gt-10b vs pod x3 live

[rafatata92]

I actually have the gt-6b and I'm thinking in getting the upgrade, what would you recomend:
keep : gt-6b
get : gt-10b
or : pod x3 live

i would use it for bass, and want to know wich is better or if it's not worth making the upgrade

[velvetkevorkian]

What's not good enough about the GT-6b? Are you just looking for an upgrade for the sake of it, or is there something in particular you're looking for?

I've been considering both and they each appeal to slightly different markets. The Pod's strength is in amp modelling, whereas the Boss is more about the FX section. Both have dual signal chains, but the Pod is much more flexible in terms of using for guitar and vox if that's an issue.

Basically, they are both high quality units so it really depends what you're looking for. In the absence of further info I'd keep the GT-6b

[eggcrate]

I have owned all three. The 6B was awesome, no doubt about it, but if you've got the lust for the bigger and better then hell yeah, it's time to upgrade.

POD X3
Pros
- Great amp sounds, no doubt about it.
- Much better guitar amp sounds than the guitar amps included on the 10B. Not surprising, but it is a lot of fun playing bass through the guitar amps.
- Allows you to have two separate amp paths, so you can play through a guitar and and a bass amp or two different bass amps at the same time.
- Fantastic software for managing/creating patches with your computer.
- Much faster to find a great sound.

Cons
- Not very hardy. The case is made of plastic, and in the initial release of the product, internal components were held onto the case with hot glue, and sometimes fell off and stopped the pedal from working.
- Expression pedal nowhere near as good.
- Buttons feel plasticy and not very stompable.
- Effects are not even in the same ballpark as the 10B.
- Pathetic range of compressors in comparison to both the 6B and 10B.
- Octaver/pitch shifter really sucks in comparison.
- No software offering from Boss, but there is FXFloorboard, which is pretty great (but not as awesome as the X3 software.)

GT-10B
Pros
- Built like a tank. Seriously, this thing rocks as hard as possible for something to rock.
- Unbelievably configurable. If you like tweaking (and you probably do since you own a 6) you will love this even more.
- So many more effects, they are better and much more configurable.
- Designed specifically for bass.
- Way more options in the effect path, and options to split the input signal on frequency, intensity, all sorts of cool stuff like that.
- Assigns, with way more options than the 6 had.
- Built in looper!!! It is much better than the one on the 6.

Cons
- It has two separate effect paths, but you can only have one amp sim. This really pissed me off when I bought it.
- Nowhere near as many amps. However, the bass amps on there are GREAT.
- Takes tweaking to find a great sound.

In conclusion

GT-10B hands down. It destroys the X3 for bass. You will never be satisfied with the limitations of the X3 after you've been used to the configurability of the 6B. The 10B is even MORE configurable! And it has a built-in looper, which you will never stop playing with. Also the looper allows you to create patches really easily, because you play a line and loop it, and then start tweaking options (which I'm pretty sure you couldn't do on the 6). However, and this must be emphasised for a fair comparison, the X3 really really does have amazing amp sounds.

Ask me any questions, I've played with them all extensively.

[jmattbassplaya]

Just a quick question about the 6B, is there any way to set the volume for all the patches at once so no patches are louder or quieter than the others?

[SteveC]

I think the general consensus is if you want amp sounds go Line 6 and if you want effects go Boss.

[Intenzity]

The loopers is only like 20-something seconds though, I believe. That is barely useful.

[eggcrate]

Originally Posted by Intenzity

The loopers is only like 20-something seconds though, I believe. That is barely useful.

It's 40 seconds, and while that's nowhere near as good as a dedicated looper, you get it for free and it's better than no looper at all like on the X3. Plus as I mentioned, it makes setting up your tones really easy.

Originally Posted by SteveC

I think the general consensus is if you want amp sounds go Line 6 and if you want effects go Boss.

I couldn't comment on the guitar version of the pedal, but for bass, the amps hold up very well. On our last album, the studio was quite happy to use the sounds direct out of my pedal for various songs. As I said, the X3 does outclass the 10B in this area, but the 10B still puts out a great sound.

