POD XT Live

[alex1fly]

The POD XT Live seems like it will satisfy most of what I want in a simple package:
recording - USB hookup
tone tweaking - free Gearbox software to edit specific tonal parameters, match variety of heads, cabs, effects, including 4 mics to get a balance of room tone and modelled tone
live use - already in a pedal form for easy channel switching, can hook directly to a PA or into an amp.

Any experiences with the POD XT Live?

 

[34029324079]

Re: POD XT Live

no but my wish list is the toneport GX for $50

tube amps for live setting

 

[Fikealox]

Re: POD XT Live

I've got experience with the (normal) POD XT with a longboard. I've found it very versatile and useful once you learnt how to drive it. Some of the effects and amp models can sound a bit unnatural.. like artificial-sounding decay and things like that, but you can get around those things easily enough.

It's easy to get pretty good tones out of it, and I found it a lot more responsive than I expected (for instance, you can clean up some tones by rolling off volume, which surprised me). All in all, I definitely think they're worth the price (especially second-hand).

Make sure you get the metal amps pack, though, if it doesn't come with the Live version already. And if you're plugging into a solid-state amp, use the slave input if your amp has one

 

[alex1fly]

Re: POD XT Live

I've been reading up on suitable amps/cabs to pair with the POD, and lots of people recommend powered monitors or full frequency keyboard amps. I may go the keyboard amp route, because my keyboard amp is crapping out anyways! One of the things that draws me to the XT Live version is all the extra distortion effects and high gain amps it has - I'll have to check out the metal amps pack, because I'll probably be buying it used.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: POD XT Live

I've use it for recording very much and my brother for live. It's great. Definitely a tool.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: POD XT Live

But the Boss GT-8 and X3 Live both let you pick two amps at once, which is awesome for creating unique tones. Most of the music I listen to has two guitarists, so maybe I should look into the GT-8 as the X3 is a little out of my price range (~500 bucks). In one of the old GT-8 threads someone remarked that the Boss's distortion patches sounded thin; Gt-8 users, what do you think about this?

My goal is for maximum tweakable chunk and authentic high gain tones; I don't mind the "digital edge."

 

[34029324079]

Re: POD XT Live

i like gt8 functions: effects loop, channel switcher for a 2 channel amp. cans stress how much this will change the sound of your amp, almost like the more expensive midi if your not plugging into a PA

 

[alex1fly]

Re: POD XT Live

There are definitely benefits to both. The XT Live is more focused on the specific amp being modelled than the Boss, which I like. The Boss has an effects loop, can do the dual amp thing which would rule, but is less about the specific amp they're modelling. If I want a POD that can do dual amps, I need the X3, which is a few hundred more dollars.

Either way, for my purposes I'm looking at around 200 for a pedal if I'm lucky, and 800 tops for an amp. While I do like my Mesa Roadster clean channels, I don't think I can justify running a POD or GT-8 through a Mesa half-stack... or can I?

 

[WhoFan]

Re: POD XT Live

I've been reading up on suitable amps/cabs to pair with the POD, and lots of people recommend powered monitors or full frequency keyboard amps. I may go the keyboard amp route, because my keyboard amp is crapping out anyways! One of the things that draws me to the XT Live version is all the extra distortion effects and high gain amps it has - I'll have to check out the metal amps pack, because I'll probably be buying it used.

yup.. using this type of modelers thru a keyboard amp or powered monitor is the way to go... i'm still wanting a keyboard amp for myself

 

[34029324079]

Re: POD XT Live

While I do like my Mesa Roadster clean channels, I don't think I can justify running a POD or GT-8 through a Mesa half-stack... or can I?

you could just run it through just one channel only for crazy effects and weird amp combinations. roadsters are cool like that. that way you wouldnt rob tone for your clean or heavy sounds but would have options. pod or gt8 would be cool for that, but with roadster you already have enough options unless you want spacetraveler delay/echo/flanger/etc crazy sounds all in one imo

 

[alex1fly]

Re: POD XT Live

I haven't had success with the Roadster's dirty channels though, so the only thing I would be keeping it for would be the Channel 1 Tweed setting, which could be easily replicated with any small tube amp. Just seems excessive. I'm sure I'm not the only one who buys gear that they think they need but really don't

 

[JeffB]

Re: POD XT Live

Hmm..I find some of the Line6 models to be wayyyyyy-off base.

The Marshall Plexis in particular. Run the 58 Bassman on top of the GB25 cab and it sounds much closer to the real PLexis and RI's I've played.

Other models are spot-on.

I miss my XT Live in some ways, but god I don't miss the tweaking. It was alot of work to get things sounding right, and then ithe patch was totally ruined if you changed the volume slightly...start all over.

Finnicky beast. Vox Modellers are much easier for plug and play.

