Amp with PODlive question/choice

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Faze 2 Studios
Member Since: Aug 15, 2005

I have around $900 to spend on a amp. I'm planning to run my POD live through it at all times so i want a amp that soudns great clean, I dont need an amp with its own unqui tone, or an amp with digital effect on it. I just want soemthign that will mimic the POD's sound perfectly loud and clear. hah. I was looking toward marshall, but to be honest I have no clue about amps. soemthing for small/medium venues, and band practice's.

thanks a lot guys
-melty2

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Typo Szar
Member
Since: Jul 04, 2002


Feb 10, 2006 12:41 am


I find that Sansamps equipment from Tech21 is good at real clean pure tone, they even have a big policy on like nice analog mimicing work, never tried one though. Roland amps are pretty well known for their super clean clear amps, i think almost all jazz musicians that just need a good clean tone use them. I probably wouldnt go with marshall coz their a bit on the trebly side usually and give off just a bit of overdrive in their actual tone. A fender bass amp is nice clean, but ofcourse its a bass amp so you might sacrifice some high end (which i never had a problem with). And finally.. Line6 makes their own amps.. maybe that would do the best job, probably wouldnt have to get the spider, but line6 effects out a line6 amp.. makes sense eh?

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Feb 10, 2006 11:05 am

The Roland cube series is what I hear to be the cleanest of the clean as far as solid state amps go. I think that they do have digital effects built in which unfortunately would add to the cost, but I hear great things about how well those amps get along with modellers.

Or, doesn't Line6 or somebody make a cabinet specifically for PODs? It even had a bean-shaped recess to put the classic POD.

Aha, after a short Google, here's what I was thinking of:

www.vettaville.nl/vvatomic-info.html

I would think that any combination of power amp/speaker cabinet would do the trick since your POD is now your preamp. You might be able to find a cheaper alternative than a full guitar amp by just pairing together a good power amp and a good speaker cabinet.

Just remember to turn off the speaker emulation on that POD since you're using the real thing...why emulate what you've already got? :)

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 10, 2006 11:09 am

Line 6 makes amps that are built with the POD as their preamps, or some of the POD features anyway...that said, with the POD in your rack you could wire into any cab...

That said I actually wrote up blueprints and shared them with Noize2u a while ago regarding such a product I was dreaming up, a cab designed for modellers with the rack, power supply/conditioner build in and everything...but I'm too lazy to move on it...I guess my wife is right...

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Feb 10, 2006 11:14 am

Roland Jazz Chorus, the 120 is the big one, and I believe there's a 90, or something like that. Very nice clean sound, and it can be stereo as well.

I had a 77 for a couple years (i really miss that amp) and it was great for pedals, etc. in front of it.

ALso, one of the best choruses around, imho.

Wouldn't go wrong at all with that choice.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 10, 2006 03:16 pm

melty, are you looking to do it in stereo or just a mono set up? That would make a bit of a differance to what you might want to look at.

All the above are correct though as for choosing an amp that will add no color to the sound of the POD. I run mine through a 1000 watt Peavey into a pair of Peavey PV-15's. But that is as well the set up I use for playing everything in here including synths and the like. It is more of a live set up for recording in here. In your case you may want to look at something moer along the lines of using a guitar cabinet or a pair of them for stereo if you choose.

But as was stated, the Roland stuff expecially the Jazz Chorus is absolutely clean. Not sure how the speakers will handle the huge distorted sounds in the Jazz but it might be something to look at. The Cube as well from Roland is another excelant full range unit.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 10, 2006 03:17 pm

AxeTrak, baby! www.axetrak.com

I can't spell.
Member
Since: Nov 10, 2005


Feb 10, 2006 03:22 pm

Orange has nice amps

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 10, 2006 04:07 pm

dB brings up a good point. Are you going to be using it live or just to record?

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 11, 2006 09:30 pm

I want live sound,and practice. thats what im looking for, as far as recording i jsut put my pod straight into my 002 Rack. which is right.. right? sounds right. hah. uhm, I'm assuming stero is better for live sound as is in most situations. I like the sound of having speakers and not jsut an Amp. speakers soudn more flexable, i might get other things in the future (synths and such) that proabably wouldnt sound good through an amp. Im sort of lost in this whole amp/speaker stuff. but thanks for the replies so far...

melty2

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 11, 2006 09:45 pm

In small venue situations I have found stereo to be pretty worthless, it's next to impossible to get a decent stereo image in small venues at high volumes...I have always run live sound systems in mono.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 11, 2006 10:11 pm

well ive i had 2 speakers, in small venues couldnt i just put both speakers side by side on stage, and it would basically be mono? right? if i gt some speakers, could i run multiple things throught them at once? like my guitar, another guitar, and vocals? what would i need to do that.

