Should I go with a Pod Studio UX2?

[Pretend For Now]

or are there any better alternatives in the $200 range for decent, easy-to-use software to play direct to my computer. I understand that modeling won't be exactly the real deal but I'm looking for something that can do a decent job modeling amps/effects for some home recording/late night practicing.

So how does this fair with Guitar Rig 3? The Pod is attractive because it's an all inclusive interface and software package at a reasonable price. I also understand that the interface acts as a sound card so I wouldn't need to upgrade my sound card...is there any truth to that? Help me out..also how does this compare to other products in the Line 6 line? I can't find good demos of this on youtube.

['97boogie]

or are there any better alternatives in the $200 range for decent, easy-to-use software to play direct to my computer. I understand that modeling won't be exactly the real deal but I'm looking for something that can do a decent job modeling amps/effects for some home recording/late night practicing.

So how does this fair with Guitar Rig 3? The Pod is attractive because it's an all inclusive interface and software package at a reasonable price. I also understand that the interface acts as a sound card so I wouldn't need to upgrade my sound card...is there any truth to that? Help me out..also how does this compare to other products in the Line 6 line? I can't find good demos of this on youtube.

Buy a POD Studio, get use to using the software, then Pirate more software (Amplitube, Revalver, Guitar Rig 3, ect ect) and use the L6 as an interface
Thats the way to do it.

[Pretend For Now]

I'd rather not pirate.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

Guitar Rig is extremely powerful software. For a while it was totally integrated with my rig through an interface.

I've never used the line 6.

['97boogie]

I'd rather not pirate.
Why not pirate?

[Hides-His-Eyes]

there's a whole can of worms.

They say AiR releases are more stable than the manufacturers'...

[Pretend For Now]

Why not pirate?

Because if I were a software designer and someone stole my hard work I'd be upset. So, I don't condone stealing anything..even if it's just software.

['97boogie]

Because if I were a software designer and someone stole my hard work I'd be upset. So, I don't condone stealing anything..even if it's just software.

but your not ****ing over the designers, they don't get royalties for their work.

Its sort of my form of silent protest. They are not selling hardware. They are selling software. Once it is finished it costs nothing to produce. If companies would sell it for less (around like 50-100 bucks) it would be more fair, and of course more people would be willing to buy it, so they would end up making more in the long run. I don't intend to pay 200-300 bucks for software that can be a giant headache to get working and sound good, and thats before you try and get it running smooth enough for a live application.

[asatbluesboy]

I like the “sell cheap or just give away and charge for support” line of thought, but that's me. I mean, software prices in Brazil are absolutely abusive. Not to mention the $800 Wii... :mad:

[Pretend For Now]

but your not ****ing over the designers, they don't get royalties for their work.

Its sort of my form of silent protest. They are not selling hardware. They are selling software. Once it is finished it costs nothing to produce. If companies would sell it for less (around like 50-100 bucks) it would be more fair, and of course more people would be willing to buy it, so they would end up making more in the long run. I don't intend to pay 200-300 bucks for software that can be a giant headache to get working and sound good, and thats before you try and get it running smooth enough for a live application.

I understand they don't royalties for it. And I agree that prices should be made more affordable but maybe pirating is a contributing factor in such high prices, however unlikely. The fact is that a lot of time and effort went into a project of creating the software, and if people don't buy it, those same designers may not have more work to create another program. I don't know, I guess that's the problem I have with the current economic state. I know my $200 isn't gonna make or break 'em but if all the pirates got it legit maybe it would.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

If all the pirates went legit, 99% of them would just start using open source/freeware software.

I've tried to, recently. I think I've done quite well, Like i have a 6.01 version of Live Lite that came with a midi keyboard and i got Guitar Rig Go for free because it was only the cab modelling i really needed.

[Pretend For Now]

With the Pod will I need to upgrade my sound card? I've read that some interfaces act as a sound card. Is the Pod one? If not, what would you recommend for a sound card? I'd be running it on my HP Pavilion with AMD Phenom Quad-Core 4GB of RAM, running Vista Home.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

I think a lot of the bigger Digitech multiFX have built in interfaces but i couldn't vouch for their quality.

['97boogie]

With the Pod will I need to upgrade my sound card? I've read that some interfaces act as a sound card. Is the Pod one? If not, what would you recommend for a sound card? I'd be running it on my HP Pavilion with AMD Phenom Quad-Core 4GB of RAM, running Vista Home.

The POD does act as a soundcard.

And those specs look fine, but I would either partition the HDD, one side for the POD, one thing for normal ****, that way the the POD side stays fast, only use the HP for the POD, or dual boot, one side with XP for the POD (that would be how I do it, as XP is so much more stable the Vista)

Make sure your HDD is fast too, like 7200RPM preferably.

[Hides-His-Eyes]

XP is no longer any more stable than vista, honestly

[jonbye]

On the piracy question, Im not sure if the US is the same as the UK but if software designers designed the POD studio software working for Line 6 then they don't even own the copyright to their work - line 6 do (if I've learned anything from my law classes its that). So you won't **** over a designer you'll **** over line 6 (which Im still not saying is a good thing btw)
As for the UX2, I own a UX1 which I bought for cheap before they switched from the gearbox to podfarm software. For my use I couldn't justify spending 40 quid more (almost double the cost) on a different disk, especially as Im only a bedroom guitarist and use it for either late at night playing or recording
The UX1 has been great. I use it to record onto a legal free version of audacity. Its simple and it works and there are some really great tones from the gearbox software. If you ca find a good price on the UX2 I'd say pull the trigger - and look for the gearbox software version as people are flogging that off cheap as its the 'older' version