RP150 Review

Be prepared to be inspired! The new RP Series takes effects processor technology to the next level! Featuring DigiTech’s new Audio DN2 DSP chip, the RP150 Modeling Guitar Processor features 48 effect models, 17 amp/acoustic models, 12 cabinet models, 2-in/2-out USB Interface, a high quality drum machine with 60 patterns and more! Power supply included.

Ease of Use:	7.6
Sound:	7.8
Reliability:	8.2
Impression:	7.2
Overall rating:	7.7
Users rating:	7.1
Comments:	9

overall: 9

Featured review by: eetfuk58, on november 20, 2007

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: I got the RP150 to use with my small practice amp in my college dorm. I found this small gem and decided to get it due to the price and staggering list of features. This is a pretty simple product to figure out, just spend a few minutes in the easy to use manual and your off editing your own sounds. The USB connection also opens up the possibility of editing your sounds from your computer! This is a fantastic bonus feature for the price and is extremely easy to use. I downloaded the software, installed it, and was editing my presents within 10 mins. Overall this is a great, simple little mulitFX pedal perfect for anyone on a tight budget. // 8

Sound: The RP150 comes out of the box with with decent sounding presents but nothing that sounded amazing or used this boxes full potential. Like any muliFX processor you have to take your time to get used to the controls and tweak the sounds to your liking. Once you make your own presents this pedal really shines. The acoustic modeling was also a very nice surprise as it sounded very full bodied and warm compared to most acoustic simulators. The distortions on this pedal are definitely a high point. The clean sounds can sound very dry at times, but with a little tweaking you can get pretty decent sounding cleans from this as well. Over the sounds on this pedal are way above average, especiall for the price range. // 10

Reliability & Durability: From what I can tell this is a very sturdy pedal. Although it is plastic, not metal, there are no loose parts and everything seems to be put together very well. I would be comfortable playing a show with this without a backup. No problems with the durability of this pedal. // 9

Impression: Overall this is a great little pedal for the price. The USB capabilities really make this pedal standout amongst the others in the price range. Although this can't really compare to pedals in other price rangers this is by far the best, most affordable pedal I have ever purchased under $200. It is definitely worth twice the price. If you are looking for a good practice pedal, or computer recording pedal this is a perfect choice for you if you have a tight budget. I would highly recomend it. // 9

overall: 6.3

Reviewed by: Metallica_13, on august 07, 2008

Price paid: £ 79.00

Purchased from: Matchetts Music Belfast

Ease of Use: To get the preset tones out of this pedal it is just a matter of pushing the bank up or bank down switches with you foot, but if the preset tones are not what your looking for then to navigate around and tweek with the preset tones can be quite a challenge. There are knobs on the unit to adjust the presets but I find it easier to link up to my computer and use a program called Xedit which can be downloaded from the DigiTech website to change the presets. Using the program Xedit we can choose just how much of any one effect we want. // 5

Sound: The setup I use is a Dean Razorback V into the DigiTech RP150 and then into my Marshall MG 30DFX, to be able to use it with my amp the channel on my amp has to be set to clean as the unit provides built in distortion. The unit is fully midi compatible, but if recording to your computer I would recommend turning off your amp as it starts to make a buzzing noise when you connect it to your amp and your computer, when you have your amp turned off you wont be able to hear your playing unless you use headphones or have studio speakers. The effects from this unit always sound great. If you use the Xedit program to adjust the presets you can quite easily achieve your favourite artists sounds, for me I listen to a lot of Slayer, Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden and Trivium and I find it quite easy to get the sound of them from this unit. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I wouldn't totally rely on this unit if I was going to use it at a Live gig, you would probably have to pause every time your going to change setting, I don't think the audience would be too happy about that, however if you are for using this unit in the studio I think it is a great Tool but other than that I wouldn't take it out with me. // 7

