Pod XT Questions

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

I used my Pod 2 for the first time in a couple of years at a rehearsal last week---just easier than bringing the stomp boxes---and it rekindled my interest in Pods except that since I'm really into effects lately I'm thinking of the XT now.
I've been dedicated to stomp boxes primarily because of their easy individual tweakability (plus, there's always another box to buy and sometimes that's....fun.)

So the question is: with the XT, when using, say, 3 effects in line (I dunno---chorus, compressor, distortion) plus delay and reverb, how tweakable are the individual effects in realtime, on the stand.
I have rejected digital multi-effect units because of the difficulty of holding this button while turning that knob, accessing menus & submenus, etc. Even the Pod 2 requires some hassle when combining delay & and effect when trying to change the delay intensity or an effect parameter.
My #1 requirement is simple on the fly tweaks (I already know the Pod sounds decent). So where does the XT stand?

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

Although the PODxt is great all around, I don't know about realtime tweaking. You'd probably still have to
do most of it ahead of time and save the settings. But, if you hit the MOD button twice (for example), it takes you right to the edit page for that effect you have already entered in. So, then you could adjust parameters on the fly if need be. It can be done, but you'd have to get used to how things work.
The layout is a bit different than the 2.0.

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Thanks, Jay. I was looking for some sort of voodoo revelation of something I may have missed because it was obvious from looking over the photos & manual that the answer was basically 'no'.
Nonetheless, I may need to finally get me one. I'm putting the final touches on a pedalboard with fold-down legs that stands upright beside the steel with up to 12 stomp boxes on it and I'm asking myself where on earth do I expect to find space for this thing on an NYC outhouse/bandstand.

David Doggett · Posted 30 Jun 2007 10:00 am

I think the answer to your qeustion is: yes and no. For a lot of the more technical tweaks, you would need to have them done in presets, unless you get very practiced and skilled about hitting the mod button and knowing how to tweak something quickly. But on the other hand, some of the basic things you want to tweak in real time are right there on knobs, just like on amps and stomp boxes. The reverb knob is always right there and as easily adjusted in real time as the reverb on any amp or outboard box. Likewise, with all the amp models, the knobs for volume, drive, and EQ are right there to be adjusted in real time. In fact, some of these add functions that don't exist on the originals, for example, a mid control, or a drive or master volume control.

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Yeah--I gigged a fair amount with the Pod 2 and I know it pretty well as far as tweaking the amps & reverbs.

The XT would be more for the effects. I swore off digital effects that didn't have dedicated knobs for all the control parameters but the XT has so much else going for it that I've still got to consider it. Ideally I want to be able to lighten up a phaser in the middle of a solo if it feels too fat, even if it's in the middle of a multi-effect patch. This sounds like an unlikely task with the XT.
On the other hand, I imagine if I do my homework I can have some options like a heavy phased patch and a lighter phased patch on adjacent memory locations so as to switch patches on the fly if need be.

For the first time I'm working with a band where I really want to evolve and establish my steel parts for each song and the idea of having a Pod patch for each song sounds real good to me.

Mike Phillips · From: Brooklyn, NY

jon --

some other things that the XT will let you do that will come in handy for doing that thing you're after.

the effect tweak knob is assignable. so if you make a patch that you really love with a whole bunch of "stompboxes" on there, you can assign one effect parameter to it. so you pick what makes sense, the effect you would want to have knob control over on the fly, and stick it on that tweak knob for that patch.

also, if you can always turn individual things on and off using the effect "genre" buttons. so i try to assign things that i would want to toggle on and off and assign them there, so you can turn trem on or off by hitting MOD once. and the light goes off, just like a stomp box!

get one and i am sure you'll have fun with it.

enjoying your brooklyn summer so far?
mike

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Brooklyn summer is everything I remember it to be and so much less.

Outstanding info, Mike. Thanks. That stuff really addresses my issues, at least as a decent work-around---I imagine that's what they were thinking when they designed those things into it---and I do believe I'm going to go for it now.

I don't see any of the three model packs being of much interest as I look at them on the Line 6 site---do you have them and is there cool stuff there that I'm not seeing?

Mike Phillips · From: Brooklyn, NY

jon --

i don't have any of the extra add-on model packs. however, after i got my sports illustrated swimsuit issue, a pack of models was running wild in my head.

har har har heh... heh...rrr...

the XT has way more loaded in it than you'll ever use, and you'll start overwriting a lot of the "artist patches". those are mostly a lot of unusable stuff but it can be fun just to mess around with. in fact, last night while playing my tele through it, i landed on "funk 49" and then spun one knob and had a sound that really agreed with me. do that a bit and then you can rename them to whatever makes sense to you.

one thing i don't have is a 15" speaker model in my collection of cabs.

mike

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

As mentioned the Reverb is the easiest "effect" to adjust on the fly on the Podxt.

On the XTLive, which except for that difference ( you have to "edit" it on theh xtLive) I like a lot better. What I do is have several different effects and levels of effects set to different banks. IE: Fast tremolo/Slow tremolo. Lots of Reverb/ Less. Lots of Delay? Less/ Different delay mixes etc. Slap back that does the old 'cascading arpeg' runs at different speeds for different speed songs. Etc etc.

