Need some informations about amplifi 150 and fx100

[ghattas92]

Hello everyone !

 

I have some questions about The amplifi. I want to buy an amplifi 150 for my electric guitar and it looks great because i also need bluetooth speakers for my room for a long time.

But i would also like to control the effets of The amplifi with pedals so i thought it could be nice to buy also the fx100.

 

My question is, is it a good idea ? (I need bluetooth speakers), and is it possible to play with both? And which one will i connect with The amplifi remote app ? What’s your opinion about this.

 

My budget is 500 euros.

 

Thanks in d’avance !

[cbrillow]

I have some questions about The amplifi. I want to buy an amplifi 150 for my electric guitar and it looks great because i also need bluetooth speakers for my room for a long time.

But i would also like to control the effets of The amplifi with pedals so i thought it could be nice to buy also the fx100.

 

My question is, is it a good idea ? (I need bluetooth speakers), and is it possible to play with both? And which one will i connect with The amplifi remote app ? What’s your opinion about this.

 

 

I have, due to some unusual circumstances this past year, become the owner of an Amplifi 30, Amplifi 150 and Amplifi FX-100. Given my experience with all 3 and a particular limitation of the functionality of the FX100 as a pedal board, I would recommend selecting one of the Amplifi amps and a floorboard controller, rather than the FX100.

 

Both the 30 and the 150 are suitable for my 'home' use --  practicing/playing along with music streamed from my mobile devices. If I didn't occasionally practice & play with a full band, I could be totally satisfied with the 30. In a bedroom scenario, it sounds astonishingly good streaming audio and amplifying my guitar signal. And way more power than is needed in that situation. It's amazingly loud for such a little box. I use the 150 when I need something with more power. (which is rare...)

 

In my opinion, a better option would be to pair one of the amps -- 30, 75 or 150 -- with a Line 6 foot controller. I bought a used FBV Shortboard MKII to use with mine. The newer (and costlier) FBV3 is also compatible. The advantage is that these controllers have additional switches that permit turning on and off the individual effects within a tone preset, as well as being able to change banks and select a given preset within the selected bank. The FX100 only has 4 switches for selecting one of the presets in a given bank. To change banks, you have to simultaneously step on TWO switches, to either increment or decrement the bank number. That can be awkward when you're in a live performance setting. In addition, the FX100 only has a two digit LED display that shows the currently-selected bank number, The foot controllers have an alphanumeric display that shows Bank #, Tone A, B, C or D, and an abbreviated name of the preset. There are separate switches for moving up and down through the banks -- much easier than stepping on two switches at the same time.

 

In this scenario, you would stream your bluetooth audio through the Amplifi device from the remote app.

 

Feel free to ask for clarification or additional questions that I may be able to help with.

[ghattas92]

Ohh your answer is so complete. I wasn’t expecting an answer like that thanks a lot. So you’re sayin that with a fbv3, i can map all the features of my amplifi app and can control them with it ??

And i’m also using a boss rc 30 looper, i was wondering how can i setup the boss with the pedal and the looper ? (Guitar -> loop -> fbv3 -> amplifi for example)

Can i for example loop a rythm clean guitar and put a tone for the solo ?

 

Thank you for your first answer it’s nice, really

[cbrillow]

Ohh your answer is so complete. I wasn’t expecting an answer like that thanks a lot. So you’re sayin that with a fbv3, i can map all the features of my amplifi app and can control them with it ??

And i’m also using a boss rc 30 looper, i was wondering how can i setup the boss with the pedal and the looper ? (Guitar -> loop -> fbv3 -> amplifi for example)

Can i for example loop a rythm clean guitar and put a tone for the solo ?

 

Thank you for your first answer it’s nice, really

You're welcome - I enjoy helping where I can.

 

With respect to the FBV3, I'd recommend looking through the forum and on the product specs pages for specific information. As I mentioned, I have the older FBV Shortboard MKII. My understanding is that the configuration and capabilities of the two are very much alike, if not identical. (You might also search YouTube for a video on the FBV3 floorboard -- bet somebody shows one in use...)

 

There is one complaint I've read about the use of Amplifi with the FBV3: It features lighted color rings that encircle the footswitches. When used with newer Line 6 devices, the color can be different, depending on the function of the switch. My understanding is that they only light up red when used with the Amplifi. This 'may be' a function of the Amplifi firmware, and 'may be' addressed at some point, but it's only speculation. Could be that this never changes, which makes it pretty much the same as the floorboard controller I use, which has a simple LED that indicates which switches are closed.

 

In either case, there's no 'mapping' as you called it, to be done. You rely on the remote app to modify or create tone presets, which are stored in the 25 4-position banks of the Amplifi. When the floorboard is connected, you simply select the bank and postilion within the bank -- A,B,C or D -- that you want to work with. There are switches for all the effects in that preset and you simply toggle them on or off as you choose.

 

One thing you DO NOT WANT -- the FBV Mk II Express. It only has 4 switches (to select a preset/tone) and the volume pedal. This is very limiting (Actually, I would say pretty much useless!) when used with Amplifi.

 

You can certainly incorporate a looper, but not in the signal flow that you've laid out. The floorboard controller connects with Amplifi via a CAT 5 cable. Your guitar signal would go through the looper first, and then into the Amplifi guitar input.  You may be able to come up with a creative signal path that is more flexible than this, depending upon your looper, a signal splitter/A-B switches and another amp, but the simplest setup will limit you to playing your live riffs with the same tone that's being looped. This is beyond the scope of what I've done, but I've only just begun to experiment with a looper, myself. I know I could come up with a way to have a clean rhythm loop and a dirty solo tone, but it would involve extra steps and gear. 

[ghattas92]

Ok ! So the floorboard doesn’t connect with a jack 6.35 but with a cat 5. That’s better in my case.

For the looper i understood thanks ! The rc 30 has, like you said, two channels so it can be possible. I think i will go for the fbv3 ! Merci beaucoup !

[cbrillow]

Good luck -- hope you have a smooth experience, especially if you have to do a firmware upgrade on your amplifi. (Maybe a brand-new one will have the most recent firmware!) 

[YACYDOODLE]

RUN, given my experience with the Amplifi FX100 and friends with other Amplifi products, you do not want this hot mess of support issues.  Maybe you will get lucky...maybe you won't... but whatever you do.... make sure you have the PHone, Computer, and devices you want to use and don't update anyof them.  I have a Solid State Brick that does nothing but eat electricity.   I bought BOSS ME80 while i waited for Line 6 to provide support.... guess what works,  the Boss.  Hopefully they will have a solution for me that doesn't start with follow the instructions, use a different cable, computer, OS, blah/blah.... as an Electronics Engineer.... I'm not a N00B that needs to be told how to read the instructions....  Just fix it, replace it, and build a better product.... I want to fall in love with Line6 all over again... I've been here since the original POD, the 2.0, the XT and the PRO and then the XT LIVE, and the Mseries... then the Amplifi.... I have ZERO working Line6 devices in my studio at the moment...not a 1...