Mooer GE300 User Reviews

Started by admin, August 08, 2019, 04:08:28 PM

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admin

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?posts/28964219/

makeitstop wrote>
I got mine a little over a month ago from a store in Maryland, $699 presale price on Reverb (they bumped the price to $799 once they sold the initial 30 units they got). Got it to replace my GE 200, which I thought sounded great but just didn't have enough switching options. I used Line 6 stuff for a long time and then a few ToneLab units, and I was used to having a board behave like a 'standard' pedal board. I was able to get a couple of effects working at once on the 200 with a second expression pedal, but it was still pretty limited.

The switching on the 300 is great. 4 buttons, 4 effects, yay. Along with the expression pedals you actually get a lot of control over what you're using.

The display is pretty nice. Twice as big as the 200, nice and bright. I've done a few afternoon gigs with it and haven't had a problem seeing the display at all. Tuner is much improved, seems much more stable and easy to see.

The UI is very similar to the one on the 200, with lots more on/off switches to accommodate the extra effects. I kind of had a head start on how to work it from using the 200, and was able to throw together some quick patches minutes after taking it out of the box. The added parameter knobs actually speed up programming, a big improvement over the single-knob setup of the 200.

I'm still coming to grips with the sheer amount of amp models, IRs and effects. I'm using their Deluxe model as a basis for my Tele patches, and either the Plexi 100 or Engl Powerball models for my humbucker guitars. The 300 seems to be a lot brighter than the 200, bordering on the dreaded fizz. But between the individual amp model EQs and their Global EQ, I can get rid of any fizz pretty easily.

TBH, I really have no use for most of the amp models - I play what I play, and I gravitate towards just a couple of models to get what I need. I have found that some of the high-gain models actually have a lot of presence if you back off the gain and use them for mid-gain tones the Powerball model in particular.

Lots of effects. Tons of them. The boosts sound good, fuzzes sound like fuzzes (not really into them at all), all the delays sound pretty good, nice selection of reverbs, choruses are all pretty nice. But again, there's not much of a place for me to use them in live situations - I'm playing pretty meat-and-potatoes kind of material so I like to keep it basic. The only effect that sounds like it's taken a step back from the 200 is the Rotary effect. It just doesn't sound like a Leslie. I've been using the '70s Chorus' effect for rotary, and with the 2nd expression pedal set to control speed it gets pretty close to the Leslie sound I want. And lately I've switched from using any of the chorus settings in favor of the Detune effect - it gives you a nice shimmer without being too swoopy or phaser-like.

Acoustic simulator? Meh, as always. One of them is a bit better than the ones in the 200, but it took a lot of EQing and tweaking to get it sounding usable - and even then, it sounds pretty good for strumming, but when you get into single-note stuff or finger-picking it's not great.

The Synth engine is kinda cool I guess, if you're into using it. I really don't have anything to use it on, but maybe once I get it into the studio I'll be able to find a use for it.

I haven't gotten near the Tone Capture yet - I'm playing out a lot this summer, and it doesn't leave me a whole lot of time to sit down and try stuff. I'm thinking the only real way I'll be able to evaluate a lot of what's in this thing is to work with it for a few months once the gigs slow down.

But for my gigs, it's getting the job done for sure. It's extremely well-built, and the size is pretty handy for travel gigs. I think I'll still use the 200 for fly gigs, because it's so damn tiny - that's the main reason I bought the 200 in the first place.

To me, it was worth the dough to have the switching options. It's going to take me a while to really dial things in, but I'm encouraged by what I've been able to do with it so far.

The models in the 300 are decidedly brighter than the ones in the 200. But the EQ options in the 300 are greater than the 200, with the individual amp EQs and the Global EQ. The Global EQ lets you shape the EQ of the entire unit's output, which is pretty handy.
I don't have a problem with it cutting live, but I'm running it into a tube amp. I've never tried it direct, so I can't speak to that.


I know, wordy. Sorry. Hope this helps.

admin

https://www.bonedo.de/artikel/einzelansicht/mooer-ge-300-test.html

Mooer GE 300 test

by Thomas Dill 07/06/20191 43 (4/5)

The Mooer GE 300 was presented as a prototype at the Namm 2019 and has now arrived in the final version in the trade. Of course, we wanted to know how the GE300 differs from the GE200 , which provided excitement in our test. In any case, the first impression is very positive, it is in a sturdy aluminum housing with solid metal footswitches and controls and a large color LCD display.

