On 8/4/2024 at 4:51 AM, olerabbit said:

L6 are absolutely not willing to solve this issue.

It's not a bug, it's a feature.  The PGO was essentially a limited mini-Helix, at like a third of the price?  So yes, there are limitations.  The main seller for me were the effects quality, which at the time were pretty unique.  Not entirely sure if it's the same today, and there likely is more competition than there was 4 or 2 years ago.  Does it still hold up in 2024?  I don't know.  I've done the exercise 2 years ago and you can see the result below.

But yeah I'll concede that just removing the limitation of having some blocks 'locked' could be easily done for L6 in 2024, without cannibalizing their other products like it might have at the time... 

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Mooer GE1000 + Boss GX100 both offer 9 free slots: more powerful hardware = more flexibility + better options.

How is the sound quality and quality of effects though?  That was still one of Go's strengths at the time.  I'd still choose quality over quantity today.  For instance, reverbs.  Their early fancy reverbs like Ganimede, Glitz, etc., reverbs were great.  But their later dynamic stuff got even better, supposedly favorites of some, even considering $$$ dedicated reverbs like Strymon, Eventide and others. 

On 8/3/2024 at 6:22 AM, olerabbit said:

Thanks for your input, silverhead. The bookshelf is a nice comparison. I understand your message which is a PodGo-specific view of things.

 If I take a look at the competitors PodGo has some disadvantages. Please take a look at the attached comparison.

 In my opinion there is a need for action to avoid that PodGo falls behind.

You can download a preset which replaces many of the currently pre-assigned slots with empty slots, which gives you more flexibility.  Personally, I haven't bothered because I more often run out of DSP rather than blocks (so many effects you can stack before you lose the character of each effect), but if you want, bit of search will lead you to this 'hacked' patch!

I've been using some distortions Kokko overdrive & distortion pedals that had been lying around in conjunction with the Go, and damn, I was impressed how well they work!  For cheap pedals, they really sound great.  Shockingly even, given they compete with the Go's fancier od/dist pedals!

Which brings me back to compressors... Being that I'm using them before the Go, well, the compressors in my presets are sitting behind the od/dist, and again, a bit shockingly, seems to also work out quite well!  I always used to put them before distortion, but also works out after..  Interesting!

Just did a bit of research, and perplexity.ai delivered!  I'm sure it could also be very useful for others!

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what are the different types of compressors (guitar effect)?

 

Guitar compressor pedals come in various types, each with unique characteristics and applications. Here are the main types:

Optical Compressors

Optical compressors use a light source and an optical sensor to control the compression. They are known for their smooth and natural compression, making them ideal for subtle dynamic control and tone enhancement. Notable examples include the Diamond Comp and the EarthQuaker Devices The Warden.

OTA (Operational Transconductance Amplifier) Compressors

OTA compressors are popular for their straightforward design and effectiveness. They tend to add a bit of "squish" and can sometimes introduce a slight amount of noise or "dirt" to the signal. Common models include the MXR Dyna Comp and the Ross Compressor.

VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) Compressors

VCA compressors are known for their precision and versatility. They offer a wide range of control over the compression parameters, making them suitable for various musical styles. Examples include the Keeley Compressor Plus and the Boss CS-2/CS-3.

FET (Field Effect Transistor) Compressors

FET compressors use transistors to achieve fast and punchy compression. They are often favored for their ability to add character and presence to the sound. The 1176-style compressors and the MXR Studio Compressor are notable examples.

Tube Compressors

Tube compressors use vacuum tubes to achieve compression, providing a warm and smooth sound. They are more commonly used in studio settings rather than on pedalboards due to their size and power requirements. Examples include the Electro-Harmonix Black Finger and the Effectrode PC-2A.

Multi-Band Compressors

Multi-band compressors divide the signal into different frequency bands and compress each band separately. This allows for more precise control over the dynamics of different parts of the frequency spectrum. They are less common in pedal form but can be found in some digital and studio compressors.

Parallel Compressors

Parallel compressors blend the compressed signal with the dry signal, allowing for more subtle and transparent compression effects. This type is often used to maintain the natural dynamics of the guitar while adding sustain and control. Each type of compressor has its strengths and is suited to different musical applications, from subtle dynamic control to more pronounced effects.

