# Dino Cazares: pod hd praise and not so for axe fx.



## capoeiraesp (Aug 28, 2012)

Figured this would be beat viewed by al members rather than those who frequent the pod hd thread. Quite an interesting read. 

News

Since releasing The Industrialist in June, influential industrial metal band Fear Factory has been everywhere from San Francisco to Sweden. As they embark on the second leg of The World Industrialist Tour, Cazares shares his secret for getting heavy tone while traveling lightthe Line 6® POD® HD Pro multi-effects and Relay® G90 digital wireless system. With POD HD Pro, Cazares can plug directly into the PA systemno cabinets required.

You've been working with Line 6 for many years. Howd you first make the connection?

Back in 1998, Fear Factory was on a U.S. tour. We had a big old U-Haul truck full of our lights and gear and all this stuff, and we parked it in front of our hotel in New Jersey. We went to sleep, and woke up to a phone call letting us know that the truck was stolen with all our gear. Everything was gone$1 million worth of stuff. Good thing we had insurance!.

After we were done crying about all our gear being stolen, I went to Guitar Center to try out a bunch of amps. Nothing was really turning me on until I tried the Line 6 Flextone head. I started playing it, and was like, "Holy shit." It was amazing. I've been playing it ever since.

I've gotten everything that's come out from Line 6 every year or every couple of years: The Flextone, the Flextone II, the POD Pro, the POD xt, the POD X3 and now the POD HD.

So obviously youre a huge POD fanwhat do you like best about it?

We take zillions of flights and travel everywhere, and you want to take your sound with you. Depending on the location, when you rent gear, you cant be sure what you're going to get. You might get there and the amp is just beat to hell..

With POD HD, your tone is with you wherever you go. Its consistent everywhere. Nine times out of ten, Im using a POD direct to a PA system, direct to the monitor system, and thats about it.

For traveling, its so convenient. I just put POD HD Pro in a four-space rack with a Relay G90 wireless. So everything I'm recording with, everything that I use to travel around the world, is in compact enough to just carry onto a plane.

Another great thing about POD HD and G90 is that theyre 220/240 ready as well. All you do is change the plug. I don't really need converters or anything else.

Do you also use POD in the studio?

When I started working in the studio on the latest album, I made a few tweaks to the POD presets Id been using live. Then when the mixer mixed the album, he tweaked the sound a bit, so I went back and tweaked my POD to match. Now I can take the exact same sounds from the album on the road with me. .

When you perform live, how do you get your tone?

My favorite feature of the POD HD Pro is that you can run two heads at once. I usually have two heads, the Cali Tread, or I have the ANGLE F-Ball [editors note: Cali Tread is based on* 2001 Mesa/Boogie® Dual Rectifier® Solo; ANGLE F-Ball 100 is based on* ENGL Fireball 100]. I usually have those EQd slightly differently. The F-Ball has a little bit more low-end so it pumps more air.

I do all my processing within the POD HDI run it through a compressor, then a gatenot hard gate, but just a little bit of a noise gate. Then I got a Screamer cranked, and that gives it some of that midrange tone that I need [editors note: Screamer is based on* Ibanez® Tube.Screamer®].

Then I run it through another gate, and then I usually run it through a studio EQ, so I can get more of the curve that I need, and then usually another EQall in the POD. Thats it. I mix it like 25 percent left and 25 percent right. I just crank it and it sounds amazing. I use the 412 Tread V-30 cab on both with the Shure 57 off-axis microphone model in the POD [editors note: 412 Tread V-30 is based on* a .Mesa/Boogie® cabinet, 4x12 inch Celestion® Vintage 30 speakers]. It sounds amazing.

You can go to any YouTube Fear Factory video from 2012 and see and hear what I'm talking about. My sound man loves it because it's so easy. He's basically just turning it up. Maybe he adds a couple of things, nothing really major. Usually the monitor guys just tell me, "Make it flat." And that's it. 99 percent of the time, I don't do any tweaking on the POD live.

Can you describe how you set up your presets for a gig?

For a standard set list, Ill use four different presets, each based off a different amp. For more experimental stuff, Ill use eight.

My main preset is my main guitar tone, rhythm tone. Then I have the lead tone. Then I have this filtered effect that I use on a lot of songs, using the Bomber Uber [editors note: Bomber Uber is based on* 2002 Bogner® Uberschall].

I do this weird tone where it scoops out all the low end and gives it a low-fi vibe, kind of like you're hearing something off an old-school AM radio. I also have it set to where I can add more delay, or certain modulations. Ill add some reverb and other weird stuff. I have that on my Line 6 FBV Shortboard so I can click whatever I need to do.

I also have this really cool clean tone that I use on a few songs, using the Blackface [editors note: Blackface Lux is based on* 1964 Fender® Deluxe Reverb®]. That has a lot of delays and a lot of compression to give it a certain sound, a lot of chorus..

How do you think POD stacks up against other high-end guitar processing systems?

Theres a lot of hype around the Axe-Fx by Fractal Audio. It's a great system, but you're not going to hear any difference between it and POD HD as far as tone.. But the Axe-Fx takes you longer to dial in. It took me two weeks to dial in somethingand it took me 10 minutes to dial in something on the POD.

For me, POD is a lot more user friendly. It's very direct. Axe-Fx is a whole different language and it has other parameters that are unnecessary. It takes you a lot longer just to find something you like.

I've had both Axe-Fx and POD HDone cost $2,000 and I know a lot of the nerds like it because maybe somebody like Dweezil Zappa said it was cool. But with the POD HD, obviously you're going to get a lot more for your money..

As soon as the POD HD came out, I got one, plugged it in, and compared it to the Axe-Fx. Then I got rid of the Axe-Fx and put my money in my pocket.

You also a long-time user of Line 6 digital wirelesshowd you get into it?

On Fear Factorys first tours in 1992, I wanted the freedom to run around the stage, so we had some cheap analog wireless system that just squished the heck out of my tone. Then in 1995 or '96, I met this guy with a company called X-Wire, and we agreed to be the guinea pigs for their systems. It was great because it didn't mess with the tone. We worked with the stuff for years, and then when Line 6 bought X-Wire I was just so happy.

When Relay came out, I got the first G30, then the G50. Now I use G90. We really put it to the test while traveling through Europe. We were playing these gigantic, gigantic stages. I don't know if you can imagine how big they are. With Relay, you can still walk all the way out to the sides to where the big screens are. We were doing that and we had no dropouts.

And with a 100,000-person festival, there were so many potential problems. They got their cell towers out there for the festival. They got their own internetinternet everywhere. But we didnt have any interference.

How does the Relay tone compare to a wired guitar system?.

The first time I heard Relay, I was blown away how it didn't take away from my killer tone..All the wireless systems I used in the past changed my guitar tone. I always had to compensate by trying to push more out of my amp or by boosting more EQs. With Relay, it was liked I was plugged in with a cablebut better. Its also easy to set upyou just turn it on and choose any channel.


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## larry (Aug 28, 2012)

Seems like his main beef with the axe is the learning curve involved with tweaking
the unit vs. the pod hd pro.. He has been with line6 since practically day one. So, of course he'd be more at home with the pod. He is right about the price point issue, but fractal still gets my dough. I am glad that line6 is stepping up their game though.


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## capoeiraesp (Aug 28, 2012)

The dude praised the flextone 1...


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## JMP2203 (Aug 28, 2012)

not bad for a direct tone


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## themike (Aug 28, 2012)

He is clearly on the Line6 payrolll - I mean I just got an email from Line6 and all it was was talking about Dino and his PODhd haha

Secondly - if what he said about there not being a difference between the POD and Fractal, why would anyone wait months for an AxeFX? Why would someone pay 2k for something that sounds exactly like a $500 unit? Becuase it doesn't, that's why.

Also I think his Dweezil statement is very dickish  




JMP2203 said:


> not bad for a direct tone


 
While I don't know who they have working with them nowadays, I can assure you that Fear Factory's front of house engineer is one of the best in the metal game - someone who could probably get a DI into a Metal Zone to sound good with the right eq'ing and mix. 




capoeiraesp said:


> The dude praised the flextone 1...


 
HAHAH, yes! All joking aside I personally LOVED the Flextone II HD though  

Also - am I the only one who thinks Dino's tone live is just 99% tight playing and palm muting technique, and very little actually tone?


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## TaylorMacPhail (Aug 28, 2012)

They need a sponsor other than Line 6....I'm thinking Subway...


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 28, 2012)

Im not complaining. I liked his tone on the last 2 albums.


