Need to hook my Pod Go into an amp, but videos I've watched are confusing/inconsistent.

[daveaphotopod]

Ok, I'll try to be brief. So. POD GO....amp out? or main out (mono) to the fx out on the solid state head? If ANY of that is wrong, feel free to correct. 

 

However, once the amp out and the main out is sorted, then what CAN I use? Because it's a solid state amp, can I use ANY preamp, amp, and cab I want? Or do I turn the cab off because I have a speaker cab? (see my dilemma? I've watched videos, but they say turn the cab off because it compresses the sound, but no.....wait.....its fine because you're going through the fx loop, not the front of the amp....but...)

 

...when NOT going through the front of the amp and using the FX out (??) on the amp head...does that still allow you to control channels? Does that port on the back only bypass the tone controls on the front? Or also the channel switching? I ask because I will be playing a song that switches from clean to distorted. But I cannot locate a head on the line 6 pod go that has two channels to switch from. 

 

Having said that, if I am a dummy, and I missed one, or HOW to do it, please let me know. I am aware that I can create snapshots, but the head I tested this on still sounds distorted with the gain down. It also sucks the volume out of it, which can be boosted with another setting, but then you're doing this fancy footwork trying to balance them out. I know that I can just use a clean head and add a pedal. But....yeah....why can't I just switch clean to distorted as I can on my REAL amp? 

 

Anyway, try to avoid any mocking if at all possible. :-)

 

This may be obvious to you, but not common knowledge. I guess as a LAST resort, I could just use the effects and do all the distorted and clean switching from the actual head/cab....but then....yeah.....where would you.....plug.....

 

well....you get the idea. Any help GREATLY appreciated. 

[pianoguyy]

I don't have a Pod Go, so I can't answer the specific device questions. 

But in general.... 

 

The first question you need to ask yourself - is this how you are always going to hook up your gear? 

The reason for that is 'consistency'. If you are only going to be using this setup, there is no reason to put so much thought into it. Plug it in, and twist the knobs until you get your desired tone. 

 

But if you are going to be changing from one amp to another amp and maybe going direct when live and in the studio... that is a different story. 

[pianoguyy]

You are correct in your thinking - 

Plugging your gear into the fx return will bypass everything but the master volume, allowing you to use just the power section. 

 

 

[SiCantwell]

The answer is, whatever you think sounds the best.

I play the Go into a Fender tube amp, using it in place of the elaborate pedalboard I used to lug around.

I use the Main out because it's cleaner for me, and I plug directly into the amp (a Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue).

I use some Go amp sims for their distortion since I keep the amp clean, but I generally don't use the cabs. But you can if you think they sound better.

Forget "the rules." Try it different ways and do what sounds best to your ears.

 

[daveaphotopod]

Thank you everyone for your help. And yes SiCantwell, that may be the route I take. I did see another user in a YouTube video say the same thing. No sense in having a cab, if you're going into a real cab. 

I also saw a video recently where it made more sense to me, and echoed what pianoguyy said above. (If you plug into the effects return on the back, you can use "whatever you want" , cab excluded - because, as mentioned, essentially what you're doing there is bypassing the controls on the front of the head, and just using the head to power the speaker cab.)

 

I was a bit overwhelmed watching all those videos, and didn't have the amp to test at the time. I was getting it right at the gig I was playing at. I usually keep the POD GO head and amp active as I usually just play at home with headphones. The amp connections messed with my head a little bit that day, but again, I appreciate the responses.