Are these line 6 POD's any good

[T0nel0c77]

I've been thinking about an upgrade from my Korg to a POD. Does anyone use them? I go through a 1,000 watt P.A. right
now and love the volume. So who likes em' and why?

[kansas_parker]

weezer used pods on their tour a while back. The only amp they had with them was a marshall practice ampfor the guitar tech to use offstage. everything was run through the pod into the venues PA.

[guitargeek]

for live use i would also consider the yamaha stomp...

the box is extra-tough and doesn't require the extra footboard like the pod. there aren't as many sounds in the stomp but more usable sounds from my experience. for recording i prefer the stomp.... more in your face.

that said i haven't tried the pod xt yet.... supposed to be packed with new stuff like stompbox emulations...

[mikey_1203]

I owned the original POD and paid an extra £100 for the fott controller, and to tell you the truth I found it complicated and unflexible considering the amount of different tones i wanted throughout a set. The new POD i recently played at an music expo it does sond good but again i had problems configuring it?

If anything i would buy a BOSS GT6, they can do EVERYTHING all they take is a bit of time to learn how to use it and the world of tone and fx is your oyster :D

[Greyskull]

Weezer and pod's...sounds like crap to me.

In his quest to become The Scorpions (which isn't really shooting for the stars) Rivers Cuomo has only been able to successfully market himself, his band, and his music as a bunch fairies.
But it makes sense...what better to play fake music than with a fake amp...

[T0nel0c77]

You're the biggest ass. No one cares about your piece of **** opinions on bands.

[idealflaw]

Everyone line up and listen to what greyskull has to say. His opinion is of consequence to each and every one of us.
Because he has earned his opinion with years of platinum sales and proven success record, we should listen.

And then he should huff dong. That's my opinion.
:o

[guitargeek]

let's shift direction on this thread to avoid personal attacks. slam on bands or their gear all you want... just don't take those opinions personally ok? I hate moderating...

That said....

one interesting thing to note about weezer using pods is that they did use them in conjuction with other stompboxes. I hate the distortion sounds on the POD... i set it for a clean rich sound and then use my tube screamer or marshall guvner before the pod for my recorded sounds. I wonder if weezer did the same...

Also, the switching between patches on the POD is SLOW... i talked to the old guitarist from XTC and he said he used a pod/footswitch combo for a gig and it was horrible...

any comments?

[idealflaw]

i don't own a pod, and have not used one. What I've read from multiple bands is that it has a use in the live arena.
NIN and Savage Garden were using them for their live shows. I found that odd, but what they were looking to accomplish was a good amp sound without all the stage noise, cables and feedback problems for large concert venues. Also they wanted the visual effect of a stark stage setup.
The stage noise can be overwhelming especially with the crowd drowning you out.

To me that sounds like an excellent application. In a studio, an artist can be more discerning on what he uses, but live, i think it should be what works with ease.

[guitargeek]

i've used the hughes and kettner red box (cabinet emulator) in my live setup before...

i went speaker out from my amp into the box straight to the PA.. still had the sound of my amp onstage but the soundman used the direct signal... he said it was the easiest show he's ever mixed since no guitar mics were involved. (our other guitarist used one too).

David gedge of the wedding present uses a combination of redbox and mic'd signal and his live sound was HUGE.

i don't see much difference between that and using a pod. whatever makes life easier...

as long as it sounds good it is good

[Greyskull]

Yo idealflaw & TOne10c77 :

I may not have a multi platnum record. I may not have toured the whole planet yet. I haven't been granted the opportunity to call Rivers a pansie to his face...oh well...I have never "huffed dong" either...what is it like anyways

But I have my experience that I willingly share, and will continue to share.

Maybe I was a little harsh on the weezer comment...oh well. I stand by my comments. Like I'm gonna back down. Weezer is weak. Not you. But weezer is weak. Very weak.

I will try to be more sensative to other GEEK members in regards to musical preferences and gear...I understand that we are all different and have different tastes in gear and sound, as well as fundage availablity to acquire the gear we need/want.

As it stands in my experience, PODS are not the best piece of gear I have come across. They are difficult to program (you ever tried to get the volume levels to match ?) and they are FLIMSY.
So, they are difficult to use and are not very road worthy. I also tend to believe that the sounds (while okay) are WEAK and FEEBLE. Fake and plastic. Cheap and metallic. More bang for the buck means you get a lot of low quality. A lot of low quality.

For your application I would recommend a Tech 21 Tri AC...simple three channel ANALOG amp simulator that does descent (it is a simulation, mind you) Fender, Marshall and Mesa/Boogie sounds, with no effects. you run your effects in front of it. $150.00. I have one I use for demo purposes (into a Tascam MKIII) and as an amp back up to my 78 JMP. Good stuff. Easy to operate. Less money than a POD.

[T0nel0c77]

I never thought people would even react to what I wrote. I'm not a Wezzer fan, just didn't like the comments . It's not an attack on you just your ass like comments.

[Greyskull]

Conterversy is fun.
I know weezer isn't the most talented rock band around. There are so many better bands, great ones even, like Nickelback, Hanson, and Winger.
True icons shouldn't even be named in the same sentence as the phenom group of barney's known as weezer. I have never heard a group of songs with as little muscle.
Ever.

[nobody]

Greyskull, we now know you don't dig Weezer, whatever. We all like bands that other people think suck. That's life, get on with it...


Now back to regularly scheduled programming...

The POD is a fine device, it works for some people, not others. Tech 21 is okay stuff too, but quite honestly, I own a GT2 and I've owned a Tri A.C. I think the POD can sound better and doesn't have the nasty distortion sustain cutoff that the Tech 21 stuff has.

