Line 6 POD

Price Paid: £199 (Pounds Sterling)

Features: 8
A selction of modeled amps and effects, read other posts for full list - you must know what a Pod does by now people..

Sound Quality: 8
I am reviewing this product for what I use it for, which is a teaching aid. I haven't got the space, or half a mile until the next house to have my tube amps running at home for lessons!
The Pod has an excellent range of sounds that get pretty close to tube feel (through a Mackie mixer and a pair of Mackie studio monitors) at very low volumes. The effects are useable and this unit makes it very easy for me to dial in a close call to just about any sound my students want to imitate.
My only gripe is that I wish you could choose which reverb you want, rather than it being pre-determined by the amp model you select.

For what it's worth, here's where I stand on the whole tube vs modelling debate that seems to go on forever below:

FOR HOME PRACTICE, teaching, quickly dialling in a range of useable sounds - this is great.

FOR RECORDING it sounds pretty damn good, if you know how to mix properly and haven't got access to anywhere that you can record at high volumes.

FOR GIGGING - I would not suggest going down the Pod OR modelling route. Sounds that you spend hours tweaking at home tend to sound absolutely rubbish when you start to run them at higher volumes due to cirtain (especially higher) frequencies not being audible at low volumes. You will be forever tweaking my friends! You'll end up with 50% of your patches having to be for home use and 50% for live. This is fine if you have access to somewhere that you can practice on your own, at gig volume for hours on end, but most of us don't.

Reliability: 9
I have never had a problem with this unit, and have used it pretty much every day for the last 3 years.

Customer Support: N/A
I have never had to deal with Line 6.

Overall Rating: 8
I have been playing for about 14 years now and have used many different effects units, amps guitars etc. I love the fact that this is such a good sounding device that can sit on my desktop and produce useable practice sounds.
As I said above, I would not recommend this unit for gigging but if you need a versitile home practice set up, I would suggest running one of these through some average studio monitors, rather than going down the combo route. Unless you also want to use the combo to gig with of course..

This has been a very useful product for me as a teacher.

Submitted by Dave Bone at 06/23/2006 04:00

Price Paid: US $150.00 used

Ease of Use: 10
I find it easy to use, although don't mess with editing patches. My approach is to use it manually, set it to the amp I want to model, tweak it and play. I use it live in club and bar gigs in between my guitar and a Fender Bassman 60 amp. It is easy to go from one amp to another between songs .

Sound Quality: 10
I have several quality Humbucker guitars plugged into the pod, which goes into the input of the Fender Bassman 60 amp(not the new one but the old one from the early 90's). Noise filter removes the unwanted noise. Effects are used sparingly, and work well when needed. I regularly use distortion, tremelo, delay, compression. At one time only tube amps were available. Every player knows they are best but require maintenance. They also can have a problem during a performance, which has happened to me several times. Because of this, I favor solid state amps and the Pod. I know it does not sound as good as a good old tube amp, but for gigging dependability and a sound that is almost as good this works for me. No one has said anything bad about the sound and tone the rig made, guitar afficionandos included. The pod amps I use are the Fender Bassman(blues and classic rock), Fender Twin(blues, classic rock and surf music), Marshall JCM800(Classic rock) and the Vox AC30(Beatles).

Reliability: 10
It is very reliable as long as it is not abused.

Customer Support: N/A
No need to contact them. Manual is easy to understand. Plenty of on line help also.

Overall Rating: 10
The 14 year existance band plays the blues and classic rock. The pod covers it well. I have been playing since the mid 1960's and cut my teeth on the Stones and Beatles. I have gone through a lot of gear over the years, but gradually realized tube amps, while the best tone, are maintenance prone, expensive to fix and can/do breakdown at the worst times. Not being rich and without a lot of storage space, the pod houses a lot of tone, settings, amps and at a low cost. I would buy it again as it is very versatile, including a headphone jack and tuner! Good lighting in the dark. Easy to use under pressure. My favorite setting is the Fender Bassman model going into my Fender Bassman 60 amp playing my Fender Telecaster! No other product comparisons were done. I did my research on harmony-central and then found a used one in a pawn shop. It makes me rise to a higher level because I can play different tones and amps with some simple tweaking. I could not afford nor store all the amps the Pod has at your fingertips.

Submitted by timewarpbandman at 06/06/2006 17:55

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
9 If you use the Deep Edit Program. 4 if you tweak it from the front panel. By all means, to get what you're after you have to go deep.

Sound Quality: 9
I have probably put over 20-30 different guitars throught this unit.
(no kiding , I have a huge collection) Each has it's own sound. I don't mind the effects too much cause IMHO less is more. They do the job for me. I would have a short wish list regardig effects, but it's ok as it is. I use it Live and Studio(dry). Into a Bose PAS, as a front end of Tube and Solid State amps. It's a different sound in each setup. Like the other reviewer said you gotta know how to use all the variables. I've A/B'd this against my Matchless Chieftain and it's awful hard to tell. Same for a Twin Rev. Reissue. This unit is probably on more recordings(pro and amatuer) than most people realize.

Reliability: 5
Had one or two go bad, bought replacements. Right away. I rely on this
unit and keep a backup close by.
It get's used a lot, and if you use it enough, eventually it'll break.
In a strictly studio environment, it'd probably last a long time.

Customer Support: 7
I've gotten into it pretty good with the Line 6 folks for a bunch of other issues but never about the POD 2.0
They suck on some of the newer gear, but not on the 2.0 I've upgraded from the original Ver 1. Repair? Why? These are a bargain nowadays. If it breaks , Launch it.
too exensive to repair once it's out of warranty.

Overall Rating: 10
I play to almost every type of crowd. I get asked to do a wide variety of music, I have a handful of presets that stand up to just about any challenge. I've been playing 40 + years, I'm a gear junkie I own well, you name it,(gear Junkie) I probably have one. I've compared it to the J station and the Behringer and this seems to have the edge although I thought there were some nice features on the others as well, especially if you shred. I wish it had Auto Wah and a better sounding Leslie. I play as a single mostly, but I'll use a tube amp OR the Pod as a front end to a Tube amp(into the effect return) when I work in a band cause I need more stage volume. This thing usually does the trick though. I love a good tube amp. I own some really really cool ones.
But I think the pod gets its points from being so multi dimensional.
I mean, who brings 32 amps to a gig?

Submitted by Sid at 03/15/2006 12:07

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8
Pretty good amount of features.

Sound Quality: 4
Bottom line, technology has not evolved to the state that it can recreate the sound of tubes and especially the sound of air from a speaker hitting a mic.

People that rate this unit high fall into 4 categories;

1. They do not know how to record an amp properly.

2. Their ears have not matured enough to distinguish the difference between the real deal and a simulation.

3. They need to record in a quiet area.

4. They actually like the sound of digital products.

I fit into them a few years back, but with continuous ear training I am now onto bigger and better tones.

Reliability: 10
Never had any problems.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to use it.

Overall Rating: 4
I would not even use this unit for practice because why practice with something you are not going to record with. Your best bet on achieving a decent sound is to use this as your preamp and use a power amp and a cabinet of your choice. Direct does not give you a full sound. And I am not just talking about this unit. I mean anything direct.

Don't buy into Line 6 hype. They spend more on advertisements then Lars Ulrich spends on lawyers.

Tubes Or Bust.

Submitted by Rick at 03/14/2006 06:27

Price Paid: US $249.00

Features: 8
If this were 2001, I would give it a 10. But there is an upgraded model, the PODxt. That being said, I'm still exploring the unit's possibilities.

Sound Quality: 8
I run my Old Baby 1979 The SG , a Squire Fat Strat, as well as my Ibanez Electric/Acoustic and various bass guitars thru it. I either plug direct into my Behringer mixer at home for recording, my Kustom practice amp, or my old Peavey Renown with 2x12 cab for gigs.
My Sound kicks ass!!!

Reliability: 8
I use this with the 4 button Line 6 footswitch. It's 3 years old and no problems at all. Solid construction. If/When I upgrade, this unit will become my backup.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A no problems, info is readily available online, read the F%$#@!ING manual and you will have a much clearer understanding.

Overall Rating: 8
I'm not some dumbass kid playing dropped C death metal riffs. I'm a 40 year old dad with 25 years of playing behind me...and I play louder and meaner than most of these 20 year old suburban pussies who pretend to be rockers. My musician friends often consult me about good guitar tone.
The POD is a Godsend. While I love Old School tube amps, I really like and support Line 6's approach....I mean, cmon, I've got 3 Marshalls and 4 Boogies on tap here!
It will probably take one generation, but mark my words...In 2025, NO ONE is gonna give a damn if your guitar tone came from tubes or not.
Get a POD , Now!!!!

Submitted by JohnE at 11/05/2005 23:29

Price Paid: 630.000 (Lire Italiane)

Features: 10
Mine is 1.0, bought in March,2000.
It is almost all I need for practicing in my apartment.
Plenty of features, blah blah.
Obviously it comes with a handy headphones input.
It is also in my backup rig for gigs.

Sound Quality: 6
Jackson Soloist (japan made, custom), with HSS, Duncan SH-8 Invader bridge, 2 custom strat vintage single coils on center and neck positions; Epiphone Slash Signature, with Duncan Jeff Beck in bridge position.
I mostly play blues-rock-hard rock; POD suits those styles very well for home-practicing; i'm not a metalhead, but I guess it's ok for that also.
Great variety of sounds, most of them usable, 36 storing locations, blah blah.
Clean sounds are ok, distorted are also ok.
The weak point is obviously the lack of breakup from clean to overdrive to dist. But if u want the sound of power tubes breakup, then buy a tube amp.
I've certainly heard better sounds, but also heard so much crap sounding equipment.

Reliability: 10
ROCK SOLID.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with 'em, and I suppose I never will have to.
Anyway they seem ok.

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing for 10 years, and my main amp rig is a Laney VH100R head, stacked on a Marshall Lead 1960 4x12 w/Celestions GT12T-75.
Blah Blah some fx, eq, wah, same as many players here.
No BBE maximizers or crap, just pure tube sound.
Anyway POD is always at my gigs as a backup; you never know when a power tube is gonna quit working.
Coupled with a midi controller and the same fx/eq chain of the main rig, it is the ideal backup and my best mate for jamming with friends, no big deal!
I've also owned in the past a Line6 POD Pro rackmounted with a Mesa 20/20 EL-84 poweramp, and b4 that even a Rocktron Velocity 120 (UGH!).
If my POD was lost or stolen, i'd buy another in a sec.

Conclusion: it will never sound like a tube amp, but it comes close enough to give good but somewhat "static" sounds.
If you buy it for what it is, it is a good piece of equipment!
Good work, Line6!

Submitted by AL at 09/19/2005 09:45

Price Paid: 280 (CDN)

Features: 9
I have a POD 2.0 that I bought in 03. It's pack full of features. So much, that you can get lost in them. I originally bought it to play with headphones in my appartement, but now that I can make as much noise as I want, I use it as a front end to a cheapo Dean Markeley SS amp set to neutral. I've also played with for recording thru my PC. You could say that this is my main amp.

I won't name all the features, too many of them. Since I do not have the pedal board or the switch, I think it would be nice to be able to get some sort of auto-wah out of it. As it is, the wah is simply not available. Other then that, hard to complain. I takes some time to get comfortable with the controls.

Sound Quality: 10
I did not buy this to reproduce any vintage amp. I wanted tone control in a appartement environement. I got it and much more. If you want a Plexi, you'll have to find a real one. If you want a sound shapping device, this is it. Thank God you can save your settings, because there's just to much variable to play with! I've setted up so that I can dial basic setups and just have to tweak effects, EQ and volume. Fantastic. It took some time to find my sounds but it was well worth it. You must use your PC to access some of the features.

I play mostly blues and classic rock on an epi LP and a cheap fat strat clone. As an front end for an amp, the POD reacts well (at least on my amp) but the extremes tends to sound unrealistic. Too much distortion often gives weird results. Very clean tones are also somewhat poor. The effects are mostly just passable save for the 1st chorus and the delay that are great. The reverb is nice at low settings. I'm sure that for any of my 11 basic setups that I've made, I could find an amp that could sound better. But I'm pretty sure that I couldn't find one that could reproduce all of them.

For silent practice use, it beats anything that I've ever played. You can play not too loud and still get great tone.

For recording, well, I guess it was built with that in mind. I'll leave the final verdict to more seasoned technicians, but for home use on a PC, it's very fun and versatile.

Reliability: 10
In over 2 years, it never failled. It's build tough and the control knobs are also tough. Only thing I could see failling on this are the push buttons, but they have yet to show any signs of wear. Yeah, I would gig with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know and I don't want to know.

Overall Rating: 9
I originally bougth this because I wanted something to play without getting trown out of my appartement. Now, I can pretty much play my self to deafness if I please, but I still use it as my main tone tool. I've had it for over 2 years, I'm still getting some suprises out of it. It takes some getting use to, but it's well worth the effort.

The pedal board would be nice I guess. I've collected quite a number of gadgets over time and I keep coming back to basic setups. Still, an auto-wah probably would have been easy to implement... Foot swtich should be standart. I don't have it, but I would use it if I had it.

If it was stolen? I'd go out an buy an all tube amp, crank it up and make the house crumble. Then, I'd miss my POD.

Submitted by S.M. at 07/26/2005 08:29

Price Paid: Trade

Ease of Use: 7

you do have to do some tweaking to match your settings with your gear, and sometimes you have to dig pretty deep with certain amp models - but IMO it is well worth it.

once in the ballpark with the internal tweaking its no problem to twist the knobs to fine tune things when changing guitars or locations you are playing/jamming.

Sound Quality: 9

I am taking this unit for what it is, an amp modellor. If soemone is trying to compare each model to the real thing they are missing the point. Also - add in the fact that you dont have to worry about micing and soundbleeding and all the other hassles with recording, and the quality of the results this is a very handy companion. I have listened to clips on HC of people recording thier Marshall track onto a song/clip, and also a clip using the Pod - and you know what? There have been many times it is hard to tell the difference.

And if you cannot crank up that fender bassman or twin and use quality mics/recorders then I think you will end up with better recorded tones using the Pod anyway, again its a handy companion for computer recording whether you are just laying down some grooves or trying to capture kickass tones for your songs. So in alot of instances I think the Pod could come in more handy than your 2-3 tube amps - if you own all the tube amp models here and quality mics then what do you want the Pod for?

So, if you need alot of good sounds that are different, and you take the time to tweak your own patch settings I dont see how you could go wrong or be dissapointed with the Pod

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I am giving it a high score because after taking the time to find your settings you will have some very good tones to work with, and recording direct with these Pods is so useful - like I mentioned Ive heard clips comparing the Pod/amp model against a certain amp and often times it is difficult to distinguish the playback.

Since you can get that close and do not have to worry about mics, replacing tubes, or particular micing techniques/soundproofine, etc., Then I think it deserves a high score.

I have had the 2.0 (with 2.3 firmware?) a little over 2 weeks - I wanted to mention that but Ive been playing tube amps for about 17 years. Again I am not comparing any of the models to the real deal in a live settings because when playing live in a band setting I do feel the response of the tube amps being modelled is missing - But I am comparing it using the recorded tones as a guide compared to the real thing, also including the "no'hassle" factor. - for that I give it a solid 8.

I have set 1/2 of the patches for my strat and the other 1/2 for my SG/humbucker guitars and it is handy having all of those presets to save your settings, I dont have to tweak the knobs when I switch guitars I just use the long-floorboard controller to select the patches that I made for each guitar

Submitted by bentwookies at 07/21/2005 14:36

Price Paid: 275 (€)

Features: 10
There is so many stuff, that the best thing you can do is to check out Line 6's Website. I own the Line 6 POD 2.0.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a B.C. Rich Warlock NJ Series (2001) as my main guitar, and a Ibanez RG 570 (1993) as my secondary guitar. Although I play Folk/Goth Metal, the type of sound that I like and use is basicly a complete insane brutal high gain, very saturated with huge low end, but always without loosing thickness. If you ask, is the POD 2.0 capable of doing it? The answer is yes.

The POD doesn't achieve the kind of thickness (bit fuzzy in some cases) that I can get with my Boss MT-2 (Metal Zone), but still is pretty good and powerfull. The type of distortions that I prefer on the POD is "Modern High Gain" and "Line 6 Insane", and especially the last one has lots of agression and attack... perfect for any extreme metal style. "Modern High Gain" is a little bit more soft, and I use mainly for rehearse at home.

For the recording of my band's Demo CD "Revidere Ad Vitam", I used the Boss MT-2 running through the POD, wich was set in "Jazz Clean" in a "2X12 Line 6" cabinet... the result was very pleseant. If you want to hear it, go to www.monslunae.com and then to the Discography section.

YOU MUST CONNECT THE POD TO THE COMPUTER via MIDI IN/OUT in order to access some of the the controls of the POD. I specially refer to the "Cabinets" item... "Cabinets" is one of the most, if not the most important item on the POD, by "Cabinets" you can change drastically the hole sound on of an amp, and turn it from fuzz to brutal death metal... always keep this in mind.

The only thing I really don't like that much on the POD, are the clean sounds, but since I don't use them, they suit fine...

Reliability: 10
In almost two years, it never let me down... extremly reliable.

Customer Support: 6
When I first tried to register the POD at Line 6's Website, the Website gave me an error... I then tried to contact the webmaster, but I was never given an answer. I really didn't like that fact.

Beside of that, fortunatly I never had to deal with them.

Overall Rating: 10
The POD is no dought a very useful and versatile tool... To be honest, I really don't like digital amps or preamps (I hardly would buy something like Vetta II or ZenTera... Triple Rectifier, Warp-T/X, Framus Cobra, Marshall Mode Four, just to name a few, are much more of my team), but I have to admit that the POD is much better than I ever expected... I surrendered myself to this little red box, it has served me very good.

Submitted by Hugo Gomes at 03/18/2005 20:59

Price Paid: US $180 used

Features: 9
This is the POD 2.0 with the 32 amp models, effects, and all the digital nonesense. Memory storage for your settings, blah blah blah. Too much to go into here.

Sound Quality: 6
First of all, this isn't my unit. I'm test driving it for a friend of mine who is visually impared. Ok, blind. I know what he looks for in a sound, and design it for him. Personally, I don't care for the unit, but I'm trying to be objective about it.

It's hard to get a really good clean sound out of it. Distortions, overdrive, no problem. But that "ultra clean" tone similar to that of the Police, or jazz, not so well. The effects, without the software, are lame at best. It only allows 2 effects at one time, and you have no choice in the matter. I WOULD NOT recommend this as an effects pedal/unit. With the software, well, it's better. (Still not as good as my trusty Digitech RP-3 that I've had since the day it came out.) NOTE: THE SOFTWARE OUT OF THE BOX HATES WINDOWS XP!! Download the latest verion, and you're cool.

Things that SHOULD be available on board the unit can only be accessed via the software, and that's somewhat limiting. Especially in a live setting where the size of the room can really affect the sound. (What sounds perfect through the 10 watt practice amp in your room, may not work through the 100 watt live rig.)

Recording is where this thing is supposed to shine, and in a way, I guess it does. The different distortions, and overdriven amps, (Of which there are far too many examples of.) sound realistic, though I think that the reverbs suck. The cabinet models sound good, but there is something lacking to my ear. Some sound great, while others you just shake your head and wonder "What kind of crappy 4x12 cabinet is THAT supposed to be?" My Ibanez and Aria like the cleaner amps, while the Electra and the Penco go for the dirt. (Although, after much tweaking, I was able to get a good jazz tone that everything liked.)

In it's defence, I have to admit that it's the first thing that has ever been able to allow me to record my bass, a '80 Kramer DMZ6000B, without any problem what-so-ever. It recorded chrystal clean!

I've been using it with a '93 Ibanez EX1500 (2 Ibanez powersound humbuckers and a single coil), '78 Electra X350 ( DiMarzio PAF's humbuckers coil tapped), '72 Penco Paul (Stock humbuckers), '87 Aria Pro(EMG Singles and a humbuckers), and the afforementioned Kramer (Dimarzio specially designed bass humbuckers).

Reliability: 10
It's digital, so the only thing that would hurt it, would be overheating during a daytime gig in the bright sunshine in August. Personally, I wouldn't use it in a gigging situation. It's not meant for that.

Customer Support: 10
Very helpfull! Downloads, user presets, online help, all done easily and quickly.

Overall Rating: 7
I've been playing over twenty four or five years now. Other than the guitars listed above, I also play a Roland G707 Guitar synth through a Roland CM64 and D-110 sound modules, and a 62 Dan Electro longhorn bass. Again, I really don't care about it. If it were mine, and it was stolen, I'd be pissed about losing the money spent on it, but not about the unit itself.

In general, the effects on this thing are about the lamest I've ever heard. Clean sounds are hard to develope, and that you can only access some of the features onboard is a major drawback.

Distortions are fine, and recording is it's purpose in life. It really is quite good at that, but I still prefer my Digitech.

Submitted by Michael Rodgers at 02/28/2005 22:22

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 8
The first thing I want to say is that anyone who is saying that it is impossible to get a good sound is simply a freaking idiot. It is hard to get started on; i.e. learning all the details of it. But once you get going on it, it's a breeze. I never liked it through an amp until I REALLY spent some time working with it. The trick for me is running it through a 450watt Fender Ultra Chorus. I use a Shure UT-14 Wireless system into the POD and out into the return of the mono effects channel. I don't use the input of the amp at all. I turn the amp modulation off as well. This way I am modeling the POD instead of use it as an amp modeler AND the amp I am using. I am using the POD as the pre-amp and using my speakers directly. It makes a lot more sense. So anyone who says you can't get a good sound is straight up retarded.

Sound Quality: 9
i am using 2 les pauls with detailed customizing. 1 handmade custom guitar built from an expert in Austin, Texas. 1 Fender American Fat Strat. 1 B.C Rich Warlock. 1 Ibanez AX-120 and a slew of others but those mainly. It defiently needs a seperate noise gate. I use it running directly into a P.A. usually and if I use amps it's either a crate, peavy, fender, or marshall. The downside of this is that there is not a good tremelo nor a phaser. The delay is good as well as the reverb. It has a lot of good qualities but it also sucks with SOME sounds.

Reliability: 10
This thing is built better than a tank. you can play Baseball with this thing and take it to a gig the next day. I never use a backup. The only backup I ever use is a gain channel on an amp in case my ADD catches up with me and I forget to bring it to a show.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to work with them. They might be jerks for all I know.

Overall Rating: 9
I play with lots of people and bands. I have played with Slash from GnR in Vegas as well as Jack Black here in Austin...at NerdStock :-) I also am the lead gunner is Signs of Immanuel (rated the 2nd best Youth Band in America) (I'm 17 btw) I alsp play in CrossFish, Test of Silence, and several others. I would buy it again if it got stolen. Again I really wish it had a phaser and a good tremelo. Also a noise gate.

Submitted by Brandon Mergard at 02/05/2005 13:56

Price Paid: US $249.00

Features: 10
POD 2.3, bought in December 2003 for $249.00 at Guitar Center. 32 amp models, 16 effect settings, headphone jack, stereo outs, A.I.R switch, several others I can't think of at the moment.

Sound Quality: 10
I play mostly neoclassical metal and classic rock. I mainly bought the POD for one thing: the Modern HiGain setting. To me, this is the "shining star" feature; very heavy distortion, but DEFINED as opposed to being muddy sounding. It's modelled after a Soldano SLO 100. I have two Jacksons, a Charvel, and an 80's Kramer. The POD sounds excellent with all of them.

DO NOT listen to the people who say that the POD "sucks through an amp." They haven't tweaked it enough. I have a Marshall JCM 800 2210 twin-channel half stack. I spent an hour pulling my hair out one night trying to get the POD to sound decent across the Marshall, i.e. like it sounded through the headphones. Believe it or not, the magic tweak was to set it on "Direct" (as opposed to "Amp") and set the cab emulation for 1x8. No, that's not a typo. 1x8 was the best sounding speaker emulation to me.

I recently discovered THE clean sound, as well. Like a moron, I forgot what amp setting it was, but I had the presence of mind to save the setting as a preset. I'm talking about a Fender-like, sparkling clean and that's on a Jackson with EMG pickups! All I remember is that it's at about 8-9 o'clock on the "alternate" amp models (the ones you access by holding the Tap switch while turning the amp model switch). I wish I could remember it exactly, so sorry....

Don't get me wrong, I think that the POD most definitely has some sucky, unusable sounds (like Tube Preamp, for example), but the GREAT sounds available more than make up for it.

Reliability: N/A
I've heard some weak things about Line 6 gear, not only in their reliability, but in poor customer service, as well. In fact, TWO of my local music stores recently stopped carrying Line 6 products for this reason. In all fairness, though, since I haven't yet had a problem I'll refrain from rating in this category.

Customer Support: N/A
See above.

Overall Rating: 10
I've played off and on for 20+ years. I've owned several amps at different times; a Carvin X100B head, a Crate G1500 head, a Dean Markley combo, my current Marshall, not to mention trying probably over a hundred amps in stores over the years. I honestly believe that the POD holds its own against anything I've ever played on. Or at least at "living room" volume levels.

See my guitar inventory above.

If it were lost or stolen, I would DEFINITELY have to get another one. I also did some (computer) recording with it recently and was impressed with the way the recorded sound came out exactly like what came across the speakers (I use a CD jam box as my PC speakers).

As for comparisons, yes, I played it back to back against the Behringer V-Amp. Believe me, I WANTED to like the V-Amp more because it retailed for only $139.00 including the footswitch and carrying bag which both cost extra on the POD. Unfortunately..... the V-Amp wasn't even in the ballpark to me. Not knocking the V-Amp here. It sounded okay, but it just didn't have THE sound I was looking for. Plus, the V-Amp has a plastic cover as opposed to the metal cover on the POD.

