Getting some O2 onto my POD sounds.

juicylime · 5th November 2006, 12:50 PM

I have a POD pro, a POD XT and a bass POD XT and, forgive me father for I have sinned, but I love them. After alot of use I've come to the conclusion that the sounds you can dial in are very, very use-able and that as long as you're not trying to directly copy a certain amp/head you can do great things. BUT, I reckon the big problem that you get is when it comes to mix time. The sounds can feel like a suitcase without a handle. Getting a grip on them for positioning in the mix can be awkward as hell. Air seems to solve this, I have an old Laney session linebacker solidstate guitar amp that I reckon is from the 70's (anyone know these?), and all my POD stuff played through this through it just sits better in mixes and instantly makes more sense. Unfortunatley on some sounds it seems to colour them too much and I'm not quite getting what I want.
Can anyone recommend a good neutral amp/speaker set up? All I want is that inch of air between the cone and the mic! I was even thinking of using an active monitor? Any pointers?

feyshay · 5th November 2006, 04:12 PM

It seems that once you run an amp sim through an amp for the purpose of recording, you've defeated the purpose of using the amp sim in the first place. I suppose you could run an amp sim into a cabinet but you will still get coloration. The Atomic Reactor is marketed for that purpose, isn't it? I tried to use a clean amp for that purpose (Fender Super Reverb), but still found better success using pedals.
Also, I find that the output of the POD Pro imparts a slight digital noise. Thus, a reamp device provides better fidelity IMO when sending to an amp.
Other option would be to try better external reverb effects to get a better room sound.
You'll probably come to the conclusion that the solution will be having a few amps, a number of pedals, and a number of microphones and preamps to get to where you really want.

van Overhalen · 5th November 2006, 05:47 PM

I use an old hifi-amp and hifi-speakers for this.
Nothing too special, really.
It's cheap and doesn't color the pod's sound and it gives you
the possibility to use a regular recording chain(mic-pre-eq-comp)
to provide real room- sound and air.

Don't be afraid to experiment.
If you like the pod's sound, cabinet simulation and all, you just need something to make it loud enough to record it with a mic.

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5th November 2006, 12:50 PM	#1
juicylime Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 701	Getting some O2 onto my POD sounds. I have a POD pro, a POD XT and a bass POD XT and, forgive me father for I have sinned, but I love them. After alot of use I've come to the conclusion that the sounds you can dial in are very, very use-able and that as long as you're not trying to directly copy a certain amp/head you can do great things. BUT, I reckon the big problem that you get is when it comes to mix time. The sounds can feel like a suitcase without a handle. Getting a grip on them for positioning in the mix can be awkward as hell. Air seems to solve this, I have an old Laney session linebacker solidstate guitar amp that I reckon is from the 70's (anyone know these?), and all my POD stuff played through this through it just sits better in mixes and instantly makes more sense. Unfortunatley on some sounds it seems to colour them too much and I'm not quite getting what I want. Can anyone recommend a good neutral amp/speaker set up? All I want is that inch of air between the cone and the mic! I was even thinking of using an active monitor? Any pointers?

5th November 2006, 05:47 PM	#3
van Overhalen Gear maniac Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 208	I use an old hifi-amp and hifi-speakers for this. Nothing too special, really. It's cheap and doesn't color the pod's sound and it gives you the possibility to use a regular recording chain(mic-pre-eq-comp) to provide real room- sound and air. Don't be afraid to experiment. If you like the pod's sound, cabinet simulation and all, you just need something to make it loud enough to record it with a mic. __________________ www.michaelvonobernitz.com _________________________ He's independent - we cover his expenses and pay him a day rate...

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5th November 2006, 04:12 PM	#2
feyshay Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,270	It seems that once you run an amp sim through an amp for the purpose of recording, you've defeated the purpose of using the amp sim in the first place. I suppose you could run an amp sim into a cabinet but you will still get coloration. The Atomic Reactor is marketed for that purpose, isn't it? I tried to use a clean amp for that purpose (Fender Super Reverb), but still found better success using pedals. Also, I find that the output of the POD Pro imparts a slight digital noise. Thus, a reamp device provides better fidelity IMO when sending to an amp. Other option would be to try better external reverb effects to get a better room sound. You'll probably come to the conclusion that the solution will be having a few amps, a number of pedals, and a number of microphones and preamps to get to where you really want.