Pod XT Live

[SpeedDemon]

Ok. Since I am planing on buying a PA system(Because I am the vocalist in the band) I was thinking of instead of lugging around all the gear and stuff. Just buying a Pod XT Live and running it straight into the PA system. How does it sound?

Any other input about running the Pod XT live into a PA would be good too.

[marvar]

Re: Pod XT Live

Don't know about the XT but a local guy here runs a POD PRO directly in the PA and it sounds great, but he really did the woodshedding thing to tweak it, to get the right tones.

[aleclee]

Re: Pod XT Live

I own an XT Live. It'll sound good through your PA but there are one or two problems with that approach.

First, what are you going to do for monitoring? Since you won't have an amp sitting behind you, you'll have to turn up the guitar in the monitors to hear yourself. Unless you do monitor submixes, your bandmates might not be too happy with that, or you won't hear yourself as well as you do with a traditional setup.

Secondly, depending on what you're currently playing through, the POD doesn't have the feel of a real amp, especially when it's used through full range speakers (like those in your PA).

The tone will make satisfy an audience but the feel and monitoring issues might detract from your performance.

[SpeedDemon]

Re: Pod XT Live

I own an XT Live. It'll sound good through your PA but there are one or two problems with that approach.

First, what are you going to do for monitoring? Since you won't have an amp sitting behind you, you'll have to turn up the guitar in the monitors to hear yourself. Unless you do monitor submixes, your bandmates might not be too happy with that, or you won't hear yourself as well as you do with a traditional setup.

Secondly, depending on what you're currently playing through, the POD doesn't have the feel of a real amp, especially when it's used through full range speakers (like those in your PA).

The tone will make satisfy an audience but the feel and monitoring issues might detract from your performance.

2 VERY good points, As far as articulation and not sounding like a 'Real' amp I will have to play through a setup or something.

[kherman]

Re: Pod XT Live

I just recently got the POD XT LIVE.
I haven't had a chance to run it through the PA yet.
Just with headphones and through my computer monitors.
It sounds really good through the computer monitors.
Not digging the headphone sound so much.
I'm using Sony MDR7506 headphones.
I got it for those cases where I can't bring an amp.
Where I have to go direct to PA or to an existing backline.

What a lot of people are doing is getting a couple of the Atomic amps.
The Atomic amps are designed to work with your modeller.
The Atomic is a tube amp. It's just the power section. Your modeller will be your preamp. They are 18w tube. Most guys will get two so they can run stereo. Some what like getting a mesa 20/20 and running to two 1x12 cabs.

With the POD XTL you basically have three ways to set it up.
Front of an amp.
Into a power amp (or through a effects loop of an amp. So your just using the power section.)
or direct to PA.

When in front of an amp it's strongly suggested to just use it as a effects pedal. Keeping the amp models off.
A lot of guys will set up a nice clean tone on the amp, then use
the stomp box overdrive or distortion effects on the pod xtl to give themselves a gain sound when needed.

Otherwise running in the effects loop you can bypass an amps normal preamp
and use the pod xtl amp models as your preamp.
This is achieved by putting the send of the pod xtl into the return of the amp. Then putting a dummy plug in the send of the amp.
That way your just using the power section of the amp.

Direct to PA. You can be at the mercy of the sound guy.
Or a lot of guys will bring a small powered monitor of some type and
have that set up by them while still running a direct signal to the PA.

Kent

[greendy123]

Re: Pod XT Live

Otherwise running in the effects loop you can bypass an amps normal preamp
and use the pod xtl amp models as your preamp.
This is achieved by putting the send of the pod xtl into the return of the amp. Then putting a dummy plug in the send of the amp.
That way your just using the power section of the amp.

I was wondering what the pre-amp volume/distortion settings should be set to. I just assume it's set to zero so you just use the pod as the pre-amp. Is that correct?

[matt_transition]

Re: Pod XT Live

This is achieved by putting the send of the pod xtl into the return of the amp. Then putting a dummy plug in the send of the amp.
That way your just using the power section of the amp.

I run a POD Pro through the return of my Laney GH100TI, but what i'm wondering is whats the difference between putting a dummy plug in the send to not having one at all, like i use it?

