Stagesource Or Dt25 To Pair With Pod Hd500x

[Palico]

Currently I play a POD X3 Live into a Atomic Reactor 212-50. I'm looking to upgrade the to the POD HD500X and get smaller more moblie setup instead of the Atomic Reactor 212. I do like the Tube amp sound of the Atomic Rector gave to the X3. While it was good straight into a house PA or across a small power amp and monitor the Atomic added a nice tube kind of vibe to it. Typically I setup the X3 to run into the Atomic with speaker and mic emulation in place. This didn't always work great but I could tweak it to work pretty well. I know understand I probably should have that set to the power amp setting and let the mic and cab emulatars be off. Just let the cab sound like it does. But I also dig some of the differnet cab tones, with certian speakers. 

 

Anyway, I'm know I want to get the POD HD500X but I'm trying to decide if the DT25 112 combo or the StageSource would be a better setup for me. As I said I kind of like the cabent emulations but can also really dig a real tube type of sound and feel. I will also be playing acoustic over the system from time to time but it will not used for acoustic gutiars much. Mostly will be used with my Variax 500. Thoughts on advantages/disadvanges of either "dream rig" setup?

 

 

[cruisinon2]

Well, you said you don't really care about the acoustic tones much, and you mentioned how much you like the tube sound 2 or 3 times...that pretty much points towards the DT.

[radatats]

Ok so I have a DT25 but not a Stagesource.  I can say that the DT is an awesome amp and mates well with the POD.  However, I am not certain that you will see any great noticeable advantages over using your current Atomic 50 212 paired with the HD500.  Yes, you gain the ability to switch between triode/pentode, class A/AB and can change topologies.  Is that worth the $1000 over what you already have?  Not sure really...

 

I would suggest you first try the HD500 paired with the Atomic and really wring it out.  Learn the HD500 first.  Many others love the Atomic and it should pair nicely with the POD.  Might save you some dough that you can put towards a JTV!!!

 

Edit - reading the Atomic manual I see another plus for the Atomic is the fact that it claims to be a true full range amp.  The DT is NOT full range, it is a guitar amp.  That means your acoustic and synth patches should sound much better through the Atomic than the DT.  However, there are ways to get a decent acoustic tone from the DT; I just can't say personally that they would be as good as with a full range system.

 

- another option that I personally am waiting for is the new Behringer KXD12 keyboard amp.  At $350 it looks like a real killer to match with the HD500 and I can get a pair of them for the price of a DT or L series.  It's not out till July so just standing by in the mean time...

http://www.behringer.com/EN/products/KXD12.aspx

[Palico]

Thanks guys, I would love to hear from someone with Stagesource just to know. I am leaning towards the DT.

 

The atomic is great amp and would do nicely except for the fact the 212 only has two 12 but is the physical size and weight of a 4 12 cab. I love the Atomic but want something smaller that is easier to move around, hence looking at the DT25 combo or the Stagesource.

[ColonelForbin]

The DT25 weighs around the same as one L2t StageSource.

 

"case pack weight" of the DT25 is 50lbs

the L2t specs claim it weighs 39.1 lbs

 

Radatats gave you some pretty good advice, in terms of start with the HD500, see how you like it with your current Atomic amp. The comparison is apt, in terms of the Atomic being full range; so is the StageSource.

 

Personally, I started with an HD500 in 2010, just got a DT25 earlier this year - followed shortly there after with a pair of L2t's. I bought the L2t's to use as monitors, to go with the M20d; I'd eventually like to add a couple of L3t's, and maybe a sub or two. Down the road, so to speak, in terms of budget..

 

That being said, there is something about using a "real" tube amp that the full range gear will never accomplish. However, there is also a simplicity to just letting the HD500 do it's thing, with the full amp modelling, especially when using something like a JTV variax with the acoustic tones.

 

I personally can't make up my mind! I do like the tube amp vibe, and in terms of gigs, that's the direction I am going, the XLR DI out from the DT is solid; and it's mic level, so it will do just fine going into a mic snake and such.

 

I've also run the two L2t's in stereo from my HD500, and they also sound killer. For me, that was more just exploring and having fun - those are definitely used as monitors when jamming with the full band, drummer and such.

 

One thing is for sure; you will need to create patches and banks for each output - the patches for the DT25 *probably* need to be different from the full range / studio direct patches. To get the most from the Bogner side of the DT25, use the "PRE" amp model versions, use the L6Link, and that will configure the HD500 into 'combo/poweramp' mode. Quite similar to plugging the HD500 into the FX return of the DT25. In that case, the HD500 does the FX and the amp model 'preamp' only; the Bogner side of the DT25 does all the tube amps and analog stuff, in reality, rather than in modelling.

 

You will always have a digital preamp with the DT25, even when running your guitar direct into the DT25; it uses the same amp model preamps as loaded on the HD500.

[Palico]

Thanks for the great information guys. The Atomic decided to help speed up my decision by blowing out last weekend. The amp guy says the power transformer is shot. Time for the DT25.