Yes, I know..."get a Helix"
I got the Pod off ebay for not very much with the intention of using it in 4CM for fx only but I've been playing with the digital amps and it sounds a lot better than I expected. It's not quite there though..still sounds a bit bright and sizzly on most models just wondering if anyone has used one successfully into the fx return of a valve amp (which is how I am using it) and if there are any tips or tricks?
It does make me wonder about the Helix...is it that much better in terms of core tone? If I sell all my pedals I might think about it, if so.
Comments
In particular there is a video of how to do the EQ parametric sweep to remove harshness, and tweak amp SAG.
I am seriously considering selling my pedals and cabs and going FRFR; for simplicity, and general usage. When you consider everything is usually mike'd up when live.. you need monitoring on bigger stages... and Joe Bloggs could careless about your valve setup (or lack of it).
is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
I have it sounding pretty good tbh and sometimes I think I prefer it to my actual amp but I think as I turn up the volume, it feels like the amp fills out the room much more than the Pod...if that makes sense. It just seems a bit tightly focused, or thin. Difficult to describe.
Maybe that's the difference between a valve pre-amp and a digitial one, or maybe I can dial it in. Or maybe the Helix is much better. Wish I could get hold of one to try. It would be really annoying to pay 1200 quid and discover it's not that much better.
Instead you can use the two inputs and two outputs. As long as you keep the two signal chains separate and panned hard left and right,, then there's no need to deal with the poor FX loop. The other benefit of this is you don't need to waste an FX slot on the loop.
The only downside to this approach is you can't use the onboard looper as it has the pre-and post pre-amp tones going through it at the same time.
Also there's a volume drop through the POD that makes it seem thinner when often it's just an issue of slightly lower volume. Use the mixer to boost 3.5db or a bit higher depending on what sounds good.
It took a bit of effort to get it so that my amp through the pod sounded the same as my amp by itself but now it does. So that's good. My initial plan was just to switch channels on my amp with midi (annoyingly the midi plug on the Pod is 5 pin so my switchblade cable doesn't fit - I've ordered a new one) and just add in pedals. Part of my reason for getting the Pod was coz it has so many footswitches so I could have 4 for channel changing and 4 for effects.
I remember from my previous foray with the PodX3 live - it feels very much like you're dealing with a piece of computer software that can be a bit quirky...rather than a pedal. I suspect the tonelab is less like that.
Yes.
So guitar into POD guitar input.
POD L-out into REAL AMP input
REAL AMP FX send into POD AUX Input
POD R-out into REAL AMP FX Return
Then you have to be careful how you set up the signal chain in the pod. First input set to GUITAR, second input set to AUX.
You need to put all your amp/fx blocks in top or bottom positions - so that you always see two complete signal chains. There can be no blocks that cross the streams. And the POD mixer has to be last in the chain. And the mixer panned hard left and right for both signal chains.
If you are going to try this, it's best to set up a blank template first to avoid making horrible noises through your amp (until you do that intentionally via your guitar!).
Below are two example patches for FX Only 4CM with the HD500. The top one is blank. The bottom one shows two signal chains populated. Note there is no amp modelling selected. The top signal chain is effects before the real preamp, the bottom signal chain is effects that appear within the FX loop of the Real Amp.
I'm in denial, eh?
With my method above you may have to fiddle a bit with the mixer block levels, but it's much easier to get a better sound than the traditional version using the POD's loop. Just remember not to cross the streams or use the looper. And you don't have to waste an FX block on the loop or an EQ to boost the volume drop.
Also remember to try the various output options, stack, direct, combo etc. The best one for your amp isn't necessarily the most obvious one.
Now whenever you press down on the toe-pedal switch you'll switch the volume off and the wah on and vice-versa.
I've been having another play with the digital pre-amps tonight. Instead of the parametric eq I stuck a graphic eq in after the amp and boosted the lower frequencies. This seemed to fatten it up quite a bit and made it a bit more amp-like...to my ears. I was really pleased. Then I went off and did something else and came back to it and it sounded really muddy and artificial! I tweaked it some more and was happy again...but I bet the same thing will happen. That's a problem with this extensive tweaking...my ears stop working after about 10 minutes.
Come back stompboxes...all is forgiven
On paper, the much more modern and uprated modelling in the HD500X and Zoom G5 should absolutely knock it out of the ball-park. And on modelling/effect accuracy they do - but on the tone that comes out, I kept finding the Tonelab just sounded 'better'. It's crazy and illogical, but its why I not only stuck with my TLLE, but I got myself the TLSE too. Our second guitarist & singer was so impressed that he got himself a TLLE too. And there's more than a few folk here who've said they regretted getting rid of their Tonelab LE/SE, and have struggled with 'modern' MFX units since. So it's not just me!
Of course when you get to new gear in the Helix/AxFx territory we're talking a real evolution and although I've not heard them in the flesh yet, I'm sure I'd love them - but right now I can't afford or justify spending so much on an MFX unit.
But I can still use the amp sims if I want to do something the switchblade can't manage.
Cool - I think I'm sorted.