Line 6 Goes Plug-In?

[Hink]

Wow, I will definitely consider this. I would love to be free from that god-awful Emagic software that you have to use with POD (2.0); I don't even use the "SoundDiver" anymore. This is more like it!

bduffy, soundDivet sux if you ask me...always losing itself...I had many problems getting it to open consistantly on either of my two machines. I have soundDiver for my QSR and it's the same case.

However, checkout the line six web page, they have they line six tone editor for pod 2.0 (and their other products)...I was real skeptical at first, I'm not sure if the page calls it a beta still, but it was when I downloaded quite a while ago(hmmm it's been a while, maybe even a year, I should check for an update)...it works flawlessly and I use daily, if I remember correctly I had no troubles with installation...if I did I dont recall them...

Get out of town! I'll be sure to check it out - I used to check (and write support) frequently, hoping they'd ditch it, but I gave up as they kept updated that same old shitbox software. I was so frustrated with SoundDiver, vowed to use the hardware interface only. And now that I have the POD going through a really nice tube pre-amp, I don't have to tweak as much as I used to; I can usually get the sound I'm after. But I do miss on-screen editing.

But GuitarPort is for PODxt & up, correct?EDIT: Ignore question, I know the answer now. I'll download Line 6 Edit ASAP - can't wait to edit my patches again! Cool.

Thanks for the tip.

if you didn't find it yet here is the link http://www.line6.com/software/?hardware ... it=Show%3A

[Stupid American Pig]

the other thing that makes me think its onboard DSP:

Unique, full tone low latency monitoring regardless of recording software's buffer size

[Midiworks]

This is no more a plug-in than the current Guitarport...

Right, but imagine that with a vst to remote-control it !
And the hardware as your soundcard and IO...

Than it would be very hard to beat !

fwiw fl has a midiout preset for pod, that way it can be automated. Of course one can always record cc's to midi and autoumate pod with any sequencer, it's the same thing. But I can see where it would be cool for a vst.

It's my understanding you are working on such a vst, it seems that it's full of compition for the market right now....seems like the "in" thing this year...I think this time next year will prove to quite interesting to see what's still standing when the dust clears...good luck on your project...

Thanks Hink !

Its not about cc# automation,
I imagine it like a integral vst that communicates direct with the hardware.
A VST that is using the hardware and IO as if they were not there.
A thing that feels like a vst but is hardware dependend with the DSP power onboard.

But I think it will not be this way...

Probably more like a luxury version of the $99 GuitarPort.

[bmanic]

I've had a POD XT (with all the upgrades and extra models installed) now for about 3 days and I seriously can't understand line6. They have huge potential with these things but man, IMHO this unit sounds like shit.

It's like they don't use a high enough sampling rate or something. The distortion is very 'grainy' (easily heard if you switch off cabinet modelling) compared to the vox tonelab and even my old Yamaha DG stomp (has much smoother/more dense distortion). Comparing it to my ART SGX 2000 tube/solidstate hybrid guitar preamp is just totally killing the Pod XT.

I was really hoping that line6 would have fixed this grainy distortion and the lack of dynamic feel (try doing pinch harmonics with clean sounds or mild crunch..) by now but alas, they seem to go for the "more is less" strategy.

It's time to wait for another 3 years and see if they can finally nail it.

just my 2 cents worth.. very disappointed (lucky I didn't buy this unit. Demoing a friends pod)

- bManic

Edit: corrected a wrongly written sentence, I did NOT buy the pod and will not.

[Funkybot]

Bmanic, just out of curiousity, why did you buy it? I don't think it sounds bad, but I agree that there's way loads of room for improvement and that it does sound like the sampling rate needs to be upped (particularly in high distortion patches, oh and wait till you hear some severe alaising, it happens on certain notes). But I'm surprised you bought it, then upgraded it after demoing it considering how much you don't seem to like it. I don't think it's the be all end all, but I also think it's quite good (I have Guitarport plus the classic, metal, and fx packs), and years ahead of anything in VST format. I still haven't heard the Tonelab though, and I also hear very good things about that but I'm not about to buy more hardware.

[bmanic]

Bmanic, just out of curiousity, why did you buy it? I don't think it sounds bad, but I agree that there's way loads of room for improvement and that it does sound like the sampling rate needs to be upped (particularly in high distortion patches, oh and wait till you hear some severe alaising, it happens on certain notes). But I'm surprised you bought it, then upgraded it after demoing it considering how much you don't seem to like it. I don't think it's the be all end all, but I also think it's quite good (I have Guitarport plus the classic, metal, and fx packs), and years ahead of anything in VST format. I still haven't heard the Tonelab though, and I also hear very good things about that but I'm not about to buy more hardware.

EDIT: nevermind, my bad.. my dyslexia thing again. Thinking out loud and writing something else.

