Who uses their POD's mic input?

[Digital_Igloo]

Hi Guys,

 

How many of you use the XLR mic input on your POD HD, HD500, HD500X, HD Pro X, etc.? In what capacity? Do you record with it? Use the vocoder? Mic up an acoustic guitar? Process guitar and vocals separately?

 

If you don't use the mic input at all, we'd like to know that too.

 

Thanks!

[duncann]

Don't use it at all. Never have. The only thing I use is the guitar input. However, an optical output would be useful. Hell, maybe even an optical input.

[TheRealZap]

I use mine frequently, Pod HD Pro X, i use the phantom power for my condensors.

never use the vocoder feature, i have also used it for mic'ing acoustics, primarily when it was my main interface for recording. much of that has been offloaded to the UAD Apollo twin now, but i still use the pod for the mic tone's i have setup and go into the Apollo from there.

 

on the previous generation of pods (x3 live specifically) i was more apt to use the guitar and mic at the same time because of the simplicity in completely separate paths, rather than building a single tone around the feat.

so if this is for future dev... think "sub-tone" perhaps a rider 2nd tone with access to less DSP for vocal/mic app... obviously defeatable so that those not using it can have all the DSP... and those using it can steal DSP access for their "sub tone" (or co-tone, or whatever term you choose.. "sub" can imply low end or bass use i guess....)

[bluesoverdrive]

I use it/ will use it. I got a brand new HD500X recently but did not have time to set it up properly yet. Anyway, this is a great input for every guitar player that also sings. I hope I can make my voice sound good through it.

[Brazzy]

I mic amps, and acoustic guitar and other sounds like bongos and other drums.Sometimes voice too.

[Palico]

I've used it before on a older unit (X3) to record some vocals as I didn't have a interface so I used the POD as the interface. It was not for really recording anything important just some testing/scracth tracks. Now I have dedicated 16 input interface so I don't use the either POD for that anymore.

[FrozenOzone]

I use it all the time.  I have all my patches setup with Guitar as input 1 and Mic as input 2.  I am a lead guitarist and a lead singer. It works well if you really don't need to much on your vocals.  I haven't tried the vocoder.  I should also add that I am a primarily a live guitarist and not much recording.

[pfsmith0]

I have Schertler pickups on most of my acoustic instruments and plug into the MIC input quite often. I wish I could assign the tuner to that input (or the AUX input for that matter). Regardless, the MIC input is quite useful to me.

[chuberto]

I don't use it right now because my needs are for playing rhythm in my current band into my Dt25.

 

I have used it before for using vocal effects simultaneously with guitar. It worked well enough but I got too stressed controlling my own vocal effects from stage without any quick control if it started to go wrong (I was also using a little overdrive/megaphone effects which easily lead to feedback).

 

I've also used it to mic a cajon, feeding it through the looper for an acoustic duo. That was particularly fun and worked exactly as I hoped.

[silverhead]

I used to use the mic periodically for separate processing of vocals and guitar, and also for recording. I still use it for recording but since I got my M20d and L3t speakers I use one of those for live vocals. I found using the HD500 for vocals with backing guitar was too troublesome because there is no "Lock Tone 2" equivalent feature on the HD500 as there was on the Pod X3. This meant that you had to manually recreate the vocal processing on Path B and Input 2 for every preset. Too cumbersome.

[wicker_man]

Rarely use it, but I think it is a useful facility to have in case you need to mic up an acoustic or whatever.

[stumblinman]

Don't use it at all. But I think it should stick around.

[zaphodboy]

I use it to record vocals via USB into Cubase. Unlike the guitar presets on the HD 500 I find the vocal presets to be really useful.

[ceccez]

Tried it couple of times but found it difficult.. Tried to look some instructions and presets but failed to succeed. I had troubles with serious feedback.. Is there a good guide to build guitar and vocal preset properly.. Maybe I didn't have enough patience.. :) But I would use definitely it because of the cool effects I could from POD to my backing vocals.

[NucleusX]

Could using the mic input to mic cabinets, provide a reliable mono mix of your guitar

input/output that you could feed back into your POD and dual-tone in this manner ?

 

So, for example....

 

Guitar > Input 1 > POD > Output(s) > Amp > Speakers > Mic (monitoring speaker(s)) > Mic Input > POD > Output(s) > Amp > Speakers.

[silverhead]

Check this one out from post #5 on. I think it's what you are asking. Apologies if not.

 

http://line6.com/support/topic/3682-how-those-the-mic-input-on-x3-or-hd500or-hd500x-really-works/?do=findComment&comment=60690

[NucleusX]

Yep that's it, has anyone tried this without the nasty feedback loop effect ? I assume it can be done, if both inputs of the guitar, and mic, are kept separate ?

[silverhead]

I haven't heard of anyone who's tested this yet. Why not try it and let us know the result?

[NucleusX]

I most certainly will !

[NucleusX]

Hmm, might this be a survey question for Line6 to decide wether the Mic input

will be omitted on the next flagship series ? It's ok, I don't expect an answer ! lol.

 

+1 on the Optical input/output.

 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get a decent pc soundcard with

RCA SPDIF, Optical seems to be the way they are going now.

