Anyone try one of these yet? Just curious, as people are making a big deal of them coming out. Me personally, the only Line 6 item i ever tried in my 40 years of being a guitar player was a Verbzilla. I'm sure the 11R has to be better
I'm planning on buying the HD 500 soon and doing a comparison. I'm impressed with what I've read so far. Even though I'll be comparing, I don't think either product is necessarily better or worse - just different. Each one will have pros and cons.
Line 6 stuff has always struck me as strong in some of the metal/Steve Vai stuff and weak in the clean/semi-dirty department. They have some really nice stereo chorus/delays and wahs and other effects I find pretty useless.
Line 6 hasn't done anything new in a long time, so I'm pleased to see they're still trying to raise the bar.
Thanks Justin. Can;t wait to hear your take. Hopefully they worked on the cleans/semi dirty tones. It looks like a cool little unit. I al;ways loved modelers, even though i never master any of them. What am i doing with a Axe Fx. i'll never know. I'm waiting to see what avid will do for the 11R when they do a serious updates with new models/fx etc...
I've been reading through a bunch of threads over at TGP, and my perception is that the people really digging the HD stuff are rather inexperienced. Now, I could be completely wrong, but that is my perception.
Many of the comments are coming from people with very few total TGP posts, and many are making comparisons to software modelers. Many make conclusion such as "blown away" or something like "I've never heard a modeler do that before." I also did not see very many comparisons with the 11R or AxeFX. It seems as though quite a few people are in awe of the HD stuff have never tried either.
So, I am very skeptical. I am open minded and so I am curious to see Justin's review here. In my humble opinion, I am just not hearing anything new or exciting with this Line 6 offering.
The fact that it is a floorboard model will likely appeal to some. What is it that the HD has that as some people are saying is light years ahead of any other modeler?
MY friend Greg (GASP100) has owned all 3 many times too. He thinks it compares with the axe fx, but i seen him 360 many times before. From the clip I heard him do, the Deluxe Reverb sounded sweet, but the Delay sounded like shit. To me it couldn't had sounded more digital. Not sure if thats what he was after, but it turned me off right away. The Axe and 11R delay destoyed it IMO. Guarantee Greg will 360 any week now...Watch
Traditionally with Line 6 I've thought their heavy metal sounds are pretty good but not so much their clean sounds. Reverb is a deceptive thing because honestly, for recording I would want to record dry and add it later. What I really listen for is air, cabinet, tubes, feedback and overall how does it feel when I hit the strings/sensitivity. Almost anything can be made to sound good when you go to mix.
Yes, I am familiar with Greg (GASP100). He flips more gear than Mickey D's flips burgers! He has been through the AxeFx multiple times, and I think he is on his second or third go around with the 11R. It seems like he is never quite happy with anything he tries for some reason. I don't know what kind of an issue he has that he has not been able to solve with any gear. I do wish him the best and I hope he finds tone nirvana someday.
Justin, thanks for the video. I saw that one discussed as well, and it appeared that quite a few people have issues with the quality of the AxeFx part of that clip. I listened to it, and while not my style of music (I would not know a good NuMetal guitar tone if it smacked me in the face!) I think the AxeFx tone was better.
My style of music is blues and blues-based rock (BB King, Clapton, MSG/UFO, Free, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Foreigner, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Y&T, Hendrix, Aerosmith, Badlands, Cinderella, Tesla, etc.). I care about how a tone cleans up after the volume knob is rolled down. I care about how tone changes the more I did in with my pick. I care about dynamics and the woody character of a guitar that comes through. So, in short, a Nu Metal or Thrash Metal type of demo does not help me. For some, I think that demo might be very worthwhile.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out after the honeymoon period wears off. I will be interested to check out more clips, and I hope some are done that hit my tone targets.
Thanks again Justin for sharing that video with us here.
Thanks but I didn't make that video, I just found it on YouTube and posted it here. My Pod HD 500 is on order, should have it next week. If I don't like it, I'll return it but for $450 shipped free from musiciansfriend (after 10% off Columbus Day discount - code is "NINA"), I say why not give her a whirl. I already own a Variax 300 guitar and Pod XT Live pedal so what's one more toy to have around the studio.
The clips I've heard so far do sound better than their last generation (especially the /13 and other breakup clips) and I suspect the HD500 is pretty good to play in person. That's a cool vid, though I'm with Judge there in that I find it hard to assess tone with that level of gain and that kind of playing (though I do prefer the Axe FX versions in that particular clip).
