mildmanofrock Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) Hi folks, I wonder if you could help. I have a power amp, Sansamp Paradriver - which I use as a pre - and a Pod X3, which I use for effects, but with no amp simulation settings. When I just use the Sansamp, everything sounds fine and clear. However, with the Sansamp and Pod together, the sound distorts slightly and clips occasionally - even on a totally clean setting with no effects. Any thoughts? Should I put the Sansamp first or second in the signal chain? Fiddle with the volumes on the Pod? Or bin the Pod altogether - which would be a shame because I like its effects? Any advice gratefully received! Thanks, Steve. P.S. just realised this might need to be in the 'technical issues' section. Sorry! Edited February 21, 2012 by mildmanofrock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I'd say pop the Paradriver away in your gig bag as the X3 can do all the things the paradriver can and a whole lot more on it's own, including driving a power amp directly. Shame you don't live closer as i used to own a PD and X3 so am familiar with getting one to sound like the other. I'll move your post too for ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 P.s. the distorting is just where the levels haven't been set up quite right yet and can be sorted quite quickly depending on how you configure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Thanks! I'll give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted February 25, 2012 Author Share Posted February 25, 2012 A revelation. After 4 years, I've realised just how great the Pod X3 Live is. And its all down to using the Live 1/4 jack plugs to connect to my power amp - not the XLR direct out, which sounded fuzzy. It's incredible. I will never need another pre or multiple effects pedals again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Thanks for encouraging me to persevere with the Pod, dood! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 No problem fella! Indeed, that's the right way to do it - send the signal out of the X3 Live Out 1/4" jacks and set the output to line level. Then in the configuration menu, IIRC there is a setting for running to a power amp set up and cabinet. That should give you the best settings and levels. The XLR outputs by default will have a 'mic'd up bass cabinet' simulation added, which isn't really what you want when you are running back in to another bass cabinet. It will indeed sound fuzzy and incoherent. Interestingly, most complaints about the Pod gear sounding rubbish is just down to those hidden settings that configure the line 6 stuff for a particular application. - They didn't really make it easy. There's a ton of stuff that the X3 could do - my favourite trick was to use channel / path one for my clean bass tone then only ever applying distortions and other affects to tone two, but carefully EQ'd so that the two sat together. Bass tone always sounded fat and tight and I never lost any low end kicking in a new preset. My other trick was to use guitar amp / cab sims for all of my distortions as opposed to distortion pedal sims on their own. Gave you a bit more flexibility and with the right cab, would make a massive distortion sound controlled instead of fizzy. try it! Dooooooood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Thanks fella. You say the XLR includes cab simulation. Do you know if there's any way to switch this off - so if I'm using it to send a signal to the front-of-house desk, it won't conflict with the PA speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mace Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 [quote name='mildmanofrock' timestamp='1330258125' post='1554643'] Thanks fella. You say the XLR includes cab simulation. Do you know if there's any way to switch this off - so if I'm using it to send a signal to the front-of-house desk, it won't conflict with the PA speakers? [/quote] +1 for the X3 Live, just started playing around with some dual-amped guitar distortions yesterday! Re the above, just turn off the cabinet in the "amp + cab" section on screen, scroll down a level and it's on the bottom left of the screen, where you can set it to "no cabinet" - the Sub Dub amp model defaults to this option if you want a starting reference point Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 [quote name='mildmanofrock' timestamp='1330258125' post='1554643'] Thanks fella. You say the XLR includes cab simulation. Do you know if there's any way to switch this off - so if I'm using it to send a signal to the front-of-house desk, it won't conflict with the PA speakers? [/quote] Further to Mace's response, it won't conflict with the PA speakers, as the sim (when enabled) at the XLR is that of a mic'd up Bass cab, which is exactly the same signal that you'd be sending to a full range PA system under normal circumstances. My ref above is sending the sound of a mic'd up bass amp/cab combination in to a bass amp/ cab combination. The PA is deaigned to be as flat/ hifi-ish response as possible, where as bass cabs/amps (discounting boutique flatter response stuff) usually have a heavy amount of inherent EQ. Daisy chaining two together via Mic' up cabs usually sounds incoherent and muddy. (especially if the mic sim is that of an SM57 heh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 Thanks Mace, dood. Great advice. I can't believe my Pod has been gathering dust for 4 years while I've sp**ked hundreds on various preamps and pedals. And my dream sound was there all along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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