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## HighGain510 (Aug 28, 2012)

Aside from the fact that he is a PAID endorsee, the following pieces are quite suspect:



> There&#8217;s a lot of hype around the Axe-Fx by Fractal Audio. It's a great system, but you're not going to hear any difference between it and POD HD as far as tone



 Mmmkay! 




> I know a lot of the nerds like it because maybe somebody like Dweezil Zappa said it was cool. But with the POD HD, obviously you're going to get a lot more for your money..



So not only insulting folks who DON'T use the product that he endorses, but making a rather bold claim about getting more for your money. How many QUALITY amp models does the HD have on there? They have a couple good ones, but c'mon, you can't seriously argue the POD HD is giving you more for your money unless you're on a strict budget and don't need all the versatility of the Axe-Fx. 

All of that being said, I know Dino has a lot of followers but his tone is distinctly solid state. He has that "razor" sounding, gated tone that he goes for that some like (personally I'm indifferent, I don't think it sounds bad in the context of the industrial stuff they play, but it's not my favorite by far), and for that, the POD HD will be able to cover you. Talk to me when you're playing a bigger VARIETY of styles about how the POD HD is a better unit, Dino.


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## themike (Aug 28, 2012)

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> Im not complaining. I liked his tone on the last 2 albums.


 
Again - I'm sure any Fear Factory producer, hell, I bet any competant guy from SS.org in the recording section could make an amazing tone in the studio out of anything  

Also I'm not knocking the PODhd at all - Ive owned tones of Line6 gear and still have a POD 2.0 in my possesion - for the price they are AWESOME. I'm just against the fact that he flat out says there is no difference between one and an AxeFX haha


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## MetalDaze (Aug 28, 2012)

> I know a lot of the nerds like it because maybe somebody like Dweezil Zappa


 
NERDS!!!!!!!!!!


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## Thep (Aug 28, 2012)

I wonder if he fell out of love with his Ibanez Toneblaster amps.


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## zurdo (Aug 28, 2012)

with the right ear, you can make that $500 piece of gear sound better than the over priced Axe-Fx.
I think both are great units.
But Fractal took the amp mod idea to a whole new level and Line6 is trying to catch up by offering an affordable alternative. I like that.
You do get a lot of of Line6 products. They are affordable and reliable. 
I've had a lot of their products, starting with the first pod, toneport, floor pods and pod farm plugin and they rule.


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## BrianWaymire (Aug 28, 2012)

Since people are comparing. I'd take an Axe-Fx over POD any day!. Granted I use neither I love Amplitube and Guitar Rig too much to switch back. But I use to play my friend's AXE-FX and got a cool tone in no time at all. My experience with Line 6 ANYTHING has not been as good. That's just my 2cents.

EDIT: I still own my POD 2.0 btw it's a nice preamp but I would never use it on it's own.


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## Razzy (Aug 28, 2012)

BrianWaymire said:


> But I use to play my friend's AXE-FX and got a cool tone in no time at all. My experience with Line 6 ANYTHING has not been as good. That's just my 2cents.
> 
> EDIT: I still own my POD 2.0 btw it's a nice preamp but I would never use it on it's own.



Have you played through a Pod HD Pro/HD500 before?


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## BrianWaymire (Aug 28, 2012)

Razzy said:


> Have you played through a Pod HD Pro/HD500 before?



yes I've used the Hd I've played all of the POD models minus the very first one. If you only have the money for that it's good but the Axe-Fx was more flexible for me. Again I now use Amplitube and Guitar Rig exclusively. And Imageline's Hardcore for interludes and other stuff. so I don't really endorse one or the other


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## MetalDaze (Aug 28, 2012)

Without going into actual tone comparisons, this reminds me of an unverified statistic I heard once about users of MS Word and/or Excel.

It was something like, "most people use only 10% of the features of Word/Excel". I don't know if that's true, but I believe it.

In this case, I also believe that the average person won't use nearly all of the features of the Axe-FX, nor would they want to spend the time to learn about them. So like in Dino's case, the POD HD is good enough and you can figure out a lot without cracking open the manual.

Now, there are people that want and use those extra features of the Axe-Fx. It's natural that it would be the best choice for them.

Then, there's people who don't need the Axe-Fx now, but fear that they might one day outgrow the POD HD. The tendency will be to want to go for the more advanced unit to "future proof" themselves. However, that might not be the best stratgey. Those people could be enjoying the easier to use (and less expensive) aspects of the POD HD now and then upgrade to the Axe-Fx III down the road when they are ready 

Or, I could just be full of shit


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## WarMachine (Aug 28, 2012)

+1
I think this was worded very accurately. It all boils down to if it fits your needs. I find myself a more is less kind of guy, I dont need all the bells and whistles that the Ax offers, but that wouldnt keep me from buying one if i had the cash  Another bad setup is when people look at things as being "dated". "If its old, then "x" amp or preamp is better cause it came out last year".....bullshit. Perfect example to this.....Peavey 5150/6505....nuff said


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## The Reverend (Aug 28, 2012)

I love my PODxt Live, but nothing on it can ever be as good as a well-dialed in Axe-Fx tone. I do have to say, I've heard some tones in the Recording Studio section that were made using an Axe-Fx and were just horrible, but that has more to do with fucking up at dialing in tones than the unit itself.

If Dino had some more sense about him, he'd open his ears instead of his mouth and look at what the Axe-Fx can do. Great jazz tones, great '60s-Fender-crunch, great high-gain stuff, it's all there if you know what you're looking for and if you put in the time to learn how to get it. Most PODs can't do any of those very decently, nor can they match the response or the feel of real amps like the Axe-Fx can, to some extent at least.


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## Decipher (Aug 28, 2012)

I read this interview yesterday and immediately thought, "oh man I can't wait to see/read the butt-hurt from the pro Axe-FX community." It is a Line 6 interview so you can't expect anything but praise for their products from their endorser. Members of this board have been curious and wanting/wishing for Dino to get on the Axe-FX bandwagon for some time and here's your proof, he didn't dig it and the almighty Axe-FX isn't for everyone.


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## wakjob (Aug 28, 2012)

My Axe FX II was good. My POD x3 is ok. But I'm gonna try one of these.


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## budda (Aug 28, 2012)

Is that a Yamaha logo on the front?


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 28, 2012)

budda said:


> Is that a Yamaha logo on the front?



Yup. Yamaha THR.


THR10 - THR - Amps - Guitars & Basses - Musical Instruments - Products - Yamaha United States


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## xCaptainx (Aug 28, 2012)

I REALLY doubt he is a paid endorsee for Line 6. 

Loved the interview though. I use HD500 D.I for metal, my other guitarist uses axe fx ultra. Spent a lot of time with the two, tended to agree with Dino on all his points haha.


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## wakjob (Aug 28, 2012)

Fricken' things sound flat-out awesome on TY vids. Gonna take the plunge and hear one in person.

Doesn't sound like it'll do the Death/Djent/Brootz type of high gain very well on it's own. But the software that comes with it looks really interesting.

The clean, crunch and effects sound incredible though. Reminds me of my GK 250ml's taken to the tenth power.

FastRedPonyCar has the BEST demo so far.


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## hellraizer84 (Aug 28, 2012)

talks out his huge ass.axefx everytime not that mushy pod shit


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## Demiurge (Aug 28, 2012)

Can't really blame the man for having a preference... but alas, let the internetz prove me wrong.


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## sevenstringj (Aug 28, 2012)

To put a more constructive spin on it, Fractal would do well to put out a plug-and-play model. Either 1U rackspace or all-in-one unit like the HD500. Or better yet, something compact and simple to use live, like a Sansamp Tri AC or Bass Driver Deluxe, that can give you basic tones and effects with a few simple knobs, but that can be fully edited and saved on the computer.


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## Phrygian (Aug 28, 2012)

Well, his tone in both those videos is horrible, especially the first one. I have heard the Pod HD sound miles better then that, so it's definitely got potensial.


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## troyguitar (Aug 28, 2012)

fucking nerds on the internet


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## axxessdenied (Aug 28, 2012)

What's the big deal... if you want the AXE FX 2... go buy it! For someone like me who is new to the digital preamp experience, the Pod HD Pro has been a fanastic piece of gear. If it works for him, than I don't see the big deal.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 28, 2012)

Dino Cazares said:


> The POD HD is better than the Axe-FX.





Sevenstring.org said:


> WELL YOU'RE A FATASS.


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## The Reverend (Aug 28, 2012)

Hey man, I respect Dino's contributions to the world. However, this is like someone saying a Ford Mustang can outperform a Lamborghini, or better yet some beast-ass supercar. Yeah, a good driver in a Mustang can smoke a bad driver in a Lambo, but it's no reflection on the actual capabilities of the machines involved.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 28, 2012)

That wasnt aimed at you. There are some good counterargunents here.