-melty

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 12:14 am

OK, now your getting into the realm of PA gear if your talking about running more then just one guitar through the rig. If that is the route you wish to take it will definately change what I at least would recomend using. Let me know if that is what youa re really looking for.

And yes, it would be able to work both live and for practice if you are truly looking at that kind of set up.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 10:49 am

What I have always done personally is have a decent speaker array on either side of the stage aimed so the sound can cover the whole room. Anything in the mixer is always panned dead center to give equal sound all over the room.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 12, 2006 12:00 pm

What is the differnce between PA system, and just a system of speakers with multiple things into it. I just always assumed PA systems for just mainly for Vocals, for some reason i just thought that Amps are for guitars and PA's for vocals. I guess Im wrong. Would an ok pair of PA speakers be able to handle a distorted metal guitar? or a nice mellow delayed acoustic guitar sound? ontop of vocals and a keyboard or soemthing? I have a small mixer (a eurorack ubsomething) it has 2 mic pre's and a couple line inputs. Coudlnt i just take that and then get a pair of speakers. Run my mic's and instaments into the mixer, then have the mixer left and right out channels go into soem speakers? or would that be weak?

-melty2

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003


Feb 12, 2006 12:25 pm

Well in a guitar amp, the speakers are selected for qualities that make them work well with a guitar's frequency range.

PA speakers are meant to reproduce pretty much the whole frequency range.

The speaker and how it reacts to being pushed hard is part of your guitar sound, so I'd recommend finding a cab that's designed for guitar. Just my opinion.

What you're thinking about would definitely work tho. Unless that mixer is powered, you're going to need a power amp as well.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 12, 2006 02:27 pm

well i want the clean sound so my POD is what makes the tone of the guitar, so i want whatever I get to be able to produce the sounds from the POD the best. I'm worried though if it got it lot of use, could i blow one or all of the PA speakers under a conditions where an amp wouldn't blow?

The mixer I have is powered (as in it plugs into the wall) would that take the need for a power amp away? what exactly does a power amp do?

im in over my head, i should try and grow a little taller

-Melty2

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 02:27 pm

The PA is used for a bit of everything...in small venues it's often mainly vocals, but it's also used to adjust the level of the sound of all instruments, adding other instruments as needed...and to send them into the other players monitors as well...

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 04:46 pm

Ummmm, all mixers plug in to the wall...a "powered" mixer is one that has the amplifiers for the speaker built in.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 12, 2006 05:09 pm

so a PA system would work good for what i need it for?

So I'd jsut need some speakers and a Power Amplifier then i would be good to go?

I really want to make sure that a PA system would work good with a PODxt, in that, there would not be a HUGE differnec between a guitar's sound through a PA, or a guitars sound through a Amp. assuming i run both through the POD first.

anyone have suggestions for speakers? $300-$500 each. range?
power amps suggestions?

-melty

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 05:09 pm

The power amp is what your mixer send the mixxed signal of all the instruments into that in turn powers the speakers so you can hear what is coming out of the mixer.

What you really need to decide is if you truly want something that is going to just work as an alla around practice rig as well as a small live rig. Or do you want to start out with something dedicated to just the POD first and then move up from there.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 12, 2006 05:48 pm

well ive had a fender hotrod deville for a long time now. Ive had the pod going through it for a while aswell, and i think its time to move up. the fender noticable changes the tone of each of the models, so I want soemthing that will truely project the tones from the POD. but Im also in need of a PA system for vocals(for practices) and figured I could kill 2 birds with one stone. I also play a lot of acoustic guitar stuff with my Taylor 214e so i figured a PA system would better suit those needs then an electric guitar amp aswell. and If i could have all those things coming out of some nice speakers at once during band practice it would be like killing 3 birds at once with one stone. Im not to too familier in this area, so im not sure if that is that best choice for each of the individual instraments i want to run through it.

Im just thinking rather then go and buy a decent electirc guitar amp, then a decent acoustic amp, then an ok speaker for vocals I could suit all of those needs buy just getting some good speakers and power amp.

which of those routes do you think would have a better cost/sound ratio?

-melty2

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 12, 2006 09:54 pm

Then that sounds like the direction you should really go. In the studio here that is the way I do it. I have a 1000 watt amp running through a pair of Peavey PV-15 speakers and they work great. I will run an eniter mix through them to play live to either synth stuff, drums or through my POD or the TonePort UX-2 and it works well. Acoustic guitar as well, and with the electric I have micced one of the speakers for getting some feedback of needed.

I think that is probably the best route for you then from what you are describing.

Faze 2 Studios
Member
Since: Aug 15, 2005


Feb 12, 2006 11:35 pm

ok sounds like what I will do. thanks all you of you for your help. thanks Noize, Db, and tadpui. Thanks for your help a lot.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Feb 14, 2006 07:42 pm

Let us know what you decide to buy.

Glad we could help ya decide.

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