DigiTech RP250 Modeling Guitar Processor

[Jon Chappell]

 

For me, I connect the USB cable from the RP250 to the computer. It makes the Da-Donk sound that you've connected it to the computer and it shows up as an audio device. Go into the control panel (switch to classic view) and double-click "Sounds and Audio Devices". If you click on the Audio tab, you may notice that the RP250 is now both the Sound Playback device and the Sound Recording Device. This means all sound that your computer makes, will pipe down into the RP250 from now on. Make sure you're plugged into the headphone jack on the RP250. If I recall correctly, no sound comes out of the desktop speakers. To get the guitar sound to your desktop speakers, run a male-to-male stereo cable from the headphone jack of the RP250, to the blue Sound-In jack on your sound card.

 

 

This is a good, succinct explanation of how to get your RP250 working digitally. Of course, you can set recording and playback independently, with all sounds (RP250 and computer) coming out of the speakers, but that takes a little more finesse. I like to record my guitar music with headphones anyway (and not trust my dinky computer speakers), so just do it this way and be done with it. When you're more comfortable with changing the settings in your hardware setup, you can experiment with sound going into the computer via the RP250 and out via the speakers. Do this by going to Start -> Control Panel -> Sounds and Audio Devices -> Audio.

 

One small correction to Namco's excellent instructions above: the sound of a USB device being connected successfully goes Donk-Da. When it's disconnected, it goes Da-Donk. The order of the tones changes depending on whether you're connecting (low high) or disconnecting (high low) a device. This is helpful to know when you're on your hands and knees under the table looking for a problem, and you make a cable change, but can't see the yellow announcement balloons on your screen.

 

And for you music-school types who care about such things, the musical interval of the connection tones is a perfect 5th. Though sometimes, especially when dealing with audio problems on the PC, I wonder why they didn't use diabolus in musica -- the tritone!

[bugly]

To clarify the power requirements for the RP250 - the input is 9V AC 1.3 amps, dont plug in std 9 V DC unit or you may make the blue smoke that makes electronic devices work escape :-).

Seriously only use 9V AC powersupplies with this (and related) units.

Robert

[bugly]

A couple of questions....hope I'm not repeating 2. Can you program the foot switches for your favorite settings? ie; Left pedal = preset 8, and right pedal = preset 22.

 

 

No you cant BUT you can place them in adjacent user slots and cycle them with the left/right pedals.

[HKSblade1]

Alrighty! I've had a few days with a RP350. Good deal from GC @179.00 I like it for jam/recording.

some things it does well. For the price I dont expect too much. It does do well for recording. In my amp, my friends amp, and a few others at the store it was very colored. One of my friends has a Vetta so his bias is a bit strong and dumb to compare. What I did like was through our PA it sounded nice. Powerd PA speaker is the way to go but not practical for our band.

We tried through amp's loops and it sounds good low. When you bust the vol at band levels its just not cutting it. Direct model or not, it wasn't good when running through any amp input or effects loop. At least my bandmates said NO. They like my lead guitarist sound with analog effects since the amp sound is not changed they said. My mates were cool and we spent an entire rehearsal attempting things to correct losses.

I'll use this for recording, but a powered speaker is not practical for me.

[Jon Chappell]

At least my bandmates said NO. They like my lead guitarist sound with analog effects since the amp sound is not changed they said. I'll use this for recording, but a powered speaker is not practical for me.

 

 

Sounds like you (and your band) put in a fair degree of work, and I respect your judgment. Just pointing out in the above statement that whether the effect is analog OR digital, the amp sound is not changed. It's just a question of how much of the digital modeling effect you want to take you through the signal chain (all the way through amps and cabinets, or limiting it just to stompboxes).

 

Just a thought: When you were going back and forth between the loop and the input of the amp, did you remember to engage/disengage the Amp/Mixer switch in the back of the RP accordingly?

 

And also, remember that when you use X-Edit 2.0 (the computer-based editor/librarian), you are provided parameters that you CAN'T get from the front panel. So I'd recommend that a serious evening of tone scultping with an RP350 include a laptop (especially for the increased EQ parameters).

 

Since you'll be using the RP350 for recording, check out the X-Edit, and let us know what you think.

[Will Chen]

...We tried through amp's loops and it sounds good low. When you bust the vol at band levels its just not cutting it. Direct model or not, it wasn't good when running through any amp input or effects loop...

 

 

Of course "sounds good" is very subjective. However, my experience is with any gear, especially with eq and ambience settings, adjustments must be made from bedroom to stage volume. Even when I used to gig with a guitar to wah to amp, I had to make adjustments every gig to ensure I was getting the best sound for the room. In a deader space you might want that verb up a little, in a room lined with ceramic plates (Flying Saucer Addison, TX) you cut the verb, gain, and highs.

