Thoughts on Line 6 pods?

[upnorthbacon]

So I bought a Peavey Windsor Studio, which I had to send back because the attenuator wasn't working right!  Anyway the new one should be here this week.  I'm wondering what the POD's sound like through a tube amp?  They sound really good on youtube but you can never tell from a computer speaker.  I've been buying analog pedals for my chorus and delay and OD boost but now I'm rethinking I might just try out a POD so I don't have all the cables and pedals and can streamline a bit.  Do they sound overprocessed and too digital?  They seem to be really popular and I don't have a local store (2 hours is closest) to try one out plugged into my amp.  I play mostly play 80's hair and metal and I'm just trying to play with my tone some.

 

[stratplayer1]

Personally, I do not like any of the lower end line 6 or any other digital modeling things, i say lower end because i have never tried the $700+ or rackmount stuff, I feel they color the tone and definitely make it sound digital, they are popular because of the extreme versatility, but I only play a few things so id rather just do those great than everything decently. But hey thats just me.

 

[tfcreative]

I use a POD XT Live, but only in direct to PA applications. Running it into an amp is like plugging one amp into the next, so it's basically a limited effects pad once you disable the modeling. I wouldn't do it in your case.

As for the sound, I never liked the older stuff, but this is surprisingly good. It's still modeled, but I can easily take a lot of sounds to play in church where no one can tell the difference anyway.

 

[kboman]

I prefer my Boss GT-8 over any Line6 product I've tried, including the XT live. It feels much more immediate and responsive somwhow.

 

[Jorundr]

Hi!

I have the X3 live pod. I've used it for recording, practise and some small gigs. It really shines in those settings. I play bass (+ some guitar) and paired with a good+ set of headphones its great for rehearsing in my cramped student housing. Same goes for recording. Live i've used it a a preamp, running through a huge H&K poweramp and to a 4*12 cab. no use for all the cab modelling but as a preamp it works. last two times i used directly to PA as tfcreative describes.

The pod line has it's limits, clearly, but for the settings i've used it in I can't say I'm anything but happy with it. And it is rugged, mine fell of a pickup truck and took three pints right into it, still made it through the show :toothy12:

 

[Mapleg4]

I have a Bass Podxt and I love it. I'm working on recording demos for my own songs and some covers, and it's perfect for it because I can keep the volume low. For a time I considered using a Pod Pro and an Swr power amp, but I'm afraid it could crash.
I'm getting a small Line 6 GX for recording electric guitar.

 

[dbw]

We have one guy here who LOVES Line 6 products... hmm, what's his screen name again?  :icon_scratch:

 

[tfarny]

If I were going modelling, I'd definitely get one of the VOX tonelab products (they make the tonelab le, you can get the se or the regular old one cheap on ebay). I've compared them side by side with a pod, and they are so clearly superior there's no question. People say that if you muck with the settings on a pod for hours and hours you can get 'great tones' but that's not what I wanna spend time on. But it sounds like you want a multi-effects, mainly? If so, Boss makes a good product as many people can attest.
BTW, you can never judge an audio product from a yuotube video - it's so compressed, first off, then secondly your computer speakers are likely garbage. Dedicated sound files are the way to go.

 

[stubhead]

I've gone through a pile of these things, and the PODs are O.K. I think Digitech and Boss both have more musicians in the engineering room, the actual sounds of the things are more pleasing to me. There are some people who have seriously isolated each effect and model and compared them to the real thing, and the models are good - it's what YOU set that determines the quality of your sound. If you listen to "American Idol" or "Rock Star" or TV commercials, that's all modeling, and you can really hear when the guy was rushed for time.

There are a few things to remember:
1) the presets are only good for showing you the capabilities, you HAVE to make your own settings.
2) The learning curve is actually pretty steep for the more complicated ones, you really have to get in and dick around with tuning the speaker cab models and resetting the center frequencies and Q-widths and stuff. It takes a few months and the more you know about recording and tone, the better. You can make a great tube amp sound like crap, too.... :toothy12:
3) the biggest advantage to me is getting rid of all the connecting cords and individual tone-sucking preamps in a chain, I can't afford (or want) a big pedalboard that switches stuff in and out. Plus you get to try all sorts of different combinations that you wouldn't if you had to disconnect and reconnect all the stuff. Most of the effects sound best way moderated, like a "30" on a 1 - 99 setting. The better ones let you move the effect chains around.

 

[mayfly]

I have also compared the pod stuff directly to the VOX tonelab.  The tonelab is a very very good unit; the pod sounds processed in comparison.

I bought the tonelab and it's my main live rig now.  Actually, I have not turned on my amps in several months - that should give you an idea on how good the tonelab is.  I did have to tweak the tones in the tonelab, but when I just copied my existing rig (amp, pedals, even knob settings) it was very very close.  The only issue that I have is changing sounds is not instantanious - it takes a fraction of a second to change a program via the foot switches.  Annoying, but you learn how to deal with it.