I just sold my X3 Live with the intention of picking up either the HD500 or 11r. The X3L I had gave some pretty good recorded sounds but wasn't quite there on the touch response / feel side..at least not enough to make it my main playing "amp". If they've made even a fairly modest improvement to it though, that might be enough for to sell me on the new one (I'm hoping to do a side by side comparrison to the 11 in the store).
One of the things that bothers me about Line 6 is, they release new products that are sometimes a re-hash of old products. For example, the new Pod HD 500 has brand new amp models but the effects were stripped from other products. I'd like to know exactly what is new in the new product I'm getting. The Wah pedals in the Pod HD 500 appear to be the same exact pedals as in my old Pod XT Live board. I'm not really objecting to this, I'd just like to know what's new and what isn't.
On a similar note, you know it's funny, I own the Reverb One TDM plugin for Pro Tools and I've tried to duplicate the same reverb tones from my 11R's reverb. I haven't been able to do, the 11R reverb actually sounds better to me. Why is this important? Because I don't want to record guitar tracks wet. In general I think the best route is to use the split feature taking the digital AES output into my Pro Tools 96 I|0 and record one mono processed track and one mono unprocessed track. This way I can re-amp later if I choose to. On the processed track I'll use an amp/cab and maybe a pedal but no stereo effects like reverb or delay. I'd much rather control those things later when I mix.
UPDATE - Upon closer inspection of the the Pod HD 500 I think it's important to note that the ONLY new models in this box are the 16 brand new amp/cab models.
Virtually all of the effects are identical to those found in the Line 6 M13 effects unit. The M13 hit the streets in August of 2008.
Well, it looks like Greg (GASP100) has flipped his 11R again. I am guessing he is sold on the HD500 to dump his 11R for either the second or third time. I truly hope the HD500 fills his needs.
Still lovin' my 11R! What a fantastic box!!! As a matter of fact, I am getting rid of most of my pedal effects (Catalinbread DLS, Shannon Helios, Paul Cochrane's Timmy, Analogman Beano Boost, Line 6 DL-4, etc.) I am holding on to my Antelope Effects Morning Dew EQ (MDEQ) and my MXR 10 band graphic EQ for the time being, along with my Tube Screamer and my old, beat up MXR Micro Amp. I also have a ZVEX Box of Rock and a Boss SD-1 in storage somewhere. I just really don't see the need for a pedal board anymore, since I don't play out live anymore. All of my playing is now done in my home studio and most, if not all, effects are done in the box.
I had a POD once, way back when, and it was cool for what it did. I think for those players who are performing live and need a modeler and floorboard combo, the HD series might be perfect.
I still love my 11R too! The Pod HD 500 might be the perfect compliment to the 11R because unlike it's other Line 6 predecessors (e.g. Pod XL Live), it is a full blown Midi controller plus you get many cool effects that 11R doesn't have - stereo delay, reverb etc. You could use the FX loop in either unit to pair the two together.
So the real question remains, are the amp/cab models significantly better then previous PODs, and are they comparable (or better) than the models in the 11R or Axe-FX?
Speaking for some creature comforts, I'm not real fond of having audio cables/connections on the floor, it's really nice having my 11R in my rack. 2nd, I'm glad the Pod 500 HD has an RCA type S/PDIF out, but I really appreciate the AES Digital output on the 11R - it's just more professional in my opinion. Finally, the POD 500 HD isn't really a recording interface in the same way the 11R is with Pro Tools, although it does have audio drivers via USB. Getting Pro Tools LE software with 11R was kind of the icing on the cake in my situation.
Your right justin. Only the models have changed. 11R most likely still owns this box, but it will appeal to people looking at spending $500 for a full live rig. I believe this is what a lot are saying. Basically you get a lot for $500. You do so as well with a 11R, but then you need a footcontroller and individual pedals for volume/wah. So at the end of the day you spending roughly $1000 and then you need a way of amplifying too....Not to mention the Axe Fx and how much $$$$$
My unit shipped today so I should have it soon. I intend to record some samples and do some comparisons to the 11R.
What I'm also really curious about is how well it work and how easy it will be to program as a MIDI controller for the Eleven rack. It'll be nice to program patches and, for example, send CC info from the foot controller to parameters on the 11R. We'll see.
