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Topic: The Pod xt? |
Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 19 Jan 2005 6:54 pm |
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You guys that have the Pod xt, can you really get different amp sounds? can you get the sound of a tube amp like the Fender Twin reverb, or the sound of the peavey amps like the Nashville 1000? Does it really give the tone that these amps give? I'll be using it for my steel and my Strat. I've read reviews and some say the xt don't really sound like the amps. Others say they are great amp modlers, and also great effects. I'm thinkin of sellin one of my amps, and buying the Pod xt, but I don't want to get somethin that don't really work like it's suppose to. I know the xt ain't gonna sound exactly like a Fender Twin, or a Nashville 1000 but how close would you say it gets to sounding like the amp it's modeling? would I be better off buying the Black box, or a Hilton pedal? I have an Emmons pedal now, and as far as I'm concerned it's a good volume pedal. I can't afford both.
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd
steelin for my Lord
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 19 Jan 2005 8:50 pm
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Terry, I know this is subjective, but I have had the original Pod with 2.0 upgrade installed just about ever since they came out with the thing--I think about 6 years ago. It has seen better days, been dropped a few times, gotten wet playing outside, etc.
Anyway, I decided to try the XT and see what all the fuss was. It sounds great, does a lot more than the 2.0 does. But, my eyes aren't as good as they used to be and I had a hard time trying to see the screeen on it. One thing I didn't like was that it didn't have the EQ knobs like the 2.0 has and you have to select the amps from the screen instead of them being on a knob.
For me, that is way too time consuming and too easy to get the wrong settings for me. I need something I can plug into and make as few adjustments as possible.
I am including the following so you can see just how veratile a Pod is.
Here is my typical stage setup: My PSG, Dobro, Lap Steel, Electric 6 string, Taylor acoustic, and mandolin all go through my Pod. The Dobro and mandolin and banjo, when I use it, go into a Fishman preamp and join the line to the other instruments in an A+B box before going into the volume pedal on my steel and on into the Pod. Till now, I have run the line from the Pod into a Mackie mixer which also mixes my keyboard rig, but I have decided to go with an NV 112. It sounds great at home and I think it will eliminate my stereo rig, because it seems to do an adequate job with my Kurzweil, too.
Today I went back to guitar center and got a new 2.0 for a $100 less than the XT. It is much better than my old Pod, the 64 black face twin reverb setting is all I need for anything, although the Roland Jazz Chorus and Fender big tweed make my jazz box sing, as well. Aside from adding a bit of compression or delay and adjusting the volume between instruments, I can leave the Pod alone. It sits right there on a mic stand adapter right alonside my steel and within easy reach if I need to tweak the controls on-the-fly.
With the NV 112 on the back end of it, I cannot imagine being more satisfied with my sound. I feel like I have found a rig that will get me by for a long, long time.
So, is the XT better? In ways. It does offer more effects and amps. But it comes at a price of inconvenience in my opinion. But, then, I am somewhat technically challenged in the digital world. But the 2.0 sounds just like a very nice old vintage twin even when going direct to the PA and gives you compression and a host of different effects to boot. What more could anyone ask for at $199!! I may just go back down and get one for a spare.
Webb
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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum
[This message was edited by Webb Kline on 19 January 2005 at 08:57 PM.] |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 20 Jan 2005 3:52 am
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I have an XT model. I bought it primarily to have a relatively small multi-effects processor - and it works well for that.
You can hear subtle differences in the amp models and the speakers, but the only way to get, for example a Twin Reverb sound is to have a Twin Reverb. |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 20 Jan 2005 6:47 am
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| I had an XT that was stolen. It is worth the price just to get all the effects (a dozen different reverbs, delay, compression, several fuzz and distortions, Leslie, etc. I found the amp models were sort of like the originals, but not exactly. The main problem is that to get the models to sound like Line 6 intended, you need a very high fidelity system like a PA or a very clean high power solid state guitar amp. When I played pedal steel through the POD and my NV400, the amp models sounded pretty good at low to moderate volume, but as you got toward top volume it all began to sound more like a stressed out NV400 than like the intended model. I would like to get another POD, just for the effects. I now play through Fender tube amps and don't need the models. If I wanted to really use the models, I might try the POD with something like a 400 to 800 watt power amp. |
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Ben Slaughter
From:
Madera, California
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 10:27 am
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Terry, first I'd say the best thing to do, if you can, is go get one and try it for yourself. Guitar Center has a 30-day money back deal. Bring it home, and try it with your guitar and your amp. Second, do a search on the forum or check the FAQ thread in "Feedback" section for more opinions (including several of my own) on the PODxt.
My opinion: The PODxt is one of the best boxes out there today, and is the only thing I would use if I were wanting to play PSG and a Strat through the same rig (which I do).
Does it sound like the amps it models? I think it does. Is there any substitute for REAL tubes? Nope. But, it is the most versitle thing out there. |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 12:48 pm
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Terry, if you buy a Pod XT, I have some good effects only programs on my web site. http://web.tampabay.rr.com/jstoner1
I posted them on another Pod XT thread and got some good feedback on them.
