PodGo 1.40 update changed all my tones, much brighter and grittier.

[Root6t6]

So after the 1.40 update all my custom patches now have a much brighter and grittier tone than they used to going direct-in to the XR18R based PA system we use.  Nothing else changed, all mixer settings exactly the same.  Mixer firmware has not changed either.

Did Line 6 try to compensate for the input impedance issue by pumping up the highs?  I can't find anything relating to this.

I know I'm not going crazy as I've been using these same custom patches in the same system setup for a year and a half nearly daily.

The do not sound the same.

I do not and never have used a buffer but I do use a XVIVE U2 wireless which is the same and the same one I've used for years. 

Thanks for any information or help on this in advance.

Also as a side question, does the XVIVE U2 work as a buffer like a Boss pedal would?

 

[silverhead]

Sometimes a firmware update can affect tones. Rarely though, because such a change affects all users and many may have already dialed in their tones to their satisfaction and the change is not welcome. They have to revisit all their tones to compensate for the ‘improvement’. There is no mention of this overall change in the release notes. 
 

Your perception of tonal change is real, but there is no information or help that anyone can offer. If you like the perceived change, great. If not, let it rest for a week or two and proceed to compensate by adjusting all your tones if desired.

[voxman55]

Interesting 're tonal change following update to v1.40. I didn't notice it myself but then I have had my Pod Go 'done' re input impedance prior to the update. As you say, there's no mention of this officially in the release notes.  The fix was a huge improvement and I'm now very happy with the Pod Go tones. 

[Root6t6]

Hi Voxman,  was your unit still under the 1 Year warranty when they "fixed" it for you or did they do it as a "design fix"?

[phil_m]

On 8/11/2022 at 1:36 PM, Root6t6 said:

So after the 1.40 update all my custom patches now have a much brighter and grittier tone than they used to going direct-in to the XR18R based PA system we use.  Nothing else changed, all mixer settings exactly the same.  Mixer firmware has not changed either.

Did Line 6 try to compensate for the input impedance issue by pumping up the highs?  I can't find anything relating to this.

I know I'm not going crazy as I've been using these same custom patches in the same system setup for a year and a half nearly daily.

The do not sound the same.

I do not and never have used a buffer but I do use a XVIVE U2 wireless which is the same and the same one I've used for years. 

Thanks for any information or help on this in advance.

Also as a side question, does the XVIVE U2 work as a buffer like a Boss pedal would?

 

Did you do the factory reset and restore from backup after updating?

[Root6t6]

Yes, I did just that.  I updated PODGo edit to the latest first,  did the backup, installed 1.40 firmware, did the factory reset with the button pushes while turning the unit on. then installed the backup.  I definitely hear a major difference on all my tones.  especially the clean ones.  They are much brighter and even a bit louder signal in the mixer.

 

[grdGo33]

On 8/12/2022 at 11:55 AM, Root6t6 said:

Yes, I did just that.  I updated PODGo edit to the latest first,  did the backup, installed 1.40 firmware, did the factory reset with the button pushes while turning the unit on. they installed the backup.  I definitely hear a major difference on all my tones.  especially the clean ones.  They are much brighter and even a bit louder signal in the mixer.

 

 

First time I heard of it was here...  I didn't notice any tonal change since the updated (updated 1st day update was available), but a string broke on my HSS, then lots of work, so by the time I switched its strings (D'Addario EXP 110 XL coated strings) and redone the setup because the action was all messed up, I didn't get much single coil strat tone usage lately with the GO; mostly HH, and didn't notice any tonal change.

 

But yesterday, once the HSS was back up, played a bit and yeah I did notice some patches (Fender/clean) yes seemingly sounding brighter, but it did correspond to new coated string and reading your comment the day before soo....  Placebo/strings could very well be 100% of the change I perceived...

 

But yeah before that, I don't recall hearing a tonal change before...   Anybody else noticed a change?   If there was a change, might have been more audible on cleanish tones, and maybe also make a bigger change with single coils, as as I said, didn't notice much change using humbucker guitars and mostly heavy distortion patches.

 

Oh yeah, could it be also a switch on or settings on the PA speakers?  Such as bright switch or someone who messed with the speaker's EQ settings?

 

TLDR

1) maybe EQ on PA speakers

2) maybe some Go amps are affected more than others (likely clean Fenderish amps more affected)

3) maybe even no change, and placebo is just one hell of a drug.

[Root6t6]

Oddly enough, its one of my Marshal main rhythm 70s crunch tones thats the most offensive.  All it is is a TS into a Marshal with a little delay and plate.  It just sounds very gritty and artificial now where it used to smooth as glass.  I worked a long time to get that one right :(  

Also had a crunchy AC30 Brian May tone that used to be awesome and now feeds back alot more and is very brittle.

If nobody else is having these issues I may just redo the firmware load and reset and restore to see if it clears it up. 

I can't find anything else that changed.

Also I just got thru checking the Guitar Input pad which was off but I noticed no change in mixer input level on or off.  This doesn't seem right either.

[voxman55]

On 8/12/2022 at 2:33 PM, Root6t6 said:

Hi Voxman,  was your unit still under the 1 Year warranty when they "fixed" it for you or did they do it as a "design fix"?

 

Mine was within its 2 year warranty (it was bought from Yamaha Music London, who give a 2 yr warranty on all musical equipment....which is why I bought it from them, & they also beat the price of the then best price available which was great too).  But it's irrelevant as Line 6 will fix it regardless of warranty because its a design/component issue and not a warranty issue. 

