Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

[Gearjoneser]

I've seen a few threads about Line 6 vs. Vox Valvetronix, but now I want to hear about the Line 6 products vs. other Line 6 products.

How much better does the POD XT sound than the regular POD? Also, what is effected by the 2.? upgrades? How does XT Live and the rackmount POD Pro XT sound compared to all these units? Do the heads sound better than a POD Pro with a power amp?

I'm talking about the sound quality on recordings, as well as being used with amps and PA systems.

Do the rackmount FX sound better in loops than the stompbox versions on the floor?

Do the small pedals sound as good as the 4 button versions?

If you've owned or used different models, let's hear the comparisons

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Just for fun, check this out. My friend Shane in Santa Barbara (he actually works right next to the SD factory) has a killer band. He recorded their 2005 demo 100% with a PODxt live and metal pack. Sounds insane to me.

http://www.backmask.com. The demo will auto-play.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

the XT is a lot better than the originals...there is no sound difference between the Pro, bean, and Live versions quality-wise.
I use the DL4 for delay and looping and it is a wonderful pedal- I use it in non-true bypass mode so the delays trail off when I turn it off. Mmmmm

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

I use the new PodXT model, and I haven't owned the earlier or other ones. With that unit, I've noticed that all L6 updates have upgraded the sound and proved quite nice. I've also made do without all those model packs, there's a ****load of amps there already. I think that it's a great thing, especially for the price it goes for. There are problems, of course, and I rather play with a very nice amp. But for the price and convenience it's hard to beat.

The way I understood, the only difference between the standard bean models and the rack pro models is the shape and that the pros have s/pdif (?) connections. Nothing else.

If you want to use it while live, and use wah and some other effects while being able to manipulate them on the fly, get the PodXT Live. The floorboards are a hassle separately and they cost insane amounts of money.

 

[BigBazz]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Just for fun, check this out. My friend Shane in Santa Barbara (he actually works right next to the SD factory) has a killer band. He recorded their 2005 demo 100% with a PODxt live and metal pack. Sounds insane to me.

http://www.backmask.com. The demo will auto-play.

AWESOME DEMO, that band are going places, very good recorded tones, and very good recording quality for a demo. after listening to that im thinking about getting a Pod and the metal pack. i personally have never liked any line 6 amp ive played, they are awfull for live, very thin sounding. though the pod has always surpised me with how good they can sound.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

i own 2 duoverbs (yeah i like em) and had experience with flextones + spiders (last generation).
DUOVERBS - to me these amps are awesome. uses the same tech. in the vetta series but more stripped down + like a normal amp. I got both for cheap when line 6 discontinued them. Tons of useful + great sounds.
SPIDER 2x12 - I can honestly not recommend the spider series to anyone. my 30 watt marshall sounds better then this. the 'twang' and 'clean' channels sound alright at any volume but as soon as you start adding distortion (any disortion, even a podxt couldn't save it) the amp turns into mud. maybe a speaker change would help (duoverbs have flat response celestions and spider has line 6 brand)
FLEXTONE 2x12 - This amp was allright. Not quite as clear sounding as the duoverbs and didn't seem to take high volumes as well. Definitely some good use can come from one but seeing as i got my duoverb for cheaper, i'd recommend against it.

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

The way I understood, the only difference between the standard bean models and the rack pro models is the shape and that the pros have s/pdif (?) connections. Nothing else.

Actually, the Pro's have XLR connections, S/PDIF, and reamping capabilities which make them essential for some people. The reamping is especially important, and is great if you can't do your tracking on a real amp, but still want to get some recording done. Also, tweaking the amp while the computer plays for you is much easier.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

I can speak to POD 2.0 vs. PODxt. I own the xt bean, and I've played through a 2.0 several times. IMO the PODxt is a major leap in quality overall. The 2.0 has a lot of great models (I actually prefer the JCM 800 model on the 2.0 vs. the one on the xt), but I find most of the clean models to be disappointing. The xt's cleans are phenomenally good. In particular, I use the Deluxe, Twin Reverb, and JC120 models quite frequently. I also love the AC30 model and the Matchless Chieftain model for medium gain stuff. Both have some pretty weak models, but on the xt the great models far outweigh the weak ones.

For effects, the xt wins hands down. You could turn off amp and cab modelling, use only the effects, and still get your money's worth and then some.

Aside from tone, the xt definitely has the better interface, and the ability to plug it into a USB port is a big plus.

Oh, and as for the upgrades that came out a while back: after I upgraded my xt, I did notice some subtle differences. The open back cabs started to sound a lot more like the real thing (more "airy" is the best way I can describe it), but I didn't hear much of a difference on the 4x12 closed-back cab models. I remember having to change the EQ settings on one of my Twin Reverb patches because of this. One good thing to note is that if you don't like what the upgrade does, you have the ability to roll back to the old version.

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

GearJ, these guys pretty much covered it, but I'll add that the XT Pro does have better AD/DA converters too.

XT vs 2.0... The way I see it is that the modeling was more forgiving back in the 2.0 days. "Tweaking" was easier because the variances in that generation were slight. Poeple who hate to tweak don'tlike the XT because you have to fine tune more, because there is so much more variance in the tones you can get. More amp models,more cab models, more FX, more of everything and they do sound better because the technology has leapfrogged itself.

"Do heads sound better than direct?" Well again that is debateable. I've seen both used improperly and they sound like crap. It's not the devices fault.... Garbage In, Garbage Out!

