If you are a guitarist, you certainly know the importance of having the freedom and flexibility to craft your own signature sound. In order to achieve such freedom and flexibility, you need a guitar effect pedal. Of course, since the introduction of the first guitar effect pedal, it has become quite a primary necessity to guitar players in general. You may also need it in order to shape your guitar sound to blend well with your band.
Zoom G3X has been quite a hit. This guitar effect pedal is loved by many guitarists because of the rich collection of nice sound effects and amp/cabinet models, great USB port that enables you to connect straight to a computer, and nice interface. However, the company has just released another model named Zoom G3Xn. So, how different are the two? What pros and cons does Zoom G3Xn bring, in comparison with Zoom G3X? If you are interested in either of these two guitar effect pedals, continue reading below!
Zoom G3X vs. Zoom G3Xn: Design and Dimensions
Zoom G3X and Zoom G3Xn are still designed as typical guitar effect pedals, but there are distinctive differences. Zoom G3X has been modeled after Zoom G5. It appears neat and compact. Of course, it comes with the expression pedal, three separate display screens with each own control buttons, and three footswitches. Such design is one of the primary reasons why people love this model. Having three separate display screens and three footswitches allows for easy and quick control to various settings. The housing is dominantly dark gray, and the backlit display screens have an orange background.
On the other hand, Zoom G3Xn comes with a very distinctive design that is the typical of the n series. For sure, it appears more stylish. It features six footswitches (three of which are on the center, shaped like the usual footswitches, and the other three on the bottom part of the device with wider hit surfaces)in addition to the expression pedal and the three backlit display screens, but there are some additional buttons. The control mechanism is generally more user-friendly. The display screens have a bluish white background. The housing is black. (See also : Boss ME 25 Vs Zoom G3X)
Zoom G3X is 175 mm deep, 323 mm wide, and 66 mm tall. Meanwhile, Zoom G3Xn is 181 mm deep, 318 mm wide, and 64 mm tall. Zoom G3Xn is just slightly heavier than Zoom G3X. In general, both are compact, lightweight, and portable.
Zoom G3X vs. Zoom G3X: Effects
Zoom G3X features such a rich collection of effects. There are 116 built-in options in total, which consists of 94 sound effects and 22 amp/cabinet models. The sound effects are great, though the distortion sounds are just pretty good. On the other hand, Zoom G3Xn has been criticized for having just 80 effect types in total, which already include 70 DSP sound effects, 5 amp models, and 5 cabinet models. It lacks some reverbs, such as strymon and eventide simulations, although there are more simulations available through the software. The quality of the sounds is better in the new n series, but this can be subjective sometimes.
Zoom G3X is able to handle up to 7 stackable effects, and the looper has a separate, dedicated slot. This is a great thing, because it allows you to loop layers of different presets. The looper can record up to 40 seconds. It has 100 patches available and 41 built-in rhythm patterns.
On the other hand, Zoom G3Xn has also been criticized by some people because, although it has 7 slots for stackable effects, the looper always takes one slot. As the effect, you will not be able to loop layers of different patches. Thus, some people think that the looper is somewhat useless, as these people use the looper for that particular purpose. Depending on your need, this may or may not be a big deal. If this is not a big deal, you will find the increased maximum recording time of 80 seconds to be useful. The looper can also record in mono and stereo.
Zoom G3Xn has a larger memory, though, which can store up to 150 patches. There are 75 custom-designed patches included, made exclusively by Zoom guitarists to emulate the iconic sounds of various famous guitarists, such as Eddie Van Halen, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Brian May, Michael Schenker. In addition, there are 68 built-in rhythm patterns, which you can use to practice and enable “one-man band” performances.
Zoom G3X vs. Zoom G3Xn: Software and Computer Connection
There is a significant difference between the two models regarding the computer connection. Zoom G3X can plug to a computer for recording straight away without requiring an additional interface. On the other hand, Zoom G3Xn cannot connect straight to a computer for recording without an additional interface. For some people, this can be an issue.
Nevertheless, Zoom G3Xn comes with the Zoom Guitar Lab software, which is compatible with Windows and Mac platforms. The software enables you to download new effects and amp/cabinet emulations. So, in a sense, Zoom G3Xn can actually offer a wider range of effect types than Zoom G3X if you use the software. In addition, it can also help you manage your patches, as it features a Patch Manager and Effects Manager. It has a simple, intuitive user interface, allowing easy point-and-click control to rename and reorder your custom patches.
| Zoom G3X | Zoom G3Xn | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Zoom | Zoom |
| Key features | - Three large LCDs with intuitive amp and stomp box interface, Built-in expression pedal - 22 amp or 94 stomp box models can be used in any combination, Looper function with 40 seconds of phrase recording and overdubbing | - 70 onboard high-quality digital effects (68 effects, 1 looper pedal, and 1 rhythm pedal), including distortion, overdrive, EQ, compression, delay, reverb, flanging, phasing, and chorusing |
| Price | ||
| Customer Ratings* | 4.5 out of 5 stars | 5.0 out of 5 stars |
| Best Deal* | Save Money Please click here | Save Money Please click here |
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Decision
Even though Zoom G3Xn is newer, it is not completely better than Zoom G3X. You can say that they each have pros and cons. Zoom G3X can be your choice if you need a looper that you can use to loop layers of different patches or if you need the audio interface capability to connect straight to the computer for recording. If you think that those two features are not of great importance, you can go with Zoom G3Xn instead, which offers improved sound quality, an awesome design that allows much better control in live playing, and the software for downloading more effects/emulations and managing your custom patches.