POD X3 LIVE

[xilddx]

I've had this for nearly three years and used it in my home studio, in professional studios, and live. I don't own a rig, and live I usually only use the POD and rely on stage monitors. If there is an amp available I will happily use it on stage, I just take a 1/4" direct out into the power amp stage but run the full patch, ie. amp and cab sims and effects. The same as the Studio Out XLR. I will explain these settings shortly.

The unit is suitable for bass, guitar and vocal. It has a very large range of sims for amps and cabs, pres and mics and mic placements suitable for their intended instruments or vox. There is a large selection of effects sims too. You can select whether they go pre or post. You get two separate "Tones" per patch too, which is enormously useful. Think of the "Tones" as running two patches simultaneously as a single patch, you can turn either one of them off and on and configure them separately in all parameters. Great for running a doubleneck guitar and bass through separate patches using the aux (which is what I used to do), or guitar and vocal, etc. The two Tones for each patch are separately route-able to separate inputs. There is no noticeable delay between switching patches.

The unit itself is sturdy enough but I wouldn't chuck it about, I don't think it's THAT sturdy. It has the main instrument input, an Aux input for running two instruments at once, XLR Mic input with trim pot, two XLR direct outs, two 1/4" direct outs, headphone out, CD/MP3 in, S/PDIF, Variax, Loop, MIDI In/Thru/Out, FX Send and two returns for stereo, and USB. In fact there's almost nothing you can't connect to it, or connect it to. The two XLR Studio direct outs and two 1/4" direct outs are configurable for what you plug them into. The 1/4" outs can be configured for Combo Front, Combo Power Amp, Stack Front, Stack Power Amp, all of which turn off your amp and cab sims and leave only the FX but "focus" highs, mids and lows. Or you can duplicate the Studio Direct outs which have everything and which are also configurable.

It has a volume/wah pedal and a jack for an external expression pedal.

It has a bunch of pretty bad presets, but the SUB DUB one is f***ing amazing. It was created by Justin Meldal-Johnson and you can make people sh*t themselves with it, especially if you turn the drive all the way up through a decent PA with subs.

Basically you want to create your own patches, so choose an empty user patch. Scroll through the BASS amp and pre folder until you get one you like, change the cabs, change the mic placements or go direct. Add your effects, eq the patch so you have a bass sound as big as Beyoncé's leg. Add Tone 2 where you can chosse a MESA guitar amp and get some filthy distortion and phaser going on without turning Beyoncé into a size zero. Stick that through your PA and see the audience think, "sh*t! he manages to get that massive distortion without sucking the bass out of the sound! I must email him to find out the secret!" etc.

I'll admit, it's a bit of a learning curve, and volume balancing each patch is not that easy, lots of trial and error. But once you've got it, the fun begins, there are huge rewards for effort with the POD X3. The producer at one studio we use was most sceptical when I first turned up with it. He asked me to abandon ship and use his old compressors and preamps, but I insisted and he admitted it sounds good, I think that was a grudging admittance.

It's an immensely versatile piece of kit. I would be completely lost without it.

Edited November 19, 2012 by silddx

[Blademan_98]

Thanks for that great description.

I have been looking at these and was wondering if they are worth the money?

I need to have a go on one but you have given me an good insight into it's worth

Thanks again,

Blademan

[xilddx]

[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1299021' date='Jul 10 2011, 03:20 PM']Thanks for that great description.

I have been looking at these and was wondering if they are worth the money?

I need to have a go on one but you have given me an good insight into it's worth

Thanks again,

Blademan[/quote]
My pleasure

[peted]

I've got one of these and it's like carrying around a well-stocked music shop with you

You haven't mentioned that it also doubles up as an extremely powerful external soundcard for a Windows PC or Mac with something like 4 stereo channels of variations of Tone 1, Tone 2, Wet and Dry simultaneously output to your favourite DAW.

Definitely a +1 from me too.

[MarshallBTB]

Nice review !
I use my X3 live through a power amp and then two 2x10 cabs. I love this set up, I can get virtually any sound I want/need.
It does take a while to get to grips with the set up/levels of patches though, and live on the spot tweaking can be difficult. I have a Behringer DI that I use for adjustments live.
Swap my cabs and I have a guitar rig as well!
Great pedal, patience with these really pays off!

[captain black]

I had an X3 Live and as good as it was it was not easy or intuitive to programme.
I find the Bass pod XT suits my needs best.
You can Bi-amp and so on, its so easy to programme and I think you don't miss any models or amp sims that the X3 has.
Also Line6 edit is also much easier to use than Gearbox.
I've used line6 gear for years and tend to think that after the XT they have pretty much abandoned the bass player (XT was the last dedicated bass pod).
Just MHO.