As for the quality of the models, here's an interesting demo I found today on youtube...
and
and
and
and for you Swedish experimental metal types who think it's all about Axe-FX, one word, "ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR..." ;D
hmm, the video about the Rectifier comparison with Axe-Fx.. in my opinion the Axe has much more character than Pod HD, but i dont say that the Pod HD sounds shit, i think it sounds great, im really looking forward to see some clean tones from Pod HD, in the older models (pod xt, X3 live, 2.0) the clean sounds sounds like plastic to me..
I have never owned any Line 6 except a verbzilla, which i thought was decent, but not anything extrodinary. I owned a 11R and currently own a Axe Fx. Personally, i'd be really surprised that this HD500 unit would challenge either one. Some units are better then others at certain things. I can see buying a POD HD400 just to have one @$399 and for a different animal. But comparing all of these items is not the answer. You guys know as well as I that these tools are only good as the user. Take me for example. I can't make anything sound good. If it wasn't for me using other people's presets from either Fractal or here, then my sounds wouldn't be anywhere near close to extrodinary.
Its guys like VSA that make a 11R sound killer. As well as on Fractal, there are guys that make killer presets, and some that make them like mine (like shit) so take these challenges 11R vs Axe vs HD500 with a grain of salt
So I am curious. For those of you with an eleven rack and an HD500, how are you using the two units together? Are you using the HD in the loop of the 11R? Are you connecting them via SPDIF? Please tell me more about using these two units together.
OK, Anyone? Reason I ask is a friend just sold his 11R and kept the POD HD500. I can understand his reasoning because it has more FX, but i think i would had kept both. It would increase the FX and the Model sims, which is a huge plus
Ok, I went out and got one today. No justification other than my wife was gone out with my daughter so it was easy to sneak in the house. Been playing on it for about 30 minutes. Its better than the old line 6 stuff I've had which was POD farm, so this should be quite a step up. The presets are kinda cheesy at first glance, some sounded OK some not just like the 11R.
I like the amp list but strange there is no Plexi. The Supro and the Gibson 185 do sound very good. The list actually fills in the voids in the 11R list of amps quite well. I'm not ready to say its a good as the 11R yet, but I just got it. My plans are to put it in the effects loop and if nothing else I'll have some cool effects to add. I will say I'm used to the rack unit and don't like the floor thing as much.
One thing I will add right quick that makes me suspicious for the serious user. There is a set of switches in the amp section where you can go from triode to pentode mode and from class a to class a/b mode. I'm not a amp expert but I don't think you can do this. I always thought the amp basically was what it was. They don't seem to do much, so perhaps they only kick in if the amp has that capability.
Spent some more time with it and put it in the loop. It sits in there fine and I did some comparison on the models they have in common. Sound wise they are close. I still think the 11R sounds a bit better to my ears, but the POD has a few cool amps that the 11R does not. I like the layout of the 11R computer tools much better.
I think for the professional type, the 11R wins hands down because it comes across as more of a music tool, more professional layout and can be integrated right into a studio. The POD has more effects some of which are just bizarre. It took me no time to take Mikes EVH brown sound patch and add a little detune and dimension to get instant 5150 sound.
I can run both computer edit packages side by side no problem. The guys at AVID will loose some sales to this box, no doubt.
hi all im new to forum got my 11r on the way i hope its here tuesday. im a pod live xt owner and i went to local music shop to test out the new hd500 it has decnt sounds and flexablitiy but for studio use i think the 11r wins hands down i mean who wants to bend down to make adjustsments all the time. now with that being said the pod has alot of midi routing imma try and hook the pod up to the 11r and use it as the foot controller plus i have all the mod packs so ill use some effects and what not to round out the whole gambit of possiblities you can swuesse out of both units and still use protools. the bottom line is the pod hd500 is 400 bucks cheaper so you budget users still can get a great sound at a fraction of the cost but im sold on the 11r i think it will be a vauleable tool for many years and look to the future to see some downloadable mod packs.
Played with it another hour or so and I think I'm going to take it back. While the amp models are cool my gear table looks like a time machine threw up on it. I got to many wires and cables now. While it has some cool effects incorporating them into the eleven rack and switching and what not is complicated. Gave myself a headache. I'll give it one more try.
The presets in this thing are really bad. 10 or so are synths and I stepped on a peddle and thought I had broken my whole rig. It was just some weird Marimba synth. It would be just the thing for the "I love Lucy" theme song.
