Line 6 UX2 + Pod Farm

[stewart8980]

hey all-
So i got this nifty little recording device, the Line 6 UX2 for x-mas, and it came with this program called POD Farm. It's essentially like having a ton of amps, cabs, preamps, pedals and more all on your computer to use with your bass! I think it's nifty to fool around with, but I was wondering if anyone actually used it to record.

Unfortunately the version i got only has 5 bass amps. oh well.

[Fletch]

I have the PodFarm and like it alot. Make sure you run the Line6 Monkey program and update everything. I'm pretty sure if you do this before January you'll get all the bass options. When I bought mine a few months ago they gave me every pack they had for free

Fletch

[anthowl]

i don't use that particular one. before they did that they produced the UX2 device in a diff colour and it worked with a program called Gearbox (explaining for people who aren't familiar), which i do have and use to record.
because you're new to it i assume, i will say this;
line6 claims to have every amp simulation down exactly right, this is not true.
since nothing there sounds as the actual object/process would in reality, the best thing to do is just fiddle with all the variable options of each setting until you find something that sounds right to you.
for instance one of my must used settings is an emulation of an eden head which i have running through no cab simulation at all, and from there have an eq, compressor and noise gate running in the software to achieve a sound worth using.

however this new version is of course supposed to be an improvement on the old, so hope it works out for you.
i have clips also.

..end rant.

[blipndub]

Also play around with the vocal settings and pre-amps for bass, those sound better to me than the amp sims. The dual feature is nice for bass, run each setting L and R and then put on seperate tracks on your DAW for great flexibility.

[funkmuffin]

I have the UX2 and I am using it to track the guitar and bass tracks fir our album. Mine came with GearBox, but I downloaded Podfarm for free from the Line6 website, and have been using it instead of GearBox. Here's the twist for me, though, since I actually have amps that I like.

I'm using the Line6 software simply to pass my clean signal through to Logic, and it only sends the modeled sound to my phones, so that I hear an amp sound. That way, I can record in my living room after the kids go to bed, then take the tracks to the studio and re-amp them for my sound later (during the final mix phase) That way, I don't really have to fool around with the Line6 amp models, I just pick one that's somewhat inspiring for the song at hand.

I will second the above statement that some of the best bass tones come out of the "Adam and Eve" Eden-clone model. Also, the suggestion to check out the vocal preamps. Start with the "slap" present and go from there. The British models are great-sounding preamps to get a quick solid tone dialed in.

BTW -- I use a Country Man DI in front of the mic channels on the UX2, which actually sounds much better than the direct instrument inputs, at least to my ears.

[adammazza]

I picked up a UX2 to use with my macbook. I had been using a presonus audiobox prior, but wanted to be able to customize a tone without firing up Cubase. Garage Band, etc.

Mine came with PodFarm. I did have to pay for the extra bass tones. It seems worth it to me. I've had 2 issues with mine:

1) The gain seems awfully low to me. This is the case if I'm using either an active or passive bass. I ususally have to go in and crank the master volume on any of the preamps I use.

2) If I hot plug the UX2 into my macbook (10.5.6) the resulting audio is all distorted. This is the case for all sounds including system sounds. Basically I need to reboot with the UX2 connected.

Adam

[blipndub]

can you turn on the +18 boost on the UX2?

[Ammioz77]

I'm amazed, I've got the gearbox 3.70 version running with toneport ux2 on my mac and I CANNOT EVEN GET IT TO INITIALIZE ANYMORE. frankly i'm disgusted and about to throw it in the trash, I'm using a dual proc imac running os 10.5.6 and everything i've tried doesn't work. i can't even get gearbox to initialize. Any advice would be helpful. at this point i've gone back to using an old lexicon lambda and its plug and play no issues whatsoever. no amp simulations but at least it works and i get a decent signal in.. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[Dubista]

Ammioz, you could try getting the new Garageband 09. I think it comes with iLife 09 and ships with all new macs

Ps. you need the Macs with the intel chips to run the new iLife.

[Ammioz77]

i just bought this mac this summer... you think its a compatibility issue with Gearbox 3.70? I ran the compatibility check and it said everything was okay... I've never been able to smoothly use gearbox and I'm beginning to think it needs to head to the trash and I save my money for the apogee duet.

[Ammioz77]

Originally Posted by adammazza

I picked up a UX2 to use with my macbook. I had been using a presonus audiobox prior, but wanted to be able to customize a tone without firing up Cubase. Garage Band, etc.

Mine came with PodFarm. I did have to pay for the extra bass tones. It seems worth it to me. I've had 2 issues with mine:

1) The gain seems awfully low to me. This is the case if I'm using either an active or passive bass. I ususally have to go in and crank the master volume on any of the preamps I use.

2) If I hot plug the UX2 into my macbook (10.5.6) the resulting audio is all distorted. This is the case for all sounds including system sounds. Basically I need to reboot with the UX2 connected.

Adam

dudel

I'm using an imac dual proc. intel chip running 10.5.6 as well and I can't get either of them, toneport ux2 OR gearbox to work.. any help would be greatly appreciated. Whats your work flow?

thanks

[Gubna]

Does anyone know if Line 6 POD Studio UX2 with POD Farm will work well with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Producer?

[notalent]

I want to ask a quick question about the Ux2--if this is the only thing I purchase and I have some sort of pro-tools recording software, I can record with this?