[matt_transition]

Re: Pod XT Live

I was wondering what the pre-amp volume/distortion settings should be set to. I just assume it's set to zero so you just use the pod as the pre-amp. Is that correct?

It doesn't matter what the settings are for pre-amp controls, they wont make any difference to the sound whether on 10 or 0. Only master volumes and sometimes presence controls work as these are power amp features. (Also some amps have other P-A features, my Laney has a resonance switch which controls power amp dampening)

[greendy123]

Re: Pod XT Live

By using just return effects socket, are you saying that it mutes the pre-amp and the only input to the amp is basically the pod?

[Mincer]

Re: Pod XT Live

I use a Boss GT-Pro, direct to the PA, and bring a small powered full range monitor...it sounds great.

[ratherdashing]

Re: Pod XT Live

By using just return effects socket, are you saying that it mutes the pre-amp and the only input to the amp is basically the pod?

That's correct.

FYI, I have had terrible luck with the PODxt through an amp's effects loop. I find it colours the tone a great deal. The amp's power amp is designed to work with its own preamp, and when you put something else in there it will sound completely different.

I recommend the Atomic. You can run a line out of the Atomic's effects loop to the PA, thus you get the best of both worlds.

[kherman]

Re: Pod XT Live

I run a POD Pro through the return of my Laney GH100TI, but what i'm wondering is whats the difference between putting a dummy plug in the send to not having one at all, like i use it?

Some amps require a dummy plug in the send in order for the effects loop to work.



Ratherdashing,
what did you set the "output mode" to when you ran into the effects loop?
PWRAMP 2x12? PWRAMP 4x12?
Least that's what they recommend.
It turns off the mic and room components of the AIR.
Also revoices the speaker sims.

Did you ever try turning off the cab sims to see if it improved it, or just used direct mode instead of pwr mode?

Kent

[LesStrat]

Re: Pod XT Live

My current setup is

Fly Deluxe-->MXR Dynacomp-->POD xt Live-->direct box.

From there, I send the signal to the PA, and I use the direct out jack to send a signal to a Hartke B30 bass combo that I use for a guitar monitor. I used to just use the regular monitors, until they ran out of monitor sends. Of course, you have to trust your sound tech when running that way.

At any rate, the li'l bass amp is working for me. It's important that you use a bass, acoustic, or keyboard amp when using a POD. If you use an electric guitar amp, you should turn off the amp/cab modeling (then you lose sonic options). K/B & bass amp speakers don't color your sound as much as guitar amp speakers.

Another option is a powered monitor (or even a powered Hot Spot). The amount of power needed is entirely dependent upon the stage volume.

POD direct to PA is a VERY workable setup, IMHO. I've been using it for 5 years (POD 2.0 before).

[ratherdashing]

Re: Pod XT Live

Ratherdashing,
what did you set the "output mode" to when you ran into the effects loop?
PWRAMP 2x12? PWRAMP 4x12?
Least that's what they recommend.
It turns off the mic and room components of the AIR.
Also revoices the speaker sims.

Did you ever try turning off the cab sims to see if it improved it, or just used direct mode instead of pwr mode?

Kent

I tried every output mode available through three different amps (a Mesa DC-3, a Marshal DSL-100, and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe). I tried going into the FX return, and going into the input. Both were bad for different reasons. I did not try turning off cab sim. One of the problems is that I primarily use the XT in my home studio, and presets that would sound great there translated poorly into the amp. I could have created a whole new set of presets for the amp, but that seemed to be missing the point IMO.

I am very happy with my Atomic now.

[kherman]

Re: Pod XT Live

Yeah , I already figured on creating different banks of patches for each mode.
You've got 32 banks of 4. So, there's plenty of location for storing different setups, and still have patches left over for other creations.

I guess I've just been so used to midi rack setups for the last 16 years that to me
my pod xtl and Flex III xl are nothing more than racks bundled into sweet little packages.
So, the programming doesn't phase me.
I'm used to it.
That's what actually had drawn me to the Line 6 stuff.
I wanted something more compact. But with the versatility of a rack.

Kent