My friend told me today, "don't even think about selling your AxeFx. OK. He told me the same as crhfish said "I can't handle bending constantly to tweak"...He also said, he's had it a week now, and felt every time he had his sound nailed, he had to go back and tweak again. Told me he didn't have to doo this with a Axe Fx.
What befuddles me though, is he sold his 11R too. I would think without even trying this POD HD500, that it would be a cool device to add to a 11R. Can't it be integrated together and use it as a footcontroller. This way you can utilize the cool sims from both...What turned me off immediately with the POD HD500, was no SLO. But like i said if you utilized both, you'd have nearly as many models as a Axe FX.
BTW crhfish, the PARK amp is a Plexi type amp. I know, i played one in a studio years ago. Very Plexi like, but not a Marshall (though i believe Park was a Marshall Knockoff that didn't last very long.
After spending more time with the HD500 trying to get the JCM800 model to sound as good as the 11R, I discovered the following:
1) It has the potential to sound really good. I struggled with the JCM800 model until I combined it with the Bassman 4x12 cab, a U67 mic and added two EQ blocks to adjust some frequencies and add a clean boost. It sounded way too muffled with the 4x12 with greenbacks unfortunately.
2) By running my guitar cable into the HD500 and running a SPDIF cable out to my 11R, I can combine effects, amps, cabs from either unit. On the 11R, all I had to do to get the HD500 tones was switch RIG INPUT to SPDIF. When I wanted to hear 11R amps, I muted all HD500 amps and effects and utilized those in the 11R. Pretty flexible for at home, studio use.
Ok, tried it a bit more. This time hooked into the FX loop again. I tried going in front and behind the 11R. Thats a waste of time. I got some good Zep tones out of the Supro. It has some nice delays and some weird compressors. Not so many wires this time. Have to set up one preset on the 11R clean with only the FX loop up full to get the HD by itself.
The Park I think is a fore runner to the Marshall I think made by Marshall but not sold in the US. The thing has some nice amp models but they don't really mesh with the bizzare effects. Tune in the Gibson 135 and ad a little triple octave late dive synth, (lol).
I have not messed with the Midi but I'm not sure you will get the sounds to mesh that way. I think it just works like a controller. Still got to check that out. I may keep it, jury still out. Don't rush out to buy one just yet.
Maybe one of the pros on here can make it work better than I can. At least I did not electrocute myself..............this time.
Would you like to know what the Park 75 is all about?
According to The History of Marshall, when Jim Marshall began building amps, the distribution was very limited. A guy by the name of Johnny Jones made a deal with Jim to be an exclusive distributor of Marshalls in North England. When Jim began to expand, Johnny Jones lost his exclusivity. Jim decided to build amps for Johnny under a different name. That name was "Park." Park was the maiden name of Johnny's wife.
The Park 75 was a Marshall 50 with KT88 tubes instead of EL34 tubes. The first Park amps were basically JTM45s.
I realized today that this thing has one rather large limitation. I have the HD400 and on it you have 3 effects. The first is compression/Distortion related, the second in chorus related and the third is delay based. If you want to add compression and distortion, can't do it. You get to add one of each, thats it. I think the 500HD is better on this.
I think PODXT3 owners who buy this thing will be disappointed. I'm back to taking it back again. I do like some of sounds from a few of the amps. I tried to get close to a VH tone and can't seem to get close. The controls for the effects are not that easy for me. When it says graphic EQ I expect a graphical display to pop up so I can see the curve, not here.
There is no way this thing competes with an AXE-FX or the 11R, no way. Not in a total way. You may be able to dial in a tone or two that sounds similar, but in total its just not there for me.
Ok I got my Pod HD 500 today and have been playing with it for a couple of hours. At first I thought the models were kind of boxy, mid-rangy without a lot of presence and touch but then as I got into it I really started liking some of them and appreciating the better fidelity and touch. The edit software was also a bit confusing at first but after a while it's super easy to use and absolutely fantastic for assigning virtually any footswitch to anything. Love the Dr. Z amp model. Too soon to tell how well I really like the others. I will be doing a comparison recording with the Eleven Rack soon. Looks to me so far like the Pod HD 500 is worthy.
Hey guys I'm new to the forum here (been lurking for a little while...) but I figured I'd post my recent experiences with the POD HD400 and the Eleven Rack. I don't own either unit... yet.
