So what's up with the new \"GNX5\"?
Hello everyone! I've been reading a lot of wishlists about the new product that's gonna replace the GNX4 (most of them are pretty old now), but, there's no info in the matter from Digitech whatsoever, so I was wondering: It's March 2009, it's been 4 to 5 years since the GNX4 was released and I haven't heard anything about a new flagship product, so:
1.Has anyone heard about a new GNX or something? I'm talking about a product superior to the GNX4.
2. Is it gonna be out soon? Cause right now my GNX4 is almost dead so I was thinking if I should wait or buy another one (GNX4).
Thanks-
1.Has anyone heard about a new GNX or something? I'm talking about a product superior to the GNX4.
2. Is it gonna be out soon? Cause right now my GNX4 is almost dead so I was thinking if I should wait or buy another one (GNX4).
Thanks-
Comments
If you want to buy a new one, I'd say $340 is the most you should pay. Musician's Friend was selling them at that price last Christmas. Right now the price is back up to $399, but these days you can easily haggle 10-15% off.
Reps have said Digitech might revisit the Workstation concept provided there was that necessity.
Reasons they have not:
1. Continued investments in driver support, tech suppt, OS support and other support issues, Freebie DAW support not exactly relevant to current production WorkStation design alone. For instance, what happens when WIN 8, or Mac OS 12.5 etc can't run a GNX5 that was just purchased (1-2 years ago)... What happens when Cubase Le (non retail entry daw) like ProTracks won't operate on the latest OS. Flame fest!
Ongoing support to feature and adapt to new OS, drivers etc take the profitability out of the product as OS's etc require changes to adapt. Just look at the past functional issues and tech support issues for Pro Tracks (a freebie utility), Win XP before SP2 fixed NET bugs, VISTA, Mac OS went three different versions. Supporting those ever changing PC related products is not easy and chews up budgets for product support vs any gains from the initial product itself.
2. Issues with emulations vs hardware (high expectations of the emulated hardware that is not like or as functional as the actual physical hardware)
3. Supporting mediums. What happens if they produce a GNX that uses a SD card, and a year later SD cards are discontinued.
Those were the top reasons I had heard at NAMM and from reps abroad to why gears changed so much. It's not exactly the product contingency over time........ it's supporting the product line through constant revisions of proprietary OS's and future (non Digitech) support elements that more users have issues with. Digitech and or other companies then have to look at the bottom line.
Here's an interesting point. Pro Tracks alone, by itself... they ( Digitech tech supt) have fielded several hundred thousand calls and emails for ongoing support of freebie (entry level software) that even the maker of that product made very limited resources available and instead suggested purchasing retail versions of that software to gain field support and or changes to OS revisions.
They like to release a product that can be solid, but cannot guarantee adaptability to ongoing OS and PC and DAW changes that are not specific or as easily remedied. Better to omit that design or concept than to have ongoing turmoil and support issues that kill the margins of the initial product.
I don't know how the \"GNX5\" could be designed to be both compter friendly and still have a long life for service. As you said, the computer world just changes so fast and memory cards, I/O devices, software, drivers, OS's, etc... continue to evolve and older tech gets dumped. I have an old Dell laptop running WinXP which is dedicated to the GNX4/PTP for recording. That's all it will do until either one or the other dies. That was my solution to extend the useful life of my GNX4/PTP package.
Although I understand all the reasons why making a GNX5 might have lots of problems, I still feel the GNX concept was the greatest and am sorry that line is not being updated along with the newer technology. Perhaps Digitech should continue the GNX series but announce up front how long they will support the software side of the machine. Also, I would think that they could open up their code so that programmers could offer third party support for the units past the Digitech support period. Microsoft does not support its older OS's forever. I don't expect Digitech to continue to write new drivers for OS's that were non existant at the time of the build. It's just too bad that the GNX line got dropped, but I do understand how it must be difficult to support any computer based product/software.
The bigger question is in demand. The GNX4 grew from the GNX1 and added every kind of possible option and hardware emulation for the processing power without exceeding too much in costs. GNX4 was $599, and later dropped to $499 before holidays. Right when competitive products introduced their lines and map pricing.