 

This has to do with the efficiency of the speaker playback at a higher spl and the resonant frequencies of the speaker enclosure and the room in which the speaker is projecting. At low volumes, you will tend to need more highs and lows to get a full sound with good definition and might want a good deal of reverb to add ambience. Turn that up loud and suddenly the speaker is breaking up due to the huge amount of bass being fed and the highs are piercing. Coupled with the way the room (small untreated bedroom/rehearsal space versus wide open club) resonates and reflects sound and you could have a real mess on your hands.

 

This is kinda the love/hate situation I have with multifx amp modeling in a gigging situation. Sure you have the flexibility to create 50 cool presets, but having to make minor adjustments based on how your gear sounds in a room you've never played before is a big pain.

 

As far as it being "colored", well I think that is exactly the point when the unit is engaged. It should impart it's own character (or rather the character of the modeled unit) as it's trying to cover vastly different sonic territory from effect to effect. I still contend that the bypass is perfectly acceptable.

[HKSblade1]

Thanks. I tried the changing modes and I can get the modeler to sound okay. Its more the amp color. Turn up the amp and it gets worse. Even with cabinet direct. Too much to convince a Marshall and Vetta guy opposite me. Odd comparison but that's their pov.

I can say my bandmates were cool to try some things. It's a headache to them so I'll stick with what works for now. I see too many posts in many forums that have the "honeymoon" to then be ebayed or sold elsewhere in another post. Its a battle with multieffects and live users from what I see. I brought the Blade to our rehearsal last night and the Love from them and our soundtech was revived.

I'll keep the RP for recording. Modelers have improved. I'll give it that.

[Shodan]

Anyone know how the RP250 or the RP350 sounds just plugged straight into an amp?
I've read that the amp modelling in other MF units isnt too good but the effects are fine.
I'm thinking of getting either of them so any help would be much appreciated

[gorno]

Thanks. I tried the changing modes and I can get the modeler to sound okay. Its more the amp color. Turn up the amp and it gets worse. Even with cabinet direct. Too much to convince a Marshall and Vetta guy opposite me. Odd comparison but that's their pov.

Here is one thing you can try if you want to use your RP during practice with an amp. Instead of plugging your RP into your amp's input, plug it directly in to the amp's effects loop "return" jack. There will be nothing plugged into your amp's input or effects loop "send" jack. The signal chain is guitar->effects loop "return". Set the switch on the back of the RP to "amp" mode, set the amp model to any amplifier you want and set the cabinet to "direct". When I do this with my amp it sounds great. I don't like the sound when I plug the RP directly into the amp's "input" jack. The downpoint with this method is that you are bypassing your amp's preamp section and only using the power amp. The preamp is resposible for shaping/filtering your sound and for adding overdrive. When you use the setup I've described above, you are using the preamp model in the RP to shape the sound instead of your amp's preamp. The problem with this is that you probably bought your amp because you like the way it colors your sound. This isn't the ideal setup, but it's probably the best way to set up this type of multi-fx pedal with an amp to keep all of the effects sounding their best.

DigiTech just announced a new rack processor called the GSP1101 which will alleviate this problem because it has an effects loop built in. If you think it through, with the GSP you can route all of the effects before you're preamp that need to go there and all of the effects between your preamp and power amp that need to go there by routing guitar->GSP input->GSP fx loop send->amp input->amp fx loop send->GSP fx loop return->GSP output->amp fx loop return.
I hope that makes sense. It does require a little thought and some extra cables. You would just turn off the amp and cab model in the GSP and everything should sound great! I hope this helps.

[HKSblade1]

yes, I've seen the GSP! looks cool

glad to see them chumming a rack unit again. Not sure how the sound will be if it's based on ADNA2 I may look at the Fractal Audio's AXE FX unit. You gotta hear those clips but the thing is pricey, like $1200

[thefuryone]

Anyone know how the RP250 or the RP350 sounds just plugged straight into an amp? I've read that the amp modelling in other MF units isnt too good but the effects are fine. I'm thinking of getting either of them so any help would be much appreciated

 

 

I just bought this and ran it through my Epiphone Valve Junior straight. No effects loop, so it's not optimum, but I thought it sounded really really good. I don't know how "authentic" the models sound, but I'm really happy with the purchase.