Epilogue.... I don't give out "10" ratings easily. I honestly believe that the POD deserves it, though. I've also tried the PODxt and didn't like the overdriven sounds or the usability nearly as much. I think the POD 2.0 (2.3 currently) is a much better sounding amp than the xt.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/12/2005 09:50

Price Paid: US $199

Ease of Use: 8
I am constantly finding new and useful sounds by tweaking this thing. You must read the book to be able to access all of the features. I use the manual setting to produce some tones that would otherwise caost me hundreds and hundreds of dollars to reproduce.

Sound Quality: 8
I found that it is best to use this unit through an amplifier that has no personality. I use a peavey bandit that does not color the pod tone. The effects are ok, especially if you are using them for subtle coloring. I use this with a mosrite combo, and i can get a nice rockabilly twang with it. with a les paul, emg pickups, nice metal crunch. The cab simulations sound great. If you are looking for exact duplication you will not find it here , but you can dial in a lot of really great sounds. just tweak the thing.

Reliability: 9
this is a tank. If you treat it reasonably it going to be fine. Mines been dropped, no damage.

Customer Support: N/A
never had to deal with the company

Overall Rating: 10
I play a wide variety of music. I do not have a whole lot of money to put into gear. I would love to have a couple dozen vintage tube amps but for 200 hundred dollars you cant beat the vesatility of the pod. I have not gigged with this but it seems like if you get the right tweaks and setup you could definatley get useful live sounds from this. If you plug in, turn it to your favorite amp model, and expect perfection you will be dissapointed. Play around, learn how to use it, make it work for you. Once you find a few quality sounds, set them as presets. This has improved my playing because I have been so frustrated with my sound in the past.I use this through the effects loop of my amp, or through headphones. It is very satisfying to have this many sounds available.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/04/2004 15:40

Price Paid: 300 (cdn)

Features: 4
Tons of stuff.....

Sound Quality: N/A
I bought this based on its reputation and the guy on the Mike Bullard show was rockin' with his.
I disliked it from the get-go,and tried to get with it,but I liked the blackface model and one of the Marshall settings,but not enough to keep it.I traded it back to the store for a microphone.Everything else left me wanting...big disappointment !!

Reliability: N/A
N/a

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 2
I wanted to like it,but it was a big drag.I am not a vintage snob,and love convenience,but the sounds were synthetic to a fault.
At the risk of hypocrisy,I love the Guitar Port !! An awesome toy,and learning tool,even for a guy with tons of experience.Maybe I'm spoiled as I use a Badcat combo live,but I consider myself to have good ears,and the Pod sucked the joint out...perhaps the recording application is where it shines,but as far as judging the sounds on their own merit,I have yet to get excited over this thing.Same with the digital amps(Vox inluded).It's more of how it feels than how it sounds...and it feels brittle and spikey.
Food analogy:fresh tuna is great...canned tuna is convenient.Class A is great....Line 6 is canned tuna.

Submitted by Tunahead at 11/12/2004 07:19

Price Paid: 300 (£uk)

Ease of Use: 9
Enough already!
Maybe it doesn't sound as good as the real things, I don't know, the only decent amps I've ever played through were a gorgeous vintage fender Twin and a Marshall something or other. I will never own a Soldano or a Marshall stack unless I win the lottery.
Using a Pod 1.0 and after five years of fiddling, I can still find new and inspiring tones.
Very easy to use, software is great and you could tweak all day.

Sound Quality: 9
Use it direct to my pc, or occasionally through my Fender Princeton Chorus, always sounds great. Fender Strats and Gibson ES335 copy along with a Les Paul Junior type of guitar I built myselfare my usual guitars. Also use separate Wah pedal, Boss EQ pedal and a Zoom 9002 for basic EQ, compression,etc. just to get a slightly wider sound than Pod alone.

Reliability: 10
Never let me down.

Customer Support: N/A
never had reason to try them.

Overall Rating: 10
I love this unit, beginning to think about moving to an XT, only because the Pod 1 is no longer supported for tones on the net, and my muti-effects unit is dying, the on-board effects are a little limited.
OK, maybe it doesn't sound EXACTLY like the amps its modelling, but I can get all the sounds I want out of it (usually lower gain stuff like Clapton, Pink Floyd, Blues, Knopfler, etc.)
32 amps for £300, if that isnt value for money, I dont know what is!
Up against my mates Boogie, I cant tell the difference and as I said, I'll never afford all the amps modelled here, or have room for them in my home studio, even if I did, would I want to keep getting up. going over and re-plugging in all my FX's and guitars every time inspiration led me in a different direction?
No, probably not.
Todays rant has been brought to you by the word, COMPROMISE, learn it its a good one!
And if you like one or two sounds, go and buy the real thing, but otherwise I'll meet you on the crossroads with 32 amps in my gig-bag!

Submitted by Simon at 10/18/2004 08:02

Price Paid: US $200

Features: 9
NOTE: I DON'T easily give high ratings. 5 is average to me (but you want a good amp, not an average one). I am rating the amp based only on my personal experience.

I prefer an amp that has enough features to produce the sounds I like. I'm not much into copying other people's tones (even though I have tried with some success).

And now about the POD 2.0...
General Notes:
I don't know when it was made or where it comes from. But I got it from the Guitar Center as a factory-refurbished model for $200. Mono input, stereo output for direct recording (with microphone and recording space simulation) or feeding the signal into an amp. Stereo headphone jack (note: you cannot use the headphone jack without turning on the microphone and recording space simulation--which means if you are gonna use the heaphone jack, it's probably gonna sound bad through an amp). There are 9 banks, each of which has an A, B, C and D channel (So 36 total channels. I only use a 6 or 7). I use the pod for direct recording, playing through my brother's solid state practice bass amp, and using with headphones. I'd say it sounds best through an amp.

The Bad:
Brief pause between channel switches that forget the delay you've been using. In other words: NO DELAY SPILLOVER. It's hard to tell exactly what the settings are on a preset that you've stored (even though it is possible).
The effects are OK, and the distortion is mediocre.
The POD needs some better distortion (but note: it's gonna sound bad anyway if you use too much. They give you room to add too much gain).
The POD's design isn't especially aesthetically appealing to me (but if you're into kidney-bean shaped amps...).
I would like more of an EQ, but 3 bands is probably enough for most people. They offer an on/off presence toggle, but it

doesn't do much.
The POD is a lot trickier to record than Line 6 might claim. But it's still essentially the easiest thing you'll find.
They screw you over with an expensive floorboard to get access to certain features which only the floorboard (or separate MIDI controllers) can access.

The Good:
Very intuitive design. Easy to learn and use.
More patches than you'll ever need.
Inexpensive.
Many effects to choose from (the delay is good).
You already have an idea of what tone you like. You just have to find it, and this box will not let you find it (if you like a lot of distortion), but it WILL let you approximate it.
No tubes to replace or maintain.
Light.
Full MIDI support.
Durable.
Small.
Excellent manual.
Great for practicing at home with heaphones (But be careful of using too much compression, in can disguise your mistakes).

Sound Quality: 7
General Notes:
I play heavy metal (Along the lines of Metallica <sg>, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Megadeth, Slayer).

I like JP's tone on Awake and ACOS, but not on his other albums (especially Train Of Thought). I like MJR's tone. I don't like Slayer's tone much, and I love Metallica's tone on Ride The Lightning and Master of Puppets (but not on Kill Em' All or ...And Justice For All). I hate Dave Mustaine's tone on RIP. So keep in mind I will be judging the POD against the tones I like. I don't consider myself a tube snob.

You can get good tones out of this box, but it will take A LOT of tweaking. I mean this to contrast with crappy practice amps which take very little tweaking to get their best tone, which still sucks.

The Bad:
The POD sounds a little fake or solid state even at its very best tweaking. I'd say they are about 90-95% there in emulating a tube sound.

The factory presets SUCK. They are simply awful. Do not judge the POD by it's awful factory presets. You need to spend half an hour figuring out how it works in general, find an amp model and spend 45 minutes or an hour trying to dial in a tone you like).

The POD doesn't automatically sit well in the mix. It is difficult as well to find the proper reverb for your recording, so I'd recommend adding the reverb after recording the dry track.

I'd like more amp models. They only model two Mesas, one model very similar but slightly worse than the other.

Too noisy to gig with without a separate noise gate. (You won't notice the noise unless you are amplifying the whole signal a lot, or you've turned up the POD the whole way with a very high gain channel.)

The Good:
The POD sounds better than the V-Amp, but not as good as the Triaxis (or the more advanced Line 6 stuff).

The clean sounds are easier to dial in and sound better than the dirty sounds, and are clean even when cranked all the way.
You can make most of the sounds you want for metal (or at least I could). There's no auto-wah, and the chorus sucks, but you can get a decent rhythm tone and decent lead, clean or dirty, with or without delay (reverb, &c).

Reliability: 10
The POD has treated me well so far. I have had no problems with it.

I would not go on a gig with this without a backup. In fact, I wouldn't gig with this as a primary amp. Maybe this would be my backup. There is no FX loop, but it is not especially necessary.

IF I were to gig with this, say with a noise gate, OF COURSE I'd use a backup. I wouldn't take any reviews seriously that advocate the use of an amp--especially a modeler or tube amp--without a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
The warranty is somewhere between 1 and 3 years, I believe, but I'm not sure.

Overall Rating: 8
NOTE: I DON'T easily give high ratings. 5 is average to me (but you want a good amp, not an average one). I am rating the amp based only on my personal experience. (I think I gave the POD a good rating.)

I play heavy metal (Along the lines of Metallica <sg>, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Megadeth, Slayer).

I like JP's tone on Awake and ACOS, but not on his other albums (especially Train Of Thought). I like MJR's tone. I don't like Slayer's tone much, and I love Metallica's tone on Ride The Lightning and Master of Puppets (but not on Kill Em' All or ...And Justice For All). I hate Dave Mustaine's tone on RIP. So keep in mind I will be judging the POD against the tones I
like. I don't consider myself a tube snob.

I prefer an amp that has enough features to produce the sounds I like. I'm not much into copying other people's tones (even though I have tried with some success).

I own this, a Marshall MS-2 (The cheap Mini-stack. I mean hey, it's battery powered! I'll save that for another review though...). I play an Ibanez S-Series Prestige with the crappy stock humbucking pickups. Well, just the bridge one. The neck pickups sounds REALLY fake with any appreciable amount of distortion.

Overall, the POD 2.0 sounds good and is cost-effective, especially for practice, or amateur or low-budget recording. I'd recommend the PODxt instead though, in general.

If it were stolen/lost, I'd buy a PODxt. The xt sounds better. If I had more money, I'd buy a Vetta II or something.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/10/2004 11:24

Price Paid: US $250

Features: 8
V 2.3. Had this POD for almost a year, and still experimenting with the features...amp/cab mod, some OK built in effects, live/direct use. Layout similar to normal amp-knob set up. EQ response itself is even modeled after the selected amp...pretty sweet.

Could have use some seperate controls for the "hidden" features (delay decay/time/intensity, presence, gain boost, etc.)

Sound Quality: 9
OK, here we go. There are ALOT of sounds in this thing. As I've said, I've had this for over a year now, and find that when I'm setting up my sound, I don't even care what amp model it is on. LISTEN WITH YOUR EARS. If it sounds good, then it sounds good. With that saod, I find I'm always landing on the Marshall or the Mesa. You can tell alot of time was spend on those models in particular.

I use the POD exclusively live, and I did notice the same weird EQ crap-out thing that others have wrote about when at loud volumes. This is easily explainable, and even more easily remedied. The frequencies normally associated with "bass" and "treble" actually increase as you increase the volume. Imagine turning your volume up, and turning your bass and treble to '15' if it existed. This is the same thing that will happen in your car...max out your car stereo, what happens? Your woofers might blow, your speakers will crackle, and the high end will make your ears ring. Put your Marshall tube stack on 1...sounds like crap. No "woof", no "bite", unless you turn it up...

So, if you are going to play live with this, and play loud, first make sure the swith is on "Amp". TURN OFF THE CAB MODELING. At low volumes, the Line 6 cab model is amazing, but the bass and treb EQ is so cranked in this cab model, that it will sound like junk live. Flip it to "bypass" and stick to the "stock" eq section of the amp model itself.

I'm running it this way into a Marshall 80/80 valvestate power amp, or the effects return of a JCM900 head, into a Marshall 4X12 cab. If you got a good cab, with some good Celestions, why put a cab model on that?

Reliability: 10
Year old, stored uncovered in a dusty, cold basement (I know, shoot me). No prob's yet.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them.

Overall Rating: 9
If you want to use this live as a preamp, try to ignore the bells and whistles, and use it just as a preamp. Pick a good amp model, set the eq to your liking, add some effects (I'm into verb and some delay), crank it up and rip. Leave that cab modeling stuff for recording, not live. Remember the old ADA's and SGX? They didn't have cab modeling, and they sounded great live, so take from their lead.

Submitted by PlayLive at 06/22/2004 13:59

Price Paid: 220 (CAN)

Features: 10
Craploads - Its almost impossible to use all of them.

Sound Quality: 9
Using emg81 at bridge. I play hard rock , metal ( metallica influence ) , AC/DC tones. Yes, i can get pretty close tones. And i have a good ear. Nice chunky 'And Justice for All' tone , is hard to get , but with proper EQ and backround , is achievable.

Heres the deallie-yo - The POD at first , to me , sucked. Until i found the AIR switch ! What a difference when connected to a PA ! I own a peavey 5150 and use to own a dualrec (im broke now). I play in a band , and i cant bring the 5150 everywhere ( 85lbs , anoying as fcuk to lug around ) so i use to bring a couple of effect pedals and feed direct through PA ... Sounds like shite ! So long story short , POD sounds amazing compared.

PPL out there saying this sounds bad , ok whatever , you probably didnt even know there is a TAP function on this. It gives you extra amp models to choose from , extra cabs , options for drive boost wich gives more distortion , critical to get a thick overdriven sound. Read the manual , i used the thing for 2 months before discovering i could change the presence of the amps as well !

This thing sounds pretty good. I say its good enough for a gig , but you need to know how to set it up !! I tell ya , its very easy to get a crappy sound when you dont know what your doing .

Its not a tube preamp. But getting closer , and closer. Inexpensive solution.

Reliability: 10
Its a peice of metal with a couple knobs.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
So many factors influence the sound that will come out of a rig. Guitar , pickup , amp etc... Most importantly , your own fingers. I say during a gig , 98% of ppl wont even notice the difference between a 'pink-face PLexi-9million' , a Quadruple rectifier , and a POD. Hell , 50% wouldnt notice a fuzz box to a Soldano.

Its not the best sounding out there , but what matters is your own opinion about your sound , and nothing else.

Feel free to comment, inquire.

Submitted by Diaz at 05/25/2004 08:14

Price Paid: US $225.00

Features: 10
ver2.0 with2.2 epprom.

Sound Quality: 10
primary guitars are 76 reissue gibson explorer,2 reissue fender strats61,62.i play mostly gary moore stye blues rock,and some eric johnson stuff with standard 60"s british blues.this is the 3 pod ive owned the xt i sold because i needed the $at the time still have first and second versions.now for my 2cents worth..many people either love or hate these things if used through the front of a guitar amp at band levels it embarressed me and i wanted to throw it in the trash.throuh a marshall 9100 tube power amp unbelievable..i own a boogie mk3 simil-class,a marshall 2204jcm800,marshall1987x50watt plxi reissue through 2 mesa slant2x12 cabs with celstion v-30s.the pod is so close for the $ and lack of weight,carrying these amps for me with out a lot of help is out of the question {disc injurys}i can manange the pod with the power amp althogh its a screach.got ver 2.3 epprom from line 6 for free and hate it it makes the marshall models sound mid heavy and farty no clarity or crispnes of the 2.2 with was immeadtly put back in 2.3 tonality is just not there.also turn of cab simulator,and most important TUNE CAB SETTING ON POD TO {B} REGARDLESS OF THE CAB TYPE YOU ARE USEING THE OTHER ONES ARE AWFULL THEY SOUND LIKE A CHEAP TRANSISTOR RADIO REGADLESS OF THE CAB YOU USE....OTHER REVIEWERS HAVE MENTIONED THIS AND IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TING BESIDE TURNING OFF THE CAB SIMULATOR IF BEING USED FOR LIVE SOFTWARE VERSIONS 2.2 AND LOWER ARE THE TICKET.

Reliability: 10
Never had a problem

Customer Support: 10
i have allways been able to get a tech on the phone at line 6 and ive called a lot when setting up the sounddiver edit software they walked me through it and it took at least 45 mins setting up the computer,midi cable ,installation etc,etc.they have been great to me with out exception....

Overall Rating: 10
it would be replaced as soon as possible but only one with the right software version it does make that much difference tone wise.althouth this version does have that wierd thing with the vol when changing channels in manual mode ..it still worth it.i under stand from line 6 that only the early pod pros had a software version that sounded like 2.2 so watch out, Im looking for an old one myself.IT SMOKE ADA MP-1 witch i own but sits in the closet.

Submitted by Crocodile K at 05/04/2004 05:52

Price Paid: US $250.00

Ease of Use: 10
No problem with using the Line 6 except choosing one. There are so many sounds to choose from.

Sound Quality: 10
I have a Am. Std. Strat, a Tele and a Les Paul Studio. I generally always use the Strat directly into the POD, and then, I run the Pod into the main 6L6 output stage of a Fender Evil Twin amp. I use the "amp thru" jack or the input of the effect loop if I want to adjust the signal level so that I can increase the output level on the POD without increasing the volume level of the amp. The POD seems to simulate the output stage distortion of a tube rig when the output level is cranked. I don't know about you, but I like to play LOUD. My favorite set-up is the PODs Marshall sound, a little compression, some digital reverb with the POD Output Level close to full on, slamming into my 6L6's and distorting them as well. If you think about what I'm doing; you'll see why it sounds soooo good.

Reliability: 10
I haven't had even the slightest problem.

Customer Support: 10
I haven't had to deal with any of the people, but I love the web site. I've downloaded the manual since I lost mine.

Overall Rating: 10
OK. One day, I'll have a Marshall DSL 100, full stack, with a Lexicon effects rack, and maybe a couple good pedals to help that Marshall jump over the moon. But, until then, My Strat-Les Paul-POD-Fender combination is doing the job just fine. The metal holder for the POD slides under the hand strap on the top of my combo amp and it looks good sitting there. If I'm playing 80's rock, I can load two Marshall sounds, one louder for solo's, and then, maybe, a VOX 30 Top Boost with echo and a Fender Twin with compression into one bank and choose them at will with the selector pedal. Or, if I'm playing Modern Rock, I can substitute the Marshall’s for some Mesa's and load all that into another bank. Pushing one button has me ready to play out of that bank of four amps. And then there's this awesome amount of shit that I never get around to mess with. So, lez see, Marshall, Fender, Mesa, Vox..... Rock, Classic-Rock, Modern Rock.... Is there anything else? Nope. I don't think so. Oh yeah, I've been playing 25 years and if my POD got stolen I'd buy a PODxt.

Submitted by Brent Early at 04/06/2004 10:34

Price Paid: 100 (£s- Sterling)

Ease of Use: 8
You have to play around with it for a while but with something with such depth it will obviously require a bit of tweaking to get to the best sound. However, a good sound is easily found. One problem I did find though was that in the manual it didn't advise you to turn off the speaker cabinet simulation when running it directly into an amp - it sounded funny for a while when using it as a pre-amp. This is necessary if you are going to use it as a pre-amp as I often do.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a Texas Special Fat Strat with a Boss Blues Overdrive, Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe, Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz and a Budda Wah. This goes into a Marshall DSL-201 Valve amp. For headphones I use a great pair of £100 Seinnheisers.

The POD sounds best when used as a pre-amp plugged into a cranked valve amp. However, you HAVE to turn off the cabinet simulation - this should only be used if you're plugging it into a hi-fi, a direct recording device or headphones. Otherwise it sounds muffled - it's simulating the sound of a cabinet when u're already using one so what's the point? I can't stress the importance of this.

I can get pretty close to Hendrix sounds (only clean hendrix sounds cos when you crank it it sounds a bit fuzzy). Stevie Ray Vaughan is easy to get, - ANYTHING! In particular the Mesa Boogie Dual rectifier and the Marhsall JCM-800 sound amazing. However, note the Fuzz box sounds crap. The tones on this machine sound amazing - I swear when you tap into it's extra amp simulations via computer you can get a PERFECT Santana.

As for effects, I don't really know - I don't use them much. I know that the delay sounds very good, apart from that I'm not sure.

It's worth noting that if you want to use the POD with headphones, it sounds SO MUCH BETTER when you turn on the 'chorus 1' effect and turn the effect intensity to minimum. This changes the output to Stereo (I don't want it to come out in Chorus). I don't know why anyone hasn't mentioned this but TRY IT! It sounds amazing.

As for recording, I would imagine that it is only useful to those who don't have the luxury of cranking their amp and recording it though a microphone. How can the simulation of a cranked amp ever sound as good as the real thing? I don't think it can.

Reliability: 10
It has a slight delay between changing channels but this is fixed considerable if you buy a POD V2 or get the upgrade. I wouldn't ever gig it without a footswitch though (I've heard that is a bit flimsy though - apparently you can get a much better pedal for the PODXT). however, the POD itself is chunky aluminium and mine looks like it has been well used before I got it and it still works perfectly.

Customer Support: N/A
Never tried

Overall Rating: 10
I like to play rock and blues. The POD is the ideal solution for those who want to have several amp sounds available by just taking this thing around and plugging it into any valve amp. I take it to practice rooms to different amps and I crank it on a clean channel and just use the POD as a pre-amp (remember to take the speaker cabinet simulation off). Obviously, owning several amps and using them and taking them everywhere would be better but for a price tag of around £300 - (or £100 for me) who can argue. I don't think anyone in the audience or anyone listening would actually notice the difference between a decent valve amp cranked with the POD set on a Mesa Boogie Dual rectifier and the real thing.

Also ideal for headphones, or non-serious recording.

Submitted by Roshan Gonsalkorale at 03/28/2004 07:37

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 9
OK...I've had my Pod version 1.0 since it first came out (I actually had to specially order it at the time because no music stores carried it). I write and record my own stuff, and have also used the pod to record demos for bands I've been in, so I've used it an awful lot over the last few years and I think I can finally give a fairly objective, unbiased review. The pod is VERY easy to use. The interface is about as intuitive and user friendly as can be and the manual was very well written. One huge help is the fact that the manual offers you insight into how the controls worked on the original amp. For example, I thought the vox amp was really muddy until I realized that the original has a "high cut" control instead of treble...so if you have the treble control at 12 o' clock you're actually cutting highs. On most amps (fenders, marshalls) having the treble control at 12 o clock would have you neither boosting or cutting the highs. It helps to read the manual and get acquainted with how the original amps worked. I use the vox model all the time now...I love it. There have been upgrades since my version but I've never been dissatisfied with the tones so I've never bothered to get them.

Sound Quality: 9
I don't own any of the amps modelled, so I don't know how accurate they are, but I don't really care. I can pretty much approximate any tone I hear in my head with this giant kidney bean and I'm consistently impressed by how it sounds on tape. For a solo project, I recorded the basic track live at my rehearsal space using a reverend hellhound and then used the pod for overdubs and I don't hear a real appreciable difference between the feel and realism of the pod tracks vs. the "real" ones. This is a tool, and like every tool how successful you are with it has alot to do with you. I've spent alot of time experimenting and I'm finally at the point where I feel confident that I can dial in just about any tone I need using the pod's controls. After reading lots of HC reviews, I feel like people are sometimes too quick to blame the equipment. My favorite models are Line 6 Clean, Line 6 Crunch, Brit Class A, Small Tweed and the Soldano model.

Reliability: 10
I've had it for years and it hasn't given me a single problem. It's been treated pretty nicely though. It's never left my "studio*"
*also known to my wife's cat as "the room I like to go into when I'm about to vomit a hairball."

Customer Support: 9
I never had to call them about the pod but they were very nice when I called and asked them a question about a flextone amp a few years ago.

Overall Rating: 10
I can honestly say that this piece of equipment had a greater impact on my creative growth than anything I've ever bought. With the pod, a guitar, a zoom rhythmtrack drum machine and a tascam portastudio I feel limited only by my own creativity. It's a truly wonderful tool. Some will quibble that it doesn't sound as good as a carefully mic'd amp but some people don't mind spending 4 hours pounding on a snare to get the right "snap." I think that sort of thinking gets in the way of creativity. I mean, there's definitely a difference in tonality between a soundtank digital delay and an echoplex, but is it really THAT noticible in the context of one part in an entire mix? I know lots of people won't agree with me, this is just my opinion. The pod allows you to sit down, twiddle some knobs and you've got your tone. Lay down a track and move on to the next. Erase it and try it again or try something else. It really helps me create music.

Submitted by Evan Jackson at 02/18/2004 06:46

Price Paid: US ?

Features: 8
This medeling amp will attempt to sound like many different amps with
many different features.

Sound Quality: 7
This preamp couldn't sound good if you tried for a hunderd years.
Sure it sounds O.K. especially at low volume, but try to go live
with this thing at high volume and you will understand why this product is garbage.

Reliability: 6
I'm sure this thing will last a long time, unfortunately.

Customer Support: 5
Don't know, don't care

Overall Rating: 2
The vunue that I play bought one of these and insists people use it
for live performances in a large auditorium. It flat out sucks. If
you think this thing will give you great tube like distortion at any
volume you're don't know what a real amp sounds like.;

Submitted by Darrin Baumgarten at 01/19/2004 13:00

Price Paid: US $180

Ease of Use: 9
The pod, once you read the manual, is extremely easy to use, but don't just take it out of the box and think you're gonna know how to do everything, because I did that and didn't even realize I was missing out on like 16 alternate amp sounds that aren't listed on the face of the unit, just in the manual.hehe

Sound Quality: 10
I was EXTREMELY impressed with the sound quality this thing gave me. I was in the market for a new amp and I simply did not have the money for an amp, so instead I began looking at these PODs, picked one up on ebay for about 180 dollars, plugged it in, and MAN did it sound amazing. I have a Fender Ultimate Chorus 2x 12 160 or so watt amp, (I would NOT reccomend getting that amp) but when I plugged the pod in I could get any tones from Brian May playing a bohemian rhapsody lick all the way to a metallica sound with a bottom heavy chunky distortion, up to randy rhodes and zakk wylde, not to mention clean tones and great effects!