This is a LONG post... and my first, but I felt I needed to voice my opinion.
I was able to spend about an hour with the POD HD 400 a couple nights ago and about an hour with the Eleven Rack tonight. Both were done with just guitar>cable>POD/11R>Shure SCL4 earphones which is what I am used to monitoring with through an aviom system. I am VERY familiar with the sound of my guitars/amps through these earphones. With the POD, I played a fairly nice Gibson Les Paul off the wall behind the counter at Sam Ash and I played my 03 PRS McCarty through the 11R tonight.
Just to give you some background about me, I've been playing guitar for over 16 years and have been recording/producing music for over 10 years. So you know what I'm used to playing through these days, my current rig is as follows: PRS McCarty or Strat w/Dimarzio areas>EB VPjr>Modded Vox wah>Fulltone Deja Vibe>JHF1 Fuzz>VHT Valvulator>EHX POG 2>Keeley Comp>Boss Graphic EQ>Fulltone OCD>Boss Slicer>Mesa Stiletto Ace head>Boss DD20 in the loop>Splawn OS 2x12 w/WGS green berets. I also own and use a Genz Benz Black Pearl 1x12. I've recorded and played live with both of these amps extensively as well as recorded direct with Tone port/POD Farm quite a bit.
Now on to the goods...
Here's what I can say of my experience with the POD HD 400 before I played the 11R:
POD HD 400:
Sound: Pros: I've played though the XT Live and used to own a POD 2 and still have my Tone Port w/POD farm. The HD sounds better than their previous PODs for sure. There's more depth to the amp sounds, more realistic I suppose. I like that there's fewer models to choose from.
Cons: I noticed that the lo-end on some of the models gets flubby in an unrealistic way the same as with the old PODs. I can't say that this can't be gotten rid of with tweaking but real amps and speakers just don't sound like this so you don't have to "tweak" it out. The midrange on some of the models sounded synthetic to me... plastic-y. In an hour I couldn't get a tone out of it that would make me comfortable leaving my amp at home--except for the Hiwatt model which I thought sounded good. Also, it did not respond to volume knob changes like I was hoping it would.
Feel: I've never monitored direct guitar live with my Shure earphones, just my amps so I wasn't sure what to expect although I know how they sound with the real deal. I had a hard time adjusting to the feel of the POD vs my real amp/pedals and this was likely affecting my perception of the way it sounded because feel is so crucial to the tone. The sounds were pretty good but it seemed to me to lack an authentic sense of interaction which would be difficult to overcome especially if I were to play it live without an amp.
Effects: I didn't get to check them all out just a few select models. I tried the facial fuzz which is, of course, a fuzz face model. I have a Fuzz Face which sounds amazing and behaves radically different depending on where the guitars volume control is set and I make use of this interaction a lot. The fuzz face model does not respond well to volume knob changes and doesn't behave like the real thing. Maybe I'm expecting too much here as the guitar/fuzz face interaction is really a special and unique thing but I have high standards I suppose. Also, it seems to me that when you engage, say, a tube screamer model in front of a distorted amp model that the tone of the amp takes a back seat to the sound of the pedal which isn't how my real amps react to my real keeley ts-7. For instance, the volume setting on the tube screamer model actually adds mostly volume instead of adding saturation when run into a crunchy amp model. Frustrating. The modulation and delay effects that I tried were good.
After an unfortunate interaction/exchange over the phone with a salesman in the pro audio dept. at Guitar Center Fountain Valley, CA (Moe I think his name was), Terry (the manager) and another much more professional salesman in pro audio got me setup in the pro audio depts studio/mix room where the 11R lives. Surprisingly to me anyway, these things seem to be scarce in SoCal--this is the first one I've seen in person and I think the fact that these are placed in pro audio instead of guitars is a determinant in this.
Sound: Well, after thinking I may be able to make due with the POD HD 400 or 500 for my intended uses and mainly for convenience sake, virtually as soon as I plugged into the 11R I had something that was in short supply with the POD HD--Tone.
I am not comparing this to an Axe Fx--I've never played one. The Eleven Rack feels and sounds real. A couple times I took out one of my earphones to make sure I wasn't coming out of their studio monitors they had in the room. I had that "feel" even with just my earphones. The response of the amps were dead on. Volume and tone changes on the guitar were accurate through the 11R. Keep in mind I had an hour with it though--I'm sure it has some flaws but they weren't glaring or even really noticeable in my time with it tonight.
