tremendously because they got more feedback in a shorter period of time than they could have gotten any other way.

And while my 96kHz problem wasn't the fault of Line 6 or PC Audio Labs (who make my desktop computer), at least a solution was discovered for those who are affected because they're using a particular motherboard.

Welcome aboard! Don't be afraid to post!

P.S. I don't know if you'll get a response from Jesse about additional modelsl, as most companies are loathe to promise anything for the future, "just in case." But hey, it's Line 6, so you never know :) I will say I've gotten a lot of mileage from the models that are already there.

picatainhas

05-13-2008, 01:26 AM

Thanks Anderton, so from your experience, i shouldn't wait for pod x3 pro? With ux8 i'll get what i need. It looks to me that with x3 pro i'll get the both of two worlds. So with UX8 i'll get more "inputs" and outputs, with X3 Pro i'll get more "effects". Is this correct?

Thanks Again!

Chris Martins

05-14-2008, 02:03 AM

It really depends if you're willing to play live with this gear. If you are and need loads of simulations and FXs, then a X3pro is your best choice, if you are not and might need lots of inputs, go for the UX8... Both units are great, the sound quality is really good, and basically you can't really go way wrong with either... I own the UX8, but I can clearly see myself investing in an X3pro in a not so distant future for additionnal possibilties. I also own a konnekt 48 interface and I can tell you that the UX8 is in the same league sound quality wise, which says a lot... I interfaced both of them together, making my UX8 a pre-mixer for drums and ensemble vocals for example, and the Konnekt the main interface. It works really well. The X3pro will also be patched in stereo into the konnekt 48.

Anderton

05-14-2008, 11:29 AM

Thanks for the feedback, Chris. Nice to have another set of opinions in here.

spookyrockstar

05-14-2008, 05:54 PM

Just commenting on a nice experience I had with the Line 6 Monkey:

My UX8 came in today (love it) and I just wanted to mention that all I had to do was unplug my UX2 and plug in my UX8. Done! Since I was upgrading from the UX2, I already had Line 6 Monkey installed, thus it automatically had all the drivers ready to go for my new hardware upon detection!

Sure, installing its' software would have only taken a few minutes, but in this case it was one less thing I had to do to excitedly hear the thing and get playing immediately. (I'm not very patient when waiting to play with new gear!)

Craig or Jesse: I've a UAD Solo 610. I'm currently running the balanced out from the 610 into the rear 1/4" line 1 of the UX8. Would I gain any advantages by going balanced out/balanced in instead?

Also: I'll post some examples of moozic made on the UX2/UX8 soon.

Thanks!

Anderton

05-14-2008, 06:01 PM

Just commenting on a nice experience I had with the Line 6 Monkey:

My UX8 came in today (love it) and I just wanted to mention that all I had to do was unplug my UX2 and plug in my UX8. Done! Since I was upgrading from the UX2, I already had Line 6 Monkey installed, thus it automatically had all the drivers ready to go for my new hardware upon detection!

I really agree. The Line 6 Monkey thing is brilliant. It's nice to know I can just go online, do a few clicks, and the whole system is up to spec. I put it in the same category as NI's Service Center, once they got the bugs worked out. In the future, I can see copy protection as going more in this direction: Protecting the user from hassles while protecting the manufacturer from software theft.

Craig or Jesse: I've a UAD Solo 610. I'm currently running the balanced out from the 610 into the rear 1/4" line 1 of the UX8. Would I gain any advantages by going balanced out/balanced in instead?

Jesse might disagree, but I doubt you'd hear any difference as long as you're dealing with line levels over relatively short cable runs (e.g., under 15 feet or so).

spookyrockstar

05-14-2008, 07:05 PM

Jesse might disagree, but I doubt you'd hear any difference as long as you're dealing with line levels over relatively short cable runs (e.g., under 15 feet or so).

Much appreciated Craig!

Also: To everyone, here's an example of the Gearbox software on a couple sources. The singer is purely Gearbox/American classic with chorus-comp-delay, and the guitar (if you can hear it buried in there) is a VST of a dry guitar run through the 'Bring Me To Life' preset (tweaked), there's even the 'Choir' preset used on the keyboard choirs and 'real' choirs!

Although this is a rough mix, it hopefully should give you an idea of the caliber of the Gearbox sims!!

http://www.broadjam.com/transmit/index.php?txygnbz=22061&chkldsxv1=389677&yhgbndsq=1

After you click the link, click play to the right of the song, then you may have to choose your connection speed. (Flash neccessary)

In short: gearbox/Line 6 rocks!

