G6 Multi-effects Processor Review

Works Like the Said It Would

Great price, great sounds, easy to use. My kinda gear.

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Very easy to operate with minimal reading or studying instructions

I love it. I'm kind of old school with very little experience with gear made aftter 2000. The few processors I have messed with were a nightmare for me. I was worried the zoom G6 might cause some of the the same headaches but, i was absolutely WRONG! It's actually one of the easiest and user friendly processrs I've ever put my hands on. It sounds amazing, its super easy to operate,… read more and I couldn't be happier. Thank you Sweetwater!

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Zoom G6

Being new to multi-effects, the G6 was very easy to get comfortable with, and offers seemingly endless combinations of effects/cabs. The interface is very intuitive and easy to use. I also would like to add that their tech support is very responsive. I had a few questions and got answers the next day. They didn't have an effects list for G6, but the G11 effects list is about… read more 99% applicable. And recently, they provided a very detailed patch memory list for all 100 stock patches, which is also a big help. In addition, I can use an old Roland EV-5 as a second expression pedal. On the negative side (very minor), the accompanying Guitar Lab software requires a minimum of Windows 8, and the included Cubase LE license needs Windows 10 to run. I'm still on Windows 7, so an upgrade will be needed. Even so, importing loops and/or firmware updates can be accomplished via SD card. Also, there are no plans for an Android port of the iOS Handy Guitar Lab app (now supported in v1.30 firmware). If you're already on Windows 10 or a Mac, you should be all set.

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An excellent, feature rich effects processor/amp modeler for the price!

This probably one of the better choices out there for an floorboard modeler/processor in the sub $500 range, which I'm happy to see because I was a big fan of Zoom's G3n from 2016 (which was a great unit in its own right, but lacked a few significant features that set it behind the other big contenders on the market like the Mooer, Hotone, or Line 6 products in similar price ranges).… read more But Zoom has finally caught up, and offers features like custom IR loading, integrated audio interfacing over USB, FX loop, much longer (and saveable) looper recordings, additional processing power, and large touchscreen for controlling the unit. Aside from all that though, my favorite improvement over the older Zoom processor generations is that the G6 just sounds significantly better in terms of effect/amp model fidelity. The amp models in the G3n sounded okay at best, great for bedroom playing or small, local gigs, but suffered from sounding a bit flat and sterile, in my opinion. The amps in the G6 sound better and respond better across the board - not AxeFX or Helix territory, but still very good, and on-par (or better even) with most other modelers in this price range. Overall, I'd describe them as more dynamic and organic, with more realistic distortion and subtle tonal characteristics. The original cab simulations from the G3n are still there, but there's essentially no reason to use them thanks to the whopping 70 included impulse responses, and the ability to add many more of your own. The stock IRs do sound quite good, and I found myself sometimes choosing them instead of some of the OwnHammer IRs I imported, for certain tones. I should note that nearly all the new features I mentioned about the G6 were also implemented in the Zoom G11, which was released in May 2020. However, I really thing the G11 was mostly a failure in product design, and I think the recent (significant) price drop for the G11, and the existence of the G6 itself, is evidence for the poor market performance of the G11. The G6 is far more practical, both in form factor and price, and is a far better ambassador for all these new features Zoom wants to show of. I think 90% of customers will probably opt for the G6 instead now that it's available. I also really liked how the touchscreen interface was implemented. It's not quite as responsive as I'd like (compared to like a smartphone or tablet), but its certainly very useable and I was able to do basically everything I wanted to with the G6 without having to pull out the manual, which is the mark of good UI design. The bank/patch organization is much better and more sensible than that of the G3n. The Zoom Guitar Lab software is also really well implemented with the G6, and I found it effortless to customize patches/banks and import IRs. I haven't messed with using the G6 as an audio interface much yet, but with what I have tried, I found it pretty simple to set up. Super great feature that I think all processors should have, no matter what price point, and I'm very glad Zoom has finally implemented it. There aren't too many negative aspects of the G6 that I can think of, but I'll mention that while the unit doesn't feel cheap by any means, it is relatively light. It seems to be a similar weight to the G3n, but spread across a larger space, so the unit is a bit less dense and more likely to shift around the floor. For people interested in using the G6 in live situations, this would be something to keep in mind. For bedroom playing, not an issue at all. I also kind of wish the expression WASN'T included, because its just not something I use a lot in my playing, and it would be nice if it was an optional feature for people who may want something more compact. I did also hope that Zoom would have added a few more new effects and amps, since the list of effects is only marginally larger than what was available on the G3n. They did add 5 more amps (6 if you never got the Krampus update on the G3n) which are very good I will say, but I guess you always just want a little more haha. But like I mentioned before, the sound quality has been improved across the board, so the lack of new effects isn't a huge deal for me. Also, Zoom is known for pushing out new features through firmware upgrades over their products' lifetimes, so we may see some new effects and amps yet. Overall, just a great piece of gear, especially for the price, and I've been having a blast just exploring all the new features and improvements. Anything that makes playing guitar more fun is a good product in my opinion.

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