 

[Superlizard]

If I were going modelling, I'd definitely get one of the VOX tonelab products (they make the tonelab le, you can get the se or the regular old one cheap on ebay). I've compared them side by side with a pod, and they are so clearly superior there's no question. People say that if you muck with the settings on a pod for hours and hours you can get 'great tones' but that's not what I wanna spend time on. But it sounds like you want a multi-effects, mainly? If so, Boss makes a good product as many people can attest.
BTW, you can never judge an audio product from a yuotube video - it's so compressed, first off, then secondly your computer speakers are likely garbage. Dedicated sound files are the way to go.

I've heard the VOX modelers were good as well.

In regards to "People say that if you muck with the settings on a pod for hours and hours you can get 'great tones' but that's not what I wanna spend time on." I have to agree as well; and for any amp.  I think if one plugs into an amp and has to fiddle with it for more than a few minutes to get a good tone, then the amp is worthless.

 

[GoDrex]

If I was going to use a POD or other similar thing, I'd use one of these things:

http://www.tech21nyc.com/pe60.html -  Tech 21 Power Engine 60.

These amp don't color the sound at all. If I was in a band I would definitely get one so I could run my Fender Cyber Deluxe in stereo, and get a ton more volume if needed.

 

[Rick]

I like the POD products.  I used the yamaha magic stomps, and a bunch of multi units from digitech.  Some people can tell there's modling going on.  For me, unless I'm told it's modeling I can't tell.  My advice is:  If you're just using a few effects, say less than 7, inluding a tuner, then stick with dedicated units.  If you want the convenience of not lugging around a bunch of pedals and wires, then the POD is great.

The reason I got rid of mine, was that I didn't like the quality of the digitech units, the yamaha's caught on fire, and the POD's wore out too fast.  So I'm a pedal man now and have less than 7 pedals.

Best thing is to just buy it and experiment with it,  take advantage of that musicians friend 45 day return policy, and view the shipping costs as a rental fee.

 

[Wyliee]

1) the presets are only good for showing you the capabilities, you HAVE to make your own settings.

2) The learning curve is actually pretty steep for the more complicated ones, you really have to get in and dick around with tuning the speaker cab models and resetting the center frequencies and Q-widths and stuff. It takes a few months and the more you know about recording and tone, the better. You can make a great tube amp sound like crap, too.... :toothy12:

I completely agree.  I don't think I'm using any of the original presets in my Flextone and I've spent countless hours programming and reprogramming.  I finally have 4 banks of different amps sounds that I really like.  Much easier to haul one modelling amp than 4 different amps.

 

[guitlouie]

I've spent countless hours programming and reprogramming

No offense intended to those of you who think this sounds like fun, but countless hours of programming is not my idea of rocking out with your...well you know the rest! 

 

[Wyliee]

I've spent countless hours programming and reprogramming

No offense intended to those of you who think this sounds like fun, but countless hours of programming is not my idea of rocking out with your...well you know the rest! 

I definitely would not call it an evening of fun, but it is less expensive than buying/selling amp after amp and it is easier than carrying a literal ton of gear to a gig. 

 

[dbw]

Anyone try the TC Electronic G-Sharp, G-Major, or G-Force?  I was looking at them because they're pretty cheap... they're all 1U rack units, they cost something like $200/$400/$1200 respectively.  They're just multieffects, no amp modeling.

 

[Rick]

I have to agree with that carrying a ton of gear statement.  If you can carry your effects in one brief case then stick with it.  If you can't get a multi-effects unit.  Your shoulders will thank you.

 

[GearBoxTy]

I love my POD 2.0.  But, I really haven't opened it up as far as making my own sounds and stuff.  I'm using it a lot now for rehearsing with a new band so I'll be programming sounds close together to work with my MIDI foot pedal until I can afford to get a Floorboard off EBay.  I want to use it for recording mainly, but it seems to work great for rehearsing with this band; the drummer puts everyone through his sound system and it's so nice walking in with my guitar, gig bag, and the POD instead of lugging my Boogie Mark IIb or Peavey XXX 1x12.

The POD 2.0 is all I have ever tried.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I use a POD XT Live, but only in direct to PA applications. Running it into an amp is like plugging one amp into the next, so it's basically a limited effects pad once you disable the modeling. I wouldn't do it in your case.

As for the sound, I never liked the older stuff, but this is surprisingly good. It's still modeled, but I can easily take a lot of sounds to play in church where no one can tell the difference anyway.

I do this frequently, using only the Pod XT Live with the Metal Shop pak installed, my wireless, and a Digitech whammy, powered by my TFS6 and my Ibanez 7 string.  People think I've got some stack behind the wall or something, but it's all D.I.'d.