Im just making fun of the people who are slinging personal insults at Dino for having a preference.


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## FireInside (Aug 28, 2012)

Dino Cazares said:


> _The POD HD is better than the Axe-FX._


_



Sevenstring.org said:



WELL YOU'RE A FATASS.

Click to expand...



*Ibanez: *You also use the Ibanez Thermion. What do you think of that amp?

*Dino: *It's massive. It's killer. It's huge, it's fat. I mean, I'm not describing myself (laughs), I'm describing the amp.

_


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## madrigal77 (Aug 28, 2012)

...And his tone has sucked balls since 1998.


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## noise in my mind (Aug 28, 2012)

I tried my friends pod hd500 through a fender twin reverb, and it really did sound fantastic. For the money the pod hd is quite a deal! I use to have a pod xt live, and I really loved it, but I found getting good tones out of a lot harder than my axe fx. I still hear amazing recordings these days with free amp sim hardware, and I don't think the axe fx is a must, it's just a very nice all in one package if you like a lot of different tones, especially organic ones. I really think every unit does things well unique to their product, kind of like different colored crayons, it all depends what kind of sound you are trying to achieve. Are you trying to achieve razor industrial distortion and heavenly chorus solid state cleans? Then the pod will do that all very well for you! If you are after organic high gain stuff and dirty organic cleans then you may want to check out the axe fx. Of coarse with Ir matching these days, it seems like with enough skill one can get pretty close with anything. /rant


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## TomAwesome (Aug 28, 2012)

Yeah, some of those comments really seem influenced by his endorsement, but that Line 6 metal tone suits his style, and it would make sense that he'd stick with what he's comfortable with since he's been using Vettas and PODs for well over a decade. I bet he could nail the tone of his old JCM800 if he spent enough time with an Axe-FX, though.



capoeiraesp said:


> The dude praised the flextone 1...



I saw him play live with it once. He made it sound pretty damn good.



MetalDaze said:


> In this case, I also believe that the average person won't use nearly all of the features of the Axe-FX, nor would they want to spend the time to learn about them. So like in Dino's case, the POD HD is good enough and you can figure out a lot without cracking open the manual.
> 
> Now, there are people that want and use those extra features of the Axe-Fx. It's natural that it would be the best choice for them.



It's not necessarily about that. You really don't have to go that deep with it. You can just stay on the superficial levels of settings, keep it about as simple as a POD, and still have something that sounds better because of the more accurate models, more advanced effect algorithms, etc.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 28, 2012)

I get the people pointing out that, while his personal preference may be toward the pod tone, that's not really an objective claim. 

What I don't get is the lame asses actually resorting to calling him fat. 

Wow! Dino is fat. Thanks for pointing that out. Feel better about yourself?


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## KAMI (Aug 28, 2012)

as said in my sig: line 6 is underated!!!


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## FireInside (Aug 28, 2012)

Lern2swim said:


> Wow! Dino is fat. Thanks for pointing that out. Feel better about yourself?



Yeah image is everything in music right?  The most annoying thing to me is when I look FF up on YouTube and see a thousand comments about his weight.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 28, 2012)

FireInside said:


> Yeah image is everything in music right?  The most annoying thing to me is when I look FF up on YouTube and see a thousand comments about his weight.



I get annoyed with it beyond even the image obsessed part. Fact is, it's not like it's anything new; so, it's a bunch of people thinking they're witty, when, in fact, they're just repeating tired old shit. It's the same as when tons of people were blurting out "I'm Rick James, bitch!" all the time. It's like, "No. You, in fact, are not. You're also not Dave Chappelle and that's not your joke. Shut up."

/end rant


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## op1e (Aug 28, 2012)

noise in my mind said:


> If you are after organic high gain stuff and dirty organic cleans...



^Thats pretty much my problem with digital everything ATM. Once I was done with my 2nd Industrial band, the Pod didn't really fit me or make sense anymore. My 1101 stays to function as the backbone of an amp or a transitional stopgap to my next preamp.


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## vanhendrix (Aug 28, 2012)

He lost me at "in 1998".


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## mr_rainmaker (Aug 28, 2012)

madrigal77 said:


> ...And his tone has sucked balls since 1998.





^this^


tone dino what tone???
SRV had tone,Albert KING had TONE,Eric Johnson has tone...


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Aug 28, 2012)

I personally prefer the sound of a real tube amp. I would rather have 1 sound that i love than a box full of sounds that i'm not gonna use. So I dont really have a pony in the race. 

Well, actually i hate Line 6. BUT, i think the Line 6 stuff sounds fucking awesome. I hate it for its cheap, unreliable components. The sound is there.

People are comparing the line 6 as a mustang and the FX as a lambo. Thats not even close. Sure the axe is much more in depth, but the comparaison is MUCH MUCH closer than people are giving it credit for.

And he said its a better bang for the buck than the axe fx. And i hate to tell some of you, but, THE POD HD IS MUCH BETTER BANG FOR THE BUCK THAN THE AXE FX. Its just a fact. You can get something extremely comparable for 1/4 the price. You can prefer the axe, but you can tour and be a professional musician with the sound quality of a pod hd and no one in the crowd would ever know.

Now obviously the axe is more in depth, and its more accurate to the original amps feel and sound, but in todays processed music environment(and especially what dino is playing)you dont have to have exact representations of original amps to get cool and good tones.

The simple fact is that the axe is better in quality(build quality by far, sound quality is very very comparable) but the pod is in the same ball park and if you know what your doing, you can make a career only using a pod. People focus too much on production today and not enough on content. 

Is the axe better? Overall i would say yes. Is it 4 times better? I'd say a resounding no. Its not even twice as good IMO. So the bang for the bucks with out a doubt goes to the pod on that one.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 28, 2012)

mr_rainmaker said:


> ^this^
> 
> 
> tone dino what tone???
> SRV had tone,Albert KING had TONE,Eric Johnson has tone...



You don't seem to understand what the word means.


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## Rick (Aug 29, 2012)

TaylorMacPhail said:


> They need a sponsor other than Line 6....I'm thinking Subway...



Holy shit, a fat joke. You must be the first person ever to make one about Dino. 



Thep said:


> I wonder if he fell out of love with his Ibanez Toneblaster amps.



He never actually used them, Ibanez asked him to talk about them and he did. 



hellraizer84 said:


> talks out his huge ass.axefx everytime not that mushy pod shit



He likes it, what the fuck do you care? Very productive comment. 



madrigal77 said:


> ...And his tone has sucked balls since 1998.



Thanks for that. 



mr_rainmaker said:


> ^this^
> 
> tone dino what tone???
> SRV had tone,Albert KING had TONE,Eric Johnson has tone...



So does Dino. It's just a tone that you clearly don't like. Everyone has their own "tone."


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## Eric Christian (Aug 29, 2012)

xCaptainx said:


> I REALLY doubt he is a paid endorsee for Line 6.


 
He's on the Line 6 "Artists" page. Pretty sure that means he gets paid.

Line 6 - Artists

Very obviously a paid setup interview where he goes out of his way to plug Line 6 gear. I really doubt a POD HD was even used in the studio for the last album. Pretty laughable really. I'm betting instead a bunch of high end boutique heads/cabinets were recorded with several $2000 microphones direct into ProTools HD with post processing by Waves.

The other tip off is how he just randomly goes out of his way to slam the AxeFx. Obviously someone high up at Line 6 is a bit concerned about Fractal and has probably instructed their artists to diss it in their talking points. Personally I'm not really a big fan of Line 6 products just cause everything I ever bought went to hell quickly and stuff like this doesn't give them any street cred either.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 29, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Very obviously a paid setup interview where he goes out of his way to plug Line 6 gear. I really doubt a POD HD was even used in the studio for the last album. Pretty laughable really. I'm betting instead a bunch of high end boutique heads/cabinets were recorded with several $2000 microphones direct into ProTools HD with post processing by Waves.
> 
> The other tip off is how he just randomly goes out of his way to slam the AxeFx. Obviously someone high up at Line 6 is a bit concerned about Fractal and has probably instructed their artists to diss it in their talking points. Personally I'm not really a big fan of Line 6 products just cause everything I ever bought went to hell quickly and stuff like this doesn't give them any street cred either.



And I really doubt that you're right.


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## 3074326 (Aug 29, 2012)

It's all personal preference. That being said, as an owner of a POD and an Axe 2, I couldn't disagree more. And I was actually really happy with my POD. Just night and day, not even close. 