Chris Martins

05-15-2008, 05:07 AM

Real nice....

spookyrockstar

05-16-2008, 02:02 PM

Real nice....

Chris, are you talking about the song or the tones?

If you're talking about the tones: Doesn't Gearbox rock?! I was originally trying to find a firewire interface, and was intending to use it in conjunction with the TonePort UX2. (was going to try to use routing to use it as a sort of "software insert") But as a testimony to the coolness of Pro-reviews, I saw that there was little difference in the bandwidth of USB 2 vs. Firewire. Furthermore, in Craig's case, IIRC, he had more problems with Firewire than with USB. If a gear junkie/pro with an uber PC like Craig was having problems, what more for my semi-pro-multi-function-machine?

So with the UX8, I would need no additional routing to continue to use ToneDirect monitoring, it was possibly just as stable, and it *also* was roughly the equivalent in simultaneous tracks vs firewire. Sold. Sold. Sold. Just like Craig though, I do wish it had midi in.

Let me tell you, I record alot of alternative vocalists, and nothing gets them more amped up (pun intended) then when they get to sing through some really cool distortion!!! I swear I'm not a Line6 rep, I just love the whole toneport/tone direct vibe!

If you're talking about the song: Thanks!!

spookyrockstar

05-16-2008, 02:21 PM

Hey all!

As my last example had an example of Gearbox on a VST guitar, here's one with the real thing!

If you go 1min 25 seconds, you'll hear three tones. The first is a reverb-y type lead, which segues into a solo using a fuzzy 'white-stripes' kinda tone. The third is actually the main lead through the 'Megaphone' preset before the key change!

(Trivia: fans of the Interscope band Flipsyde might be amused to know this is a 'guest appearance' of guitarist Dave Lopez)

http://www.broadjam.com/transmit/index.php?txygnbz=22061&chkldsxv1=384743&yhgbndsq=1

I'm really driving this point home, but I'm hoping to sway those checking out this review because they are considering a UX series: Gearbox rocks.

Chris Martins

05-18-2008, 03:18 AM

I was talking about both... You get a really cool tone throught the gear, and have a cool song to boot... Best of both worlds.

toppop

05-18-2008, 09:57 AM

Anderton

05-18-2008, 03:31 PM

hello,

I've been reading your review and enjoying it. and although I'm already convinced about the usefulness of the software features, I have some questions about the hardware.

since it is basically an 8 channel audio interface, how does it handle being "just that", without any of the gearbox functionality?

Very well, to say the least. At first it had issues doing 88.2/96kHz, but it turned out that was a motherboard issue. Once the motherboard was updated, it worked perfectly. The other issue is with Sonar's multiprocessor support, although see Jesse's comment - apparently this is a Windows/Sonar issue, and an update is forthcoming. Meanwhile, I just use it without multiprocessing...my computer is powerful enough that it's still fine.

how does it hold it's own when you just want to record clean tracks, no modification applied, say: when recording drums or clean vocals? when I want my mic to do the colouring...

The mic pres and converters were a big surprise to me, they don't sound "budget" at all. Interestingly, I edited a review that Jeff Anderson wrote for EQ magazine, and he found the same thing. To quote from the review (and remember, this is a guy whose studio has a ton of big-bucks, boutique preamps):

"My first run with the UX8 was during a session where our console was on the fritz. Long story short: The phantom power on my DDA DCM 224V console is accessible only by a computer in its master section. This is the worst design that I have ever seen, considering that the computer crashes monthly, leaving me to rely only on outboard preamps. And, one day that the computer went down, I had a large jazz group scheduled that required 29 inputs in order to track live.

"The UX8 showed up that day, so I pulled it right out of the box and dropped it into my rack. To my surprise, the unit worked as eight standalone pres. This was a godsend; I hooked the UX8 through my patchbay, and made it through the session. First impression: Maybe the pres weren't mind-blowing, but they were certainly clean and accurate enough to save a session.

"A few days later, I decided to dig deeper. I hooked the UX8 up to my Mac G5, installed the software, and--it worked perfectly. This never happens; I always make sure that I have at least a day to spare, cursing and screaming, before any hardware piece that requires software passes a tone.
The GearBox software is very user-friendly, even though I hadn't used it before. I spent the day auditioning heads, cabs, and effects, and was very impressed-the program gets pretty deep, making it easy to develop custom user banks.

