PODx3 Shootout

[String7th]

I gave the new POD x3 for a spin. I've used the rack-mount POD pro for about 6 years or so, just after it came out. I love Line-6 guitar modeling. BUT, I dislike the Spider line a lot. I think the solid state Spider amps and even the flextone amps are too digital sounding. I've played the new Bogner Tube/hybrid but at low volume so couldn't get the fair sample of it. I got the x3 a month ago and dove into it, replacing old guitar tracks to compare sounds and I am very impressed by the improvement from the 2.0 series with 32 amps, to the x3 with 72 guitar and 30-something bass amps, plus super high-end preamps like Avalon, API and Neve.

The Shootout.

For the POD samples: Ibanez RG 7-string, to the Pod(no cab or mic settings), to an ADA Microtube power amp, to Marshall 1960 lead cab, to SM57, to Firepod. No fx except a 6db shelving cut at 100hz. Real amps were guitar-amp-marshall-sm57, same eq shelf. Drums were recorded using AKG overheads, CAD's on toms, CAD/SM57 on snare, CAD/Audix on kick. No bass

(Not in order)
1. Randall RH100 solid state 100watt amp, channel 1.
2. Crate BV120H all tube amp. Volume at 8, gain at 3.5.
3. POD-influenced 2001 Mesa Boogie Tripple Rectifier, channel 3, with an EQ boost stomp box on a estimated gain boost of 2 of 10.
4. POD-influenced 2004 Diezel VH4 channel 3, no stomp box
5. POD-influenced 2002 Bogner Ecstasy, no stomp box
6. POD-influenced 2003 Marshall JCM-2000 channel 2, no stomp box

[String7th]

The Order:
1: Diezel
2. Mesa Tripple-rec
3. Marshall JCM2000
4. Real Crate Blue Voodoo
5. Real Randall
6. Bogner Ecstasy

I started recording the Pod samples direct as a line input to the Firepod, and found the tones were meaty and good but still sounded slightly digital, I could have tweaked the eq for a bit more mids and crunch. I recorded the live guitars after 2 POD's and heard the complete lack of mids from the direct POD. It may just be the SM57 or maybe it's the tube power adding more presence to the POD but I scratched the direct recordings for the demo here I set up the cab in the next room and left the mic for all 6 samples.

I've only played the Tripple-rec and Bogner before, but those were right on. Sounded just like them. not imediately, but after a little dialing, I found the similarities.

I hope this instills some confidence in Line6 to some users. If you are looking to get a huge variety of tones to record every genre of music. I would suggest this beast.

[irok660]

Sounds great to me! They all sounded like "real"amps. Of course, dont expect much love from the tube snobs. I use a TonelabLE and love it.......live and for recording. Although I've discovered, as you have, its still not quite there for direct recording. Sounds killer through a PA just not going straight to my computer. Anyway, keep rockin'..........digitally or otherwise its all good.

[String7th]

Listening to it again, if this were for a client, I would have chosen another mic. The SM57 has a ton of mids, not my 1st choice for rythym guitars. I probably would have tried out my Nady ribbon, or the Beta58.

[brandondrury]

They all sounded like "real"amps.

Not to me. Here is what wrote for each before I knew which was which.

1) Something kinda boring / boxy about it. Kinda does that Rage Against The Machine, low gain thing. Kinda sounds like a Plexi only much more boring.

2) Again, something kinda boring about it. It could be the very low level of gain. It's missing some harmonics in the upper midrange that make it exciting. I noticed the pinch harmonics didn't come out.

3) A bit better. A bit more going on.

4) This one has felt the best so far. I would still prefer more gain for this riff. There is a bunch of Marshall style midrange in this one.

5) Alright this one feels even better. The scoopage fits the song much better. I the harmonics should be jumping out more however (I'm referring not to the harmonic content, but the actual "guitar harmonics" of when you lightly touch the string). This is partially a gain thing. The harmonics come out much better here.

6) This one feels okay. You can hear there is much more harmonic content and the tone just feels okay.


The SM57 has a ton of mids, not my 1st choice for rythym guitars.
Oh come on dude! You are a recording guy. "tons of mids" is WAAAYY to generic of a term. Specifically what frequencies are bothering you about the 57? Are you talking about 500Hz or are you talking about 4K? There is a HUGE difference between the two even though they are both "mids". I always use the 57 when I want more bite and fizz.

I gave the real amps the highest reviews in a blind test even though I wasn't robo happy with any of them simply because I would have used more gain on all of them. Maybe String7th wanted this type of sound and that is cool. It doesn't appeal to me for this genre, but I would have wanted this harmonic squeal to be way more exciting on all of them. I would have wanted the harmonics of scraping the strings to leap out way more.

So many people have been taught to use very little gain, that a lot of beginners use so little that it turns out a little boring sounding.

Brandon

[String7th]

As far as the SM57 goes, exactly what you said, a bit too much upper-mid range fizz around 2k, kinda a subtle hiss that's standing up on some notes. If this were a real production, I'd probably end up using the ribbon, because my Nady has a much flatter sound and almost sounds like the proximity effect creates a cut in the range that snare and vocals should fall.

About the gain setting, I agree this type of music should have been higher gain, but I didn't want to overdrive every POD modulation because it's starts to sound all the same. I left the gain lower so you can hear the characteristics of the amp it was modeling. The Mesa not picking up the harmonics is exactly like the real deal. This amp you have to drive to 8 before any pinches or harmonics get loud, but by then the overdrive makes it sound fuzzy. My style of playing for my own tunes consists on low gain setting and many layers. This was another band's riff I changed up in my own style.

I'm glad to hear you likes the sound of the Blue Voodoo. I've had this for 8 years and just now fell in love with it. I totally agree about the Marshall midrange on this amp. Very surprising for a Crate. It didn't get popular enough cuz they kept advertising this as a metal amp. If you turn this amp's gain on 10 and the volume to 3 or 4, it sound exactly like the 10 watt, 8" practice Crate I learned on when I was 15.

[brandondrury]

The Mesa not picking up the harmonics is exactly like the real deal. This amp you have to drive to 8 before any pinches or harmonics get loud, but by then the overdrive makes it sound fuzzy.

That's why I've always felt the Rectifier amps were highly over rated.

As far as the SM57 goes, exactly what you said, a bit too much upper-mid range fizz around 2k, kinda a subtle hiss that's standing up on some notes.

I don't really consider 2k to be fizzy. 2k is the pain frequency. If 2K is too loud it HURTS. To me, the fizz really kicks in at about 5k or so. That's my personal definition of fizz anyway.

Brandon

[lolgreg]

I liked the Voodoo Best... the POD tones sounded lifeless.

-Greg

[adorian]

The sounds weren't bad but there was just a small something missing. I kinda felt overall that they were too bassy and the mids were kinda bland, especially the upper mids.

I wasn't crazy about any of these personally. I liked the way around 0:33 the chords were working with this patch as there seemed to be tube-like behaviour where the notes were blooming. On the single note stuff it was dull, then some of the other samples had some gnarly mids, like a string slap or something of that kind.

I actually don't see why you hate the Mesa Rectifiers so much - I think pinch harmonics are mainly the responsibilities of the guitarist, not the amp. I love the voicing on the single and dual rectifiers and I find them useful for quite a lot of stuff.

[Picksalot]

Loved your playing and the riff. Each sample was slightly different, but every one worked for me. If I had to pick favorites it would probably be #1 the Diesel, and #5 the Real Randall.

None of the tones, in my opinion, hurt what you were playing. Your muting on the single notes was great, and really gave them character. That was contrasted nicely with the ringing chords. It's all about the music.

Do you have a link to the full tune?