How much farther can they take the WorkStation? If the only difference was a few more tracks, higher media capacity and faster processing as suggested, how many really would buy one at another $500? That's the bigger question. Most reps have said nobody would want that since it's really not that much more of a usable upgrade or reason to jump.
Now would a decent hardware synth module be a cool add on? Hey why not! 16-24 track OBR with full implementation of downloadable or fixed 16 ch midi synth? How about a simple Midi I/O Thru that allows a controller to be used to make synth and drum samples on the fly with NO PC!!! Direct to the new GNX. Now we're talking!
Media- well you can take your pick. They'll soon have 120 GB media cards. Imagine how many tracks and track time you could have? Hmmmm......
If 2GB = appx 6 hrs (x 60) = That's a lot of tracking time !
What would that be worth?
Remember the DR5? Thing had full synth capacity. How about the QY-100? Cool toys huh? Imagine something that powerful integrated into the next GNX. There is a market for hardware devices like this.
Sadly, for hardware lovers, the PC world took over. Not just because it was easy since it really isn't and requires a decent amount of hardware. It took over because it can reach more users and not be as proprietary. There are many users who have these daw and vst's but again their pc or hardware limits the usage and /or how versatile those products can be.
As we know, all products come and go in cycles. Look at modeling guitar amps.. users appealed to them... then back to vintage amps, then it will go back to another attempt depending on market and economics.
With todays tech and smaller scale of designs, they could easily manage a build like the GNX MEGA STATION that has full implementation of hardware, great mic preamp chips (best ones can be had for $5-7), fully functional 16 trk synth module, and a fully capable 24 trk recorder.
It's competition:
A decent laptop+ simple audio interface ($99 and up)
You tell me what is more expandable? Hence, the new direction
Could Digitech compete with that in a workstation?
Thank you all!
I like to buy a stand alone device, after ten years i can plug in the power-cord and the damn thing works. try that with your expensive Guitar-Rig or whatever other guitar-software program. OK Xedit wont work anymore on newer systems but the device itself can also be edited manually.
Making music using computers can be very frustrating, they never work when you want them to work (settings seems to be changed by other programs you installed) so the first half hour your busy fixing everything to get started but first you have to update the system with the latest security and virus stuff and then, when you finally done i hope your inspiration is still there. Taking your laptop to a rehearsal with the band will not make you popular, unless you decide to come half an hour earlier to start/fix things up.
It's difficult for a company to sell hardware and spend a lot of time/money and effort in keeping the software-side up and running with every new software system/update. The hardware's lifespan is too long. Its easier to sell just the software for big-bucks leaving you with a nice expensive useless DVD box on the shelf within a few years. You have to upgrade every time to keep things running, you never buy it, as long as you pay, you may rent and use it.
Don't get me wrong, i like playing around with computers and music but software never last as long as good hardware. For instance, I still use my old Korg A4 to play around at my work (have guitar, amp and the Korg giving my room a little personal touch and relief the stress if necessary ;-)
More seriously, I have lots of never to be used again software on the shelf or in boxes. At least I can still play my guitars that I bought 30 years ago. I like the advantages of the software for recording, but those programs are usually dead after only a few years. I too have recently become a \"new\" convert to the advantages of stand-alone hardware solutions. I just cannot afford to upgrade my software every time MS comes out with a new OS, or everytime the software vendor upgrades their product with a new version.
I have at least 4 or 5 nice software recording programs on the shelf, and of course there's Audacity and Reaper.
But none of them work worth $h|+ compared to my trusty Tascam, which is 100% reliable and works with the push of a button. It doesn't do a lot of what a s/ware recording program will, but it also does one thing the s/ware won't do - WORK EVERY TIME. 8)
My main want is for practicing and having fun with friends. I don't expect to use it at gigs, as, well, I don't have any <g>.
So I would vote for a stand alone device with modeling. You can plug the outputs into anything that records without the headaches. But then I run mine through my celetions and record at 88k most of the time anyway.
It's way better.
At the current level of technology, with various USB 2.whatever interfaces available, and potentially faster processors, I don't see why having a 96/24 interface with 6 channels into a single computer input should be a problem. Question really is, will there be demand for it? Besides from me, that is.