“Since releasing the MG-300, people have been blown away by the sound and playability, not to mention the ease-of-use tone tweaking and intuitive interface,” says Guitar World Tech Editor Paul Riario. “And now, the MG-400 builds upon the MG-300 features, becoming arguably the best value modeler for your money.”
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00:00What's up? Paul here from Guitar World and today we're going to be checking out a powerhouse
00:22modeling guitar and bass processor that will knock your socks off, not just for its sound,
00:28but how incredibly affordable it is. The NUX MG400. Let's check it out.
00:39The NUX MG400 is the next step up from the popular MG300, or as NUX puts it,
00:47the MG300 little brother, MG400 big brother, with their flagship modeler still being the MG30.
00:58The MG400's sonic engine houses two powerful DSP chips for NUX's high-definition white box
01:07amp modeling algorithm, or TSAC-HD, which stands for True Simulation of an Analog Circuit
01:14and Core Image Post Effects, which basically translates to you're going to feel the difference
01:21and playability and experience realistic amp and cab sounds from the MG400.
01:33Since releasing the MG300, and if you've ever played it and own it like me,
01:37I was completely floored by the sound and playability, let alone how easy it is to tweak its tone.
01:42The MG400 builds upon the MG300's intuitive interface and features,
01:50and is poised to become one of the best modelers for its price.
01:58The MG400 comes loaded with 25 amps, one bass amp and one acoustic amp, and of course,
02:04a multitude of effects. What's great is NUX's proprietary white box amp modeling algorithm
02:09replicates the sound, feel, and playability of these amps, and NUX is consistent in firmware updates,
02:16so you can pretty much bank on NUX amp and cab sims at some point. Just keep an eye on NUX's
02:22online page and Facebook page and groups. The MG400 includes an impulse response library of 512 samples
02:29each, and you can also load third-party IR files using NUX's QuickTone edit software.
02:35What's included is 25 guitar cabinet IRs that combine four different classic microphones with
02:41three positions of mic placement. Also included are eight bass cabinet IRs and three acoustic guitar
02:47IRs. Looking at the eye-catching 2.8-inch color LCD screen, you can see you have 10 independent and
02:54flexible FX and signal blocks that you can move freely on the MG400 and or on the QuickTone editing
03:01software if you use your computer. Over to the left is the color LCD screen where you see your patch,
03:07and you can begin to edit from there. On top, of course, is the location of your patch. You can see
03:12up on top here where your expression pedal is set at. If I hit the pedal button, you'll notice I can assign
03:20the expression pedal for different functions. Right now it's a wah, but watch. I can use it for effects,
03:29amp, mod, delay, reverb. Next to it you'll see how the control one and control foot switches
03:39are set up. One is tap and the other allows you to scroll sequentially through the preset scenes.
03:45To the right you'll see which scene you're on and you'll see hitting the control one,
03:51which is the tap button, changes the BPM reflected by the icon there.
04:01On the bottom are the 10 signal blocks that comprise of amp, effects, and EQ. And you'll see your signal
04:08chain flows from left to right. To edit, simply hit the edit exit button, brings up another screen,
04:16and wherever the arrow cursor is, is what you're editing, and in this case it's the amp. Use the
04:22control button to edit pages of that parameter. You'll see on this one it has two from the underscore
04:30lines. Now use the one, two, and three knobs to change settings and or use the rotary select knob
04:41to scroll through the amp models. Be careful when you're editing just say on the amp. When you're
04:46using just these controls you're tempted to go to the left and right arrow buttons and if you do that
04:52it'll just move the cursor to the next signal block and then you're onto a different editing screen.
04:58What's cool is if you wish to add a block that's not in the patch, simply move the arrow then hit
05:03select control to turn it on and make it active. So in this case I've activated a CE1 course,
05:11but if I don't want that and say I want a phaser, I can simply just turn the rotary knob until I get
05:19a phaser. In this case I have the phase 90 over here. Now if I wish to move it in my signal block,
05:26all I gotta do is long press the select knob till it turns red, then use the left and right arrows to
05:32move it where I want it in the chain and hit select again till it turns green.
05:38And then of course if I long press it and move it back to where it was behind the amp, it sounds so much
06:07different. But I like the way it sounds when I move it over there, right there.
