Line 6 POD XT Pro

I bought the unit from Guitar center after jamming on it in the store for 2 months trying everything driving everybody goofy with questions. To put it mildly I was addicted. Modeling shmodeling, I dont care, but my ears do. It Kicks booty. Very versatile. I paid 600.00 for mine, had a store credit.

I especially love its versatility. Great for recording with its built in mics that can really dynamically change the sound for Pro Tools. Every paremeter was thoughtout and its abilty to have a nice warm sound for live playing.

Factory Presets suck. You have to start from scatch and build your tones. They could go like Vox and add a little pre tube. Marketing wise it might help the people who dont think you can get tone on Solid State

Very Durable. Knobs had to be tighten

Buy one

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I have gone through quite a few trial and errors to come to this unit. I tried out the regular POD XT, the Vox Tonelab, and now I picked this unit up on ebay. I got a steal of a price to from some guy on there that had a buy it now price at $450. I think these units normally run around $699. So jumped at the deal. At this time I was in a U2 style band and I had read that the Edge used this unit to get some of his tones.

For the longest time I was running with a Vox Ac30 and then eventually a Marshall and tried all kinds of variations with it. I loved the effects that came with it. In fact the delays in here are some of my favorite and easy to use in a band setting.

UTILIZATION

I was already used to the POD operation so this was easy. It is set up like a normal chain of guitar- amp- cab- effects like you would experience in a real situation. With the Vox I would try amp simulation more since I didn't crank the Vox like Brian May. When used with the Marshall I ran mostly just delays and modulation. I never used the wah functions as they were very lacking in that department. And the wah operation was a bit confusing too. I never really understood how to use the wah efficiently. It did not seem very real at all either so I just used a normal Fulltone wah.

Like all Line 6 units the manual is very helpful to get you started. It gives you ways to set it up with your current rig and possible ways to run for more effective use. Line 6 does a great job explaining their equipment so that a newbie can get a full understanding and be ready for the gig.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality is good and bad. The amps and cab simulation is horrible. I don't blame line 6 because you really cannot simulate a real amp using digital properties. It will never feel like the real thing and never give you that ballsy satisfaction of cranking a tube amp.

However, the effects in this unit are amazing. There are so many didn't modulations and delays that can have you exploring your creativity for hours. The delays are very warm and smooth. You can really get in there and tailor the delay parameters to your liking. Plus periodically they do updates via there website which adds new sounds and features. I never explored the Model Packs that they sell since I felt I had everything I needed standard in this unit.

I used a Strat with a Vox Ac30 and a Marshall JCM2000 into a vintage Marshall 4x12 with Blackback speakers rated at 25 watts. I also used it with a BBE rack unit and a TC G Major. I would jump from unit to unit with delays since I was into that at that time. I think the TC's delays sounded better but it did not have all the various types of delays that the Line 6 unit had. So I bounced back and forth quite a bit.

OVERALL OPINION

Line 6 makes it very easy to use. One of the main reasons I belong to their mailer and periodically get updates from their company. I love there gear and most likely will purchase more of there stuff in the future.

I would recommend this to any guitar player in need of good effects processing. You will need a foot controlled midi unit to operate this thing in a live setting. So there is more of a gear commitment with this then the POD XT live. I would also recommend this unit to any sound engineer or producer because you can get some great effects that can be used in a recording application.

I do not return on connectivity and features.

Some very good points: USB connection to update the machine (and Line 6 offers impressive updates!), And ability to use the POD as a sound card to play / record on a PC via USB -> no conversion to analog!

Another good point: the pedal is connected by an RJ-45 cable, not MIDI. You lose the compatibility but it gains a potential length of cable almost infinite!

Small regret: the lack of an output "basic" (analog unbalanced) front .. for fast connections repeat that would have helped, when using a flight case ...

The bad thing overall effects and amp simulated are old enough, there are a lot of vintage, a shame to have preferred the old classics. That said the proposed panel is more than enough to do "everything."

UTILIZATION

No problem!
the manual is very clear, complete. Edit sound is very fast, and unlike other machines settings are very consistent: no adjustment "magic" trick or miracle to find out good sound, all settings refine the sound with nuance and their way, it is a treat.