[xilddx]

[quote name='peted' timestamp='1310488479' post='1301348']
I've got one of these and it's like carrying around a well-stocked music shop with you

You haven't mentioned that it also doubles up as an extremely powerful external soundcard for a Windows PC or Mac with something like 4 stereo channels of variations of Tone 1, Tone 2, Wet and Dry simultaneously output to your favourite DAW.

Definitely a +1 from me too.
[/quote]

Pete,

Would you kindly expand on how you use yours as a soundcard please?

Cheers!

[Mace]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1321459074' post='1439423']
Pete,

Would you kindly expand on how you use yours as a soundcard please?

Cheers!
[/quote]

+1!

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1321459074' post='1439423']
Pete,

Would you kindly expand on how you use yours as a soundcard please?

Cheers!
[/quote]

Included USB Cable, set the DAW to recognise the POD as the input source.

I'm pondering on whether instead of getting a new amp, putting together a 6U rack with Line 6 Relay G90, POD X3 Pro and a Peavey IPR.

Liam

[Mog]

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1321479703' post='1439798']

I'm pondering on whether instead of getting a new amp, putting together a 6U rack with Line 6 Relay G90, POD X3 Pro and a Peavey IPR.

Liam
[/quote]

Aye, same as. If you do make sure to get as long a CAT5 cable as possible. And try and get one that will show up on a dark stage so you dont get caught up in it.

Nige, how does the X3 handle active pups? The Basspod XT can be a little overawed by them. IME the only Sims that can handle the Spectors are the SWR and Eden models. Everything else just dirts up too much.

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='Mog' timestamp='1321488681' post='1439924']
Aye, same as. If you do make sure to get as long a CAT5 cable as possible. And try and get one that will show up on a dark stage so you dont get caught up in it.
[/quote]

Yeah, i was thinking a 10m red or green one, run it round the side of the stage so i have no cables under my feet at all.

Liam

[xilddx]

[quote name='Mog' timestamp='1321488681' post='1439924']
Nige, how does the X3 handle active pups? The Basspod XT can be a little overawed by them. IME the only Sims that can handle the Spectors are the SWR and Eden models. Everything else just dirts up too much.
[/quote]
Seem absolutely fine mate, never had a problem, even with the clean preamps.

[xilddx]

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1321479703' post='1439798']
Included USB Cable, set the DAW to recognise the POD as the input source.

I'm pondering on whether instead of getting a new amp, putting together a 6U rack with Line 6 Relay G90, POD X3 Pro and a Peavey IPR.

Liam
[/quote]

Ah, that's what I thought. Strangely, I never onxce thought of doing this! I bought a Focusrite, but I also had my drums going into it.

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1321537394' post='1440304']
Ah, that's what I thought. Strangely, I never onxce thought of doing this! I bought a Focusrite, but I also had my drums going into it.
[/quote]

Its quite surprising how many people who have one overlook this feature actually, same with the Boss equivalents. The POD X3 Pro claims to be able to send something like 16 seperate channels of audio via USB, quite a handy little feature in my opinion.

Liam

[Mog]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1321536012' post='1440269']
Seem absolutely fine mate, never had a problem, even with the clean preamps.
[/quote]

Sound. Looks like an upgrade is on the cards......

[xilddx]

[quote name='captain black' timestamp='1312411993' post='1326320']
I had an X3 Live and as good as it was it was not easy or intuitive to programme.
I find the Bass pod XT suits my needs best.
You can Bi-amp and so on, its so easy to programme and I think you don't miss any models or amp sims that the X3 has.
Also Line6 edit is also much easier to use than Gearbox.
[b]I've used line6 gear for years and tend to think that after the XT they have pretty much abandoned the bass player (XT was the last dedicated bass pod).[/b]
Just MHO.
[/quote]

But the X3 can do bass, guitar and vocal and AFAIK does everything and more for the bassist that the XT could do. I use mine for bass, and electric and acoustic guitars so it's perfect for me. I do however notice there is no HD model for the bass, but I'd expect one soon. I will probably upgrade when that happens, it's new technology for Line 6 and I expect it will be marvellous!

[captain black]

I love Line6 gear, and I may be wrong, but I would be very doubtful that a bass version of the HD will ever appear.

[peted]

The HD got 1 bass amp in the last firmware upgrade. Hardly reason enough for me to shop in my X3 Live, which still gets 100% of my time and attention.