I running from my Franklin D-10 to a Hilton Volume Pedal, from the Pedal to the Pod XT input, Pod XT Output to the normal in jack on my Nashvile 1000. It would be the same for a Session 500 or any other combo amp.
BTW, there is a major difference between the Session 500 and the Session 400. The 500 has the Parametric MID EQ circuitry, the same as the Nashville 400, 1000 and the new 112. The Session 400 has active EQ but it is not the Parametric type. Although it is heavy, the Session 500, in my opinion, is the best Steel Amp Peavey built. I used one for 15 years (I had the first one that was sold in Kansas City). |
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Ben Slaughter
From:
Madera, California
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 1:52 pm
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| Terry, don't waste your time with the 2.0, you will not be happy. THe XT is light years ahead of the 2.0. |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 2:20 pm
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Thanks Jack for the link to your settings, and thanks for the advice Ben. I think I've decided on the xt after doin a search on it and readin the replies.
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 6:52 pm
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My old Pod with 2.0 update was muddier than the XT. The 2.0 I just got is not the least bit muddy. If anything it seems a bit warmer than the XT to my ears, which are not very good.
I do think the XT offers more. My problem is that I when I tried it, I couldn't figure out how to make adjustments on the fly that you need to do in a live situation. My eyes aren't good enough to probe around on that tiny screen. I think they should have left more of the adjustments on the knobs.
If I was only playing my steel through it without the 5 or 6 other instruments I typically have on stage, or if I was using it solely in my studio, I would have bought the XT. But, I'm getting a sound I realy am happy with without any effects, so the 2.0 gives me everything I need without adding more digital confusion to my life.
In fact, I have recently downgraded my gear and done away with as much digital stuff as I could. It has taken alot of stress and endless hours of programming out of my life. I forgot how much fun it was just to go have fun playing. We simply have too much available to us these days. Life and playin' used to be a whole lot simpler.
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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum
[This message was edited by Webb Kline on 21 January 2005 at 10:05 PM.] |
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Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 7:03 pm
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One question?? Can you program chorus,reverb, and delay together. Does it have a dependable chromatic tuner? xt, or 02.
That were two weren't it.
Bill |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 21 Jan 2005 10:02 pm
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I didn't get far enough into the XT when I had it to answer for it about effects. The 2.0 you can mix reverb, compression, and delay at the same time. The reverb is on a separate knob. Choices of chorus, flanging, leslie, tremelo, reverse effects are on the same knob. The compressor is offered as a multifunction in conjunction with some of the other effects.
Both have great tuners, the XT having the edge on fine-tuning.
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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 22 Jan 2005 8:40 am
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well, I'm not sure I could figure out how to work the xt myself. I'm not good with digital stuff at all! I might go with the Pod 2.0. webb, did you just buy the 2.0 from a music store, or did you upload a newer version of the 2.0 line 6? or, are the 2.0 you buy from say, musicians Friend already updated from the old 2.0. I like knobs. 
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 22 Jan 2005 9:27 am
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Terry,
You can buy what you want, but the XT model is the preferred model, especially for steel. I didn't find any problems manuevering around or selecting effects and modifying their parameters. |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 22 Jan 2005 11:29 am
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Jack, from all the reviews I've read, the xt is what I want, I just hope I can figure out how to work the thing. I had an all digital guitar effects unit for a while, so I think I can work the xt with practice.thanks
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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Geoff Brown
From:
Nashvegas
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Posted 22 Jan 2005 2:31 pm
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If you spend the time, you can get great sounds from either model. Once you're dialed in, just save your settings and you're good. If you want to go deeper into the POD, there are also hundreds of models that can be downloaded (free) into your POD from the Line6 website. I just recently did this with my 2.0 that I've had for a few years. I always avoided getting into that, as I thought it was too complicated. I was surprised at how easy it actually was. The POD user group forum is very active, and I'd bet that you'd get some good recommendations from the guys there.
I believe Gary Morse and Pete Anderson were both using rackmount PODs for a while with Dwight. Maybe they still are. |
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Webb Kline
From:
Orangeville, PA
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Posted 22 Jan 2005 7:18 pm
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Terry, you can always do what I did. I got the XT from Guitar Center, decided it was too confusing to use live with so many instruments, and took it back and got another 2.0. The new ones are upgraded. If you are only switching from 6 string to steel, the XT might not ne that hard to use.
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MCI D10 8+5, ZB 11/10 8+3 Early 30s Dobro, Harmony Lap Steel, ad infinitum
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richard burton
From:
Britain
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 3:07 am
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I am trying to find a delay unit that can give me a specific effect: I want a slow repeat (say 350 ms), one repeat only, the repeat should be almost as loud as the original note, but I want the repeat to fade in, so that there is no audible attack.
I want the attack of the original picked note, but not the attack of the delayed note.
It is this last paramater that I can't find on my Boss and Yamaha delay units.