"[Note that] the UX8 can do only eight channels in/eight channels out at any given time. This might be limiting if you're trying to use the UX8 as your only pre on, say, Terry Bozzio's drum kit, but for the price the unit is an incredible value.

"Throughout the next couple months, I used the UX8 on a ton of sessions. It's a great piece for getting final tones (you can record with the effects applied in real time, with no noticeable latency), or re-amping signals "in the box." During mixing projects, I also relied a lot on the GearBox RTAS plug-ins with my Pro Tools rig. Note to prospective users: Just because it's from Line 6 doesn't mean it's solely for guitarists. I used these plugs on everything from drums to vocals and, by and large, they sounded really pro."

how does it then compare soundwise to similar products in the same price-range like:"
motu 8-pre
presonus firestudio project
Focusrite Saffire Pro 26
M Audio Delta 1010

I don't have any of these available for comparison. But frankly, these days converter and preamp technology is pretty much standard, and there's not a lot of difference among products in the same price range. To my ears, the only time you start hitting qualitative instead of quantitative differences is when you get into boutique preamps that cost a bunch of $$.

how clean or coloured is the signal then

Very clean. The thing about boutique pres, again IMHO, isn't so much that they're totally "clean" but that the subjective coloring they add is pleasing. There's some objective data to back this up - see the Pro Review on the PreSonus ADL600 for mor einfo.

how good/bad the latency?

That's really more a function of your computer speed and the sample rate at which you choose to work than the UX8, whose latency is on a par with any decently-designed interface these days. However, the big deal with the UX8 if you're using the GearBox plug-ins is the ToneDirect monitoring, which makes playing guitar feel like it's real-time, if not real-time. Remember, though, this means you record the processed sound - see the previous posts. However, as also noted, I'm not sure this is a bad thing.

I hope this info helps!

toppop

05-18-2008, 04:22 PM

.The mic pres and converters were a big surprise to me, they don't sound "budget" at all.
Maybe the pres weren't mind-blowing, but they were certainly clean and accurate enough to save a session.
that's comforting to hear..

I don't have any of these available for comparison. But frankly, these days converter and preamp technology is pretty much standard, and there's not a lot of difference among products in the same price range. To my ears, the only time you start hitting qualitative instead of quantitative differences is when you get into boutique preamps that cost a bunch of $$.
yes, I totally agree, although I'm more likely to be suspicious of anything that says behringer on it ;)
Right now I don't have the money for an RME interface, and because I was looking at an 8pre interface I was torn between the motu8pre (I know people who have this, I trust their opinion on the sound quality, but it lacks enough outputs for my use) and the presonus firestudio series (that has enough outputs, but I have nobody to let me listen to the sound quality).

Very clean. The thing about boutique pres, again IMHO, isn't so much that they're totally "clean" but that the subjective coloring they add is pleasing. There's some objective data to back this up - see the Pro Review on the PreSonus ADL600 for more info.
what is the subjective colouring you talk about? would you describe it as boomy, crisp, middy?
can you describe it by naming frequencies?
and are you saying the UX8 uses the same pre-amps as presonus does?
(I'll look for the ADL600 article right after this..)

That's really more a function of your computer speed and the sample rate at which you choose to work than the UX8, whose latency is on a par with any decently-designed interface these days.
I have got a black-macBook from late last summer, so I'm not too concerned there..

I hope this info helps!

yes it does, although my final question would be something that is a very common situation for me:

when recording in a studio I usually take the sessions home with me to work on them a bit. in my home studio/practice room I then add tracks (instrument or vocals), which I record with a specific microphone for that sound/instrument/moment, run it through a external pre-amp/channelstrip (universal audio/TLAudio) and then through an mbox1 interface (the one with the focusrite preams) into my computer into protools or logic.

would you say I could now retire the mbox and do the recording of those extra tracks on the UX8, or might it be better to still keep the mbox handy, because the "colouring" is too different between the two?

Anderton

05-18-2008, 04:56 PM

what is the subjective colouring you talk about? would you describe it as boomy, crisp, middy?
can you describe it by naming frequencies?
and are you saying the UX8 uses the same pre-amps as presonus does?

