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Bass POD Pro LIVE XT...Real World Review

#121
I loved my original pod. Then I got an XT Live. I loved that, however in recent months I've found I rarely end up using it. I just leave it on one setting I have that is mostly pure (some eq, some comp). I think a lot of that is I finally found a couple basses whose sound I just absolutely love. No need to muck with it.

If anybody is interested in an bass pod xt live, PM me an offer. I'm ready to let it go.
 
#123
personally i love my Bodxtl, yes its a little tricky setting up a live tone.......but thats what you do when the drummer is setting up hehe. i really dont find setting up eqs for diffent gigs a chore or a pain as its what you HAVE to do to get a good sound (if like me you use an amp not PA and di for your main sound). what i do is get a good sound with my headphones(with cab sim) then plug into my amp and nock off the speaker sim to get a decent sound then tweak the tone for the venue with my amps controls (i use a peavey mk IV, clean channel just bass and drive channel the pod in FX loop, as they are both on its ok to get a nice tone).
 
#124
OldogNewTrick said:
to all you guys, who are actually using the Bod xt/L - what are amp/cab setup are you using ?
Click to expand...

Personally I'm only using it as an effects pedal/tuner. I use it for live gigs. Signal path is, Fretless Fender P or J, Bass Pod XT Live, Aguilar 680, Stewart 2.1 amp, SWR Henry 8x8.

I play mostly blues, old school funk, r&b, classic rock.
I basically use it for 3 things.
1. chorus / verb for ballads
2. envelope filter for funky solos
3. tuner

I was having problems with some of my foot pedals and for the cost I couldn't even come close to replacing them for the price of a XT Live so I decided to give it a try.
I have all amp/cab models bypassed. I'm strictly using it as an effects pedal board and so far its worked out pretty darn good. I did had an issue with feedback and the auto-wha (envelope filter) where it got stuck in a loop. That sucked but I think it was due to a difference in pickup output between basses. Other than that its been great.
I'll tell you one thing, setup and tear down is a heck of alot faster now. I'm a pro player in Phoenix AZ now and lived and played for a living in Los Angeles for 11 years before that. I like load in/out to be as fast and painless as possible without sacraficing tone. This rig allows me to do that reasonably well.
 
#125
threshar said:
I loved my original pod. Then I got an XT Live. I loved that, however in recent months I've found I rarely end up using it. I just leave it on one setting I have that is mostly pure (some eq, some comp). I think a lot of that is I finally found a couple basses whose sound I just absolutely love. No need to muck with it.
Click to expand...

I'm in that same boat! I only really use one basic setup. I've got about 5 or 6 variations of the one "channel" so I can match the right sound for the song.

I fell for the novelty of all the crazy (but mostly useless) factory presets when I tried one out at a music store.

I agree w/ some of the people here that you can get some pretty decent tones if you're willing to spend the time. Unfortunately, I'm not that patient. So don't get me wrong, the BODxtLive is great, but not for me necessarily.

I'll probably be posting mine in the Classifieds as soon as I get off my rump and upgrade to a Supporting Membership!:hiding:
 
#126
Hi folks, this is chris h from earlier, I promised some samples, well here they are:

http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Carter Hiscox Hiscocks/Clown Killa.mp3 Recorded with a Vigier series II fretted with Marleaux electronics into the eden wt300 setting and no cab selected, a small boost at 8khz..

http://www.frozencloudmusic.com/~chrishiscocks/Carter Hiscox Hiscocks/Torrential.mp3 Recorded with a Vigier passion series 3 fretless, into the SM500 amp and EA1x12 cab, a touch of 'room' and a little reverb, with a close proximity tube mic.

Whilst recording these new tracks for a CD, I compared the 'clean' setting bass sound with the previously recorded tracks and the podxt was a clear winner. I really enjoyed using it and found it extremely good fun.

Cheers
ped (chris h)
 
#127
Great review, and great input from the rest of you guys (and gals?). I actually just ordered an XT Live myself. I'm so novice it's not even funny, so I'll be a pretty blank slate for the XT to impress itself upon. Fortunately, I do have the time to tweak, so hopefully I'll be happy soon. Since I don't even have an amp anymore (my Carvin R600 blew out and nobody can fix it), this will at least be nice as a practice unit. Right now it's just me and my MIM J, unplugged on the couch. Not the best for tapping practice. . .

Maybe I'll come back with the amateur counterpart to this review in a couple of weeks. I may not have a studio full of vintage amps and cabs, or years of experience behind any big-name leads (the closest I've come so far is opening for Robben Ford when I was 17), but I've got an ear for what sounds good, and I think that's what matters in the music world. To be continued. . . .
 
#129
Hey Fellas,
Well to attest to the quality and versatility of the unit I am going back to the Bass Pod Live. I have been testing some amps lately and none of them come close to doing what the Pod does.Tuner,Compressor,effects,Amps, Noise gate I love it!
Im going to try it with a Tech 21 Bass Power Engine if I can get my hands on one.
B
 
#130
I've been jumpin around this forum and ran across this thread because I was concidering a podxt pro. I've been using a little Joe Meek optical compressor but its not sturdy enough for the road. However as a dedicated compressor it has threshold (actually its an input vol), attack, rate and release.