Reliability: 10
definately would use this on some upcoming gigs I have, great investment, havn't had any trouble with it

Customer Support: N/A
Havn't had any problems

Overall Rating: 10
I play metal, punk, classic rock, neoclassical, jazz, blues, anything, this is your effect kit, get one, I highly reccomend it

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/28/2003 13:21

Price Paid: US $200

Features: 7
as far as features go this is a pretty good little deal. its got several effects that are mixed with swells that id like to have just the effect without the swell. its got really decent amp models from a vary wide range of sounds. the only good cab models are the 4x12s however.

Sound Quality: 7
im using a jackson dxmg with stock EMG hz specially designed for jackson pickups. it sounds pretty decent at lower volume but the louder you turn it the worse it sounds. id really like to play this through two actual real 4x12 cabs to see what it REALLY sounds like but as for now im using a 1x12 marshall and its just too nasty sounding loud at band practice.

Reliability: 9
it's urvived several tours of duty in my drummers room and only has a few scuffs so it seems to be built fairly well.

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with them

Overall Rating: 8
Ive been playing probably 6 years now and own a crappy jackson js 20 with active EMGs and a bc rich warlock with emg hz's in it. if it were stolen id probably pitch a bitch but i doubt id buy it again. id invest in a new half stack. i love that it has so many features and does have some good sounds but it just sounds AWFUL the louder you turn it. i wish it did have a few different amp models like more heavy metal based stuff but i think the hd 147 covers those fairly well.

Submitted by brandon at 11/04/2003 12:04

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 9
Pretty easy to use, PC software is also very nice.

Sound Quality: 6
If you want the POD, understand what you are getting into. If you want to sound like a wide array of guitar players, or are curious about multiple amp types and want to play them before you settle to a big tube amp purchase, then this is for you. The POD is also for you if you like to record, but live in an apartment where you can't easily mic a cranked Fender. Keep one thing in mind however, when was the last you saw your favorite professional band live that used a Marshall, and Vox and a Fender, switching between them for each song.

For the money, it is an amazing solution, however, the sound can be very digital if you compare it to the real things (especially the reverb and overdrives). For live performances, I've used a Fender Twin, a Fender Deluxe, and am currently using a Fender Super Reverb. I would not even think of using the POD live, as I already have the amp sound, and my effects (Boss BD-2, Boss OD-2, RAT, Boss RV-3, Line 6 DL4, and MXR Phase 90) are much more superior to the POD effects. For home recording, it scores an A+ for the quick and dirty, as you just plug it in (for quality recording, I still prefer renting a couple of $600 microphones). I would have given it an high mark for practicing, however I now have a much better solution. I bought a 1970s Fender tube champ (amazing a low volumes) and a Tascam CD-GT1 for headphones (allows you to slow down CDs to learn all those difficult parts). The POD is great for beginners and simple recording, but should not be considered a professional sounding tool. That being said, it blows away all the other cheap “all-in-one” effect boxes.

Reliability: 9
Seems nicely built, and high quality/impresive emulations (keep in mind, they are still emulations and do not compare to the real thing).

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
If you have the money, buy a real Fender/Marshall/or Vox amp. Get something like a Fender Tube Champ and Tascam CD-GT1 for practice, and rent a $600-$1000 mic for recording ($30 a month at a local store, or if you record frequently buy one). I am impressed with the home recording aspect for its ease of used (the POD sounds not bad here), however, nice mic to a high quality tube amp will make you happier.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/25/2003 15:06

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 6
VErtile amp for mellow rock, country, R&B, hip hop. But not useful for hard rock, metal or anything else heavy. The effects on the other hand are very good.

Sound Quality: 3
The clean sounds are not bad, for example the blackface model. The effects are the best part of this machine.
However I play hard rock. And the high gain sounds like fart. The fuzz sounds like fuzzed out fart. If you need a farting machine this will work fine. If want a real simulation get Johnson J station and you'll have a mesa boogie at your finger tip.

Reliability: 8
Works well. Farts on que.....

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 5
I'm sorry, But the Johnson J station is only $99 at the time of writing and sounds 10 times better. I can't recommend this thing at all. I give this a 5 out 10 because the effects rocks....

Submitted by kid ROck at 10/04/2003 00:14

Price Paid: US $250

Features: 10
Ver2.3 Too many features to list. More than I'll ever need. Definitely get the bang for the buck on this one. The only feature I wish it had was a USB port, to go directly into the computer (ie. without the midi adaptor), but not a big deal at all.

Sound Quality: 10
I cannot, for the life of me, understand how some reviewers say that the POD doesn't sound good through an amp. Maybe I just got lucky with my set up (since I'm not running it through a Peavey Bandit), but this is my dream sound. Not close to it, but IS.

I'm running an Ibanez or ESP into the POD (set to "Amp"--duh), into the effects return of a Marshall JCM900 100watt head, into a Marshall 4-12 cab. Also using the floorboard. The core tone of any amp or cab model in the POD is amazing. I guess having a pure tube power amp doesn't hurt either...

Honestly, the whole "it doesn't sound like it" deal is getting tired. Some of the sounds in the POD (regardless if they sound like the real thing or not) are simply amazing. The cab modeling really adds to shaping your tone, or tweaking some funky combinations.

Effects are nice. Not "wall of racks" nice, but usefull. I like a relatively uneffected tone - delay, some reverb, a little compression, occasional chorus. For my tastes, the effect section suits me just fine. Stomp boxes in front and rack effects after the POD still sound great, though.

Haven't recorded extensively with it yet, but it does sound better than my Flextone (1st generation)direct into the 4-track (I used to think that was the tits). The amp and mic placement modeling is exceptional.

The stereo spread, when running in this environment, is extremely wide (ie. in headphones). This is great for silent practicing or recording, but I'll definitely go with the mono signal for live sounds (sound-men seem to have problems putting 2 mics to one cab--no offence).

One more note: I also own a JCM800 head. I A/B'd this and the set-up with the POD (above), and the Brit Hi Gain model actually sounded BETTER to me than the real thing. And I didn't have to crank it. The bass was tighter, highs were more controlable, gain was more sweeter.

Reliability: N/A
To new to rate. But I still have the first generation Flextone that I bought like the second week it was available. I beat the hell out of it, played numerous gigs with the volume literally maxed (it's the 1-12, 60 watt version), and have had absolutely no problems with it at all. So if that's any indicaiton...

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 20 years (I'm 29, so don't consider this an old-fart review from your grandpap). There are so many great things about the POD. It really should be a requirement for all guitar players. Guitar players need picks, strings, beer, and a POD. This is the best sounding live set-up I've had, and I went through alot of gear changes over the years. Who care's if it doesn't sound EXACTLY like a '68 Plexi. It sounds damn good, and that's all that should matter. The POD makes me want to spend hours playing, and running through all of the fantastic sounds. I think of all of the time I wasted on my stupid tube amps crapping out, not sounding good below 163db, or only having 1 or 2 sounds to work with, and it reminds me of an ex-girlfriend...like, man that relationship sucked. I'm glad I dumped that bag. Sure, there will always be those closed-minded people that say "tubes are the only way to go; digital sucks; if I could power it, I'd stick a tube up my ass"...just give it a listen, and experiment, both with the sounds and the connections. There is definitely something in the POD for everyone.

If it were stolen, I'd buy some tubes, find the guy who stole it, stick them up his ass, and say "these sound better anyway, right?" Then I'd take my POD back and blow his ass-tube tone out of the water.

Submitted by Evil Genius at 09/09/2003 13:25

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy to use (compared to some rack unit like a Lexicon mpx-1
witch for me as one of the badest menu design).
very easy to find good sounds.
MIDI editing is also not a problem
only thing I don't like is the way it handle volume change
when changing preset. (but could be me...)

Sound Quality: 9
I play this unit trough a fender US Strat. and a Gibson ES-135
I only use that thing for direct-recording on my computer,
and for that purpose, this is a fantastic tool !
For live situation, I still prefer a real amp.
my favorite settings are Modern HIGAIN (modeled on a soldano)
and black panel (modeled on a fender).
other amp settings are good too.
they are also some effects that I don't use a lot (I prefer
computer's plugin for that purpose)

Reliability: 10
2 years, no problems

Customer Support: N/A
never called them

Overall Rating: N/A
very good tool for recording on a computer.
If stollen, I will first check the Vamp from Behringer
cause it seems to be good too, for less money than the
POD.

Submitted by Olivier Carnal at 09/09/2003 08:57

Price Paid: US $300 brand new wayback when they were cool

Features: 7
32amp models, 32 effects,ect
this is pretty well covered by other reviews

Sound Quality: 9
the best aspect of the pod is it's simpleness and widerange of sounds. while it cant compare with some of the amps it "models"
is not the point because it has totaly deceint tones at reasonable price.

Reliability: 1
after a couple of months the shitty power supply broke.no big deal
called line 6 and the shipped a new one for $35 about 3 weeks later.
then the whole thing craped out on me , i took it to a line 6 tech, it took about 2 months for this retard to tell me a chip blown and it would cost me $249 on top of the $40 service charge i already paid.
thats just crazy and it really pissed me off that it would cost me more to fix it then to by another one used.

Customer Support: 1
the warranty is garbage it olny covers defects at purchase , not defects due to shotty quality.
customer support is worthless at line 6 , the first time i called for
a replacement power supply ,i had to wait half an hour for them to get there manager jose,the olny english speaking person available at the time, to help me.

Overall Rating: 6
even though i think line 6 is overcharged me about $200 for this hunk of chips wraped in red tin foil. you can probably get them for a decient price on ebay , and could be totaly usefull if your just learning to play guitar or cant afford a real amp.

Submitted by captin_winkie at 09/07/2003 19:31

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 8
I have had this unit for two years. Essentially it is an amp simulator with a few effects thrown in for good measure. I also have the larger footswitch which makes it a whole lot easier to use.

Sound Quality: 8
I use this with a slightly customised PRS-SE, with DiMarzio PAF pickups, and also a Standard American Telecaster. I tried using it live connected to my amp, but as discussed below it didn't sound too good. Currently I have it plugged directly into my mixer for practice and recording. I have yet to hear a guitar (amp) sound I cannot get pretty close to with this unit, although I do think the effects are limited.

With regards live gigging, I have a Laney VC30-210 along with quite a few pedals which beats the Pod hands down when it comes to stage sound. However just recently I had a gig abroad so could only take my guitar and the pod on the plane. I DI'ed straight from the pod into the PA, used a monitor for foldback and was actually quite impressed how workable this set up was. It's not ideal, but as a Guitarist who often "can't be bothered" to worry about vast quantities of gear I think the pod does very nicely.

Reliability: 9
Hasn't broken despite intensive use over two years (and I once dropped my amp on it but it still worked!).

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to deal with them

Overall Rating: 9
I bought this unit whilst on holiday in the States a few years ago, during what used to be a monthly tone crisis. I've been playing and gigging fairly regularly for about 15 years, although very much as a hobbey not career.

I used to be very keen on getting "that" sound. After years of gear, guitars, pedals etc. I am a firm believer that the sound is in your fingers. As such I am happy to get a workable sound and let my playing do the rest. For practice and recording this is a great unit; live it's not so good but definately workable if you are being lazy.

I'd probably buy the updated XT version if it did get broken, mainly for the better effects.

Submitted by Simon K at 08/20/2003 03:55

Price Paid: US $200

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use. Plug & play. It should be noted that I use the POD exclusively for recording & would not use it for live performance or through any amps. I my humble opinion, the POD shines best in recording direct applications.

Sound Quality: 9
For recording it has excellent sound quality. The over-driven tones are good - even better if you layer them and add some ambience on them in the mix. The clean tones are ok - nothing too special. I don't really use the reverb on the POD except the spring simulations which are kinda cool.

I am a full-time music composer/producer and I find the POD is VERY useful - mainly because it is a huge time-saver. I am always recording on a tight time-frame and often don't have the luxury of messing around with my many amps. Also, when producing music for singer/songwriters on an hourly basis, I keep my clients happy by working quickly = saves them money.

I have read some reviews complaining about using the POD for live playing. The answer is simple... THE POD IS FOR RECORDING ONLY. Even though Line 6 says it has other uses, believe me, this unit was designed for recording.

So, for sound quality I give the POD a qualified 9. It is great for what it was intended - a studio time-saver. The tones are varied and very useful... besides most of your tone comes through your fingers anyway doesn't it??

Reliability: 10
Very relieable.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
Could not meet my deadlines without it. Easy, fast, competitive sounds, looks cool, etc...

Side note, try putting vocals through the POD and blending them in to the direct signal for some good alt. rock grit!! Be creative!

Cheers

Submitted by Steve Hansen at 08/14/2003 11:48

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
This thing is pretty easy to use, I like the feature of the presets holding to what you saved, regardless to what the knobs say. The manual is very comprehensive, but you don't need it. This thing is self explanitory

Sound Quality: 9
I have been playing for 21 years and know this is not the real thing, but dammit it comes so close that I cant tell when recorded. I have a mesa triple rectifier and found the POD a very good substitue when I get too lazy to hawl the stack around. Very poor performance with a traditional guitar amp. I had to use a floor Monitor instead of my cab to get the desired result.

Reliability: 10
This thing is extremly durable. I had it in my guitar gig bag and it fell out on the pavement while I was walking and i kicked it and it slid about 15 feet. Looks like hell now but works perfectly.

Customer Support: 4
Good web site, but phone and warranty SUCK

Overall Rating: 10
I have to give it the best overall rating because of what you get for 300 bucks.

Submitted by Anonymous at 08/08/2003 17:55

Price Paid: 400 (Canadian)

Ease of Use: 8
This product is fairly easy to use, an dif you get stuck consult the VER WELL writen manual.

Sound Quality: 6
If you use this for headphone use, or into a PA you can get just what you'd expect...decent amp wannabee tones. Good for practicing at home with CDs or EVEn recording (tonnes of tweaking necessary).
DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT...try and run this as a preamp to an amp. It sounds hideous I hav tried this and it completely takes over your amp.
The high gain sounds are very weak sounding when ran thru a PA.

Reliability: 9
No probs

Customer Support: N/A
nada

Overall Rating: 5
best for at home headphone work...crappy for live. Buy an amp!!

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/07/2003 14:43

Price Paid: 360 (€)

Features: 10
Tons of features you need century to know them all. At least if you're like me. I want to play each day better not to become a Pod expert. Anyway here we have the ultimate guitar box machine, seriously. You can use this as a direct box or as a tone box for your amplifier to get a good, consistent tone, clean or distorted without spending all the money in the world.

Sound Quality: 10
Honestly I feel the urge to pay a tribute to this thing because it made me happy. I'll tell you a little story. I'm mainly a Jazz player. I'm expert, almost a pro. But I go crazy also for rock fusion, for the distorted, creamy hi gain sound. The ones that when you play with them you feel something like having a Ferrari under your bottom. You fell free to express your full technical potentials. Well. Two years ago I was in my preferred guitar shop here, in Italy, when my head was turned by an unbelievable lead hi gain sound, complete with reverb, compression and delay setted at the perfect level. It was a sort of Lukather type of lead sound. The one I never had the chance to have AT HOME, AT PRACTICE VOLUME LEVEL, no matter what kind of hi end amp did I buy, Mesa, Vht, Ampeg, you name it, I had it. So immediatly I came across to discover what kind of jewel did produce that sound. Did you imagine my marvel when I discovered that the magic rubberish Lukather sound came from a stupid red box that costs under 300 dollars? I was blown away. Anyway beiing a valve enthusiast as I am I didn' t permit myself to buy such a stupid red toy. I couldn't admit the truth. I waited two years. Each time I walked in a guitar shop I encounter that red bean and turned my head the other side not to think about that sound. In the end the red bean won. I decided to buy it. Man, how am I happy I did? I bought it one month ago. I still have to change the preset. The Soldano slo 1OO emulation still blows me away each time I start the thing. Plus that sound is always there, I don't have to set the delay, to set the compression, to link the pedals, to move the rack mountain! It is always there ready, waiting for me to blow my fusion chops without creating any problem. Unbelievable, it's so easy, it's gear for dumnies, and that joy costs only less than 300 $! I'm extremely happy I did buy it. It's surely one of the best thing I bought in my all guitar history, and I had everything!!! I'm talking about things really useful, greatly priced, clever no problem stuff. At least this thing sound so good as a Soldano emulation that now I want to buy the real thing. Really this thing did this magic. Mr Soldano you have to be grateful to people from LIne 6. They are making you a big favour!! You will sell another one of your head one of these days thanxs to this MAGICAL red toy.
For the rest of the sounds I can tell that if you tweak you can find good sounds that surely are NOT comparable with the original ones (because they are phisically something, this is in the end an emulator) , but they get reallyyyyy close. At that price that's unbelievable. And what about portability, flexibility? This comparing to tube amps. No on ever compare this box to solid state amp? Did you ask yourself why? Because this thing can compete even with the original valve things. It is so good. Can you imagine what this thing can do to valvestate of transistor amps? Valvestate amps are trash compared to this thing. This is a revolutionary piece of gear. Don't forget this word. REVOLUTIONARY. A marvel product.

Reliability: N/A
Hope it will stand the test of time. Anyway, it is such a joy to play that I immediatly will buy another one if it will die soon or later.

Customer Support: N/A
No idea.

Overall Rating: 10
Take this thing for what it is. Obviously the original amps sound better than this emulations. It is so obvious you don't even have to think similar things. But this red jewel gives you something those amps can't give you. And you can take this thing in your pocket wherever you want. Can you do this with a Mesa monster stacks? Or with a Fender Bassman? Or with a Soldano SLO 100? And this thing sounds good. Really. It's convincing. This digital emulation is a revolutionary thing. I can imagine than in 5 years they will come out with something so close to valve amps that they will become gems for vintage maniacs and stop, those amps will be dead, out of reality, out of music in a sense, substituted by their clone. Like in those '503s science fiction B movies! Digital emulations from outer space !!! Crazy !! In the end I'm extremely happy with this thing, it gives me hours of enjoyment without any of the problems the original amps gave me for all the years I passed in my practice room. Do you know that story that say that "God created the cat to give humas the joy to caress the tiger"? Well, Line 6 create this close emulations to give you the joy of playing a SLO 100 all cranked up with delay, compression and reverb properly setted in your bedroom at practice volumes. Isn't it a great, great, great, revolutionary thing?

Submitted by stefano at 06/24/2003 08:14

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 7
You should know by now.

Sound Quality: 5
First let me say that I'm a purest. I hate digital modeling. I was forced to use this in the studio because my VHT Pittbull 45 was in the shop. I ran the pod into the return input of the effects loop of a mid 80's Marshall JCM 800 100 watt head, with 6550 tubes. Clean was marginal at best. Just no character. When combined with a Vox AC15, the POD/Marshall provided some much needed bottom, but by itself, it's useless. Overdriven tones were a bit better. I especially liked the modern high gain and british high gain mods. I used them both for the heavier tracks I was recording. My only problem was they were a bit mushy. Individual notes didn't stand out as much as I like. Needless to say, I'll be re-cutting all my tracks as soon as I get the VHT back.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 5
Just not my cup of tea. Real tube amps still rule. Works well in a pinch though.

Submitted by Grendel at 06/23/2003 14:09

Price Paid: £299 (Pounds sterling)

Features: 7
This is effectively an amp simulation unit to be used primarily in the studio/home recording/practice environment.. What it claims to do, it does fairly well.

Sound Quality: 8
See above. I cannot speak for the people at POD, but I would suggest that all they intended to do with this product was produce an amp (&/cab) simulator, which could, er, SIMULATE various classic amps in a recording or practice environment...simple as that really...so all of you who bitch on and on about valves, valve amps, movement of air, playing live etc. should get that pole out of your respective asses and start taking products such as these at face value. No, of course it will never sound the same as a Marshall stack set at 11, but it can be set to a fair approximation (in a recording/home/practice environment)...it really can. If it isn't close enough for you then buy a Marshall stack, and stop wasting people's time with your pithy , 'it-isn't-as-good-as' comments which, frankly are of no use to any potential buyer of said product whatsoever.

Reliability: 8
OK so far. I've had the unit for three years.

Customer Support: 8
N/A

Overall Rating: 8
Playing for fifteen years. I bought this to replace my flagging Sansamp pedal...which I thought was amazing...until I tried this POD. It is a good unit....it can sound great with a bit of tweaking...actually, it sounds great period. I really would be at a loss recording -wise without it. You will never regret owning one...unless you are one of those assholes as mentioned above.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/20/2003 11:42

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
enough...

Sound Quality: 7
Better than the V-amp 2. The POD has a lot of bad sims and a few pretty good ones, while the V-amp 2 has a lot of bad sims and not a few pretty good ones. Don't use this unit for live playing, it's noisy noisy noisy, a toy. However, in a low budget studio you can get a pretty good use of it. Professional sounding gear? -"nope"

Reliability: 8
it seems to be well made

Customer Support: N/A
no comment.

Overall Rating: 7
Well, save the money instead. Don't choose virtual amplifiers, choose the real thing. V-amps,PODs,GTs all have the same thing in common: "bad distortion and pretty thin digital sounds". I won't buy it or anything else like this. I want the real thing, it's that simple.

Submitted by AndyTheToneCrazyMan at 05/27/2003 00:45

Price Paid: 150 (euro)

Ease of Use: 9
Just turn the knobs, push a few buttons... you'll find the sound you need. I never needed the manual - simple as that.

Sound Quality: 8
I play an Epiphone Les Paul and Ibanez AR-250 through a Mesa/Boogie DC-5. The pod is in an effects loop with my amp. I use a Ernie Ball volume pedal and Wah wah cry baby as well. Mainly to play rock, Pink Floyd-style.

The trick is to find the right balance in the effects loop. I make sure the POD doesn't master the amp, but serves it. It's great to add little details, shaping my tone to ake it sound very complete and natural.

The rotary and the tremelo sound great, they're my favorites. One flaw. The flangers could have been much better: they sound pretty cheap. I was used to Boss flangers and they are way better to my ears.

Reliability: 9
Never had any problem with it. And I have been using it for more than 3 year now. Live and during rehearsal. Sturdy stuff.

Customer Support: 8
I have been checking their site when in need of support and I have found what I needed.

Overall Rating: 9
Our band plays rock, pop-rock, Straits and Floyd-style. I have been playing guitar for 11 years now. I prefer it to normal effect racks, because the POD is versatile and gives you the sound you want - if you want to look for it. I have four sounds that I use live and recording, that's all I need and the POD delivers. I am planning to use it for home recordings as well. Don't forget to buy a floor board, though.

Submitted by Gerrit (Syndon) at 05/22/2003 04:42

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
I took this right out of the box, didn't even glance at the manual, and I had the whole thin figured out in 5 minutes. Everything is on the front panel, so there are no menus to scroll through.

Sound Quality: 9
Overall, the sound you get out of this box is very proffesional. I gig AND record with this thing. Recording is where it really stands out. You switch the AIR mode to direct and you get the sound of a stack. I mostly use the high gain stuff, but I do step into the clean areas every once and a while. The clean channels are a little muddy, but with a little tweaking it will sound fine. If you want an acoustic sound, play an acoustic! The only problem I have is with the volume settings. Some of the amp models I want to use for some soloing do not get to loud. But with a little clever tweaking with the levels here and there, your problem is solved.

For practicing at home, I plug this direct into my amp. For small gigs, i just run it into the system while in the DIRECT mode. For bigger gigs, however, I bring the amp along and mike it up.

Some of the reviews said that it sounded like crap. Bottom line is, if you have a crap guitar and can't play worth crap, your sound will be, well, crap! I play Les Pauls, and this little box shines.

Reliability: 9
As I have said, I gig with this, record, and just practice at home. It is a solid metal chasis, so unless there is nuclear holocost or something, it will survive. The only problem (electronical) I have had is the EDIT light coming on every now and a while. I have noticed that this does NOT change the sound, it just gets a little anoying. The floorboard you can buy with it is good, but a little slow switching effects. I use a korg MIDI floorboard, and it works just fine.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't dealt with the company, I never had to.

Overall Rating: 9
I play mostly the harder stuff, but the for the bands I gig with there are various styles. I play lead guitar, none of this rythem crap. I have been playing for a long time. I am no ametuer. I own Les Pauls, as I have said, and don't think I could bring myself to playing anything else. I comapred this to the Johnson J-station, V-amp, and the DigiTech Genisis. The POD came out on top, no questions asked. I love how easy it is to use. If you are looking for an excelent recording tool, or for live shows, I would say this is for you.

Submitted by Luke Snyder at 05/21/2003 07:36

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 7
For a device that tries to do so much in a relatively small unit, its fairly easy to use. The knobs all have a second function through the use of a "tap/hold" button, and there are quite a few knobs. Because there are a lot of knobs to play with, it can take a while to tweak your way to the sounds that you want...not something you could mess around with on stage, for example. The factory presets are all garbage.

The manual is a hype-fest of epic proportions, but manages to give you all the important information. You just have to supress your gag reflex as the author talks about how wonderful the POD is over and over again.

I use the 2.0 version.

Sound Quality: 7
I run very nice guitars through this thing. In my case, I bought it for direct recording and apartment-playing in an environment where high volumes are forbidden. I did not buy it to dress up a mediocre guitar to sound like a more expensive model. In any event, I use a Strat, Les Paul, Telecaster, etc. Good stuff.