[Nyarlathotep]

10B. I use some outboard fuzzes, mostly since none of the fuzz models made me cream, tho running fuzz->pre seems to make things better.

I've owned an X3 in the past and even tho it has 2 complete signal paths you don't have the control over the positions of the FX relative to everything else. You don't really have the power of assigns either. After using the GT-10B I feel that anything that's just got a exp->variable assign system to be archaic in a way. On the GT I literally have control over the range, as well as the ability to create "dead" zones at the front/back of the exp sweep. I have my delays feedback/repeat and on/off status linked to 1 exp pedal.

Just to give an example of my GT-10B setup:


Note: I generally (99.999% of the time) kick it in manual mode. Im currently planning on getting a Tech 21 MIDI Mouse for patch scrolling since I got SO much going on in that thing.

My one gripe would be that manual mode switch assigns are universal. If they were per patch it would be cooler since I could rearrange what each switch does to better suit each patch.

[rafatata92]

Originally Posted by eggcrate

I have owned all three. The 6B was awesome, no doubt about it, but if you've got the lust for the bigger and better then hell yeah, it's time to upgrade.

POD X3
Pros
- Great amp sounds, no doubt about it.
- Much better guitar amp sounds than the guitar amps included on the 10B. Not surprising, but it is a lot of fun playing bass through the guitar amps.
- Allows you to have two separate amp paths, so you can play through a guitar and and a bass amp or two different bass amps at the same time.
- Fantastic software for managing/creating patches with your computer.
- Much faster to find a great sound.

Cons
- Not very hardy. The case is made of plastic, and in the initial release of the product, internal components were held onto the case with hot glue, and sometimes fell off and stopped the pedal from working.
- Expression pedal nowhere near as good.
- Buttons feel plasticy and not very stompable.
- Effects are not even in the same ballpark as the 10B.
- Pathetic range of compressors in comparison to both the 6B and 10B.
- Octaver/pitch shifter really sucks in comparison.
- No software offering from Boss, but there is FXFloorboard, which is pretty great (but not as awesome as the X3 software.)

GT-10B
Pros
- Built like a tank. Seriously, this thing rocks as hard as possible for something to rock.
- Unbelievably configurable. If you like tweaking (and you probably do since you own a 6) you will love this even more.
- So many more effects, they are better and much more configurable.
- Designed specifically for bass.
- Way more options in the effect path, and options to split the input signal on frequency, intensity, all sorts of cool stuff like that.
- Assigns, with way more options than the 6 had.
- Built in looper!!! It is much better than the one on the 6.

Cons
- It has two separate effect paths, but you can only have one amp sim. This really pissed me off when I bought it.
- Nowhere near as many amps. However, the bass amps on there are GREAT.
- Takes tweaking to find a great sound.

In conclusion

GT-10B hands down. It destroys the X3 for bass. You will never be satisfied with the limitations of the X3 after you've been used to the configurability of the 6B. The 10B is even MORE configurable! And it has a built-in looper, which you will never stop playing with. Also the looper allows you to create patches really easily, because you play a line and loop it, and then start tweaking options (which I'm pretty sure you couldn't do on the 6). However, and this must be emphasised for a fair comparison, the X3 really really does have amazing amp sounds.

Ask me any questions, I've played with them all extensively.

thanks, the main reason I want to make the upgrade is because of the usb port and that I don't love the amps in the gt6b, although i can't complain about the effects.
the thing that atracts me about the x3 is that it can also be used with guitar and vocals, and in the other hand i love the looper and that is is specialy for bass, but does it have better amps than the gt6???

wich one is easier to use???

[eggcrate]

Originally Posted by rafatata92

thanks, the main reason I want to make the upgrade is because of the usb port and that I don't love the amps in the gt6b, although i can't complain about the effects.
the thing that atracts me about the x3 is that it can also be used with guitar and vocals, and in the other hand i love the looper and that is is specialy for bass, but does it have better amps than the gt6???

wich one is easier to use???