Does the Pod XT have this capability? |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 8:31 am
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Webb, that's what I'll be usin it for, my Zum and my strat only. Thanks
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 1:58 pm
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Mr Ford/ The tuner requires you to kill the processing, and for me it's a PITA.
Compression and distortion "pedals" are after your Volume pedal, and neither one works well that way. There is no way to use the "Volume Pedal" part of it and use ANY effects before the VP.
People have opined that you "could find some way to make one", but nobody's stepped up to the plate. It'd be for now getting a pedal board and the volume pedal is in the wrong spot for psg.
Gary Morse had a non rack mount xt when he played here last year.
You can use any effects in combination. The reverb and all but one of the delays and one of the choruses, is Mono. The "leslie effect" too is mono. There's an "auto pan" that IS stereo and I use it a lot. Slow between a miked amp and the non miked one, or fast to get a true "leslie" moving effect.
Headroom is what makes you able to use tube type amp models. If you're running it thru a solid state with a lot of headroom, virtually ALL of the amp models work well. I use the "blackface fender" and twin reverm models.
No processor will make you able to get a clear high headroom amp "model" through an amp that is not and does not have enough headroom. A fender tube is going to sound just like a fender tube. Some of the "rectifier" models might give you a "rectifier type" 'compression', but that's about all.
Speaker models, and mike models are basically EQ settings.
All that said, I LOVE mine, minuses included.
WHat I like is being able to bank settings for individual songs, and have all the presets there. Also for individual rooms, and venues.
RECORDING through the USB cirectly to mixable tracks is there too, but you have to boost the signal in the sound proggy to get it "up there". No loss of fidelity however, that's just the way it is. To do this you should get a 24 bit sound card.
I haven't tried the Midi Interface, but they say that's the way to go.
In ADDITION, the 1/4" outputs ARE balanced so you can adapt one or both into the PA or a lowz amp if desired.
Thas't all I can think of.
I've had mine for a busy year.
EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 23 January 2005 at 07:10 PM.] |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 3:27 pm
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| Quote: |
| Headroom is what makes you able to use tube type amp models. If you're running it thru a solid state with a lot of headroom, virtually ALL of the amp models work well |
Eric, what about a session 500rd, is this a good amp as far as having the headroom your talkin about for good amp models?
Also, what about the bracket that you can buy for the xt. where can you mount the bracket so it will be in easy reach of your guitar?
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
[This message was edited by Terry Sneed on 23 January 2005 at 03:32 PM.] |
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 7:07 pm
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Terry. Any 15" solid state amp with more than a hundred watts would do it. I do use my 112 with it, but at higher levels I get the 112 compression. Not necessarily a bad thing.
I made a mount that was out of small threaded pipe. I attached a socket wrench socket to the left rear leg, setting the pipe end in it, and the pipe had two 90s going into the bottom of the provided bracket.
I dunno. It kind of wobbled around and looked kind of unseemly. I ditched it in favor of sitting it on my small ATA briefcase set on end on my right with my GT12 korg tuner.
When I get my Marrs back next month, I'll be using my new ATA flight case for a seat, and will be setting it on my right on the case. I might put a lug hole in it for the XT.
Gary Morse had his on the floor next to the VP, but that was just once that I saw him play through it.
Also on the new download setups there's a noise gate that it also useful. Overall, I still give it an A.
Hope I helped.
EJL |
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Terry Sneed
From:
Arkansas,
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 7:32 pm
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Ok thanks Eric. I just noticed on Musicians Friend web site, the bracket that you can buy for the Pod xt will hook to a mic stand. Since the Trio I play far has plenty of mic stands that might be the best way for me.
Terry
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Zum D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 7:40 pm
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You're welcome.
I just don't like lugging an extra one around.
Also I edited the above post. The reverbs are good, but all are "mono". but I haven't seen the need for stereo reverb. Also has a stereo chorus, and delay. I've used many presets, and there are only about a half dozen amp models that I'll ever use. I do however, have many presets easily dialable for songs, or venues.
Also the USB needs a little tweaking , but does the job in recording to cakewalk, sound forge etc. It's worth it though.
At 199 like someone said, I'm tempted to buy one as a spare.
EJL |
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Dan Tyack
From:
Olympia, WA USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2005 10:28 pm
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I have used the original POD, the POD 2, and the PODxt. I tried to use the original POD live, through a killer backend (a VHT tube stereo power amp into a couple of great sounding THD cabs), and I found the extreme overdrive sounds to be happening, the slightly overdriven fenderish sounds to be completely lacking, and the clean sounds to be OK, but nothing exceptional. I have used the other PODs in the studio environment, but in A/B testing with my main recording rig (a THD BiValve into a great THD cabinet with a K120 and a Celestion 12") both of them didn't make the cut. They sounded fine, but compared with a great amp miked with a great mike (in this case the AEA 84 ribbon mike) they sounded one dimensional and flat. Again, this is in comparison with a great recording setup. I have successfully used the PODxt a number of times for jingles, demos and the like, but if it's my ass on the line, I want a real amp on tape (or hard disk).
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www.tyack.com
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