Smart Effect Devices for (Acoustic) Guitar Players
The conventional way to get effects like delay and reverb is to buy a bulky amp, which offers additional effect nobs besides volume control. I have such an amp. However, it’s heavy, requires a lot of space, and you cannot easily switch between different settings. Luckily there are smarter ways:
- Smart Amp with all-in-one functionality: Spark, Vox Air GT
- Smart Guitar with built-in effects: HyVibe, ROR MIDI Pro
- Multi-Effect Pedals doing only effects: NUX MG-300, Zoom A1X
- Using your Smartphone/Tablet: Beats and Loops
In the following I present the details on my personal selection of solutions that should have delay/reverb, a looper, AUX in, headphones out, and a USB audio interface for recordings.
Option 1: Using a smart Amp
There are already amps that do more than just the basics and offer many effects, looper, recordings, USB, Bluetooth, tuner, etc.
- Positive Grid — Spark: 40 W, 5.2 kg, 330€
+ drums, chord display - Vox Adio Air GT: 50 W Stereo, 2.9 kg, 230€
– only delay/reverb effect at once - Yamaha THR10II: 20 W, 3.0 kg, 300€
However, this solution is still heavy and not flexible. You cannot easily forward your signal to other devices but you are bound to this single device. Update: The new Spark Mini is light but has all the features of its big brother.
Option 2: Using a smart Guitar
One name in the game here is HyVibe. Instead of a regular preamp, this devices offers built-in effects and a looper. The output signal can be streamed as Bluetooth audio, which allows you to directly connect your guitar to any Bluetooth speaker! Around 10 guitars from LÂG are already available for ≈1000€.
The other interesting approach is the ROR MIDI Pro 2 for 3000€. A good review is on YouTube.
These options look interesting but are very expensive.
Option 3: Multi-Effect Pedals
Today’s pedal stations also have become more advanced and you can have everything in one device. The advantage of pedals is that you can easily control them while playing.
- NUX MG-300: 60s loops, 56 drums, 0.7 kg, 100€
+ loops are synced with drums, flexible effect order
– no separate 3.5mm out - Valeton GP 100: 90s loops, 100 drums, 0.8 kg, 130€
+ 2 output channels, metal case, octaver, fully flexible effect order
– loops not synced - Zoom A1X: 30s loops, 68 drums, 0.6 kg, 145€
+ designed for acoustic
– no audio interface
Most devices allow you to install your own IRs (impulse response), which offers almost unlimited possibilities to affect the signal.
Option 4: Smartphone App
There are a few options like Beats and Loops, but you need a USB-C Audio interface for your smartphone and the ratings of the app indicate that this approach is not mature enough for practical use.