I haven't noticed any more noise through the POD than I do through any other amp with a particular guitar. You still get 60 cycle hum with single coils, etc. More noise with high gain settings and so on. No surprises here.

The effects are inconsistent. Some (ambient reverb) are excellent while others (spring reverb, flange, chorus) are crap. Outside of reverb, I really don't use the built-in effects much. Controls for things like delay, for example, are incredibly difficult to mess with due to the fact that every knob on the POD has to have several functions.

I've run this through a Mesa/Boogie Rect-0-Verb amp just out of curiosity and found that its sound suffered tremendously compared to headphones. It just sounded completely emasculated, to be honest. I would never use this as a stompbox due to this phenomenon. Direct recording good, amp bad.

I've found it quite enjoyable to practice along with CD's using two sets of headphones...a pair of earbuds connected to my CD player with a set of high-end muffs connected to the POD over the top. It does a good job matching the tones on the recordings...of course, I'm not listening to these tones through a million dollar system. I haven't got the best ears in the world for tone, so if its close I'm happy.

One thing I've noticed about the POD is this: you MUST use good headphones for this thing. This is particularly true if you are looking for good bass response. Little Sony earbuds will give you terrible sound from the POD...all treble with no balls whatsoever. Invest in good headphones, however, and you will find the sound to be quite tasty.

I've found the the POD does distorted, high-gain sounds best and suffers on clean tones. In particular, the AC-30 models leave me cold. I haven't been able to find a setting that makes them sound good. Love the high-gain Soldano and Dumble settings as well as a mid-gain Fender Bassman model with my Telecaster.

Reliability: 7
Flakes out when you connect it to an amp. Very reliable when used for direct recording. I would never gig with this thing, however. Just use an amp and, if necessary, some stompboxes.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
This is a wonderful tool for practicing and home-recording. It models a lot of tones closely enough to satisfy me at a fair price. It is no substitute for the real deal, so I was shocked to read a studio engineer talking about musicians wanting to use this on their records. Hey, if you have access to a vintage Fender Twin Reverb, chuck the POD and use the real thing. If you spend a lot of time playing in your bedroom, however, the POD may just be the best investment you ever make.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/06/2003 13:20

Price Paid: US $200 used

Ease of Use: 7
Most of the built in patches sound great, and it's easy enough to navigate through them without the foot board (if not a little slow). Editing the basics of a patch is easy, really editing the effects all but requires the use of a computer and midi interface. That being said, the computer interface provides a huge array of tweaks that you can perform, and this is where the POD really shines.

The first version (the version I have)has the unfortunate circumstance of not being able to select half of the amp models without the computer interface.

Sound Quality: 8
For direct recording, I've never found a more useful or better sounding device. It's indispensible for my music. The ability to simulate the 20 or so amps and 20 or so amp cabinets provides an immense tonal range for the musician without the capitol to buy one or two of the real thing. Does it sound as good as the real thing? no, but at around $200 it's versatility more than makes up for it. It's shortcomming in my eyes(ears anyway) is in it's live application. Played through an amp (practice amp or gig tube amp) it just doesn't have the definition that it exhibits when direct recording. There is a switch near the outputs to change it from direct to amp mode (which shuts off the speaker cabinet emulation), but it's just not as lively or interesting fed through a real amp.

Recently I've been using the POD's software with bass and acoustic guitars to create patches for them, and I've had some great results. Most notably with the bass, you can accomplish some truly usefull and good sounding bass patches with a little editing.

Reliability: 8
It frequently freezes up when loading the midi control software for the first time... shut it off and turn it back on and it's fine. Other than that I've never had a single problem with it.

Customer Support: 9
Never dealt with them, thankfully. But, they have amp patches on their website, you know, sound like your favorite rocker with the touch of a button. That's downright generous of them.

Overall Rating: 9
This unit is the most versitile peice of equipment I own, and it's been in countless songs and produced some amazing tones. I'd recommend this to any budding guitarist looking to expand his/her possibilities.

I'd also highly highly recommend buying a midi interface cable ($30 or so) and using your computer to run the POD. The software is a little hard to figure out at first, but it gives you the ability to edit any facit of your POD's sound.

Submitted by WadeMS at 03/14/2003 09:12

Price Paid: US $250.00

Ease of Use: 9
The POD has knobs for every part of your sound that you may want to modify. This however can be tricky, adjusting everything just the way you want to sound may take time. However, There is no way around that aspect! This is as easy as I have seen as any pedal or "box I have used.

Sound Quality: 9
This sounds awesome (as good as one can get out of a "box" such as this). There is no way to knock this unit, unless of course you happen to have 36 new and vintage tube amps laying around your house! I play this through a 50 watt Marshall equipped with Celestions and it sounds amazing! The only downfall here being that it is not actually 36 tube amps.

Reliability: 10
I have yet to have a mechanical problem with my POD. The paint however may be another story. Two days after I got my POD I noticed two chips in the paint. This was no big deal since I'm playing live shows, which tend to focus around the sound of a band not the looks of their gear. This thing would still sound and work great if it looked like a piece of dung.

Customer Support: N/A
Never used customer support, will let you know when I do!

Overall Rating: 10
This is one fine piece of amp modeling arse! With the combination of choosing your amp (Fender, Mesa Boogie, Marshall, Roland,Dumble, to name a few), choosing your own effects (2 flangers, 2 chorus', tremolo, compressor, delay, which can all by customized), to choosing your own speaker cab (from fender tweed, to Marshall 4x12) There is no way I could not give this a ten!

Submitted by Nicholas Charles at 03/08/2003 09:41

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 8
If you Don't know what's in this, you shouldnt be reading these. go to line6.com and check it out.

Sound Quality: N/A
I have to admit the guitars i use aren't very nice at all but when you think about it, my review is perfect because people who buy this amp usually wouldn't have very nice guitars. I have a De Armond( the one that looks like an SG but is really modeled after a Gretsch) and a Fender amer stand strat( i have used it stock through this and with a hum bucker mod) I've used this through a PA and Let's just say... don't do it. It sounds better than a little 8" practice amp but doesn't compare to what it's trying to compete with. what everyone says about the channels is correct. They are thin. it's difficult to get that correct tone. To try and get a better sound i bought a mesa rectifier 4x12. It changed the sound magnificently. but still not close. Both of the rectifier channels on the pod don't sound so close. I stuck a sonic maximizer after the pod and it sounded like a very decent amp. But then I started using a friends mesa dual rectifier and lets just say i havent used my pod for more than the tuner. The reason why the mesa sounds so much better is because that is what we've been listening to all our lives. Distortion was sort of invented and needed to be tuned in a way that is was pleasing to the ear. Well the mesa rectifiers definately do that and that is why they sound so much better. We strive for a tone that we know.

what im trying to say is if you want a preamp (thats the only thing its good for) buy it because its cheap and fun to play around with. It definately beats some crate half stacks that ive heard. after days of dissappointment i finally realized that to even get a clear sound you have to turn off the cab simulator (i run it through the 4x12)

on a side note: in certain channels if you turn the mid knob around while holding the HOLD button you get delay. and in certain channels if you turn the bass knob while holding the HOLD button you get infinite delay. its useful in some applications.

Reliability: N/A
after 3 years it still works just a little paint chipped off which looks pretty cool because its grey underneath

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
i beat the hell out of my equipment. I mean I'm in a cover band that plays a frats. alcohol and keeping your equipment nice don't mix. this thing definately holds up to all rugged standards i have.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/04/2003 09:23

Price Paid: US $500+

Ease of Use: 9
pod pro. lots of editing can be done. (actually too much if you're the obsessive tinker-type). any preset can be made to sound better. remember it's all subjective. manual is ok. written by techs that think theyre funny cut-ups. i think they had a comedian come in and punch it up a bit...i guess it's the world we live in today...everybody thinks they're adam sandler. if we're gonna connect with the kids that buy the product, we better act like class clowns.
i've had it for about 2-3 years. tough to change certain features, because it requires two hands. i've learned to do it with one hand. in order to access certain features, you have to press and hold down the tap tempo, then while doing that turn/punch other knobs. if you have a guitar in one hand like i do, it's difficult. it's taken me a couple of years to get the most out of it.it's a slow process... i guess i'm a slow learner. while it has many applications to computer-midi, etc, i never use it for that. i paid the extra money for the pro to get the rackmount style. there is no way the kidney shape could be a handy-dandy form, at least not the way i have my "studio" set up.

Sound Quality: 8
i own the pod and the behringer v-amp-2. anybody that claims the vamp sounds as good is making an excuse for being a cheap bastard. they drive a rusty car and claim it's paid for...the only thing we know for sure is that its a rusty heap. don't listen to these people. pod is a matchless and v-amp is a crate. that's overstating it a bit but it's the same thought process. v-amp is ok for the money but so is a rogue amp. right? we all want to improve our tone, and in this case get a pod.
sound quality is excellent. it's in there...you just have to "dial" it in.
while it sounds ok out of the box, you can certainly tell the diff between recordings i did 3 years ago (when i bought it) and now. best sounds to my ear are the rock-blues, british hi gain, some of the clean sounds. a few are too thin, or too buzzy. even tho there are 32 amp models in here, many sound the same---or too close. i guess if i thought about it, that's the way real tube amps are as well: there are marshalls, fenders, soldanos, mesas, and then the rest are derivative of these...(if i left any original sounding amps out of this list, forgive me). the most annoying thing about the pod is the "3rd" ghost note you get when playing two strings..mostly when there is some gain/distortion involved. i';ve found it's in the lower registers and can be "dialed out" with the bass eq knob. it never goes away completely but can be minimalized. when you add drums and bass and vocals, etc, you can't hear it.
i just work around it. other's who have a certain personality, it will drive them crazy. some people will sell a car because it has a rattle in the dashboard. you say "hey steve, where's that cool car that ran so well...?" "oh it had a rattle so i sold it."
if you're recording at home, this pod is very close to sounding like a real amp. the thing to remember is the pod isn't a real replica of any exact amp. but you'll get a ballpark "marshall" and tweed sound that fits in the fender category.
but even if it doesn't sound exactly like your favorite amp, it does sound like an amp! the effects (chorus, flange, etc.) aren't that great. the delay is probably the best. the other effects are for special occasions anyway. definately can be overused and abused. rackmount effect units for reverb and such are better and i recommend getting one. high gain settings are noisy to an extent...just like amps, single coils suffer more, and humbuckers are pretty quiet. i've just purchased a carr amp for a gazillion dollars and while i haven't had long to record with it, i find it very hard to hear the difference on a cd. the diff is hearing it live. the carr is like cream and butter with the naked ear...but on a recording, in the mix, the diff is so minimal it's hard to justify spending the money on an amp. the pod has just enough truly usable sounds to justify it's price. it will do a marshall sound pretty well, voxac30, blues like clapton played with mayall...i can't find a decent srv on here...tweed is just kind of ratty.but it will do in a pinch. high gain is good. rectified is ok but could be better. i give an 8 in this category. i'm grading on a curve here. almost everything on this site is overrated with 10's. that tends to skew everthing else.

just like some people will pay $4000 for a matchless amp, and gladly, to get a better tone, i'll pay $500 for the pod pro...it's that much better than a v-amp. if you buy a v-amp, and then your buddy gets' a pod, you'll then wish you had your money back. why not get the pod now and make your buddy feel bad? it's much better that way!

Reliability: 10
works like a champ. and i hope i don't jinx it by stating that.

Customer Support: N/A
don't know, but customer support from car dealers to broken toasters to heating and cooling etc sucks. period. i don't know why line 6 would be any different. once in a great while i'll actually meet and talk to somebody that tries to help, but it's so rare i don't even care anymore. try and get some health insurance info sometime! i assume if i have a problem with the pod, i'll get the runaround-vague nonanswers...you know the drill. call me pessimistic. i'm 47, so don't kid me about customer support. everybody gets a "1".

Overall Rating: 9
bottom line: it is a lifesaver if you have anyone in your house that is bothered by a guitar amp.( AND I DO!) i would go crazy too, if i had to listen to me play the same riff over and over and over trying to get a good one on tape. going direct is a godsend. i've been playing about 30 years. ive' got a prs mccarty, melancon tele (good guitar by the way), guild starfire III (? without the bigsby, single cut), reverend with P-90's(a goofy-ass guitar that sounds real good), a carr imperial 4x10 amp, used to have a voxac15...schecter electric 12 string (another solid value at only $400),american deluxe fat strat. i play into a joemeek mic pre---art dmv pro effects rack ( a decent unit for the money-then you don't have to use the unusable effects from the pod)i would get another if lost or stolen, at least until something better came along. very versatile, can get many diff usable sounds for when i'm in diff moods. again, the best thing is it won't bother or wake up the dead (my wife...please don't wake her up!).

Submitted by tjl at 02/27/2003 19:06

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
I got one of the first POD's in 1999, so it's the 16 amp modeler. It's plenty versatile. I play Contemp. Christian, Rock, Blues, Funk, some country and pop. It has 15 effects + a bypass. Other features are a noise gate, tuner, multi-function tap button, and it's midi capable.

Sound Quality: 8
4 years of use should be enough time to give a fair review. I use a Fender American Standard Strat and an Ibanez AS-80 (335 copy) and it sounds pretty good on both guitars. For what it was designed to do, it sounds pretty good on some "amps", better on others, and lousy on some. In the beginning, I only recorded with it and have been very satisfied. Later, I took it to the church (where volume is critical) and ran direct to the PA using the stage monitors for my monitor. The clean sounds were OK, but the distorted sounds were like an old transistor radio with a busted speaker. So I ran the POD into a direct box which fixed the problem (more in a minute). To me, the best models include; 1)"POD clean" for basic generic sounds. That setting fattens up nicely with the more "Drive" you add. 2)"Tweed Blues" for the Fender Bassman sound, but any drive past 12 o'clock gets annoyingly fuzzy. 3)"Modern Class A" after a Matchless. Open, yet throaty sound. Great from no drive to max drive. 4)"Brit Hi Gain" after Marshall Plexi. Great distortion but never really cleans up with no drive (notice how important the "Drive" knob is?) 5)"Rectified" after Mesa-Boogie. Great wall of distortion, but not punchy enough for lead work. and 6)"Modern Hi Gain" after a Soldano. Great "midrangy" distortion that is punchy enough for lesd work. The other models are either too thin (POD Layer) or too bassy (Vox model) The effects sound just ok, the best being the compressor, chorus, tremelo, and delay. The combination delay effects aren't tweakable enough. The flangers are not subtle enough. For some reason, when I add chorus to a sound, the volume lowers a bit (???). Also when I change amp models in manual mode, the volume significantly lowers. I have to decrease the channel volume to turn it up, then it suddenly gets louder, then the channel volume acts properly. Every time! (???) I don't like the fact that the volumes vary greatly from amp to amp. Makes it hard for live work (even though I do use the FB-4 floor pedal). I recently decided to simplify my stage setup because we learn songs sometimes on the fly, and getting the right sound for the song takes too long. Too many options!!! I also got tired of taking the POD back and forth. So, I pulled out my old Crate amp and immediately noticed how much punch I'd been missing. Even though the POD sounded good thru the PA, it just didn't have the punch a speaker gives. I recommend not using it live, but you certainly can with reasonable success. Recording with it is a joy! It sounds much warmer than the Roland sounds that are in my BR-8 multitracker, and those are good, just brittle.

Reliability: 9
Mine is very dependable. It has never broken down. The tuner, however, was never very accurate. Especially on lower pitchs. It seems to have gotten worse over the 4 years I've owned it.

Customer Support: 8
I emailed them twice to find out about the channel volume quirk. I received quick, friendly response, but I still don't think they understood my question, so it wasn't properly answered. No other contact so I'll give an 8 for effort.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 30 years and have been thru more gear than I can remember. I'm stripped down to the aforementioned guitars plus a Jazz bass, a Fender acoustic, that Crate G120 amp that is well below my taste, but has served it's purpose (God, it's loud, though, for a little 1x12 combo), and recording gear. I've played everything but Classical (on guitar, anyway), professionally. If it were lost, I would get a higher level POD, probably. I did compare it to the Johnson box like a POD and believe the POD superior in every way. Good hard casing. I love the sheer number of quality sounds available. I hate nothing about it, but would like it to have a better tuner and more consistant amp volumes. If your looking for lots of good electric guitar sounds for a home recording setup, this is the deal. Get a real amp for playing live.

Submitted by nate at 02/22/2003 13:41

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 5
The box is crowded with knobs and little-bitty writing, which makes it something of a pain to figure out. The POD tries to do so many things at once that it demands a lot of manual-reading to get the whole story. Factory presets try to provide quick shots of tone, but almost all of them are lame, so you need to spend some time with the manual tweaking knobs.

The manual is written like a sales pitch, which is silly since you already bought the thing, but its informative about everything except for the MIDI applications. You absolutely must have the manual because only half of the amp models are written on the unit. The rest you have to look up.

Sound Quality: 7
Ah, the controversy...

I've had this for about a year now, and I've spent a lot of time playing through it in my apartment. I have a good selection of high-end guitars that I've been fortunate enough to own and play, so I've gotten a pretty good idea of what the POD can do.

First I'll explain the guitars I play:
-A 1999 Gibson Les Paul Standard
-A 1952 reissue Telecaster
-A 2002 Reverend Slingshot
-A 1993 Fender Mexican Strat

WHAT THE AMP DOES WELL:
-Even on high-gain emulations, its very quiet. The only real noise problems I've had to deal with have been with my Reverend. From what I've read, this is a problem with the pickups, not the POD.
-The range of amps that it models are very nice in terms of vintage/modern as well as hitting all of the higher end brands such as Soldano, Mesa/Boogie, Vox, Marshall, Fender, Budda, and Dumble.
-The high gain settings sound very good through headphones and do a decent job of modeling various amps and cabinets. The Mesa/Boogie model, for example, is fairly close to the one that I actually own.
-The ambient reverb for various cabinet models are quite nice. I love reverb, so this is a big plus for me.
-Various cabinet simulations make a significant difference in the sound. Whether or not this is purely accurate is beyond me because I've never had the pleasure of playing vintage 4x12 Marshal cabs. I liked what I heard.
-Different guitars sound better with different emulations. This seems good to me because it shows a certain amount of transparency. The Les Paul sounds best with ultra high-gain models while the Telecaster sounds best with the Fender Bassman and the Vox AC-30. The Reverend also seems to work best on the Bassman, although at lower gain settings.

WHERE THE POD FALLS SHORT
-Clean sounds are not good. Too thin and tends to be tinny. Only the Dumble sounds decent clean, but I've never been happy with it overall.
-Spring reverb modeling is terrible. It sounds way too "cave-y" and unpleasant. I tend to minimize reverb when using Fender models.
-Many of the built-in effects are weak and difficult to adjust, particularly the chorus and the flange. Delay is okay, but too tricky to adjust. Volume swell is the only effect that I've found particularly useful.
-Sounds like crap when run through an amp as a "stompbox." I use it only for direct recording and practice.

Overall: It's worth the price. It does what it should. It's not a stompbox for live playing. It's a damn good tool for practice, composition, and demo-recording at home.

Reliability: 8
No problems.

Customer Support: N/A
Never bothered.

Overall Rating: 8
I have not got a golden ear for music. I see this as an advantage because I don't need to play an authentic vintage Marshall stack to enjoy playing the guitar. I don't spend all my time finding fault with my gear and then bragging about how refined my tastes are. I like trashy distortion and trashy reverb. If it sounds close to the real thing, then my ears will accept it as the real thing. If you find the models so far from the real deal that its unlistenable, I pity you, because I've been enjoying the POD immensley.

This is no substitute for tube amps. I own two real tube amps, and they both have big bonuses over the POD. Of course, they were both more expensive than the POD. This is a compromise, but a nice one. Don't buy it expecting to replace your vintage Fender Bassman or your Marshall Plexi. If you suck without the POD, you'll suck with the POD. For 300 bucks, this thing is a nice deal. I like it. It sounds cool. For those of you with "oh-so-sensitive" ears for pitch and tone...I'm sorry.

Submitted by Mike George at 02/21/2003 12:54

Price Paid: US $250

Features: 9
Brand new 2.3 version of the POD fresh from Musician's Friend. I am plugging my Gibson Gothic Explorer into it, then into my computer for home recording.

About a month ago I was going to buy a POD, but instead I bought a Behringer V-AMP 2 and then a Digitech Genesis 3. Now I am finally back to a POD. This is my third purchase of the POD and I don't know why I ever got rid of it in the first place.

This thing is very convienient for me with home recording because it sits on my desk right in front of me. I tweak sounds and then can immediately hit "record" and get down to business.

I think the features are outstanding on this thing and with the 2.3 upgrade, they really improved on an already great product.

Sound Quality: 9
I like brutal distortion for most stuff I play, but it is nice to have other amps also. After owning both the Behringer V-AMP 2 and the Genesis 3 I can truly say that the POD blows them away as far as amp modeling goes. Anyone who tells you otherwise is "puffing the magic dragon".

The V-AMP 2 is good, but it and the Genesis cannot produce the "pushed cab" sound that the POD gets. The Modern High Gain and Rectified amps absolutely kill. Going through the presets, I enjoyed fiddling with every single amp.

I think the clean sounds are great on this thing. The Digitech Genesis 3 has better clean tones, but the POD's are good also. I also like the effects, but understand when people say that they are not real ambient and in your face. They still sound really good.

The noise gate is great. The V-AMP 2 was loud as hell next to my computer. With the POD I have been able to record right next to my computer with very minimal to almost no noise.

Reliability: 10
I have never had problems with PODs before and don't anticipate any now. I had problems with the Flextone amps, but never the PODs. These things are solid.

Customer Support: N/A
I don't think I would try to get a hold of these guys. The company is just too big. My POD is already upgraded to 2.3, but I heard they give free upgrade chips to people who need them. That is really cool I think. Their website is done very well.

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing for about 18 years and have owned alot of equipment. The POD is definitely worth the money and is an outstanding recording tool. I hear it works great live also. I need to try to play it through my power amp and cab to see how it sounds.

I'm not trying to rip on Behringer or Digitech, but if you like high gain amps and sounds, just buy a POD. I bought all three within the last month and ended up going back to the POD, which I have bought twice already!!! Save yourself the headaches. The POD was the first desktop modeler and is still the king.

Submitted by mike puskas at 02/20/2003 00:28

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Plenty of features, and easy to figure out. No need to go in-depth here.

Sound Quality: 6
I play this with a Gibson LP Standard through a Fender bass amp. The amp itself has a decent clean sound with a guitar, so it doesn't color the tone from the POD.

As others have said, this is really a practice amp. I played a couple of small gigs with it, one playing classic rock and some original stuff, and the other was mostly country. It was able to cover any tone the band needed, but not as well as I would have liked. Still, no one seemed to notice. The amp models are good enough for playing by yourself or with some friends, and the singer/rhythm player in my last band really liked its ability to dial in a tone that was really close to what he had in mind.

With that said, I'm still looking forward to the day I can afford a Plexi or JCM-800.

Reliability: 9
The knobs don't stay where you set them, but there aren't many to worry about. Also, the finish chips very easily. It never fails to turn on, though.

Customer Support: N/A
No need.

Overall Rating: 7
It was great when I was trying to figure out my sound. I was fluctuating between death metal and twangy country, plus everywhere between. I got really sick of playing country (I didn't like it that much to begin with) and now that I know EXACTLY what tone I want, I need a great amp that will nail it. The POD comes close, but no cigar. This unit impressed me at first, but I'm alot more sensitive to my sound now. The POD is well worth what I paid, which was a couple hundred if I recall. Buy it if you want a great practice amp, play in a band that has to switch between several diverse sounds, or are trying to figure out your own tone (it's much easier and cheaper to fiddle with this thing than to buy several tube amps). I'm glad I bought it, but it doesn't quite compare to the real thing.

Plus, I feel like I need to be playing through an amp that costs something close to what I paid for my guitar.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/16/2003 22:50

Price Paid: US $145 used

Ease of Use: 8
It's easy to use and edit. But controlling the effects is quite a hard.Because there is only effect tweak button ,sound from effects is never going to be what you would want to have.
Knobs are easy to use.
Manual is good,but MIDI section is not! It is written like every user would have basic aknowledge about MIDI devices.
Getting good sound of it is easy.But thing that really turns me off to this unit is that you can't dial those 16 extra amp models from POD itself..

Sound Quality: 8
*I'm using am.std.strato ´94 and keyboard amp.
*It's not noisy and noise gate really works surprisingly well.
*Amp models are quite good overall,there isn't much digital sound on it,but really comparing to tube amps,modelling will never be accurate,there is too much variables and things to get unit sound a tube amp.And you can't forget the thing that especially oldel players get part of their motivation from tube gear,and it would seriously affect their playing just to know that there is digital unit doing the sound even if the sound would be ok.
*But important thing is that you can get very usable sounds from it.
Overall sound is quite a trebly,too trebly with strat.I must alway turn tone knob to "0" when playin w bridge pickup.Then it sounds good.
*Tone controls DO NOT affect sound almost at all,i mean it's almost like joke!Any amp will respond way more when tweaking tone controls,with pod there is almost no change in sound.
*Tuner is crap,total crap,any multieffect unit has had better than this one.It does not track note at all,and is impossible to tune accurately with this thing.
*Amp models all have same problem..It's hard to get good clean sound or it's always very thinny.With Gt-3 it's opposite.
With distorted sounds ,sound is quite a good,but lower string playing always sound very mushu,fuzzy and unclear with this thing.
There lacks clarity and certain force from distortion.
But sounds are very usable and not sound digital.
Generally best modeled amp(pedal) models are rectifier,fuzz faze,black panel and marshall plexi.These have good dynamic range and volume control really affects to sound.Also soldano models are qood,but far away from accurate.
Jcm800-model is good,but lacks really much of the punch of the real amp. Ac30 models are not so good,sound is very cheap and fuzzy,no warmness of the real thing.LIne6 own models are actually best models in the category,they sound good clean and distorted and there are versalitiy in models.Unfortunately,overall sound of these models is quite a boring for long time playing.
*Effects are not so good compared to amp models.One big reason is that they sound all very digital "rack type" effects.Another reason is that there is no chances to tweak to sound,since there are no other control,than "effect tweak-button".
Reverb in this unit is average,spring reverb simulation is not so good,sound is very unclear especially with lot reverb using a'la black panel.No good surf sounds from here..
Delay sounds overly digital,but is good.Again,no tweakability.
Chorus sounds are pure rack stuff,faaar away from warm of ex. CE-2.
But still usable chorus sound is there.
Flanger is very dull and didital,far away from 70's jet swooshing,.
But again there is certain quality in this effect too,but digital.
Rotary speaker simulator is good,almost very good.It really has not typical digital sound and is very usable with all amp models.
ANother good effect is tremolo,which is not analog sounding at all,but smooth and nice. Compressor is average stuff..
Volume swell is really interesting and fun to play with.One of the pod's best part.
Getting sounds of familiar artists is very easy,BUT sound always will be only close call,not nearly a real thing.
One of the best things in this unit is that it's really quiet,and all of this thing reminds of studio quality.Not any of the effects or amp models sound cheap or processed.
For the price,pod sounds are absolutely fantastic.
Very usable,many many good sounds.

