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Native Instruments Guitar Rig 3: Kontrol Edition £350

NI has improved the sound of its amp and effects system and made it easier to use. Result

The Guitar Rig interface is easier on the eye than before.

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There are now separate input and output LEDs that shine in glorious green, making them impossible to miss, even in the murkiest of live venues.

Notably, there's much more consistency in the way the software functions are mapped to the individual switches of the Rig Kontrol, unlike previous versions where presets could differ a fair bit in the way they mapped the switches.

There remain a couple of gripes, though. There's still no output volume knob, only a pad switch. This means you have to set the volume level in software, which can be a pain.

Also missing is an XLR input. While the Rig Kontrol is aimed at guitarists and space on the back of the unit is sparse, it's supposed to be the only interface anyone needs, so it could be a disappointment for those wanting to hook up a mic too. For guitarists who sing, an XLR input would have made GR3 a one-stop solution to their gigging needs.

In summary

So has NI reached perfection with this version? Well, it's still really processor-hungry, so it can be tricky to keep the latency low if you're running more than one or two other plug-ins as you record.

What's more, Rig Kontrol is still a compromise as far as using it as a dedicated audio interface goes; it has to sit on the floor, which makes it awkward to adjust input levels, and you'll have to run cables from your playing position, which can be messy.

However, these are minor points, and the new amps and effects mean that pretty much all tonal bases are now covered.

But does it sound as good as the real thing? We can confirm that it does, and this is borne out by the number of big-name players who are already in love with Guitar Rig.

Purists may scoff that it doesn't sound the same as hardware, but we feel this is a redundant argument. The range of high-quality tones available makes this an awesome and essential creative tool.

 

Verdict

Guitar Rig 3 offers instant tonal gratification and is a viable option for live use. Great stuff.

MusicRadar rating:

4.5 of 5 stars

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User comments (2)

Average user rating 5 of 5

  • KAYSODOG

    Avatar for KAYSODOG

    Sun 3 Aug 2008, 1:16 am UTC

    User rating 5 of 5

    I AM THE GOD OF ROCK!!!!! OR SO THAT'S HOW GUITAR RIG MAKES ME FEEL.

    Mark as inappropriate

  • KAYSODOG

    Avatar for KAYSODOG

    Sun 3 Aug 2008, 1:16 am UTC

    User rating 5 of 5

    I AM THE GOD OF ROCK!!!!! OR SO THAT'S HOW GUITAR RIG MAKES ME FEEL.

    Mark as inappropriate

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MusicRadar rating

4.5 of 5

Pros

New amps and stompboxes are great. High-gain sounds are particularly good. Easier to use than version 2. Useful LED lights on Rig Kontrol.

Cons

No balanced mic input. Still very processor-hungry.

Verdict

Guitar Rig 3 offers instant tonal gratification and is a viable option for live use. Great stuff.

Review Policy

All MusicRadar's reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.

User rating

5 of 5

Specification

Guitar Rig 3: Kontrol Edition

Price:
£350
Additional Features:
Includes Rig Kontrol 3 foot controller with Audio/MIDI interface
Description:
Twelve supreme-sounding guitar and bass amps. New matched cabinet module provides tried and true classic sounds in seconds. 44 perfectly emulated guitar effects. 17 guitar and six bass cabinets, four rotary speakers and nine microphones.
Min Processor Speed (GHz) (GHz):
1.4
OS Requirements:
Apple Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Microsoft Windows XP SP 2
Platform:
MacOS/Windows
Plug-in FX Type:
Amp Modelling
Processor Type Required:
Intel Core Duo, Pentium III
Ram Required (MB) (MB):
512

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