IF you have a PC use the editing software patches, we have access to all settings in a few clicks, a happiness. Otherwise the buttons on the rack are well made and easy navigation.

The factory sounds are quite good (for pacths base) and give a good working basis.

SOUND QUALITY

Plugged into a power amp is happiness. I have not tested in a sound but I do not expect a nasty surprise. The sound has a lot of body, and the POD does not alter too much the sound of the guitar (except on large distos, but the big amps like lamps are then ...).

For large distos (the point at which the POD is often criticized), it still manages to fart results that well. After it is a matter of taste compared to the grain, knowing that the beast does not light, we can not expect miracles either. But the simulation is impressive for us to do some of the settings correct.

OVERALL OPINION

Hyper satisfied with the overall result: POD is a machine trèspolyvalente, who can play all styles with no problem. Line6 support is absolutely top, available software is excellent and the updates quick and easy (and far from cans!).

I am replacing a GT6 used for 3 years by the POD, and at the amp simulation, and distos in general, the POD GT6 buried without debate! The effects WG6 defends better, I would say the two are equivalent on this point with a slight advantage in GT6. The effects of POD are nice but not hyper many, perhaps a way of improvements.

As against the price of the Line6 pedal is pure racketeering: € 320 for a pedal neutral, its treatment is theft.

In the same range but cheaper, I hesitated a lot with the VOX Tonelab, which has a lamp. But it seemed a little less versatile in terms of sound, to see ...

Prampli / multi-effects guitar modlisation.
MODELS 32 amp (the darker the more clbre)
Lots of HP and effects! (Also modliss)
MODELS 4 microphones (SM57/421 ...)
I believe the guitar from the front is converted to 32bit ... up to 96Khz!
I / O numriques S / PDIF coax and AES / EBU XLR
USB port for the publishing and recording on computer
Analog outputs with XLR and Jack
Effects loop and line level input
Taking "Ethernet" for pdalier control (no need for power supply. And possibility of "pull" the cable of more than 200 meters!)
MIDI IN / OUT
Internal power supply

UTILIZATION

Super intuitive to use ... Sets the Manir is a classic amp scratch (Drive / Bass / Mid / Treble / Presence) which does not droutra friends with long hair
It will even when they start endless encoders (bah!? Is your knob kass!) 4 in number, they greatly facilitate the publishing and are plutt enjoyable (though the two little ones are a bit small!)
The manual is fun and educational trs providing all the photos and the modlisations CHARACTERISTICS. Moreover, it is filled with anecdotes "interresting".

SOUND QUALITY

Then the silence ... Hat boys ... (I hear the guys from Line6).
J'tais not a big big fan of AmpFarm on ProTools, but the guitar is great!
We spend Gibsons Les Paul Classic Custom and in the fact grve ... The sound is warm and clean while keeping power. You also discovering that your old rotten rapes resume the bull by the bte ... The modlisations are superb (the Blackface Deluxe aaahhh. .. ...) and to have used (for real) some amps included, they "sound" trs close or better than the originals (!?!) given that both guys have the best slctionns MODELS every time ... (After 1000 analiss JCM-800, there is a p't'tre that sounds!). The modlisations HP and effects are the same invoice. It can also be used exclusively as a multi-effects, analog dlais are terrible (Echoplex, Memory Man, Roland Tape Echo, Multihead ...) and even the rverbes dchirent .. .

OVERALL OPINION

Finally you can have a sound of scratching PERFECT scne in the studio and at home without having to buy 3 Mesa-Boogie, Soldano 1, an HP tower and a fleet of pickups! (And a cabin able to put everything trs fort!). No need to be a producer amricain to record guitars dchirent ...
Line6 has also had the good rev IDE to add a prampli studio lamp to pass anything in it (according Line6) ... Basically it takes two to process a source stro! 3 with the Bass Pod! if, if, like 'em too ... (To pass through my flute!).
By the way, is it necessary to prciser, the report qualitprix is ​​deadly! (~ 750). It should be worth double that and it also has that I want two!