Most all of my experience with modeling gear has been with line 6 products. I have played with older versions of a couple other plugins (guitar rig, amplitube) but I know line 6 products (and their limitations) pretty well.
These limitations were not present with the 11R. It took seconds to dial in good sounds on each amp and the tones stood on their own no effects needed.
Something that really stood out to me was the different cabs and mics--none of them sounded bad, just different and this is accurate in my experience micing up guitar cabs: some combinations sound better than others but none of them sound BAD and you can usually find at least a decent tone with almost any mic, it just needs to be placed right. This is something I was fighting with on the HD--not all of the cabs and mics sounded good on each amp. Post EQ can fix some of this but you shouldn't be relying on a post EQ to fix what shouldn't need to be fixed in the first place.
The effects that I spent time with sounded great. The univibe sounded very nice. I have a Deja Vibe to compare to and the univibe model in the 11R holds up. I tried the univibe model on the POD and it does not. The tube screamer and black ops od models sound great. The tube screamer in front of the deluxe or bassman model do just what you expect and want them to do. The delay and reverb models sound very nice as well but I need more time with them to give an accurate assessment.
Am I glowing over the 11R? Probably a little bit since I just played it for the first time tonight. For live use with in-ears, I was planning on still using an amp for feel but I actually may be able to get away without one.
I'm sure all or most of this is old news for Eleven Rack owners here on the forum but it's news to me.
I suppose it is ultimately unrealistic to expect a $400 or $500 product to compete with a $900 product but there's a lot of mystique and hype going around about these new PODs so I wanted to find out for myself since I will be in the market for an amp modeler/simulator hopefully very soon.
The Eleven Rack seems to me to have crossed over that boundary from tech/gadget to musical instrument and should hold its value through its lifespan as real tone never becomes obsolete...
So I spent some more time with the HD500 and the 11R. Want to try something really cool??
Run your guitar into the HD. Then, run the HD500 into your 11R via SPDIF, use the HD500 amps and effects and turn off the cab modeling. On the 11R, bypass everything except the cab modeling and the reverb and set your rig input to SPDIF. Wow! Sweet combination. I can mix and match everything in each unit.
I have found that the cab modeling in the HD is the weak link. Use it with either the Redwirez IRs or the 11R cabs/mics and things really improve. The other thing I have noticed is that the HD is VERY sensitive to the guitar. I ran through my SG, Strat, VH1 partsocaster with an SD '78 in the bridge and my Gibson Historic R8 with stock Burstbucker 1 and 2. Each guitar sounded different like it should.
The looper on the HD is pretty cool too! Very easy to use.
So far, with these two units in my home studio, my GAS for the AxeFX is gone. I WILL NOT be investing in the current AxeFX hardware. Maybe when they release the next incarnation I will take another look. I know next to nothing about DSP chips and I could be completely wrong. However, I have heard that the DSP chips that they rely on are no longer being produced and there is no future development being put into those chips. Again, I could be wrong.
For the $$$ I have put into the 11R and the HD500, I am still not up to the cost of the AxeFx and I have a foot controller and two DAW interfaces and tones that work well for me. I am planning to continue to evaluate the HD before my 30-day return period is up. Right now, I like having both these units in my studio.
As an aside, I am currently doing a masters thesis that involves the brain of creative personalities. Without getting too "heady", it is interesting to note that since our brains interpret everything we see and hear, and that interpretation is colored by all of our own unique experiences and feelings, each of us interprets the world in our own unique way. This is one of the reasons each of us hears tones differently. That is also why all of these modelers work well for some of us and not so well for others. Be extremely grateful if you are one of those people who hears great tones from a modeler that does not break the bank!
Cool observation, I'll try that setup tonight. I'm really liking it as a foot controller so far. Next, I need to try sending midi to to the 11R from the Pod HD 500.
There are some really cool effects in the Pd HD 500, some are just zanny, other's more musical.
A point for everyone to consider, the cool stuff that the Judge and Justin are talking about are only on the HD500, not on the HD400 or HD300. I bought the HD400 and took it back. It did not have the digital out and was limited on the number of effects you could use at the same time. If you are going to try one of these, get the 500.
I traded for some new monitors which I needed. The tones for the amps were pretty good but having it in the loop of the 11R and having two computer control dialog boxes up was just a bit to much for me.
