I have the yellow Sweet model. It's great. The way the noise reduction is implemented is the best, no ragged breakup on sustained lead notes, Buc was the first in the noise reduction game (I believe) and he keeps improving it.
great. Doesn't sound like a digital preamp-processor. Only at the end when dist is combined with tri-chorus it might sound like a boss, + too much bass at the end example. I'd think to buy this thing.
Wait so with this I can gig straight into a mixing board? I wouldn't need an EHX power amp or anything like that? Thinking about buying something like this as a backup system in case my amp fails.
But you are at the mercy of the sound guy to put some guitar in the monitors. Those guys are never great at the club level...away from the board most of the time.
Sounds great but the 80's called and wants it's display back. I can spend just a little more and get into a far better Fractal FM9...oh wait, I did. You could even save money and get a FM3.
Ya ain't wrong. The old orignal Theta preamp was relatively inexpensive and delivers some very useable high-gain sounds, however you already will have seen what a dogs dinner it was inside, just an utter mess, whoever built that/designed it the way they did probably no longer works for ISP Technologies. It is not just that one off though, I bought a decimator around the same time just to see if it could challenge what I already have in the way of getting rid off unwanted crud but otherwise keeping all the signal which is wanted and it too was just not laid out well at all and my closest friend performed an autopsy on it and the Theta preamp as he is an electrical engineer, he pointed out every f@ked up detail, proper aired them out. FWIW He swears by his AXE-FX II Ultra and AXE-FX III by Fractal Audio Systems with very many if not countless reasons/rightfully so. Good to hear you are enjoying what your getting from the FM9 you decided to pickup.
Its been a few years so I’m not sure if this list is accurate: wah, compressor, multistage stereo phaser, stereo flanger, tremolo, four-voice chorus, pitch shifter, stereo rotary speaker, 1,300 millisecond delay, stereo ping-pong delay, and reverb.
I just picked up an Atomic Amplifire for $500. Might want to check those out. Or I'm about to sell my Blackstar ID100 for $250 if you'd be interested. Going to be on Reverb.
$1200 actually isn't that bad...consider what you spend on an amp (assuming you're a pro or a serious amateur)...$2000? $3000? my LEAST expensive gigging rig is well over 4 grand for godsake...i would love to not have to lug around a 4x10 or a half stack everywhere i go like fucking sisyphus...the only real issue here is you need to monitor yourself somehow...if you play places with bad wedges, it's gonna suck and if you have to drag your own wedges around, it sort of defeats the purpose...maybe with in ears? great overdrive sounds, though...that's always the mark of a usable digital system in my book
ProGuitarShopDemos Thanks for the info. One more Question. Could I go the same route into a DAW interface like say a Scarlet or M audio interface? Many Thanks.
Andy. I have to ask about your no pick style. Common sense would tell me you just have long nails. Buuuuut... you never know. Also your demos are 2nd to none! Aaaaand I watched a lot in the last year researching pedals. So thank you! Hope all is well in your life, Andy.
I had a Helix, and Fractal, and Boss...now I use software plugins instead. I still have a Theta Pro DSP. Works great for me. This is a preamp with effects, not a digital modeler. Not the same type of product. I run mine with a rack tube power amp into a pair of guitar cabs, with the cab sim off. One of the reasons for the price is that it's not just designed in the USA, it's also Made in USA. Very happy with it; well worth the price for me.
Andy can make almost anything sound good, but I am not impressed with this piece at all. I thought it was apt that he singled out the 80s clean setting, because almost everything about this reminded me of bad sound from the 80s. Sorry ISP, I still think you make great noise gates!