06:29Over here is the mode button that sets up how you wish to configure the MG400 output. Also pressing the edit,
06:36exit and save simultaneously will bring up the system menu. There's also a built-in tuner on the MG400,
06:43but you'll see I'm also using the Cherub FlowTune clip tuner that features a compensated tuning mode.
06:49But let's get on with the MG400. You'll notice the presets were made by well-known influencers and
06:55musicians from around the world. What's so great is just how nuanced all the sounds are. So even when you
07:02fire this up and you have this preset here, this is sort of like that Bogner, Bogner high gain sound.
07:08It's so different when I go to the next preset which is more of a British sound. Take a quick listen.
07:32Even some of the cleans are really nice. In this case this is a very affected sound.
07:57Here's a great heavier sounding preset and of course the NUX noise gate block is just incredible. Take a listen.
08:27This is a great
08:36sound.
08:37Less buttons controls and switches means you'll need to know how they are assigned to
08:57edit your settings. But don't worry it's super easy. First up you'll see the up and down foot switches
09:02that take you through the presets. I love the bigger covered orange knob that NUX included so your foot
09:09doesn't hit knobs as you're reaching over with your foot to bank up. You'll see the overall master volume
09:15knob which you'll want to set up for a comfortable volume. Keep in mind a lot of the presets vary in volume
09:22as you scroll through. One of the features I love is its scene functionality where you can use scenes to
09:28engage disengage blocks with either control foot switch. Here you can assign control one or control
09:35two to activate the scene functionality or use one control to engage each scene sequentially and use the
09:42other control as a tap switch. There are many versatile possibilities. Here's a great example of how to use the scenes.
09:48This one is set up for the control one is set up to turn the delay signal block on and off.
09:56Right now it's just with a heavy reverb and then if I go to the second scene indicated by the color
10:02this is more of a modulated but with this one also has a delay on the control one
10:07and you can turn on and off. Take a listen.
10:21like one without being made by the target you still think the other way from the flashes oftype
10:37image.
10:38Library you will only add that you can see and the accuracy comes in mind with two videos.
10:42Click all the content� fez in the aftermath of a couple of episodes and is still walking in for the
10:43subsection of the period to THE NAii.
10:46Each preset has three scenes which are snapshots within a preset and it's an important function
11:05for live gigs where you can tap into a rhythm or lead tones or affected tones. You'll notice
11:11each scene can engage disengage signal blocks freely and it retains the delay reverb trails
11:16when you disengage them. If that's not enough, the MG400 includes a jam button for drum accompaniment
11:22and a looper.
11:32The MG400 has NUX phrase loop synchronization with rhythm, so you can play a rhythm, record your
11:39phrase loop, and the MG400 will beat match the phrase to fit the current rhythm BPM.
11:56You can choose either stereo mono looping, stereo is 30 seconds, mono is 60 seconds,
12:01and there are two recording modes. Normal recording works as a typical looper,
12:05and then there's auto recording which will stand by until you press the control loop with switch,
12:11and once you hit the strings it will start to record your phrase loop.
12:18Once you download the QuickTone editor from the MG400 product page,
12:21you'll find it to be a helpful and easy to use interface for tweaking parameters, dragging block
12:26order, set up scene, saving patches, loading patches, exporting patches, load IR, setting up USB
12:32routing and control settings. And I can't forget that its USB audio capabilities allow you to record
12:39tracks, re-amp, and even do live streaming. The NUX MG400 is a powerful guitar and bass modeler that
12:46offers so much functionality and stellar tones at a price that fits working musicians and casual players
12:53budgets. Plus, its compact design allows you to take it anywhere from the studio to the stage.
12:59You'll find, like me, its model sounds are seriously on par with many renowned modeling processors.
13:06I totally dig this. Definitely check it out.
13:29You'll find, like me, it's in the right studio for years' time.
13:35No, like me, it's in the right studio.
13:40You go more in the right studio for years to go to my own space.
13:45You go to the next studio for years to get back.
13:47You're going to be the next studio for years.
13:49You'll be the next studio for years to finish the game,
13:53you have to be the next studio as you was the next studio,