I respect his opinion though. I feel like if you're spending that much on a unit, you'd want to spend more than 10 minutes dialing it in, anyways. That's half the fun for me. Experimenting is just fun.


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## Shannon (Aug 29, 2012)

Seriously, who gives a damn if he prefers POD HD to an Axe-Fx? It's just gear & what works for some doesn't work for others. Honestly, I commend him for not jumping on the Axe-Fx bandwagon. Simple tones. Simple user interface & it works for him. SIMPLE.

Not everyone needs a bazillion tones or wants to shell out $2k+ for one when a much more affordable amp does exactly what he wants/needs. I opened for Asesino several times now & at the time, he brought out a Flextone II HD. It sounded crushing through the PA & fit perfectly for the band.

I think people get way too caught up in wanting to own the "newest, hottest shit." 
Even if it's an outdated product, if it works for you, awesome! Hell, I loved Ron Jarzombek's tone on the last Spastic Ink & Blotted Science albums. Of all things, it was a fucking J-Station & later, a GSP1101. All Digitech. Everything has its place, but guitar gear is but one small part of the "overall" sound. Whether it cost $20000 or $20, if it works for the user, then it fucking works.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 29, 2012)

I could care less about anything else, but why talk smack about Dweezil?


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## Ben.Last (Aug 29, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I could care less about anything else, but why talk smack about Dweezil?



I don't know if he was necessarily talking smack. Given, I don't have Dino on the line to ask him to elaborate or anything, but Dweezil has been doing the Zappa plays Zappa thing for a while, and he's gone through tons of gear in order to recreate his dad's stuff. So, while it comes across poorly, he may have simply meant for him to be an example of someone who needs tons and tons of different sounds.


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## Shannon (Aug 29, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I could care less about anything else, but why talk smack about Dweezil?





Dino said:


> I've had both Axe-Fx and POD HD&#8212;one cost $2,000 and I know a lot of the nerds like it because maybe somebody like Dweezil Zappa said it was cool. But with the POD HD, obviously you're going to get a lot more for your money.



It all depends on how you look at it.
1. Some will say it was a dig on Dweezil.

2. Others know that Dweezil was one of the 1st major Fractal endorsers & went from a GIANT setup of vintage gear to an Axe-Fx, so obviously, the guitar geeks out there will take notice of that & want what he's using now. I think Dino was just saying (paraphrasing) "Don't buy it because Dweezil or others tell you it's cool. Buy something that's versatile & has more of "bang for the buck" for the average guy." Obviously, Dino is catering to those who don't have $2k+ to blow.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 29, 2012)

There is nothing in that statement from Dino that makes me think that he was saying anything positive, then again, it's hard to convey certain things in text. 

I guess I'm too used to the term "nerds" being derogatory.


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## Shannon (Aug 29, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> There is nothing in that statement from Dino that makes me think that he was saying anything positive, then again, it's hard to convey certain things in text.
> 
> I guess I'm too used to the term "nerds" being derogatory.


....and it's impossible to tell vocal inflections in text. But then again, we all know that here as well.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 29, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> There is nothing in that statement from Dino that makes me think that he was saying anything positive, then again, it's hard to convey certain things in text.
> 
> I guess I'm too used to the term "nerds" being derogatory.



He didn't call Dweezil a nerd. 

Also, I've seen nerd used plenty of times in a more neutral way, by people who just realize they're a bit... simpler than other people.


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 29, 2012)

Shannon said:


> ....and it's impossible to tell vocal inflections in text.



That's exactly what I meant. 



Lern2swim said:


> He didn't call Dweezil a nerd.



Duh.  

I was speaking more to the tone of the entire statement. To me it came across as "Can you believe the Axe is $2k? Some nerds like it though because guys like Dweezil said so." with copious rolling of eyes. 

Though, as I've said, I'm fully willing to admit that it might have been much different, thanks to inflection of course.


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## Rook (Aug 29, 2012)

I was basically gunna say what Max said - it doesn't matter which I prefer in the same way it doesn't matter what he prefers, but the nerds comment was a little low...


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## glpg80 (Aug 29, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> I was basically gunna say what Max said - it doesn't matter which I prefer in the same way it doesn't matter what he prefers, but the nerds comment was a little low...



It was a metaphorical stance on the complications of the Axe - some people like to tweak, others like to just play. I have to agree with him on this stance as it does make sense, but the comment was indeed crude in how he just put it out there in a review of another product.


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## SSK0909 (Aug 29, 2012)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> I personally prefer the sound of a real tube amp. I would rather have 1 sound that i love than a box full of sounds that i'm not gonna use. So I dont really have a pony in the race.
> 
> Well, actually i hate Line 6. BUT, i think the Line 6 stuff sounds fucking awesome. I hate it for its cheap, unreliable components. The sound is there.
> 
> ...



Keep in mind though that musicians rarely care about bang for the buck.

Is a custom shop Gibson Les Paul really worth more than an Epiphone? The custom might play and sound better, but theyre almost identical products.

Is a vintage Marshall tube amp worth more than a cheap Marshall DSl? They're both Marshall amps, and the DSl even has more features.

My point is that the Axe-fx vs POD Hd is not an isolated thing. Musicians pay top dollar for very small improvements in sound/playability, but if they feel it's worth it, they gladly pay.


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## casketshrine (Aug 29, 2012)

As much as I love Fear Factory and have the utmost respect for Dino both as a metalhead and a musician...does it really matter if he thinks Axe Fx sounds similar to POD HD!? I mean, to his ears it maybe so. There are tons of highly acclaimed artists on Fractal's roster that say Axe Fx is a unit unlike any other. 

The real thing that matters is what you are ultimately satisfied with. I own an Axe Fx Ultra, I will be getting a II pretty soon and will most likely keep the Ultra. My cousin brought his POD HD500 over a month ago. To me, these are two different products targeted at different type of audiences. For what it costs, POD HD500 does provide a good mileage. That being said, in my experience, POD HD500 does not even touch Ultra's features. 

Just touching the tip of ice berg here but...

1 - Number of amp models between the two units and the quality of amp simulation. 

2 - Number of Cabs & the quality of cab simulation. 

3 - Number of effects and quality.

I got better tones using my POD X3 Live through my Mesa poweramp than I did with POD HD500. POD HD sounded too boxy compared to X3. Axe Fx Ultra on the other hand sounds damn awesome and I've been able to very closely recreate tones from my JVM and the Laney I previously owned. Apart from that, the detailed features on Ultra that allow you to experiment with the tonestack and other settings that can give you endless tonal possibilities. 

Yes, the learning curve is steep on this unit but it IS a comprehensive unit and once you've put in the time..its equally as rewarding. Is it worth the extra $1500 you pay over the POD HD500? Just the number and quality of FX alone make this unit worth the price you pay for it. I for one am perfectly content with the money I spent on the Ultra and would never even compare it to POD HD500.


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## axxessdenied (Aug 29, 2012)

Wow, some of you guys need to go back to school and learn how to read the english language!



Dino Cazares said:


> There&#8217;s a lot of hype around the Axe-Fx by Fractal Audio. *It's a great system*, but you're not going to hear any difference between it and POD HD as far as tone. But the Axe-Fx takes you longer to dial in. It took me two weeks to dial in something&#8212;and it took me 10 minutes to dial in something on the POD.
> 
> *For me*, POD is a lot more user friendly. It's very direct. Axe-Fx is a whole different language and it has other parameters that are unnecessary. It takes you a lot longer just to find something you like.
> 
> I've had both Axe-Fx and POD HD&#8212;one cost $2,000 and I know a lot of the nerds like it because maybe somebody like Dweezil Zappa said it was cool. *But with the POD HD, obviously you're going to get a lot more for your money.*



It's called an *OPINION*! HE did not ONCE come close to bashing the Axe FX2. His statement about dweezil zappa has nothing to do with dweezil himself and just the idiots that jump on a product and say that it's a must have when they don't have any experience between the two products... like what generally happens on internet forums. Both are great products, Dino said it himself. It all depends what you're looking for. 

Go ahead and bash dino... but he's the one making money with his guitar while most of you guys that are calling him fat will never achieve his success.

Learn to have some class.


edit: I would also like to point out that whoever mentioned SRV about tone needs to go back and listen to OOLD SRV. SRV knew nothing about achieving a killer tone, his tone was ASS before he hooked up with Rene Martinez. Just saying


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (Aug 29, 2012)

And I always thought the most unique aspects of Fear Factory's tone were provided by Bell and Herrera.

Guitar and bass always seemed in support of Herrera's patterns, with Dino's & Christian's picking technique developed to accommodate. Certainly not the archetype for a guitar tone connoisseur.

