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PODxt: worth having?

#62
abhishek said:
yes jpo,thts almost the same setup i had in mind.but why feed both amp n house.is it just for the xlr out?y nt jus directly use the DI alone?

i know finally the choice is upto me regarding the bass eq setup.but i wanted to basically know if it will color the pod tones in any way.cos i wdnt want the muddy situation in any way.as u said,its upto me to figure out.but jus wanted to get a lil info on others experiences
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The DI out on the POD is just that... a DI. No modeleing. Why would you get a POD if you plan on using the DI output?? The Bean POD has two ouputs-1/4" TRS Model Out., 1/4" TRS DI out. Bob Rogers uses an adaptor to go from the Model out. 1/4"TRS to XLR, then to the house. You can also get 1 meter cables (Mogami comes to mind) that are 1/4"-XLR. What I have done for years with my old POD was to use a simple 1/4" TS 'Y' adaptor. I plug the 'stem' into the MODEL output of the POD. One 'axis' gets a 1/4" guitar cable that goes into the input of whatever amp I am using onstage.The other 'axis' gets a 1 meter patch cord 1/4" that goes directly to a small Rolls Matchbox DI. The output from the DI is a low impedence XLR that goes to the house. With that, I get the Modeled tones onstage, and the house does, too. I don't even use the DI output of the POD live with my old bean POD.

Now, you said a few posts back that soundguys are troublesome there. You said you wanted to use the POD with your amp. Well, get a simple Y adaptor and you can do both. As far as coloring your sound, read the post I wrote on page 3. I copied a quote right out of the owners manual dealing with using a POD live in front of a combo amp. Does your amp have a Preamp In?? And effects loop?? If so, the POD can be plugged into the Preamp In or the Effects Loop Return and bypass your amps' tone controls. That works very well for a POD used with a combo amp. In this respect, a combo amp is any amp where the preamp and amplifier section are all in one-in other words, every regular bass amp. The POD works best using IT as the preamp, and sending it's signal to a poweramp.

And lastly, I think Xonebass and myself have detailed well what it takes to get GREAT tones out of the Bass Podxt/Podxt Pro. It doesn't matter what bass you have. Active, passive, Fender, Alembic, etc., etc. It would be pointless for me to detail preset settings with you since my Pod Pro si going straight to a power amp and Aguilar cabs. It is set up for my rig. When, or if, you get a POD, then you could ask more detailed and pertinent questions here.
 
#63
jpo259 said:
Why would you get a POD if you plan on using the DI output?? .
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Absolutely jpo, if you don't want to use the Bass Pod for what it's designed for why waste your money in the first place? Can you do it? Sure, and you can jump out of an airplane with no parachute but it would be pretty pointless and you might have regrets at the bottom :D .

jpo259 said:
And lastly, I think Xonebass and myself have detailed well what it takes to get GREAT tones out of the Bass Podxt/Podxt Pro. It doesn't matter what bass you have. Active, passive, Fender, Alembic, etc., etc. It would be pointless for me to detail preset settings with you since my Pod Pro si going straight to a power amp and Aguilar cabs. It is set up for my rig. When, or if, you get a POD, then you could ask more detailed and pertinent questions here.
Click to expand...

Jpo's got a great point here. The Bass Pod Pro XT is like a computer, it's designed to do a lot of different things and thus, like a computer my settings or setup will not apply to you. One of the things my guitarist and I have noticed is that patches made on one guy's rig and guitar/bass will sound totally different if moved to another guy's rig with their guitar/bass. Also, like a computer, there is no "right" way to set things up but at the same time there are some ways that are just more efficient than others.

My suggestion for anyone who's seriously considering this unit, try to consider your purchase more the way you would a new computer and less like a bass. Why? Because when you purchase a bass you either like it or you don't. The sound, design, feel, playability, action etc. either work for your hands and your style or not. However, the Bass Pod Pro XT is versatile enough to work for numerous styles, tones, effect needs/desires etc. That being said, just like a computer (especially for first time users) there is a significant learning curve.

And just like a computer there are a hundred different ways you can customize it to your needs - you can run it stripped down (like I do) or you can run it as a portion of your arsenal (like JPO does) and in numerous other configurations in between and besides. Also, like a computer the more you know the better it will work for you. Study the manual, try out the unit for a period of time and constantly work with it. If you don't, you'll end up using it the way my mom uses a computer. Sure she can use Word and Excel and the print function but I certainly wouldn't be satisfied to use a brand new top of the line power mac that way :hmm:
 
#64
ya jpo and xonebass,true bout the settings fittin for an individual may not do for another.so will give mine a shot.will be gettin it in a month hopefully.so thx for ur replies.see y'all soon.
p.s:kinda got the config u were talkin bout jpo.n since im new to this wholeDI/preamp thing i guess i'll try out wt u said.
n im nt sure if my amp as well as the stage amp is a combo-amp!!!hw do i know?well its got trem,rverd,speed n stuff other than the vol,bass,trbl,mid controls!so?!
 