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what are the advantages and disadvantages of running a compressor after or before distortion pedal

 

The placement of a compressor pedal in relation to a distortion pedal can significantly affect your guitar tone and dynamics. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of placing a compressor before or after a distortion pedal:

Compressor Before Distortion

Advantages

• Consistent Input Signal: Placing the compressor before the distortion ensures a consistent and controlled signal is fed into the distortion pedal, which can result in a smoother and more predictable distortion sound
• Enhanced Sustain: The compressor can increase the sustain of your guitar notes before they hit the distortion, allowing for longer note durations and a more expressive tone
• Controlled Dynamics: By taming the peaks and valleys in your guitar’s signal, the compressor can create a more consistent dynamic response when combined with the distortion

Disadvantages

• Reduced Dynamics: Compressing the signal before it reaches the distortion pedal may limit the natural dynamics and responsiveness of the distortion, potentially making the tone less lively
• Loss of Character: Some guitarists feel that compressing the signal before the distortion can soften the unique and raw characteristics that make distortion pedals desirable

Compressor After Distortion

Advantages

• Preserved Distortion Dynamics: Placing the compressor after the distortion pedal allows the natural dynamics and tonal character of the distortion to be preserved, maintaining the raw and untamed qualities of the distortion
• Increased Sustain: The combination of a compressed signal and the already saturated distortion tone can result in extended sustain, allowing notes to sustain and decay in a pleasing way
• Unique Tonal Textures: The compression applied to the distorted signal can create interesting and nuanced tonal textures, adding depth and complexity to your sound

Disadvantages

• Amplified Noise: Compressing the signal after distortion can amplify any inherent noise and artifacts produced by the distortion pedal, potentially resulting in unwanted noise or interference
• Reduced Control Over Dynamics: The compressor's ability to control the dynamic range of your guitar’s signal may be limited, as the distortion pedal has already introduced its own compression and saturation
   

Ultimately, the choice between placing a compressor before or after a distortion pedal depends on the desired sound and the specific characteristics of your rig. Experimenting with both configurations can help you determine which setup best suits your playing style and tonal preferences.

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in the pod go, what is the type of every compressor effect?

 

Based on the search results, the Line 6 POD Go offers several types of compressor effects. Here's a list of the compressor models available in the POD Go:

• Line 6 Original: A general-purpose compressor designed by Line 6 
• MXR Dyna Comp: Based on the popular MXR Dyna Comp pedal 
• Xotic SP Compressor: Modeled after the Xotic SP Compressor pedal 
• Ampeg Octo Comp: Based on the Ampeg Octo Comp compressor, added in version 1.40 
• Ashly: Modeled after an Ashly compressor 
• Teletronix: Based on a Teletronix compressor 
• LA-2A (Legacy): A model of the classic Teletronix LA-2A optical compressor 
• BOSS CS-1 (Legacy): Two versions - one with the treble switch off and one with it on
   

The POD Go includes various types of compressors, including optical (like the LA-2A), VCA (like the MXR Dyna Comp), and FET-style compressors. Each of these compressor types has its own characteristics and can be used to achieve different dynamic effects on your guitar tone. It's worth noting that while the POD Go offers a range of compressor options, the device does have processing power limitations. In some cases, using more CPU-intensive effects blocks (which may include certain compressor models) simultaneously can push the unit to its limits, potentially requiring the use of simpler models in complex signal chains

Do you guys have some advice for which compressor to use for different styles, or for example whether some work better for single coils vs humbuckers, or if some work better with or without distortion, etc.?  I'm guessing some might be better for example heavy metal tones, modern, clean, strat, etc.,

So many compressors and settings.!  I've mostly just used the Rochester & LA Studio in front of the amp, without really tweaking, for both clean & dirty tones..  None of the others ever really seem to impress me for some reason, but I'm likely just not using them correctly.

For reference, list of PGO compressors.

Any specific example of guitar sound?  Or, what isn't 'jangly' with the sound you're getting?  I don't know what jangly means in terms of electric guitar sound...  Odds are the 3 bands you've quoted aren't using the same gear or have the same sound..

Besides, every guitar (pick ups) has specific sound, even strings to a lower extent, but especially if you're after the 'twingy' sparkly sound new strings sound like..  Older strings tend to sound more 'dead'.  So while you can tune Go to sound like whatever, if the tone you're starting with is very different, it'll be much more challenging or impossible..