[grandinq]

I have never used it.  Anytime I am using my POD with a band there is a PA, so I have no need to plug a mic into it.  If I am recording at home, I am actually still using my Toneport DI Gold with Gearbox (remember that?) for vocals.

[Dshow]

I use it for micing up acoustic guitar and record vocals. Just wish the hd500 had phantom power.

[Rockstarrob1]

I use it frequently when recording. I connect a condenser mic to a TC Helicon Harmony G-XT (Has phantom power) and send the output to a Create-Xt and send that output to the the mic input on the POD 500X. I set the level on the POD Mic input to around 9:00 and control the overall volume with the Create-XT and/or recording software. 

[dbagchee]

I use it to process vocals and guitars on separate paths when doing acoustic gigs/open mics. Works great with the looper (can loop vox and guitar)!

[PRSGuy]

Never. Not once.

[bjnette]

I have used it for jamming often; very handy when too few practice mixer mic inputs or FX are available.

That was a while ago but it is handy.

At home I got my interface for recording.and can concentrate on guitar patches.

 

Could line6  be testing the waters for a dedicated vocal multiFX looper unit call the "VoxBeat" for up and coming live rappers? 

 

There seems to be very few dedicated vocal harmonizers with looping station on the market.

If your thinking about it could include a beat making facility software with usb connection to load beats or even samples.

Or concentrate on the "BeatVox"

LOL

[ritzhenson]

I'm new to the POD HD500X family, but yes, i use the mic input. How can i create a patch that uses Vocal Harmony Am and guitar at once?

[ritzhenson]

Never mind. Doh! I figured it out.

[pianoguyy]

I have hooked a mic up (1/4" and XLR) just for fun. Testing things. No serious usage.

But, the truth is, I can't see myself using it as a singing unit. I bought it for live concert guitar usage.  

Nothing more than the occasional bass, keys, and vocals usage will ever occur. I am a guitar player, lol.   

 

 

HOWEVER -- 

It was only a week or two ago, that I learned that I can use a mic for a Vocoder effect (thank forum users).  

I intend on working that into my usage at some point. I am currently in a period of limited availability, and am not in a position to try new things at the moment. 

[alienux]

I've never used mine so far, but if I do in the future, it would be for miking an acoustic that I use that doesn't have a pickup. Right now I just mic it with a SM57 directly into the board, but I could foresee situations where I'd need to run it into the POD.

[aerosol_d7]

yes, I use it.

[arislaf]

I use it for vocals, instruments, vocoder, and the best thing I tried, mic u an electro acoustic, while on the 2nd path I use the cable of the guitar...

[kronda]

I use it live for vocals in my indie-pop band, Input 1 is acoustic guitar (Variax Acoustic 700 via VDI), Input 2 is Mic with SM58 on it. I use two completely separate FX paths for processing and I'm very happy with the possibilities.

 

In my second band (rock) where I play electric guitar and sing I would love to use it but can't because I spent all the slots and processing power on Amp/FX for the guitar. So for now I use dedicated vocal FX.

 

I don't use Mic input for recording, have simpler (always ready, not packed for gigs) options for recording vocals but would trust it if needed.

[maxnew40]

I have never used it. However I use my HD500 for guitar in a "Dream Rig" in live performance. I use a P.A. for vocals and have not used the HD500 for recording.

 

-Max

[rickyfranz]

I just set up a preset to use with my acoustic guitars and a vocal mic. Got the Vintage Pre on both and Tube Comp on the vocals with a plate reverb. Separate verb on the guitar, Dimension and Delay. Sounds great through the head phones and I'll be running through QSC K-12s on the road. The K-12s  have 2 channels of inputs each so I could theoretically run three mics  if I had to and not break out my mixer. But I play solo a lot, so the mic input on my HD500 saves me time and work... no mixer.

[shredjsx]

I set up one preset to use it with my guitar and vocals dry to go into my PC for recording...

That's it, don't want to use too much of the limited effects spots for just a mic

[nedimhajdarevic]

Hello guys.I yesterday buy Line 6 HD500 and I try make patch and it have cool sound.On Hd500 1st input is guitar and 2nd is mic.. On mic I have +3 harmony from Am and on Input 1st is distorsion guitar..2 switchs turn on/off effects for guitar and 2 switchs  turn on/off effects for mic..

[Scaw]

I stumbled upon this topic, and thought I'd give it a try. I created a patch based on an acoustic patch I found somewhere in the Customtone section. Guitar on Input 1, Mic on Input 2, each going into their own signal chain (compressor, EQ, reverb, disabled AMP).

 

That seems to be working reasonably well. I put  a short video on Youtube that you can check out right here (USB direct recording). You can find the patch HERE.

[brue58ski]

I have used it on the extremely rare occasion where it was just me and a singer with a powered speaker. Don't need to bring a mixer and I have the same ambience (reverb/delay) on both.

[jhinds7]

I just got a HD500x and bought it over other products because I could run a JTV69 Variax into it AND a mic at the same time.  Very slick feature for small gig applications.

 

This setup replaced my TC Helicon Acoustic Live pedal and acoustic guitar.