Sep 25, 2007 09:02 am I can't say I have used 'em both, but I have a couple buddies that use the xt Live and love it.
Line 6 or GT-8
Posted on Sep 25, 2007 08:43 am
mclir9
www.witchsmark.com
Member Since: Aug 13, 2006
For you guitarists in the bunch, it's time for a new effects setup what do you think Line6 PODxt Live or GT-8??
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Sep 25, 2007 09:02 am I can't say I have used 'em both, but I have a couple buddies that use the xt Live and love it.
Sep 25, 2007 10:18 am I have an XT Live and love it. I really can't see there being much to choose between them, each has a feature or two that the other doesn't but it depends on taste. If you have a chance to try them both then do it and make your own choice I think. They are both solid.
I am not 100% sure but I don't think that the GT-8 is a USB device. The XTL is and can be tweaked to your hearts content from the PC which is a major advantage. Plus you can download patches etc. If you get the XTL then let me know because I have a link to 1000's of well crafted free presets (Somewhere I can't find right now)
Sep 25, 2007 10:32 am I have the XTL and think it works great. The Gearbox software puts it ahead of the GT-8 (IMO) and the Line6 forums are loaded with a lot of really good patches. The built-in patches on the XTL suck but I think all the pre-loaded patches on most devices suck.
Sep 25, 2007 10:37 am I think Line6 Edit is superior to Gearbox for the XTL. Edit lets you view all your paramters at the same time whereas Gearbox makes you switch between each type. I actually use Edit because of the Variax control but I prefer it anyway.
The Line6 forums have gone to crap since they changed them :)
I also don't think they default patches suck, they just need to be tailored, and not by much, to your preferences.
I do agree XTL is better :)
Sep 25, 2007 10:55 am I've heard a couple of the Boss GT units, and I think that they have the most convincing modelled distortion of any of the other multi-FX units. They're really good boxes, very versatile, and they sound great.
Unless the XT sounds a lot better than the other POD units, then I'd say that the GT is superior in sound quality as far as distortion goes. POD distortion sounds "canned" to me. The GT distortion sounds smooth and natural to me.
Sep 25, 2007 04:31 pm The Boss GTPro I think is better that podxt
www.soundonsound.com/sos/...s/bossgtpro.htm
Sep 25, 2007 06:06 pm GT Pro is a more expensive product. Not exactly an apples to apples compare.
Sep 25, 2007 07:57 pm My son has a PodXT and I have Boss GT6, I think both sound good after to tweak them a bit, but the GT6/8 IMO is built much sturdier and the pedal has a better feel to me. Definitley try both before buying it's the only way you can be resonably sure you're getting what you'll be happy with.
Dan
Sep 25, 2007 09:46 pm XTL is significantly different to the POD XT. XT is a desktop model, XTL is the live model, almost identical to the GT in so many ways.
Sep 26, 2007 08:57 am Well I went with the Line6 and haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I did run through the manual last night before I went to bed. There is quite a bit of Do's, Don'ts, and If's within it to get the best overall sound for your situation, so I can see where some people may have trouble with it right outta the box if they didn't know better. For instance, you actually have to tell the PODXTL what your playing through, i.e. Front Guitar AMP, FX Return guitar Amp or straight into Mixer. According to Line6 this is a very important task and makes a world of difference in the sound you will acquire. Very good instructions, even on making your Guitar Amp neutral in sound before you patch into it by setting your Treble & Bass off, and MIDS full to 10. Today when I et home from work I can play, can't wait.
Sep 26, 2007 10:00 am Well don't forget to download Line 6 Edit and/or Gearbox. Upgrade to the latest firmware 3. something, that includes some new amps and effects.
Here's that forum thread with everyone's patch sets
line6.com/cgi-bin/ultimat...=3&t=016178
Most are posted at the top but there are more buried throughout.
Good luck with it :) If you get a squeaky pedal then check back, it's a common problem.
Sep 26, 2007 09:59 pm What happens if you download a patch setting for your POD and you don't have a specific Model Pack it uses?? Does it tell you in some way that you are missing the right pack??
Sep 27, 2007 06:48 am Another question, I have been experimenting with the option of running my POD straight to the PA Mixer, in doing this should I use a DI box or plug unbalanced straight to the channel Line In on the mixer?? This being asked, when is it good not to use a DI box??
Sep 27, 2007 09:31 am Definitely straight into the mixer, there's no reason to use a DI box with a POD.
If you don't have a model pack and you are using Line 6 edit then it tells you. I think with Gearbox it tries the closes substitute and I think if you are just straight up on the unit (not editing on thePC) it just ignores the missing values so, for example, you would have no amp, just the effects.
Sep 27, 2007 12:56 pm Ahhhh, this would answer why some of the Tones I dl'd last night had no AMPs. The only draw back with me not using a DI box is that when we perform Live we use a stage snake to get out to the Mixer, and for me to run a 50ft. Guitar cord may not be feasible. Does adding a DI box change the sound or anything?? I know this next question will probably be more opinion, but I also have a Marshall Valvestate AMP, how do most prefer run through AMP and MIC it or direct to board??
P.S. also can I have Gearbox and Line6 Edit installed at the same time to edit the Tones??
Sep 27, 2007 09:03 pm You can have them installed at the same time but I've never actually tried to use them at the same time.
I'm not clear how you plan to use your XTL. Most people would have the XTL on stage with them, then run the cable out of it to the mixer ??? I feel I might be missing something.
