# Live sound - pod xt pro or H&K vortex?



## halsinden (Oct 30, 2007)

will be embarking on a small string of dates in december as a stand-in guitarist in leech woman.

i have the option of using either my pod xt pro (equipped with all available model packs etc.) and going direct to the desk, or using a rather shitty hughes & kettner vortex stack.

for those not aware, LW tend to be loud as all hell and have notable punk elements to the sound. that said, i do prefer to stick to a metal sound rather than not. the band are tuned to E.

opinions?

H


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## 7 Dying Trees (Oct 30, 2007)

Not the vortex...

Pod-xt straight into the desk, well, you could, but it would kind of negate the leech woman sound really wouldn't it? 

I'd simply find a jcm800 and borrow it, and use that to get some real loud nasty sounds going on.

But if it comes down to the wire, use the pod-xt, and if humanely possible, run it through a valve power amp. I've done gigs like that, and it's been fine


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## Lozek (Oct 30, 2007)

7 Dying Trees said:


> But if it comes down to the wire, use the pod-xt, and if humanely possible, run it through a valve power amp. I've done gigs like that, and it's been fine



And as it happens, have a rather nice valve power-amp for sale. I'll even give you housemates rates, advanceable to December  

Seriously though, can John not snag you something Framus shaped?


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## halsinden (Oct 30, 2007)

Lozek said:


> And as it happens, have a rather nice valve power-amp for sale. I'll even give you housemates rates, advanceable to December
> 
> Seriously though, can John not snag you something Framus shaped?



nah man, chances of me getting something shaped like a framus are extremely minimal, we're still needing to get mart's rig sorted in that respect.

this valve power amp... so is that a rack? sorry, layman here.

H


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## distressed_romeo (Oct 30, 2007)

Welcome to the boards! I caught Interlock in London with To-mera and Linear Sphere a few months ago and was very impressed.

(sorry, back on topic!)


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## Leec (Oct 30, 2007)

I use an XT Pro with a Marshall 8008 power amp when I play live. It's not the best rig in the world, but it's not the worst, either. Plug it into a decent cab and you can get a great sound out of it.


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## TomAwesome (Oct 30, 2007)

I'm going to put another vote in for the POD through a tube (or "valve" if you prefer) power amp. Yeah, they're generally rack mounted. It's like the power section of a tube head, but in rack form without a preamp (the POD would be like your preamp in this case). A tube power amp really makes modeling units sound a lot better. That's the kind of rig I've got set up.


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## Off_The_Heezay (Nov 1, 2007)

i guess you could run the pod in the fx loop of the h&k, so you just use the power amp section of it. dunno if it would sound great, but it saves hasstle if you don't wanna buy a power amp.


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## halsinden (Nov 1, 2007)

TomAwesome said:


> I'm going to put another vote in for the POD through a tube (or "valve" if you prefer) power amp. Yeah, they're generally rack mounted. It's like the power section of a tube head, but in rack form without a preamp (the POD would be like your preamp in this case). A tube power amp really makes modeling units sound a lot better. That's the kind of rig I've got set up.



coooool, so what's good at a budget then?

H


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## TomAwesome (Nov 1, 2007)

What kind of budget are we talking? A used Peavey Classic 50/50 costs about $300-$400 on eBay, but I'm not sure how availability or shipping would affect that where you are. If you're on more of a budget, there are some solid state power amps that aren't half bad. The Rocktron Velocity seems to be a pretty popular power amp in that category. I'm drawing a blank right now, but a lot of people here have these kinds of rigs, and I'm sure some of them can chime in with other options.


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## halsinden (Nov 1, 2007)

TomAwesome said:


> What kind of budget are we talking? A used Peavey Classic 50/50 costs about $300-$400 on eBay, but I'm not sure how availability or shipping would affect that where you are. If you're on more of a budget, there are some solid state power amps that aren't half bad. The Rocktron Velocity seems to be a pretty popular power amp in that category. I'm drawing a blank right now, but a lot of people here have these kinds of rigs, and I'm sure some of them can chime in with other options.



well to be honest it's really no budget at all. i'm moving house in the same month i'm touring so available funds are very low indeed.

H


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## John_Strychnine (Nov 1, 2007)

Run the Pod to the Desk.

Anything will sound better than a fucking H&K Vortex.

and imo, the pod sounds better direct than miced up.


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## TomAwesome (Nov 1, 2007)

Well, since you can run the POD direct, that could be a pretty good option. Probably either that or get a cheap power amp like a Velocity. If you can get a Crate Powerblock, running straight into the power amp of that thing actually sounds pretty good, even if it's just slightly noisy.