His endorsement of the product praises it's ease of use and wide availablity. Seems fair enough. "Nerd" is what the impatient call the studious.

Storm in a teacup.


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## Genome (Aug 29, 2012)

The Axe FX isn't that complicated. I was up and running in half an hour and learned my way around the interface in around the same time. It's even easier with Axe Edit. 

*shrugs*


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## petereanima (Aug 29, 2012)

Wow, we still care about advertisements or endorser-statements? 


Guys.....don't tell anyone....but Metallica don't really play those Dual Rectifiers!


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## Rook (Aug 29, 2012)

glpg80 said:


> It was a metaphorical stance on the complications of the Axe - some people like to tweak, others like to just play. I have to agree with him on this stance as it does make sense, but the comment was indeed crude in how he just put it out there in a review of another product.



I understood what he meant, but it's the exact crudeness you refer to. 

As everybody's said you can't get inflection from text, but he seemed to make a point to get that in there :s


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## Chris O (Aug 29, 2012)

Hasn't Dino always been a bit of a dink? Didn't he get ousted from FF for a while because of that? This interview was probably just Dino being himself. 

L6 stuff is great. I have always loved it, and my Pod X3 Pro sits comfortable in the same rack My AxeFx2 sits in.


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## Shask (Aug 29, 2012)

He has other considerations most of us don't have as well.... Things like convenience, being able to pick one up easily in every town of every country, auto voltage switching, etc.... Are things that tend to be more important than sound for touring musicians... Fractal isn't the most accessible product....


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## TaylorMacPhail (Aug 29, 2012)

Rick said:


> Holy shit, a fat joke. You must be the first person ever to make one about Dino.



Not the first nor the last 

But anyway, I have a POD HD Pro that I've been able to get really good tones out of, not to mention I was able to finance it and get warranty which was important for me (impossible for the AFX Standard). "Why didn't you just save up for an Axe Fx II, dumbass?" Cuz I have to like pay for like University and like I'm a full-time student, like. 

The POD can sound just as good as an Axe Fx in a recording mix, which is where your tone really matters the most, in my opinion. When it comes to live, only you and fellow tone-whores are going to even consider critiquing the tone, so as long as it sounds pretty good, it keeps you inspired, and you're band is together, you're golden me thinks.


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## sol niger 333 (Aug 29, 2012)

I think Burton C Bell needs a new amp for his voice


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 29, 2012)

mr_rainmaker said:


> ^this^
> 
> 
> tone dino what tone???
> SRV had tone,Albert KING had TONE,Eric Johnson has tone...



Dino has tone. Just a different kind.

I wanna hear you play Self Bias Resistor or Oxidizer with a Tubescreamer, Strat, and a Dumble.


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## purpledc (Aug 29, 2012)

To be honest dino is a great guitarist but when it comes to tone he isnt the first person I think of as the authority on the subject. Just like dimebag. The guy was a fuckin genius. My favorite player by a long shot. But if people think his tone on cowboys from hell is anything spectacular then Id have to question their sanity. I think what sums it up is that the line 6 gear works better for Dino. And thats great. I think he could have worded what he said better but if you consider Dino past present and future, thats actually a pretty tame comment coming from him. I think the only thing that really gets to me about what he said is that you actually can have the exact same tone from a POD hd as you will an axe fx. Now I know tone is subjective and therefore he can make that claim when considering only himself but I think its a bit reaching. I think the POD HD is a cost effective alternative to the axe if your willing to sacrifice some of the realism and features. But I dont think you would see so many people forking over the cash for the axe fx if it wasnt that much better. Who really wants to spend more for the same thing? Now the real argument should be is the axe fx worth buying over a kemper profiling amp. That thing is really the only direct competition IMHO for the Axe fx II.


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## axxessdenied (Aug 29, 2012)

For the price of the Axe FX 2 I have my Pod HD Pro that I could a couple months ago. My DC800 just arrived. And, now I am in the market for a set of Yamaha HS80M. Now, if I just went ahead with the Axe FX 2. I would be a lot further behind in my GAS 

Also, I will be upgrading to a KPA in the near future when my cash flow allows. Tone is very subjective. 



There is more to making music than just the gear. Throw in some good mixing skills in there and the Pod HD Pro can sound very good. No one should be discouraged from picking up the HD series from Line 6. It is a great piece of gear. The axe fx 2 is an incredible piece of gear as well. If you don't need all the extra features the axe fx 2 provides... than why spend THAT much more money if you are happy with the tone you get from the pod? 

There's guys that go from the AFX2 to the Pod HD Pro and don't look back. There are guys that go from the hd pro to the AFX2 and don't look back. It's all about what you like.


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## Chris O (Aug 29, 2012)

Shask said:


> He has other considerations most of us don't have as well.... Things like convenience, being able to pick one up easily in every town of every country, auto voltage switching, etc.... Are things that tend to be more important than sound for touring musicians... Fractal isn't the most accessible product....



True. And with the ability to backup online or on computer, you have a unit shit the bed, you get another, update it with the Monkey, and you're rockin'.

I know of more than a couple pros that do/did the Pod thing plugged into a back line over the years. It can't be entirely outside the realm of normal business.


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## ESPImperium (Aug 29, 2012)

sevenstringj said:


> To put a more constructive spin on it, Fractal would do well to put out a plug-and-play model. Either 1U rackspace or all-in-one unit like the HD500. Or better yet, something compact and simple to use live, like a Sansamp Tri AC or Bass Driver Deluxe, that can give you basic tones and effects with a few simple knobs, but that can be fully edited and saved on the computer.



THIS!

If Fractal could come up with a simple stripped down version of the AxeFX that had the 16 most used amp models and 32 effects id buy one in an instant. However it would have to cost arround half of a full unit and be able to be fully MIDI configureable.

Also if they could come out with a single unit that had all the effects and EQ you would need with a 4 cable method so you could use your favrouite amp with just the effects alone id also be extremely interested.

Fractal, Digidesign, Line 6 and Digitech are all missing a trick or two not releasing a unit something like this. Im sure that Line 6 could release a EffectsPod that could have a FBV connectivity and also a slot for the wireless units to connect to as well. The only thing i think that is preventing them is the fact that most people would require channel switching for their amp, whitch isnt that hard to include i think if its a MIDI amp, and if you have no amp and cab models you can include 4 simple stereo TRS switches for MIDI channel switching that also can do mono switching as well.

There are people that want the sound of a real amp and real tubes but want the versitility of as many effects that you need to throw a stick at to get you from one gig to another or from one studio to another.

There is gaps in the market for real amp guys to have the versitility of what the sim guys have on a regular basis.


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## SirMyghin (Aug 29, 2012)

ESP - your gap of an effects only unit is a good one, albeit it is not a complete gap as TC makes their G-units/Nova-System, etc. I still prefer a honking big pedal board and a small countries population of knobs to tweak though.


In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.


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## Rick (Aug 29, 2012)

Dino told me he tried out the AxeFX but he preferred the HD Pro.


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## Krucifixtion (Aug 29, 2012)

Meshuggah used Pod's for years. Yeah they use Axe-Fx Ultra's live now and they could have used them on Koloss, but they used......Plugins!!!! 
I never thought Meshuggah sounded bad with Line6 live. 

For me I just don't like how you can't use 3rd party IR's or make your own with the Pod HD. If they did that it would be huge! Axe-Fx does feel the most realistic to a tube amp though. Much better than Pod's that's for sure.


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## Larrikin666 (Aug 29, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.



Typically, the price versus return proportions go at of whack very quickly. Typically, prime rib eye steak is $5/oz and filet mignon is $10/oz. Is the filet actually twice as good as the rib eye? Some people might think so, but that's pretty subjective. I certainly think the filet is better, but maybe only 10% more delicious. Hmmmm....now I want steak.

I can absolutely understand what people like about the HD series. I had zero issues understanding how to program and tweak the thing right out of the box. However, I'd already mastered (not really) using my Axe-FX Ultra at that point. I'd become accustomed to the level of depth I could utilize when shaping tones. If I had owned these in the opposite order, then I might not feel that way. Who knows.

I know Dino isn't a big effects guy in the grand scheme of things, so I can understand has preference. I've always loved dabbling into the effects world, even though I don't necessarily use a ton playing death metal. I've grown to love high quality and boutique effects over the years, so that's something I always felt was lacking in any multi-effects processor/modeler. I was immediately pleased with the effects Fractal put out...not so much in the Line 6 stuff. Are they terrible? No. They're just slightly better than what I expected, but I'd never consider using the HD as an effects processor. It just wouldn't cut it for me.


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## wakjob (Aug 29, 2012)

That is the thing that impressed me the most with the AXE FX II... the effects. VERY well done.