So, correction: I did NOT buy it..

- bManic

[Midiworks]

Wow, I will definitely consider this. I would love to be free from that god-awful Emagic software that you have to use with POD (2.0); I don't even use the "SoundDiver" anymore. This is more like it!

Maybe this will help you.




Free !

http://www.pxe.buntweb.de/pxe1.html

[bduffy]

Would you believe I downloaded that PXE-1 ages ago and never got around to trying it? Like I said, I've grown very accustomed to using POD just like a real amp now, but I'll give this a go...now where did I put my MIDI interface???

[Lawnmower Of The Damned]

Bmanic, this isn't the kind of hardware that you learn in a week. Not even a month. I've had my Vetta II for over a year, and it took a good 3 months before I really understood the thing. Once you really learn how to tweak it I believe anyone will like it.

[greendoor]

I have a PodXT, and while I don't consider it perfect, I have tried many other amp replacers (e.g. Sansamp, Roland COSM, Korg, Zoom etc) and haven't found anything better without spending serious money (in which case you may as well buy a boutique amp). Having said that - I dislike many of the amp models and effects. The best thing is to consider what it is good for, and not for what it isn't. I don't like the AIR simulation, so I use it with a power amp and cabinets and mic it up. So I'm basically using it as a poor mans Vetta (with arguably better amp and speakers). If I wanted to use this for DI, I would still use the Live setting to defeat AIR, which I hate, and use SIR with some cabinet impulses instead. I think the reverb is good for what it is mainly intended for - emulating a spring reverb. I don't have much time for spring reverbs either. once again - SIR with some impulses would be better.

Guitar amps and cabs are basically all about eq'ing the guitar to taste. They are much more extreme than conventional eq's - and basically thats what a POD does very well - shaping your guitar tone. I have tried other solutions - even the Sansamp stuff which is quite good, but I couldn't get the tone control I needed without additional eq. And if you have bought any eq pedals or racks - many of the cheaper ones are very noisy. POD gets the job done with no noise, other what you feed it with your guitar pickups. The tuner is very good too. Distortion is adequate - you can get a lot better with analog stomp boxes, which is a great combination. The effects are adequate - nothing that good VST plugins can't do. But some effects are best used before the speaker, so its useful to have them.

When you first get a PodXT and flick through the presets with headphones, you can be forgiven for thinking this is a piece of crap. But use it as a toolbox to achieve what you want, and it is very good value for money.

[MacQ]

This new Line 6 product is more interesting to me because of the option to record vocals through these modelled preamps. This is much akin to the Focusrite Liquid Channel (although likely without the input impedance switching). If it's substantially cheaper (the LC is over $4000), it might be a viable option for many people. Should be interesting to see how it plays out.

It's interesting to note that the words "inspired by" replace "modelled on" in the press vocabulary. Is this how you squeeze past patent-infringement lawsuits?

~MacQ

[bmanic]

Bmanic, this isn't the kind of hardware that you learn in a week. Not even a month. I've had my Vetta II for over a year, and it took a good 3 months before I really understood the thing. Once you really learn how to tweak it I believe anyone will like it.

Eh?? It took me 15 minutes to grow suspicious of the sound. It reminded me very much of the old Pod 2.0 (which I had for years). Trust me, I've thoroughly tried all the hardware amp modelling things. It's the basic sound that is flawed in the Pod. No matter how much you tweak, it will still always sound grainy and be unresponsive.

This week I'll be recording a Marshal 4x10 combo with a JCM 800 head. I've already recorded it a couple of weeks ago and lemme tell you, it sounds a lot better than the model in the Pod. I'll probably post some of the recordings here once my work is done (should be done by the end of the month).

What I mean with 'grainy' distortion is:
it's like a bad grainy reverb compared to an ultrasmooth one (like ambience plugin compared to a TC 6000 system, both simulating a small room).

I'm NOT saying that the Pod is useless, coz it ain't but for that Rage Against the Machine kind of crunch, metallica (think black album) heavy smooth distortion or nice crunchy semi-clean sounds it's a no-go toy. The pod is fine for mashing up all kinds of drum sounds, voices, synths, lo-fi guitars etc. :p

- bManic

[bmanic]

It's interesting to note that the words "inspired by" replace "modelled on" in the press vocabulary. Is this how you squeeze past patent-infringement lawsuits?

~MacQ

Nope, this is usually when the 'models' are not even close and you have problems getting a famous engineer advertising them as true models.

- bManic

[Trojan Badger]

I always wondered, Line6 did amp farm years ago purely in software (as opposed to for example their guitarport - yes I know it was probably HTDM only or something). Why did they never follow this through with something on VST?!

[MacQ]

Why did they never follow this through with something on VST?!

Because they followed right on through to selling high-priced hardware and growing into a formidable company in the process instead?

I hear you though.

~MacQ