Connecting POD XT LIVE directly to Studio Monitors

[nagarev]

Hi everyone!

 

First of all thanks in advance and sorry for bringing up this topic about a discontinued product, but I've just acquired one previous week (I bought it used from a friend).

I'm really happy about it, but, being a noob in sound engineering matters (among a lot of other stuff XD) I'm a little bit scared of misunderstanding what the manual says regarding "direct connect", I will paste an extract here:
 

Quote

(...)

Studio Direct—When plugging PODxt Live straight into a P.A., or using in-ear monitoring systems, press the Soft Button below dest and turn the effect tweak knob 12 to select studio direct for amazing amp and effect tone, night after night. Line 6 exclusive A.I.R. processing serves up a virtual speaker-cabinet-air-microphone experience so good you may never use a regular guitar amplifier and microphone on stage again. You’re as powerful as the entire P.A.—and guaranteed to be in the mix!

(...)

I understand that I can use my Presonus Eris monitors directly connected to the Pod via (I think it's called "RCA") cable: were the left and right connections should match between the pedal board and the monitors back panels. I don't think I fully understand what a P. A. system is, and what can be considered one or not besides being reading a lot on the web... Yes... I'm scared of breaking something hahaha.

 

Do you guys think this is possible? Or am I understanding it wrongly? Sorry again but I want to avoid damaging any equipment... and over all, trying to avoid any accident with high sound levels XD

 

Thanks again everyone!

[Kilrahi]

 

You're not going to break something - at least not from connecting your Pod in the way above. 

 

Generally speaking a "PA system" is referring to a "Public Address System." In the old days, these were really simple sound systems largely meant to carry voices, and they had a very limited sound range. Consequently, you wouldn't want to run a guitar through one as it would both sound awful AND could damage the system by basically blowing out the speakers. 

 

Modern "PA systems" though, come in all varieties and unless you're trying to plug into your local Elementary school's PA system, you're pretty safe. If the place you're playing at says you're okay to plug into it - then it's pretty safe to say you're okay to plug into it as long as you have the right connections (like a DI Box - a subject for another time). They'll know if it's built for guitar sounds or not. If you try to do it and they scream at you to stop - back away and stop. Realistically though, you'll be at their mercy and instuction, not vice versa so again, you don't have to stress it. More often then not the mistake I see is you COULD plug into it and the sound guys are too old school or badly trained and think that you can't - either way, usually that means you can't. 

 

Regarding your Presonus Eris monitors, you shouldn't fret plugging into it as described. That's why they built the feature into the Pod. Now, how much volume can the speaker take before it blows? I have no idea. Probably a helluva lot though. Your ears will probably blow first. 

 

Edit: Just in case it wasn't clear, a "PA" is a rather broad term. Regarding what the Pod means by it, it's any speaker system that is NOT a classic guitar amp, usually meaning they have a broader frequency range because they include both a woofer and a tweeter. There are some complexities beyond that, but for now that is probably enough knowledge to get you through. 

 

[nagarev]

Hey @Kilrahi!

Amazing answer! you can be 100% sure that I've learnt a lot from it, now I have a good "base" to start learning different things starting from that! Thanks A LOT!

 

I will be trying that out then (connecting the Eris speakers there, and will use the "level knob" starting from zero until it feels nice).

 

Thanks A LOT again!