i've owned a gt-10 for a year and recently traded it for an x3 live. both are solid multi-effects processors, but have their own strengths and weaknesses. my impressions:
- for recording, x3 live wins by a mile. the usb connector really works, and the drivers are hassle-free. the gt-10, on the other hand, requires a separate audio interface to plug into the computer, plus you need to do massive tweaking to approximate the live sound when recording.
- for live, it's the gt-10 for the win. the gt-10 has a lot of punch, an upper mid hump that gives it a lot of presence in live situations. some people hate this "cocked-wah" sound, but for live work it helps push your guitar forward in the mix. the x3 live is voiced a little dark, which causes it to disappear live (unless you tweak it). plus, the gt-10 is built like a tank, you can kill someone with this thing, while the x3 live needs to be babied.
- for amp modelling, x3 live is the clear champion. for example, its ac30, plexi and hi-gain dual rectifiers really sound different from each other, giving you distinct vibes to play with. on the other hand, the gt-10 excels in two sounds, clean and mid-gain (crunch), with models falling into either category. the hi-gain stuff can be made to sound good with massive tweaking, but again, all the high gain sounds have a sameness to them.
- it's in the effects where the gt-10 put all its processing power. man, the sheer tweakability - movable effects modules, (at least) 3 movable eq blocks, assignable footswitches, and so on - lets you create totally UNIQUE sounds. the x3 live, on the other hand, suffers from being too faithful to models of amps and effects - you can copy a lot of sounds, but it's harder to make your own.
bottom line, both processors have their strengths and weaknesses, but your choice of either one depends entirely on what your game is. if you do a lot of home recording with occasional gigs, go with an x3 live; if you're road warrior that wants unique sounds, stick with a gt-10.
my 2 cents
