Waves Software Edition

134 Guitarist July 2008
The Bottom Line
Waves GTR3
We Like: Classy sounds; easy
operation
We Dislike: iLok key needed –
ties up a USB port
Guitarist says: A practical
software amp and effects
package with the emphasis
on quality sound.
Waves iGTR
We Liked: Eminently portable;
simple operation.
We Disliked: Front panel gets
messy with fingerprints;
overdriven sounds get
a bit fizzy
Guitarist says: A simple
but affordable pocket-sized
amp modeller for silent
practice anywhere.
WAVES GTR3 & iGTR £275 & £69
RECORDING
Waves GTR3
Software Edition
PRICE: £275
TYPE: Software guitar recording system
ORIGIN: Israel
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: See
Waves website
AUTHORISATION: iLok required
AMPS: Direct, Clean, Warm, Punchy,
Sweet, Cream Edgy, Drive, Overdrive,
Scream, Crunch, Crush, Scorch, Inferno,
Monster, Hot, Modern, Shredder,
Supernatural
BASS AMPS: Directube, Activator,
SolidState, Mo’Town, SuperTube,
Thunder, OverBass
SPEAKER CABINETS: Choice of 22
MICS: Seven guitar mics. Six bass mics.
All available on axis or off axis
EFFECTS: OverDrive, Distortion, Fuzz,
Metal, Flanger, Vibrolo, Panner, Phaser,
Octaver, WahWah, Chorus, Doubler,
Pitcher, Bass Pitcher, Delay, Lay-D,
Reverb, Spring, Gate/Comp, Compressor,
Gate, Tone, EQ, Axx Press, Volume Pedal
AUTOMATION: Real time MIDI control
including dynamic automation for the
Stomps
OPTIONS: GTR Studio Guitar Interface
£89.
RANGE OPTIONS: GTR3 Complete
System comprising of GTR3 software and
guitar interface £359. GTR Solo £99
Sonic Distribution 0845 500 2500
www.sonic-distribution.com
Test results
Build quality
Features
Sound
Value for money
GUITARIST RATING
iGTR
PRICE: £69
TYPE: Personal guitar processor
CONNECTIONS: 6.4mm jack guitar/bass
input, 3.2mm stereo aux input, 3.2mm
stereo line/headphones output x 2
DIMENSIONS: 106 (l), 68 (w), 21mm (h)
POWER REQUIREMENTS: Four AAA
Batteries (alkaline or rechargeable), 6-12V
DC/300mA 3.5mm mains adaptor (not
supplied)
Test results
Build quality
Features
Sound
Value for money
GUITARIST RATING
but delay can do a similar trick at
lower settings of the tweak knob.
At higher settings the longer delay
times just emphasise the fact that
the delay is a ping pong delay
which can be irritating at the best
of times, but especially so when
listening with headphones and
having the delay bounce across
your head – not good. If you’d
prefer chorus instead, the one
here is deep and spacious.
As for the other three effects,
the phaser sounds great with a
similar flavour to the MXR Phase
90 and a useful speed range,
although the last segment of the
dial takes you into not very
musical raygun territory. The
tremolo is equally good and can
take you from a very slow
undulation through to a fast
shimmer with all the variations
in-between. Wah is a lot of fun,
with autowah sounds through
quacky Mu-tron-like auto filter
sounds that add spice to funk riffs.
Ve rd ic t
Waves GTR3 is now a much more
attractive proposition than when
it first appeared – it’s not just that
the software has been
comprehensively upgraded to
feature many more models but
also because the price has
dropped and you don’t have to buy
a (perhaps unwanted) DI box. If
you need a variety of classy
sounding amp and effects rigs for
recording, GTR3 should amply
fulfil your needs.
The greatest asset of the iGTR
is its sheer practicality in being so
small and portable yet still easy to
use – attach one to your guitar
strap and you can practice
anywhere. While we have
reservations about the
overdriven sounds, and are aware
you can get more authenticity
and a wider range of sounds from
rival products, there is enough
variation in the onboard sounds
to make playing through the
iGTR an enjoyable experience.
GTR Solo £99
Solo is the very latest in the GTR
range. It offers fewer models
than GTR3 – a stripped-down
selection, albeit with the same
sound quality. The price is likely
to tempt those who feel the full
GTR package to be beyond their
means. Solo is strong on the
Fender, Marshall and Vox
triumvirate but is missing the
Dual Rectifier and others found
in GTR3. Nevertheless, with 10
amp models, 10 cabinets and 13
stompboxes there is still plenty
of firepower to dial up an
impressive range of tones,
making it a good buy for less
than £100.
GIT304.rev_waves 134 16/5/08 10:11:37