Reliability: 7
For home use this seems to be very reliable.For gigging,certain arrangements should be done or it would end like a catastrophe.
One of the funny things with this unit is that when input,output etc. are plugged pod takes quite a space since all the connections are different places in the unit and this is not good thing..that is the price of pod looking good.
Digital equipment usually can't use in cold,or places with humidity or vibration.Same is with pod,you must be careful if gigging with.
But overall i have always had feeling that it won't break suddendly as with using low price range zoom units had.

Customer Support: 9
Good website support

Overall Rating: 8
It is very very good unit and offers so much usable sounds,and it's definitely 10 time worth of one stompbox in case of offering good and usable sounds.It has many things that could be better and there are things that never can be done better.But pod is usable in home playing,recording and maybe even gigging.
Effects are not anything special,amp models are good,but tone controls are poor besides tuner.
It' is very handy and portable unit and build with quality.
When using it,it always had the feeling of quality.And it is definitely fun for home playing and exploring different types of amps.
Very good product.

Submitted by Jukka-Pekka Hietaniemi at 02/16/2003 08:30

Price Paid: US $200

Features: 6
You know what it has and does. I don't like the fact that you are so limited in how many effects you can turn on off in the same mode (tremolo/delay/flange/etc)- I have the big floorboard, and it's still pretty basic.

Sound Quality: 7
A bunch of pretty cool sounding presets. You can in fact recognize what actual tones they're trying to get at. For sitting at home in your room and screwing around, it's awesome- very flexible and lots of fun. For anything more than that, BUY A TUBE AMP. Why do you think they gear their entire marketing campaign at trying to convince you it sounds LIKE a tube amp? Why? Because tube amps simply sound better. Every sound you get out of this thing seems to have this digitally processed overtone that cannot be ignored. I've used the POD on it's Marshall presets, then I've plugged into my "real-life" 1987x and JCM800 amps, and believe me, there is NO comparison. I once tried to use the POD in practice- I stress ONCE. It absolutely sucked. But, for times when you don't need a pro-level sound, i.e. in the bedroom, this thing is top-notch.

Reliability: 7
Floorboard pedal just about unraveled itself on it's own. Had to take it apart and tighten every screw in it. But, apart from that, it just sits on top of my cabinet and does fine.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 7
Like I said, in the correct application (sitting at home), it rules. If I could have one amp that was for everything except rehearsal, studio use and playing live, it would be this. But, when push comes to shove and you need the real deal, I wouldn't be caught dead with this thing.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/14/2003 13:08

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 5
Lots of Bells and Whistles. They seem cool from a distance, but the closer you get, the less pretty they become -- owning one is kind of like waking up next to someone you thought was hot last night when you were intoxicated. Lots of effects that, frankly, are not particularly good. The tremolo is good, the reverse delay is cool. The reverbs all sound crappy. The choruses -- ehh. I will rate based on the quality of the features, not the quantity.

Sound Quality: 5
I've tried repeatedly to like this unit, but it just falls short of the mark for important situations. I want to like it -- it would be soooo convenient. I have tweaked and tweaked, but it still sounds like the Pod no matter what I do. Those of you who think this thing is ass-kicking cool, you've either never played through a good amp, have a hearing problem, or you wanted to like it even more than I did. You know -- like people who bought an Edsel and convinced themselves that they had a good car!

And as for my tweaking skills, while guitar is my main instrument, I am also a proficient keyboard player -- at one point, for a living, I taught people how to program their Korg M1s, O1/Ws, X-3s, DW8000s and so on. And I have picked apart synths, effects units, workstations, digital recorders, sequencers, samplers, software and so on from Roland, Korg, Alesis, Ensoniq, Yamaha, Akai... The Pod, in comparison, is actually quite simple. It just doesn't sound all that great no matter what you do to it.

In fairness, I do use mine for gigs when I'm hired as a keyboard player and just need to a play a bit of guitar on a few tracks. I also tend to use it for rehearsals into a PA. It makes any amp sound like crap. If you buy a footswitch, you'll learn that there is a nice long delay from the time you step on the switch to the time your sound actually changes...

Some of the clean tones are okay as long as you turn the reverb and effects off or use them sparingly. The high gain tones really leave alot to be desired. For the money, it's a decent piece of equipment, but you could also say that, for the money, a Kia is a decent car. It doesn't make it a ten, though.

People here need to stop over-rating this product and be realistic. I think what they are looking for here in a sound quality rating is... how good does it sound compared to everything that is available regardless of price? As opposed to how good does it sound in comparison to other shitty equipment. I guess compared to other shitty modeling devices, it would get a ten. But when the entire spectrum of gear that is available is added into the equation, I'd have to say that it barely gets a five -- and that's pushing it.

Reliability: 3
Doesn't handle vibration at all -- it will change channels and edit itself if you put it on top of anything that is resonating. Kind of shitty for stage use.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
I bought this when it first came out and have tried repeatedly to like it. While I don't HATE it, I have found it to be only somewhat useful. I do encourage people to own one -- it IS a good product for the money and is convenient in situations where bringing along a real amp is not practical, it just doesn't sound like a ten. It's more Beau Bridges than Bo Derek, if you know what I mean.

If it were lost or stolen, I don't think I'd miss it. If I did, I would just get the behringer, which sounds identical, for a third of the price. I would definitely not get a Pod pro, xt, flextone or a vetta --now you're getting basically the same product, just with more bells and whistles, but now into a price-range where you can truely find something that is a ten in terms of sound.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/10/2003 07:34

Price Paid: US $300.00

Ease of Use: 10
I am an intermediate beginner I've been playing for a few years on and off taking lessons and all. I had tried a few different amps and found that i liked too many styles of music to only have one amp and then found this little jem. it is extreamly easy to use. Trust me coming from a beginner, if i can figure it out you can. What makes it even easier to use, i download tones off the net and use thoes to start and tweek to get my own. i hook it up to my computer with the midi cables and you can see the dials on the screen move as you turn them on the pod. It comes with a manual but the only thing i use it for is to tell me what the different amps are (tweed blues = 59' bassman ect...)

Sound Quality: 10
This is the key to the success of using the pod. DON'T PLAY THROUGH A GUITAR AMP!!!! it will sound like crap. I play through a roland kc 100 keyboard amp. It's like playing through a small P.A. the tone is incredible. I like everything from classic rock to metal, and I also play with the church praise team. We play some progressive stuff but also need to play clean and quiet. It does it all. the effects are cool. I have experimented with them a little but usualy I just crank the drive and add alittle reverb. (spring reverb usualy you can change it if you like it's one of the options when you hook it up to the computer.) I play a US fender strat with 2 hot humbuckers (invader in the bridge and tone zone in the neck) with hybrid strings 10-52 sounds great. And I also have a 96" jap strat with texas specials great bell like tones when playing through thoes old classics like vox ac-30 or a fender deluxe or jc 120.

Reliability: 9
The only problem i have had is when I got a new computer with windows xp. The software was not totaly compatable but I managed to work around it. Now I am thinking of the bass pod and I don't know if I can work with both pods on the computer or not. But thats a problem for tech support. Who are great by the way.

Customer Support: 10
I have called there tech support alot, not because of problems just questions while doing research to buy the pod and my computer problem. They have always called back within 48 hours. Usually you can hold for about 10 min. and get right in. They have helped me imnensley. These guys are greate not like swr taking 2 weeks to awnser a simple e-mail.

Overall Rating: 10
If you only play one style of music and are going to set the amp to one setting and never touch it then go buy the amp suited for you. But if your like me and like everything then this is the amp for you. I can't say enough good things about this little wonder. If it were lost or stolen i would definitly buy it again, or mabe the pod pro. I have a friend who has the gt-6 and another with the vg-88 and they both do the same thing play through keyboard amps. Its the way to go.

Submitted by Dave at 01/20/2003 20:26

Price Paid: US used

Ease of Use: 9
I've owned my POD one to two years. I have found the sound driver software is not user friendly. I use the POD with the floorboard to adjust the sounds and it works pretty well. Patch editing is simple from the Pod itself. I always ignore the manual and do my own thing because I want to get my own sounds.I never went for the upgrade because the unit is fine for what it is.

Sound Quality: 7
I use one of two telecasters a Paul Reed Smith and a Eric Clapton Strat.Here's my beef you can't get a good clean sound. All the sounds are for light distortion to really hot distortion.Yes you can get a clean sound by turning down the guitar volume, but there's not much variety for those ultra clean fender sounds etc.Some of the higher gain settings are quite noisy, but the noise gate works really well to control this. I would never use this with a tube amp live. It doesn't really work for that in my opinion. A good tube amp sounds much better without it since it colors the sound of the amp.I really like the Fuzz Face. It sounds fairly close with more control of sustain tone etc than on an actual Fuzz Face. If you use the neck pickup of your guitar you can get that Eric Johnson tone. The effects are good but the spring reverb is disappointing.

Reliability: 9
I have had no problems with it. I wouldnt gig with it although I do always carry it as a backup incase my amp should ever crap out. I doesn't look road tough and I always pack it well.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never dealt with the company.

Overall Rating: 7
I play a wide variety of music from 40's to Country to Hard Rock and some Jazz. My original music is just as varied.I been playing for about 40 years, and still gig a few weekends a month year round.I may replace it but would probably shop around to find a unit with more clean sounds. The POD is my creative friend it helps me write music in different styles and I get different ideas from the wide range of sounds inside. Overall I like it. It is well woth the price, but you must consider it won't compete with something costing $1,000 or more. Also I feel that it may sound a little this compaired to an amp, however recording is an illusion. I've walked away from some of my recordings for a few days and came back and was really convinced that one could not tell if I was playing through a tube amp or not.

Submitted by rockdawg at 12/26/2002 14:53

Price Paid: 2400 (Finish marks)

Features: 8
Loads of options........study the manual.

Sound Quality: 2
This is the problem as I see it:
This thing has no playing dynamics at all. It doesn't "follow your hands" when you play through this thing.
If you have a chance to try one of the amps the POD is trying to emulate and then switch to the original amp you'll see what I mean.
There is no air in the sound...its pretty horrible actually.
And here is something they complitely overlloked:
The fact that all the different brands of tubes sound different. Lets take the Marshall JCM 800 Lead Series amplifier as an example. Those of you who have been playing for alonger period of time are probably familiar with this fact. If you were to put lets say JJ poweramp tubes and mix that with for example sovtek pre-amp tubes it sound one way, swap the JJ's for Svetlanas and the sovteks for goldendragons it will sound another way. The differences are small butt audible, especially if you have experienced ears like some players do (me for one). Same thing with the cab emulations........it just gives you an idea of what a real 4x12 cab sounds like.

Reliability: 8
only use it for practice....so idon't really know how much abuse it can take...but so far so good.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 3
More thing to be pissed of about:
The advertising for this thing is a bunch of hype.
The aplication this thing is ment for IMHO is this:
If you have to do a homerecording (a demo or just to record a riff for later use), you live in an apartment with paperthin walls, you don't have acces to a studio the next day where you could use a tube amp, and you absolutely have to use some device that plugs directly into your recorder. I personally would never use this thing for anything else than practicing at home, I would never take it to a gig and use it as a preamp or a "stompbox" type unit, there is other far superior stuff for that sort of use.
I do not really understand what has happened to peoples ideas of good tone lately. Partly it is the manufacturers fault that overhype their products. Adds like "a fullsized marshall stack in your 1x10" solidstate practice amp with this pedal"...oh please. If you want a halfstack sound buy the halfstack there is NO other way to achieve it....or get your AC30 sound from your pod - yeah right!
My advice to everyone out there: Buy a good, solid tube amp the really take you farther than you would think at first. Then when you have a good amp, then start adding effects that equal the quality of your amp (i don't use effects other than a wah-wah)...the foundations have to be in order. The bottom line is that good gear sounds good. If your gear is good and you still sound bad, blame yourself, not the gear.

Submitted by Björn Nyman at 12/09/2002 04:56

Price Paid: US $180.00 used

Ease of Use: 8
The POD is easier to use than a lot of boxes that do a lot less than the POD does. It's very easy to edit and save settings. All you have to do is get the sound you want and hit a couple of buttons and you're there.
The manual is an easy read that explains everthing very well. But if you don't "get it" read it again.
The POD isn't an instant "everything" unit out of the box. You really have to spend the time and tweek the knobs. If you work at it you can get almost any sound you want out of it.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a Texas Special Strat with a Duncan Hot Rail in the bridge position. I have a Carvin X60, Fender Princeton and an old Gretsch model 6161 for amps.
My POD was very quiet. The noise gate works very well and hushes everything down very nicely.
I have to say that my favorite amp model is the one based on the Marshall JCM800. It responds remarkably like the real thing. It cleans up so good when I pull the volume back on my guitar that I would swear it was the a real JCM800. And when you kick it wide open it sounds amazing.
When it comes to clean sounds the model based on the '59 Bassman is my choice. It sounds great for blues and even chicken pickin' country.
As far as the effects go I can't imagine them being any better in a box that sells at this price. Of course they don't have the controllability that dedicated effects units have but that should be expected.

Reliability: 10
It's built like a tank. I've had no problems yet but if I were to use it on a gig I would probably take my Carvin and my Lexicon just in case(you never know).

Customer Support: N/A
I've never dealt with Line 6.

Overall Rating: 10
I've played for 30 years and in that time I have played just about every kind of misic you could imagine. Right now I do a lot of blues and some country also but love to wail upon occasion.
The POD does a lot of different styles well if you're willing to spend the time to get the sounds you need. If you're lazy maybe you should just move on. I also have a Yamaha DG Stomp and it sounds pretty good but the POD still blows it away when it comes to getting the closest to a real tube amp feel.
If you buy this unit expecting to get a million dollars worth of real tube amps in a convenient little red box you will probably be disappointed. If you buy it and use it for what it "REALLY" is you're going to fall in love with the POD.
I've seen so many reviews that are nothing more than someone whining about how POD does NOT sound just like a $3000.00 boutique amp. DUHHH! It's a $250.00 box! Get over it!
When it comes to getting what you pay for I thing the Line 6 POD would be VERY hard to beat. If I could give this thing an 11 rating I would. It's that good.

Submitted by Steve Wright at 11/26/2002 09:31

Price Paid: US $599.99

Ease of Use: 8
a lot of hidden functions. READ THE MANUAL! it is a must to fully open up this things capabilities. this is not a plug in and play great tone device, it takes some serious tweaking to get what your looking for but once you get it you'll be very please with the tone.

Sound Quality: 10
this is where my story begins, in my quest for "the perfect tone" i have been thru numerious 4x12 cabs and finnally settle with Carvin Legacy cabs with vintage 30s. i run 4 cabs total, 2 per side. then for the poer to push these babys i have been thru 4 differnt marshall valvestates, a 1973 marshall mk2 super lead and have settle on a marshall el34 100/100 power amp. then for a preamp i have gone thru a korg ax1000, a digitech gsp legend,, and a digitech 2120 artist and thought i had it pretty much nailed. oh buy the way i play through a 83 gibson explorer and a 84 gibson v both with the original dirtyfingers pickups. the we hired a new guy and he came in with a power amp and this little red kidney bean looking thing and blew my tone away! so i went down and got the pod oro rack mounted and sit down for 2 hrs and congured up a lot of squealing noise and was ready to take this thing back when he walks in and said, "it will help if you turn the cab simulator off" and within 5 minutes had my tone righted and me smiling! NOTE: IF YOU ARE USING THIS LIVE THRU A POWER AMP TURN THE CAB SIMULATOR OFF! any who , im sitting there feeling like an idiot but he tells me that he has spend many an hour in front of this thing making very minute changes in setting to get what he was looking for. this thing takes time to find that "perfect tone", but once you do you will be pleased. my rig now is one of the best ive heard and the punch and air movement is second to none. i have yet to use it live where i can open this baby up , but when i do i will have no problems leaving the first couple of rows exiting with a good case of ear ringing! needless to say this is a good preamp at a good price, but dont expect to find your tone without working for it.

Reliability: N/A
have not used it long enough to really know but if it lasts like the rest of line 6's stuff it will be bullet proof

Customer Support: N/A
have never dealt with them so cant really say

Overall Rating: 10
we play 80's metal ie. priest, metallica, ozzy, black sabbath ect. and this thing hits it right on the head. it has bottom end that will shake the windows and highs that will blow them out. i have always heard that if you use a tube amp that you had to use a tube preamp and visa versa but i think i have got the best of both worlds. this preamp compliment my tube amp perfectly. REMEMBER: READ THE MANUAL AND FOR PLAYING LIVE TURN THAT DAMN CAB SIMULATOR OFF!

Submitted by MADAXE at 11/24/2002 06:50

Price Paid: US $250 "Guitar Cente"

Ease of Use: 10
This is one of the first POD's. I use it live and recording at home on Cubase VST. I have been in alot of mid level recording studios, where they always want a Marshall recorded dry with a SM-57 and a bunch of ambient mikes. Then the so called "pro engineer/producer" adds his Lexicons and so on to get the so called big time guitar sound. This to me is delusional and a huge waste of money. Most of the time your band spends about $20,000 and walks out with a mix on a CD. Only the big time studios/producer/engineers can help you, and that is if you are already signed. So yeah I use it live and at home to work up my songs, and I am saving my $20,000 to buy my own Pro Tools home recording situation where I can be in control and not at the mercy of some thief.

Sound Quality: 9
Better than the 80's stuff by far. This has every amp/combo you can imagine and if you get a midi pedal you can switch between them at will for home or live. Since it was only $250 and has all that why would I spend $3000 on a 3 channel "Soldano/Bogner/VHT"? If you end up in a mid level studio you can just use there Marshall, and be dominated by there engineer.

Reliability: 10
Nothing has gone wrong yet, and I do use it without a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
I havent had to call them, there website is very comprehensive, and has patches you either downloade or view!

Overall Rating: 10
Like I said these things are great, sorry to all of the studios out there trying to make a living. I would rather spend my money on something tangible ie: digital home recording, and processor's/plug-ins!

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/14/2002 10:53

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 5
Not gonna bother you know the features...

Sound Quality: 2
I engineer in a recording studio, as well as play guitar.I've played since '84 , and I would like to think that I know a good tone when I hear it.Despite my age I like lots of modern hi-gain tones as much as "vintage" ones.When you work on 200 to 250 rock sessions a year, using conventional methods of miking amps, and someone insists that you try this pod thing, at first you wanna go w/ what you know.It is hard to justify the risk of abandoning a tried and true method when clients are paying hourly.However, I feel you shouldn't be resistant to change or finding an easier, better way to achieve a desired result.So, we bought a pod to test on our own time.This thing immediately reminded me of an old Digitech gsp 21 (at least I think that was the model) that everyone was using in the late 80's.Maybe a step closer to the real deal (a miked amp), but not by much.I could still hear the buzzy top end on the saturated settings and just a general lack of balls across the board.I was fooled once by the first generations of amp sims, but now I think it's a little tougher, to pull the wool over my eyes.I remember hearing those 80's processors thinking "damn that sounds great!" until I figured out how to get the sounds these boxes were trying to emulate on tape using the real thing.Anyway enough said I think, one step closer but not there yet.
I would not have written any review at all if it wasn't for all the people saying that this thing is exactly like a tube amp (or 20 kinds of) miked.I will object to using it (unless it means a client walking out) just to save the studio's reputation.Everyone always asks a band where they did their recording, and I don't want anyone thinking that is a representation of our guitar sound.Maybe good for writing songs to a 4 track or a small PC for composing purposes but,not for you finished product.

Reliability: N/A
Never broken down, maybe use it live for clean tones?Probably not on second thought.Can't really be objective here.

Customer Support: N/A
Nver called line 6, but did download the software from website and ran it w/ no problems.

Overall Rating: 3
Good for maybe practicing or writing parts late at night.Would not want it to represent my sound .

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/07/2002 13:14

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 8
All the features you ever wanted. Lots of nice effects but not enough detailed control of the effects unless you use the software on the PC.

Sound Quality: 7
I play my Ibanez prestige, Tele, and Peavey Vandenberg on this and they all sound good. I don't say great because this IS a digital modeling amp with no speakers and, although the actual Line6 amps sound good, the sound of this POD through headphones is close but no cigar. It does, of course, offer a huge array of different amps models, which are close enough for home practice or tinkering on my computer.

Reliability: 10
This think has been a tank. It is made of steel and there are really no parts that don't appear to be extremely durable.

Customer Support: 10
When I first bought this, I spoke with a few guys at Line6 a couple of times. Once or twice about upgrades. They were always friendly and extremely helpful. Probably the best customer service I've received outside of a strip joint.;)

Overall Rating: 7
I have been playing for close to 20 years and I have a Fender Princeton Combo, several Ibanez RG's, a parts Tele, and a Customized Peavey Vandenberg. I've also had Marshalls, Mesa's, and Crate amps. This product is good, but doesn't have any good application for me at this point. I'm not recording and I have a practice amp. I loved the features and the ability to get close to a Soldano tone one earphones and a budget, but I just don't care to have all these extra amp models anymore. I can afford the real ones now. For those who can't, this is one of the best products out there.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/16/2002 22:58

Price Paid: 210 (Sterling)

Features: 8
POD version 2, bought six months ago from London England. I won't go into the features because they're fully illustrated here, and in great depth. Suffice to say the features are plenty for my needs. This review caters to those of you who would use your POD for home recording and practice primarily, as that is my use for my POD.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm currently using this with a Les Paul Standard, all stock strung with Blusteel 10-52's. I play primarily 80's rock and classic metal, with a touch of neo classical and blues. The guitar goes direct to POD, which goes direct to my G4 into Bias software, or simply into studio phones if practicing without recording.

I have yet to find anything wrong with this. I put off writing a review for months thinking I would find something wrong after reading all the reviews here at the time, but nope, not one thing wrong.

The sound is excellent, from crystal clear tones through to grind in your face distortion, its all here. I created a couple of my own presets based on the clean tone mark iic (clean) and a variation on the plexi and rectifier. Personally I think the tone is incredible. Through good quality headphones it cannot be beat.

Recorded, I am taken completely away. For testing purposes I recorded my own three guitar versions of Metallica's Fade to Black and Iron Maiden's Can I Play With Madness and I nailed the tones pretty much accurately. Not perfect, but you can't expect perfect! Definitely a close pass though.

Shaping your own tone is so easy with this unit, much easier than other such devices I've tried over the last ten years that claim to 'provide tube warmth'. On that note incidentally, no it doesn't 'sound like a tube amp' but my God does it sound good...definitely the best non-tube device I've ever used.

Reliability: 9
Built incredibly solid, as anyone who has handled it knows. Before I bought it I had doubts, thinking it looked cheap and tacky. But when the cold metal touches your hand and you feel the weight, you know its built well.

Just don't spill anything into it, or jump up and down on the dials.

Customer Support: N/A
Their support is supposed to be excellent...if you live in the US. In the UK things are harder to work through, but as I haven't had to go through anything with them yet (and don't anticipate having to) its all good.

Overall Rating: 10
26 and been playing for fourteen years now. I've been through so much equipment I can't begin to describe, though mostly BOSS and Roland gear. This POD will never replace a great tube amp, but it serves a purpose and does it incredibly well. I love my POD. For recording and practice at home you can't beat it. Just realize you don't want to take it live - buy a couple of good amps for live use.

Buy a POD. They're great for what they do, at a great price.

Submitted by Seth at 10/14/2002 10:18

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 7
Easy to use, just turn the knobs, but hard to remember the extra
unlabeled functions provided by using the "tap" button as a shift
key. I always press the wrong arrows to switch between patches;
I'm continually suprised when I press the up arrow and the active
patch indicator light moves down.

Sound Quality: 5
I use it mostly with an American Standard Strat with regular
old single coil pickups.

It it noisy? Rather. I'm not talking pickup hum or anything, I mean *noise*, sounds like digital quantization noise. It's more apparent on some models than on others, unfortunately my fav, Brit Class A, is among the noisiest. Running a higher level signal in moves the sound farther out of the noise, but that requires using a preamp between the guitar and the pod, and it
affect the drive settings you need. I was surpriesed to find
the POD has 20-bit D/A converters, they sound more like 16.
It's tolerable for live use, but pretty annoying for recording.

For some reason, it's hard for me to get a sound out of it
that doesn't sink to the bottom of a mix, even with the lows
cut out of the sound. It's possible, but it should be easier.
Beware of sounds that sound good in headphones, they can sound
trashy on monitors.

It does sound better than any of the software plugins I've tried,
which is why I keep it around.