[Shodan]

After much thought and looking up reviews I just came home 5 mins ago from Glasgow with a Digitech GNX3000!!!!
I thought since life is too short I decided to put the extra to it. Oh and I got it for a great price!
It sounded great in the shop so now am off to get it out of the box and spend some proper time with it! woo hoo! :D

[boogiesurfer]

I've been using the RP350 for about a month now, and have barely left the presets! (they're that good)

Use my 100w heads, and double stacks for "real tone", but use the GP350 for practice into a Vox DA15 and a Line6 Spider II 112. BTW the Vox DA15 (with its 8" speaker) blows away the Spider II IMO, but using both on clean settings with the RP350 makes for some great tones/spaciousness, at tolerable levels, so my neighbors aren't too concerned:eek:

In this "practice" setup, I am quite surprised at how enjoyable it is to play through, and makes me want to play more:cool:

Previous reviews of the DA15 seem to discredit it, next to say, the AD15VT, but from my experience, it is an excellent practice amp for very good tone at low volumes (I don't use the "heavier" models, but everything from clean (two modes), blues (3 modes), and crunch1 models are excellent). With the RP350 I simply use the Vox's "manual" mode on clean1.

Very happy with the Vox DA15/RP350 combo:wave:

[Jay 74]

My new bedroom practice rig is
Guitar-->RP350-->Crate Powerblock-->Peavey212MC Cab with 2G12K-85 Celestions


It meets my needs wonderfully.

[MDLMUSIC]

I bought an RP250 two weeks ago. I have used it on two gigs so far and have been very pleased with the sounds directly into the PA (which is why I bought it). I also love using it as a practice tool with headphones.

I have not tried hooking it up to the computer yet, and quite frankly, am not sure why I need to do so. Programming is very easy and intuitive. What advantage is there to the computer program?

If somebody can explain it so even my 53 year old Luddite mind can comprehend, I might give it a try.

[RG450]

I bought an RP250 two weeks ago. I have used it on two gigs so far and have been very pleased with the sounds directly into the PA (which is why I bought it). I also love using it as a practice tool with headphones. I have not tried hooking it up to the computer yet, and quite frankly, am not sure why I need to do so. Programming is very easy and intuitive. What advantage is there to the computer program? If somebody can explain it so even my 53 year old Luddite mind can comprehend, I might give it a try.

 

There are a few features that you can access through the PC hookup that might be useful.

I believe you can change the order of your programs around, and also adjust parameters that aren't available on the unit.

There may be others as well, but these are the only ones I've heard of.

[Brew]

Hi. I'm looking for advice on recording with the RP250. Using Cubasis VST 5, I set up the RP250 via USB. After a few attempts the RP250 ASIO driver was identified, and I was able to record some guitar. When I then recorded another track on top, there was a serious delay between the two. Is this caused by playing the backing track through USB, or is it some set-up issue on the software? When setting recording levels, I raised the USB level on the X-Edit audio set-up as the master volume on the RP250 was getting too loud for my headphones. There doesn't seem to be any guide on recording in the RP250 booklet or on the Digitech site. I've read about bypassing the USB but that's one of the main selling points of the RP250 in the first place. Will using ASIO4ALL solve the issue? It also seems crazy to use another audio interface when the RP250 is sold as one. So,how best can you deal with latency problems on the RP 250? On the plus side, the sounds and their variety are great - it's just getting the sounds recorded. Any advice would be appreciated.

[Will Chen]

There doesn't seem to be any guide on recording in the RP250 booklet or on the Digitech site. I've read about bypassing the USB but that's one of the main selling points of the RP250 in the first place. Will using ASIO4ALL solve the issue? It also seems crazy to use another audio interface when the RP250 is sold as one. So,how best can you deal with latency problems on the RP 250? On the plus side, the sounds and their variety are great - it's just getting the sounds recorded. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

 

I use SONAR 5 and haven't had any latency issues. The units drivers work perfectly for me. I have to reset a few settings when switching between the RP and my main interface however that is a SONAR issue, not an RP driver issue. Honestly, the RP USB interface is extremely uncomplicated. Issues you are experiencing are more likely with a setting within your DAW rather than with the unit. Not very familiar with VST versions, is 5 new or fairly old?

[Will Chen]

I bought an RP250 two weeks ago. I have used it on two gigs so far and have been very pleased with the sounds directly into the PA (which is why I bought it). I also love using it as a practice tool with headphones. I have not tried hooking it up to the computer yet, and quite frankly, am not sure why I need to do so. Programming is very easy and intuitive. What advantage is there to the computer program? If somebody can explain it so even my 53 year old Luddite mind can comprehend, I might give it a try.

