voxman55

Hi @EYTAdz333 congrats on your new Pod Go. If your head has an FX loop you can plug your Pod Go into the FX return. This will let you use your head as a power amp and bypass the preamp section. However, there's no way to bypass the cab speakers. You can still select different cab models with your Pod Go and you'll be able to get some great tonal variations. But the tonal characteristics of your cab will mean what you are hearing won't be exactly the same as eg your Pod Go through headphones or going direct out to a PA. But I honestly wouldn't get overly hung up about this because it's no different than if you did the same with a combo. Any speakers will colour tone to some extent. And there's no reason not to try your Pod Go through the normal input of your head set to a clean tone. Yes, it will be coloured by your preamp stage but you might even prefer it, and you will still get different tones with different amp models. Remember, a lot of folk will have no fx loop in their amps anyway and this is how they have to connect their Pod Go. There's no rights or wrongs here. Just experiment and go with what your ears like.

Hi @dacop13. I think its definitely well worth you considering a Pod Go, as based on your post and current needs, Helix LT might be more than you currently need. With Pod Go you get Helix tones with a much simpler set-up that's way more compact and lighter. Amp, Cab, Wah, EQ, and Volume are all in the fixed blocks (you can turn the cab off if not needed). Even though Helix LT is more powerful, you still have up to 4 user blocks for your delay, chorus and phaser. Both Helix & Pod Go use dynamic DSP so even though the amp and cab is a fixed block, these still share the remaining DSP with the (up to) four flexible blocks. Be aware that if you choose the most DSP hungry amp, reverb and delay model as an extreme, you could in theory run out of DSP processing power after 2 flexible blocks. But there is so much flexibility and so many different options in Pod Go it's hard to envisage any serious issue here. I was concerned re the processing power but having played around with it for a week so far, I've only encountered once where my 4th block choice was part restricted - so I swapped spring reverb for hall reverb and I had the full option of modulation effects to choose from again. The Pod Go display is excellent, Pod Go Edit is excellent, & Pod Go has a neat little built in carrying grip and it can slip into a standard lap top bag . Some other things to be aware of though - Pod Go doesn't yet allow you to name individual snap shots (they are just numbered 1 to 4) or to rename a footswitch assignment where you elect for it to activate more than a single effect - it will just say multiple. Pod Go also can't run multiple amps and multiple cabs, and it doesn't have the complex routing options of Helix LT. Helix LT also has capacitive ('touch') footswitches - Pod Go' has regular footswitches. Not surprisingly for a brand new unit, there have been a few niggly 'bugs' that Line 6 has worked hard to iron out. The original 1.01 software was upgraded to v1.10 and Pod Go is now on v1.11. There may still therefore be a few bugs/odd behaviours left that Line 6 need to iron out. You should also be aware that Line 6 may not be able to provide the upgrades re new amp, cab & effect models that may be added to Helix/Helix LT. As Line 6 has stressed, although Pod Go has nearly all of the (then) Helix models (3 very DSP heavy effects had to be omitted) it's a Pod, not a Helix. It's single chip DSP capacity is more limited than the dual chip DSP capacity of Helix/Helix LT and whilst Line 6 has tried to squeeze in as much as they reasonably can into Pod Go, it's unlikely they'll be able to squeeze too much more into it. Helix LT construction overall is also more rugged, with more footswitches, but Pod Go is still well built with a metal casing and its very tough plastic base. My biggest criticism of Pod Go is not the Pod Go unit itself, but of its PSU - the cable is too short, too thin, and I don't like it's 'wallwart' adapter. I believe the Helix LT has an internal transformer with a sturdier 'kettle lead' connector to mains (but I haven't seen one in the flesh so stand to be corrected here). But (and I'm looking out myself for this) it may be possible to buy a more robust compatible third party PSU for it. So Helix LT, as you'd expect, is built to a higher spec, has a lot more processing power, and is capable of a lot more. But if you don't need all the extra sexy stuff it can do, you're paying double the cost (or more) for something that weights over twice as much and has a way bigger footprint than Pod Go. So provided you can accept some reasonable trade offs, Pod Go is just an excellent piece of kit. Similar to yourself, I could afford Helix LT but just didnt need something so complex where I'd be lucky if I used more than 20% of what it could do. I needed something smaller, lighter, and with more state of the art modeling and options than my current gigging mfx (Vox Tonelab SE) gives me - the TLSE weight and overall size is somewhere between full Helix and Helix LT, and I simply didn't want such a big heavy unit again. Hope this is helpful, and that you and others feel this is a fair and objective appraisal of some key themes.