But I liked being able to set up the Line 6 like I did my real rig for many years:

Marshall head and cab
Goose (ended up liking the Vetta boost best on the XTL, but used mostly TS10/9 IRL)
Analog delay-
Analog Chorus-
Phase 90

I just set up one patch with the analog chorus as the modulation, one patch as phaser for modulation..otherwise totally identical..same amp settings/cab settings, reverb settings, delay settings etc. Then I could turn everything on or off and could (virtually) run the chorus/phaser straight into the head just as I prefer in a real rig. I HATE modulations in the loop. HATE HATE HATE :laugh2:

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: POD XT Live

If you like the Line 6 sound, then it's a great, portable setup. The nice thing is, GC carries L6, Boss and Vox modellers, so head there, see which one suits your fancy and buy from ebay.

It's never going to be like having a real amp and pedalboard, but 95% of the audience won't care, it'll be close enough.

 

[pinto79]

Re: POD XT Live

I bought a POS XT Live recently, I run it into a dual 15 band EQ and then into a Peavey Classic 50/50 Power amp and into a pair of 2x12 cabs in stereo. I find it amazing. Especially if I take my Laptop to band practice... I can visually tweak the amp and I find it very user freindly.

Line 6 has been shaping my tone for 10 years now, so I guess I'm a bit biased.

 

[guitarded]

Re: POD XT Live

From my own experience with it and SS poweramps and from reading the forums, the only way to use this form of modeling for good results in a live situation is a tube poweramp that is as tranparent as possible with modeling speakers. Or direct into the FOH (You loose the tube feel this way - like listening to a tube amp through a stereo). Check out http://www.atomicamps.com I have heard a lot of good stuff about this solution.

The POD XT Live seems like it will satisfy most of what I want in a simple package:
recording - USB hookup
tone tweaking - free Gearbox software to edit specific tonal parameters, match variety of heads, cabs, effects, including 4 mics to get a balance of room tone and modelled tone
live use - already in a pedal form for easy channel switching, can hook directly to a PA or into an amp.

Any experiences with the POD XT Live?

 

[alex1fly]

Re: POD XT Live

Oh, GAS. Now I'm looking at the Digitech GNX guitar workstations - it would be cool to be able to record anywhere without having to take my laptop, and lay down rhythm parts to jam over. But I would sacrifice many amp and pedal models - unless I get the GNX3000, which has 43 amp models and a record 4/playback 2.

I guess I'll have to decide based on my priorities. While I may want the ability to fine tune pre and post amp EQ, mix and match head/cab/stompbox, and set two guitar tones at once, I'll have to give some of that up if I want a portable recording station.

I really think the two guitar tones at once would be awesome, because you can even tweak the style of pickups your digital guitar has, so you could set up pretty much whatever dual rig you wanted.

 

[LesStrat]

Re: POD XT Live

I recently upgraded to the X3L. It has some features that are nice improvements.

That said, the tonal improvement, albeit good, was not as vast as the change from 2.0 to XT.

I liked the XT. I got the X3 because some of the features seemed to be right up my alley. They finally backlit the switches and knobs, and they increased the size of the display. They moved some controls from the back to the top, and they added XLR lo-z outputs. The back of the X3L is filled with input/output possibilities.

That said, I got some really :cool3: sounds out of the XTL. The songs on my band page are a combination of XTL and a Celtic Franklin amp.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: POD XT Live

some local guys here that are in bands that are doing good bought the POD Live boards for when they have to fly to places they can't take their Mesa Boogie stacks with them.... i assume they can work well when you need them too...

like JeffB said i hate the tweeking of line 6 stuff too.... i prefer using a knob to change settings instead of pushing buttons, saving and storing changes to make the slightest changes

 

[Rowan]

Re: POD XT Live

Meh. The other guitarist in my band uses a POD XT through a mesa poweramp. For a live tone it is very good but honestly most of the distortion channels on that thing sound very fake. It has one good high gain channel but you have to dial down the treble big time. But I will say that it does everything else right. The effects are awesome and the clean tones rock.

 

[aleclee]

Re: POD XT Live

I've owned an XTL for a few years now. I used it with a Variax for a film project a couple years ago and the combination was awesome for recording. That said, when my band started recording a CD, the POD stayed at home and the tube amps came to the studio.

Overall, I find the POD to be a very useful, if not particularly inspiring, piece of kit. It's very much a sonic Swiss Army Knife. It's definitely cheaper than buying the whole "toolbox" but is limited at the same time. It can cop a whole slew of amps / cabs/ FX but doesn't do any of them particularly well.

Overall, it fills the same role among my amps/FX that my Variax fills with my guitars. It lets me come up with a facsimile of a lot of "classic" tones that I couldn't otherwise cover. My non-modeling gear is all about nailing the "Alec Lee" tone. For those occasions where that's not called for, the XTL is very useful.