On board also a lot of effects, amp / cab simulations and a three-voice synth, which is to provide without additional pickup for extreme sounds. Where the GE 300 can be classified, the test will show, because with a price well below that of the competition of Line 6 Helix LT or Boss GT-1000, our test candidate could be a challenge. In any case, we have ever had an eye and an ear on the big brother of the GE 200 and tapped it on his inner and outer values.


DETAILS
Housing / optics
The Mooer GE 300 features a multi-effect floorboard, the controls and controls are placed on the top, all ports on the front. The board has manageable dimensions of 410 x 210 x 62 mm (W x D x H) and brings 3.1 kg on the scale. Five footswitches are divided into two levels, the front and a few other control elements are slightly raised for better accessibility. On the right is a small expression pedal (area: 160 x 70 mm). The centerpiece is the 110 x 62 mm LCD display, including the signal chain with backlit switches. To the left of the display you will find three volume controls for the XLR out (PA, mixer), the "normal" output (jack - eg to the amp on stage) and the headphone out. Each of these outputs can also be controlled with a separate global EQ to better match the overall sound to the equipment being connected. To the right of the display are the five parameter knobs, the slightly larger select knobs and various buttons for calling up various operating functions and settings. The device is non-slip on eight large rubber feet and makes a very solid and roadworthy impression.


With the GE300, the successor to the Mooer GE200 enters the bonedo test lab.


Back / terminals
The back is packed with various connections. It goes off to the left with a mini-jack socket for external players (Aux In). Then comes the input, which can be adjusted via switch to the connected source (guitar, line). The GE 300 has an internal effects loop to connect additional effects pedals or to connect the Amp and GE 300 with the four-cable method. The internal effects loop is completely in stereo, so has two send and two return ports. Next are the three outputs: Jack and XLR in stereo with two jacks, the headphones with 6.3 mm stereo jack port. For the XLR output is also a ground-lift switch ready to suppress any ground loops. MIDI is also on offer with an input and an out / thru port, and last but not least a USB port, which connects the GE 300 to a computer. On the one hand, the device can be used as an audio interface for guitar recordings, moreover, it is also possible to edit it with the Mooer Studio app conveniently on the computer.


Connections are not lacking in the Mooer GE300, as a glance at the front shows.

service
The operating structure of the GE 300 is quite mature and it can be operated quite intuitively even without studying the manual for days. There are 256 preset sounds stored in 64 banks, each bank has four sounds, which are called with the switches A, B, C and D. The benches are changed with the Up / Down switches (left). This is followed by four control buttons (CTRL 1-4), which can be assigned a switching function per preset, for example, effects on / off or tap tempo. The switch assignments are then shown on the display. For editing, the button of the corresponding effect module must be pressed, then the parameters appear in the display and can be adjusted with the five parameter knobs. If more than five parameters are available, press the Select knob to move to the next one.












Large color display




Mooer Studio App
With the Studio app setting is quite convenient and clearly on the computer possible. The whole thing works perfectly, the app can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. When starting the app gets the complete information from the GE 300 and all settings can be changed. Here are a few screenshots of the Studio app.

practice
GE300 directly into the desk
The journey starts with light luggage and the GE 300 is connected directly to the audio interface. The internal amp and cab simulations are used. You'll hear two preset sounds from the first bank, a Fender Deluxe and a JCM 800 model. The presets are designed to be very practice-oriented and not overburdened with effects; on the control buttons, you have prepared useful effects for each preset. Here are the presets with the additional effects:

The GE 300 has a lot of amp models on offer and certainly every division will be serviced, with the whole sound being in the solid middle class. Things sound neat, but under the magnifying glass, the response and dynamic behavior could be better. Especially with the amp models, one would expect that, because in this respect, the competitors deliver a better performance.

What I really like, though, are the synth sounds. If you are looking for new and experimental sounds, you will find it here. A synth unit with three waveforms is ready, the tracking is very good and the matching with such effects as ring modulator or LoFi sound is excellent. It is also possible to influence the sound via the expression pedal or to change parameters in real time. Here are a few preset sounds.



Compared to its main competitors, the GE 300 lacks a bit of sound transparency and dynamic response.