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## AxeHappy (Aug 29, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.




As a man whom loves his Axe2 (Just waiting for my spot on the MFC waitlist to come up and it will completely replace the rest of my rig) and carries an irrational hatred for all things Line 6 (except their wireless randomly...) the answer to this question is very easy:

No. Of course not. But it still is better. Even if it was only "1%" better people like me (would be willing to pay the extra pay for it). 

Is a Ferrari really that much better than a Corvette or insert whatever example you think prefer. 

Almost all super-high end stuff is not worth what you pay for it. But it's still the best stuff out there so you pay whatever is asked pretty much.


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## purpledc (Aug 29, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> ESP - your gap of an effects only unit is a good one, albeit it is not a complete gap as TC makes their G-units/Nova-System, etc. I still prefer a honking big pedal board and a small countries population of knobs to tweak though.
> 
> 
> In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.




I dont think the axe II is worth the price of admission. And honestly considering that the axe is more of a computer rather than an amp I wouldnt mind at all if the thing was made in china like the foot controller is and price lowered. At $2200 with a coupon the kemper is looking more up my alley even if it does looks like an aliens boombox.


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## Electric Wizard (Aug 29, 2012)

I think the Ferrari vs Corvette comparison is pretty fair, not in terms of the products but moreso of the companies.

Fractal is a small operation that can devote all their energy to making the models as true as possible and maintaining their status as the benchmark in modeling. This is reflected in the cost.

Line 6 has the advantage of being huge, so they can keep the costs down, but their focus is divided between the pod series and a million other things. It's in their interest to make a good product, but ultimately their sales are good enough that they don't need to be too concerned with beating the Axe's performance.

For what it's worth, I used to hate Line6 quite a lot for having some horrendous sounding products. The pod HDs have really made me come around though. I get the feeling that some of the people that have posted in this thread solely to lambaste the pods may not have much experience with them.


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## technomancer (Aug 29, 2012)

A paid endorser praised the product he's endorsing while slamming the competition... shocking


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## xCaptainx (Aug 29, 2012)

Again I'm fairly confident he's not a paid endorser. In fact I'm pretty confident in saying Line 6 don't do ANY paid endorsements. They wouldn't need to. 

Line 6 was THE biggest amp seller in 2009....think about that for a second....that's an insane amount of money....why would they need to pay artists, there are no signature ranges to push like with Ibanez endorsement deals. I know for a fact that Mick Thompson is a paid Ibby artist (that's why he left B.C Rich, B.C Rich don't do paid endorsements either)


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## MF_Kitten (Aug 29, 2012)

Main thing i dislike on the POD HD is the damn cab models. I can't for the life of me understand what they were going for. so much low mids, so much woofy low end, so much shrill highs. They should've gone with more straight raw sounds. Just solid industry standard mics and positions with minimal EQ.

You have to tweak the cab settings a bunch, and then use several EQ's to get something that sounds "proper". I'd like it if i could just adjust the amp's EQ settings and get most of the way there with that.


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## jsl2h90 (Aug 29, 2012)

ok... it's not like he's Steve Vai. How many styles of music/range of tones does this guy really play/use? I wouldn't spend $2200 if I was just gonna chugga chugga all day either. Every video I've ever seen of him is him playing his latest 3-5 power chord etude complimented with massive amounts of muddy distortion. Not so sure his opinion on tone has a lot of value...


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## wakjob (Aug 29, 2012)

Soul of a New Machine... that was good high gain tone.

But I kinda have to agree with the above poster, minus the 'muddy distortion' comment. As much as I love FF and Dino, he could get away with a boutique distortion pedal->clean tube amp->4x12 cab.


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## Sepultorture (Aug 29, 2012)

wakjob said:


> Soul of a New Machine... that was good high gain tone.
> 
> But I kinda have to agree with the above poster, minus the 'muddy distortion' comment. As much as I love FF and Dino, he could get away with a boutique distortion pedal->clean tube amp->4x12 cab.



wasn't that tone all modded marshall?


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## SchfiftyWanSchfifty (Aug 29, 2012)

That it was. But honestly I think the more digital sound of the L6 stuff fits the futuristic Fear Factory gimmick better anyways.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Aug 29, 2012)

I will say this...

Dino's line6 tone was worlds better than COW's tone with the JMP-1 and ESPECIALLY the Kranks.


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## jsl2h90 (Aug 29, 2012)

SchfiftyWanSchfifty said:


> That it was. But honestly I think the more digital sound of the L6 stuff fits the futuristic Fear Factory gimmick better anyways.


Agreed.


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## Rook (Aug 30, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> ESP - your gap of an effects only unit is a good one, albeit it is not a complete gap as TC makes their G-units/Nova-System, etc. I still prefer a honking big pedal board and a small countries population of knobs to tweak though.
> 
> 
> In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.



I tried the HD500 ages before axe fx, and it didn't feel right to me and didn't have a sound in there that I really clicked with and thought 'yep this will replace all my gear'. It was extremely cool, and good quality etc etc but what I wanted wasn't there. I loved the design, layout and the concept but sound was paramount here obviously. Any modeller I then tried only had to be say 20% better in order for it to be perfect for me - it had to feel right and the effects had to be better. When I tried axe FX it felt great, I got some sounds I could really use pretty quickly, crucially I felt like I was making no compromises at all. That to me was worth an awful lot of money regardless of what other things in the market cost.

My Axe FX 2 suits me perfectly, and I could afford it, its owning axe fx and having so many options, sounds and Amps that's inspired me to get producing which has lead to me writing more it he last year than in the 10 years before. The HD just didn't inspire me, and even now when I try them I just don't click, so I guess the axe is better for me.

I don't care what Dino thinks so this isn't entirely relevant to the thread haha

Also, somebody slated axe fx because they're a student and can't afford it or something, I'm a full time engineering student and I work full time on the side to fund. If you wanna make it work, you'll make it work haha.


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## Rick (Aug 30, 2012)

Sepultorture said:


> wasn't that tone all modded marshall?



The first 3 FF albums were the modded Marshall. 



HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> I will say this...
> 
> Dino's line6 tone was worlds better than COW's tone with the JMP-1 and ESPECIALLY the Kranks.





I'm 99% sure Line 6 just gives him shit and he isn't a paid endorser.


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## ESPImperium (Aug 30, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> ESP - your gap of an effects only unit is a good one, albeit it is not a complete gap as TC makes their G-units/Nova-System, etc. I still prefer a honking big pedal board and a small countries population of knobs to tweak though.
> 
> 
> In order to fuel the fire of this thread a bit (being the ass I am) is the question, 'Is the axe fx really 4x better than a pod?' I am going to have go out on a limb here and say no, the difference is in cost of production and volume of sales driving the price point more than anything.



I know that TC and Eventide make good units like this, but the only problem i find with them they have bottlenecks in MIDI and other areas and are based off of technology thats a decade out of date now. If Line 6 et al would come out with a gap filler unit that was based off modern circuitry and features id be happy.

I just feel that there is a gap, and someone could make a lot of money somewhere if they want to be creative.

As it is im looking at the Pod HD Pro for my recording rig.


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## SirMyghin (Aug 30, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> I tried the HD500 ages before axe fx, and it didn't feel right to me and didn't have a sound in there that I really clicked with and thought 'yep this will replace all my gear'. It was extremely cool, and good quality etc etc but what I wanted wasn't there. I loved the design, layout and the concept but sound was paramount here obviously. Any modeller I then tried only had to be say 20% better in order for it to be perfect for me - it had to feel right and the effects had to be better. When I tried axe FX it felt great, I got some sounds I could really use pretty quickly, crucially I felt like I was making no compromises at all. That to me was worth an awful lot of money regardless of what other things in the market cost.
> 
> My Axe FX 2 suits me perfectly, and I could afford it, its owning axe fx and having so many options, sounds and Amps that's inspired me to get producing which has lead to me writing more it he last year than in the 10 years before. The HD just didn't inspire me, and even now when I try them I just don't click, so I guess the axe is better for me.
> 
> ...




I never said it wasn't affordable, and I never even said it was expensive. I was working on relative cost. 

Options you say I have a rig with 53 knobs, 13 sliders, 24 stompable buttons and 19 little switches . If you really wanted to weigh versatility though, the 'relative' cost of axe-fx vs my toys, axe is probably cheaper, relatively speaking. Albeit my rig is pretty monster versatile. Need a few more knobs, switches, and stompies though.


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## Rook (Aug 30, 2012)

Haha the affordable comment wasn't aimed at you mate.

I was more addressing my view on the '4x the product for 4x the price' point. I completely get that what works for you works for you.