Live I've said your more than welcome to stop by my studio anytime and check out the XT and Atomics if you want to give it a whirl. That is my favorite way to run the XT live these days. ABout half the time I'll run it that way instead of going direct too! I have all the 6 original ToneCore pedals Line 6 gave me. If you have the bigger versions, feel free to come on by still and AB them.

If you want to hear slammin POD 2.0 tracks, I have some at MySpace. The Mission Impossible II temp tracks... There are 2 of them with M:i-2 in the title. All POD 2.0. The track To Be With You is all XT win the Atomic. The 4th track is the Vetta II direct using AES/EBU.

http://www.myspace.com/instituteofnoise


Hey DeadSkin... Shane has been on my Line 6 site for years. He actually works with my old drummer, who did my site logo. Have him tell you that story. It's pretty funny!

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Hey DeadSkin... Shane has been on my Line 6 site for years. He actually works with my old drummer, who did my site logo. Have him tell you that story. It's pretty funny!

Haha really? That's awesome. I knew he was in professional web design, but nothing more.

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

I just noticed he's got the last comment made on my MySpace page too!

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

XT is a large improvement over the 2.0, but I miss the JCM800 and Soldano models from 2.0.

Spider series sounds like garbage to me.

Vetta series sound great but they are retardedly overpriced.

I was incredibly impressed with the HD147. I thought it was going to be a nu-metal high gain kiddie toy like the marshall mode 4. It sounds GREAT! The cleans and vintage models are awesome, and the JCM800 model was killer. I want to get another one someday. I bought one at a guitar center sale for $400 and sold it for $800. I bought it for the investment otherwise I would have kept it.

The Duoverb I've been wanting to try for a long time but I hear mixed reviews on them.

 

[shredaholic]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Just for fun, check this out. My friend Shane in Santa Barbara (he actually works right next to the SD factory) has a killer band. He recorded their 2005 demo 100% with a PODxt live and metal pack. Sounds insane to me.

http://www.backmask.com. The demo will auto-play.

sounds pretty good, but why did they record a guy puking up in the background?

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

sounds pretty good, but why did they record a guy puking up in the background?

I assume you mean in Tomorrow is Dead, when the lyrics go "Confuse the delusion"? It's just the vocals with a mod on them. I think it add's some cool atmosphere.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

XT is a large improvement over the 2.0, but I miss the JCM800 and Soldano models from 2.0.

I LOVE the Soldano model in the XT!!!

Spider series sounds like garbage to me.

+1 ... but for a beginner looking for a good practice amp they are a good deal.

Vetta series sound great but they are retardedly overpriced.

You get what you pay for IMO. Personally I don't have a need for all the features the Vetta offers, so for me it would be a waste of money, but I can appreciate the massive palette of tones it offers.

I was incredibly impressed with the HD147. I thought it was going to be a nu-metal high gain kiddie toy like the marshall mode 4. It sounds GREAT! The cleans and vintage models are awesome, and the JCM800 model was killer. I want to get another one someday. I bought one at a guitar center sale for $400 and sold it for $800. I bought it for the investment otherwise I would have kept it.

I have heard nothing but good things about that amp. It is clearly designed first and foremost for the metal player, but it has a lot more to offer than just those kinds of tones.

The Duoverb I've been wanting to try for a long time but I hear mixed reviews on them.

Never tried one ... I don't think they make it anymore.

Have you tried the Flextone III? If you're looking for a vintage voice without the sophistication of the Vetta, it's a great amp. Same models as the Vetta II/PODxt/HD147, but in a very well-priced combo. I tried one in a store, and I almost pulled the trigger on it right there ... but I decided to wait until I could try an Atomic.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Institute, thanks for the offer. I promise I'll get over to your studio sometime and check out some of your toys! I've had such a limited amount of free time lately.....well besides playing on the forum during work hours! LOL

One question I had was 'what's the difference between a Vetta I head with all the upgrades, compared to a Vetta II head? Is there any reason to favor the II over the I?

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

i think the vetta 2 is 300 watts while the 1 is 200 watts. also it has more buttons on the front for more confusion, and looks better.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

Vetta II has improved and more realistic amp models among other things. It's the evolution of the vetta.

It's like the difference between a flextone II and a flextone III.

GJ, I think a good way for you to get your feet wet with Line 6 is pick up a duoverb head on ebay. They go for about $300, and they have the vetta boutique models and no effects. Plus you can run two amp models at once. It's a neat amp for little money.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

The key to using a POD live is to play direct into a good PA.

I had the 2.0. I liked it. The xt was introduced and I had NO interest in it. I read reviews of the significant improvements in amp modeling, but it still did not matter to me.

Then they introduced the xt Live! The temptation for me was in the fact that it would significantly simplify my setup. Then it arrived...

WOWSERS!!!

It really WAS that much better. I initially used the Tiny Tweed amp setting, but lately I have become partial to the AC30 setting. The beauty of this beast is that I CAN STILL USE BOTH, all by stepping on a footswitch.

Right now, my most used settings are based on the Tiny Tweed, AC30, Hiwatt, Soldano, and Matchless Chieftain amps. I also have become attached to the Tube Driver as my stomp box effect.

What is really good about the xt Live is the addition of the "Amp Knobs". They look and respond just like amp knobs. If you need to tweak the amp, twist away.

Also, after about 3 months using it, I discovered :smack: that the effects tweak knob serves as the reverb control when you're NOT in "edit" mode.:smack:

 

[Mephis]

Re: Line 6 vs. Line 6 Rate the sound quality of each.

The PODxt sounds excellent into tech 21 trademarks!

Its probably one of the best gigger setups for playing lighter stuff like clapton and all!