No! The ADL600 is a vacuum tube-based preamp that costs a couple grand. As to the sound quality, if you look at the spectrum analysis, you'll see that there's a sort of "definition" in the midrange, a little "depth," shall we say. It's subtle, and I suspect is has to do with the tubes+transformer coloration. I like it, for sure, but I'm not about to spend $16K on eight preamps...and while this may sound like heresy, there are some "tape/tube sim" programs, like the URS Strip Pro, that can emulate a lot of these effects anyway -- even when the signal source used basic, clean preamps.

my final question would be something that is a very common situation for me:

when recording in a studio I usually take the sessions home with me to work on them a bit. in my home studio/practice room I then add tracks (instrument or vocals), which I record with a specific microphone for that sound/instrument/moment, run it through a external pre-amp/channelstrip (universal audio/TLAudio) and then through an mbox1 interface (the one with the focusrite preams) into my computer into protools or logic.

would you say I could now retire the mbox and do the recording of those extra tracks on the UX8, or might it be better to still keep the mbox handy, because the "colouring" is too different between the two?

I don't think you'll hear much difference with the MBox 1, but then again, it's all very subjective...again, I don't have one for comparison, so I'm just guessing.

Anderton

05-18-2008, 05:00 PM

As promised, here are some examples of the bass models. These are straight presets from the GearBox software included with the UX8, I've done nothing fancy or weird.

The first example is just the straight sound of the bass, a Becvar custom, going into the direct input. (BTW trivia fans, this bass was originally made for Chris Squire of Yes; unfortunately I don't play it as well as he did :)).

The next three examples are named after the presets I used.

Anderton

05-18-2008, 05:02 PM

...and here's the second set. Again, the file names are the same as the presets.

Anderton

05-19-2008, 12:11 PM

At this point, I've tested the UX8 with multiple platforms, used it in many sessions, and played through the GearBox software (and provided audio examples) with guitar, voice, and bass, so I think it's time for some conclusions.

I checked Musician's Friend for the current street price (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-UX8-Toneport-Recording-Interface-?sku=241405), which is about $500. For that, you get 8 clean preamp/line input channels with pad and low cut filter, S/PDIF I/O, GearBox software (equivalent to the Silver, but not Gold, package), the ability to run the GearBox processors as plug-ins as well as during recording, an input for an expression pedal, stable drivers for Win XP and Mac OS X, solidly-built rack mount enclosure, and ToneDirect monitoring, whose importance should not be underestimated. You also get true 88.2/96kHz recording, not the upsampled version found in previous TonePort interfaces.

What you don't get: physical MIDI I/O, individual +48V phantom power switches (there are two switches for mic pres in groups of four), and the ability to apply GearBox software to more than two inputs while recording. That limitation doesn't apply during mixing and playback, when you can run the GearBox software as standard plug-ins.

I do find the lack of a MIDI port curious, because you'll need another piece of gear if you want to use, say, a control surface, or if MIDI sequencing is an important part of what you do. With a MIDI port, the UX8 would have truly been a one-stop solution, particularly because (due to the proliferation of virtual instruments) it seems few musicians need multi-port interfaces anymore. Bottom line: If MIDI's important to you, budget another $100 for the Tapco Link.MIDI or equivalent.

You also don't get 64-bit drivers for Vista...yet. Line 6 has announced they're working on it, so knowing Line 6, they'll be available before too long. Given how many musicians are sticking with XP at the moment, though, that's not going to be a limitation to too many people. You also don't get to use multiprocessing in Sonar with the UX8, but supposedly while that problem is out of Line 6's hands, an update from either Cakewalk or Microsoft is expected to fix this. Also, note that the UX8 is a USB 2.0 device, so if you're still living in a USB 1.1 world, it's not for you. On the other hand, those with USB 2.0 won't have to deal with the FireWire issues that have plagued users of some interfaces on some computers.

In terms of value, Line 6 has always placed great importance on that, and the UX8 is no exception. But I'd give extra credit because the preamps are good, not just serviceable, and the converters are better than what I would expect in a product at this price point. Even without the GearBox software, the $500 street price would not be out of line at all because this is a fine audio interface.

However, to me it's the GearBox software and ToneDirect monitoring that take the UX8 to another level. With my primary instrument being guitar, I'm used to getting a sound and recording it. Playing through plug-ins has always been a compromise due to the latencies involved, but the feel when using ToneDirect monitoring is as close to real time as you can get. If you really need the "safety net" of being able to change the sound of your recording after the fact, you can always record a dry track simultaneously, and use the GearBox software in plug-in mode.