I suppose I should have made the fact that I was pointing my view out in the open a little clearer


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## SirMyghin (Aug 30, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> Haha the affordable comment wasn't aimed at you mate.
> 
> I was more addressing my view on the '4x the product for 4x the price' point. I completely get that what works for you works for you.
> 
> I suppose I should have made the fact that I was pointing my view out in the open a little clearer



I realized that after I made my comment, but didn't care one way or another . I choose to show the more elegant side of gear (like a rig that is the size of my carbon footprint). Axe-Fx is just so cold and all encompassing, where is the love and 80' of patch cable not including what is sticking out of your guitar.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 30, 2012)

ESPImperium said:


> I know that TC and Eventide make good units like this, but the only problem i find with them they have bottlenecks in MIDI and other areas and are based off of technology thats a decade out of date now. If Line 6 et al would come out with a gap filler unit that was based off modern circuitry and features id be happy.
> 
> I just feel that there is a gap, and someone could make a lot of money somewhere if they want to be creative.
> 
> As it is im looking at the Pod HD Pro for my recording rig.



There's also the L6 M13


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## ArrowHead (Aug 30, 2012)

The Reverend said:


> I love my PODxt Live, but nothing on it can ever be as good as a well-dialed in Axe-Fx tone.
> 
> Most PODs can't do any of those very decently, nor can they match the response or the feel of real amps like the Axe-Fx can



Why do people feel the need to comment on the POD HD series based on their experience with an older, discontinued product? Shall I give my opinions on the Chevy Corvette based on my experience with my Aveo?

Not to pick you out specifically, but comments like yours (I believe) are a big part of why people are so slow to catch on to what a vast difference in technology the HD is compared to anything that came before it. The modeling on the XT, X3, etc... is over 10+ years old.


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## ArrowHead (Aug 30, 2012)

MaxOfMetal said:


> I could care less about anything else, but why talk smack about Dweezil?



I don't think it was meant this way. I think he was referring to tweakers as guitar/gear "nerds", something I call myself all the time. Dweezil is a definite gear nerd, and endorses the Axe for it's ability to call up complex patches and chains to fit his needs.

In other words, he wasn't mocking us. Just pointing out his needs are more simple than a "guitar nerd".


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## ArrowHead (Aug 30, 2012)

Larrikin666 said:


> Typically, prime rib eye steak is $5/oz and filet mignon is $10/oz.



Typically? To go off topic for a moment - you NEED A NEW BUTCHER.

I've never paid more than $15 for a LB of filet mignon. At your prices it would cost me $160.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 30, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> Typically? To go off topic for a moment - you NEED A NEW BUTCHER.
> 
> I've never paid more than $15 for a LB of filet mignon. At your prices it would cost me $160.



That filet mingon is only half as good as the stuff that costs $10/oz.


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## Chris O (Aug 31, 2012)

I'm a fan of sirloin myself...


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## AxeHappy (Aug 31, 2012)

T-bone or Porterhouse.


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## Korngod (Aug 31, 2012)

This thread has a slight resemblance of the Xbox 360 vs. PlayStation 3 debates all over the internet..


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## Rook (Aug 31, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> I realized that after I made my comment, but didn't care one way or another . I choose to show the more elegant side of gear (like a rig that is the size of my carbon footprint). Axe-Fx is just so cold and all encompassing, where is the love and 80' of patch cable not including what is sticking out of your guitar.



I know what you mean, and I do miss it from time to time, but for what I need/use... 

I think it's a similar reason that that I've resisted going wireless for so long, I love my cables!


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## Larrikin666 (Aug 31, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> Typically? To go off topic for a moment - you NEED A NEW BUTCHER.
> 
> I've never paid more than $15 for a LB of filet mignon. At your prices it would cost me $160.



Oh snap. I forgot the most important word in that analogy. Kobe. Haha.


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## Eric Christian (Aug 31, 2012)

Lern2swim said:


> And I really doubt that you're right.


 
Semantics. So what do you call it when Ibanez and Line 6 give him a free pallet of their gear and tells him to use it and tell everyone else how great it is? Its compensation. 

Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords. I've never heard anything distinctive about his playing or tone, in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.


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## Larrikin666 (Aug 31, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords. I've never heard anything distinctive about his playing or tone, in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.





I gotta disagree with that statement. The intro to this song blew me away when I first heard it.


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## Ben.Last (Aug 31, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Semantics. So what do you call it when Ibanez and Line 6 give him a free pallet of their gear and tells him to use it and tell everyone else how great it is? Its compensation.
> 
> Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords. I've never heard anything distinctive about his playing or tone, in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.



First, my statement was related less to your assertion that he's an endorsee and more to the rest of your post. 

As to your second paragraph... Give me a break. Again, what does it matter that he's fat? Are you goddamn Brad Pitt? Also, the idea that he's not distinctive is utterly preposterous. And, as has been pointed out, what kind of tone would you prefer someone use for FF's music? A fucking nice sparkly blues tone???



People are sad people.


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## Rick (Aug 31, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords.



Because his weight is sooooo vitally important to talent. I guess that makes Johnny Hyland a shitty guitarist too. So if James Hetfield or Jeff Hanneman were fat, that would make them shitty too, right? Because they play "generic high gain palm muted bar chords" as well. 



Eric Christian said:


> I've never heard anything distinctive about his playing or tone, in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.



Congrats. He gets to tour the world with one of the most influential bands of the last 20 years and he plays the style he wants with the tone he wants.


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## GunpointMetal (Aug 31, 2012)

Its awesome how people assume because most of the time a guys is primarily playing rhythms, he's a one-note guitarist...Dino can f'in shred. Check out more Divine Heresy.


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## Korngod (Sep 1, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.




Well thats one, lets hear the other 999,999 artists. And no offense, but I wouldn't be surprised is Dino could rip _YOU_ a new asshole.


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## axxessdenied (Sep 1, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Semantics. So what do you call it when Ibanez and Line 6 give him a free pallet of their gear and tells him to use it and tell everyone else how great it is? Its compensation.
> 
> Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords. I've never heard anything distinctive about his playing or tone, in fact I could name a million other artists including Dweezil who would rip him a new asshole at the high school talent show.



Wow. 

I bet you are one charming fellow in person.


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## sleepy502 (Sep 1, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> Why do people feel the need to comment on the POD HD series based on their experience with an older, discontinued product? Shall I give my opinions on the Chevy Corvette based on my experience with my Aveo?
> 
> Not to pick you out specifically, but comments like yours (I believe) are a big part of why people are so slow to catch on to what a vast difference in technology the HD is compared to anything that came before it. The modeling on the XT, X3, etc... is over 10+ years old.



I don't know. I have a podxt in my room right now and it sounds huge and great. Sounds absolutely amazing. 

If I have something I like now that costs me $200 over $2000, I think I'm happy.


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## Eric Christian (Sep 1, 2012)

Korngod said:


> Well thats one, lets hear the other 999,999 artists. And no offense, but I wouldn't be surprised is Dino could rip _YOU_ a new asshole.


 


Lern2swim said:


> As to your second paragraph... Give me a break. Again, what does it matter that he's fat?


 


Rick said:


> Because his weight is sooooo vitally important to talent. I guess that makes Johnny Hyland a shitty guitarist too. So if James Hetfield or Jeff Hanneman were fat, that would make them shitty too, right? Because they play "generic high gain palm muted bar chords" as well.


 
I simply made an observation. The guy is morbidly obese. Thats a fact. I'd estimate just from watching Fear Factory videos that he's under 6 foot and probably around 400 lbs. 

So yeah, as a musician he kind of set a precedent by going out of his way in an unprovoked manner to debase/disprespect/disparage a small companies product and another musician as well. Thats factual as well. Thats not what metalheads do. He could have just said how great Line 6 products were and left it at that but instead he decided to bring up two completely unrelated things in the interview in order to arouse controversy. Cheap shot paid for my Line 6 in my opinion. 

My point is, I find it really hard to take peoples opinion seriously about anything when they are obvious gluttons and have zero respect for their own temple. I bet every single one of you that got all butthurt about my observation about your precision Dino have at one time or another made fun of fat people. Maybe it was the chubby kid at your high school or that chunky girl at the mall. Don't be such thin skinned hypocrites. The guy is out of line and you guys know it.


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 1, 2012)

Well, Ive been insulted about my weight many a time, so if you want to keep be a dick about it, then ill gladly ignore you.


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## technomancer (Sep 1, 2012)

Rick said:


> I'm 99% sure Line 6 just gives him shit and he isn't a paid endorser.



