Anyone regularly using the ISP Theta Pro?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Econ
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I ran my stage out into the effects return and it sounds a whole lot better, thanks. You are right again, the sound is not as good as the direct out sound, but good enough for me.
 
McLeanAB":2sj7zujs said:
^^^^^^^^^

I believe the only difference in the latest version of the 'regular' Theta Pro and the MS version is the colors, and the 10 or so presets written by Michael... he has a VERY particular taste - that half cocked open wah sound. He LOVES it. Not my favorite.

I have the latest regular version and it has the pitch shift, the extra mid EQ (that MS actually requested and it's awesome), and the tuner. I've been trying to get Buck to add in an Alnico Cream cab sim, but I think he's just gonna stick with what he has already. Hell, I even offered to send him one of mine so he could capture it!!!! :)

Econ, where are you located?
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I’m in Puerto Rico. Seems that you are in MA. There is a big chance that I’ll be in Boston the weekend of the 27th.
 
McLeanAB":1kxfg6on said:
^^^^^^^^^

I believe the only difference in the latest version of the 'regular' Theta Pro and the MS version is the colors, and the 10 or so presets written by Michael... he has a VERY particular taste - that half cocked open wah sound. He LOVES it. Not my favorite.

I have the latest regular version and it has the pitch shift, the extra mid EQ (that MS actually requested and it's awesome), and the tuner. I've been trying to get Buck to add in an Alnico Cream cab sim, but I think he's just gonna stick with what he has already. Hell, I even offered to send him one of mine so he could capture it!!!! :)

Econ, where are you located?
Click to expand...


How you doing McleanAB?

I recently acquired an ISP Theta Pro with V2.01 firmware. With that being said, it does have the pitch shift added. However, the tuner and extra mid EQ you mentioned, apparently they’re not there. How would you actually update the firmware? And it’s worth mentioning that ISP Tech added the hum extractor that applicable to theta Pro (that’s a big plus!). I would really appreciate your help.

On the side note, I’ve been watching your youtube channel regarding your theta pro. It sounds so organic! ?
 
Thanks man!

The last couple of vids I was using an EMG81x as a pickup... a little too saturated, so I'm back to the 85.

Update the firmware: gotta reach out to Buck at ISP and mail it in... it sucks, but worth it.

I don't yet have the Hum Extractor for mine. If I go to NAMM this year, I'll update.

Would love to hear some clips of what you are doing with your Theta Pro!
 
Yes just contact ISP, and you’ll have to send in the small DSP card inside the unit for upgrade.
Definitely a huge drawback that you can’t update it on your own.
I still have my Theta DSP and the original Theta analog pedal, I just finally got the ISP G112 1x12 ported speaker to go with their Stealth solid state poweramp. Such an amazing micro-rig.

Even better though is running them through the FX loop of a tube amp. I’m also thinking about the Fryette Power Station to keep things small because you just can’t beat tubes when pushing this preamp.
 
Wayyyyyyyyyyy too much money compared to the other proven (and improved upon) options out there. I'd gladly try one if I found it at a fire sale for $200 :lol: :LOL: but no way in h#ll am I paying $1200+ for this label makered footswitch turd. And you have to send it in for any fw upgrades? :doh: :lol: :LOL: NO. WAY. You'd probably have to pay people to take this off your hands if you ever decided you wanted something else.
 
Ouch! Not saying I'd buy it, but there is a difference between being overpriced and turd status. I've owned a few ISP products and have been impressed. I bet this thing sounds awesome in person and would love to try it some day. Better yet, maybe ISP will release an updated model that competes better with the rest of the feature rich market.
 
Meeotch":3evmwuga said:
Ouch! Not saying I'd buy it, but there is a difference between being overpriced and turd status. I've owned a few ISP products and have been impressed. I bet this thing sounds awesome in person and would love to try it some day. Better yet, maybe ISP will release an updated model that competes better with the rest of the feature rich market.
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Precoffee hyperbole? Maybe :lol: :LOL: it's probably super solid build wise and probably sounds good. So not a turd in thoseregards. But still dated as hell and ridiculously expensive for the market it is in. Whether they actually realize they are competing in said market or not :D
 
Hey Jive,

What do you use? And I'm just asking, not in any sarcastic way just 'cause I love my ISP gear. I'm just curious when folks have strong opinions about gear.

What 'chu got? How do you use it, recording? Live?
 