These different parameters/mixes I set up on sets of four channels in the different banks.

Also different channels can have different defaults, so some effects are on and some off when you switch to them.

On the xt there is a difference in the four button interface in the early OS, which I liked better than the update.

Really long week so I can't get it out and fool with it a lot. I'm tired.

Like I said, saving different params to different groups of four channels is helpful. Also havign complete 4 ch banks set up for live, recording, lodges, outdoors etc saves a lot of "tweaking on the fly" which especially on outdoor bright, hot gigs is PITA with any rig.

Smile

EJL

Jay Ganz · From: Out Behind The Barn

I've got the 15" speaker model on mine. Never use it Rolling Eyes

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Eric--your organization method is in line with what I was describing above (although in an aphasic moment I couldn't find the word 'bank' in my head). Thanks. This validation plus Mike's info about a selectably dedicated tweak knob covers a lot of ground for my needs.

Re: the 15" speaker model---isn't that in the free firmware upgrade---is it 3.0?---rather than the model packs they sell? I'm not sure if it matter to me---I have rarely bothered with the cab sims on the P2 although there is a bit of finetune coloration that can be gotten there. I'm actually pretty intimidated by all the cab and mic placement options and I don't expect to spend time messing with that stuff unless I record direct from the XT----direct recording being a much less preferable option to micing a speaker although an end-of-summer project may bring this into play.

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I've found "on the fly" to be very tough, even with the thing next to me on a stand. Better is using a FLoorboard and having your "tweaks" as presets you can grab by pressing a footswitch - although it's also a little tough to do with steel because of the size.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Worlds would be won if the VP was ONLY on the LEFT side of the xtLive. Alas...

The 15" "Supro" I think is on the latest firmware and is not a cost thing. I usually just use the Condenser Mike, and lately "no cab" seems to make more sense. I hear only EQ attenuations between different cabs, and figure it's just laziness to not do them myself. I do use the Supro on my Bassman PSG setup, with a Condenser on axis, and have toyed with the 2x12 things for tele.

I position the xtLive on the right at a 45 so I can reach over with my foot, or down with my right hand to hit the channel buttons, and the bank switches.

Like I have said, the only things I don't like about the Pods is on any of them the compression and overdrive are just above useless unless your playing level is set perfectly.

When I switch to Tele, I always have to nail the Hilton, plug the tele in before it, and then use the VP on the xtLive. I'd like to find a REAL GOOD A/B box, and have it there. I am SO SORRY that I got a Morley A/B because it SUCKED. About 20 % loss and it wasn't uniform loss. Maybe someday.

The ONLY thing I like about the Podxt over the xtLive is the reverb knob.

Also, being realistic, which isn't that common with us.. you'll only be using two to three channels on any gig. Maybe 4 if you're in a band that has to do all kinds of different stuff. And probably only three "types" of gigs: recording, live big, and live little. With recording, you can take more time to tweak stuff, and even live, if you find something like I have where the settings I though would work have too much bass, you can merely cut the bass easy enough and hit the save button inbetween songs.

I'm in the middle of trying to set it up to run primarily my H R Deluxe with my 112 out of the preamp out of the HRD.

Maybe Jim S can help me.

I find that the HRD has WAY more highs, and I'm starting by not attenuating anything on the HRD (Clean Channel). (Bass Treb and Middle all to 12) and then going straight up, no add no cut on the xt Live. It's getting better, because the Session settings were not working at all on the HRD with PSG.

I'm using "No AmP" model with the HRD. So far it seems to be giving me the best results.

What have you found? ( Or anybody).

TIAFAR.

Smile

EJL (FHLE)

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

E - My kids are all in town, so it may take a while, but I'll see what I can come up with.

Liike Eric said, it's really normal to just use 4 preses or so once you get the "new toy" out of your bloodstream. I just use the 4-channel Line 6 footswitch and programmed it for my 4 (current) favorite patches.

I also found a tremendous A/B/C switch - small maker and I don't recall the name. I need to dig it out of my gig box so I can let you know who made it....
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

JS.

At your leisure.

I'm as slammed as anybody I know.

I look at my typing sometimes, and I can tell when I've gone over the edge..

I really like the HRD though.

Am thinking of just getting a stomp delay, using my Boss Compressor and going for it on guitar gigs.

As you get time.

(Had a gig last weekend where Wendell Cox came in from the TTritt band near where they had a concert and played my SSH Squier (he said he has one too..) and ended up just plugging it in straight to the HRD. Sounded better than I did, but of course he's a REAL GUITAR PLAYER... Smile

)

EJL

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Any add-ons (pedal controllers) are unacceptable to my needs. That's the whole point of thinking of the Pod.