As to the GearBox software itself, there will always be those who feel digital models of amps don't sound like real amps. I'm not going to argue with them, because that's a subjective call. Personally, I find the flexibility of amp sims to way offset any differences in tone; and when playing back from a track, it's almost impossible - if not impossible - to tell that the sound wasn't recorded with a "real" amp. Even if you don't use the guitar-oriented aspects, however, GearBox is still a very useful suite of effects, period. I use it all the time on vocals, drums, and synths, as well as (of course) guitar and bass. Can GearBox provide everything you'd ever want? No. There are no tape simulators, maximizers, multiband compressors, etc. However, as a useful toolbox with a broad palette of sounds, you can't go wrong. Having them included with the UX8 is a great move, as I think just about any musician could benefit from having GearBox installed on a computer.

The bottom line is that Line 6 has done a superb job in their first foray into higher-end studio, not just guitar, gear. They've packed a lot of value into the price point, while offering solid construction and excellent driver stability. If you don't need to record up to eight inputs at a time, though, you can use something like the TonePort UX2 and derive most of the same benefits; the UX8 seems designed for someone above the "I'm just a guy laying down tracks all by myself in front of a computer" level.

Ultimately what matters is sound, reliability, and convenience. The UX8 delivers all of them; the proof forme is in listening back to tracks I've recorded with the UX8. If you're in the target audience for this type of product, you won't be disappointed in the UX8. And if you exploit the GearBox software and ToneDirect monitoring to the fullest, you'll be thrilled.

Although I've posted my conclusions, this thread will remain open for additional comments, and I'll be monitoring it to answer any further questions you might have. Thanks to all for your participation!

Anderton

05-19-2008, 12:16 PM

One more thing: When the 64-bit drivers appear, I'll test them and report on the results here.

Also, feel free to post any audio examples using the GearBox software - the more, the merrier, and it will give people yet another perspective on what the software can do.

tradivoro1

05-20-2008, 10:43 AM

Chris Martins

05-20-2008, 12:13 PM

It's true that the toneport is a really great unit. The price/quality ratio is really good on this, as you get a lot of equipment for the price you pay, and there's way more inside than meets the eye. The plug-in capability on top of the regular gearbox software is worth the admission price... Considering you also get a lot of I/Os that are really clean, it's just a great deal.

Anderton

05-20-2008, 12:32 PM

Thanks Craig for the review... Definitely, this is something I'll consider in the future when upgrading my current sound card... I'm sure that if I'd just read about it in a magazine, it wouldn't have made the same impact as this blow by blow account, which fixed bugs and pointed out what the user has to do to get this work at capacity...

Thanks for the comments. Actually, I came up with the Pro Review format specifically to overcome some of the limitations of print that become apparent when dealing with deep, evolving products.

Hopefully the audio examples were useful as well...after all, that's where the "rubber meets the road"! Yes, I've been impressed with the UX8, particularly because of what you get at the price point.

One suggestion for Line 6: Offer a "UX8 Gold" package for another $100-$200 that includes all the available models and plug-ins. Also, a UX8/KB37 bundle would be cool where people could save on the KB37 because they wouldn't have to pay for redundant software. That also takes care of getting MIDI into your computer.

ouga

05-24-2008, 11:13 AM

ok,here's how it goes.great puzzle.
i installed successfully the drivers and stuff,made the default sound card the ux8 in windows xp and opened the nuendo application.
when i go to the inputs and outputs section the program only recognize 2 inputs and 2 outputs!and when i try to change it,my ux8 does not appear in the list.
i have a huge problem with this and i dont know how to record drums with 8 mics using nuendo and a seperate channel for each mic.if anyone can help me please reply as soon.i'm really stuck:

Anderton

05-25-2008, 12:04 AM

ouga

05-25-2008, 04:18 AM

i tried a thousand times to setup the vst connections but my toneport ux8 does not appear in the list.i tried each one of the buses available and the only inputs and outputs i get are from my old card which is deactivated from the device manager,how's that possible?i don't get it.and the final part of the puzzle;even though the list in vst connections is as i described,i hear the playback from toneport!and when i record,it records only the instrument inputs of toneport and not at the same time.have i done something wrong?a difficult math problem would be easier..

ouga

05-25-2008, 04:35 AM

i forgot to say what's going on in vst connections exactly.in inputs;i chose a bus with 8 mono inputs,the speakers reads mono,audio device reads asio multimedia driver and the device port my old card sb audigy4 in each channel,i hope that helps.i'm starting to lose my patience.please help

ouga

05-25-2008, 04:53 AM

something new...i disabled the driver of sb audigy 4 from device manager and nuendo does not recognize any available asio driver.it seems the only driver it can use is the sb audigy driver.what can i do?where can i find the correct asio driver for toneport ux8 so nuendo recognize the device?

ouga

05-25-2008, 05:12 AM

solved!hahaha!i'm really happy now...in the device properties i should check the correct asio driver.at last!