GE300 in front of the amp pre-amp
It continues with "real" guitar amp. The Sovtek MIG-50H is ready with undistorted sound and the GE 300 is parked right in front of the amp, which runs over a Marshall 4x12 box (Celestion G12M), which is taken off with a Neumann TLM-103. The amp and cab sections on the GE 300 are paused, and distortion is provided by the GE 300 overdrive and distortion models. It works quite well and, in my opinion, is the discipline in which the GE 300 sounds best , Here it works better with the touch dynamics (Example 1). Unfortunately, there is a lack of transparency, the individual strings are not transmitted so clearly at higher gain settings, as it can sometimes be a bit muddy.


Now we come to the Tone Capture function, where you can incorporate the sound of an external amp, pedal or guitar to the GE 300, according to the manufacturer. I've tested this with a Zerr pedal, and in this case it works like this: You choose an overdrive model from the GE 300, preferably one that comes very close to the original pedal. I have taken my Friedman BE-OD as a reference pedal whose sonic soul is now to be transformed into the GE 300. Source of the GE 300 is the Blade Distortion Model. The BE-OD is connected via the internal loop, you select the tone cap function and set "Learning: Amp & Stomp". Then you can switch between the two models (Original Distortion and GE 300 Distortion) back and forth to z. B. to adjust the levels accordingly, what about the switches CTRL 1 and CTRL 2 is running. With CTRL 3, the Capture function is started and the connected pedal is analyzed - no loud test tones. After a few seconds, the matter is settled and you can listen to the result when pressing CTRL 4. The selected distortion from the GE 300 is now covered with the "sampled" filter to match the sound of the internal distortion to the sound of the BE-OD. To be honest, the whole thing did not convince me that the Blade Distortion in its normal form sounds much better than Tone Capture. The sound of Tone Capture sounds strange artifacts in the decay of a sound and if you turn down the volume pot on the guitar, the sound will be digitally tinny. Maybe there are better results with a firmware update,

https://www.bonedo.de/artikel/einzelansicht/mooer-ge-300-test/2.html

GE 300 with amp power amplifier
Finally, you'll hear yet another insert variant of the GE 300, namely played in the final stage of a tube amp. The preamp comes from the GE 300, then it goes into the power amp of a The Valve 3 | 100, which is connected to the Marshall box. With the preamps on a tube amplifier, it works quite well, the sound comes powerfully from the speakers. If you go into detail, then the somewhat weaker transparency of the amp models is noticeable in this constellation as well.

Conclusion (4/5)
The Mooer GE 300 is a compact multi-effect device with many amp, cab and effect models. It is very lavishly equipped and has a very logical and clear operating structure. As far as workmanship and components are concerned, it is sound and roadworthy. The device can be operated via an editor and is equipped with two separate outputs including stereo XLR output also ideal for use on stage. With the integrated synth module you can also create very fancy synth sounds with the guitar, and with a very good tracking! An additional pickup is not required. The amp models and effects are sound in a solid middle class, compared to the main competitors, the GE 300 lacks a bit of sound transparency and dynamic response.

PRO
solid construction, roadworthy
compact dimensions
Display - very good presentation
many amp models
Synth sounds
IR Loader
separately controllable outputs

CON
Sound transparency limited
weak dynamic response
Tone capture function is not mature

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Mooer
Model: GE 300
Type: Multi-effect pedal
Origin: China
Controls: XLR Master, Headphone, Output Master, Select, 5x Parameter knob
Connections: Aux In, EXP2, Input, Send (L, R), Return (L, R), Output (L, R), Phones, XLR Output (L, R), MIDI In, MIDI Out / Thru, USB
Display: Color LCD display
Memory: 256 preset memory slots
Amps simulations: 108
Cab simulations: 43
Effects: 164
Looper: 30 minutes recording time
Dimensions: 410 x 210 x 62 mm (W x D x H)
Weight: 3.1 kg
Retail price: 749,00 Euro (June 2019)

admin

#2
I had my initial GE300 run through last night with my 2015 Les Paul Tribute with humbuckers. I updated the GE300 to FW 1.2.0 (beta)
The Production GE300 has a Much Stronger headphone amp vs the prototype i demoed at 2019 Winter NAMM. The GE300 sounds really good. and it has a custom EQ for the headphones  - which allows me to achieve patches which will translate better feeding FRFR at live shows during my GE300 patch creation process at home on headphones.     
I play in a surf band and I was able to move the spring reverb first in signal chain followed by compressor followed by a Twin Reverb with the 212 cab Sim =  pretty much nailed the 1963 surf tones I seek.
Took under a minute to crate this patch from scratch  - no menu deep diving required

and ability to change the output tube type  makes a big difference for dialing in that last amount of detail for any patch 

I'm in love with the GE300's ultra-fast patch to patch change time=  nearly gapless

my only complaint is the white text on the gray chassis makes it very hard to read all of the text labels under the array of momentary switches which are used for navigation (No Touchscreen) , so  first order of business will be to make some custom labels that are more legible for GE300.