Reliability: 10
Had it for 2 1/2 years for live and home studio use with no problems.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 5
Balanced outs are good.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/12/2002 14:20

Price Paid: 500 (canadian)

Ease of Use: 10
The sound is spectacular, there is nothing you would want more than a line 6 pod. It is great for creating music, the manual is very well explained, even I got the hang of the pod quite easily.

Sound Quality: 10
i use an esp h-100, with a marshall head,(original jmp 800 from 1976 tube head) the noise gate works very well. i can get the sound of anything i want, metallica, pantera, you name it.

Reliability: 10
its very dependable, i cant think of anything better, i would use it on a gig without backup fo sho!

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
just amazing, this is a breakthrough in guitar history.

Submitted by Simon Harker at 10/07/2002 19:37

Price Paid: US $250

Ease of Use: 9
The POD, along with all of Line6's gear, is quite easy to get around in. I guess someone unfamiliar with digital technology might be intimidated at first, but I find this to be much easier to use than rackmount digital preamps (meaning, no annoying menu scrolling).

Sound Quality: 10
Ah yes, the subject than can start a veritable war.

Many people find the POD to be very lacking in sound quality. I don't see why, because this box is able to provide all the tones I want to have. I've got my metal tone, my classic rock tone, and various clean tones all there at my fingertips. It's personal taste, I know, but I think many of the people that are diehard tube amp fans don't give it enough of a chance. Like it's been said, these are not perfect models, but that's fine by me, because it sounds damn good to my ears. Many people that hear me play simply can't believe I'm getting the tones that I am out this unit.

Reliability: 10
I'll tell you this much; this poor POD has been through hell and back with me, and it has yet to crap out on me at all. Good sturdy jacks and the metal chassis are a definite plus.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't had to deal with Line6 yet, although I've heard from many people they can be pretty elusive.

Overall Rating: 10
I am a metal guitarist more than anything (played for 6 years), but I also enjoy having many different tones to choose from. And the POD is able to do this, rather than the one-dimensional and very fussy Marshall JCM900 I used to own. Despite everything good about it, this unit is not for everyone, and that is understandable. But if you, like most of us out there, don't have the money to purchase an arsenal of various tube amps and maintain them, then this is a good box for you.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/06/2002 15:46

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
where can i start? this thing is not like any other modeler, it is so simple to use. it opperates pretty much like any standard amp. line 6 did a great job not making this complicated. this helps you get away from the idea that it's a modeler and into the mind set that its just like any old amp.

Sound Quality: 10
wish i could give it higher than a 10, but i cant. i can't believe that one guy was disappointed that there a setting that's like his practice amp! line 6 cant put every amp in exsistance on here. it could use a 5150 though. the amps it does have are outstanding, the black pannel is completely awesome. it is the warmest modeler i have ever heard, doesnt have that cold, computer feeling to it. i run it through the poweramp of my fender princeton 112 (i use it as a head), and the dyna touch circuitry adds that tube feeling most others lack. i was in awe a how great it sounded direct, words can't explain it.

Reliability: 10
i would never play a gig without it. i play in an indie/emo rock kind of band (im also really into blues and classic rock, the guitar sound in those genre's beats anything) and needed something that would give me nice tube amp sounds and would last a long time playing at least 5-10 gigs a month, and this has proved to be the answer. i've had it for about 7 months now and i still works great.

Customer Support: N/A
never had to deal with them, this thing wont break. i've heard good things though.

Overall Rating: 10
i think people that dont like this just arent giving it the chance it deserves. if it was stolen, would i buy another? most deffinately. the pod is just so accurate and can be used in any situation that its hard not to love. a little tip, try it in a live situation through your current amp's power amp, a lot of people overlook this... but it is something to look in to.

Submitted by ryan at 08/29/2002 10:11

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 9
This is a 2001 POD Version 2.2. I bought it September 2001, and it is now July 2002. And I payed $200 used on eBay for it. I play extreme Metal ala Morbid Angel with a sense of melody like Iced Earth/Metallica. My style is based primarily on heavy riffing and tight rhythms. Yes, I do solo too. I think we all know the features in the POD, so I'll spare you guys and gals all that.

I think the headphones sound pretty good, especially if you add a bit of chorus to the distortion sounds, so the sound is coming through both sides, as if it were double tracked panned hard left/right.

I use the POD everywhere. Through my main rig (Crate 120 watt head power a Marshall 2X12 cab, using the effects return), through my old Peavey Classic Chorus 2X12 combo amp, through my little Peavey Rage, through my ghetto blaster, and through my stereo system. But the POD shines the best through a recorder. My guitars on my band's new CD were all done using the POD direct, no amp was used and no mic's were used either. Everytime I listen to the rough mix of the new album, I am happier and happier with the tones. The rhythm sparkles and is tight and clear and has some great mids. The solo sound cuts right through the mix and is creamy, and the clean sounds did me just fine, but I am not a real expert on clean sounds. I even did a third clean track to one of the new tunes with the TREMELO effect on, and it sounds so killer.

I was sick of doing a tap-dance on stage and at practices with a bunch of pedals, so I bought the POD. I tried one out for fun a couple of years back and was pretty impressed, but I was a real 'no effects processor/digital sim' guy. I hated the POD when I first got it, I wanted to sell it, but I was encouraged by a fellow guitar player whose tone was awesome (he had the Line 6 Flextone Head), so I stuck with it, and I am so glad I did.

The secrets to the POD are these two things: First: be patient, tweak like a madman, try everything you can. Different cabs, wild EQ settings, DIRECT or AMP, try, try, try. Secondly: have a bank set up just for the particulat amp you will be using then. I have seperate banks for my live/rehearsal rig, my bedroom practice rig, and recording. The POD sounds great through what I have it set up for, but sounds horible and muddy through another. You have to set it up to perform the best for any particular setting.

I wish the compression was on a knob as well, like the reverb and effect tweak knobs. I want to be able to compress a clean sound with chorus as well. I wish you could have different effects together at the same time as well, similar to the compression thing. Why not 5 at a time, which is pretty standard. I wish the Marshall cabs sounded more clear, and had more real Marshall bite. I mean, they do sound kind of like a Marshall, but I don't really find them usuable with any amps other than the Marshall amps on the POD.

This thing is worth the money with the Soldano sim, the X88R. Boy, is it scary godlike! Lots of mids, bite, tightness, crunch and note definition. I use it for all my highly distorted tones. I cannot say enough about the Soldano X88R sim. The Rectifier is muddy, the Line 6 is unfocused and midless, and the Marshall JCM 800 could use about 30% more gain - if it had that, it would be godlike too.

Sound Quality: 9
I use an Ibanez RG 550 from 1987 with great stock pickups, tuned to D (all stings down, not that dropped D garbage), with heavy strings (.12-.52). Since my style is Metal with tight tight rhythms ala Metallica/Fear Factory/Meshuggah, I have the noise gate set up pretty high, and it works great! Very intelligent gate, lets me do volume swells. With the gate set up correctly, I NEVER get feedback, and I'll tell you, I hate feedback more than you'll ever know. It's also whisper quiet, even at loud rehearsal/gig volume. I get a fantastic crunch rhythm tone (with a hint of compression), a pretty amazing slightly distorted clean tone with chorus and delay and reverb, and a lead tone with delay and reverb that cuts through a noisy band full of 5 string fretless bass and machine gun kick drums.

I mean, the tones don't make me 100% happy, but after 11 years, I still haven't been completly satisfied yet, I am still searching. I have owned Peavey's, a Marshall Valvestae Head, a 5150 Head, a Crate Head (best head I have owned yet), and lots of others, and overall, the POD is best. The POD shines through my live rig bypassing the eq and preamps, just using the poweramp of the Crate Head and my Marshall 2X12 cab. And I can switch tones with my FB4 Footswitch easily and quickly. There IS a delay changing presets, no matter what anyone says, but you just get used to pressing the footswitch a touch earlier than you would with a regular amp. And going direct to the PA with the right output, while the left output feeds my rig?" Godlike.

Reliability: 9
Never EVER gig without a backup! If my POD goes down, I can plug right into my Crate head and hook up one of my old Yamaha noise gates and I can get through a gig no worries. No problems yet........

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with them, I just go to POD forums for answers.

Overall Rating: 9
11 years and counting for me. I also have a Yamamha RGX 721 electric as well. I own lots of other amps to, mainly by Peavey, cause they are so releiable. If it was lost or stolen, I would definately buy another POD, it's a miracle worker. I wish it had 2 more outputs, and 24 bit converters and 44.1 sampling. Also I wish it had more cabinet simulators, especially more 4X12 ones (Mesa/Peavey/Line 6/Carvin etc...) and more amp sim's (Mesa/5150/Carvin/Crate/....)

Overall, POD is great, and don't compare it to the other amps, just tweak the tones YOU WANT, NEED and USE. It's all about what sounds good for what you need it for.

Submitted by Dale Lyons at 07/30/2002 09:58

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 8
the pod is deep. maybe too deep for the few knobs on the unit. i hate having to hold the tap button to access 2nd functions. having said that, i still feel this unit is pretty good at what it does.

Sound Quality: 10
i have tried the pod with several good guitars and i really like the tone i can get. i upgraded to version 2.3 (for free) and it made a big difference. the first problem most people have is getting that glassy clean. if you play a guitar with hot humbuckers, you will need to reduce the drive control on all clean presets. i found the layer preset to be the best for dream theatre type clean sounds. reduce the gain and this thing is beautiful. i played the preamp live thru monitors and p.a. and it toasted my old rig. i have several presets set up for use either live or studio. for studio use, i like to double all of my guitar tracks using a marshall preset then a mesa boogie rectifier preset. the line 6 insane preset can get the 5150 feel down pretty good. there are tons of presets available from other users, should you need the help. this thing has all of the distortion that you could ever need. plenty of in-between distortions also.

Reliability: 9
my pod looks war damaged. been thru hell with no problems. i really should buy a case for this thing.

Customer Support: 10
i called them for a 2.3 chip upgrade. i was on hold for 2 minutes. i was given the option via computer voice to have a call back instead of holding. i chose that option. i was called within 15 minutes. very friendly guy talked to me, answered all questions, sent chip with instructions for free.

Overall Rating: 9
i've been playing for over 20 years. i am a shredi master. i have recorded many cd's for several people and i consider the pod v2.3 i great tool for any use. i would run to buy another one if stolen. i compared it to all other amp modelers and found it warmer, more realistic.

Submitted by http://www.silentfear.com at 07/29/2002 11:22

Price Paid: 199 (£)

Ease of Use: 8
You all know the features, very easy to use - the only problem being the use of the shift button to access all the models/effects.

Sound Quality: 6
Here's where the debate really rages!! Reading through a few articles it really is a love/hate thing - I'm now going to break that rule by saying I like it!! I was really against this sort of thing before I got it but it has slowly convinced me that it was worth the money - I solely use it for recording into my eight track/pc and it really works well for this sort of work, I also only ever use good quality headphones with it - using it through a guitar amp is pointless as the finer points of the model get lost and the cab simulation becomes redundant - through a mixer/pa is better but I wouldn't want to use it in any sort of live situation.

Onto the sounds - first thing to remember is the models DO NOT match the amps they're supposed too. Then again my Classic 30 doesn't match a Vox but still sounds damn good - and thats my point, they're are lots of good sounds in here, just don't expect them to be exact matches.

Of all the sounds on offer the clean sounds are bad (either almost unusable or sound just like the guitar being played straight to headphones), the warm overdrives and distortions are okay to good but I found the distortions/hi gains/fuzzes to be really poor as well - it tends to become too fizzy or too muddy and needs a little work to get right (humbuckers are a right pain - my Tele seemed a lot better).

The second point is the sounds really lack depth and sometimes dynamacism compared to a real amp - some sounds seem wafer thin and picking/solos really don't work at all through this unit - it's a rhythm players tool. It doesn't provide enough gain on a single note to solo with which is presumably a nuance of the modelling technique.

Reliability: 7
Not broken it yet though to be fair it's pretty much been plonked in a corner and not moved.

Customer Support: 10
This is where line 6 win - good website and excellent customer services.... Are you listening Fender???

Overall Rating: 6
I'm glad I bought it and for quick practice/getting ideas down it's good but it does have some quite severe limitations - it's solely a rhythm players tool and won't give any sort of screaming/searing tone.

The key thing to remember is - if you can afford an original vintage amp then go buy one and don't waste time slagging this box off, if you want a good recording aid with a few nice tones in it buy this. It's the best modeller around but please try thoroughly (ie through an amp/recorder/headphones over all models and try all your styles of playing) before buying but more people will be happy than dissapointed.

Submitted by Jon B at 07/24/2002 05:25

Price Paid: US $249

Ease of Use: 8
The current POD ver2.3 is quite easy to use, although some of the parameters require pressing 2 buttons in order to edit. Because it's laid out like an amp, you don't have to scroll thru a bunch of different menus. Just turn the knob and you're done. For some of the hidden parameters you will have to hold the tap button down while simultaneously turning the particular editing knob. This can be rather combersome. The manual is a must to find out the various parameters. The manual is interesting and helpful, but I've yet to see the ideal manual.

Sound Quality: 9
While the POD was designed for recording, it can be used live as an amp substitute. I go right into a mixing board & then thru a power amp. Unless you A/B it with the amp it's modeling you can get some pretty good simulations even at low volume levels. Good for preserving the hearing. I've heard that at concert levels all of these amp simulators crap out, but it still sounds pretty good to me. You can use effcts pedals with it just like an amp. I use a tube screamer in front of the POD to get some extra gain. If the gain in the patch is set too high it will reduce the effectiveness of the tube screamer.
I like the effects that are incorporated in the POD, but it's pretty hard to set the delay time unless you use your computer & the included sound diver software. Also, I've seen more effective compressor effects. Since it was designed for the studio, the POD is very quiet. You can get that high powered amp gain hiss ala Robin Trower by turning off the noise suppressor, but who wants to.
If the gain settings are carefully tweaked you can get some terrific responsiveness to picking dynamics; very amp like.
Interstingly the newer PODs seem to have noticebly less output than the earlier versions (about 30% less), even though I upgraded to ver 2.0.

Reliability: 10
I have never had a problem with my POD. I did get a second one for use as a back up. Gee, imagine lugging around two or three amps as backups. I wouldn't go to any gig without backing up everything. This makes it quite easy to back up your amp.

Customer Support: 1
Ah, the one sticking point. I've tried emailing, faxing, bullatin boarding, and attempting the fateful phone call without success. If I were in trouble with my equipment, I'm afraid to think what I would do to get it straightened out.

Overall Rating: 7
To summarize, the POD is a versitile good sounding guitar amp simulator. The amp tones are very recognizable giving a good impression of the amps it's supposed to be simulating. That is the Fender model sounds Fenderlike, the Marshall sounds like a Marshall,etc. It is the standard to which all of the other amp modelers are compared to, to me it still has the best tone. I would get another (I already did) if lost. I was very disappointed by the customer support. This fact alone altered my rating.

Submitted by Larry at 07/23/2002 21:21

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 10
It's a million amps in one with some pretty standard effects: delay, chorus, flanger, compressor, and combinations of effects. It's got knobs and is simple for anyone with half a brain. Press&hold a button and the knob doubles as a switch type thing.

Sound Quality: 6
Strat with lace sensors (noiseless (sort of) single coils).
No pedals in use with it. Anyway, I've been playing for about 5 years, and I've been looking at getting a big, great sounding 'real' amp for a while. I played through a 63 vibroverb and it was stunning; you just plugged in, and had a hard time playing a bad sounding note. But the pod was a struggle to get a good tone from. I tried it through nice headphones, through a hifi, and through an amp, and it didn't help much. I don't really know what each particular amp is supposed to sound like, cause I'm 16, but none of them was a patch on the vibroverb, or even the peavey practice amp I've got. It was a bit of an impulse buy which I'm regretting.
The rectifier/solando type settings get muddy when the gain is up high; palm mutey stuff sounds pretty weak. Low gain stuff sounds pretty weak too. The chorus and chorus/delay effects were really good though; it sort of masked the crapness of the rest of it.

Reliability: 6
I got one and it dicked around with the patches, like it would change them. So I got it replaced with another one, which has worked perfectly. It also worked in the store when I took it in (embarrasing) so I think it was a dodgy transformer, and the power in my street is just a little bit too low voltage wise.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with line 6

Overall Rating: 6
As I said, I was looking for a real amp, which the Pod isn't. The pod is a million fake amps. I thought it would save heaps of money by having one nice convenient box which sounded close enough to a few amps, rather than spend ten times as much on those few amps. It didn't sound close enough. It's a good idea, but for my practical purposes, it's a gimmick. I got lured in by 'super new dsp high-tech sampling rates digital-modelling sounds like the real thing fine tuned audio equasions and crap like that' marketing hype.
Mind you, everything I tested it with was solid state; it would probably be better through a marshall 9200 or mesa 50/50 or something like that; then again, so would a good, real, tube amp with quality speakers.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/19/2002 01:29

Price Paid: N/A used

Ease of Use: 8
After you get used to POD, it isn't difficult what you want....I haven't tried the MIDI thing yet though....

Sound Quality: 9
Well, there are several amp models that can make your guitar sound good. I like POD clean, Black panel for clean sounds and Britt hi gain, Rectified and Modern Higain for distortorted sounds. I like delay of POD, that's the effect I use the most, and Reverb, also Chorus...I don't have much use for flanger but I have tried it and for you who use it I I guess you can be satisfied with the flanger sound you get out of this little box.

Reliability: 9
I have used, and would use it without backup.

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed it.

Overall Rating: 10

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/16/2002 14:38

Price Paid: US $299 (plus $80 for the 4 button footswitch)

Features: 8
POD 2.0 version. Purchased Dec'01. The features have been pretty well covered, so look below or go check out www.line6.com. I give it an 8 just because nothing is perfect. The amp models sound fairly nice. Some of the effects are decent, some are just wierd and crappy.

Sound Quality: 8
I play the POD through a mixing board and through a keyboard amp (good for uncolored sound). I use my main guitar with it, which is a Heritage H-150CM* . I like this little thing a lot. I am thinking of assembling a live Rig using the POD Pro and a Mesa/Boogie all tube Power amp.

First off, I really can't say how authentic the models are, as I have not done a side by side comparison. I can say that it gets me the sounds I want. Tube amps may sound superiour, but they are such a pain in the ass that I can give up the tube amp sound in favor of something smaller, lighter, CHEAPER, and a hell of a lot more versitile. Sure, the POD isn't perfect, and neither are its models. BUT, it gets me the sounds I want in a small package and and even smaller price. I can get warm OR sparkling cleans, SHARP or warm overdrive, and a Brutal Disortion that is to die for (at least on some of the models). My favorite models are those that were modeled after the Dual Rectifier, Soldano, and Marshall amps. I use all those for my overdrive/distortion sounds, and use the tube pre-amp and some sort of fender model (forgot which one) for my clean sounds. My favorite cab models are among the 4x12's (for distortion) and 1x12 and 2x12 (for clean). I never really bothered to check which Cabs my favorite ones were modeled after.

Again, this is a great tone maker. It is good for home studio use and live use. For an advanced home or professional studio, or an advanced guitar rig, I would suggest the POD Pro. Right now I am using it to get the sounds I want till my budget permits the purchase of the real thing. Once I have the cash, I think I will stick witht the separate preamp/poweramp setup and get a Rectifier Pre-Amp, the Marshall JMP1 preamp, and a suitable mid-sized power amp. Most likely I will also toss in a POD Pro for added versatility.

Reliability: 10
I would definately say that it is dependable. It is very sturdy and has a heavy-duty metal shell. The optional 4 button footswitch that I purchased is also solid as a rock. Both get tossed around the trunk of my car with no protection and never fail to perform. Added props go to the sturdy footswitch because I am a big guy and slam the hell out of it and it is holding up awesomely. It doesn't even have a scratch.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to deal with them in person. Their site is really handy though. Check it out for specs on their products and resources to help you get the most out of your products...or...just visit it to keep you from being bored for a little while.

Overall Rating: 9
Overall, I think the POD is great. I can get good sounds out of a compact, inexpensive piece of gear. Pros and bar regulars alike are singing it's praises. For the money, it is great. The footswitch and footcontroller could both be a little cheaper (especially the 4 button footswitch) but even they are reasonable priced. Also, a studid and useless piece of information is that the sitckers they give you are pretty nifty! LOL :o) Bottom Line: Whether you should buy this or not is your opinion/decision, but I can say this....You at least owe it to yourself to give it a try. Spend some time with it before you decide if it is right for you. And, even if you dont decide to buy it, spend time checking it out before you bash it.

Submitted by Brad at 07/08/2002 00:58

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 6
Hmm... only liked the JCM800, Soldano and Blackface sims. Headphone jack is voiced otherwise than the line-outs.
I didn't like the FX much. I tested it in a pro-studio (with Apogee converters, ProTools TDM, Genelec 1031 monitoring) and THEN it sounded nice, but when playing in the store with MY guitar, headphones etc. THE POD SOUNDS WAY TOO MUDDY! Frankly, I've heard several people here say with their glowing reviews, stuff like:"If you can't get a great sound of it, then it's your fault." or "I'm not impressed by people that are dodging the POD."

WELL, I'm not impressed by the POD itself. And
1)I know what a good tone is
2)I have tried the J-Station, Digitech Genesis 3 and GNX1 and they all sound better and more accurate.
Why? Because the POD has 20bit AD/DA converters, and 31.250Hz sampling rate. The others have 24bit converters and 44.1kHz sampling rate. THIS MATTERS A LOT!
I wouldn't even want to try it live. I've played on the Flextone II combo, and although the sounds by themselves sound nice, they 'drown' when playing with a full band.

Oh another big issue: the knobs mostly don't work for 60% or so, meaning: when you grab the bass-knob, put it on '0', and bringing it up to 10, you will hear almost no difference between 0 and 6. The whole bass-range sits between 6 and 10. Ditto with mid and treble. Drive is the other way around. 0 to 4 does it all, and after 4 there's little to be 'gained' (pun intended)

Sound Quality: 6
Ibanez S540 FM TTS, humbuckers AND singlecoil. POD didn't respond too well to lowering the guitar's volume. POD sounds muddy to me (Digitech GEnesis 3 is WAYYYY cleaner and better). POD seems better suited for 'dirty' vintage overdrive/crunch-sounds. You can't get a totally clean (JC-120 type clean) sound from a POD.
The only amp-sim that stands out above its competition is the Mod HiGain (Soldano XR88).

The POD makes most guitars sound a like. J Station and Genesis 3 respond way better to a guitar's OWN sound.

I would maybe use it in a home-studio, when it would cost around $150 (like the Behringer V-amp2, which has several edges over the POD: LED-rings, ENGL Savage-pre, aux in), but I'm going with a Digitech Genesis 3. I play 80's metal, 70's rock, 60's surf and some blues and funk, and like I said: for surf the Blackface model is nice, and for metal the Mod Higain...but for instance the Vox AC30... COME ON!!!

Reliability: 9
it does look and feel a lot more reliable than J Station, Genesis 3, and V-amp2. Thick metal casing. Nice.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 6
I have been playing for 10 years, have played on several quality tube amps (Fender Deluxe, Marshall JCM2000 TSL 122, ENGL Savage Spec. Edt (RULES THE SHIT! BEST AMP EVER!), Mesa Boogie Mark IV, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, Rivera Knucklehead 55W, Hughes and Kettner Duotone (sucked!), and yes I have calculated the fact that a $300 device cannot fully imitate a $2000 amp. But how come his cheaper competition does a better job at this? Not to mention providing digital outputs (Genesis 3, J -Station), Warp-function and studio quality fx (Genesis 3).

My objective was to find a suitable desktop-unit, for home-recording, with which I could emulate nice amp sounds. I don't care if it emulates the 100% perfect, I care if it has the sounds I like. And the POD just sounds way to muddy to my ears.

I wish it had:
-better effects
-digital out (yes, POD Pro has it, but $700?!?! No way!)
-better converters
-less brainwashed users ;-)

Submitted by Speeddemon at 06/28/2002 06:13

Price Paid: US $300.00

Ease of Use: 9
I've been involved in playing and recording music since the mid-1980's. I've owned tons of different guitars, FX and studio equipment. I find my POD 2.0 very easy to use. In fact, I was working with it for two weeks before I even opened the manual. The key to getting a good sound seems to be hooking it up properly depending upon your situation. I get sounds out of this thing that I haven't been able to reproduce in the past. Good sounds, quality sounds. I don't know what all the "POD bashing" is about. I've owned Mesa Boogies, Soldanos, Marshalls and the like. Let me tell you - this is an excellent piece of technology at a very affordable price.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using a POD 2.0 purely as a direct-box for a digital audio workstation using Cakewalk's Sonar 2. I've "front-ended" the PC with a 16 channel Carvin mixing console and several pieces of outboard gear. My reference monitors are a pair of Yamaha MSP5s. Why am I telling you all this? Well, from what I've read, POD sems better suited to "direct box" type of use than as an PX platform for live performances. I can pretty much buy whatever gear I want to, and the POD is the only guitar FX processor in my arsenal. It's that good people.

Reliability: 9
I've never taken my POD out of my studio, so I can't comment on its' reliability. It does, however, seem like it's very durable. It reminds me of the old BOSS FX pedals. You know, the kinds of metal cases that you could toss out of your car going 50mph and it would still work.

Customer Support: 9
Never dealty with POD, though have been on their web site a few times. I have had some trouble getting their MIDI-based editing software to work properly, but I think it's more an issue with the MIDI interfaces in my digital audio workstation. I also own a Bass POD, which I purchased because I was so pleased with the POD 2.0.

Overall Rating: 9
I do all kinds of recording and post production in my home studio. Two-track archiving and restoration from all types of sources, multi-track recording of original material, and full motion video editing and distribution on DVD. Whenever my guitars get involved in these things, the POD serves me very well with quality sounds. My only suggestion for Line6 would be to add some additional clean sounds in future versions of the software. The distorted, overdriven and rectified sounds are awesome, but there are fewer outstanding clean sounds. Could use a few more.