[daveaphotopod]

On 8/12/2022 at 4:45 AM, voxman55 said:

Interesting 're tonal change following update to v1.40. I didn't notice it myself but then I have had my Pod Go 'done' re input impedance prior to the update. As you say, there's no mention of this officially in the release notes.  The fix was a huge improvement and I'm now very happy with the Pod Go tones. 

 

So can we just assume that firmware apparently fixed the impedance issue? It would make sense, as they wouldn't necessarily "put it in writing" but still solve the issue. Especially if you haven't noticed a change. I've already updated the firmware, so I can't do any testing. I've also just recently bought a BOSS pedal but it's not included in the POD GO, so it's not as if it's useless. 

Then again, as I type this, I guess I COULD test it and see if there's a different between the BOSS pedal buffer, or not. If there is, firmware did nothing for that, apparently haha

[phil_m]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:21 PM, dmandradepod said:

 

So can we just assume that firmware apparently fixed the impedance issue? It would make sense, as they wouldn't necessarily "put it in writing" but still solve the issue. Especially if you haven't noticed a change. I've already updated the firmware, so I can't do any testing. I've also just recently bought a BOSS pedal but it's not included in the POD GO, so it's not as if it's useless. 

Then again, as I type this, I guess I COULD test it and see if there's a different between the BOSS pedal buffer, or not. If there is, firmware did nothing for that, apparently haha

The impedance issue is hardware issue, not something that can be fixed by firmware.

[grdGo33]

 

On 8/12/2022 at 12:53 PM, Root6t6 said:

Oddly enough, its one of my Marshal main rhythm 70s crunch tones thats the most offensive.  All it is is a TS into a Marshal with a little delay and plate.  It just sounds very gritty and artificial now where it used to smooth as glass.  I worked a long time to get that one right :(  

Also had a crunchy AC30 Brian May tone that used to be awesome and now feeds back alot more and is very brittle.

If nobody else is having these issues I may just redo the firmware load and reset and restore to see if it clears it up. 

I can't find anything else that changed.

Also I just got thru checking the Guitar Input pad which was off but I noticed no change in mixer input level on or off.  This doesn't seem right either.

 

Btw did you open a support ticket with L6 or try to rollback firmware?

 

I'm still unconvinced that they updated some of the amps models (or could be mic, cab, etc.) without putting it into the patch notes...   As far as I'm concerned, I have another explanation; I did go through my patches to try to adjust volumes and tweak stuff, but when you equalize settings for guitar A, tends to unequalize for guitar B...  So pretty sure that's what happened in my case.  Many guitars is problematic in this way...

 

Also, you seem to be the only one to have noticed the issue...  Pretty sure again that if L6 tweaked or improved something somewhere, they'd have mentioned it, and you'd have more people noticing...

[Root6t6]

On 8/12/2022 at 5:22 PM, phil_m said:

The impedance issue is hardware issue, not something that can be fixed by firmware.

The only thing they could have done was to fake it by putting in an overall high end increase.  Which is what I thought I was hearing with the update on all my custom patches.  May still be.  The world may never know....

[grdGo33]

On 8/14/2022 at 12:11 PM, Root6t6 said:

The only thing they could have done was to fake it by putting in an overall high end increase.  Which is what I thought I was hearing with the update on all my custom patches.  May still be.  The world may never know....

 

If it was just that, then fixing it with the global EQ should be pretty easy.  Maybe you had set it up and it got reset?

[phil_m]

On 8/14/2022 at 11:11 AM, Root6t6 said:

The only thing they could have done was to fake it by putting in an overall high end increase.  Which is what I thought I was hearing with the update on all my custom patches.  May still be.  The world may never know....

I’m sure they didn’t do that, as that would cause more problems than it’s worth. For one thing, with the POD Go Wireless, there is no high end loss to begin with when using the G10 wireless.

[grdGo33]

On 8/15/2022 at 11:04 AM, phil_m said:

I’m sure they didn’t do that, as that would cause more problems than it’s worth. For one thing, with the POD Go Wireless, there is no high end loss to begin with when using the G10 wireless.

 

Yep, plus supposedly fixed on newer units, and they wouldn't know even if it's an old unit if was fixed or not, not to mention it would mess up the Go's for everyone who has a correct unit or anyone using a buffered pedal.

 

But again, if Root's only hearing an EQ issue, global EQ would fix it.

[chugzilla]

yeah i noticed it on mine also its def there without a doubt......i only use about 4 presets for my various tunings there all affected by the update....and i seem to really notice it on my standard tuned guitars anything say drop c - standard e....anything lower than drop c sounds better than it ever did...i keep one guitar in drop b it never sounded better and my 7 string is in drop a and wow....so yes i have the same problem but on the lower tuned guitars it makes them sound better but on the higher tuning ugh im gonna have to readjust and that just sucks i had everything set perfect and it sounded great any guitar 

[trainguy]

Hey Root6t6,

 

Could the input pad setting have changed from On to Off with the update?  This could explain the across-the-board difference in harshness.

 

tg

[pjparsons82]

curious if anyone else had an issue of the PGW Transmitter not charging after the 1.40 FW update?  it flashes and carries on like it's charging but it won't work when I plug it in.  I've even tried draining it down and recharging.  Just curious if anyone else has had this issue.  

 

Thanks.