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Bass POD Pro LIVE XT...Real World Review

#101
I guess I'm one of those that didn't spend enough time tweeking! Without it, those things sound like dog.

Interesting with the studio comments. I have a few friends who do pretty serious sessions in Nashville, and they've never seen one of these... it's all Millenia, etc. Also, you never see these things mentioned in the articles by the studio superstars like Michael Rhodes, Neil Stubenhaus, Glenn Worf (sorry about the spelling on these names, not sure), Jimmy Johnson, etc., etc.

However, I do know a lot of guys who use them in home studio's.

I can also see them used on some of the more hip hop / rap oriented stuff and the more 'Don Was' sort of 'bass as a drone tone' type recording.

Or.... I could just be hopelessly out of date!

K
 
#102
KJung said:
I guess I'm one of those that didn't spend enough time tweeking! Without it, those things sound like dog.

Interesting with the studio comments. I have a few friends who do pretty serious sessions in Nashville, and they've never seen one of these... it's all Millenia, etc. Also, you never see these things mentioned in the articles by the studio superstars like Michael Rhodes, Neil Stubenhaus, Glenn Worf (sorry about the spelling on these names, not sure), Jimmy Johnson, etc., etc.

However, I do know a lot of guys who use them in home studio's.

I can also see them used on some of the more hip hop / rap oriented stuff and the more 'Don Was' sort of 'bass as a drone tone' type recording.

Or.... I could just be hopelessly out of date!

K
Click to expand...

That is the key though Ken. Tweaking is a must. They do sound like ass right out of the box.

The bass players aren't really using them as much BUT boy are the producers using them for guitar! They'll typically track like Tommixx said. Amps and a dry signal that can be reamped through a POD XT Pro. Or just straight into the POD stuff.

I will probably use use a Bass Pod as a test but will probably use other DI's in the end. Ask Fredericks about himusing his Bass POD in the studio.

My thought on the BAss POD and the IP is that IF the IP's are pretty studio monitor like (which I have heard from many - except Ken Jung ;) ) then it will accurately reproduce the Bass Pod's models including speaker cab models. That could be huge.
 
#103
BigMikeW said:
That is the key though Ken. Tweaking is a must. They do sound like ass right out of the box.

The bass players aren't really using them as much BUT boy are the producers using them for guitar! They'll typically track like Tommixx said. Amps and a dry signal that can be reamped through a POD XT Pro. Or just straight into the POD stuff.

I will probably use use a Bass Pod as a test but will probably use other DI's in the end. Ask Fredericks about himusing his Bass POD in the studio.

My thought on the BAss POD and the IP is that IF the IP's are pretty studio monitor like (which I have heard from many - except Ken Jung ;) ) then it will accurately reproduce the Bass Pod's models including speaker cab models. That could be huge.
Click to expand...

Makes sense... I am one who hears the wonderful IP's as still sounding very 'Bergantino-ish'... which is a very good thing IMO. Not really sure who is calling them 'studio monitor' like... they sound just like they should... like a very good bass amp... very similar to my regular Berg with 'more of everthing'!
 
#104
...on my earlier post.

There seem to be a number of experienced users commenting in this thread.
Does anybody know how to overcome the problem of the lifeless performance or is this just the price to pay when using modelling?
IMO the tone sounds always like recorded, but not like a live gig.
Just me ?

P.S. I'm not trashing the Bodxt, I really like it, but want some help to overcome this one problem....
 
#105
OldogNewTrick said:
...on my earlier post.

There seem to be a number of experienced users commenting in this thread.
Does anybody know how to overcome the problem of the lifeless performance or is this just the price to pay when using modelling?
IMO the tone sounds always like recorded, but not like a live gig.
Just me ?

P.S. I'm not trashing the Bodxt, I really like it, but want some help to overcome this one problem....
Click to expand...


I can't comment about the Bass POD in a live setting BUT I have played with guys using the Guitar stuff live and it killed. Lifeless? Hardly. That probably has more to do with playing style than the POD's.

Now, one way to really "expand/enhance" the tone and make it fuller is to use an Aphex 204 or equivalent with the POD stuff.

Read up inone of my last posts and read the area titled LIVE SHOWS.
 
#106
OldogNewTrick said:
...on my earlier post.

There seem to be a number of experienced users commenting in this thread.
Does anybody know how to overcome the problem of the lifeless performance or is this just the price to pay when using modelling?
IMO the tone sounds always like recorded, but not like a live gig.
Just me ?

P.S. I'm not trashing the Bodxt, I really like it, but want some help to overcome this one problem....
Click to expand...

Not really sure where your problem could be...what kind of monitoring environment are you using? BOD in front of an amp, through the board and back into wedges, give me an idea of how you are hearing yourself through the BOD...I have not really had the same issue that you describe...

Peace,

T
 
#107
I havent used the Bodxt live yet, been using my trusty Dual Showman into my Aguilar GS210. Plenty of volume for the small places I get to play, great tone (but just one)...

Originally bought the Bod for messin about at home and have worked out by now a number of patches for a variety of tones, from Old School Rock to Slap, from Jazz to Motown
To test live use, I basically patched the model-out (live w. horn) into the line-in of a smallish hifi amp, from there into the GS210.
But my observation also applies to headphone playing.
Dont think my (lack of) playing technique is a factor, since its a constant in both equations...

I am not quite sure how to describe the difference in tone.
A/B testing Bod with Dual Showman patch and real Dual Showman:
The tone is there, but if you strike just one note, say a low G, through the real DS you can really hear the tone develop and fade. Through the Bod it sounds like playback from a CD.
I'm sure for recording, that's just as well, but for live use ?

Certainly, that wimpy hifi amp of mine doesnt help, but before I take the plunge for a good QSC/Crown/Crest, I want to get the input from more experienced Bod users...
 