Sep 28, 2007 06:28 am Quote:
"I'm not clear how you plan to use your XTL. Most people would have the XTL on stage with them, then run the cable out of it to the mixer ???"
We have a sort of sound guy that helps us out with each show we do, and he is placed around 50feet in front of the stage with our Mixer, AMPS, BBE, XOver etc. To get all of our Mics, Keyboard, Bass, etc. to the Mixer we use an 8-channel stage snake so that one cable is now running 50feet away to the mixer instead of 8 cables. To plug into this Snake I need the connection to be XLR, hence using a DI from the POD to make the 1/4" cable an XLR connection, from there the snake does the rest. Otherwise, I will need to run a 50ft guitar cable all the way to the mixer, which I would like to try and avoid.
Sep 28, 2007 09:37 am Makes sense, though it seems complicated :) You lose the option of pressing your pedals on stage to make changes of course but it seems you know what you want in tha area.
Sep 28, 2007 10:05 am Quote:
Makes sense, though it seems complicated :) You lose the option of pressing your pedals on stage to make changes of course but it seems you know what you want in tha area.
This is a typical stage setup [not unlike any concert you've been to where the band is on stage and there is a Mixing booth straight out in the middle of the audience], no different than anyone else who has a sound guy option, unless the soundguy acually stands on stage with the band in which case they can't really hear anything to mix it correctly. My POD will be right at my feet, it's just that I will have to run an OUTPUT cord all the way to the Mixer from the POD. I guess my best bet is to just experiment and see if there is a difference in sound using the DI box or not.
Sep 28, 2007 11:06 am Yeah, that's pretty standard fare for live setups...the stage snake is a great piece of gear.
A direct box shouldn't alter your sound too much if at all. It's a line-level signal coming out of the POD, so just have the sound guy plug the signal coming from your POD directly into a line-level input on the mixer...don't put it through a preamp just to keep noise down, since the signal is already preamped by your POD.
Sep 28, 2007 11:19 am I think I'm getting it. I'm unclear why there was ever a mention of a 50ft guitar cable but don't worry about me
Sep 28, 2007 01:10 pm Quote:
I'm unclear why there was ever a mention of a 50ft guitar cable
Just so you understand, how else would I get a signal from the output of the POD to the Mixer 50ft away... Run a 50ft guitar cable from the POD to the Mixer --or-- run a 5ft guitar cable to a DI Box and then a XLR cable to a channel in the snake. I think thats my only 2 options, or the most logical anyway.
Sep 28, 2007 01:14 pm Sounds like your best bet is the DI box. I'm thinking that if you went the 50ft route you would only need an instrument cable though and not a guitar cable. Over that distance though I'm not 100% sure. Just seems like the guitar cable would be too expensive and an overkill.
Sep 28, 2007 02:36 pm I don't think you would run a guitar cable from the POD, it has stereo outs so you would run a stereo cable I would think (though of course in truth they are not that different).
I understand where you are at now but the mention of running a 50ft guitar cable made me think you were running a cable from your guitar to POD which was 50ft away.
just remember that the POD is outputting stereo for effects and reverb.
Oct 02, 2007 06:17 am Got it, played with it for a few days. Didn't like it...trying to get Live settings and keep it volume consistent without clipping was practically impossible. Took it back and bought 3 Boss stomp boxes (MT-2, DD-3 and CE-5). Keeping it simple and giving those a shot. Trying to break away and upgrade from my RP100A. I have band rehearsal tonight, and an Oktoberfest Gig Saturday, so I can see how these pedals do.
Oct 02, 2007 11:07 am The Metal Zone pedal has one cool feature, and thats the sweepable midrange included on the 3-band EQ. The distortion itself is pretty harsh, but you can basically use it as an overdrive and EQ pedal by keeping the gain down, but the level up. I'm not sure what kind of sound you're going for, or what specific amp you're using, so there's no telling if it'll do what you want. Just remember that more distortion doesn't equate to heavier guitar tone.
The DD3 gets pretty good press from what I can tell. Same for the chorus pedal...No-frills, set and forget. That sounds like what you're after anyways.
Oh, and if you're going to be using multiple Boss pedals, definitely invest in a NS-2 noise suppressor. Not only for the noise gate but for the daisy-chain power supply that comes with it. So you don't have to have a wall-wort for each pedal in your rig.
Personally, I love Boss pedals. I have several myself, and they've never failed me. Reliable switching, quiet, and they last forever. Now the DOD pedals, on the other hand, are total pieces of ****.
Oct 02, 2007 12:54 pm A POD XT live and you couldn't get consistent volume settings?? I'm guessing you didn't work too much with tweaking the patches did you?
You can't just buy something like that and expect to use the factory patches and have them all work for you.
You need to learn to set it up properly for your style and sound. And you also need to tweak each gain and master volume to fit your guitars.
I use both a POD XT fully loaded and a Toneport UX-2 here and most guitarist's that come in don't even plug in their own gear after getting to mess with it a bit. Although there are time when a head is prefered, I won't lie there.
Oct 02, 2007 01:12 pm Without a doubt a certain amount of fiddling is required with the XTL. Especially if you are downloading user patches. The volume levels are all over the board. I have found that you need to go through all the patches and use the quietest sounding patch as a starting point. Then adjust the rest of the patches accordingly. It is quite quick to do once you get use to it.
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