I'm no fan of ISP even though I have now three pieces of their gear including the first Theta preamp that doesn't have a DSP effects engine. The work inside that thing is not to a high standard at all, Soldering is messy like some sausage fingered goon sporting a conical tipped iron on a my first shoddy DIY build has had at it. The Theta preamp sounds pretty damned good but my, my the inside is a mess, A mess like Yjeb! Bush. I have vastly superior, Almost faultlessly finished and assembled pieces from China, Korea and so on that put it to shame. YMMV
We are sorry you may have a board you deem "a mess" and if you have any issues, we are more than happy to take care of you. The Theta Pro DSP processor cards are made on a million dollar, state of the art, surface mount ISO certified line. We stand behind all of our gear, and have the best customer service out there. We have shipped thousands of pieces of gear with very little issue. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.
@@stankowalski4574 luckily for you, Dean, gave me both the THETA and the Decimator and I took photos of them - they were not made by machine. insonicbloom.blogspot.com/2021/06/isp-theta-decimator-example-of-poor.html?zx=6947e7b235a44899
@@stankowalski4574 Well you have pictures of the very ISP Technologies Theta Preamp along with one of their Decimator pedals too which I bought around the same. I still have both gathering dust somewhere or Dr Stevenson does Stan. Take a good look and you'll clearly see exactly what I said 4+ years ago is true, just in case you can't the good Dr has taken the time to include straight to the point text under each picture pointing out every sorry excuse of a job that's been done on both products by the same brand I wasted money on. The Theta Preamp soundwise I genuinely have no issues with as it is capable of nailing some decent sounds, however, due to sub-par build quality under the surface, I couldn't get any use from it as if I had done and it was to fail which is pretty much a sure bet it would if used regularly as is pointed out then I'd have been scrambling for a replacement. I do hope that the newer builds and extended Theta range are all the opposite of what the original I bought, same goes for the Decimator G string as the last thing I'd ever want for anyone spending their hard-earned money on any piece or pieces of gear they want, like and works for them but it is simply a failure just waiting to happen. Dean
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Thanks for this ! I stand corrected. Really surprised and disillusioned by the ISP products. I don't understand how they could put out such sub-par products and expect professionals to use them. I was wrongly assuming they would've used an automatic robotic soldering machine. Anyhow, thanks for the info, I'll be steering clear of ISP.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES ? ANDY SHOULD BE HEADLINING ARENA'S ,WHAT CAN'T HE PLAY,WHAT DOESN'T HE KNOW????? THIS GUY REALLY PISSES ME OFF????? STAY LOOSE.........
I can’t believe these are not more popular
I have the yellow Sweet model. It's great. The way the noise reduction is implemented is the best, no ragged breakup on sustained lead notes, Buc was the first in the noise reduction game (I believe) and he keeps improving it.
Man, this thing sounds like a real mic'd cab, that is super impressive.
Sounds much better here than in Fluffs video...
fluff's a bitch
Fluffer
What did you have it plugged into?? Speakers, cabinet, amplification?
That thing sounds amazing ! Andy, you are The Bomb, Brother !
Sounds like one could really get their Johnny Marr on with one of these.
great demo! I have a question about the boost button. is it located before or after the preamp section? thank you
Wowzers! Is it capable of Live n Loud use?
I think ISP is a company that splintered off from Rocktron. I really like how they have really developed. I really dig this.
I can see how we're all going to look back at this in 25 years saying, "This is where it all started."
great. Doesn't sound like a digital preamp-processor. Only at the end when dist is combined with tri-chorus it might sound like a boss, + too much bass at the end example. I'd think to buy this thing.
Whoa... that Wasted Chorus patch is impossibly perfect! Like biting in to a fat, juicy tangerine! Lol!! $1,300+ though? I dunno...
Cheaper than a FM9.
Wait so with this I can gig straight into a mixing board? I wouldn't need an EHX power amp or anything like that? Thinking about buying something like this as a backup system in case my amp fails.
Jasper Yangchareon I have a Digitech GNX4 and it saved my butt when my amp blew up. Straight into the board and it sounded pretty darn good actually!
i think so jasoer thats what i hope anyway
But you are at the mercy of the sound guy to put some guitar in the monitors. Those guys are never great at the club level...away from the board most of the time.
Sounds great but the 80's called and wants it's display back. I can spend just a little more and get into a far better Fractal FM9...oh wait, I did. You could even save money and get a FM3.
