smaxu Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Hi there gang. I've recently bought a flex3 and got my hands on an extension cab for it. As a starting point I'm very happy with it. I'm starting my quest for a decent stereo live tone (again) and thought I'd invest in a POD500. Cheap on eBay and I can sell again if it doesn't work out. I'm almost at the point of selling as I can't seem to get he thing to sit with the flex. I've tried going from the pod to the effects returns, in the front. I've tried the second input of the pod set to Variax (switches set appropriately). I've tried unbalanced outs, XLRs out, sends etc. Also all of these out from the pod into a pair of BSS AR133s (decent DI boxes) into the flex in all configurations. Whatever I try the base emulations just don't sit (to my ears) well. They sound treblely, cheap, noisy and well....... lollipop! I've played with the gains on the pod relentlessly to no avail. As soon as I bypass the pod, go straight into the flex there is at least a decent tone right there. I've bought an Amptweaker tight rock and immediately got somewhere tone wise. I didn't want to start down the pedal route as it's messy and gets expensive but I'm seeing no alternative unless I can make some ground with the pod. Retro guitar effects aren't really my thing if I'm honest. I have a PCM 80, DBX160XT, TC M one, Klark comps and decent Drawrmer gates but I don't want to drag this stuff around. The pod should at least be able to do some of these effectively in the return but I'm having trouble. Have I a faulty unit or is it really this bad. To my mind the gain structure is the problem. Feels like sticking a really badly designed cheap pedal into a half decent amp. To get even a decent starting point I'm having to cut all the highs on the amp and EQ on the pod push all the bass. Flatten all the comps, basically cut everything and build it up slowly from there. Doing this I can get a ......passable tone. just so unnatural and cheap. I'll use the modulations in send/return mode for a while but was hoping for a more rounded result. I like the synth sounds but for there equalisation that the pod is producing though. Constructive thoughts other than bugger off appreciated. Malc Malc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smaxu Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Did I say lollipop... stupid apple! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smaxu Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Dammit sorry wrong place. Can someone bump it? I'll repost! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillBee Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Its all good - "the man" will fix or delete it when he wakes up. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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