Here's an actual audio recording I made with this X3 at home on my PC via the USB cable and using Audacity (freeware) :

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Line 6 Pod X3 Live, the guitar amp modeler from the people at Line 6 is amazing. Talk about an all-in-one Guitarist’s best friend and recording tool. This pedal board has got it going on. With 128 Presets, loads of amp modeling and 2 independent signal paths you can plug in your guitar, vocals and/or bass for super clear live tone or for easy computer recording.

Favorite Features and Tools:
One of my favorite features of the stage-ready X3 Live is the ability to plug directly into your PC or Mac via the USB cable (provided) and record directly onto your computer. Using Audacity (freeware) on a PC, I was able to track a couple guitar takes in a matter of minutes and have an mp3 ready. You can download your favorite guitar sound via patches online and dial in your tone or custom design your own. I found this to be an exceptionally handy feature if you’re in a cover band and want to emulate numerous guitar tones to sound just like the original. There are helpful X3 Live users who have made their favorite sounds available as a patch so you can easily dial in your favorite sound ; and they haven’t forgotten about you vocalist and bassist too. The X3 Live comes with presets for both so you can get started right away.

The Pod X3 Live makes a great songwriting and practicing tool. When you’ve dialed in your favorite settings and you go to gig, you’ve got this huge sound at your fingertips. You can just run stereo XLR balanced line outputs out to the house for pro sound.

The unit has an aux input so you can plug in 2 guitars with separate effects. It’s great for jamming or rehearsing with your bass player, guitar player or singer. There is also a 1/8 in. input for an MP3 or CD player which makes it real easy to learn your favorite songs from your iPod or rehearse to a mix or your band. Also, the makers of the X3 Live have made free iTunes and mp3 jam tracks available online via the Line 6 Club, there you can also find free loops for Garage Band, Acid, Reason and more.

If you live in an apartment or anywhere that you can’t play loud there is a handy headphone jack in back, just slap on the phones and BAM! You’ve got a world of sound ‘for your ears only’. The built-in expression pedal is assignable and functions stock as a volume pedal, one push on the pedal and it’s a wah-wah pedal. There is also a ‘Pedal 2’ jack in the back to add an extra expression pedal, also assignable and S/PDIF out for 24 bit recording.

Look:
Not to mention that this unit looks good, is well lit and has large chrome control knobs that you would expect to see on your amp, very easy to see and use.

From the Line 6 website:
Guitar amp models are just the beginning: With 24 guitar cabs, 98 stomp box and studio effects, 28 bass amps, 22 bass cabs and six vocal preamps - POD X3 Live comes complete with the all-around sonic firepower of a top-tier major-label studio, ready to tackle guitar, bass vocals and beyond. What’s more, its larger LCD and smart new editing workflow pages make it easier than ever to find, tweak and save tones.

How to Win:
This one can be yours courtesy of our friends at Sweetwater by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and reading the product review for the month. Sweetwater sponsors this giveaway and they are always a real pleasure to deal with. They give free shipping on all orders (even strings!) and have an outstanding staff of real musicians who can help you make the right purchase the first time.

Sweetwater provides the gear, we review it for the Guitar Tricks Newsletter, and we give it away to one lucky Guitar Tricks member. Don’t forget to post in the giveaway review forum to qualify to win, good luck!