Impression: I play a lot of metal and I think this pedal has a lot of great potential for a lot of metal settings to be input into it to cover a lot of great metal artists. I have been playing for about four years now, I only have a wah wah pedal from Dunlop, I spent all my money on a Dean Razorback V, which was totally worth it if I must say. If I had the choice wether to buy this again or something different I would probably shop around a bit more for something that is a bit more easier to use, and maybe more practical for Live performances. // 5

overall: 7.8

Reviewed by: SGSamurai, on october 24, 2007

Price paid: $ 144.57

Purchased from: imuso

Ease of Use: When I got this I switched it straight on using the fairly easy-to-use manual provided. It fits in with my rig (Epiphone SG and a rubbish practice amp) quite well considering it's my first pedal. Cycling through the tone and effects library is easy if you use the manual but after a while it becomes boring. Also reaching down and having to adjust the tone using the knobs is annoying when you're halfway through a great solo, but what are you supposed to do about that? I think the x-edit is great for this as it makes editing patches a lot easier and you can download other peoples patches which are normally OK. The major downside is that you have to work for hours to get a good rock/metal tone and the manual doesnt't really advise you on how to do that. // 8

Sound: I use this with an Epiphone SG and a rubbbish practice amp and it makes them sound pretty good. My amps always had feedback problems but the noisegate sorted that out effectively, but makes the sustain awful. The effects are pretty good for a multi FX pedal and don't sound too weak but the distortion is very hard to use as you have so many different gain and tone settings. The high-gain distortion is particiularly bad.(you can't actualy hear any notes) The only thing that sounds really good is the chorus, which if you use with a clean tone and reverb is very effective. I'm now starting to wish I got the RP250 which has an expression pedal. Without one you can't use the Whammy features or the wah and that's really annoying. // 7

Reliability & Durability: I've never really gigged so I don't know. Still I've dropped it a couple of times and nothings exploded. The case is hard and can survive a few knocks and scrapes, but you really need a bag to carry it around, because it's pretty damn heavy! It's never cut out on me before but sometimes it randomly deletes my patches, which is weird. // 9

Impression: This pedals good for the all-rounder or for a beginner who just wants some good FX and amp modelling. Warning: metalheads should stay well away. I've been playing 6 months and can now play solos like Metallicas-one and GN'R's November Rain. If it were stolen/lost I'd buy the RP250 or get a better amp. This pedal is a typicl multi FX pedal: it just can't beat individual stompboxes. // 7

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: Jon1001, on june 12, 2007

Price paid: $ 162.87

Ease of Use: The RP150 is basic to use and does not take long to get used to. There are a library of preset tones and effects so if you don't want to spend ages playing around with all of the settings so you can use these to quickly find what you are looking for. You can also fine tune the sound by editing the parameters of each effect. If you do this without using the tone and effects library, it can take a long time, but it might be closer to what you're looking for. The only real problem with ease of use is that the screen can only display 2 characters so there are a lot of abbreviations to learn. However, the RP150 can be hooked up to a computer by USB and it comes with a useful program which makes it much easier to create effects and organise the patches. You can also download patches from the DigiTech website. There are regular firmware updates as well as help and support if you have a problem, but you probably won't need this as it comes with a good manual which covers pretty much everything. // 9

Sound: I am using this with a Squier Srat and SP10 amp and they sound a lot better with the RP150. There is no noise as long as you use the built in noise gate, which should never be turned off. It has just about any effect you could possibly want and you can also use an expression pedal to control the wah/wammy or just the volume. I find it difficult to create artist patches but I have managed to make a few and also downloaded some. This pedal has a large range of tones with everything from bright acoustic tones to deep metal tones, it is very versatile. The presets which it comes with are also pretty good although some of them sound quite similar. Another good feature is the drum Machine. There are lots of different drum beats to suit a number of styles. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I have never had any problems with the unit and I would completely rely on it. It has a sturdy metal casing and feels reasonably solid although some of the plastic bits (control knobs etc) could easily be damaged if you weren't careful. It should be fine to use at a gig but I would take a backup anyway. I have had this pedal for about 6 months now and although I haven't used it at any gigs, it is showing no signs of wear. // 8

