Here's a good idea. The M-Audio JamLab is a little USB interface for guitar, with a 1/4 inch input and a headphone output. Comes with a little bit of bundled software, for a street price of $59. So why did a big company like M-Audio have to employ a nine-year-old SK8R to design the thing and cover it with flames? Why didn't they steal the design from the beautiful DV Forge GuitarPlug, which is $10 cheaper, although it's Mac only, doesn't come with any software and lacks the headphone out (though your Mac has one anyway, I guess).
Posted by Tom Whitwell.
Comments:
I doubt the GuitarPlug is Mac-only. It's just a USB input. Nothing more. Although I have to warn folks against the guy who runs DVForge (and MacMice and all its related companies) as he is a straight-up crooked dude.
And the GuitarPlug is actually quite poorly designed. It has a male guitar plug instead of a female one, forcing you to stay within USB-cable-range (10-feet?) of the computer. And why does it have an on/off switch? It's USB-powered!
I considered buying a GuitarPlug until I learned about the DVForge guy. The JamLab looks like a nice, if a bit flamey, alternative.
The Guitar Plug has terrible latency issues, and as far as I could figure out in the few days before I returned the thing, it only works in GarageBand because that’s the only Mac app that allows you to set a different device for audio input and output; couldn’t get it to work with Aggregate Devices, either.
The flame design targets a demographic known as "Dude!" You can see representatives of this demo at Guitar Center during any bi-monthly <reverb>Sales Event of a Lifetime</reverb>.
Have anyone tried to use JamLab with the new release of DSound GT Player? Yesterday I read on DSound web site www.dsound1.com that since now GT Player supports also AU. Before only VST or DirectX.
Yes, I've tried and the last week. Based on very good experience I decided to upgrade for some fee to GT Player full version to get more effects. If anyone use GT Player distributed with JamLab, visit www.dsound1.com to get for free the newest build, the file size is about 10MB. At the beginning I thought it is just a toy, but now I have to say it was a good deal to buy M-Audio JamLab. Is ther anobody else using JamLab and GT Player for live performance? I've tried, and looks convenient.
I use my Jamlab with Simulanalog's Rednef Twin and JCM900 VST amps running into 'unmatched+' for cab simulation and, finally, roommachine844 (I think) for room tone. Sounds fantastic. www.simulanalog.org Didn't even bother with GT.
It says mac/pc compatible on the box and on the support website. I tried getting it to work and I am pretty good with technical stuff and computers and it will not work on my windows xp. After I install the driver it will not open! frustration! as for the latency, www.musicxp.com (i think) has good tips.