Yeah I was having a hard time finding some direct comparisons of these two units or at least comments from people who've used/tried both. Lots of people are talking about the how the HDs stack up against the Axe Fx but not how they compare to the Eleven Rack.
My comments may not perfectly fit this thread but imagine if I had left those posts somewhere on the Line 6 forum...
The new PODs do sound better than their previous versions and if you are already used to using one of the older units (xt, x3) and are used to the way things interact inside the unit then the new ones will be a nice up grade as far as the amp models go and more of the same as far as effects and such. I've heard that some of the functionality has been lost with the dual inputs or mic input but I can't confirm that.
For someone such as myself who is trying to find a more convenient alternative to using a real rig without feeling like I'm compromising anything, the 11R really impressed me as its the first unit I've tried that could potentially do that for me. Something it seems that a lot of people leave out is the importance of the interaction between the guitar and the amp and this is what has kept me away from serious use of modelers but really blew me away with the 11R. I actually wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did as I've never been real impressed with modelers/amp simulators either hardware or plugins up to this point.
If you haven't had a chance to play one yet, the proof is in the proverbial pudding. You may have a slightly different experience from mine but I can tell you that through my earphones it really did sound as if my amp was mic'ed up in an iso booth and I was monitoring through cans in the control room which is how I'm used to tracking at my buddy's studio.
ha ha! At this point I've done so much reading up, listening to clips and watching videos of the 11r that I'm convinced.... actually, convinced enough that I don't even feel the need to test it in person.
I just sold my X3L with the intention of getting a Pod HD 500 but after the sale I reviewed my options and found out about the 11r (I'd seen it briefly before but misunderstood what it was for some reason). The Axe Fx is too expensive for me and is a different thing anyway. The Pod HD seems like it would be very handy (They really are the Swiss army knife of guitar tools and I still might pick one up later) but the 11r looks like exactly what I want / need from a digital setup.
This forum has been really useful for getting that kind of info. Also VaiSatchAttruci (of this parish) posted some very helpful Youtube walkthroughs of the 11 in use and I could clearly see just how well thought through it is as an overall piece of design! Just got to wait for a few pieces of gear to sell and I'm off to the shops
Yeah I was having a hard time finding some direct comparisons of these two units or at least comments from people who've used/tried both. Lots of people are talking about the how the HDs stack up against the Axe Fx but not how they compare to the Eleven Rack.
My comments may not perfectly fit this thread but imagine if I had left those posts somewhere on the Line 6 forum...
The new PODs do sound better than their previous versions and if you are already used to using one of the older units (xt, x3) and are used to the way things interact inside the unit then the new ones will be a nice up grade as far as the amp models go and more of the same as far as effects and such. I've heard that some of the functionality has been lost with the dual inputs or mic input but I can't confirm that.
For someone such as myself who is trying to find a more convenient alternative to using a real rig without feeling like I'm compromising anything, the 11R really impressed me as its the first unit I've tried that could potentially do that for me. Something it seems that a lot of people leave out is the importance of the interaction between the guitar and the amp and this is what has kept me away from serious use of modelers but really blew me away with the 11R. I actually wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did as I've never been real impressed with modelers/amp simulators either hardware or plugins up to this point.
If you haven't had a chance to play one yet, the proof is in the proverbial pudding. You may have a slightly different experience from mine but I can tell you that through my earphones it really did sound as if my amp was mic'ed up in an iso booth and I was monitoring through cans in the control room which is how I'm used to tracking at my buddy's studio.
Throw some fuel on that GAS!!
I've owned my 11R for about 8 months and from day 1 I was sold on it. Your previous posts further confirm my feeling for the unit. More importantly, I am currently contemplating the HD500 as a compliment to the 11R but I don't want a compliment that is going to cause confusion as well as not sound as good as my main unit.
From your experience not only in previous years of recording but testing out the 2 units, I now feel like I should hold off and wait the future 11R updates...if there are any (hopefully!), rather than jump into adding another piece of equipment to my rig.
All in all, the 11R covers my needs and an update will only be a bonus. My Ground Control Pro works flawlessly with it and from what I read, the HD500 is not so friendly with the 11R, CC messages and controlling certain items I currently have no issue with.
For those of you looking for a 11R compliment/midi controller, spend as much time making sure you can control what you want on the 11R with the HD500 as you do focusing on if they sound well together.