Ya ain't wrong. The old orignal Theta preamp was relatively inexpensive and delivers some very useable high-gain sounds, however you already will have seen what a dogs dinner it was inside, just an utter mess, whoever built that/designed it the way they did probably no longer works for ISP Technologies. It is not just that one off though, I bought a decimator around the same time just to see if it could challenge what I already have in the way of getting rid off unwanted crud but otherwise keeping all the signal which is wanted and it too was just not laid out well at all and my closest friend performed an autopsy on it and the Theta preamp as he is an electrical engineer, he pointed out every f@ked up detail, proper aired them out.
FWIW He swears by his AXE-FX II Ultra and AXE-FX III by Fractal Audio Systems with very many if not countless reasons/rightfully so. Good to hear you are enjoying what your getting from the FM9 you decided to pickup.
whats your fav guitar of all time?
really a great great sound Andy and possibility.
So exactly how many effects does it have
Its been a few years so I’m not sure if this list is accurate: wah, compressor, multistage stereo phaser, stereo flanger, tremolo, four-voice chorus, pitch shifter, stereo rotary speaker, 1,300 millisecond delay, stereo ping-pong delay, and reverb.
It has the Whitesnake 87 John SKyes tone , right ?
So that's actually something like a multi FX board?
Mikolaj N pretty much, but this is one of the best ones I've heard
This sounds really good!!
thats Andy havin fun.
Can you get a wide range of classic rock tones and transparent overdrive from this unit?
Sounds a little better than I thought it might. But I'll stick with my pedals and amp for now.
Why would anyone buy a Line6 product when you could buy this?
Price, aint cheap
That exactly is the point! No comparison in power and authenticy.
How would this handle a fuzz in front of it?
Ufunny.
Don't go there, 'bro. If you're still using a fuzz pedal, then this ain't for you.
Anybody know what pickups Andy has in his Les Paul?
If you wanna product to sound awesome, give it to Andrew!
I really wanted one of these bad, but it was out of my price range. Can only drool for now...
TimberMoto
I just picked up an Atomic Amplifire for $500. Might want to check those out. Or I'm about to sell my Blackstar ID100 for $250 if you'd be interested. Going to be on Reverb.
I ended up buying an HD500X about a month ago. If I get a Blackstar it's going to be an HT Metal. Thanks though (;
$1200 actually isn't that bad...consider what you spend on an amp (assuming you're a pro or a serious amateur)...$2000? $3000? my LEAST expensive gigging rig is well over 4 grand for godsake...i would love to not have to lug around a 4x10 or a half stack everywhere i go like fucking sisyphus...the only real issue here is you need to monitor yourself somehow...if you play places with bad wedges, it's gonna suck and if you have to drag your own wedges around, it sort of defeats the purpose...maybe with in ears? great overdrive sounds, though...that's always the mark of a usable digital system in my book
It just doesn't compete with the other products in its price range. The market is saturated. I'd choose a Helix or AX8 over this.
fucking Sisyphus...love the reference!!!!!
You use a frfr cab to monitor yourself , then run it through the board to.
That screen though... lol
DO YOU FAVOR THE SCREEN OR THE SOUND?
No USB, you have to edit with that dot matrix panel, and it costs $1300.00.
Well, at least we can see that the font size is large, and you can put it up on a table while tweaking.
How was it recorded direct to sound card?
Via midi to usb ?
I can't decide between this unit or the Line6 Helix .
Help Please.
ISP Theta is MILES ahead of any Line 6 product.
Hey there! We used the XLR Direct Outs to go into 2 channels of the sound card.
ProGuitarShopDemos Thanks for the info.
One more Question. Could I go the same route into a DAW interface like say a Scarlet or M audio interface?
Many Thanks.
***** THANKS :-)
Pete Thorn uses a Helix, enough said.
