Feelings towards BASS P.O.D. PRO?

i was also thinking about this only using the berhinger Vamp pro

 

I use a Bass POD Pro as my preamp and have used it solely for around a year.
It really depends on what you are wanting to do with your sound...to make a really long story very short...my opinion is that the POD Pro is an unbelievable recording tool and it's good as a live unit, but it's fairly complicated. I can pretty much dial in any sound I want and there are tons of combinations to chose from. My experience here at TB is that people either love/hate them. I love mine, but if there is one kind of sound you're looking for I would say you're better off getting (INSERT BRAND) amp with (INSERT BRAND) speakers. If you're like me, and you do a lot of different covers, it helps to have all the different types of tones available. Another thing, the POD's effects aren't great, they are decent but you have to remember that this unit is an emulator and not the original thing.
Having said that, with a capable power amp and a good cabinet or two you'll be very happy with the tone/versatility the POD brings to the table, but like a lot of people here will agree, there's also something about an SVT-Classic that can't be recreated.
Also, I got my POD Pro used and in mint condition for a little over half what most places sell it for. I absolutely would not, under any circumstances pay what most places ask for one new. It's a good unit, but it ain't worth that much dough in my book.
The Behringer unit looks like a copy of the Bass POD, but then again, just about all of their stuff looks like a copy of the original. Haven't heard/played one though.

 

BTW, how do you like that 12 Stack? After seeing/hearing Robbie Merrill's rig (Godsmack) I seriously want a couple of 12 Stacks. Too bad I already went with more Goliaths....

 

First of all, excellent choice on that Warrior bass. They make a mean product (and quite beautiful too)!

Second, and more importantly, I used to own a POD Pro, and for the entire time I had it, I thought it was God's gift to bass... then I traded it in on my first REAL amp (an Ampeg B5R) and I was sold on real tone from that day on! The Bass POD Pro is a great preamp, but it has too many bells and whistles that you may never even get around to experimenting with, and unless you have a MASSIVE power amp, the output leaves much to be desired and the highs can be overbearing.

Then again, like Razor said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you like the way the thing sounds... more power to ya! Otherwise, if you don't think you'll use all the bells and whistles, I'd recommend maybe the SWR Interstellar Overdrive or the Ampeg SVP-Pro.

Consider that my two cents for the tray!

 

I've got one and I'm trying to sell it right now. It has a tremendous variety of tones and the operation is well thought out. I find that I end up using only one sound all the time anyway so I never need the different amp modeling stuff it offeres. I've got a F1-X and a SVP-Pro. I'm pre-amp poor as it is. If you like to change your sound around alot and tweak stuff, it is the sh!t.

 

I think that it's a rather neato device, but it is complicated. My life is already complicated enough! For home studio use I think it could be really handy. I actually want to get the guitar version. Someday soon on that one!

 

The bass pod pro is a interesting unit with lots of sounds and effects, but if you like a more straight forward bass sound it will not have many settings that will please. I tried one for a little while. I liked the "sub-dub" setting, but didn't see a use for the other settings.

a little later I got a Tech21 RBI and really really like it!!!

 

I used it a few times in my keyboardist's studio, i thought it sounded horrible, then i talked him into selling it and picking up a SWR grand prix, which IMO sounds light years better than the POD pro

 

I have been using it exclusively twice a weekend since they came out with it a few years back. My main sound is from the Acoustic 360 model and I use the Microsynth and MuTron effects, which I control via the FB4 footswitch. Pure love and joy...thank God for Pod!

 

The only difference is, as you guessed, the pro is rackmountable.

 

For the most part...yes. But the Pro version has a couple of extra features in the way of outputs and midi capabilities.

 

No, actually that was my sm-400s running direct into the recording console.

Hey, thanks for checking out the tune!

Gary

 

The biggest difference between the POD and POD Pro is the Live/Studio switch in the back. When the switch is set to studio the 1/4" and the XLR outputs contains a mic modeling program that simulates the bass cab (of choice) being mic'ed. You want this for recording, however you wouldn't want this in a live situation. In a live situation most prefer to have the board get the mic'ed signal and the stage bass amp get the cab simulation without the mic simulation added. That is what happens when you switch it to "Live". The 1/4" model out gets the un-mic'ed sig and the XLR gets the mic'ed.