The best way to get a specific sound should be to identify a precise song, hopefully popular song, and get the exact rig (amp & pedals) used for that song, or at least maybe the album.  Then start from there. 

Unfortunately, imho, the mic & mic placement plays a crucial role in end tone, and getting these right is the more difficult part about using Pod Go IMHO.  But, you should be able to find a decent mic especially if you can find the correct amp.  (just when you're trying to wrap your head around amp plus mic gets, not easy!!)

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Ideally I want to be able to push his sound very wide and in the background so there is space for it but it doesn't fight with my lead in the center.

How do you achieve that in the Helix?

I think you might be able to achieve it via effects, such as reverbs or delays, by increasing the mix value; reducing the amount of dry and increasing the wet.  The reverbs, especially some of the fancy ones, will give you tons of ambience;  like a diffuse type of sound.

Otherwise, like I said earlier, from my understanding your left and right would need to be different to result in a wider sound, and I know that this can be the result of DSP, but I don't recall it being a built-in effect.  Actually, volume/pan section, hopefully they're in Go!:

https://helixhelp.com/models?categoryId=15&subCategoryId=5

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Stereo Width

Based on: Line 6 Original (utility to collapse stereo paths)

Available Parameters

• Width
• LR In Swap
• Balance
• Level
• R Polarity

Stereo Imager

Based on: Line 6 Original

Firmware version: 3.00

Synopsis

Used to increase the apparent stereo width of your signal when connecting Helix to two amps or a stereo playback system; just make sure there aren't any mono blocks after it!

Available Parameters

• Mode
• Width
• Pan
• Level

Go is single path, so not possible to have different paths for left and right. But you can pan the sound from the output block (last block) left or right, but I'm not sure what you mean exactly by;

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I've got my main output from the Helix going either fully to the right for harmony & doubled parts, dead center for lead, and hard left-right for when I'm the rhythm guitar and the other guy is doin lead.

...

possible to split his signal left-right the way I do with the Helix?

left = left, right = right, so left or right sure, but left + right = center.

But yeah, just change the pan value on either footswitch or snapshots, or bind the value to the volume/wah pedal if you're not using it, where min/max = left/right, which would allow you to control the pan without a bunch of snapshots or footswitches, in an analog manner.

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Is the Podgo up to this amount of signal traveling down a usb cable to my Podgo

Won't make any difference the 'amount' of data going through the cables.  It's all 0s and 1s so so there's never 'more' information going through the cable, and PGO isn't doing anything different whether the music you're playing contains a single singer or an entire orchestra. 

On 6/16/2024 at 7:17 AM, TheCrimsonidol said:

Reaper either the backing drowns my playing or my playing drowns backing.

Think that's the nature mixing.  Why many sound engineers will for instance cut off the bass of the guitar and boost the mids, so it can 'cut through' the mix; so you can hear the guitar without interfering with other instruments.

https://www.masteringthemix.com/blogs/learn/5-ways-to-help-your-vocal-cut-through-the-mix

On 6/8/2024 at 12:56 PM, NoChancEmusic said:

alright. also the drive is=gain in amp section in pod go?

Pretty much, yep.  Ch. Volume is effectively your volume control, and Master Volume also controls your volume, but simulates a real amp getting pushed hard, so boosting the master volume will also add distortion.

L6 Go really simulates amp electronics & tubes, so they do behave similarly to real amps.

On 6/7/2024 at 1:02 PM, NoChancEmusic said:

how can i increase sustain using pod go?

++ for compressor, but don't expect the impossible.  It's not that simple..

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guitar pickups types and sustain

Answer

There are several types of guitar pickups, and they can significantly impact the sustain and overall tone of your guitar. Here are the main types and how they affect sustain:

Single Coil Pickups

• Typically have a bright, twangy tone with good articulation and string separation.
• Provide less sustain compared to humbuckers due to their lower output.

• Examples: Fender Stratocaster pickups, Telecaster bridge pickup.

Humbuckers

• Produce a thicker, warmer tone with more output and sustain compared to single coils.