Part of me feels like if they made an HD500 rack unit, it would be a no brainer to purchase one for a trial run. For me unfortunately, my needs include a versatile foot controller for my entire rig, not just one component of it.
Just to add a bit to this. I found a Lexicon MX300 at a pawn shop yesterday for $50. Did not really know that much about it except what I could find and read on my cell phone before the purchase. I put it in my little 4 slot rack next to the eleven and I really like it. It added many of the effects i wanted to try like Detune and some nice Stereo delays. I don't think the 11R needs to many more amps, but it could use a few more effects.
I'm much happier with this set up than I was trying to use the HD400 to do the same thing. If they could allow the 11R to use the digital outs with the effects loop that would help also. I think that has been mentioned before.
I've been looking hard into the 11R (now that the new POD HD500 is out) and at first was going to save up for an AXE FX Ultra. Currently I have the VG-99 in my studio and I know that a lot of VG users are a bit dismayed since Roland didn't come out with any upgrades for the unit and the cabs seem to come up a bit short while their guitar modeling seems to be good. (However, the new Variax MKII maybe be the new one to beat!)
My dilemma is this:
1. Do I invest in the 11R although it won't do dual amps (right?) and doesn't have as many cabs etc., as the Axe FX (correct)?
2. Save the $$$ and get the POD HD500 and have a newer nice piece that I can take with me. Then pick up the Variax MKII and run together.
3. Don't get either... work with what I have (VG-99) in the studio, wait for the NEW Axe FX (down the road for sure), and pick up a small modeling amp like the VOX VT30 or the new VT 40 + coming out soon.
Since I'm not currently playing live but in the middle of producing my songs and such, I REALLY want something stellar for the studio (first). Perhaps throw a mic on the VOX VT amp and cut tracks that way and THEN add the cabs and FX, or use ONLY the guitar models on the VG-99 and then Guitar Rig 4, Amplitube 3, and the like.
As a side note... I would also like to not be confined to playing my electrics in my small home studio only so the idea of something I could jam with like in my living room and then pickup a small PA to run through is another factor in the game!
I don't think the POD HD will do dual amps. I know the 400 version would not, if that helps any.
I thought that was one of the HD500's sells...I'm sure if they do two amp together, it will suck CPU usage. Thats one of the differneces with the Axe FX Ultra and Standard versions. The Standard will do 75% cpu of the Ultra. So the guys that use dual amps in their patch, 90% of the time, that will require between 65%-93% cpu....if that makes sense
The HD500 does dual signal paths (i.e. dual amps). Yes, it does take more DSP power to do this. Since I double track rhythm guitars in my studio, I simply use one patch with one amp for one track and another patch with a different amp/cab for the other track. For those wanting to run dual amps live, DSP usage may be a limiting factor if using a lot of the internal effects as well.
I don't see why this could not be done. I could be wrong, and I believe the HD500 has the ability to send an effected signal somewhere while also sending a dry, DI signal via the SPDIF out.
I don't think the POD HD will do dual amps. I know the 400 version would not, if that helps any.
I thought that was one of the HD500's sells...I'm sure if they do two amp together, it will suck CPU usage. Thats one of the differneces with the Axe FX Ultra and Standard versions. The Standard will do 75% cpu of the Ultra. So the guys that use dual amps in their patch, 90% of the time, that will require between 65%-93% cpu....if that makes sense
Well.. you could do what crhfish did and get a Lexicon MX300 or something and then have the FX you want while saving your CPU in the HD500 for duel amps etc.
Dumped my HD500 and got the AxeFx to compliment my 11R. I had to fight with the HD too much to get sounds I was after. So there will be no comparisons from me.
Judge, your not the first i heard that from. I'm either going to buy a 11R again or just pick up something cheap to record with, like an apogee one or something. I want 3 things if at all possible and cheap but good. 1) Headphone jack 2) Interface for recording 3) cd input to learn songs - i saw this on the HD500 and thought it was cool
really didn't want to have to spend $650 for another 11R unless it gets closer to the sounds i get from my Axe fx with the new update. Just my opinion, as well all know tone is subjective. I was considering a Fast track Pro, seeing that would take care of 1&2 for like $130 used. But i hear the drivers are messed up. Then i considered a Apogee 1. I use a recent Mac and currently i have access to Reaper. Guess i won;t know till the update and people have chimed in. Any other help would be appreciated. Thanks pete
lol
