Blind TEST: Pod HD500 X / Boss GT-001 / Zoom G5 / Vox Tonelab EX | Alex Machado

[idexo]

Please try to recognize the better ones or worse between them and patiently listen to blind test then watch the answers if you like. I appreciate if you comment on these here.

Here's the blind test:

Here's the video response with the answers:

 

 

I personally think the sound quality is not changing too much in that video. all of them are digital processors... but I prefer more like a tone lab kind of modeling and zoom g5 kind of pedal design. What do you guys think

 

edit: I'm not the guy in the videos; I just found it online and shared with you.

[Palico]

Well look like I bought the right unit for me. I went to the HD500x nearly every time, except the Mesa model. The Boss GT came in close second though, which did suprise me a bit.

[BillBee]

That was a fun diversion :)

 

HD for the cleans (seemed to have the most definition) and even the mid gain stuff was nicely represented, but Zoom for the higher gain - the G5 has that tone of the G9/G7 which I am familiar with (it sounded like the tube boost was goosed too).

 

I found the TL as I remembered it - solid over all but not a standout (the plexi was nice though IMO).

 

Boss was Boss sounding not bad at all just seemed like it needed some dynamics (spice? sparkle?).

 

Headphones and panning between units would be a good way to vet them but in the end its up to your ear.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

-B

[clay-man]

I have to agree, I'm surprised how much I liked the BOSS, how much EQing did you use? I've seen multiple POD vs BOSS videos where I despise the BOSS but this legit sounds pretty decent. Wouldn't buy one still though, not now at least.

 

It seems to do the worst in high gain though.

[Akeron]

Apart from the Fender clean and the Fender crunch, all the rest I prefer the POD. Not bad the super clean sound of the Tonelab Ex and the edge of breakup of the Boss GT-001

[joel_brown]

Great post.  I picked the PODHD every time.  Cleaner tones were kind'a close but the higher gains I definitely liked the PODHD better.

[thequietroom]

The main problems with these is

1 The guitar part isnt the same for all the clips..  

2 the parts are played poorly. 

 

There is so many clips out there demo'ing these modelers and the playing isnt good.  This doesn't show anything about the quality of the model. We need to hear well played guitar into it!

 

I know the OP didnt do the vid's..  im just complaining a bit. 

 

You also don't know what the guitar is contributing to the tone in this either. 

 

I've found that the best representation you can find is when the tones are placed in a full blown mix..  and a good one...  using a DI track re-amped so its the same clip to compare

 

There are a few players out there that have done this properly but most of these youtube comparisons don't help IMO

 

 -  BTW I am a pod hd owner,  and am pretty much happy with it.   I haven't tried any of these other modelers

 

 

www.erosioncode.com

[bjnette]

Anything is better than nothing.

It takes a lot of work matching levels on tests like this. 

And those that do the tests open themselves to criticisms because there is no such thing as absolutes in the physical sciences.

And invalidating a test is about the easiest contribution to a test anyone can do.

 

i,e. any penchant for a preferred model by the tester and how familiar tester is to how well the units are setup, 

The playing quality which while an issue in this case, goes toward invalidating the test results.

 

It is easy to invalidate any test ever done.

But it is better than no test at all.

So well done to the tester.

 

I like others was pleasantly surprised by some models, mainly the TL but the HD500X held its own. Honestly I couldn't pick em in the blind test.

Thanks for posting, these are always good.

[BillBee]

There is probably a speaker factor going on too. I find my preference to vary depending on monitors, amps or headphones (even guitar).

 

I guess the bottom line is "it's all good" :)

 

-B

[Palico]

the parts are played poorly. 

 

Actually I like the test where the playing performance is not very good. An excellent guitar player will sound good on any setup. A poor player will sound better on a really good setup. So to me I can tell more about the differences in the unit becuase of medicore playing.

[joel_brown]

I agree with Palico.  I want to focus on the guitar sound not the player or the mix.  The musician was plenty good enough to do the comparison.  Yeah you wouldn't want someone who can barely tune the guitar doing it.  But you don't need Steve Vai either. 

 

I'd rather not hear it in a mix because that can hide a lot of differences depending on how it's mixed.

[stumblinman]

It's probably better for recorded demo's than just about any other price-point comparison out there.  I gotta say, the HD holds it's own very well.  I liked the Tonelab on one, but Pod on the rest.  Boss and Zoom were garbage to me.

[medbad5150]

ha ha put this in a Line 6 forum and you get Line 6 opinion. Stick it in a Vox forum, place it in a Boss forum....I think you catch my drift

[Dshow]

I think you really can't compare those units by listening to a youtube video or a sound example.

After using modelling devices since the first hour they came into market, for me it really comes down to how they feel when playing. There is no way to say that by listening to sound examples. You have to try them in real.

 

It happens to me all the time when listen to some software modelles or VST-PlugIns. They sound nice on the recordings but when trying them out most of them don't feel right to me.

 

Sound examples are a good way to make a first choice though.

 

Between: Nothing wrong with the playing for me in the video for me.

[Guitarmaniac64]

ha ha put this in a Line 6 forum and you get Line 6 opinion. Stick it in a Vox forum, place it in a Boss forum....I think you catch my drift

Thats true but the OP did a mistake he should have let people guess and wait a couple of days before he said the answer..

 

I have seen similar blind test on gearslutz where the OP uploaded audiofiles for mic pre amps some very cheap some very expensive and many of the s.c audiogeeks guessed that the cheap one was the expensive one..

 

Later they said oh i am sorry i mean the other way around now that i listen closely i can hear or i used my computer speaker so i could not hear clearly etc etc..

Very funny to read those post.

 

In this test i find the sound very different on every unit so i wonder how the OP has recorded it did he use the same setiings on all amps and the dist pedal..

 

And as he didn´t play exactly the same phrases it wasnt really a fair test he should have recorded a DI in the DAW first then used the all models on that track with the exact same settings on each model.