• The higher output allows the pickup to drive the amp harder, resulting in longer sustain.
• Examples: Gibson Les Paul pickups, Fender Wide Range humbuckers.

P-90 Pickups

• Have a tone that sits between single coils and humbuckers - not as bright as singles, but not as thick as humbuckers.
• Provide more sustain than single coils due to their higher output, but less than most humbuckers.

• Examples: Gibson P-90 pickups used in Les Paul Junior and SG Special models.

Additionally, the position of the pickup can affect sustain:

• Neck pickups generally have more low-end and sustain compared to bridge pickups.

• Bridge pickups have a brighter, tighter tone with less sustain.
• The type of magnet used in the pickup can also influence sustain, with alnico magnets providing a more vintage, dynamic response and ceramic magnets offering a hotter, more compressed tone with increased sustain.

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There are several ways to increase the sustain on your guitar:

Technique

• Use an aggressive vibrato with your fretting hand to keep the string vibrating and prevent it from dying out quickly.

• A wide, slow vibrato is more effective than a fast, narrow one.
• Bend notes and hold the bend release for a long time to maximize sustain.
• Use slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs to articulate notes without picking, which can help sustain.
• Pick the strings firmly with a stiff pick and good pick attack to set them vibrating maximally.

Guitar Setup

• Raise the pickup heights closer to the strings to increase their output and sustain.

• Replace pickups with higher output models like humbuckers or hot-wound pickups for more sustain.
• Ensure the nut slots are cut properly and not binding the strings.
• Use an amplifier with a high gain/distortion setting as more gain increases sustain.

  Effects

  • Use a compressor pedal to boost sustain and even out decay.
  Utilize overdrive, distortion or fuzz pedals which increase sustain through their clipping/gain.
• Add a dedicated sustain pedal designed to hold notes indefinitely.

Guitar Hardware

• Install a sustainer system in the guitar body to electromagnetically sustain notes.

• Use heavier gauge strings which have more inherent sustain.
• Upgrade to a higher quality guitar and amplifier designed for better sustain.
• The most effective ways are proper fretting hand technique combined with high output pickups, high gain amp settings, and effects like compression/overdrive. But even without gear upgrades, good picking and vibrato can significantly boost your guitar's sustain.

I wouldn't agree with everything on the above answer, but mostly, especially if you're a beginner, it's something you'll pick up over time.  I'd just focus on technique and learning to play rather than do 'techy' stuff, but yeah, short answer;   distortion, compression and delay/reverb will go a long way.  But many other things do influence sustain by a ton too.

You can try plugging a single patch cable in the FX Loop out -> FX Loop in of the Go.  If it doesn't work, try with a different cable.  If you get any sound, the issue is elsewhere.

You can check the FX Loop settings in the manual, page 24.  You also have page 32, Fx loop level in global settings -> ins/outs

Sure!  You save block, get an extra button for on/off flexibility.  Not sure what you find insufficient with the plethora of choices in PGO but 100% go for it!  :D

Nice!  Yeah one thing with Go is that you basically have to go through the manual...  So many options, definitely won't be able to fiddle your way exploring every option...  Gets even worse once you get to effects with 26 different parameters, many of which really aren't very intuitive, as the manual doesn't go in depth for many of the options and settings...

descriptions of amps, cabs, models, etc., vs 'real' counterparts:   https://helixhelp.com/models/

Added effects details (settings, etc.)   https://line6.com/software/index.html?hardware=All&name=POD Go Edit&os=All&submit_form=set

Then, there's all the million tricks and subtleties; things you wouldn't think/know on your own; so can be learned via guides, tutorials, tweaking videos/articles, etc., sigh ...

That's all time spent not playing or practicing guitar though.  LOL

On 4/13/2024 at 7:42 PM, sominator said:

• I saw a post suggesting increasing the volume on the cab block (something I've never thought of doing), and that likewise made a huge difference. Like, 2-6 dB.

Not exactly sure what gain there would be to increasing cab volume?  But on volume topic;  the channel volume of the amp is basically the 'pure' volume, while the Master volume simulates how a real amp reacts to increased volume;  gain/saturation.  Ex;   Gain 3, Ch. vol 10, Master 1, would result in low gain/distortion.  While Gain 3, Ch vol 1, Master 10, would simulate a real amp pushed to max volume; so your '3' of gain would be much different with both.  (tube saturation and all)

Same goes with your chain; boosting volume before hitting the amp block, vs boosting volume after hitting the cab block will result in quite different gain/distortion characteristics/feel.  Even for EQ. Ex; you can use the EQ as a boost, increasing volume, and again, placing it before or after the amp block will affect the distortion characteristics of the amp.