#65
abhishek said:
n im nt sure if my amp as well as the stage amp is a combo-amp!!!hw do i know?well its got trem,rverd,speed n stuff other than the vol,bass,trbl,mid controls!so?!
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As far as the POD is concerned, ANY BASS AMP, SWR, Ampeg, Eden, Behringer, etc., etc., etc. is a combo amp. What Line 6 is taliking about is if the preamp and tone controls are located with the poweramp section. In other words, like every bass amp. ONCE MORE: The POD works best when used as a PREAMP sending it's signal directly to a POWER AMP (i.e: QSC, Crown, Yamaha, Stewart World, etc). If you do not own a POWERAMP, but own a BASS AMP., (or GUITAR AMP, or KEYBOARD AMP), or any 'amplifier' that comes as a complete package-preamp section- tone controls, poweramp section (like all bass amp. 'head's), or comes complete with-preamp section, tone controls, poweramp section, and a speaker in an enclosure (typical 'combo amp'), then the POD works best if you either set your amp's tone controls to 'nuetral', or bypass your amps' tone controls either by plugging the POD into an EFFECTS LOOP RETURN input, or into a PREAMP IN input IF your amp has any of these inputs. If not, plug into the bass input and NEUTRALIZE your tone controls as described a few post ago.

Use the Y adaptor I described to spli the POD's MODEL output signal so you can send one cable to YOUR AMP, and one cable to the PA SYSTEM. THAT IS...if you WANT to do that. If all you want to do is use it with YOUR AMP., disregard the Y adaptor.
 
#67
i just bought the pod last week/and i'm getting a high sqealing sound from it/ i got the geddy lee bass/ if i turn down the tone knob all the way down most of it goes away(but not completely) thus i lose my high end,is it because of the pickups, or a bad unit/ i'll try a different outlet, and see what happens. any help out there :hmm:
 
#70
I am currently using the BassPODXT PRO, and I must say I haven't been happier. My three guitars have TOTALLY different tonal characteristics, and the beauty of having this unit is that I can have custom-tailored presets to dial in per guitar. My five string has an EMG 45DC pickup, and it absolutely, totally, cooks. My POD setting uses full compression with a GK amp model, and the tone sounds like a kick drum with notes. For my main four string, I use the Mesa 400 simulation, and it gets that thick/warm sound that I love. In all honesty, the BassPODXT initially turned me off, as it is digital, and I figured that the tones "couldn't vary THAT much...". It has proven me wrong. My main desire in a rig is versatility, and the Line6 stuff has that in spades. There is every bass tone available, and only the most hardcore audiophile could possibly tell the difference, and it would have to be in a direct A/B difference. I recorded with the Mesa setting and my guitar player was absolutely CONVINCED that I had mic'ed a 400+. It really is amazing, and the PRO series is set up to handle just about anything that could be asked of it. The ONLY gripe I have whatsoever is that it doesn't have stereo outs, which would make auto-panning effects a lot of fun, but...

In all honesty, it is the most versatile piece of kit I have yet to own. It was stated earlier that it must be run directly into the power amp section of your amplifier if you are going to use it live, and this is true. I bypass my amp's preamp, and go direct into the Power Amplifier. I run the Bass Pod through an Ampeg SVP-PRO tube preamp, and I finally have my dream rig. I get the best of both worlds, as far as I am concerned, and allows for me to add as much tube warmth I need, when I want to, and can take it away(which I typically do with chorus).

The beauty of the BassPOD is that you can run it into your amp, and DI into the deck without being forced to run the effects, so in other words you can split your signal one way or another to your amp either wet or dry, OR do the reverse to the board. This means you can send your clean bass tone to your amp, and send your modeled signal into the house, or send your modeled tone into your amp and the dry signal to the house.

The other beauty of these XT-series boxes is that you can hook up direct to your computer, and edit all your parameters via your computer with handy interfacing software from line6. It's absolutely great. I have found some really, really bizarre patches on the line6 website. It's also a snap to reorganise your tone library via the computer editing software.

So what I have done is set up my three main patches for each respective guitar I use, and put them in sequentially. Then next to each patch for my guitar is the same patch distorted, so I can switch directly back and forth between the two.

There is an alternate foot-controller called the FBV2 that allows you to maneuver throughout the presets sequentially. It doesn't have an expression pedal, but it is perfect for my uses, in that I can bounce back and forth through my 6 main presets.

I highly recommend this for your rig.
 
#71
I was just wondering the opinion of users of both the Bass Pod, and the Bass Pod XT. What the main differences are other than more models on the XT. Was there a dicernable difference in the tonal quality of the unit?

I have used a Bass pod (both bean and rackmount) for about 5 years now. I think (and I could be wrong here) that a lot of people that don't like the pods for live situations, is that the cabinet models will be on unless you turn them off, adding a particular color that may not be along the same lines as your cabinet, or too much on the same line enhancing a particular frequency too much.

I mostly just run the Eden amp sim, set flat (except with my JO5, that needs a bit of mid cut), with no cab modeling into my 410XLT, and it sounds great.
 
#72
I got the Pod XT Pro for direct to PC recording
(augment my mic/amp choices) and then I got
the Short Board for it - now I use it live and
I am loving it:) the ready to go tuner and presets
work hand in glove with the Shortboard.

I run it to a QSC MX700 both in a Gator rack.

Compared to my other "gigging" amp Carvin R600III
it is such a different sounding beast. Same cabs
for either rig yet such different tones. I should
try to "emulate" the Carvin with the Pod's menus
and see what a comparision sounds like:bassist:

Only bummer about the Pod is the lack of bottom
end on the delay FX patches:scowl:

I saw others mention this on Harmony Central
before I bought it.

The ability to "re amp" and to go "direct digital"
with either a USB cable or AES/SPDIF makes this
baby the handiest SOB ever!
 

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