The 10 definitely has better amps than the 6. I have got some great guitar tones out of it as well.

The X3 is definitely easier to use, you could give it to anyone, and they'd be dialling up amazing tones in minutes. It is also mind-blowing on guitar, like aural sex. The 10 is much simpler than the 6, but way more in-depth than the X3. The reason I sold my X3 and got the 10 is that the compressors, octave, and pitch shift were so poor on the X3. At the end of the day it's designed for guitar, not for bass.

[rafatata92]

Originally Posted by eggcrate

The 10 definitely has better amps than the 6. I have got some great guitar tones out of it as well.

The X3 is definitely easier to use, you could give it to anyone, and they'd be dialling up amazing tones in minutes. It is also mind-blowing on guitar, like aural sex. The 10 is much simpler than the 6, but way more in-depth than the X3. The reason I sold my X3 and got the 10 is that the compressors, octave, and pitch shift were so poor on the X3. At the end of the day it's designed for guitar, not for bass.

I know you can edit the effects from the x3 form the computer and arrange them in the order you want, but can you do it on the 10???
do they work with pro tools and garage band, or which other software can they be used on???
do they work on mac and pc??

[Nyarlathotep]

I find with the big screen on the 10 (or even with the one on the X3 TBH) I don't need a computer patch editor.

I remember the xt being a pain in the rear to program with its interface.

[MooseLumps]

Originally Posted by eggcrate

The reason I sold my X3 and got the 10 is that the compressors, octave, and pitch shift were so poor on the X3. At the end of the day it's designed for guitar, not for bass.

Gah! This is why Line 6 is in serious danger of loosing me as a customer!! It's one thing to put out a product that works well for everyone, but in my opinion, this is a product for the guitarist/singer/songwriter type who never make it out of the bedroom to fiddle around with and make sounds for Guitar and Bass and vox. It's a serious piece of equipment, don't get me wrong, But he boss will treat a bassist as an entity deserving a full consideration, not just an extension of a guitarist's need for backing tracks.

[Jehos]

Really, you should get both. Run your GT-10B into the X3. Effects on the Boss into an amp simulator on the Pod. Best of both worlds. What's a grand when it comes to tone, right?

(yes, that's being sarcastic!)

Personally I use the X3 Live because I'm using it as an amp replacement more than an effects box. I play in a cover band, so it's nice being able to pull up a bunch of different amp sounds with just a tap of the toe.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by eggcrate

The reason I sold my X3 and got the 10 is that the compressors, octave, and pitch shift were so poor on the X3. At the end of the day it's designed for guitar, not for bass.

This is what keeps me away from Line6 as well. The Boss also has XLR outs so it is in essence a DI as well as preamp and effects processor. The M9 was tempting, but I may have to take a look at the GT-10B again.

[dug dog]

Can either of those units be plugged straight in to a power amp without the use of a pre?

[SteveC]

I believe the GT-10B can.

[eggcrate]

Originally Posted by dug dog

Can either of those units be plugged straight in to a power amp without the use of a pre?

That's exactly how I run my setup. Setting up all my amps on the pedal also means I just take an XLR from the pedal straight to the front of house system.

Originally Posted by rafatata92

I know you can edit the effects from the x3 form the computer and arrange them in the order you want, but can you do it on the 10???
do they work with pro tools and garage band, or which other software can they be used on???
do they work on mac and pc??

I use FX Floorboard, which is an amazing bit of free software, made by a guy on the Boss GT forums.

http://gtx.tinfoilmusic.net/

And yep, they both work with all that software, and include 96K 24-bit ASIO drivers.

[dug dog]

Originally Posted by eggcrate

That's exactly how I run my setup. Setting up all my amps on the pedal also means I just take an XLR from the pedal straight to the front of house system.

Hmmm.... very tempting. I'm gonna have a look at the FxFloorboard thing, too.

[Nyarlathotep]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I believe the GT-10B can.

The outputs can be set to +4dB. I have mine set to the default -10, but I can tell you that +4 provides quite the boost, and -10 mode might have enough on its own