For the tone & just overall 'amp' sound, the cab & mic are crucial, and wrapping your head around the different combinations of cab/mic isn't easy at all, given the vast number of mics, cabs, placement options, etc.   So I always recommend The best IR in the world, really sounds great with pretty much any genre, simplifies a lot the entire tone-finding process.  setting the Sag setting of the amp tends to make things tighter; less muddy.  Always at 0 for me.  Proper use of EQ

For the impedance issue, if you don't have a pod go with the impedance issue then you don't have an impedance issue and adding buffer pedal shouldn't make a significant change.

But that said;

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Several of the amps on the POD Go sound really bass heavy with tone suck (particularly the Marshalls, Fenders, and Matchsticks) and I find myself fiddling a whole lot with amp settings and EQ.  I've found the Zoom, POD Express, and Spark GO to be pretty plug-and-play in comparison.

Which particular amp(s)?  Not all models nor all amps are created equal.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz9tO4-kAG4   L6 really models the amps electronic components.  And even 2 amps of the same brand/model can sound different, not to mention tubes...   The blind tests I've seen of real gear vs L6 Helix/Go/etc., pretty much demonstrate that it's on par; really hard to differentiate.  It's really all about your ability to tweak the tone.

And not everybody likes the same amps/tones either.  A lot of the amps you've mentioned are favorites in the lineup, and for me they're just plain meh..  Don't think it's particularly related to the amp/model, maybe more about your own playing style, your guitar, preferences, tweaking ability, tone-preference, etc.,

So as there's a ridiculous 100+ amps in the thing, just find a dozen amps that work for you, and forget about the rest.  That would be my advice.

But, it's definitely fun to explore amps and their history, and learning how people use them and how to make them work; plenty of tutorial videos and tweaking PGO tones, so I'd definitely start off with that too!

Oh and don't be afraid to use the L6 amps either.  Revisited them recently and they're pretty awesome.  Definitely nothing wrong using them over 'real' amps; they're just that; improved versions or tweaks of existing amps; amps that could exist, or maybe couldn't due to electronic vs DSP, but honestly they sound great, I'd get rid of all Marshalls in PGO instead of them in a heartbeat!  Not 'worse' in any way.

Just save another preset over this preset, then change it as desired.

On 3/11/2024 at 9:50 AM, arcanjil said:

Where do you like to set your sag/hum/ripple/bias/bias X?

Sag is always at 0%, the others are default values.  Since typically I can't really hear much difference when testing different values, I'd categorize these as micro parameters; very minor effects, so I in majority of cases don't bother changing them, and just tend to use settings which have a far more drastic effect.  More subtlety/precision than I care for.

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Also, where do you set your FX Loop in the signal chain (if you use it)?

It's the last block, because I use an external looper for looping and it allows me changing sounds/patches without having the patch alter looped sound.

Otherwise, it will depend on which effects you're using in the FX loop, so compression/distortion first blocks, vs reverbs/delays/etc., last blocks.

You can setup footswitch 1 turn on/off overdrive, FS 2 to turn on/off distortion, and you can program multiple parameters to FS 3, which for example could reduce channel volume, increase master volume, turn up amp gain, etc.   You'd have to still push 3 footswitches, but you get multiple combinable options of OD/DST/Gain, resulting in multiple possibilities.

You could also even bind multiple parameters to your volume/wah pedal, so that all the way up it's a clean tone, whereas all the way down it's disgusting distortion, and you get the in betweens too.

But the simplest for " Clean, Dirty and Overdrive pressing just one switch for each. ", is 3 snapshots, one for each of those tones.  1 footswitch for each, done.  KISS.  (Keep It Simple, Stupid!)

You could also tweak your presets so that the patch can clean up;  Meaning, you dial down the volume of your guitar and/or play softly, and the sound is clean, whereas when you play loud or crank up the guitar volume, you get a distorted tone.  For that, some amps are better than others, some amps/channels are great at it, others just can't do it.