Andy. I have to ask about your no pick style. Common sense would tell me you just have long nails. Buuuuut... you never know. Also your demos are 2nd to none! Aaaaand I watched a lot in the last year researching pedals. So thank you! Hope all is well in your life, Andy.
Roman Roman watch his vid entitled "scoop picking techniques" you wanna know who influenced him to play without pick
John Louisse Respicio Hey thanx, John! Appreciate that. I'll go check that out. Have a great day!
No problem! Happy stomping!
must say at$1.200 its not for avrg Joe.
No USB? Oh man
No USB but Made in USA
1998 called, they want their dot screen back.
7 yrs later selling for $200 more than a Helix LT on Sweetwater. Good luck with that! lol
I had a Helix, and Fractal, and Boss...now I use software plugins instead.
I still have a Theta Pro DSP. Works great for me.
This is a preamp with effects, not a digital modeler. Not the same type of product.
I run mine with a rack tube power amp into a pair of guitar cabs, with the cab sim off.
One of the reasons for the price is that it's not just designed in the USA, it's also Made in USA.
Very happy with it; well worth the price for me.
Andy can make almost anything sound good, but I am not impressed with this piece at all. I thought it was apt that he singled out the 80s clean setting, because almost everything about this reminded me of bad sound from the 80s. Sorry ISP, I still think you make great noise gates!
I'm no fan of ISP even though I have now three pieces of their gear including the first Theta preamp that doesn't have a DSP effects engine. The work inside that thing is not to a high standard at all, Soldering is messy like some sausage fingered goon sporting a conical tipped iron on a my first shoddy DIY build has had at it. The Theta preamp sounds pretty damned good but my, my the inside is a mess, A mess like Yjeb! Bush. I have vastly superior, Almost faultlessly finished and assembled pieces from China, Korea and so on that put it to shame. YMMV
We are sorry you may have a board you deem "a mess" and if you have any issues, we are more than happy to take care of you. The Theta Pro DSP processor cards are made on a million dollar, state of the art, surface mount ISO certified line. We stand behind all of our gear, and have the best customer service out there. We have shipped thousands of pieces of gear with very little issue. Please let us know if we can help you in any way.
I don't understand how you're board could be " a mess." PCBs are soldered by machine, not by hand.
@@stankowalski4574 luckily for you, Dean, gave me both the THETA and the Decimator and I took photos of them - they were not made by machine. insonicbloom.blogspot.com/2021/06/isp-theta-decimator-example-of-poor.html?zx=6947e7b235a44899
@@stankowalski4574 Well you have pictures of the very ISP Technologies Theta Preamp along with one of their Decimator pedals too which I bought around the same.
I still have both gathering dust somewhere or Dr Stevenson does Stan. Take a good look and you'll clearly see exactly what I said 4+ years ago is true, just in case you can't the good Dr has taken the time to include straight to the point text under each picture pointing out every sorry excuse of a job that's been done on both products by the same brand I wasted money on.
The Theta Preamp soundwise I genuinely have no issues with as it is capable of nailing some decent sounds, however, due to sub-par build quality under the surface, I couldn't get any use from it as if I had done and it was to fail which is pretty much a sure bet it would if used regularly as is pointed out then I'd have been scrambling for a replacement.
I do hope that the newer builds and extended Theta range are all the opposite of what the original I bought, same goes for the Decimator G string as the last thing I'd ever want for anyone spending their hard-earned money on any piece or pieces of gear they want, like and works for them but it is simply a failure just waiting to happen.
Dean
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Thanks for this !
I stand corrected. Really surprised and disillusioned by the ISP products. I don't understand how they could put out such sub-par products and expect professionals to use them. I was wrongly assuming they would've used an automatic robotic soldering machine. Anyhow, thanks for the info, I'll be steering clear of ISP.
BIRTHDAY PARTIES ? ANDY SHOULD BE HEADLINING ARENA'S ,WHAT CAN'T HE PLAY,WHAT DOESN'T HE KNOW????? THIS GUY REALLY PISSES ME OFF????? STAY LOOSE.........
Sounds kinda wimpy.