Yes, 'option paralysis' is a theme here. I'd honestly just try to keep things simple. Start with just a basic amp tone you like. Then find a reverb &/or delay you like. Then experiment with distortions. A good starting place is a tubescreamer as its a classic pedal that works really well with most amps.

So what's the fastest way to backup everything but in a way that I can access any patch separately? I could then reload the complete factory presets backup I made, then save these as individually selectable backups, then reload back in my current version.

Distortion pedals are often very idiosynchratic. Some work well with clean amps, but dont sound so good with amp distortion. With others it's the reverse. Theres also a difference as to how a distortion pedal works with other fx and of course chain position is a big factor too. In answer to your question as to whether you can match an amp plus distortion pedal tone with just the distortion from another amp, I'd suggest 'possibly. But it depends on your fussiness/sensitivity to distortion tones and playing dynamics feel. Consider too that the more distorted your tone, the more similar distortions can begin to sound. And particularly in a live band setting, a lot of the subtle nuances you might hear at home simply vanish. So I think you should just experiment and go with what your ears tell you.

So, I've accidentally altered and saved settings to a tie your mother down factory preset. I have made 2 full backups from when I upgraded to v1.10 and v1.1 but I don't want to completely replace all other patches, some of which I've tweaked. As far as I can see, I can't access and copy over one patch from the backup, which I thought I'd be able to do.

Agreed.

I've not seen one either. I was also hoping to find a central storage somewhere that hold all the Pod Go factory presets so if you accidentally wipe one you like you can add it back. Although you can create a full backup with Pod Go it's an all or nothing backup and (as far as I can see) you can't just copy back over individual presets.

It depends. Both approaches are valid but certain distortion and overdrive pedals add a different character. For example with real amps a JCM800 plus a Boss SD1 or even a tubescreamer gives It a character and feel that the JCM800 can't deliver on its own. In fact a lot of the classic JCM800 rock tones you hear are not just the JCM800 straight. SRV used 2 Tube screamers with Fender amps etc. And other distortions such as ProCo Rat have a quality that when mixed with an amp distortion add something that the amp can't do on its own. But using different gain levels in the Pod Go and even using the EQ as a gain boost are both good lateral thinking ways to save your DSP and user blocks for other purposes.

I think there's an important difference here. The HX stomp is designed to be integrated into an existing pedal board setup where it can be hooked up to the main board simply. But the Pod Go is designed to be a single complete mfx solution, so hence it needs a better quality PSU with thicker, longer cable.

I've had a couple of days now to start getting into my Pod Go. So far I've only been greyed out once and it was an easy tweak to compensate and still keep 4 blocks. Just have to see how it goes as I start creating my own patches, and experiment. Have to say that I've been very impressed with the quality of all the amp, cab and fx models that I've tried so far. This was a big factor when buying the Pod Go, so great job here Line 6.

No immediate concerns with the Pod Go construction. In fact it looks and feels pretty solid and even the plastic looks tough. 're the footswitches these seem fine but only time will tell. But I do have serious concerns with the power supply. The cable is too thin and too short and in my view is not sufficiently robust for rehearsals and gigging. I'm aware that other units e.g. Zoom pedals have similar PSUs albeit with longer cable, but the Pod Go PSU with it's wallwart and thin short cable is frankly a bit cheap and nasty and lets down what seems to be a pretty solid effects pedal. Admittedly I've been spoiled by the heavy duty cable and transformer that the Vox Tonelab SE and LE have. But even the cable on the later Tonelab ST is significantly more robust with a standard 3 pin plug and the transformer placed 'mid cable'. Line 6 need to change this.