But my 2c, you're likely trying to do too much with gear; especially if you're a newer player, with something like pod go, it's easy to lose sight that it's about guitar playing and not about microscopic distortion settings.  The music won't be good/bad because you've went from 25% OD to 35% OD, it's much more about actual music & how/what you play..!

BTW, posted in another comment but never got a response, I believe that you could do twin mics with IRs, if you could find/make some.  (edited above post above btw)

Also, I've really gotta try this, but since an IR is a wav, it might be simple to simply add two IRs (waves) together then 1/2 the volume;  and you'll be essentially averaging the two together; two mics & cabs into one, hopefully someone can confirm/deny this!  Thanks!  :D  (might try it later, if I can finish all other work ... lol)

Yeah not possible.  Single path.  Think the Stomp models can, but they're also a bit limited by DSP / number of effects you can use; plus other compromises. 

I guess many think it sounds better; could very well, I wouldn't argue against the concept.  But a large portion of guitar players only use one amp, and many recordings were also done with 1 mic...  Is it that important of a feature?  How much better will 2 mics/cabs sound vs single?  Because like everything, it'll end up being compromise;  you'll have to pay more, smaller screen, no volume pedal, etc., so in the end, what's it worth to you? 

Even in usage; the Go has a million features and possibilities...  Adding dual paths to the equation, if you're not experienced, you'll just be adding to complexity.   KISS concept likely apply here.  For myself, I didn't even use the mic/cab system mostly, just used 1 IR, adequately named "the best IR in the world", and the Go's million other options were more than enough to tweak the sound.  So YMMV!

Btw with latest update there was an overhaul of the mic/cab system which wasn't bad to start with, and many have reported improvements.  There's tons of vids on YT and others, so I'd say try to listen to some tones, see if they sound good or bad to you.  Lots of free or paid IRs too.
 

videos with sound & discussing a bit the topic & limitations

On 1/4/2024 at 1:31 PM, daveaphotopod said:

I also just realized that after looking at the frequency response of my headphones, the MDR-V6, the 2k and above are booted. I wonder if THAT is why everything sounds brighter in the headphones compared to speaker. 

 

So unless I am misinterpreting something, the speaker "mostly" is just reproducing the sound, whereas the headphones even though being well-regarded in some online communities, colors the sound, a little. 

Yep, plus bass...  (7506 is essentially the same as V6)   https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/sony-mdr-7506-review-headphone.19099/

Having listened to much music on many different headphones and quite enjoyed it, I could never really enjoy the sound of Pod Go + headphones...  So if your presets have been built to sound balanced on headphones, especially V6, it likely just won't translate on speakers!

But if you think that there are 'issues' with FR for headphones, for speakers, it's even worse.....    Right away, unless you have very good speakers in a well setup room, much of what you hear isn't even the sound from the speakers, it's the room reflections, with room modes; where some frequencies are boosted and other are null'd.  Takes a lot of work to get a pair of speakers to work well in a room, and it involves room treatment, careful speaker placement and specific listening position.  And then again, the speakers themselves will have their own FR and all, so just compounds with room issues. 

At least you can just put headphones on your head and they work as intended, as there's no room interaction!  (But not even... Might depend on the shape of your head; as depending on whether you can get a good seal, shape of your head/ears, some headphones might some awesome on the head of some people and not for others!!  Not even considering different hearing; just head and ear shape...!!!  LOL )

So likely a combination of everything; the V6 aren't super neutral, and likely your room and speakers aren't either!

PA speakers also aren't renown for their neutrality; likely to be even more all over the place vs home audio speakers, since their reason to exist is more to 'blast' (SPL) sound for large venues; so compression drivers, large drivers, often large plastic boxes, etc..   Not that they can't sound good, I'm sure there's some fantastic PA speakers out there (high end studio monitors sound fantastic), but depending on the venue, they're very likely not to be the sweetest sounding speakers out there.

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And yes, I've made sure it's not "double-cab'd" (I know the FRFR speaker also has....er....speakers, like the cabs do, but it's full frequency, right? So it should allow everything, I assume.) 