Sorry "compensated" endorser 

Also enough bickering, the guys that are getting insulting are working on some time off


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## ArrowHead (Sep 1, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> Personally though, when it comes to tone I find it really hard to take seriously the opinion of a morbidly obese guitarist that basically plays generic high gain palm muted bar chords.




While we're being judgmental, shall I list the reasons I don't take your opinions seriously?


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## ArrowHead (Sep 1, 2012)

sleepy502 said:


> I don't know. I have a podxt in my room right now and it sounds huge and great. Sounds absolutely amazing.




I loved mine too. And my Guitarport, toneport, Amp Farm, POD Farm, Bass pod, XT Live, and X3. But they were all variations on the same modeling, which some people genuinely did not like. 

The HD is new, from the ground up. It's not the same at all. Not even similar.


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## ArrowHead (Sep 1, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> going out of his way ... to debase/disprespect/disparage ... another musician . Thats factual. Thats not what metalheads do.



I agree. You're not a real metalhead.


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## Ben.Last (Sep 1, 2012)

BB King... now that guy's a fat fuck that doesn't know anything about tone. I mean... seriously... isn't he diabetic too? He should have just never started playing guitar.


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## Jzbass25 (Sep 1, 2012)

I still dislike the sound of line 6 units but *to each his own*. (Something a lot of people need to learn apparently)


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## getaway_fromme (Sep 1, 2012)

ArrowHead said:


> Why do people feel the need to comment on the POD HD series based on their experience with an older, discontinued product? Shall I give my opinions on the Chevy Corvette based on my experience with my Aveo?



Because some people HAVE tried both the current and discontinued products and don't like the HD series. I have tried the XT, X3, and HD series beans and rackmounts and I'm not a fan of the HD. I was for a bit, but I don't care if the modeling tech is better, I just don't like it. I feel it went a step back in terms of FX abilities and sound. I sold the HDs and stuck with the XT and X3. 

Also, I fully agree that NOW Dino's riffs are very stale. It was great for the first 4 FF albums, but I feel they are just rehashing the same crap. I also REALLY liked COW's tone on Archetype oddly. Now I don't find Dino's tone or playing or appealing. It's just become old to me. 

And all the obese crap going on in here, ya ya ya we can poke fun at fat people but why the FUCK do you feel the urge to post it up online? Because you're a douche. That's why. If you don't have something positive or constructive, then please STFU.


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## Seanthesheep (Sep 1, 2012)

I personally think the difference between a POD HD and an axe fx II is INSANE. In the context of a metal band mix I will argee youre not going to hear the 1400$ difference but as soon as you start doing lower gain stuff, or are playing outside of that mix the difference is there. I will also agree on the road the POD is easier to replace than a fractal but if something is well built and you have a spare, its not THAT big of a deal 

The way he went about his interview is quite unprofessional IMO and just leaves me with the feeling that hes paid to say that. It just doesnt seem genuine. But keep in mind this all coming from someone who is pretty indifferent to the guy and his band and music too


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## Rick (Sep 1, 2012)

Eric Christian said:


> My point is, I find it really hard to take peoples opinion seriously about anything when they are obvious gluttons and have zero respect for their own temple. I bet every single one of you that got all butthurt about my observation about your precision Dino have at one time or another made fun of fat people. Maybe it was the chubby kid at your high school or that chunky girl at the mall. Don't be such thin skinned hypocrites. The guy is out of line and you guys know it.



Actually, I was made fun of plenty as a kid and didn't really appreciate it so I never did it and even now I'm not thrilled with my weight but okay whatever. Nice to see you only take opinions from only skinny, glorious looking people. Okay. 

Back OT, I think the jab at Dweezil was kinda pointless and unnecessary but the fact is he likes the HD Pro and he didn't get along with the Axe FX. Plus, when you're an endorsee of a company, they're probably gonna ask you to talk nicely about that company.


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## USMarine75 (Sep 1, 2012)

^ for some reason they sound exactly the same to me...


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## Rick (Sep 1, 2012)

USMarine75 said:


> ^ for some reason they sound exactly the same to me...




Yeah, I don't have the greatest ear for that stuff either.


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## technomancer (Sep 1, 2012)

If you haven't noticed most of Ola's clips sound like Ola regardless of what he's playing through


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## TomAwesome (Sep 1, 2012)

Weird. Last time I saw that comparison video, I remember liking the POD tone better, but this time, I much prefer the Axe-FX tone.


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## Electric Wizard (Sep 1, 2012)

Seanthesheep said:


> I personally think the difference between a POD HD and an axe fx II is INSANE. In the context of a metal band mix I will argee youre not going to hear the 1400$ difference but as soon as you start doing lower gain stuff, or are playing outside of that mix the difference is there


Hmm, I always felt it was the other way around. The clean and mid gain Pod tones seem like they're where it shines. The high gain stuff, while I like it, needs lots of fiddling with to make it nice.


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## BornToLooze (Sep 2, 2012)

technomancer said:


> If you haven't noticed most of Ola's clips sound like Ola regardless of what he's playing through



Plus he posted a patch for the HD pro, so you know you can get that one to sound good.



axxessdenied said:


> There's guys that go from the AFX2 to the Pod HD Pro and don't look back. There are guys that go from the hd pro to the AFX2 and don't look back. It's all about what you like.




Then there's guys like me that have had a POD HD300 for like 3 days and am still trying to figure out how to turn the wah on.

So for someone like me, the AxeFX would be overkill. I mean hell, I just use a JCM800 and a tube screamer on my POD, and I wouldn't be surprised if you could get that used for around the same price as an AxeFX. So sure the AxeFX sounds great, and has a lot of effects, but for someone who doesn't use a lot of effects, why get one?


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## Shask (Sep 2, 2012)

BornToLooze said:


> So for someone like me, the AxeFX would be overkill. I mean hell, I just use a JCM800 and a tube screamer on my POD, and I wouldn't be surprised if you could get that used for around the same price as an AxeFX. So sure the AxeFX sounds great, and has a lot of effects, but for someone who doesn't use a lot of effects, why get one?


I rarely use any effects, but I got an Axe-FX Standard. For one, the base sound is better. Even if you use no effects, the base tone will be better. The price doesn't matter because the JCM800 cant sound like the Axe-FX on a JCM800 setting, and it is not as convenient at all.

Also, I think you will find a good use for the extra features  I am basically a Tubescreamer->Recto guy, but I have found a lot of use for running 2 Rectos in stereo for extra thickness, or a Recto and a 5150, or ? I bet you could find some good use for the extra features...


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## fps (Sep 2, 2012)

USMarine75 said:


> ^ for some reason they sound exactly the same to me...




Ha, the Axe sounds AMAZING. Wow. In a live context however, short of the highest levels and biggest bands, in a hard rock metal sphere the difference in tones is not going to make the difference between your audience having a great night and not having a great night.


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## Krucifixtion (Sep 2, 2012)

I know the Pod doesn't sound bad in those videos, but if you listen to it long enough the Pod is much more fatiguing on the ears after a while. The Axe is more natural especially at higher volumes.


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## Shask (Sep 2, 2012)

Krucifixtion said:


> I know the Pod doesn't sound bad in those videos, but if you listen to it long enough the Pod is much more fatiguing on the ears after a while. The Axe is more natural especially at higher volumes.


The POD HD has much more "funk" in the mids and upper mids. There is some weird stuff going on there when you listen to them back and forth.


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## axxessdenied (Sep 2, 2012)

Guys... that video is 2 years old... the POD HD has gotten some firmware updates since then


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## Shask (Sep 2, 2012)

axxessdenied said:


> Guys... that video is 2 years old... the POD HD has gotten some firmware updates since then


Yeah, and Ola has other newer comparison vids....

But, I still stand by what I said.  Based on the video, and the fact that I have an Axe-FX and a HD500 sitting on my desk


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## Rick (Sep 3, 2012)

technomancer said:


> If you haven't noticed most of Ola's clips sound like Ola regardless of what he's playing through



Tone's all in the hands, right?


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## McBonez (Sep 3, 2012)

Lotsa butthurt here 

Dino likes the POD better. Big deal.

He comes off as somebody claiming it as fact and not preference, but so what? We see it here all the time!


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## MF_Kitten (Sep 4, 2012)

The thing about Ola's video there is that the cab sounds are completely different, and it's pretty obvious that that's what the biggest difference you're hearing is. If you were to run them through the same impulses, it would probably sound pretty similar in the mix.


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## Rick (Sep 4, 2012)

McBonez said:


> Lotsa butthurt here
> 
> Dino likes the POD better. Big deal.
> 
> He comes off as somebody claiming it as fact and not preference, but so what? We see it here all the time!



Thank you.


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