Tonelab LE Review

Perfect for home recording and live performance, ToneLab LE includes everything you need for killer guitar sound. Featuring an S/P DIF optical digital output and MIDI IN and OUT connectors, ToneLab LE offers you plenty of potential and numerous options to expand your system.

Ease of Use:	10
Sound:	9
Reliability:	10
Impression:	10
Overall rating:	9.8
Users rating:	5.4
Comments:	13

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: marvelboy_04, on august 07, 2007

Price paid: $ 399.99

Purchased from: SamAsh

Ease of Use: This is a very straight-forward unit considering it's a multi-effects processor. A lot more so than the Digitechs and Pods I've played. It has a very good overall sound, and the valve reactor technology is to me the way to go for modeling in my book. Also, the factory presets are actually decent, but if you don't like them, it's relatively easy and straight-forward to edit them, or create new ones. Also, this is not much of a metal pedal. I'd say if you were going to play heavier metal, I might would suggest the PODXT Live. // 10

Sound: I play this with my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and when I play at home, I plug through my original 68 Fender Princeton which is good for that since it's class A, single channel, etc. I mainly got this though so I don't have to carry my amp with me when I play at church. So in there I just plug straight through the PA system. Even then, it still sounds great, and it's very easy to switch presets/effects while playing live. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This unit is mainly just hard metal, and is built like a tank. I would not mind a little more sturdier feeling knobs though. I of course would use it without a backup though. And I really feel like I can depend on this unit, as it's quite a sturdy pedal. I would suggest a padded bag though. When I got mine, I mentioned something to the sales guy about how much I'd be carrying it around, so he threw in a Vox VC-12 foot controller bag, so it's a little big, but has a good place to store cables, the power supply, etc. // 10

Impression: Overall, I highly recommend this unit to most any non heavy metal guitar player who wants fat, more tube like tone in an easy to carry unit. Again, if you are a metal player, the PODXT Live might be a better choice. For example, I know a guy who's an amazing player who plays an XT Live, and can get great heavier based tones, this is probably mainly due to the fact he's an incredible player though. I compared this unit to the DigiTech GNX series, and the PODXT Live. I almost got the POD, but I already had a Valvetronix amp, so I felt more used to it, plus it seems easier to use. If it were stolen, I'd really hope my extra warranty I got would cover it, but if not, I probably would'nt have the cash for another, but if I did, I would likely get this unit again. // 10

Comments

[deepestpurple]

Looks good!

[Polak]

i was planning on buying this

[Don_Humpador]

This isn't very helpful, you haven't really said what you can do with it, in fact, all you've said is that it's built like a tank and sounds 'good'.

[marvelboy_04]

Don_Humpador wrote:

This isn't very helpful, you haven't really said what you can do with it, in fact, all you've said is that it's built like a tank and sounds 'good'.

man, its a multi effects processor. what cant you do with it? i will say though, you can get a great acdc highway to hell-ish tone with the plexi model with the treble booster effect. also, the boutique od model is gopod to get a sweet child o mine or EVH tone.

[icksnamrec]

wats better this or the boss gt-8 i want quality tone not quanity to and this sound pretty good but u tell me wat u think

[dominion8]

I just bought a tonelab le about 2 months ago and am completely in love with it. It has every effect imaginable and some that I've never heard before. The amp models are the closest models I've heard yet, and the learning curve isn't so steep (I was tweaking everything in one night, and had an indepth knowledge by the end of the first week). The only gripe I have with it is that the expression pedal feels a little funny. Maybe its just me?

[bpas41]

do u think it's worth the $400 because i have a vox ad50 amp with most of the effects but i really like the way this pedal sounds from your review. So do u think it has all the gadgets to make it worth while or should i just buy chorus, reverb, delay, etc pedals?????

[bpas41]

do u think this pedal is worth it cause i have the vox ad 50 and it has lots of effects already but u can't control them.

[jorgeluisramon]

I recently heard it and it changed my mind about thinking of buying a line 6 POD XT Live or a zoom pedal. fell in love with the sound. i`m trying to get one!

[jcprescott]

isnt 400 pound alot for that pedal i have seen it for 200

[Shannock]

That;s 400 dollars not pounds!

[Multiplayerjon]

bpas41 wrote:

do u think it's worth the $400 because i have a vox ad50 amp with most of the effects but i really like the way this pedal sounds from your review. So do u think it has all the gadgets to make it worth while or should i just buy chorus, reverb, delay, etc pedals?????

Just watch the video on the Vox website... It's cool... I like this one better than the SE. I Dun like Blue on mmhy stage.

[Charlie4]

search for Tonelab LE on Youtube. They have 2 very good videos on it.