Old 07-22-2014, 01:50 PM   #1
metallicaguy1
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Default Line 6 pod hd/hd pro x?

Has anyone here tried these? The one that looks like axe fx and the one that looks like a bean? I'd like to know what you think, if you have.

I own a pocketpod. Hi gain sounds like garbage in any of my headphones. Sounds bad when connected to my portable tascam recorder. Last night I hook the pod up to my computer and found a hi gain. Sounded really good. Sounded good in my monitors, headphones, and iPod. Can't figure out why since it sounds bad elsewhere. Cleans, however, do sound good anywhere.
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Old 07-22-2014, 04:29 PM   #2
GalacticDeath
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I use a POD HD500x to record guitars. Up until a few months ago I was using a POD XT and there are some definite improvements. The tones overall sound tighter and it doesn't have quite as much fuzz in the hi-gain amps as previous pod models did. I'm personally glad I upgraded.

One of the main things I like about it is the dual tone function so you can mix and match amps and cabs to find the right one that fits. I record guitars and bass like this.

I will say that many of the stock tones aren't very good. I suggest going to the Line 6 website and downloading some user made tones. Those are good places to start.

Last edited by GalacticDeath; 07-22-2014 at 04:35 PM.
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Old 07-22-2014, 08:35 PM   #3
519tbarr
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I have a POD HD500x and the old Pod Pro XT rackmount.
I use both units all the time for recording guitars.
I tend to send a left right signal into my focusrite interface and record them as stereo tracks.
I do find you have to A/B your patch sounds. I don't always find what I hear when I am monitoring my guitars is what goes to print when the track is finished.
As per the current gen or POD HD units. I have owned the 400 HD and now the 500x. The 500x is worth buying because the pod edit software is considerably better than the 400 or 300 series.
There are some great sounds and great tweak ability in these units. Definitely have to play with the mic settings and the cabinet settings. And also I find guitar to guitar varies greatly.

Hope that helps.
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Old 07-22-2014, 08:39 PM   #4
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Absolutely loved it whenever I've used it but nowadays my computer can do 10x more cool stuff than it can.

It's lower latency, of course, but not by much, and it's able to deliver a technically higher quality sound at that latency but it's pretty negligible to me.

On the flip side, I've used two of these things (slightly different models I think) from two different people and they've both since broken. One won't turn on and the other stopped recognizing button input.
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Old 07-23-2014, 02:23 AM   #5
ernzo
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I've got a POD HD500..

Pros:
For my session Guitarist/Composition work it's very convenient, i can emulate sounds easily with it..

You can perfectly record any Rhythm guitar in ANY style

You can track two diferent amps/cabs at the same time, so you can save time and provide yourself or others with more material to work with..

It's Perfect for all kinds of Rock, Metal, and Heavily distorted stuff, literally limitless in that sense (wich i can't take profit of, cause it's not my style..)

It's Perfect for a Solo/lead tone alla Satriani/Vai/Petrucci etc.. (wich i used to do a lot.. not anymore tho)

It's great for very, veeery, old/vintage tones.. if you're into recreating the birth of rock, jazz, blues and other styles..


Cons:
The Cabs are considerably lacking in quality/variety..
Cant use two Microphones with one Cab
Cant use two Cabs with one Amp (you must duplicate amp too)
Cant use Pod solely as a CabSim (disabling the amp)
Can't load external I.R. Cabs

Dosent have Global Volume Controls/EQ..
or an internal signal chain signal overload indicator

Dosent allow Reamping
Dosent capture notes and send them as MIDI notes

Its FXLoop is very noisy and unprofessional, unusable for professional work

The sound of most its FX is crap, literally.. they are all about "modelling of the real stuff", and it gets the work done for the most part.. but all of it has this digitally->dirty analog feel of indefinition..

I could go on and on...


But the most important thing is:
It cannot make it give me the MOJO lead tone!

It's hard to explain but I cannot plug my USA Strat, and get a proper fussion tone.. similar to let's say SRV, but a bit more distorted/modern..

You can imitate anything in SOUND, and get VERY close indeed, yes... but how it FEELS?

Something is always lacking, and you CAN'T get there.. not enuogh drive, too much fizz, problems with presence, EQ... Cabs sucks big time

Plus it does not feel electrifyed, my hands dont feel the power!!

It all gets lost somehow in the tubey sound of the amps... or in the crappy cabs/mics, god knows..

But It dosent work with my Strat, it dosent work with my real Tube distortion boutique pedal.. it dosent work with my amp (as cabsim)..


And it dosent really work with external Cabs
(tryed lots/all Cab software, and the most famous Cabs on the internet.. and even the Torpedo PI/wall of sound.. none works, the best cab i found (for Rock) is the Lynch one on the TH2 vst)


So, in the 6 months i've had this thing, i havent yet been able to just plug it and enjoy it a SINGLE MINUTE, and i have spent entire WEEKS tweaking it..

Only when recording some rock songs alla Satriani, did i enjoy it, but that was work too..


By comparison:
For "just playing" I enjoy more my amp and my Tube dist.. even with the cheapest transistor amp, i can feel some of the MOJO and electricity on my hands..


and in FX, I surely enjoyed more my Korg AX3000, or even the Digitech RP1..

It's crazy, but you can find better Reverbs on the RP1 or AX3000.. and probably better Delays, Flangers and Chorus...

The Korg had great models of their Distortion/OD pedals.. even better than POD's in some aspects..

It's crazy i'm comparing the POD to those ancient units, but heck, not all that glitters is gold right... big shame on you Line6!