Blades

06-13-2008, 09:01 PM

I just wanted to add a link to a few more vocal examples. These are really short clips just going through "flat" versions of each of the preamps, using a Rode NT1 mic going into my Layla3g via a Behringer ADA8000 - or maybe when I did these it was still coming off some cheap Behringer mixer - nothing fancy, nonetheless.

On my site (updating this soon to be more useful), select the music section, and then go tp the Lin6 stuff within that and you'll see my example files. Check out here http://blades85.com

Hope that adds something.

Chris Martins

06-17-2008, 03:40 AM

It does...

It's cool that the people who don't have the gear can hear what the different preamps can do for them... I think that's a fair representation of what the gearbox software can do, not just for guitar players for for vocalists too... I know that my vocal mic sounds REALLY nice through the american classic and vintage UK preamp simulations for example ( Z5600A by Se electronics ), but not quite so good with the avalon sim ( a bit harsh and trebly )... And I think that the tonal character of each pre is well represented in your demo...

Nice...

Anderton

06-18-2008, 10:49 AM

Yes indeed, good stuff. I should add that just because I posted vocal examples doesn't mean everyone's voice will sound the same through the models - if you switch mics, for example, the "flavor" changes. The Line 6 vocal pres don't so much force a character on a mic/vocal, but influence it in a certain way.

Japetus

06-30-2008, 02:30 PM

Good review on the UX8. I have spent limited time using the UX8 but I have been using the UX2 for almost 2 years now and I love it. It makes recording demos SO easy and a lot of times, people are surprised at the quality overall if you have a good drum track.

It's amazing these days how inexpensively you can put out a quality recording. $130 for a UX2 and Reaper for free.

Anderton

06-30-2008, 04:42 PM

Agreed! I think what surprised me the most about the UX8 was the mic preamps - they definitely exceeded my expectations. Frankly, I think if someone can't get a good recording out of something like the UX8, I think they need to look elsewhere than their gear for the problem.

justcrash

07-04-2008, 10:40 AM

I did this for a fun thing that is going on in guitar jam. I used the gearbox plug in, the vocal preamp was the vintage UK. :)

gj_comm_jc.mp3 (http://www.zshare.net/audio/14697697ab9c792c/)

blackmonday

07-09-2008, 08:23 AM

Big fan of line 6 here, the UX2 has served me well for a couple of years. Question - Can you use 8 different modeling stages at the same time? That would seem to need a lot of horsepower. Would that require using plugins, or can the gearbox software be configured for each input?

For example, on the UX2 I can specify a guitar input with a modeling chain, and a mic input with a different modeling chain. Am I correct that the UX8 lets you have 8 different modeling chains at the same time?

Anderton

07-10-2008, 02:41 PM

You can apply the modeling to two inputs, not all eight. Of course, if you're using the GearBox software as plug-ins in a host program, the sky's the limit (well, the sky being your processor speed and RAM).

In practice, I haven't found this to be much of a limitation, as I'm usually recording by myself and have the luxury of doing the TonePort monitoring thing. On those occasions where I'm recording multiple sources at once, I'll apply plug-ins during mixdown on those signals that weren't recorded with processing.

AxlOz

02-08-2009, 09:17 PM

Hi guys, this is my first post here. I've been using a UX2 for a couple of years now and have found it amazing useful for demo'ing. I've been thinking about upgrading to the UX8 recently as its come down in price a fair bit. In your opinions, is it worth the upgrade?

I probably wont need all the extra inputs as I generally only record myself, so is the hardware itself any better than that of the UX2?

The UX8 now also comes with the pod platinum modelling pack, which adds a heap more models to its lineup, this is a plus i'm aware of.

Any info will be much appreciated.

Ashmil

02-09-2009, 01:37 AM

Inputs aside, the main advantage in terms of hardware I guess is that it's a lot more durably and solidly bit - the UX2 is a bit plasticky in comparison. Relevant if you need to take the unit around with you - I think the UX2 is better off left on the desktop. I think the UX8 is a great unit.

