357mag

I've just recently heard about this POD Express. I guess the amp models are based on what is in the Helix. I tried the Helix and I couldn't get a real, nice loud heavy sound out of it. I play hard rock and metal, and I know it's gotta be possible with the Helix, but I was not able to do it so I sent it back.

In the POD Express favor it has delays and choruses and effects like that, where the Boss IR-2 does not have any built in effects which is a disadvantage. I probably would have to buy a separate delay pedal and run it in the effects loop.

But I would like to ask if anyone here has purchased a POD Express and do you feel you're pretty happy with it? Would you recommend it? Can you get a real nice sound out of the JCM-800 (which is the amp I always use in my X3)?

Post your impressions.

...when I tried one I couldn't get a nice, heavy, chunky guitar sound out of it. I'm a Marshall man. I love Marshalls. Not the Plexi so much but the JCM-800. My X3 has an awesome sounding 800. I love it.

But when I tried the Helix they must have modeled a different 800. Just didn't really like the sound I got out of it. I have seen a few YouTube demonstrations and the guys do appear to be getting good, chunky guitar sounds, so I don't know what I did wrong.

Have any of you been able to get good heavy metal type sounds out of it?

But what would change the sound of the dry signal (unless I'm mistaken), would be if I switched to a different guitar. Yes?

On 10/2/2023 at 7:46 PM, silverhead said:

The dry track is the same regardless of the preset.

Thank You.

I have about 5 different presets in my POD X3. Each preset using the same amp which is the JCM-800. But each preset sounds different, perhaps due to variations in effects chain or something else.

When I record my guitar into Reaper, I now send a wet signal plus a dry signal into Reaper. Then when I'm done recording, I'll experiment with putting amp sims and effects on the dry track.

My question is this: Do each of my 5 presets send a little different sounding dry track into Reaper? Or technically, is the sound of the dry track the same with each preset? 

If the dry sound of each preset really is different, this is going to most likely affect the sound I'm hearing when I add amp sims and effects.

Okay will give it a go when I get my Strat back. Thank You.

So I find out that A-flat is 415 Hz but I can't turn the ref knob to the value. What is the easiest way to tune to E-flat using this build-in tuner?

I read about turning a ref knob. So if normal tuning is A at 440 HZ, what frequency would A-flat be?

I tune my guitar a half-step flat.

What is that?

When you say amp do you mean the amp block in the POD? Or are you talking about using the POD with a real amp?

So if a person wanted to try a DOD YJM 308 Overdrive Pedal, are you saying they would plug their guitar into the pedal first and then go from the output of the pedal to the input of the POD?

I don't have an effects loop on the back of my X3 Bean, but the X3 Pro does. Has anyone tried putting a stomp box in the effects loop of one of these PODs? Like even the HD or the Helix?

Just wondering if it sounds quite good or quite bad.

That is correct. But the Tone Volume does. I will find out for sure when I try it.

If I remember correctly, I'm pretty sure the Tone Volume control on the X3 does in fact control input level gain.

I know. I was not recording anything important. I simply recorded a lick I was working on so I could post it on a forum for others to hear. It wasn't important.

But if you know of a way to control (turn down or up) the input gain other than turning down the dials on the X3 please post.

Maybe I could turn down the Tone Volume to set the recording level and then compensate for the loss of volume in my headphones by turning up the Master Volume.

No I don't see any USB Boost Switch. I can't recall if the input signal was clipping while I was recording, but the meters were pretty close to the top and the size of the waveform was pretty big. 

I think I can control the input gain by turning down the Tone Volume knob on the X3, or turning down the black knob that controls the number in the bottom right of the screen on the X3.

But again I'd rather not do it that way.

I'd like to keep the volume up in my headphones and just be able to lower the input gain on the track I'm recording on.

I just recorded a short guitar lick into Reaper and the volume on the track was too much. It was too hot. I would have sworn that before what I did was open the Line 6 Tools folder and open up the Audio and Midi Devices box and then click on the Inputs & Recording tab and then I used the slider that says Hardware Monitor Level and control the gain on the track in Reaper. Least that's what I thought I did.

Tried that now and the only thing that did was lower the volume of my guitar in my headphones (which I don't want). It had no effect on controlling the volume or gain on the track.

Where did I go wrong?

Well I just watched a video on recording your guitar into a DAW and the person doing the demonstration said if you don't want to listen to all that dry, boring guitar sound while you are recording the dry track, you can just load an amp sim onto the track and that way you will still be recording the guitar dry, but in your headphones you will be hearing your guitar with amp distortion.

There is another way I could record a dry track into Reaper. I have a Focusrite Scarlett interface. I have a feeling that has good converters in it. But the problem is I would be playing and listening to a completely dry and unprocessed guitar sound which might be tough for me to play the whole song that way.

If I double-tracked my electric guitar then I believe that would be considered stereo. But otherwise it's considered mono if I'm not mistaken.

Yes I think I have always recorded in Mono. I don't know what advantages there would be for me to record in Stereo. If you can name some please post. 

Well it worked. Maybe it's just my ear playing tricks on me but it seems that the sound quality of dry, unprocessed track that I laid down when I had my HD Pro X was a little better, than what my X3 is giving me.

But when I think about it, that makes little sense. I figure a dry is a dry is a dry.

I don't know why there would be a difference in quality between the two.

Then after I arm two tracks in Reaper the little meter with the inputs shows up. I will set track 1 which is the wet, processed track to Tone 1 Left. Then I will set track 2 which is the dry track to Tone 1 Dry. I'll see what happens.

If Mix L means a mixture of the wet, processed sound plus the dry, unprocessed sound I don't want that.

Here is what I see in Reaper in Audio Inputs:

ASIO Driver: ASIO POD X3

Enable Inputs:

First: 1. Mix L

          2. Mix R

          3. Tone 1 L

          4. Tone 1 R

          5. Tone 2 L

           6. Tone 2 R

          7. Tone 1 Dry

           8. Tone 2 Dry

Last: 1. All 8 of these are identical to the above.

I do not see anything that would allow me to choose 1 + 2 together (but I'm recording in mono too if that makes any difference). I will choose 1. Mix L and 7. Tone 1 Dry. I will report back the results.

No I did not actually create a Tone 2 because you said in an earlier reply that it was not necessary because the X3 driver produces that automatically. So could I select as inputs 1. Mix L and then choose USB 7 also?

I am wondering if I would get a better end result for plug-in processing if I actually made a Tone 2 let's say using a low gain amp like a Plexi and set it up so it's practically clean sounding, and then using that as my Tone 2, instead of not making a Tone 2 and just use the automatic processing that the X3 driver provides.