I plug my bass into the Ux2, the Ux2 to the computer through a USB cable, and I run my software? I don't need any special sound card correct?

[ysand]

Yes, u don't need any special other things.
But it has many cool software coming along too

[gricko]

Originally Posted by Ammioz77

dudel

I'm using an imac dual proc. intel chip running 10.5.6 as well and I can't get either of them, toneport ux2 OR gearbox to work.. any help would be greatly appreciated. Whats your work flow?

thanks

i use it on 10.5.6
used it with 10.5.2-10.5.5 without any problems, also.

first - you have to install drivers from the cd you recived with the unit. driverst are to be installed with toneport disconnected from computer. so, to be 100% safe - disconnect toneport restart your mac and insert the CD. it will do what it is supposed to do and when it is ready, it will ask you to connect the toneport. after the install is finished and computer restarted, fireup line6 monkey and update everything that can be updated. at some point you should set-up your user account @line6.com. i do not remember if you can do it through the line 6 monkey software or it has to be done in web browser. anyway - you get to update drivers, gearbox and to download free of charge podfarm and riffworks. also, you were supposed to receive ableton live 5 line6 edition, that you should be able to upgrade to v.7 free of charge. at least i could.

hope this helps.

btw - price/performance wise ux2 is quite sweet thing. low noise, 96k/2bit samplerate, mic inputs, s/pdif digital output...
the only thing i do not like is that instrument input is mono and you can not run two instrument channels in parallel, as you can run two mics or mic/guitar.

[gricko]

Originally Posted by Gubna

Does anyone know if Line 6 POD Studio UX2 with POD Farm will work well with Cakewalk Sonar 8 Producer?

yes, you can run any sequencer with it. you just assign it as the audio device your DAW wants to use and you tell your DAW which channel from UX2 to take.

Originally Posted by notalent

I want to ask a quick question about the Ux2--if this is the only thing I purchase and I have some sort of pro-tools recording software, I can record with this?

I plug my bass into the Ux2, the Ux2 to the computer through a USB cable, and I run my software? I don't need any special sound card correct?

no, you do not need any other sound card/device. setup, plug and bob's your uncle. i use it as my main audio device - both for playing and listening to music. i connected analog line out from UX2 to microlab amp/speakers and it works as good as any other card. and you should receive ableton live 5 with it, that you can upgrade to v.7 free of charge. you can compare on ableton.com the difference between LE and full edition of the software.

[notalent]

Hey thanks for your reply! How would you rate the recording quality of this compared to say a full rig at a studio? I'm trying to think of a way I can record my parts for the record and not have to pay $40/hr at a studio here. There is one on CL for $100 so I could give it a shot and not be out much $$.

If I bought a Ux2 on CL can I download the pod studio? Or since I'm buying second hand it won't let me register?

Thanks for your help.

[Ammioz77]

Originally Posted by gricko

i use it on 10.5.6
used it with 10.5.2-10.5.5 without any problems, also.

first - you have to install drivers from the cd you recived with the unit. driverst are to be installed with toneport disconnected from computer. so, to be 100% safe - disconnect toneport restart your mac and insert the CD. it will do what it is supposed to do and when it is ready, it will ask you to connect the toneport. after the install is finished and computer restarted, fireup line6 monkey and update everything that can be updated. at some point you should set-up your user account @line6.com. i do not remember if you can do it through the line 6 monkey software or it has to be done in web browser. anyway - you get to update drivers, gearbox and to download free of charge podfarm and riffworks. also, you were supposed to receive ableton live 5 line6 edition, that you should be able to upgrade to v.7 free of charge. at least i could.

hope this helps.

btw - price/performance wise ux2 is quite sweet thing. low noise, 96k/2bit samplerate, mic inputs, s/pdif digital output...
the only thing i do not like is that instrument input is mono and you can not run two instrument channels in parallel, as you can run two mics or mic/guitar.

did all that...way back when I first bought the software in Nov of 07... it actually worked for me... twice... but since then nothing. I've shelved it and re tried it and shelved it and retried it. I spent 4 hours on it monday night trying figure it out. I've sent questions to support about it but as of yet have received no response. So right now the toneport is just a cool looking paperweight.

[funkmuffin]

Originally Posted by Ammioz77

did all that...way back when I first bought the software in Nov of 07... it actually worked for me... twice... but since then nothing. I've shelved it and re tried it and shelved it and retried it. I spent 4 hours on it monday night trying figure it out. I've sent questions to support about it but as of yet have received no response. So right now the toneport is just a cool looking paperweight.

Amm -- First question, does the TonePort show up in System Preferences/Sound? If it doesn't show there, then either the hardware is broken, or the USB cable is bad, or the drivers are corrupt. If it shows there, set it as the Output device. Then, try iTunes, and see if you can get sound out of the TonePort. If that's working, you're on your way. You'll also probably have to set it as the Input device, and then GB should work.

Are the VU meters lit up? Are the red clip lights blinking, or are they off?

[Gizmeister]

Have the same problem as ADAMMAZZA, plus when recording in GB or DP the wave line in the editor changes shape after i press stop, cutting down the upper part (i mean visually) of the recorded passage.
Im running mac os x version 10.5.6 on a new macbook pro.
Any thoughts???
Thanks