PODxt

I'm thinking about getting a podxt but am not sure about the tone quality. I've read reviews and some people say its really good but some say its too computerized with cheesy tone. So can anyone help me with this problem?

I love 'em both the XT and the V2. I use em to record all the time and they are very cool !!

Originally Posted by: Dr_simonI love 'em both the XT and the V2. I use em to record all the time and they are very cool !!

Same here. Generally, I enjoy the XT more for recording and the 2.0 for plugging into the effects loop of a tube amp with the cab sims turned off. Either one is a great addition to any guitarists arsenal, and a very useful tool.

I have a number of friends that make a living in various studios. Often people will use a pod for recording rather than go to the trouble of setting up and micking an amp. It doesn't sound the same in the room for a number of reasons however down on tape/disk is another story.

I think that's where most people who diss the POD's are just not getting it. They expect it to sound like an amp would sound if you're in the same room as it is. This is not the case. It is giving you the tone you would get if the amp was being close mic'd in a separate room where you cannot hear it, and you are in the cotrol room listening back on the monitors. That is what the POD's are supposed to sound like, and from my experience, they do a damn good job at it too.

Yep, that it it as far as Im concerned !!

thanks for the advice but how good is it for live purposes or plugged into an amp?

Both would do fine, but be prepaired to be patient with the XT. You can get some amazing tones, but it takes a lot of tweaking to get it just right. Also, you need to learn to listen with your ears and not with your eyes. What I mean by this is, don't expect to be playing the XT/2.0 through your amp and switch it to a Rectifier, JCM800 or whatever and expect your amp to sound like that amp. However, you can get close to those amps, but it might be with a totaly different model. Also, it's best to plug your guitar into the POD and your POD into your amps effects return. This will bypass your amps preamp, so you don't have to worry about it coloring the sound of the POD. Your amp will still color the tones comming from your POD, depending on your amps power section whether it's tube or solid state, and also the speakers your amp uses. Remember, there are no rules when looking for tone. Try everything imaginable whether it seems logical or not. Sometimes the most outlandish idea ends up turning into the best thing you could have ever done for your tone.

A few tips for the XT:
-The presets generally are a bad example of the XT's capabilitys
-When you turn the gain up past noon/half-way most models turn to mush and get real fizzy
-Use the presence knob sparingly
-Mids are your friend! (this applies to any amp real or modeled)
-Spend no more than 15 min. setting up a patch. Any longer and your ears will get used to the model/cab/etc.. So, save your work and play through several other patches to keep your ears fresh.
-Use the post eq only if needed, and if needed, use as little as possible
-Points 1 & 4 are shelving eq's meaning that everything above 4 will be boosted or cut, and everything below 1 will be boosted or cut.
-When setting up an amp model, don't have any effects turned on, and have the mic's air set to zero if in studio mode.
-What works for one person will likely not work for you, but it can with a little tweaking
-Just because it/one says to do this or that doesn't mean it will work for you, sometimes "your" tone is found in the most unconventional way.

I hope some of that helps.

thanks for the help

One more question, How does the podxt interface with other pedals? For example if I run it Guitar>Podxt>wah>tubescreamer>amp or have it Guitar>wah>tubescreamer>Podxt>amp. Will it still sound good if I use the wah or add my tubescreamer?

run the pedals into the front of the XT (High Z in) and hook the XT up to whatever (computer, digital i/o, FX loop return of an amp or a desk etc)

That would work fine. Just do like Doc said and run the effects in front of the POD. I do this when using my POD 2.0. My chain is like this: guitar--->volume pedal--->wah--->MXR overdrive--->Boss Chorus--->Boss Delay--->POD--->effects return of amp. This setup sounds really good. I haven't tried this with my XT yet though, but I'm sure it would do fine, though I don't see a need. The effects in the XT are pretty darn good, and it has a tubescreamer model that you could throw on if you needed it, and the wah doesn't sound horrible. All I can suggest is try everything you can think of, just keep the distortion and wah in front of the POD.

thanks! big help! im goin to the guitar center today to try it