McLeanAB":1x8ljjqq said:
Hey Jive,

What do you use? And I'm just asking, not in any sarcastic way just 'cause I love my ISP gear. I'm just curious when folks have strong opinions about gear.

What 'chu got? How do you use it, recording? Live?
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You can be sarcastic :lol: :LOL: Your clips I have listened to when I've seen them on other sites have sounded good. And I think the other person who owns one other than Michael Sweet put up some solid clips as well, iirc.

Right now; I am using a Kemper power rack. I just got done with a 6month-ish run with a Boss GT1000. Great sounding unit if you don't need a specific amp, plenty of effects options and pretty capable (albeit clunky) routing and interface. Absolutely should not be priced at $999 compared to the options in the same class, however. $699 would be just right, imo.

I've used everything from the AA3 to the Helix to the III to the GT to the Kemper. They all can sound great. The Theta is just straight up weird product that to me is delusionally priced.

No power switch, wall wart, no effects loop, static signal chain, silk screened static footswitches that can't be assigned in any other way, no 3rd party ir loading, a display straight off a 90's digitech unit. 2 preamps?!?!? Resale value is non-existent. No tuner UNLESS I SEND IT BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR A FIRMWARE UPDATE?!?!?!?? No editor and having to work on THAT interface (Kemper hypocrisy duly noted). THE PRICE :cry: :lol: :LOL:

I mean; I am sure it sounds good. But so does everything else in this same product range that actually has FEATURES. This pricing of this product is on drugs :lol: :LOL: The only reason someone would buy this is to be a contrarian or it was given to them :no:
 
I don't disagree with you about the features.... there's so many maddening choices on this unit compared to the competitors... but I keep coming back to it. I had the original ISP Theta DSP unit, traded it in at a loss for a Kemper, ended up selling my Kemper and using some of the proceeds to get the newer ISP Theta DSP X smaller size unit.

It didn't matter to me that the Kemper had thousands and thousands of profiles of all sorts of different amps, I paid for tons of profiles looking for "that tone"... and that one Theta preamp sound (super high gain Marshall) is the sound in my head that I keep reaching for.

I know it's strange, but there's something special in this unit with the way it sounds and reacts, I can't explain it. For some reason I overlook all the other shortcomings because the base tone is amazing for what I like.
 
Reviving this thread. Really looking forward to getting my hands on one of these. Yes I have a fractal but i have listened to this thing and it amazing...has the feel and the sound alike. I've emailed ISP in regards to the USB implementation and they are actively working on it as of May 2021. Once they have this implemented Im pulling the trigger.
 
I still have mine (the smaller Theta DSP X). There are certain tones here that I love that you won’t get out of any other unit. It’s not a modeller, it’s a preamp. High-gain 80’s Marshall-like/ADA preamp type tone, shimmering 80’s cleans etc. this is it here on Ethan Brosh’s Conspiracy album:

 
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Here's my newest tune just for another plethora of tones this monster machine can get (Ethan has a radically different approach to tone than I do).



Enjoy!
 
It’s an amazing unit. I’ve heard it live twice, one from a Stryper show, the other from an Ethan Brosh show. I use it for home recording but it really sounded great live and a nice portable solution. I prefer playing it through a poweramp and a cab than direct to PA. Sounded better than the Quad Cortex.
Can take awhile to dial in your presets (and remove all the cheesy effects from the built in presets). I do like the delay and chorus mostly.
 
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Old thread resurrected, but I just picked up one of these on the cheap, but its the red, non-MS version. I was a fan of the old Rocktron stuff, so this is pretty familiar to me. Anyway, I use Fractal stuff but so far am having fun with this thing because its so easy to deal with. I am still trying to completely figure out the switching and saving and all that, and it probably won't replace my Fractal for live use, but I'm happy as hell to have gotten it. Not having 10,000,000 amp models and tiny fake changes to fake microphone angles on fake speaker cabinets to deal with is pretty cool as I get lost in all thsoe details.
 
This reminds me of my old rack gear, preamp and effects, into a power amp. I'm going to try it direct first; into a powered PA via a mixer. Mine was just shipped from the other side of the country, so it won't get here for several days.

IIRC, Sweet ran or runs his into the return of a Mesa or Marshall, but which models weren't mentioned, but he also has/had Splawns, so who knows. In at least one interview he said he runs both, an amp and cab on stage, and the direct outs to FOH. I don't recall if the amp/cab was mic'd and blended with the direct signal?

I'm interested in thoughts on amp options too! I'd like to compare the direct sound with the amp/cab sound.
 
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