The XT pro seems to have one control only (rate). Is there a back door way to set the rest? Am I asking too much? surely different styles need different attack settings.

The specs say that its modeled on the LA-2A valve compressor. Isn't the LA-2A an optical?

Surely in these days of DSP in must be possible to create/download different algorithms to simulate different effects like, for instance, a different compressor instead of an effect you don't use.
 
#131
There are various stompbox compressors avail in the XT Live that you can use that have more fine grained controls than the one knob of the "overall compressor". The downside is you can't use another stompbox effect with it (You get 1 amp, 1 cab, 1 stomp, 1 delay/reverb, 1 modulation per patch)
 
#133
The Pod Live contains three compressors in it's Stomp Box emulations.

One is based the Boss Compressor/Sustain CS-1, another is MXR Dyna-Comp and the last is a Line 6 original called the Vetta. The Vetta, as told by the manuel, has a fixed ratio of 2.35:1 along with sensitivity and level adjustment.

I don't believe those have the level of control that you are interested in.
 
#134
tommixx said:
and a very valid reason.....that is why I wanted to stress the point...a LOT of people will be put off by just how much tweaking it really takes to make full use of the thing......unfortunately, the other side of the coin is that a LOT of people just don't know how to "tweak" effectively to obtian the sounds they are looking for.....In my opinion it would have been far more useful to actually offer initial presets of usable models instead of "special effects" type presets......get the tone right and THEN let people play with the various effect parameters!!! Thank you for helping to illustrate this point for me....

Peace,

T
Click to expand...

Maybe you should offer to sell some of your tweaked patches to Line 6? Of course, that may not be an advantage to you in that your patches will probably get you a lot of business, but of course, it is all a matter of economics. If Line 6 is willing to pay enough, than it's all good.

Or, you could wait until you have made a few of those grammy winning hits, which could only increase the value of your patches to Line 6. It would seem that if your patches would minimize the return of their product, it would be worth a lot to them!

Just a thought......:hmm:
 
#135
BuffaloBob4343 said:
Maybe you should offer to sell some of your tweaked patches to Line 6? Of course, that may not be an advantage to you in that your patches will probably get you a lot of business, but of course, it is all a matter of economics. If Line 6 is willing to pay enough, than it's all good.

Or, you could wait until you have made a few of those grammy winning hits, which could only increase the value of your patches to Line 6. It would seem that if your patches would minimize the return of their product, it would be worth a lot to them!

Just a thought......:hmm:
Click to expand...

Point taken...but I would think the guys that built the thing should theoretically be far better at that than me!! I agree that somebody should do something to make the initial presets better though. It is really a shame that so many people will be turned off to it and won't be able to make use of it for that very reason!! For what it's worth, I have tweaked my second unit for the Guitarist I work with a lot and between the 2 of us working on it we have totally eliminated his myriad of amps that he normally carts in for sessions...He has a small carry on sized suitcase that he keeps his laptop, POD XT Live, his Inears and all his cables in and that is his entire rig!!!! Just played with him again tonight and he has really good tone from the thing! Thanks for the thoughts!

Peace,

T
 
#136
I’ve been messing with the V bass for over 4 months now. I had the basic pod way back but I was not then where I am now so moved it down the road in short order. I never even loaded the software (ironically one of the main things I‘m interested in checking out now).

I’m going to give the xt a go and do some comparison with the V bass. I’m guessing all these units have they’re attributes and pitfalls, some redeeming value, and are basically on the same plain - at least feedback indicates that. The V bass is really worth having for the fretless tones alone.



Quote:
Originally Posted by tommixx
and a very valid reason.....that is why I wanted to stress the point...a LOT of people will be put off by just how much tweaking it really takes to make full use of the thing......unfortunately, the other side of the coin is that a LOT of people just don't know how to "tweak" effectively to obtian the sounds they are looking for.....In my opinion it would have been far more useful to actually offer initial presets of usable models instead of "special effects" type presets......get the tone right and THEN let people play with the various effect parameters!!! Thank you for helping to illustrate this point for me....



Couldn’t agree more. They’ve got to be chasing 10 bass players away for every one they real in. I don’t know what these manufacturers are thinking of when they create these patches - or their products in general. They seem to be pretty clueless about the people they’re marketing these things too. I would have thought by now someone would have made at least one for bass players instead of wanna be synth players. It appears I’m not alone in wanting something for bass and not creating a War Of The Worlds Soundtrack. If I wanted a synth, I would buy a synth not a pod or V bass. Ironically, I may end up trying synth piccolo to get all the bass sounds I want in a condensed package.


Ped:

My intended applications aside, I found Clown Killa a cool piece. Reminds me of an entry in an animated film festival I went to. Could easily see it as commercial backdrop or similar. And after having the V bass, I can definitely appreciate the product, I‘ve listened to it several times, and I like it. I assume it was all done on the pod?
 
#139
luknfur said:
Ped:

My intended applications aside, I found Clown Killa a cool piece. Reminds me of an entry in an animated film festival I went to. Could easily see it as commercial backdrop or similar. And after having the V bass, I can definitely appreciate the product, I‘ve listened to it several times, and I like it. I assume it was all done on the pod?
Click to expand...

Hi mate sorry I didn't see this before. I have replied to your PM - but yes, it was all done on the pod. I love mine!
 

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