Take a look at the manual. There are a good deal of parameters which you can't access from the panel and are only available via X-Edit. A few examples are Mid and Treb Freq on the eq, regeneration for flange, waveform for pretty much all modulation effects which support it, delay duck threshhold, reverb predelay, etc. This was a deciding factor in my choice of the 350 over the 250.

On the other hand, if you're liking the tones you're getting then play away. It's probably more productive (and fun) to hit the strings than twiddle knobs.

[kensmith]

a few questions for the RP350 experts:

 

#1- I am considering getting a RP350 (previous owner of RP200A and GNX3) and want to use one XLR to go to soundboard and one XLR to go to my amp for use as guitar only monitor. Is there a setting to set the XLR outputs as MONO (same signal to both)?

 

 

#2- Has anyone used this with both electric and acoustic guitars? I have a primary setup for my acoustic/elctric (Taylor 314ce with ES) but may want to try some light chorus/reverb effects only...no amp models.

 

#3- how is the accuracy of the tuner? will it be as good as my Fender PT-100 and the internal tuner on my Vox Valvetronix AD60VTX?

 

thanks!

[Blueraven]

How do the effects compare quality wise to the GNX4? Trying to decide which to get?

[js1]

I picked up an RP350 yesterday on impulse.

I have a POD XT already, along with a not bad selection of tube amps, other amp sims (both hardware and software) and analog pedals.

My take, FWIW...

The RP350 does the least amount of damage to the raw guitar signal of any digital processor I've run into. If you turn of all the effects but still run through the RP350 (i.e not bypass), it sounds fine. The A/D-D/A is definitely a cut above the POD XT, for example.

The amps sims and the distortions are OK, but not particularly inspiring. I find the character of the distortions have a sameness about them, and not a lot of dimension. I wouldn't keep the unit for these as I have better options.

The compressor, likewise, doesn't do it for me. Made things sound smaller.

But it has the best modulation effects and reverb that I've come across in an emulation pedal. Plugged into an amp, they sounded great. I did a comparison against the same models in the XT, and there was no contest. The POD versions sound lifeless and fake, the RP350 were fun to play.

So, I think I'll keep it.

Again, just one guy's opinion.

js

[Give it a pull]

I'm on my second RP350 so this thread caught my eye.I bought the 1st one about 4-5 years ago and about yr 2 I started having trouble with the footswitches not working.I figured out how to shim the switches so they would work,but it did,nt last and I was opening the unit too often to correct this problem.I liked all the features it offered but got fed up with the "cheap" microswitch/foot switch assembly..the mnfg should really upgrade those switches !!!
I finally basically got rid of the unit for 50 bucks and showed the guy how to reshim the footswitches..he was happy with it for the money.
Afew weeks later I found another one on ebay-NIB unopened and won it for 100.00 I got the newer "Artist" version and so far it's been reliable,but I wonder if anyone else has had any problems with the footswitches on these things?

great info thread btw !!

[Blueraven]

Well im in the market for a sys to just lay down bass, guitar and vocals and thght the gnx4 wld be great for that. After listening to a complete review of the effects, online source, i heard only abt 2 or 3 i liked. So the rest is waste of $ for me anyway. I do like the sound the mesas markII-c gives and not sure this pedal/effects deal is for me..

 

All the input is interesting to read and its amazing how much time and effort and $ is being spent by us and the manuf to keep us buzzing and buying..

[crisis]

I'm on my second RP350 so this thread caught my eye.I bought the 1st one about 4-5 years ago and about yr 2 I started having trouble with the footswitches not working.I figured out how to shim the switches so they would work,but it did,nt last and I was opening the unit too often to correct this problem.I liked all the features it offered but got fed up with the "cheap" microswitch/foot switch assembly..the mnfg should really upgrade those switches !!! I finally basically got rid of the unit for 50 bucks and showed the guy how to reshim the footswitches..he was happy with it for the money. Afew weeks later I found another one on ebay-NIB unopened and won it for 100.00 I got the newer "Artist" version and so far it's been reliable,but I wonder if anyone else has had any problems with the footswitches on these things? great info thread btw !!

Yep. I got a RP50. It stopped working after about 13 months hence not covered by warranty. I contacted Digitech and they effectively said too bad. I pulled it to bits myself as it was a throw away anyway and reassembled it and it worked. Whatever. The footswitches have now started to play up. I have always hated the fact that you need to stomp on two simultaneously to turn off an effect which is problematical when you are trying to hit it cleanly and quickly. I actually use it through a Boss loop pedal to switch in and out. I do want a new unit but am unsure what to go for. I am not really interested in the amp modelling side, just the delay, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and I use an auto wah for one song.