Submitted by Robb Edwards at 06/15/2002 07:38

Price Paid: US $200 used

Ease of Use: 9
Very easy to use.

Sound Quality: 3
Sorry guys but this sucks if you are trying to create real music. It is fine to use if you are just laying down tracks during the songwriting process, but that is it. There is no substitute for placing a quality mic in front of a high quality tube amp like marshall, soldano, riveral or fender.

I find that the guitars sound extremely thin and chessy.

Reliability: 10
Hasn't broken yet.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't tried.

Overall Rating: 5
great for practive, sucks if you want to make quality music.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/21/2002 12:26

Price Paid: 320 (Euro)

Features: 6
Bought mine a few years ago. Sorry, I'm not going to give a detailed description of the features. Take a look at the other reviews or www.line6.com
If you have just tried a POD at your local GuitarCenter and were blown by the great sound and stuff, then read forward!

Sound Quality: 1
Okay, so..Basically this baby should bring you about 90% of the original sound of the tube amps it models. When I bought POD I had fiddled it with a lot and I was thinking that it was something great.
A year passed and I started to notice something weird. I first listened to bands who were using tube amps and then tried to match their sound. No, I was not looking for 100% tubesound, just something that would even remind me of them. And then I realized that this thing is a piece of junk. It sounds like total shit! It's just an expensive distortion box. It has only 2 usable cleans (JC-120 and Line 6 Layer) and about 3 distortions to use (Mesa Recto, Soldano preamp, JCM800).
Personally I don't like effects so I won't say anything about them, but I bet that if you want good effects, then you can use the same amount of money on an "Effects Only" pedal. If you want a good sound, try to save money for a tubeamp, believe me, it's worth it.

Reliability: 10
Never carried it around much but it seems to be sturdy.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 1
If my POD was stolen, I would go and collect the insurance money and save it for a tube head!

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/20/2002 09:22

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
Probably made in 2001-2. It can do any style of music I think, for me it is rock, classical rock, and blues. Headphone available, has ALL the features i need, 16 effects 32 models.

Sound Quality: 9
Using an epiphone LP 100 with it, not noisy, you have a Noise Gate. I use it in mah room. Can make ANY sound, almost. It gets a tad distorted at high volumes with Fuzz and drive, but that's it. Not very brutal.

Reliability: 10
I've dropped it from like 5 feet, still fine. It's metal, not any of this plastic stuff.

Customer Support: N/A
Not needed them.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing one year, and I own a shitty little practice amp and a good guitar. It if were stolen or lost, I would buy this again. I love the effects and the models and the versatility, and I hate that it does not come with MIDI and extra cables. (not really hate, just dislike.)

Submitted by Andy at 05/18/2002 16:16

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 6
Dans la version pro, les réglages du pod ne sont accessibles que via Midi ..., non acceptable à mon gout. D'autres ne sont accessibles qu'en pressant plusieurs boutons à la fois, ... c'est loin d'être pratique lorsqu'on a la guitare à la main !

Sound Quality: 2
Sans aucun état d'âme : ce produit n'est pas fait pour moi ! C'est soit disant un simulateur d'ampli à lampe CE N'EST PAS VRAI. S'il m'a donné de bonne satisfaction avec une guitare moyenne (charvel + micro EMG) ce n'est pas le cas avec une guitare de gamme superieure (ibanez jem7 ou autre JS1000). Dans ce dernier cas, lorsque je baisse le volume de mon micro, le son fourni est saturé et faible, alors qu'avec un vrai préampli à lampe (jmp1 ou Pirhana) le son est clair ... Le Pod n'est pas un préampli à lampe ! Le son n'a rien d'original, il est tout simplement commun !

En conclusion ce produit est parfaitement adapté à une guitare moyenne mais la qualité de ce pod n'est pas cohérente avec des guitares de gammes supérieures (jem7, universe, JS1000, ....)
Certains grands guitaristes utilisent ce truc ET CELA S'ENTEND : gros son édulcoré sans âme!

Reliability: 2
J'ai gardé ce produit 2 jours. Je continue à jouer sur Rocktron

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
Je joue depuis 22 ans sur Ibanez Jem7 ==> WhaWha Bad Horsies ==>Pirhana ==> Replifex ==> Intellifex ==>Peavey Classic 5050 ==> 2* Vintage 30

Mon style : Steve Vai / Satriani / Steve Morse, ....

Submitted by JL at 05/14/2002 07:58

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 8
Very, a stoned guitar player would have no problem

Sound Quality: 8
I have owned some classic amps (blackface showman, 70's bassman, Marshall JCM) and have been around many great vintage amps. I can say that many of these tones are close. I had a hard time getting really good clean sounds but after working with the unit for a while I settled on the black face, and the vox replications with tweaks to the tones to get what I want. It definatly has a bias towards the overdriven crunch type sounds.

What really kicks ass about the unit is that it has good tones if worked with enough and you don't have to worry about setting up the mikes correctly, having good mikes (well I know sm-57's are cheap, but..)bothering the other tennants or neighbors, ensuring your tubes are sounding good, and of coursebeing able to afford the amps in the first place. It is a bit noisy but no more than any amp I have played through. This is a cool unit that is very flexible and should really be considered as a good piece of equipment in the studio.

Reliability: 8
I just threw it against the wall and checked and it still works.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/05/2002 12:46

Price Paid: US $230 used

Features: 8
As you probally know, the Pod is an amp modeler. In my opinion the best. features are 32 amp models and 16 cabinet simulations and 16 effects. If you have the seperate floor controller the feature list rises to a 9 because you can toggle on&off effects, distortion, gain boost, treble boost also puts into effect the wah wah via a dedicated expression pedal and volume control. It can be run stereo or mono and is obviously digital(solid state).My only beef is the lack of a phaser effect which i consider mandatory for guitar...
Other than that not too many amps come with software to edit the sounds or the ability to download other pod owners posted settings, Not to mention either guitar worl or guitar one posts suggested pod setting for their transcriptions

Sound Quality: 10
First off i'll say that the distortion on this as well as any other line 6 amp has no rival. The insane channel is that dream guitar sound that i have long wished was so easily accessible. I play on a jackson sustainer and an older Ibanez it's a rg series but i'm not 100% sure from when it was used. With the two guitars i play in a variety of styles from alternative to experimental/prog rockish styles
and the Pod is what makes this myriad of tones possible. As you would expect i get a little interferince playing through single coil pickups
other than that the only noise i encounter is at extremely high gain settings, this is where the built in noise gate comes in handy(or creative eq'ing). So to summerize jazz and blues to shred and industrial this things got you covered.

Reliability: 10
Very dependable. i work in a cramped space and on several occassions my Pod has been knocked from my desk to the hardwood floor. It has survived these unplanned trips with barely a scratch and absolutely no change in performance :)

Customer Support: N/A
never needed em. though the line 6 site is pretty cool.

Overall Rating: 9
Well, nothing is perfect but the Pod is pretty damn close. i hocked one once and could never figure out why, a mistake i wont make twice.
i love the distortions, colda done with a more organic sounding flanger. i would definately replace if stolen. and i just wanted to add that the flexibility of the pod i've reported here is not including the included software(pc and mac)that delves even deeper into sound editing.

Submitted by just some guy at 05/04/2002 16:48

Price Paid: 440 (cdn)

Features: 8
Pod2 with 32 models etc, etc, etc,,, see below

Sound Quality: 9
I've owned my pod since Dec 01. I own a HotRod Deville. I've read many of the reviews here and opinions are really divided into two camps. Some people are looking for the holy grail in sound, hoping that a $300 device will deliver the tone of all those vintage amps and their favorite artists, those people are usually disapointed. The second group are the people looking for good over all tone with ever greater versatility, these people are usually very pleased with their POD.

I fall into the second category, I own a tube amp and love the warmth of the clean channel, most people who own or have played a Deville agree. However there are times when I need a different sound. I'm not trying to replicate someones sound, I want my own I strive for that sound that sounds good cutting through the mix. Most time I can hear it in my head and then go and find it on my POD, most times I can nail it some times I'm disapointed.

Lets be realistic here, and some people have already commented on this. If you are looking for that Plexi or Blackface sound and that is the only sound that will do, then get the real deal. Belive me I'm still looking for a Blackface or SF that can be moded. But for now I love POD!

I have tried the POD through my Deville and it sounds good but it really sound great through my Acoustasonic, I use the second channel set the eq up at 5 for both the treble and bass. I also use the balanced outputs of the POD to the amp. Many days I switch back and forth between my POD set up and my Deville and the Deville does sound bigger and fuller however the POD sounds great, especially when I want that drive or crunch sound (Blackface or Plexi).

POD has it place, for live use it can be a bit difficult to use with out the foot pedal if you what to change settings mid song or ever quickly between songs you will need a foot switch. To me the POD sounds great cutting through the mix for live music, does it have the same dynamic range as my Deville? No. Does it have dynamic range and is it touch sensitive? YES! Set it up right and spend some time with it and you will not be disapointed.

Hints;
1) use a balanced cable if you can
2) do not set the output higher that 3 or 4. I got this from line6, any higher and the signal starts to clip.
3) Use an amp that will not colour the sound like a keyboard amp.
4) when in manual mode if you push manual and tap simultanously you will will be able to change cabs and amp models with out having to push tap, push tap again to release. OF course this sets up the POD like you have tap pushed so if you need to set your eq you need to push tap.
5) Be patient and create you own sounds, and ya you will find some of your favorite artist sounds in there accually may of them, just be patient!

I give POD a 9 for what it is, an amp simulator with amazing flexability!

Reliability: 10
dropped it on the floor and no problems

Customer Support: 10
Emailed them a number of times and always got a reply!

Overall Rating: 9
For what it does, this is a great little tone machine.

I have been playing for over 20 years and know what Sound good, and POD sounds good, very good.

Cheers

Submitted by Rednef at 04/19/2002 09:36

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 5
There are alot of features as already mentioned with other people.Features are excellent. I give it a five for needing to shell out extra for the midi footpedal.Mind you ... it is not cheap.

Sound Quality: N/A
This is where the real bummer is.i would like to firstly say, itested it for a while only. i never bought it.The sound is totally crappy. I hope Line 6 is paying attention here. i've tested Flextones before and they were wonderful.As ironic as it may seem, i don't think it is the POD's fault. the guy at the shop hooked it up to some really crappy amp and my signature strat was reduced to limp sounds. totally unimpressive!! you may ask why not i just change the amp instead... this is the point i want Line 6 to listen to.People who are experinced knows the amp is theproblem... but for alot of guitarists, they'll just hear and conclude that the POD is crap.i think what line 6 should do is at least send the dealers with a line 6 cab or sme special amp to go with the POD. this way, they can get excellent sounds and also sell the cab at one shot. you know sort of a POD/CAB package deal.True that most POD owners have already their own amps but what about those who don't? Line 6 must understand the mind of the user.if the POD can sound great with the cab they send... then they nail the coffin for the the sale POD or even the cab together. All i am trying to say is IF i am an inexperinced user...Line 6 products would forever be blacklisted under my books. All said, i will test it again at another place with another amp...the dealer wasn't too friendly.i still believe in Line 6 products... i just hope nobody goes through the torrid time i had in testing the POD. Please Line 6, give reminders for dealers to test it on your own amp...even a spider amp would do.I will not vote in this section as i feel it is unfair to do such. just wanted to bring this matter to attention.

Reliability: N/A
No comments... but construction seems very sturdy.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't deal with them.

Overall Rating: N/A
I can't rate it as of yet... but wait for my final review. i will test it throuroughly.

Submitted by Andrew at 04/18/2002 10:58

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
The POD is surprisingly easy to use considering the large number of knobs and buttons and other whatnot strewn all over the face. My biggest problem is that they had to use a "shift" button (tap-hold) in order to acess another whole set of functions. The amp models (17-32) are not actually written on the unit, but must be looked up in the manual. This is sort of a pain, although I can see why they couldn't write everything on the face of the unit itself.

The presets are fun to wank around with and easy to access via an "up" and "down" button. They are organized into 9 different channels with 4 voices each. Most are twat, but some are really cool.

The manual is pretty easy to read through and explains all the important stuff to get started. I found it amusing how much the author tooted the company's own horn, but that was a minor point.

I haven't gotten into the SoundDriver part yet. I've only owned it a few days.

Sound Quality: 9
Wow.

Okay, I play with several different guitars: a Les Paul Standard (factory pu's), a 52 reissue Tele (factory PU's) and a Mexican Strat (replaced the bridge single-coil with a lace sensor humbuck.). They all sound great, but very different. Its amazing how the POD manages to keep the essential character of your guitar intact while manipulating the sound electronically. I was particularly impressed by the way my Tele sounded through this thing. Very twangy and raunchy!

It sounds great through headphones as a practice-amp. I wasn't too thrilled with a lot of the factory preset sounds, but manually switching between amp models, cabs, and effects quickly produced some great tones. Because I own a Mesa/Boogie Single Rectifier amp, the first place I went was the "Rectified" model to see how close it got. I was pretty impressed...it was dammn close. Not exact, but damn close. Worth 300 bucks! I can't speak for the other amp models, but they all sound pretty distinct and most are quite delicious.

The POD seems to produce high-gain distorted sounds best...the Soldano, Mesa, and Marshall models are very tasty. My favorite sound is the Soldano High-gain through a 4x12 cabinet simulation. VERY cool for a person too scared to buy a stack. I'm not as thrilled with the clean Fender models, nor with the AC30 emulation. Of course, I wasn't too thrilled with the real AC30 I played in the guitar store once...

The effects sound really good, considering that they're thrown into this package of amp models. I hate the chorus effect, but I've never found a chorus I liked packaged in with other effects. The reverb effects are wonderful, and you can really hear the difference between the spring-reverb amps and the room-reverb varieties.

I plugged into the POD and then ran the POD through my Mesa/Boogie Rect-O-Verb 50 and...wow...I was impressed. It was a bit thin on certain settings, but the power was something that the POD could not emulate. Again, the high-gain settings sounded best. I didn't mess with the effects loop, opting to connect directly to the input on the front of the amp, keeping the amp as clean as possible. It sounded great. I don't think I would ever use this *instead* of the natural distortion on my Recto, but it was very fun to mess with. You just can't get that kind of gut-shaking power through a pair of headphones.

Overall, this little puppy can produce a barrel of sounds. Between the 32 amps and the multiple speaker cabinet settings, I dont' see myself getting bored with it any time soon. I record at home through a Roland VS840 digital studio, and I think that this will be a dream come true for quick recording solutions.

Reliability: N/A
In three days it hasn't had a problem. TAke that for what it's worth.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I play mainly blues/folk/rock with a leaning towards roots stuff like Wilco, the Jayhawks, etc. I've been playing for ten years and have owned a Park practice amp (still use in a pinch), a Peavy Special 130 (piece of crapola) a Fender Performer 650 hybrid (a good little amp) and my Mesa/Boogie Rectoverb 50 combo.

I love the POD because it does exactly what I imagined that it would. It pulls a pretty dammn good impression of some great amp models and makes it easy to switch from one to the other. I bought it for home recording and practicing, and I think I'm going to be thrilled with it for years. I heard a lot of good things about this puppy, but I went to the music store to play it for a while before I wrote the check. I used the crappiest Mexican Stratoclone I could find on the wall and it still delivered the goods. For the price, it is the best accessory I have ever purchased. Does it render real amps obsolete? Hell no. Of course, I never thought it would.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/14/2002 12:48

Price Paid: US $189 (289 - $100 rebate)

Features: 10
I bought this awesome little piece of gear about a year ago. It is unbelievably versatile, perfect for what I do. That being Christian Metal to Praise and Worship every Sunday night. I love it because I get the sounds I want when I need them. What more could I ask for? A little better effects, possibly, but these work for what I do. It has 32 amp models on it, 16 effects, and 16 speaker cabinet simulations. I have the FB4 with mine, and I'd like to have a floorboard, but personally don't have to have it yet, although I am starting to foresee the day when I do (when our songs get so complex, 4 channels won't cut it any more...). I only use 5 of the 9 banks on this thing. Since I play praise and worship every sunday night, I use two of them for it: one for going through an amp and the other tweaked for direct. And then the same for my metal settings. The 5th one is for my Ibanez AE18 Acoustic/Electric (a fine guitar, btw). I'm giving it a 10 because it is very versatile, especially with Sound Diver, of which allows me to backup my amp settings on a 3 1/2" floppy disk. How cool is that!! Tell me of a Marshall or Mesa that can do that? :o)

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using a Charvel CSM1-G (check out my review) with it. I always use the neck humbucker. The single coil sounds good with some cleans, but I don't have time to sing, play, switch channels, and switch pickups all at the same time. :) It suits all my styles extremely well, and I'm probably going to soon start experimenting with the more odd-ball amps and models, such as the fuzz. The delay on it is pretty good and you can set it to a t in sound diver. Chorus 1 and one of the flangers I don't like. I mostly use the Chorus and delays on this, of which may not be the absolute best, but they fit me well. Getting used to the POD is a little difficult, but after you do, it's cool. The noise gate absolutely rocks!! I am so happy it has one and has a switch to turn it off with on the front face plate. The only thing about it is that you have to use Sound Diver to adjust it, but that's ok. I use the insane model for my distortion and it sounds AWESOME!! It's got that fat Mesa sound, but at a very small fraction of a cost. I am currently using this preamp with a Fender Champion 110. I do have a Peavey 2x12 on its way to me now and I may possibly buy my friends Valvestate 102 (2x12, 100 watt combo). Be prepared to tweak!!! The only thing I don't like about it is that every amp model, while trying to be true to the original, reacts to EQ changes differently, making it sometimes hard to find the sound you want because what works with this amp, doesn't with the other amp. It's still awesome, though, and it will be a very long time before I sell it (probably until the POD 3 comes out :o). It is really awesome being able to practice late at night (except for when you leave your headphones at church... DOH!!) through the headphones. It sounds great through a good set of headphones (I've got some AKGs). I highly reccomend this product and one thing I HIGHLY suggest... spend time with it!! Lots of time!! I loved it when I first got it, hated it the month after that, and then FINALLY was able to get the sounds I was wanting after fiddling with it enough. Be patient with this and you shall be greatly rewarded. :) Also, keep in mind that the whole delay between the channels switching has been taken out with the new versions of this thing. There is hardly a noticible delay, now, as compared to the earlier versions which I hear had a terrible delay.

Reliability: 9
I have never had it to break down on me at all. It's always come on on the first try. The only thing I've ever had with it is that it has frozen up on me a couple of times, but it wasn't to my surprise because I whacked the delay settings to where the delay level was high and the number of repeats were infinite. lol... I'd freeze up if someone did that to me, as well. For that reason, I give it a 9.

Customer Support: N/A
Dealth with them once through the new thingy on their website. They were helpful. I asked for how I could get the latest version (at that time v 2.2) and they said they'd send it to me. I need to go ask for v 2.4 or 2.5, whatever's out now. 2.2 is good, though. The channels switch fast and it sounds good.

Overall Rating: 9
I love this thing and have no plans of selling it unless they come out with a POD 3, which I suspect (and hope and pray) they will. It is an awesome little piece of equipment and is worth it's price alone for the practice time you could get with it and it's also good for going direct into Pro Tools. :o) I highly reccommend it. I give it a 9 over all. Oh yeah, the paint chips easily, not cool at all, but it's ok. Just affects the cosmetics. Feel free to email me with any questions about it. God bless!!

Submitted by Brandon at 04/13/2002 21:36

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 9
This is the best toy I've ever bought. It is so easy to use and to get good tone out of it, that it makes it be more fun that it already is just with the sounds you can get. If your not going to mess to much with the effects, its really easy to use by itself. But if you are not scared of computers, the fun just gets better with SoundDiver. You can teak the effects really easy with this program, and whats even better, you can save ase many presets as you want in your computer.

Sound Quality: 10
I use it throu headphones and also thru my mixing board. It just sounds great!!! I've never owned a satck amp, but I've used my brother's JCM 800, and the tones you get out of this can kick that thing's buttom. And whats even better, I can play a heavy riff thru a dual rectifier, a solo on a JCM 800 and a clean tone bridge on a fender tweed. It's just great.

Reliability: 8
I just got it 2 days a go. But a friend of mine has one, and he has never had trouble with it. We've jammed together, and with the floorboard, he had a whole arsennal on his feet. And it was always ready to attack

Customer Support: 9
I tried to register it on line, but it didn't work. But the tone transfer library its just great!!

Overall Rating: 10
Best investement since my Ibanez RG3120!! couldn't ask for more, well, maybe just a harmonizer inside the unit, but I guess it would be crapy, so maybe that's why they didn't pu it in there. But I'm as happy as I can be with this unit.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/04/2002 18:57

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 10
Everything....country to metal with ease

Sound Quality: 10
I am using it with a Ibanez RG7620. i practice with headphones and it sounds superb. very warm, and the effects are easy to access and setup. i gig with it, and i plug into a stereo keyboard amp. it is set to null and the sound is exactly what the POD puts out. because of this, i have turn the cab emulation on, and then it comes to life. rich and warm, it has the presence of a tube amp (only on the Line 6 4x12 model though). it fooled my guitar teacher, who is a session player. he has just got one to practice with.
Distortion is un-frickin-believable. as a metal player, i love it. it has a little solid-state bite on the high-gain models, which i love. however, it is tough to get the warmth on the Plexi and Class A models (if you run through a tube power amp, the problem is solved). otherwise i love the infinite headroom. i could never use my guitar and pickups with a real Matchless and get anything resembling a clean tone.

Reliability: 9
Had no problems whatsoever. i always make sure that it is powered off of a power conditioner(usually the bass players) and it will never chirp or pop or die. those are line power probs that shitty clubs and studios often have. computers are very sensitive to that. reliablity starts with diligence.

Customer Support: 10
the line 6 website is very friendly and quick. they solved my line power problem quickly.

Overall Rating: 10
As the guitar in a metal trio, i have to cover a lot of sonic territory. the POD is my main tool, and i am surprised that guys buy 1000 dollar marhsall solid state full stacks(MG100RCD) that suck balls. it's not a tube amp, it isn't better than a tube amp, and it doesn't model perfectly. but it excels at delivering accessible tones on demand with perfection.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/13/2002 22:59

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 10
2001 Pod 2.0. Has a good amount of features for the price and works REALLY WELL for studio, and sets up very quickly. (It's a bitch to get good sounds in the studio.) Don't use as an effects processor or with a tube amp, because it's not made for those things. Understand that VERY CLEARLY before you buy one.

Sound Quality: 8
I was using it to gig with but that was pretty stupid,and I had extreme reliability issues. I play all styles, jazz, blues, country, R&B, fusion, etc. Works really well for practicing (I was using it through a Pignose which was fun). Has that digital noise on the high gain settings (hold out a note, and as it decayed it would just kind of crap out). A lot of sounds and variety, the best which were the Black Panel and the US High Gain with lower gain settings. The bottom line is that the POD does two things- turns your Pignose into a fun toy to play with for like hours and hours, and makes things really easy in the studio. Other than that, pretty much useless.

Reliability: N/A
As far as this goes, the Pod kind of sucks. I've had it crap out on gigs where it just stopped working, and even when it wasn't crapping out, the volumes of the different channels of presets I had stored were incredibly wacky and I was always getting yelled at in rehearsal by my bandleader. (Not loud enough, too loud, etc.) AGAIN- only use as a toy or in the studio and you should be fine.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't really know.

Overall Rating: N/A
I got rid of the thing when my tube amp (Peavey Classic 50) crapped out; sold it to get a Super Reverb reissue (which are mighty pricey.) The POD is a great inexpensive studio tool for direct recording and is a cool toy to play with at home but DON't use for gigs or think that you're buying an effects processor.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/09/2002 13:43

Price Paid: US $350

Ease of Use: 8
It has the essential nobs right there for you, but there are some features that you can't access as easily. Its best to use the midi software if you aren't afraid of computers in order to get the full potential out of the POD. I'm sure many users won't even try this, and so they won't see how truely flexible the POD is. Even so, if I'm just jamming with somebody I can twist the knobs and have a cool sound literally in seconds.
The reason I give an 8 here and not higher is because the POD is somewhat difficult to control via midi in a live situation. I would like to send a midi message every quarter note that acts as a tempo tap or just send the tempo, but all the POD allows is for you to do (well to my knowlege) speed or slow the tempo, not set it exactly. Since I am a recording musician at heart, I like to use midi in live settings too. To some people, this will be irrelevant.

Sound Quality: 10
For 300 dollars, you can't argue this. Obviously I wouldn't use about half of the presets, but you have more control over your sound than anything else for this price. If you use the software and are patient, you CAN come up with some great stuff. You will want to buy some other gear for effects, and one day I'll probably get an Eventide, but we're talking 10 times the price!!!
I record music, and I am serious about it. By this, I mean that I don't sit down and record a song for four hours and its done. I work for weeks on a single song because I only want professional quality so I can sell them. I use the POD now for all electric guitar parts. I have had small trouble with the noise level on some patches and the noise gate is worthless, but this is only when you aren't playing. Anyone who knows anything at all about recording can just clip the beginning and end of the wav.
For live performance, I have the Line 6 floorboard and I run the pod straight into a Yamaha EMX 660. It sounds great! I have read people's complaints with the POD for live performance, but it is because the POD isn't as good through an amp. You need to plug it straight into your PA System.

Reliability: 9
Have seen some strange midi issues before, but nothing too earth shattering.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Fantastic value. This is pretty much what I use for everything when an electric guitar is in my hands (I play Parker guitars by the way).

Submitted by Brannon McKay at 02/20/2002 15:31

Price Paid: 430 (Can $)

Features: 9
32 amp simulations + cabs + effects + eq + midi interface + stereo output + headphones + + + + Yeah, we all know what it is by now. Featured packed. Mine is the 2.0. Don't think you can get much more for the money. A basic 1 chanel foot switch would have made this little thing perfect.