Impression: I play a range of music but mainly rock (Guns n Roses, The Strokes, Red Hot Chili Peppers). I have found it good for most types of music, you just need to find the right patches and tweak them to suit your playing style. I have recently bought a volume pedal to control the wah and wammy (or volume) which helps it to be even more versatile. The reason that made me choose it over other similar products is it's USB connectivity. The software is really useful as it makes it much easier to create patches and there are also more option when you use the software. It can also be used for recording and the quality is pretty good. Overall, this is a very good alternative for anyone Who doesn't have the money to buy individual effects. // 8

overall: 7.3

Reviewed by: Diamond Dave, on march 12, 2007

Purchased from: Music Corner Whyalla

Ease of Use: First up I'd just like to point out that this new line of RP pedals (150, 250, 350) are far better than the old RP80/100/200 which I guess is because of the new processor. They do still sound digital but not like digital crap anymore. The pedal comes with 50 presets and some are pretty cool but tone-wise most are pretty average. Editing patches isn't too difficult when using the pedal itself and becomes far easier when you connect it to your PC which was quite hassle free for me. Even though it is easy to get in and change everything, finding a combination of distortion, amp and effects settings which sounds good can be very difficult especially when you're after a metal tone. Even though I've had some trouble getting the sound I want many people haven't as shown by the rapidly growing sound community on the DigiTech website Who have made upwards of 100 patches last time I visited it. Many of these patches are quite good and at the very least give you something to tweak to your own preference. The instruction manual for the it is good, it goes through every possible thing you can select and what the different knobs do to change the sound of each effect. ie if you're in the equalizer the first knob is bass, second middle, third treble. // 8

Sound: I'm using it with a Jackson DX10D Dinky and a 10 watt squire amp and it's made that poor rig about a million times more versatile. The thing I like about this pedal is that it sounds pretty much exactly the same on any amp you plug it into, I had my patch dialed in how I liked it and it sounded good on my gear then when I plugged the pedal in to a borrowed amp for a gig it sounded pretty much identical which was pleasing especially if you have to use borrowed gear a lot. It can be a bit noisy but it has a noise gate built in which is very effective and can be adjusted to be as sensitive as you want. Once you've got you're basic straight tone sorted out and then you want to use that with another effect like a phaser, vibrato, delay or whatever that is easy to do and they can all be tweaked quite heavily and also sound pretty good. I haven't been able to get the sound of any artists really but I have been able to get good metal rhythm and lead tones, nice cleans, and slightly overdriven bluesy tones. The effects are solid, not great by any means but good enough. If I could afford individual effect stomp boxes and a tube head and cab I'd definately take that over the pedal, but considering it is cheap and has just about everything you can think of on it it's great for a beginner to get in there and play around and hear what different effects sound like. // 6

Reliability & Durability: As far as the build quality goes I'd say it seems very solid to me but maybe there's just a bit too much plastic, I wouldn't want to drop it from too high. The actual foot pedals themselves seem pretty solid, I'm about 3 months down the track and they still feel the same as the day I got it. It feels like it should hold together fine as long as you're careful with it. I would use it at a gig without a backup because I'm not about to go out and buy another one. // 8

Impression: I mostly play most types of metal from classic to thrash to power to prog and it doesn't handle it too badly but it took quite a long time to get there. I've been playing on and off for about 3 years and the only other gear I have is my dinky, a squire and my 10 watt amp. The only thing I wish I had have asked would be what my parents were planning on getting me for christmas, I would have rather put $300 towards a new amp. If it were stolen/lost I probably wouldn't bother getting a new one. The main thing I like about it is that it sounds so much better then my amp on it's own and it has so many things to play around with. The most useful thing about it is that I can leave my guitar tuned to e standard but play in Eb or D or whatever using the pedal which works surprisingly accurately believe it or not which is great for me because my guitar has a floyd rose trem. The thing I dislike about it is that it has so many distortion, amp and cabinet models (2106 possible combinations to be exact) but only about 3 of those combinations work well for a good metal tone (after gain and equalizer tweaks and all that crap). I didn't compare or choose this product because it was a gift. I wish that overall that the models were better. For everyone reading this only buy one if you're a beginner or something Who can't afford a new amp but want something to improve the sound of the amp that came in your starter pack. // 7

Comments

[eisforme]

I disagree with the review. I have the RP250(a step up from the RP150). It has more effects, amp models and most importantly, an expression pedal. For the extra $, it's worth the upgrade. Otherwise, you can plug in an expression pedal to the rp150.