I used to have my vol. pedal mounted on a pedalboard along with some effects. But I've had a few gigs lately that had my endplate snug up against a wall (by bandstand necessity) and the vol. pedal had to come off the board and the board had to be placed behind me.
Plus, I want fingertip control--hence the new upright pedalboard. But it still has too big a footprint. And it amazingly is already short on real estate for a new toy I want to add to it. If I couldn't use the Pod without any external paraphernalia then I'd be back to where I'm already at but I'm convinced that I can find sufficient control with the Pod. I'm not a nervous compulsive tweaker....I just want to be able to address an emergency need if I mis-estimate a patch parameter when setting it up at home.

And although I hear you on settling in on just a few banks of presets (as was the case with my 2.0 on my regular country gig), I am actually just starting to form up my steel ideas with a trio I just joined and I already have created some totally different analog 'patches' for three songs---swampy trem on one, heavy slow phaser on another, leslie on another, very different delays on each. Totally not a country band and totally ripe for as much of a sonic palette as I can bring.

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

By the way--although I'm pretty much sticking with my topic/questions here, no problem with you guys generating your other subjects here as well. It's all good info. (and no, that's not a snarky comment).

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Yup on all accounts. I know Jim always has good information, and unless "Inherent Tone" comes up.... (heeeheehehe..)

Room is a problem. With the xt I just sat it on my amp and turned around and hit the buttons. The xtLive is a problem sometimes. I'm gonna have to get back to using my xt sooner or later, and I've only given it a rest because I've so busy otherwise.

Also on the various banks. They're really handy. I had one for "Nite Life" one for Margaritaville, and so on. Pretty easy to keep track of.

Once a person finds that 90 percent of the preset models etc are pretty useless, it opens up a lot of possibilities.

Smile

EJL

David Doggett · Posted 1 Jul 2007 12:02 pm

I don't use the amp and speaker models playing live, because I've already got the amp and speaker I want. But practicing at home through headphones and a small mixer, the Twin and 15" speaker models give me the most realistic headphone sound I've ever heard.

James Mayer · Posted 2 Jul 2007 12:03 pm

Guys, the XT Live can be set to have the reverb knob you are all missing. If you assign the optional expression pedal to tweak a parameter(in the case, reverb MIX) and you don't have or use the expression pedal, you can simply turn the knob to the right of the display. You'll see the reverb mix pop up on the screen.

James Mayer · Posted 2 Jul 2007 12:18 pm

Guys, the XT Live can be set to have the reverb knob you are all missing. If you assign the optional expression pedal to tweak a parameter(in the case, reverb MIX) and you don't have or use the expression pedal, you can simply turn the knob to the right of the display. You'll see the reverb mix pop up on the screen.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Lots of the points made here are why I stuck with the Pod 2.0. I borrowed an XT for a few weeks, read the manual furiously, tweaked it up, took it to a few gigs, and then realized how much I rely on being able to tweak the patches with the physical knobs on the gig. Those LCD editing windows just drove me nuts, and that wasn't even outside in the sunlight, where it would be much more annoying.

So I figured out how to disable the annoying stuff on the 2.0 via deep editing, threw away absolutely all the preset sounds, started from scratch, and then put relevant and related patches next to each other. But I simply have to be able to adjust them manually - with knobs - on the fly. To me, it would be like having a guitar amp without tone controls, but a fixed number of preset combinations. Fuggedaboudit - I change from guitar to steel to baritone guitar to whatever, and I need to be able to tweak easily and quickly.

I find the Line 6 floor rack with expression pedal completely useless when playing pedal steel. Again, I borrowed one and tried it. Left foot on PSG pedals, right foot on volume pedal, knees working levers, left hand holding bar bar, often with a guitar strapped around my shoulder - the only possible thing I have to tweak with is my right hand - and with four picks on, it's gotta be easy or forget it. And I totally agree with Jon about using the Pod to simplify - that's the whole point. Simplicity and versatility. Otherwise, why not drag out the old Fenders?

Of course, YMMV and all that.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

An "Aha" moment.

Pressing Edit, selecting "Tweak" and choosing "Reverb Mix". Then saving.

GREAT.

Thanks.

EJL

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

I have a POD XT with Tommy Dodd's presets. Additionally, I and another fellow programmed in a few of our own.

But more and more, I use a single preset that really sounds good, and never change it. I set the amp model for the '59 bassman, and the speaker cab emulation for 4 tens. No effects other than reverb. I run this directly into a power amp. I can tweak the bass, midrange, treble and presence controls on the fly.

P.S. Tommy also makes a stand for the POD that clips on the leg of your steel that makes it very easy and convenient to use.

Jon, even if you didn't buy the unit from Tommy, you might want to contact him about buying the stand.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Dave Mudgett----with an XT on its way as I type this, I am now officially in the "I don't want to hear anything bad about the XT" mode so warn me before your next post so I can cover my ears & eyes and sing loudly over your buyer's-remorse-inducing ideas. Smile

I remain confident that if I put in adequate patch prep time at home I can have enough presets that are close enough and user friendly enough. My rediscovery of my Pod has me pretty jazzed---I think the 2.0 sounds real good but it just doesn't cover the effects I need right now. If the XT sounds that much better (most people seem to say) and if it has pretty much all the effects I'd be likely to need, then this could be pretty hip.
Now I've got to go find the thread about setting up Leslie ramp up/down. And everything else.

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