-Having said all this, i'm going to keep it because:
It works perfect for my session guitarist/composition work

There's no alternative.. Boss GT100 is very interesting, and has some features/versatility POD will never have.. but the sound is even worse in some cases..

It will be the perfect MIDI Stompboard/controller for any Kemper/Axe FX future will bring..

Really, the AXE FX controller costs 700€, and has no sounds or expression pedal... POD costs 400€ and it includes all its sounds, etc..

so the POD is like the entrance carpet of your future AXE guitar mansion.. lol


Kemper costs 3 times more, and while it rocks and it's mindblowing at what it does, i dont feel it will be versatile enough on the long run..

Axe FX 2, is the way to go.. Probably overpriced yes (5x the cost)..

But there's absolutely nothing that gets close tho what the AXE is doing...

It models the amps, and electric components just like the POD, but WAY better.. plus it allows for proper IR Cabs use..

it can use I.R. to model outside gear, like Kemper, but with less quality/different sound/tecnique..

its internal routing capabilityes and features are nearly limitless..

It seems their Firmware updates are awesome too, and it gets better and better..

And well just listen to the goddamn thing!

Maybe i'm mistaken tho!



PS: Another thing i'm noticing lately with the POD, is what seems to be a lack of a properly planned/implemented internal routing/signal chain..

There's a LOT of discrepancy in the sound you get, dipending on the configuration of your Inputs and Outputs.. plus there's some odness in the way the POD manages its internal stereo/mono signals..

It's great to have a choice, and the philosohpical view of "there's no right or wrong".. but a theorically proper, or straightforward way wouldn't hurt..

-Another big flaw for me, is the fact that you cannot place FX in a sort of "emulated amp's fx-loop"... (be it just internal, or also routed to the physical fx loop)..

This is fatal: as you can only place FX "before amp", or "after cab+mic", you cannot properly use some external pedals, or even many of the POD's own effects..

It fails even at something basic like a proper Spring Reverb sound.. it's Spring Reverb models are surely good and paistakingly done, but it's of no-use if it cannot be put in its proper place..

I'm no engineer but that's surely not before the amp, or after the cab+mic, right..

Last edited by ernzo; 07-23-2014 at 05:50 AM.
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Old 07-23-2014, 05:50 AM   #6
Shm00ve
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I highly recommend this site for anyone who owns a POD HD.

http://www.foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/
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Old 07-23-2014, 07:19 AM   #7
Serenitynow
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Wow, what a link. I have a L6 Tone port KB37 with AmpFarm. I guess this site only covers HD. Anyway, does anyone know of a site like this for PodFarm?

Still good info on tone shaping and L6 setup stuff etc.
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Old 07-23-2014, 09:41 AM   #8
ernzo
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shm00ve View Post
I highly recommend this site for anyone who owns a POD HD.

http://www.foobazaar.com/podhd/toneGuide/
Yes, this is absolutely the holy grail of the POD HD newcomer.. lol

To go anywhere one must really understand how signal routing and the Inputs/Outputs work... and of course how to use the DEP Amp and Cab paramaters, that's where most the juice is!


Serenity: I have tryed PODFarm, and most if not all other modelling VSTs..

Naturally none of them can really compare to the POD..

But I think you should try the "Overloud TH2", it dosent have as much amps or pedals as Podfarm, but to me it sounds MUCH better, and it has some of the best Cabs out there (plus you can load I.R. Cabs)

Guitar Rig5 will go (to me) on a 2nd place in terms of sound quality/realism, albeit it is probably more capable/focused on hi-gain stuff

I will stay away from Peavy Revalver mk3, or Amplitube 3
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Old 07-23-2014, 09:55 AM   #9
thequietroom
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I have the bean. I like it. The models are better than previous pods (before hd)

I haven't come across any better hardware modelers besides the axe fx.

I don't agree with prev post about the fx. The fX in the podhd are overall pretty good.

There isnt a proper parametric eq but the reverbs/delays/chorus etc are good. the Opto verbs are great.

when recording i rarely record any time based FX though. I usually add them in the DAW


If you have a good fast computer (which I don't).. you might find good software sims. S gear is really good with a free trial. Some of the amps in toontracks ezmix product set are really good too.
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Old 07-23-2014, 12:32 PM   #10
metallicaguy1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thequietroom View Post
I have the bean. I like it. The models are better than previous pods (before hd)

I haven't come across any better hardware modelers besides the axe fx.

I don't agree with prev post about the fx. The fX in the podhd are overall pretty good.

There isnt a proper parametric eq but the reverbs/delays/chorus etc are good. the Opto verbs are great.

when recording i rarely record any time based FX though. I usually add them in the DAW


If you have a good fast computer (which I don't).. you might find good software sims. S gear is really good with a free trial. Some of the amps in toontracks ezmix product set are really good too.
How's the bean hd pod sound in distortion/hi gain?
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Old 07-23-2014, 02:43 PM   #11
thequietroom
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Here is one I did

http://erosioncode.com/track/612925/...autostart=true




Ola Englund demo pod hd pro..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmCl71e-wCY


I think they do quite well with higain
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Old 07-23-2014, 02:59 PM   #12
metallicaguy1
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thequietroom View Post
Here is one I did

http://erosioncode.com/track/612925/...autostart=true




Ola Englund demo pod hd pro..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmCl71e-wCY


I think they do quite well with higain
Wow. Sounds awesome, man! Did you record that in the pod/daw/comp? Or did you run it through your amp and mic it? Love the sound!
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Old 07-23-2014, 03:16 PM   #13
thequietroom
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Thanks

I just went straight from the Pod HD into my pc via USB.

I actually used the patch Ola made for that video.. I made some changes to the settings but that was a starting point.
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