MetalPJs Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Hello I am new here, and I am looking into buying a Pod HD Desktop for my home use. I am currently using a Roland cube 40xl which I love, but I am looking for more tone and sounds. My main question is will I get a good sound out of it??? I mainly play metal??? any ideas??? I would appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Your Roland amp is already a modelling amp, and from the specs I see it doesn't have an FX loop or a way to bypass its preamp and connect directly to the power amp section. That means the amp models in the POD HD are going to be fighting with the amp models in your Roland. You can anticipate spending a lot of time (even more than usual in learning the POD itself) in a perhaps fruitless effort in making them work well together. You can almost certainly get better tones with POD than your Roland delivers, but probably not by using your Roland with the POD. If you want to experiment with the POD I would beg, borrow (not steal!) a keyboard amp or a pair of powered studio monitors to connect the POD's outputs to. After experimenting for a trial period you can decide whether to abandon your Roland in favour of the POD or not. Try to arrange a trial period of at least a week or even two. You will need to spend some dedicated time to begin to get the best out of the POD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalPJs Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Ok thank you I really appreciate it. I also read that some tried connecting it to the AUX input does that work??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 That depends on how your Roland's AUX input is designed. If it is designed to accept a cd/mp3 input or other external device as, say, a backing track to jam along with then yes - you could connect the POD outputs to the Aux input. In this case the Aux input will bypass the amp processing and will be routed directly to the amp cab/speaker. Connect your guitar to the POD, not to the Roland. However if your Aux input is designed as a second guitar input, and is routed to the Roland's preamp for processing,..... Then no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetalPJs Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Yeah it is designed for MP3/CD output, the only reason I am asking is because I got the Roland Cube as a gift. And I would like to use it still but with better tonality options. Also I am looking at the specs of the POD HD Desktop and it doesn't look like it has a AUX output??? is the AUX output only on the higher end PODS like the HD500 and such????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Do you mean Aux input? You're right - the floor and rack mount models have those, not the desktop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I can suggest two ways that you can continue to use your Roland, and get better tonality using a Line 6 product. 1) connect your guitar to the POD and connect the POD headphones output to the Roland aux input. Recognize, though, that in doing this you are only using the Roland's speaker/cab. You are completely bypassing the amp's processing. In the POD setup, experiment with different output modes and with using the Pre vs. Full amp models. You will find the setup that works best for you, although you would get better results by using a studio monitor or keyboard amp for the speaker/cab rather than your Roland. 2) consider using the Line 6 M9 or M13 devices. They are designed to work with an amplifier in a more conventional setup, and provide the same FX models as the POD HD devices. They will offer tonality options via different FX while you continue to use your Roland's amp processing. In this setup there is only one amp - your Roland. No need to referee the fight between the two amplifiers, real and modelled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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