However if you're doing alright with the UX2, and don't need the extra inputs, why upgrade? The extra models/fx (worth getting) can be added to your UX2 quite cheaply.

bostonwal

02-09-2009, 05:21 AM

The UX8 can send numerous streams to your DAW simultaneously, including:

Completely dry
Semi-processed (e.g. amp and cab only)
Fully-processed (e.g. amp, cab and tail-generating post effects)

Can this be done with the other Toneports - like the UX1 or the UX2?

EDIT: I just discovered the "Send 3-4" right next to all the effects, so I guess the answer is Yes. That's awesome! Although I believe only two of the three in the above list can be done at a time but that's fine with me.

bostonwal

02-09-2009, 06:20 AM

The UX8 now also comes with the pod platinum modelling pack, which adds a heap more models to its lineup, this is a plus i'm aware of.

The Power Pack and the FX Pack will give you all the Platinum models for $75 total. Add the Plugin functionality for $50 and you have the complete Platinum Plugin Pack. Not sure what the Platinum Pack for $250 is all about though.

TamaMan92

06-11-2009, 03:36 PM

Hi, just one quick question,

Can you record (from the mic inputs on the rear) onto 8 separate channels in the DAW software? ie can I multi-track a live recording using the toneport's mic inputs?

Cheers

(Awesome review btw, I am pretty much one step away from buying after reading this!)

gregap_42

09-24-2009, 12:12 PM

You can absolutely record all eight tracks simultaneously.

I am using my UX8 to record into GarageBand and all I have to do is identify which input goes to which track and it's done.

You can also mix and match what comes through those inputs. For instance I have channels 1 and 2 set to the instrument inputs, channel 3/4 is a stereo pair from my keyboard into the UX8's XLRs and channel 5 is used for a vocal mic. You could set any of channels 3-8 to the line in or XLR.

moonlight.mile.

10-07-2009, 06:36 AM

I actually bought a UX2 because of Anderton's review of it, and I felt like I got the bum steer, that's for sure.

I think it's crap.

Anderton

10-07-2009, 10:17 AM

I actually bought a UX2 because of Anderton's review of it, and I felt like I got the bum steer, that's for sure.

I think it's crap.

Why? Could you be more specific? The hardware works fine as an interface, and the GearBox software is pretty cool...if you're experiencing problems, maybe I can help.

moonlight.mile.

10-08-2009, 07:23 AM

Why? Could you be more specific? The hardware works fine as an interface, and the GearBox software is pretty cool...if you're experiencing problems, maybe I can help.

Thanks for the offer, Craig, but it works fine . . . I'm talking about sound quality. You claimed that you got "gorgeous results", I believe was the phrase, with the UX2, and I haven't achieved anything close to that.

I was just looking to capture the essence of the beauty of the sound of my acoustic guitar (a Martin J-15), and I don't feel that the UX2 helps me do that. Quite the contrary.

Obviously, we've got different set-ups, different mics (I have an sE 2200a), and you're a seasoned pro, but I was still expecting better sound quality from the UX2, that's for sure.

Also, and this is not on you, but Line 6 REALLY skimped on the amp and effects models in the UX2, to try to force one's hand to purchase the upgrade packs. They didn't even include their AC-15 model!

But, to be fair, I was probably expecting too much from a sub-$200 box.

Anderton

10-08-2009, 08:59 AM

Thanks for the offer, Craig, but it works fine . . . I'm talking about sound quality. You claimed that you got "gorgeous results", I believe was the phrase, with the UX2, and I haven't achieved anything close to that.

I was just looking to capture the essence of the beauty of the sound of my acoustic guitar (a Martin J-15), and I don't feel that the UX2 helps me do that. Quite the contrary.

Obviously, we've got different set-ups, different mics (I have an sE 2200a), and you're a seasoned pro, but I was still expecting better sound quality from the UX2, that's for sure.

Also, and this is not on you, but Line 6 REALLY skimped on the amp and effects models in the UX2, to try to force one's hand to purchase the upgrade packs. They didn't even include their AC-15 model!

But, to be fair, I was probably expecting too much from a sub-$200 box.,

Well, an sE2200a should do the job, although I find them to be a little "darker" than something I'd choose for acoustic guitar. Specs-wise, the UX2 is actually quite good in terms of noise, frequency response, etc. I mean, you're not going to get an ADL600 or Great River preamp in there for that price, but still, it should do the job.

