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JeffTadashi « Portable, versatile combo amp that is loud! »
Published on 05/26/12 at 17:49The Line 6 Flextone III Xl is a combo guitar amp with two 12-inch speakers, 150-watt stereo power amp, 32 vetta-based amp models, 12 effects, and 16 speaker cabinet simulation options. It also has stereo xlr direct out (with cab and mic modeling), effects loops, midi in, midi out, headphone out, and external speakers out.
UTILIZATION
Like most Line 6 products, this little combo amp is extremely versatile! It's relatively easy to control all the amp settings on this thing, even with all the added effects, cabinet choices and such. You can easily switch between 6 delays (from the famed DL-4), and adjust the overall level of the effect. There is also a tap tempo button (that flashes with the tempo). If you control the amp with a midi controller, you can also make more fine adjustments to the delay, along with other various amp parameters. This can get a little confusing, especially if you want to make these adjustments. But for the most part, it isn't necessary to do this. There are also 6 mod effects, and a toggle-able gate and compressor.
SOUNDS
The main event, the guitar amplifiers and cabinet simulations, don't disappoint, as long as you don't expect them to do miracles. I mainly use super-cleans and heavy Mesa tones, and it does a wonderful job with cleans. The Mesa emulations are certainly not as good as the real thing, but for a little combo amp, they sound descent. I find that the heavier and more saturated the distortion is, the worst solid-state emulation tends to sound, and this is no exception. However, if you are using this amp for lighter tones, with lighter indie distortions, this amp sounds great.
You can mix and match any of the 32 amp simulations with any of the 16 guitar cab simulations, including a no-cab mode. Since the sounds are playing through the combo amp's cab, the no-cab mode does still sound usable, and in some cases, it sounds the best, if you are looking for a more transparent sound.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is a very flexible, and portable amp that can do many things pretty well, as long as you don't expect it to sound just like an amp worth thousands of dollars. It is extremely loud for it's size, as it certainly stands up to a Mesa half-stack just fine.
UTILIZATION
Like most Line 6 products, this little combo amp is extremely versatile! It's relatively easy to control all the amp settings on this thing, even with all the added effects, cabinet choices and such. You can easily switch between 6 delays (from the famed DL-4), and adjust the overall level of the effect. There is also a tap tempo button (that flashes with the tempo). If you control the amp with a midi controller, you can also make more fine adjustments to the delay, along with other various amp parameters. This can get a little confusing, especially if you want to make these adjustments. But for the most part, it isn't necessary to do this. There are also 6 mod effects, and a toggle-able gate and compressor.
SOUNDS
The main event, the guitar amplifiers and cabinet simulations, don't disappoint, as long as you don't expect them to do miracles. I mainly use super-cleans and heavy Mesa tones, and it does a wonderful job with cleans. The Mesa emulations are certainly not as good as the real thing, but for a little combo amp, they sound descent. I find that the heavier and more saturated the distortion is, the worst solid-state emulation tends to sound, and this is no exception. However, if you are using this amp for lighter tones, with lighter indie distortions, this amp sounds great.
You can mix and match any of the 32 amp simulations with any of the 16 guitar cab simulations, including a no-cab mode. Since the sounds are playing through the combo amp's cab, the no-cab mode does still sound usable, and in some cases, it sounds the best, if you are looking for a more transparent sound.
OVERALL OPINION
Overall, this is a very flexible, and portable amp that can do many things pretty well, as long as you don't expect it to sound just like an amp worth thousands of dollars. It is extremely loud for it's size, as it certainly stands up to a Mesa half-stack just fine.