And the GE300 will run on battery power ( Pilot Pro 32,000mAh battery pack ) and much smaller than the Headrush Pedal Board this is replacing
IMHO - The GE 300 competes well.

Quote from: vtgearhead on August 15, 2019, 06:44:56 AM
In terms of modeling quality, how would you rate the GE 300 vs. Ampero?

GE300 with latest FW 1.2.0 is better than Ampero FW 3.1

GE300 is less compressed, ultra fast patch to patch change time with no noticeable ramp up down

But all the modelers are improving with each new firmware release ( Helix went from (2015) horrid to (2018) usable )
- Ampero is due for another FW update at end of the month, and Hotone is rumored to begin beta testing new hardware "big gun" 10 Footswitch MFX unit  before end of the year 

in 2019 - we have many popular options and you can get killer sounds from all the top DSP Modelers / profilers - but for me , ease of work flow and editing tones ultra fast to suit my immediate needs at live gig or with band mates at rehearsals is a much bigger concern than obtaining 10% better sound quality.
User interface at live gig  is still a big deal to me, which for me places GT1000, Fractal AX8, and ( for me) Kemper at the back of the pack. 

Meanwhile on GE300, I can get what I need swiftly  - and getting usable tones from its built in 3 voice Guitar synth is more fun and usable  than my SY300
Large Headrush is still my favorite - but its so large its a bit like hauling an aircraft carrier.

the GE300 user interface is not touchscreen, but on FW 1.2.0 and no lag for any operation its proving to be an ideal suite of tools in an all in one package for 2019. Its onboard expression pedal can control multiple target FX parameters, GE300's  smaller
stage footprint means I will have more room for my Boss VE-500 vocal processor too.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=309.0

sixeight

Quote from: admin on August 13, 2019, 08:04:40 AM
IMHO - The GE 300 competes well.

I kind of guessed you had aquired a GE-300, as you were posting a lot of reviews lately.

So how does it stack up against its competitors, the Ampero and the Helix sound-wise? Is the Ampero still your favourite?

Bill Ruppert

Does the company have any support in the USA? I know that was an issue with the radar unit. Do you have to send it back to China?

admin

#5
Quote from: Bill Ruppert on August 13, 2019, 01:48:06 PM
Does the company have any support in the USA? I know that was an issue with the radar unit. Do you have to send it back to China?

Mooer Canada
http://mooeraudio.ca/product/mooer-ge-300-amp-modeling-multi-effect-processor-pre-order/

Mooer USA
http://www.mooeraudio.com/news/MOOER-Partners-with-St.-Louis-Music-342.html

St. Louis Music is one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America. SLM is the owner of Alvarez, Austin and Sigma Guitars, Knilling String Instruments, E.K. Blessing, DEG Lyres, HW Products (maker of Pad-Saver) and Hamilton stands. The company is also the exclusive USA distributor of Dixon Drums and Hardware, Antigua Winds, pInstruments, P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwinds. SLM distributes over 250 brands of accessories to music stores across the USA.

Jason Zhang, Vice President of MOOER Audio states "With St. Louis Music, we can provide MOOER products to our American customers in a more direct way than in the past. We want people to easily be able to try MOOER products for themselves so they can purchase with confidence from their local dealer."

With this new partnership MOOER look forward to increase availability of their newest flagship products, the multi effect and amp modelling GE300, to the American market.
Visit mooeraudio.com for more information or to become a USA dealer, call your St. Louis Music representative at 314-727-4512 or email info@stlouismusic.com.


https://www.stlouismusic.com/
https://www.stlouismusic.com/brands/
https://www.stlouismusic.com/brand/mooer/

https://www.stlouismusic.com/st-louis-music-announces-q3-mooer-promotions/
ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – As part of the 3rd quarter promos happening at SLM right now, the Mooer GE200's and highly anticipated GE300's are shipping with free gig bags. Retail value of the SC-200 gigbag is $22 and the retail value on the backpack style SC-300 is $66. They are the perfect add-on for either model and ideal for building value-added bundles for the customer.