Experiment with different mics and mic placement. When recording acoustic guitar, for me that's by far the biggest variable, not the preamp.

Thegreyfox

10-12-2009, 06:34 PM

Ok. (First post woo). I've been reading this for the past few days cause I'm interested in buying a UX8. One of my friends has the UX1 and the POD Farm software is great for the music we play. I didn't get a chance to use the single mic pre on the UX1 since I didnt have any mics and didn't have any need to use it haha.

You mentioned earlier that you were able to use the UX8 in Europe and the States without the aid of a transformer. The price for the UX8 here in Australia is just stupid ($1200AUS on average :facepalm: That's the same as the Presonus Firestudio!). But I am able to get one off Ebay USA for roughly $650AUS :love: So I was wondering if it's just a matter of plugging in a different power cable and maybe flicking a switch. How exactly does it work?

Thanks ^_^

-Cam

Anderton

10-19-2009, 06:54 PM

The power supply is a universal one that works on 100-240V, and has a detachable IEC-compatible cord. So, all you would need to do is get the proper power cord for the outlets used in Australia, and you should be good to go.

jbcubed3

11-04-2009, 04:59 PM

Hi guys,

I'm considering getting a UX8 as an upgrade for my Line6 UX1.

Trying to record a 4-person band setup at the moment and we're finding it difficult to sync and get us playing in time to one another (we suck, I know :P)

How we've been doing it is by having dual line-in 1+2, and recording in pairs.

With the UX8 having the 8 line-inputs I was wondering GearBox would be able to send 4 line inputs to my recording program (Sony Acid) simultaneously, each with an amp model and some effects.

Under Source in Gearbox we've been using "Line 1 & 2" - I was wondering if we're using a UX8 whether there'd be an option for something like "Line 1 - 4" to record at the same time?

The main reason for me to get a Toneport are the effects/amp models - and hopefully getting all four of us recording via Gearbox at the same time.

Huge thanks! J

PFRfan

11-04-2009, 06:44 PM

It can only do 2 processed channels.

The UX8 sends the dry signals for 1-8 as inputs 1-8. Then (if my memory serves me right), theres 9&10 for SPDIF. Finally, 11&12 are the two Gearbox/Pod Farm channels. They process the inputs on 1&2, which can be a few combinations of mic, instrument, or line.

BUT - you get the full POD Farm plugin so you can apply the affects to as many tracks as you want later on.a

Lania

11-05-2009, 05:34 AM

Hi everyone,

I’m about to buy the UX8. It should replace my defective M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R.
I don’t know what to expect from a 8 input audio interface as my previous one never worked properly :confused:.
The device will mostly be used to record keyboards and synthesizers. So my first question is: is the UX8 able to manage this kind of instruments? I do have an electric bass guitar but it’s definitely not my main gear. Second question: I was wondering if it’s possible to direct all the 8 inputs to two outputs (stereo) to my amplifier. I’m asking this because I need to know if I have to purchase a second mixing panel in order to connect it to the 8 outputs of the UX8. The M-Audio could not do that actually. I believe that it was because of the problems it had (it was not very happy being connected to a computer...)

Thanks in advance for any comments!

Lania

TAE

11-05-2009, 08:14 AM

If you don't need to record up to eight inputs at a time, though, you can use something like the TonePort UX2 and derive most of the same benefits; the UX8 seems designed for someone above the "I'm just a guy laying down tracks all by myself in front of a computer" level.

Craig,

Thanks for the detailed review... just a note of clarification on the above.

Yes, if you don't need 8 in's and outs the UX2 will do. However one important and attractive piece of this units features is the "same as apogee ensemble" AD/DA converters" I know it is what caught my attention and has swayed me to try this unit.

According to Line6 support the UX2 "DOES NOT" have the same ad/da converters. The tech did qualify that the difference is marginal and that the average Joe is not going to be able to hear the difference.

I have been following you and your postings about digital recording on the net since the late 90's and appreciate your thoughts, efforts and perspectives on the dodgy subject of digital audio recording.

For those on a tight budget it'd be nice if you ran the UX2 through the hoops and gave your honest opinion of the difference in the two units ad/da converters.

I have a feeling the line 6 support guy was probably dead on right but an unbiased opinion would give it credence.

Thanks again for all you have contributed to the DIY audio recording community.