Going with Line 6 x3 live

Keegsdad · #1 09-02-2010, 01:45 PM

I just purchased the Line 6 X3 live unit - I am a old dog so I have used only an amp on stage and now I am told all I need is this unit to go direct in the PA and I get all the cools sounds without the pain of moving heavy gear. Has anyone else made the trasition and if so what should I be aware of now going direct to the PA with this unit.

Should I run my master full tilt when connecting or what are the best practices now that I am on this path.

Thanks

Hippos Melas · #2 09-02-2010, 02:24 PM

I had one of those, sold it within a week. It's VERY tedious as far as getting to know the unit well. If I were you, I'd save an entire day this weekend to just sit down with it and figure everything out. I've heard it works wonders if you know how to use it, but for impatient people like me, it didn't cut it.

cybersnyder · #3 09-02-2010, 02:55 PM

Likewise, I purchased one and it went back shortly thereafter. It's a great unit, but I just didn't want to scroll through screen after screen after screen. I got some interesting tones, but I think I was happier with the Sansamp VT. I think I'm done with digital modeling. Until the X4 comes out and I'll have to try that. I'm helpless....

A440Hz · #4 09-02-2010, 03:17 PM

I would pile on with the ease-of-use issues, except that GearBox is free and I use my lappy and USB to select sounds--MUCH easier. Only one real screen to deal with, and it's very easy.

For instance, instead of scrolling through a list of dozens of amps, you hit a pulldown box and see all 79 or whatever fly out. You see them all at once and select the one you want.

So if you don't have a computer, setup will be more tedious. But I love mine for what I have used it for, which is direct guitar and bass tones. I have a four-preset bank that is just for bass: SVT, Eden, Aguilar, and GK models. They're all good for different stuff.

EDIT: I often bring my laptop to playing situations to edit during sound check/rehearsal, but not always. If I have my sounds lined up, there's no need to bring the lappy.

jhines · #5 09-02-2010, 03:42 PM

I have one. I was the first of our Praise Band to get one and it is both good and bad. Here are some thoughts...

- I am an IT person by day and was not scared by the interface...if you are a) never buy the comparable Boss product or you will really feel badly and b) try the computer interface [as mentioned, it is more graceful and, maybe, quicker].
- The effects don't behave as well with bass guitar as the Bass PODs do. The Bass PODs effects don't behave as well as the real thing. Good luck getting a synth or filter to work as you expect...but some of them work in cool but unexpected ways.
- The "tube" models do behave similarly to tubes (i.e. volume input affects breakup) but don't have the dynamics and organics of tubes.
- If used purely for amp modeling, expect to use different EQ than you would for your favorite amp (i.e. if you are used to a Boogie 400 through a Diesel 2x15 don't think that you can select that amp model, move the "knobs" to the same locational values as the real rig and get the same sounds). Some artists (Lincoln Brewster comes to mind), swear that they can get their "tone" from the X3 but admit that it takes time and tweaking to get there.
- You can make some crazy parings. One that comes to mind that makes for some wicked lead guitar is a 5150 through the Marshal 4x15 bass cab.
- The SVT to 8x10 model is a little hard to tame while the B-15 model interestingly has "extra" controls. You will see this also in the Sunn rig. I don't know how this works in digital modeling land but when then amp has a volume and simple (bass, mid, treble) tone stack but the X3 model has four EQ controls...hmm?
- The microphone input only works for dynamic mics (condensors are right out).
- You can use both the guitar and aux input at the same time in the same patch. This might not sound useful but for those of us with 8 and/or 12 string octaved basses running stereo outputs, this is a cool feature because we can amp model and EQ for the highs and lows separately (virtual Doug Pinnick setup).
- If you play lots of covers that require disperate sounds, this is a good tool. If you play more than one instrument (bass and guitar or bass and mandolin, etc.), this is a good tool. If you have a sound in your head that you can't live without, you are not going to be happy.

In general, I would say analog is better but the X3 is just amazingly versatile and can be a really useful tool. That said, you will never have a "relationship" with it like you might with real gear.

Last part, you have it now, so get some use from it. You are still going to need some kind of monitoring on stage to hear yourself. You have the X3, you set the master to full (best noise floor), your DI line is connected to FOH, you are in tune, you roll open the volume pedal to play, and all is well for the audience. What do you hear? Are you in a place with good floor wedges? I say good because most floor wedges don't do bass guitar well (esp. if EQ'ed the same way FOH has the mains EQ'ed). This may take you right back to having a small combo amp on stage. In this event you will switch that little switch on the top of the X3 to "Amp" instead of "Line" and run a 1/4" cable to your combo amp (of course, leaving the XLR connected running to FOH).

With every piece of equipment there are goods and bads. The X3 has a lot of good points and several not so good. I hope you don't regret your purchase. Feel free to fire questions back at me...I've been using it for a while now - where it seemed like the right "gig" choice.

cybersnyder · #6 09-02-2010, 04:17 PM

I think Lincoln Brewster switched to three Axe-FX units.