Anyway, I've had this unit for about 3 months. I do agree that it's a lot better than the rp80/rp100 series. There are many ways to get the sound you are looking for. As stated above, you can use the presets as a reference and then tweak from there. With some patience and knowledge you can find what tones you're looking for. Use the EQ and try adjusting the volume on your guitar. Sometimes, keeping it lower sounds better.

Look, if you're looking for 'analog tones', you're not going to match it with digital, but I will say that these processors are very impressive. I've heard several recordings using the pedal that sound really good. Of all of the effects processors, these are the best I've come across (all around). Don't buy effects processors and complain about the tone, you know what you're getting into. As for the average guitarist who wants a plethora of effects at their feet to mess around with, this is what you're looking for. Also, the RP350 has a lot of output options for gigging.

For the price of 1 or 2 stomps you can have one of theses. I've never heard of someone getting one and regretting it...

[Diamond Dave]

eisforme wrote:

Don't buy effects processors and complain about the tone, you know what you're getting into.

well thats just it, i didnt buy it it was given to me.

And when you say you disagree with the review does that mean you think i was too harsh on the pedal? I guess i wasnt that clear in the review though, this pedal can get great clean to bluesy to rock tones but seeing as i primarily play metal that is why i focused on the fact that it is no where near as good at pulling those tones off. (the dual rectifier model is awful)

Anyway, i only came back here to report that i'm experiencing a faulty output jack which is bizarre as far as im concerned because i took it out the box, plugged it in and ive never unplugged it and now it just starts crackling and the signal gets broken up completely and i know its the amp output jack because it still works through the headphone output and you can also get it to work again by fiddling with the lead.

[Nesiac]

Diamond Dave wrote:

eisforme wrote:

Don't buy effects processors and complain about the tone, you know what you're getting into.

well thats just it, i didnt buy it it was given to me.

And when you say you disagree with the review does that mean you think i was too harsh on the pedal? I guess i wasnt that clear in the review though, this pedal can get great clean to bluesy to rock tones but seeing as i primarily play metal that is why i focused on the fact that it is no where near as good at pulling those tones off. (the dual rectifier model is awful)

Anyway, i only came back here to report that i'm experiencing a faulty output jack which is bizarre as far as im concerned because i took it out the box, plugged it in and ive never unplugged it and now it just starts crackling and the signal gets broken up completely and i know its the amp output jack because it still works through the headphone output and you can also get it to work again by fiddling with the lead.

yeh ive had my 150 for a year, about the signal breaking, ive heard it crackle maybe twice...im thinkin about getting the rx400, if i get it and they bring out rp5000 or sum shit ill be pissed

[cody_ward2000]

how can u make it sound like a dreadnought acoustic, i like playing acoustins so much but electrics are eassier to move your fingures around and more comfortable

[poipoi]

Is it really impossible to use the whammy without exp pedal (I know you wont be able to 'slide') and isn't there a autowah?

[SGSamurai]

ya you can use whammy without an exp pedal, but u cant do divebombs or anything. there isnt really an autowah

[jeffo46]

I had this pedal,and recently got rid of it.I did not like the tone that was coming out of it.It sounded too sterile,plus the instruction manual needs to be more detailed.I'm back to using a RP50,which I think,is a better sounding unit.

[yarzo]

For $100, you cannot go wrong with this pedal. I use it with a Roland EV-5 Expression pedal which I already had. The Whammy feature is worth the price of admission alone. I don't really use the amp modeling, just the effects.

[Tinycinerator]

does this need to be pluged into a computer to work?