Zoom b1 four or pod XT

[Washy131]

Hi everyone,

I’ve got a show coming up at the 6th form I’m in and normally I’d use my bass amp however this time I’ve been told I’ll have PA support and so was looking at going ampless. I’ve narrowed my choices to the Zoom b1 four and the small Pod XT. I’m mainly going to be using it for amp and cab simulations and the effects won’t be used for the gig as I’ve got a pedalboard.

Does anyone have any experience using either of these and was wondering which one has better quality amps and cabs?

[Geek99]

I used a zoom b2.1 (svt setting plus compression) through a PA and managed to make glasses fall off shelves. Have no fear, just do it 

[Washy131]

9 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

I used a zoom b2.1 (svt setting plus compression) through a PA and managed to make glasses fall off shelves. Have no fear, just do it 

Oh cool that’s good to hear, I’m looking at using it almost as a preamp and change out different amp and cab presets depending on the song but would mainly use the Ampeg models

[Geek99]

12 minutes ago, Washy131 said:

Oh cool that’s good to hear, I’m looking at using it almost as a preamp and change out different amp and cab presets depending on the song but would mainly use the Ampeg models

Ampeg sim, bit of compression on the zoom plus a precision bass -“accept no substitute” as Samuel l Jackson says in pulp fiction. - what you describe is exactly what I did with mine through a PA. the host of the OM night is a guitar teacher himself and said my bass “sounded pretty awesome”. 

[Skybone]

Between the B1 Four or the PODxt, I would say that the B1 Four will probably be the better choice, as it will have the advantage of having a newer chipset and models (this from a Line6 fan). The PODxt is a perfectly usable solution, but the Zoom will probably give you more. Add in the footswitches, and you can set up a bunch of patches to use.

 

[nilebodgers]

I’d still be inclined to have a backup amp with you. PA support is pretty vague, the monitoring could be inadequate or non-existent so having a plan B is wise.

[Washy131]

So I’m definitely going to side with the zoom b1 four over the Pod XT. If I do need to use my amp instead, could I use the amp modelling without any cab sim into my my amps power amp to use the ampeg sim tone not my amps baked in tone?

[Al Krow]

30 minutes ago, Washy131 said:

So I’m definitely going to side with the zoom b1 four over the Pod XT. If I do need to use my amp instead, could I use the amp modelling without any cab sim into my my amps power amp to use the ampeg sim tone not my amps baked in tone?

The B1-4 is one of the very best value pedals out there. Like mine so much, I've got two (one on my board and a spare as a headphone amp).

In terms of by-passing your amp's baked-in tone, what amp have you got and can you entirely by-pass the preamp on it? If not, will you still have some of your amp's baked-in tone even with the preamp EQ set flat?

But in any event, having an Ampeg sim effect in your signal chain should make the "end sound" more Ampeg-y even if you can't entirely eliminate your amp's baked in tone.

 

[Washy131]

52 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

The B1-4 is one of the very best value pedals out there. Like mine so much, I've got two (one on my board and a spare as a headphone amp).

In terms of by-passing your amp's baked-in tone, what amp have you got and can you entirely by-pass the preamp on it? If not, will you still have some of your amp's baked-in tone even with the preamp EQ set flat?

But in any event, having an Ampeg sim effect in your signal chain should make the "end sound" more Ampeg-y even if you can't entirely eliminate your amp's baked in tone.

 

The amp I’m currently rocking is a peavey tko 115s which is a combo amp and the main amp section has an fx loop and preamp out/power amp in so hoping I could use those to bypass the amps tone shaping 

[Al Krow]

18 minutes ago, Washy131 said:

The amp I’m currently rocking is a peavey tko 115s which is a combo amp and the main amp section has an fx loop and preamp out/power amp in so hoping I could use those to bypass the amps tone shaping 

I've asked around some of my BC mates recently and very few of them are using the amp fx loop these days - "very last century" were a couple of the comments, lol!

My understanding is that putting pedals in the amp's fx loop typically puts them in series after the preamp. I don't think it necessarily by-passes the pre-amp as such;  you'll need to check the circuit diag. to see what's going on with yours.

[jrixn1]

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Edited June 23, 2025 by jrixn1

[Al Krow]

13 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

The loop being in series after the preamp is exactly why this approach will bypasses the amp's preamp.  You plug your bass into the pedal, not into the amp.

👍

Just out of curiosity as I'm going into the front of my amp with my pedal board, I presume:

- you're meaning just using the fx loop in and not using the full loop, right?

- you could therefore use that same approach with any preamp pedal, but does the same principle apply to any pedal - this is where I am getting a little confused - does a B1-4 with headphone amp capability have greater output than a typical pedal and do you need this additional output in order to drive a power amp?

Edited April 5, 2021 by Al Krow

[jrixn1]

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Edited June 23, 2025 by jrixn1

[Skybone]

You can use the "Power Amp In" socket if you're planning to bypass the amp's front end. Providing you've set up the Zoom as a pre-amp.

My amp has an Effects Loop, so I just plug my multi FX (Line6 HD500x) into the Effects Return.