Ah, I see. Sorry @Tdude848, I didn't know you could merge 2 (or more?) pedals into a single footswitch. This is probably not something Line 6 is going to be able to change, at least in the near future but although not a perfect solution I wonder if the following might help to give you a bit more flexibility. If you have a couple of favourite multi pedal settings e.g. reverb and delay or modulation and compressor, you could add 2 external pedals in F7 and F8 and label them as a specific easily identifiable location for 2 of your favourite multi pedal mixes. Assuming you choose switches with an led you could even change the led colour in one...And a simple way might be to put coloured cellophane on top of one led so you don't even have to physically change the led itself. (I've just added a couple of footswitches myself that I already had for F7 and F8)

Hi @Tdude848 I think you're talking about snapshots (a preset within a preset) rather than patch presets. And yes, the ability to name snapshots instead of just seeing 1 to 4 is something a lot of folk including me have asked for. Hadn't really thought about the led colour but an 8 character limited naming facility for snapshots in say 20 patches shouldnt have an impact on DSP and would be very helpful for gigging and be appreciated by a lot of users. I think Helix allows snapshot naming but it's a big jump in price, size and weight.

OK, I think I've sussed the headphone volume issue - it's to do with the output and EQ levels. If I raise these, I now get plenty of volume. I've also connected my two Bespeco VM20 momentary pedals with the correct type of Y cable (I had these from when I had various Boss MFX pedals) and they work perfectly. You have to read the manual and set the output to F7/F8. So for example you can set the EQ for a level boost for lead solos or distortion pedal at different levels for a boost, or long & short delay times etc. It just adds extra versatility. Only minor issue is there are no LEDs on the switches to tell me when they are engaged. They're fine for now but I can always pick up a Boss FS6/FS7 or similar that has LED's.

None of the factory presets have any snap shots in them - all left blank. A patch in Customtone might.

I can see the attraction of an app. A friend of mine has a little Marshall Code and its easier for him to use the app than program from the amp. The Pod Go editor is excellent & IMO the only way to really set up your Pod Go and hear/undo each change - but I get that whilst that's OK at home, an app is a more 'mobile' solution (no pun intended). As ever, it's nice to have the choice should Line 6 decide to bring something out here - it's already been a very successful unit so it's always possible they might look at this.

No they most certainly do NOT! As proof, here's my Vox Tonelab SE in action live. I can strum a chord, switch patches and the chord will carry on with the new sound and with no drop-out. If there's a technical gap on paper, it's beyond the range of human aural detection:

Thanks @alexdgood the Behringer HA400 is only around £20 so with a 30 day return option with Gear4music its definitely worth a try.

I'd also like to find a heavier duty PSU with a longer lead that is compatible. The thin lead in the stock PSU is just too flimsy for gigging. @Digital_Igloo is there any guidance you can help with here e.g. the min spec we need to check to ensure a third party PSU is safe to use with Pod Go. Any specific recommendations would be very helpful.

Ditto.

Me too. I got my Pod Go on Monday, and updated to v1.10 and the next day to v1.11 with no issues. I concur with @spaceatl that almost certainly the problem is with your computer. I have a Windows 7 PC. Assuming you registered your Pod Go with Line 6, you are entitled to free technical support. Have you tried contacting them about the problems you are having? They may well be able to help.

Hi @alexdgoodI only got it Monday but won't have a chance to do anything with it until tomorrow. Good thought 're headphone amp. Do these colour or distort the tone, and can you recommend a decent one that won't cost a fortune?

That isn't my experience @silverhead I have wide experience of using a wide range of modellers from Vox, Boss, Digitech, Zoom and even Line 6 HD500, and I've not experienced this volume drop out from any other modeller to anything like the extent apparent in Pod Go.

All is well, checked with line 6 customer support who reassured and confirmed that there are no snapshots in any of the factory presets so nothing has gone wrong with my Pod Go.