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 In Defense of the Line 6 POD 
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Post In Defense of the Line 6 POD
Hi Everyone...
I came across this article on Reverb.com and it really spoke to me. https://reverb.com/news/in-defense-of-the-line-6-pod

I remember when starting I wanted to get everything and wanted to best of everything but quickly realized how expensive it would be. Not knowing how to come up with those sounds in my head I would have been on a very very very long road of finding that sound... but with the POD x3 Live (recommendation from Don Schiff) I was able to explore so many kinds of setups to get that sound I have been chasing and explore new sounds without buying any new gear. I really wouldn't have been able to learn how each pedal interacts with the amp and how it all comes together without my POD. The POD x3 Live does sound great and highly recommended since it's the last one that had the full Bass Pod as well as the Guitar Pod in one. Also a great LA-2A compressor sim.

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Mon Jul 18, 2016 11:52 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
YO! Yes, I have had every version of the POD (floor models), and was always very happy with sound, build quality etc. Now, having the Line 6 Helix, I must say that this product is the End all and Be All!! Line 6 really hit it out of the park. I highly recommend any of the Line 6 products, particularly the POD.


Mon Jul 18, 2016 12:53 pm
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
Does the Helix have 2 discreet signal paths to accommodate both sides of the Stick independently like the HD500X does?


Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:27 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
@ Captain - Yes indeed, however, due to the stupid impedance issue with the Aux plug in, you have to route into one of the Snd/Rcv inserts. Not a big deal and very easy to do. I highly recommend this piece of gear.... Built quality, sound quality and ease of use makes it a great addition to the Stick. Trey Gunn came over to help me with some sound design (he uses Axe FX) and he thought it sounded as good and also thought the routing possibilities were much better.


Tue Jul 19, 2016 7:54 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
Line6 gear has always been good, and has always been affordable. I still own a Line6 Podxt, and a Line6 Pod HD Pro, and I even use them even though I have an FAS AxefxII. It's nice to have options...

For the Stick, I really, really like the boss GT100... (Sorry, I know it's a Line6 thread!) I have two of them midi'd together, they solve pretty much any tonal or input challenges that might arise. Direct recording, PA, amp, whatever.

On that note, a Helix is on my list of acquisitions this year...

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Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:52 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
Jayesskerr wrote:
For the Stick, I really, really like the boss GT100... (Sorry, I know it's a Line6 thread!)


No need to apologize. I think this is really about inexpensive multi-effects and amp-sim / all-in-one thread.

I'm not really talking about quality (although it's a great perk) but just the ability to explore those other possibilities and learn so much from it.

I do wonder... if these signal chains I make in the digital world will work in the analog world the same way... :?: One of these days when I have the funds I may just get all the analog hardware that I use in my virtual rig and see how it compares...

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Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:06 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
I have the Helix, and recently traded off an OCD Overdrive, which the Helix has. Fairly close, looks like they modded two versions of the pedal instead of the two modes on the latest OCD version. I recently played live on electric guitar with it hooked to one QSC K12 speaker. Afterwards I traded in my bass amp for a second K12, the Helix works much better in stereo, really noticed the Gray Flanger came alive running two speakers.

As mentioned in a different thread, bi-amping USB into DAW where you get the raw signal and the effect signal recorded into two tracks is tricky with a Stick. That impedance mismatch with the AUX switch requires something external to boost which ever side you run through in. The problem, is, the other return input that gives you a matching stereo input is not a choice for bi-amping. Would be nice if Line6 could upgrade that. Works fine with a single input or if you have something else to run in the AUX.

I've had both Line6 units mentioned in the article. The Bean was a bit mediocre for me back then using on a guitar and bass with respect to the amp modeling, but the effects were nice. Later after 2004 when I got my first NS Stick, I had the X3 Live, which I had a bad one. I learned that was not the first time they had issues with multi-effects like that, so I was glad to hear the Helix was built from scratch. The HD500's and M-series seem to be built on a much sturdier chassis.

With the Helix, my guitars, bass, and Sticks now work with everything I have to amplify them with. Still have my Fishman Loudbox 100. It's nice not having a guitar and bass amp cluttering space for me as well.

I have a question regarding running these units into a PA - when running a long cable to space the speakers out more, what works best, a standard guitar cable or MIC cables? The stage I was on had limited outlets, so I brought my own extension cord and Fuhrman power strip. I would have liked a bit more space between the Helix and the PA though.

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Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:05 pm
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
I too have the Helix with 2 K12's... I use the XLR's when I am gigging. I do notice a difference. Those QSC's really make the Stick and effects come alive!


Wed Jul 20, 2016 6:14 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
I use the old POD X3 bean. I have gigged with it. It sounds decent, but definitely has some shortcomings, especially for stick. Signal routing and gain/impedence issues are a bit of an issue. I always looked at it as a stepping stone, as opposed to a final solution. By today's standards, it's old technology.

However, it is great for headphone practice and once I get a handle on my sound and the effects I like to use most, I would ups like to build a proper pedal board with higher quality equipment.

I would still recommend the X3 as a cheap choice for new players. Especial ones with noise concerns

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Wed Jul 20, 2016 10:44 am
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Post Re: In Defense of the Line 6 POD
Skydiver wrote:
Not knowing how to come up with those sounds in my head I would have been on a very very very long road of finding that sound... but with the POD x3 Live...

So true. I learned all that the long and tedious way making hundreds of mistakes, and bad purchases, during 40 years of electric guitar playing. Gear behave differently depending on gain level and the order you chain devices in your signal flow, so "the rules" are kind of dialectic. Then it becomes a powerful shortcut to have everything modeled in the box with the option to try out all kinds of combinations without the extra cost of buying new gear. My current "in-the-box solution" is an AxdFxII (having owned a lot of the modeled gear in the past and always regretting I sold off stuff to try out new stuff...)

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Sun Jul 24, 2016 11:44 am
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