Hi guys,

Well, I've researched this a little on this forum but couldn't quite find enough info. Before getting too deeply into it.... I just want to clarify and acknowledge that I understand that nothing beats a real amp pushing real air...

However... having said that...

I have heard for many years now (from die-hard guitarists who use real amps) that the Pod sucks. (Bob Clearmountain apparently agrees, according to a comment he posted on his own website).

I have also read some info about some engineers/producers that I admire (including Clearmountain) saying that Amp Farm is great, and that they use it often.

My question is... are the Pod and Amp Farm really that different from each other? (Once again... keeping in mind that real amps are unbeatable... )

Can anyone share their opinions? If Amp Farm is indeed better than the pod ... how is it better?

P.S. I'm specifically interested in comparing the ORIGINAL pod (not the XT, or the version 2.0).. to Amp Farm.

Thanks for any advice...

Well ones hardware and ones a plug.

Difference already.

OT: GT2 looks cool. I was considering this over a POD...

I know I'm not answering the original question but I just wanted to say that the Pod XT pro rocks.

I've got 4 JMP marshalls - a bluesman - old 70s Wem - MKIII boogie - a bluesbreaker etc so I know what a decent amp sounds like.

You might miss some of the nuances of the sound with the pod but it's incredibly versatile and quick. If I had a choice between a real amp in a bad sounding room or using the Pod, I'd use the Pod. Additionally some of those pod FX are great too.

Plus, line 6 have just released V3 firmware with extra amps and a bass amp pack - with a load of classic bass amps.

Great value for money.

just my 2p.

two words.......Guitar Rig

Hello,

I like my pod just for noodling at home with and so on. I also like Amp Farm, and it is one of the most rused plugs in PT as far as I know..

I think the difference is likely to be the AD / DA converters involved in Amp Farm are unlikely to be as good as those in your PT rig.

Also I see amp farm used a lot on drums / vocals / DI'ed keys / etc etc etc as an effect, not neccessarily to simulate a sepcific amp / cab / mic combination. So it's a great mixing tool, but not neccesarily to be used as Line 6 intended!
just a very humble opinion.

Is aaaaaaaawful.

To the original poster- Yes Amp Farm and Pod sound significantly different.
Amp Farm has no effects.
Pod has many more models and effects.
The A/D on the Pod's is not very good.
I use the AES/EBU io on the Pod pro xt and go into protools via the DI on a Groove Tubes Vipre.
Then run the Pod Pro as an IO object.

I actually love the POD Pro XT and I use Amp Farm a lot also.
However- a real amp is preferable fro dry guitar (clean or dirty tones).

Both Pod Pro XT and Amp Farm are great for layering and double tracking under 'real amp' tones. and great for effected guitars.
I use the add on FX bundle for the Pod Pro XT all the time- especially for insane synth sounds, but played by me on guitar- just awesome.

Rockman,
I went had a similar question a few years ago, so I went and A/B's the POD 2.0, XT and Amp Farm to see which I'd rather get. ( I know you said you're only interested in POD original, but I've never used it)
To me, the only difference between the 2.0 and the XT were the added effects, a couple of different amp models, expanded I/O, and the ability to "change mic and position." The basic models sound the same.
I felt the same way about the hardware vs. software. There were a few different options on what you could do, but the basic sounds are very much the same. True, if you use a beautiful vocal preamp it will probably sound a little different. But I don't run mic'd guitars through Manley's anyway.
For me there wasn't much difference, so I bought the 2.0, at 200 bucks it don't break the bank.

This is what I was gonna say. Amp farm with good A/D is not bad.

I really dislike the sound of Guitar Rig, almost as much as I dislike the sound of the Waves GTR thing.

Thanks for all the replies guys. I think you may be right Arturchino... in regard to the AD/DA converters on the Pod itself.

I have a pretty good quality signal chain in my system. Basically, here are my 2 options to record elec guitars (without a real amp):

Guitar---> Pod (original)--->Neve 1073 mic pre--->Distressor--->Apogee Rosetta--->Pro Tools Mix Plus 44.1/ 24 bit

or...

Same as above, but without the Pod, and simply use Amp Farm instead as a plug insert.

I tend to use my pod a lot because I spent the time to dial in some tones which I saved, and it keeps things pretty quick and painless when I'm in record mode.

By the way, I also own an old Mesa Boogie Studio Preamp (with no power amp or speakers). It has a "recording output"... I haven't used it in a while.. maybe I should try that and see how it sounds.

hmmm...

i was always to stupid to get a nice sound out of the pods.
and it never made me FEEL GOOD when playing one ( the small red ones or their amps ).
BUT the ampfarm is really good imho ( not just for guitars ).
its a cool & quick and good sounding sound processing tool.

I used to have a Pod and a Pod Pro, both the first versions. I have never found them to sound as good as Amp Farm. I believe it's the front end analog and D/A that makes the difference. I'm always using a VHT Valvulator into a Neve or API DI to input into my HD system. Much more quality guitar signal going into Amp Farm although the Valvulator into the POD makes a huge difference especially in the feel and dynamics.

Kenny M.

huh?

I personally like the amp farm better.
you can also change the sound in mix, wich is important.
The pod is farty sounding on the low end.

All of your replies seem to be pointing the finger towards the AD/DA converters in the Pod, being the culprit. Makes sense to me. I might have to try going direct into Pro Tools (via D.I. input of my Neve), and try using Amp Farm instead.

Thanks for the input guys.

The front end really makes the difference. I go through a Manley, through a Radar for A/D and into Pro Tools. And I really like how Ampfarm sounds. I just mixed a song using it entirely.

Most guitars on all three of Coldplay's records are ampfarm...and they're known for their guitar tone.

I also think that Ampfarm's strength is the lack of other effects. Even if the amp model is set up well on a POD, overusing chorus, phaser, etc can make it sound cheesy really quick. I use Ampfarm and compress, delay, eq as I would with any normal guitar track.

Thanks for your input Phelbin. I think I'm going to try that... and lose the Pod for now. (although I actually hardly ever used the effects on the pod... I always stuck to 2 basic guitar tones... the AC30 and the Plexi Marshall.. just straight-ahead guitar tones, with nothing on them).

If I use Ampfarm, I will however, have to print the processed track... in order to save on DSP. I'm still using Mix Plus 5.1 (with extra farm cards).

I am always amazed at how golden eared engineers, who can spot differences in A/D converters and compressors, can fall for Line6 stuff.

How can anyone miss the ugly wolftones when playing melodic lead stuff? It's like a damn pitchshifter. It's tolerable on power chords and low string chugging, but intolerable on solos.

I guess nobody plays solos anymore?

Get something analog - a Radial Tonebone, or something.

looks like I'm in a party of one but I sold my POD (the original) to get amp farm for my HD rig and wish I hadn't. I preferred the tweakability of the hardware. The lure of recall and the ability to change sounds after the fact was what sold me but I hardly ever mess with the sound once I get a tone that I like.

Seems like everybody elses mileage varied

Ruairi

I remember when the POD first came out and everyone was raving about it. I asked a guitar slinger friend of mine who was doing a lot of session work at the time about it. He said he had to get one to stay competitive as a session player. When I asked him how he liked playing thru it he said "I feel like I'm playing parts that some else already recorded." This was his way of saying he felt disconnected from the tone while playing thru the POD. I have to agree when you compare the POD to the feel of playing thru a good tube amp. But you gotta love the convienence though, kinda like the McDonald's drive-thru or Domino's delivery of guitar tones.

I mainly use the AC30 and the Matchless with AC30 cab. Every so often I'll use the Plexi.