I was able to get a lot of "fun" tones out of the X3, but it seems more like a guitar thing to play with than a bass thing. I think the best tones I got out it were blending something like an SVT and vintage console strip. Now that I think of it, the biggest hassle was in balancing the volume between two amps. It seemed like the bass amps wouldn't go loud enough compared to the guitar amp models. Try running an SVT model with a distorted guitar amp, but cut anything below 200Hz from the guitar amp. Fun, fun, fun.

cybersnyder · #7 09-02-2010, 05:04 PM

The X3 Live is no longer available for sale at GuitarCenter.com. Most likely there is a new model coming out shortly.

Edit: Confirmed. The new model is called the POD HD and coming out in 3 different versions.

http://line6.com/community/thread/42...art=0&tstart=0

Keegsdad · #8 09-02-2010, 10:03 PM

Thanks Jhines,

Some very good info..... I also use Gearbox which does help and right now I have about 7 sounds that I put together. Thanks about the setting of the master, so when I go live, connect both DI XLR's out to FOH. To get my stage sound go Live out 1/4 to effects return on my stage amp and speakers so I have some stage sound

Next to my master volume which will be max is my tone control - where do you you set that at 12:00? or does that matter?

So for me - small stage rig, xlr di to FOH, 1/4 inch to effects return on my amp and I am good to go?
Is there anything else I should be aware of?

Thanks again...some great info....I appreciate it...

ga_edwards · #9 09-03-2010, 04:23 AM

I was very tempted recently to get an X3, but the thing that stopped me from pulling the trigger was 'live editability'.

I run a dual output system from my bass a la Billy Sheehan, and process the two signal differently and mix them into the amp. Whilst the X3 with its 2 inputs and dual tones would handle this wonderfully, I often have to tweak the balance between the two outputs, maybe tweak the eq and compression a little for different venues. I did not particularly relish the thought of doing this for every patch at every venue. In cases like this, stomp boxes are much, much easier. So I'm in the processes of redesigning my pedal board to my exact specifications, buying something new every now and then in stages. Sure it'll cost a bit more than an X3 (specialist rigs are never cheap! Heck the power supply I require is going to cost more than my most expensive pedal!) but it'll do exactly what I want it to do.

jhines · #10 09-03-2010, 07:24 AM

Keegsdad,

OK, so your layout as stated will work just fine. Two additional notes on it:
- You need not run both XLR outs to FOH unless you are using stereo effects or one amp model per output - which is far more common in the guitar realm than bass.
- You can experiment with the stage side setup. In one place, I ran the 1/4" output to effects return (effectively just using the power amp side of the combo) and in another I ran the 1/4" to the instrument input side (using the preamp and amp). The former makes "sense" to most so here is the justification of the latter. In one instance, I was playing a place with a small line array setup and 4x18" subs passed high (about 125Hz due to the needs of the Peavey Versarray mains). I was positioned on a low ceiling part of the stage next to a loud drummer. In this case, I was able to hear/feel a fair amount of information from the subs but really needed to pierce through the drummer's noise WITHOUT affecting the FOH mix from the line array's. So, I patched into the instrument input of the amp and jacked up the mids and high mids to hear something more...useful. YMMV

As for that Tone Volume control next to the master. It has a specific purpose that may or may not concern you at all. Each patch (A, B, C, D) has two channels (1, 2). The Tone Volume exists to balance the channel 1 and 2 volume in a patch. If you are only using one channel per patch, you can use that control to balance the volume between patches (A and B, for instance). To add complexity (but it is really needed sometimes), there is a third volume control on the fourth "soft" knob under the LCD screen. This is a Patch Volume. This is specifically to match patch volumes. I don't use it much because I can get buy with using the Tone Volume to match patch volumes...except when I use my electric guitar. In this case, I do have to use it as some of my patches do use a channel 1 and 2 blend.

Hope that helps some more without being to confusing.

Keegsdad · #11 09-03-2010, 10:13 AM

Thanks Jhines,

Great info, which will really help me dial this in.....what I am going to do as you said - FOH one connection, like you said it's not stereo, go quarter inch to effects return to hear stage sound. Now that I have a better idea about the tone control I am going back and tweaking to set better levels. Thank you for some valuable info.....they should point their manual to you :-) One last thing....as if that was the case...do you use the volume control for anything?

Thanks!

jhines · #12 09-04-2010, 08:55 AM

If the volume control you are asking about is the big foot pedal, yes...but only really as a glorified "mute". For most all other dynamics, I just use my fingers.

Note: The pedal gizmo is more than just volume. By default it is patch volume but will engage the wah if you push it down hard enough...then becoming a wah pedal.

Some other uses for the pedal:
- It can be set to affect effects (i.e. intensity, etc.) instead of volume.
- It can be set to fade between channels in a patch. I have set this up for my rhythm guitarist once to blend the guitar in (magnetics from his Strat) and aux in (piezo bridge from his strat). This was later modified to just controlling the volume of piezo instead of faux-blend.

Hope that gets you another step toward making it useful to you.

Voss451 · #13 09-06-2010, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

The X3 Live is no longer available for sale at GuitarCenter.com. Most likely there is a new model coming out shortly.

Edit: Confirmed. The new model is called the POD HD and coming out in 3 different versions.

http://line6.com/community/thread/42...art=0&tstart=0

The only downside to the new Pods that I can see is that it's being limited to 16 amp models (I'm assuming there will be 'packs' sold later on), so there's not much chance of there being any bass amps included at launch.