[Greyskull]

Yeah, it is a touch metallic. But it is easy to use, and I find it a little better to my ears than the POD. Lots of folks dig the POD - good for them, because they found an avenue they could use.

I wouldn't want to record a "real" record using the TRI AC, and I definatley would not ever use it as a main "amp". Same for the POD though, too.

[nobody]

In my experience the POD has some good models and bad models, they are not all equal. In particular I think the Fender tweed model and the AC-30 models are pretty darn good.

But ultimately, I agree, I wouldn't record a 'real' record with a any amp sim on any given day. Real tubes, PtP wiring and real speakers are where it's at. :-)

[T0nel0c77]

I have tried different amp multi-fx pedals like Korg and zoom and I think as long as you go through a P.A. (not an amp) the sound is way better than the real thing. All you have to do is tweak it a little to get what you want. Everyone can find what they want if you spend a little time. And with low noise, low cost, high versatility, nothing is better. The only reason I asked if PODs were any good is to know what it sounded like not what bands you like. By the way just cause you play an multi-fx pedal does not mean you and your sound does not kick ass!

[nobody]

That's very subjective, my friend. An amp sim through a PA might sound better to you, but to me it wouldn't. There are textures, dynamics and a certain characteristics that can only be achieved with a real tube amp and real speakers. I've played with the various amp sims that are available and none of them I've found has a convincing Fender Blackface model. The models, regardless of manufacturer all lack the articulation and 'sparkle' that a real Fender amp has.

[malcom]

Point A: I am a happy person, I like Weezer, I don't feel a constant need to drive unfocused rage into the world.


Point B: When you are playing in a venue of any size, how much "tone" can the audience actually hear. I think that's why the Pod works as a Pro or Semi-Pro Direct box. Lets be honest now, bands like Weezer, Savage Garden, and Nine Inch Nails (who I don't mind) play in enormous theaters and stadiums, often with bad acoustics. Any kind of tonal nuance pretty much gets sucked up by the PA anyway, even a mic'd amp in a medium/large club doesn't sound THAT amazing. But that's just my opinion.

[kansas_parker]

I agree. If I were going on a 3 month tour of large venues, playing to crowds who were more interested in moshing and loud music than the tonal particulars of my guitar sound, I would rather use the POD. It would mean-

a. No amps and cabs to lug around
b. No extra roadies to lug amps and cabs around (if I could afford them)
c. Since there are no extra roadies, I get more money.
d. A more consistent sound in each venue as everything is going to the board.
e. d makes it easier on the sound guy who after three months of touring would pretty much know all the general pre-sets for the boards.
f. I don't have to worry about blown amps, damaged cabs, or burnt out cables, just a pedal board and the rack w/the POD on the side of the stage.

[T0nel0c77]

Great points!

[rumblefuzz]

Now let's stay serious...

Why hasn't anybody said that a POD is absolutely horrifying yet? It's got a milisecond delay in it for processing that destructs all the feel and timing that you put into it. It sounds like a general midi guitar simulation... And i'm not kidding!!! Multi-fx suck 99 % of ALL TIME...

[AndrewTurnerAUS]

I have been using the Pod Pro for about 6 months now and here are my thoughts on it.

I run mono into a samson servo 550 power amp and then into a Marshall 1960A Quadbox. I use 2 amp models at the moment for the type of band I play in. For clean I use the Line6 Clean amp model which is a JC120 mixed with a JTM-45. For a dirty and Lead sound I use the JCM 800 amp model. I save all these patches using the sound diver software. This was one thing that bugged me but I got over it. There are some settings you can only edit using the software. For example, The noise gate level, the volume pedal Pre or Post, the range of the Wah.

I bought the POD Pro because of the amp modeling. If I want to start using a Chieftan amp ( which does sound great ) I can and I dont have to worry about selling my current head and buy another one. The POD Pro is awsome in the studio, I think the amp modeling is better than the Sans Amp but I still wont sell my PSA-1. The things you should consider when using a POD for a live rig is

1. The effects suck, there is no option for pre or post assignment, you will need some stomp boxes.
2. Think about what you are going to drive the signal into, a 2x12 box or a Quad because the same amp model will sound different.
3. make sure you have some type of MIDI connection and really learn the sound diver software.

I am happy with it, i think its a great unit. Lets face it, in the studio everyone tries differant combinations of heads and cabinets. I was going to buy a AC-30 but then I tried the POD, for the same price I got the POD which modeled the AC-30 very well and got plenty of other amps on tap.

If I was going to play live only, I would get one of the combo Line6 Amps like the Vetta. For Studio us the POD Pro. For Live and Studio get the POD Pro

Our bass player setup for a garbage rehersal a couple of months ago, Duke Erikson had 3 POD Pro's in his rack, the band used in ear monitors. here's a good article that mentions using the POD and real amps to get a good sound in the studio. http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/jun02/articles/garbage.asp

Having said all that, once you get use where everything is and how to set it up, its an awsome bit of gear.

My 2 cents worth :)

[preservation]

weezer sucked when the green album hit, and since has continued to suck.

however, the blue album, pinkerton, and the original b-sides are phenomenal and worthy of mucho praise. always.

i think its just that matt sharp left and rivers became a 'rock star'.


and PODs suck butt.

[air]

I can't speak for the POD, but similarly I use a Johnson J-Station for my amp modelling when I record to my computer. I also use it live, on the odd occasion I play live. With and without my other effects, I use it to adjust EQ's, reverb, gain, volume, level, tap tempo delay, effect levels and parameters while playing live.