GE300 is Mooer's newest and most advanced modeler. It is built to stand toe-to-toe with the best digital platforms in existence. Boasting 108 amp models, 164 effects and 43 high quality impulse responses, the GE300 offers pro features at the unbelievable MAP price of $799.

Mooer could have stopped there but the GE300 carries the 'TONE CAPTURE' feature which allows it to capture the sounds of your favourite amps, guitars or stompboxes and reproduce them digitally. Combined with the tri-voice polyphonic Synth Engine, 30 minute looper and third-party IR loader, the GE300 is the perfect choice for stage or studio.

The GE200 multi effects processor delivers unparalleled amp modeling in its price range and possesses an amazing array of effects and features which will surely impress even the most discerning of tone chasers. The GE200 has been designed from the ground up to be the musician's perfect partner, whether live on-stage, in the recording studio, or back home in the practice den.

The GE200 houses 55 amplifier models which utilize the same cutting edge technology as MOOER's hugely successful range of MICRO PREAMPS. These digital amp models will completely recreate the tone, touch and feel of their real-life counterparts.

Check out www.mooeraudio.com or search for these items on YouTube to see one of the dozens of stunning demos on these modelers.  For more information or to become a dealer call your St. Louis Music representative at 314-727-4512 or email info@stlouismusic.com.

{Pictured:  GE200}

St. Louis Music is one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America. SLM is the owner of Alvarez, Austin and Sigma Guitars, Knilling String Instruments, E.K. Blessing, DEG Lyres, HW Products (maker of Pad-Saver) and Hamilton stands. The company is also the exclusive USA distributor of Dixon Drums and Hardware, Antigua Winds, pInstruments, Mooer Audio and P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwinds. SLM distributes over 250 brands of accessories to music stores across the USA.

admin

#6
Quote from: sixeight on August 13, 2019, 01:45:33 PM
I kind of guessed you had aquired a GE-300, as you were posting a lot of reviews lately.

So how does it stack up against its competitors, the Ampero and the Helix sound-wise? Is the Ampero still your favourite?

I have several Modern MFX modelers here side by side  - and I have my own priorities which may differ from someone else's priorities.

Its been shown my favorite for my needs is often at the bottom of the list for somebody else's needs ( I never play Metal)

The big reveal is the current production version of the Mooer GE300 running latest FW 1.2.0 beta I find the right mix of features / size / price.

GE300 "cons"

The GE300 only supports one amp model and one cab model at a time (GT-1000 and Headrush support two Amps at once )


PROMO PHOTO of GE300


Actual GE300 color
The navigation is by the multiple array of momentary switches  - but its very poor contrast to read the white text on the light brushed grey background           

So I've made Labels using MS excel



I got my best price from a store in Canada - ordered last Thursday, arrived yesterday   
 
Review the GE300 Manual
https://v1.cecdn.yun300.cn/fsite_1804040320%2FGE300_Manual_EN1563852724281.pdf




Bill Ruppert

ST Louis Music is a distributor.
I dont think they are set up for repair work.
Just wonder who fixes these expensive boxes when they go bad.
Seeing there were problems before I wonder how the repair system is fixed now.

admin

#8
Quote from: Bill Ruppert on August 13, 2019, 04:21:08 PM
ST Louis Music is a distributor.
I dont think they are set up for repair work.
Just wonder who fixes these expensive boxes when they go bad.
Seeing there were problems before I wonder how the repair system is fixed now.

Hotone had problems with 1st gen Ampero - Sam Ash (the Hotone Distributor for No America ) fixed them

I'm not aware of issue with the Mooer GE300 pedals  - as these only just arrived in North America late July 2019
( GE300 is still not available at  Sweetwater yet)
https://www.samash.com/mooer-audio-ge-200-multi-effects-pedal-mge200xxx-p

admin

I admit I own several DSP Modelers , but I keep using the Mooer GE300 a lot as it has several features for songwriting and small gig use - 30 minute looper with full looper controls. USB CLASS COMPLIANT  AUDIO/MIDI  over USB , MIDI I/O , lots of FX blocks can change to any order -fast gap free patch change. Poly tracking Guitar Synth, Tone Capture to profile Amps and Guitars, stereo Aux input, Stereo FX Loop, XLR Outputs, and essentially three separate stereo outputs with independent EQ (1/4" Out, XLR, Headphone out.

And can map several FX to expression pedal

My only Complaint is the poor contrast color scheme of the silkscreen labels -tough to read on dark stage. But its power/features/and small size makes it a powerful unit capable for use as main MFX pedal