FRFR speakers aren't considered speaker 'cabs' as speaker guitar cabs such as the ones in the Pod Go.  So you should 100% be using the the cab block of the Go.  FRFR speaker are more like regular audio speakers, they're made to play music; whether they're drums, guitar, etc., a guitar speaker cab is more like designed to sound 'good' with a guitar amp (color the sound), which is why there's 100 different guitar cabs to make your sound different.

In contrast, FRFR speakers, Studio Monitors, or audiophile speakers, of headphones, are just trying to play the signal as accurately as possible; not impart their own sound.  So yeah, for PA speakers, FRFR, studio monitors or regular speakers, definitely use the PGO cab block otherwise it'll sound like poop!  ;)

Two good resources; not complete or ultra detailed, but way better than nothing, it has good info:

https://helixhelp.com/models/

https://benvesco.com/store/helix-dsp-allocations/

Since the effects/amps are often based on real amps and effects, you can read up on the original product, and much of it translates to Pod Go; albeit not 100% translation given real vs emulated...  But what each knob does should be fairly similar, for instance, for compressors, while in PGO it's not really explained what each setting does, finding the original unit and reading about it will give you all the info you need to make the same adjustments in PGO.

Good luck!  :D

On 11/8/2023 at 8:52 AM, silverhead said:

Highly subjective but for me definitely yes.

 

As for the rest of your questions - experiment and decide for yourself. Let us know what you think.

Yeah I played a little with it on the weekend, it might be placebo, but they did seem to sound a lot better than the legacy cabs...  Or even random downloaded IRs.  It might be that the default settings are just better (cab + mic + mic & other settings), but I think it was with the Archtype lead amp and I could just switch amps or even cab settings, and just playings afterwards, and it just seemed to sound great!  In contrast, I had largely given up using cabs/IRs, and instead majority of time just used the best IR in the world...

Maybe there was some sort of issue with the original cabs which made some (most?) mic/cab/settings combinations sound not great, as I clearly recall having watched vids where people compared the PGO stock cabs with different IRs, and after slight tweaks like EQ and stuff they sounded pretty much identical...  So strange, I do think they're better, but might have been old cabs needed specific tweaking to sound good, whereas new cabs don't and sound better with random/misc settings...   I'll likely play more with it, revisit stock cabs and IRs, and try to figure out if or how much they really improved, but at this point, seems like they did!  0.o 

Yep, first thoughts; great upgrade from old stock cabs!  :D  Which btw seems to correspond to everything I've heard about the new cab system, which could have influenced also my early thoughts...  (placebo?)  lol 

On 11/8/2023 at 9:01 AM, Giobbe314 said:

save 1 chain slot .. external pedal reverb .. can I ..

Sure you can, now should you want to?  I think a drive or maybe compression pedal would make more sense, as they tend to be cheaper (you can get some good/decent $20 OD/distortion pedals from aliexpress, gearbest, etc.,) and the reverbs of the Go are more comparable to $400 reverb pedals.  So for saving blocks, imho, would be better value to use the Go reverbs and get cheap outboard pedal for distortion or such.

There's also a preset with 7 free blocks, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtAbpBMMwKg, so choosing the cheapest amp (del sol 300 costs is 0??), you'll likely get more  DSP available, as well as usable blocks, if you're using 4CM with your amp.

On 11/7/2023 at 5:05 PM, chugzilla said:

ok i have done the update

Same!  Worked flawlessly upgrading from 1.4. 

Did anyone play with the new amps and cab system?  Do they really sound better than legacy cabs?  And if so, any recommendations for mics, cabs, settings, etc.?  I've been mostly using the best IR in the world, I think this new cab looks promising, with the diagram, which btw you can move the mic location & distance from, might be a bit more intuitive than legacy cabs.

I'm guessing that the more you move off-axis, the more the high end will be subdued, and I guess maybe the mids and bass will be affected too.  I'm hoping that it's somewhat linear, and you can somehow wrap your head about what moving more off axis will result in, which will allow you to easily tweak the sound, but I think it might still be more like trial and error...  (won't have constant effect, and might vary by cab and maybe even mic...!)

https://line6.com/software/index.html?hardware=All&name=POD Go Edit&os=All&submit_form=set

Quote

New Cab Engine/New Cabs in 2.0

New Guitar Cabs

New Amps in 2.0

New Effects in 2.0

Sweet!  Can't wait to install it later today.