#108
Would I be able to split effect & modeling with the Bass PODXT Live? What I would like to do is use my regular amp's stage tone with the effects from the POD without using any modeling BUT for the FOH use both the POD's modeling and effects?

ex:

STAGE - EDEN DC112XLT and BASS POD effects

FOH - BASS POD modeling & effects
 
#109
bassguppy said:
Would I be able to split effect & modeling with the Bass PODXT Live? What I would like to do is use my regular amp's stage tone with the effects from the POD without using any modeling BUT for the FOH use both the POD's modeling and effects?

ex:

STAGE - EDEN DC112XLT and BASS POD effects

FOH - BASS POD modeling & effects
Click to expand...



No. Can't do that.
 
#110
Intresting thread. I am getting an XT Pro very soon to use with forthcoming rig (SWR Redhead) and am looking forward to playing around with it. What is the best way to commect it to this amplifier? I would quite like to be able to switch between the pod and a clean signal - perhaps bass->ab box->pod->active or passive input and the other side of the ab box straight into the other input? I know it will be a matter of playing about with it but this looks like a good option if it is possible.
 
#111
OldogNewTrick said:
I am not quite sure how to describe the difference in tone.
A/B testing Bod with Dual Showman patch and real Dual Showman:
The tone is there, but if you strike just one note, say a low G, through the real DS you can really hear the tone develop and fade. Through the Bod it sounds like playback from a CD.
I'm sure for recording, that's just as well, but for live use ?

Certainly, that wimpy hifi amp of mine doesnt help, but before I take the plunge for a good QSC/Crown/Crest, I want to get the input from more experienced Bod users...
Click to expand...

Your description sounds like you have a compressor on - and all the sounds in the BOD have compressor by default. I wonder if that is what you are describing?

You can completely remove all compression which should give you all the dynamics from the bass - would love you to try that and report back to us. I have found that I needed to back off the comp for a couple of the sounds as they sounded just too flat and polished - I needed more of my fingers in there!
 
#112
Good review. From trying the POD on a few occasions, I didn't like it one bit. It just didn't feel authentic to me. Maybe I didn't tweak it enough, but I did spend a bit of time on the SVT setting a few times... I can say that I spend more than enough time on my GT-6B's modeling to find it pretty much useless, although the effects are very good.
 
#114
relayer66 said:
I also have the Variax bass, and I have a problem with some of the dedicated Variax patches on the POD XT live. There are about 3 bass models that don't work when connected through the RJ-45. I think it's both of the Manta models and the green Clang (Rick, Modulus and Stingray). Not a big deal but they Modulus is one of my favorite models. Wolfehollow, do you also have this problem?
With the POD and bass together, the tonal possibilities are mind-boggling.
Click to expand...

I havent noticed this... Ill do some checking tomorrow... I did notice my variguitar doing some strange things the other day... but it sounded fine recording.
 
#115
I have been playing with my XT Pro the last couple of days and I am very happy with it. I love being able to boost my fave 8khz frequency and the flexibility of the graphic eq in general was an unexpected bonus. I find the Eden model extremely good with Graphite necked basses. I downloaded a Marcus Miller solo patch too which is great if a little bassy but after some fun tweaking it sounds fantastic. Cant wait to try this through my amplifier. I am using it with some Grado SR60s at the moment so I dont want to play too loud.

Is anyone intrested in hearing my main patches so far? I have fretless chorus, Grit, studio 1 and 2, strings synth and octave juice and an envelope filter I could put up samples of.

Cheers
 
#116
chris h said:
I have been playing with my XT Pro the last couple of days and I am very happy with it. I love being able to boost my fave 8khz frequency and the flexibility of the graphic eq in general was an unexpected bonus. I find the Eden model extremely good with Graphite necked basses. I downloaded a Marcus Miller solo patch too which is great if a little bassy but after some fun tweaking it sounds fantastic. Cant wait to try this through my amplifier. I am using it with some Grado SR60s at the moment so I dont want to play too loud.

Is anyone intrested in hearing my main patches so far? I have fretless chorus, Grit, studio 1 and 2, strings synth and octave juice and an envelope filter I could put up samples of.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I would love to hear them. I have Bpod Live myself.
Brent
 
#119
Very thought provoking initial review, which inspires me to go back to working on some better patches to store in my XT Live (I did lots in the first 3 days and then got carried away with just using them)! :bassist:

:) Anyway, three thoughts for anyone who is interested:

1. The original Bass POD and the XT Live are (IMO) very far apart in terms of how they good can sound and how much variety they can give in a live situation. The XT floor unit could be the only "extra bit of kit", which an amateur bass player will ever need, if it's set up properly. I have owned both, so I do have a good appreciation of the differences and I mention this, so that anyone who ever owned (and hated :mad: ) the original, isn't put off trying the newest version.

2. One of the great things about tone modelling, is that you can very often find tones, which are better than the tone that you think you're looking for! Personally, I don't always know precisely the tone that I want, only that it has to sound good with (for instance) my P Bass and that (again, for instance) it has to be something close to the sound that John Entwhistle achieved in the 60's. With this as a starting point, I nearly always end up finding roughly the tone that I'd imagined and then find a way to emphasise the characteristics which I like best, resulting in a "better" sound. :hyper:

3. In some ways, I think that modelling is an extension of the creative process of music-making and that it offers musicians the chance to really push the envelope a little further (especially with the wealth of effects combinations that are possible on the XT Live). Equally, some of the tones that arise when experimenting with this thing, may actually inspire the player into creating a bassline or even complete song. That can't be bad, surely? :p

So, there you have it. Another vote of confidence for the XT. Considering what this unit can do, compared with it's modest pricing, I'm a little suprised that more of us don't own them. :hiding:
 

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