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## halsinden (Nov 1, 2007)

TomAwesome said:


> Well, since you can run the POD direct, that could be a pretty good option. Probably either that or get a cheap power amp like a Velocity. If you can get a Crate Powerblock, running straight into the power amp of that thing actually sounds pretty good, even if it's just slightly noisy.



noisy isn't too much of a problem, this being leech woman, but the cost it. i had a look at the rocktron etc and it's still not brilliantly cheap.

ho-hum.

H


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## halsinden (Nov 5, 2007)

this has just pitched up - Find ROCKTRON VELOCITY 100W GUITAR RACK POWER AMP STEREO NEW on eBay within Guitar, Amplifiers, Pro Audio Equipment, Musical Instruments (end time 08-Nov-07 19:32:20 GMT)

good idea?

H



distressed_romeo said:


> Welcome to the boards! I caught Interlock in London with To-mera and Linear Sphere a few months ago and was very impressed.
> 
> (sorry, back on topic!)



cheers dude, by the way. thanks for saying so.

H


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> this has just pitched up - Find ROCKTRON VELOCITY 100W GUITAR RACK POWER AMP STEREO NEW on eBay within Guitar, Amplifiers, Pro Audio Equipment, Musical Instruments (end time 08-Nov-07 19:32:20 GMT)
> 
> good idea?


From what I remember they aren't bad at all. If it goes cheap then I'd just sell that vortex to some mug and use it to fund the power amp.


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## halsinden (Nov 5, 2007)

7 Dying Trees said:


> From what I remember they aren't bad at all. If it goes cheap then I'd just sell that vortex to some mug and use it to fund the power amp.



shit dude, you really hate that vortex, don't you?

H


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> shit dude, you really hate that vortex, don't you?
> 
> H


 Can I burn it?


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## halsinden (Nov 5, 2007)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Can I burn it?



sure thing, just pay me first.

H


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> sure thing, just pay me first.
> 
> H


10 pence? It's a shiny one?


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## halsinden (Nov 5, 2007)

7 Dying Trees said:


> 10 pence? It's a shiny one?



not even a shiny pound.

a nice, dry cheque with no less than 3 figures before the decimal will do.

H


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## Leec (Nov 5, 2007)

Marshall 8008. They're pretty cheap (I got mine off evilBay for about £100) and I think the Pod works really well with it.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

Why don't you see what the xt sounds like running into the FX return of the vortex. It'll get rid of the preamp, plus give you live stage sound AND with the xt pro you'll be able to run to the desk for the front of house sound.

Give it a run to see if it sounds half decent, and try it WITHOUT the cabinet models as if i remember, cab models played back through a cab don't sound great, so if you're mic'ing up the cab, then leave them off (or try both), but ifd you are going to the desk then leave them on.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> not even a shiny pound.
> 
> a nice, dry cheque with no less than 3 figures before the decimal will do.
> 
> H


Zairian francs then?


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## halsinden (Nov 5, 2007)

7 Dying Trees said:


> Why don't you see what the xt sounds like running into the FX return of the vortex. It'll get rid of the preamp, plus give you live stage sound AND with the xt pro you'll be able to run to the desk for the front of house sound.
> 
> Give it a run to see if it sounds half decent, and try it WITHOUT the cabinet models as if i remember, cab models played back through a cab don't sound great, so if you're mic'ing up the cab, then leave them off (or try both), but ifd you are going to the desk then leave them on.



because, as odd as it will sound, i want to make a decision *before* i arrange to have my vortex carted over from kent and thereby lumping me with it permanently where i really dont have room.

H


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## John_Strychnine (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> because, as odd as it will sound, i want to make a decision *before* i arrange to have my vortex carted over from kent and thereby lumping me with it permanently where i really dont have room.
> 
> H



Seriously, just use the pod direct. 
We've done it a few times before, it sounds pretty good especially cleans.


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## 7 Dying Trees (Nov 5, 2007)

halsinden said:


> because, as odd as it will sound, i want to make a decision *before* i arrange to have my vortex carted over from kent and thereby lumping me with it permanently where i really dont have room.
> 
> H


Ah I see... Run the pod through the PA then, unless you can score that rocktron. I think i plugged my triaxis through one once and it did sound good.


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## TomAwesome (Nov 5, 2007)

The Velocity isn't half bad, and I've heard some PODs sound good through them before. That and going straight to the board are both perfectly viable options as long as you'd have monitors at the shows.


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