Sound Quality: 9
"I can tell it not really an [insert amp here] so I'm dissapointed". Then by an [insert amp here] my little friend and stop wasting time on a amp simulation package.

"Tube amps are the greatest thing since slice bread so this thing sucks". Then why did you buy a product that didn't have tubes my silly little friend? Did it say anywhere on that box that it had tubes? Do you like buying products that do not meet your tube requirement? Didn't you try it before you bought it?

Now, for those of you who are looking for an amp simulation package and not to appease some weird pass time that include buying products that you know you won't like, here's the deal:

As a practice amp with headphones: Man does this thing ever rock! Try it, it's unbelieveble. *I* was fooled by it 100%. A perfect 10 here. Midi interface gives access to a couple more feature (including getting libs from the line6 website).

As a recording device (I plug it in my PC): Very nice. Some tweaking may be required, but the results are quite pleasing. I have no trouble believing that many big numbers use this thing for recording. Again, a perfect 10.

For live playing (throught an amp): Not exacly there. A bit thin sounding. Do not use this with a tube amp. It sounds awfull. With a SS it's ok. Because of it's size, it makes for a good backup. A 6 here.

Hey, tons of sounds in this thing. And most of them sound terrefic. Bought this as a practice amp and it's the perfect thing for this. I ended up doing most of my recording with it to.

Reliability: 9
So far so good. I trust the thing and I can't say that I'm scare of seing it brake on me.

Customer Support: N/A
No idea.

Overall Rating: 9
The perfect practice amp. The almost perfect recording amp. The not so perfect live amp. Don't get fooled, try, hear and judge for yourself.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/11/2002 12:53

Price Paid: 550$ (CAN)

Features: 10
A lot of features. Nothing has that much features

Sound Quality: 5
Ok, it sounds good, but it has abolutely NO punch. I can't believe that many bands use the line6 amps. Take a small marshall valvestate amp and the sound will have more punch. But the effects are really good. But the 2 flangers soudns exactly the same. The flanger 2 sounds different but if you try to adjust it with the effect tweak knob, the sound change and it sounds like the flanger 1!

Reliability: 6
The effects are really useful! The clean sounds are ok, but like I said, I would take any tube amp distortion instead of this. And please, people with a 5150, Dual Rectifier or something like that DON'T USE A DISTORTION PEDAL OR A POD!!! I don't know why people do this, a good tube amp sounds better than any pedal that you can find! Believe me!

To people who have a cheap amp and/or who want to make direct recording, the pod is good but buy a Behringer V-Amp instead. I paid the pod 550$ and my guitarist got a V-Amp for 300$ with a pedal and a bag.

Customer Support: 8
When I bought it, I got a lot problems with the knobs. The settings were changing without reasons! The volume would pop up at the higher level, really disturbing. I returned it to the market and it took at least 7 weeks to repair. But, I'm from canada and it was just after the 11 september...

Overall Rating: 6
Yeah it's cool. I do a lot of direct recording with it. It cost too much and it is A LOT OVERRATED. And like I said before, don't use this with a tube amp! you will waste your money!

Submitted by Siroa at 01/30/2002 07:41

Price Paid: 395 (Canadian) used

Features: 9
I bought it as the original POD and upgraded it for $60. They're very versatile, sound good for direct recording, headphone use, going straight into solid state power amps they're okay. I don't think they're very good for live use. They're easy to use though, all the features are straight up, what you see is what you get...

Sound Quality: 7
I use a Fender American Standard Strat, plugged into that POD thing and into the power amp of my Peavey Delta Blues amp. I play all different kinds of rock/blues, jazz, metal, alternative...on and on...
I find the POD very versatile for recording and practicing, but live,jamming with another guitarist it sounds like crap. It's always really "thin" and the distortions and overdrives are all fuzzy. great for someone who wants a lot of sounds for the money. I like it better than the Boss multi-effects crap, I've used a GT-3 and they're not very neat. I guess the POD is for direct recording, it was designed for that, should be used for that. I have the floorboard for it too but it's a pain since all the buttons are multi-function, each button does like 3 different things...

Reliability: 7
It's tough, reliable, but the paint chips easily. with the floorboard if you have the wah on and switch channels while it's still on, it gets stuck "on" and it won't turn off unless you turn the power off on the pod and back on again. I dunno if mine is just fucked up or if this is normal for them...

Customer Support: N/A
dunno, but I've heard they're good...

Overall Rating: 8
When I first bought this I loved it. I wouldn't have guessed then that I would ever sell it, but I'm going to sell it and buy a Fender Bassman and a few pedals. I just don't use all the sounds that it has, it's not for me. I like it for a recording tool, it's easy to use, sounds decent for the money...buy one if you like it, but try it out a lot first, make sure it's the right thing for you, just like anything, don't go by what other people say dammit!

Submitted by Steve Adamson at 01/12/2002 23:37

Price Paid: US $150 used

Ease of Use: 9
Pretty easy, just remember to use the "shift" buttons as needed. I'm using a version 1.

Sound Quality: 8
This really depends on application. I like the tones, and it's a lot of fun, but I can tell it's fake. I wouldn't recommend this for live use, but for recording it's great. I use it in a recording studio, but only as a last resort if we are having trouble with other gear. It's also good for late night tracking.

Reliability: 9
Since Microsoft did not engineer the software, I am guessing it will never crash.

Customer Support: N/A
Line 6- good enough for Ace Frehley, good enough for me!!

Overall Rating: 8
I use this in a recording studio, like I said. It is one more tool in a very large toolbox. I would not rely on this as a replacement for other distortion boxes or amplifiers. I only wish the rackmount version was not so much more expensive than the kidney shaped version.

Submitted by Tristan at 01/12/2002 13:49

Price Paid: 375.00 (loonies)

Features: 7
Accessing drive boost, setting fx tempos is irritating.

Sound Quality: 5
Lots of ppl love this thing, fewer critisize it... but i was really upset with the clean sounds... even after tweaking in soundiver forever. things just dont ring out.
The heavy sounds are great. exactly what i was looking for. rectifier + noise gate + compression + delay and drive boost gets things screaming..no hiss when i stop.
Ive use it live. notes dont feedback and die out quite the way they should...shouldn't matter unless your playing really slow stuff.
I never plug my acoustic Fender into my POD!...takes all the tone away. and for clean electric...i'd rather just plug into some decent guit fx.
I do use the tube preamp setting on the pod to record mics,keys,bass, basically just to access the fx... sounds fine.
POD GOOD FOR ROCKERS...CLEAN PLAYERS BEWARE

Reliability: 10
hasn't glitched yet. 1 year old.. lite gigage

Customer Support: 1
-

Overall Rating: 9
How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?
I've been playing for...who cares. I wanna sound like Dillinger Escape Plan, Jeff Beck, Bumblefoot, Micheal Hedges, Dimebag Darrel, Alex Lifeson, Junior Brown, David Gilmour, Snot, Django, Lenny Breau, S.R.V., Raging Slab or even Bad Brains.... but i sound like http://spammyhamster.tripod.com .
-Anything you wish it had?-
A 3 octave pitch shifter [controllable by vol pedal], envelope filter, auto-wah, loop riffs [solo over long delay] a sweeter reverb that works on all amp models..and a little compartment to put my weed.

Submitted by kruppz at 01/02/2002 20:28

Price Paid: US $249.00

Features: 9
I bought my POD 2.0 in Sept. 01. It sounds fantastic through the headphones and good through a mixer board, but lacks the quality I wanted through my ART Bluesbreaker amp. I have to go through the effects loop which means I loose all those rich EQ settings I bought the amp for in the first place. It takes a little time to play with all the knobs and learn the amount of effect each will have, but once you master that, the POD is a fun little gadget.

Sound Quality: 8
Has great sounds through the headphones and lets you be very creative while practicing. I like the noise gate and variable amount of effects knob, but would like more range on the Treble and Bass sides.

Reliability: 10
So far, very reliable, the floor board has also worked everytime I needed it. I would suggest buying the floorboard carry case which will also hold the POD for protection.

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed it.

Overall Rating: 9
Sounds good through my Fender Strat, but misses the mark with a Taylor acoustic 414ce run through a Fender Acousticonic amp. Sound is muttled.
For live performances, I use the POD direct through the mixer board. The part I don't like about that is I can't control the final sound EQ or quality that comes out the front end. Good thing I trust my sound man !!

Submitted by bush at 01/02/2002 16:06

Price Paid: US $200.00

Ease of Use: 10
Mine is a 2.2 and I have the floorboard. Easy to just twist knobs and find great, usable tones

Sound Quality: 8
A little noisy, I find a small amount of distortion even on the clean stuff. The effexts are good, if limited to the combinations you can get. I can find any tone or sound I want, no problems!

Reliability: 9
No problems after a year, and I have been gigging with it the whole year. So far, so good. I never go anywhere without some type of backup. 2 gits the POD and a amp. Shit happens!

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to use it, hope I never do

Overall Rating: 9
I play everything, and been playing for quite a few years. I use this with either a Peavey Delta blues or a Classic 50 watter with a 410 and 115 cab. I think that people are not using the POD properly live. You must bypass the Speaker Cabs, to really get the most out of this thing, it allows the sound to run though the amps speaker, and opens up the sound alot. The amp I use has a 15 speaker and it works great together. Turn off the speaker cab emulation! Make all the difference in the world in live situations

Submitted by Sarge at 12/23/2001 06:14

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 7
The quality of the features are well known, but how does the unit work in a live situation? I submit that without the floorboard, it is a one-sound wonder. Now, as to the floorboard, the spirit was willing, but the end result is weak. Mechanically, it doesn't live up to my expectations.

Sound Quality: 4
If the floorboard actually worked, this combination would be a dream come true. Sadly, it falls short. The foot-engaged buttons are cheesy and unreliable, and the volume pedal will not stay in place; it continuously falls forward (to full volume).

Reliability: 2
The floorboard takes forever to cycle through patch locations, often not responding at all to repeated tapping on the fragile buttons. Two buttons on my floorboard have died outright, and the delay effect keeps coming on by itself, so much so that I had to forgo using delay at all on any presets. Frustrating!

Customer Support: 2
My complaint regarding the broken buttons produced replacements, but I had to unsolder the old ones, and re-solder the new ones in place.

Overall Rating: 3
High hopes for using the POD live are dashed by the floorboard. I now leave it out of my live rig, at home in disgrace.

Submitted by Craig at 12/21/2001 21:23

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 10
Cannot be more easy. So much knobs to play with.

Sound Quality: 9
The Pod sounds amazing. I don't give it a 10 thought because there is something about it that sound a tiny bit digital in comparison say to the SansAmp. But for recording, the Pod is the ultimate classic amp simulation.

Reliability: 10
Very solid.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know.

Overall Rating: 10
If it were stolen or lost, I would definitely buy another one. It's a tool you can't live without if you're serious about recording guitars or even warming up some synth sounds.

Submitted by AJ Aumont-Thieville at 12/12/2001 13:49

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A

Sound Quality: 9
I don't like the effects or the fact that you really can't get musical feedback through your amp. I am using this through a vintage Marshall Super Bass 100 watt head, and I have scared people with the tones I have gotten with this thing. Word of advice, put an Equalizer after the POD to further shape your sound.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
I have played guitar over 15 years and have never found an amp I was happy with and I tried or bought them all. Now i have my sound, but it did take some tweaking. But like everything try it before you buy it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/11/2001 12:52

Price Paid: Fl. (900)

Features: 7
it can do everything you want (and a bag of chips) but the pod 2 does it better =]
36 channels... oh well if you want features... read the damn manual

Sound Quality: 8
the sounds are awesome, live and in the studio, i play a lot of diferent styles but it all works fine (metal/funk/rock you name it)
even though i have bought an old line6 HD for the stage (just 'couse it looks cool =])

Reliability: 8
it is very reliable but it can also decieve you... sounds can differ a lot when used on different amps so it always is a bit of a gable wether your sound will 'rock' or 'suck' that night... but i don't use backups

Customer Support: 9
the support is great, once i just rammed through my floorboard and they just gave me a new one!

Overall Rating: 8
i have been using this thing for about 1,5 years and i love it... but the new toys on the block are a lot cooler... the vetta by line6 is a whole new consept and i would really like to get my hands on it

but overal, it still works fine, it still sound fine, it's still a kidney shaped red blob so i'm happy

cudos to you, line6

Submitted by collin hoeve at 12/11/2001 01:19

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A
some helpful tips...

through a fender combo (hot rod)
> normal input - sounds crappy
> power amp input (bypass the pre) - sounds crappy

the optimal settings for a pod...
into marshall jcm 600 combo, it sounds awesome plugged into the effects return (bypassing the marshalls preamp). It sounds almost as good using the normal input. I did this with my buddies mesa and by bypassing the preamp it was optimal. the marshall was cleaner but the mesa had a creaminess. i personally consider the power sections of mesas to be the best for rackmount/effects gear -especially the 6L6 driven. have not tried one of the big marshall rack jobs w/ a pod but that would probably be a great match. They are typically cleaner sounding. the sound quality varies between presets using the aforementioned methods.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/10/2001 15:02

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 9
nothing to say here... this thing is full of features!

Sound Quality: 5
I could give it a 0 for its sound or maybe a 10, depending on many things... if you use pod for recording then you have the right thing! If you use it live (or even rehersing) then throw it out the window!!! My big mistake was that i bought it mainly for live use, and believe me YOU CAN'T PLAY LIVE WITH THAT THING! No matter how hard you try (at home) to create (and save) beautiful sounds, POD will sound sooooooo different in stage that you will be disapointed...

I used it twice for recording and it was amazing...

so... very good sounds, but it depends where you use it...
For recording it gets a 10
For live it gets a ZERO!
so i give the average...

Reliability: 10
Very reliable!!! I had it for 2 years and it never had a single problem. I did an upgrade from version 1.0 to version 1.4 to fix some bugs with some effects... not all of them fixed, but it was better.

Customer Support: 10
Also a 10 here!!!
After my complains to them about my local dealer who did have the upgrade eprom, they send it to me (from USA to Greece) for free in a few days...! That's what i call Customer support!

Overall Rating: 7
As i said before... POD is number 1 for recording only! Buy it and you wont believe it!
If you use it for anything else you wil be disapointed... that's why i sold it few months ago!

Submitted by GODOO at 11/21/2001 03:47

Price Paid: 249 (£ (pounds sterling))

Features: 9
This is the second version of the POD, dunno when it was made. It has the usual controls for changing EQ, amount of gain etc, master volume blah blah. It also has two rotary knobs for selecting the different amp models and the different effects. It has smaller buttons in the centre of the unit for saving settings, tap tempo for effects and scrolling through the presets. Quite an easy unit to use compared to many different floor based effects units whre it takes too long to make and save your own sounds. Very easy to get great sounds out of the box.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using the unit through the power amp input of my Peavey Special 212 with a Squier Jagmaster (stock p'ups) and it sounds great! I was blown away when I tried it in the shop just through headphones on a cheap Squier Strat and I haven't come down yet. Its so easy to get great sounds, even if you don't like the presets you can spend time dicking with it to get what you want. The best sounds I thought were the Fender blackface, the Rectifier, the Bassman and the Marshall Plexi. I play in an indie pop punk band playing small to medium venues and this unit is great for using live if you take the time to mess with it. BTW if you can't afford the floorboard (costs nearly as much as the amp!) don't worry, I use the 4 button ftswitch and its all you need, unless you need a million settings in one gig. All the staff in the shop it was bought in (Sound Control in Newcastle, UK) have either POD's or Flextone amps, which is a bit of a recommendation as far as i'm concerned.

Some people when posting reviews about this product have got completely the wrong idea. This unit is supposed to be a close APPROXIMATION of all these different amps. If you think that it will sound EXACTLY like a Fender '59 Bassman then you will be disappointed. For a unit that costs less than half what a new Reissue Bassman would cost I think it does well. There are too many moronic, tube-snobby people posting reviews about this product - "it doesn't sound exactly like a Boogie, what a piece of shit!" - well of course it doesn't idiot because a Boogie costs about £1500+ and this costs about £250 and has a lot more things to devote its technology. If you want a Boogie (or other amp) and that perfect sound is your Holy Grail then just BUY ONE!
This unit sounds ace, and those of you out there who have the intelligence to tweak it until you get what you want will be laughing. Anyone who knows what they like and likes decent guitar sounds will love the POD. Rant over - if its good enough for Weezer its good enough for me!

Reliability: N/A
Haven't used it enough for it to break down yet. Seems fairly sturdy.

Customer Support: N/A
haven't used it yet. Sound Control is a great chain anyway. If u bought something there and its broken down then u can take it back to get it fixed with no hassles.

Overall Rating: 10
I,ve been playing about five years and its probably the best thing I've ever used to create sounds and I've played through a Boogie Stack, a vintage Marshall combo, various solid state, hybrid amps. To me if something sounds good then it sounds good, i don't care if its tube, solid state, digital, a mixture or anything else. I was amazed by this unit and I am quite fickle when it comes to amp sounds. The key for me is that you can get so many different amp sounds in one unit meaning you can go from Fender clean to Marshall drive in one flick of a switch without all the expense and hassle of multi amp set ups. Alright, it doesn't sound exactly like the amps it models, but so what? Does it cost the same as all those amps put together? - NO. Does it weight the same as using lots of amps in your rig? - NO. Comment on this unit within its own boundaries, with some reviewers its like reviewing an Avt amp and comparing it to a Rectifier - "it doesn't get that Mesa sound!" - well, its not gonna is it.
The POD kicks ass. Period.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/19/2001 04:11

Price Paid: US $289

Ease of Use: 8
It's VERY easy to use--though not everything works exactly like the manual seems to say. (But it's always that way, isn't it?)

Sound Quality: 10
IT SOUNDS GREAT! (To all the clowns on this page who have said otherwise, you're trying too hard. We're not impressed.) I play in a roots-oriented band, and players are ALWAYS commenting on how good it sounds. For me, it's meant that, no matter the venue, I get a sound I'm happy with. Even in situations where I have to use someone else's amp--as long as I have the POD, I'm fine. Chuck Berry, rockabilly, blues, Beatles, Stones--I can get the perfect tone for all of it. What more do you want?

For the record, when I first upgraded to 2.0, I had a noise problem, but they replaced the chip, and now it's fine.

Reliability: 10
No problems yet--and I've been using it regularly for almost 2 years.

Customer Support: 10
When I had trouble with the upgrade, they replaced it no questions asked.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 30 years. And the truth is, I've never really been happy with my tone in live settings, until I got the POD. It simply does a great job, and I'd hate to go back to playing without it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/16/2001 11:48

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 9
Owned it for a year. Has plenty of features. Built in effects, 32 amp models, 16 cabinets....

Sound Quality: 7
I'm using single coild and humbuckers through this. I've got a Strat Elite and a guitar with Joe Barden Deluxes. Also use Duncan JB's. Sounds good with all of them. All of the sounds can be useful, however, it's not the end all of simulators. The distortion settings is where this shines. The Rectifier, Soldano and Marshalls sound good. The Vox and Matchless amps are very good as well. For clean sounds, I prefer the Line 6 clean and the Plexi Marshall. The Black Face Fender is a joke. I can hardly get an acceptable clean sound on any setting, though.

The effects are okay at best. Quite generic. The delays are the best, then maybe the flangers. The reverbs and chorus are very unimpressive. All in all, it's good for doing some demos and maybe a few finished tracks. Haven't tried it live.

Reliability: 9
So far so good. Have only used it for recording but no problems yet. It seems well built. Give it a 9 since I haven't tried it live.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't used them yet, but heard they're a nightmare.

Overall Rating: 7
I've been playing 22 years. My live setup is a Boogie Triaxis rack system. If it were lost or stolen, I don't know if I would replace it. The only thing I use it for is recording demos. I love that it's compact and easy to carry around. If there is a recording gig I need to do for someone, it's very convenient and for the most part, acceptable tone for other people. I'm just not that convinced about it. I think the clean sounds are weak. I compared it to the Johnson version of the Pod and found that it is better than that. Overall, it's a pretty good thing to have, but I wouldn't use it as a main amp. Maybe a backup.

Submitted by Steve at 11/05/2001 22:31

Price Paid: $ 600 (Canadian)

Features: 7
As I only use few effects, and a maximum of 4 mods, the controls and floorboard are easy to use, and effective.

Sound Quality: 10
The main thing about this unit, DO NOT USE THROUGH A TUBE AMP, sounds like crap, totaly different when used through a solid state. I use mine through a crate solid state head through the effects loop, and it sounds awsome.

Reliability: 10
Like a tank. Mine fell off my amp ( head and 4/12) and crashed into the floor( about 4 feet) onto concrete, picked it up, plugged it back in, and still worked perfect.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
My rig has never sounded better, next on my list is a flextone II head and 412.

Submitted by Jeff Wilson at 10/25/2001 10:27

Price Paid: US $599.00

Ease of Use: 7
not too hard to tweak, just turn the nobs. One thing that really gets on my nerves tho is the "tap" button. I bought the rackmount version and it really is a pain to have to hold a button to get to other tweaks on the thing. A little more thought and maybe they could have come up with something (anything!) better.

Sound Quality: 4
Well, what can I say? It's hyped as being the first true to tone amp mod, but....er...NO. It's strange that everyone I ask about this thing hypes it and loves it, but doesn't actually own one (music dealers) If they did, maybe they would find out that the tone is muddy as all hell. The eq on it does almost nothing, and go ahead and TRY to get a good clean tone, it's just not possible. I was running it through a mesa/boogie 50/50 so I KNOW it's not my amp. The chorus is too electronic sounding, especially when any distortion is thrown in. I did however like the blackface mod, had a good sound, but I play stuff like metallica/pantera/etc and NEED the high gain stuff that this thing is supposed to deliver, but falls waaaay short.

Reliability: 10
not one bit of trouble from it, and it feels solid enough.

Customer Support: 10
I called to ask what I could do about the muddy tone, thinking maybe I missed something (I actually just wanted to hear their reply), and the guy I spoke with was just too helpful. Didn't get pissy or anything. Very cool.

Overall Rating: N/A
I have been playing for a little more than 10 years, and have had A LOT of gear. While I can't say that this is the worst piece I have ever owned, it's definately not the best. The 1-9 a/b/c/d patch set-up is lacking, and you really should expect more by todays standards. I have since picked up an Oberheim GM1000 and sold the pod, and I love the oberheim. I will say tho that if you play something a bit lighter, maybe like classic rock or a hard edged jazz, then maybe the POD is for you, as it seemed to excel on the "mid-gain" settings.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/21/2001 21:18

Price Paid: US $350 (with $100 rebate from Factory)

Features: 8
See the other reviews for what it has. As far as the versatility of the features (eq, etc.) it depends on the amp model you are using. Some have Presence controls, some don't, some are more affected by the eq than others. For the most part, the features are fairly adequate for the purpose. The POD does come with a feature that changes the output from direct to a PA, or studio board to into the front of an amp. This may or may not be useful. You need to try different setups to see which sounds better. If you're gigging with the POD and plan on using more than 4 amp mods in one gig, get the floorboard. If 4 or less, the FB4 will be fine for you. Cheaper, and smaller. Some of the effects are ok, some suck. More on that later.

Sound Quality: 8
I have 1 Fender Strat, and one Strat-style guitar that I built, which is my main instrument. It has premium components, including Kinman pickups. For the most part, I play at church on Sundays, so I need a lot of different kinds of sounds every weekend, from mainstream rock to blues and jazz. The POD fits the bill the best so far.

The emulations are pretty good. The clean models are good and clean, and come within 90% of the real thing. The extra 10% is the true character of the amp. I don't care what it is, if it isn't a vintage Twin tube amp, there is no way you are going to get 100% of the tone. That incudes the pick and attack response as well as intial breakup for slightly dirty. You shredheads will love this thing. Good Rectified modeling, but realize this: The factory pre-sets are NO GOOD!! Unless you like EVERYTHING with huge amounts of reverb, dealy, and/or chorus, spend the time to tweak it yourself. When I first got the POD, I was extremely disappointed. As soon as I figured out how to use it, tweak the eq's, set effects, and switch cabinet modes, I came up with some pretty usable stuff. I'm being vague because it will be different for everybody. Spend the time to change the settings on it and I think you'll be surprised at how good it can finally sound.

When I practice with the band, I have a 65 Deluxe Reverb that I use, sometimes with the POD. I don't use the "Direct to amp AIR" function, though. I just take the cab emulation out and keep it in the "direct" channel. I find this gives it a little fuller character, but still is nothing compared to the Deluxe Reverb. But that's just for practice. For my live performances, I plug straight into the PA, and still go through the mixer's eq (because the room may affect the sound and therefore may need to be tweaked by the sound guy). If you have a good sound guy you trust, let him have control of the final product. What you hear and what he knows is good for the mix are 2 different things. For this purpose, it's great!

Reliability: 9
No problems yet, but know that there are some annoying things with it, including a little "tick" that you can notice when you play dirty and sustain one high note out. Not a big deal as far as I'm concerned, but you notice it. Nobody else does. I don't imagine that this will have any major problems, but as with any technical device (this is basically a tiny computer), there can be issues.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know. Haven't dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 9
Now... for the bottom line:

I've been playing for 10 years and I'm a realist. This will be good enough for 90% of the people 90% of the time. Some people are SO concerned with the smallest thing that affects tone that they lose sight of what makes the music sound good: musicianship. The models sound good, some better than others, but don't expect perfection. If what you're looking for is the exact 65 Fender Bassman sound, then get one. If you want to get some of that with Boogie Dual Recto distortion and maybe some old British VOX AC 30 for the rhythm, then this is it. Don't compare how well this comes to the amps that it's modeling, compare it to the sound that you like. I guarantee that you'll be able to come pretty close. There are a million different combinations of amps, cabinets, and eq settings, but not effects. Remember that you can still add effects to the chain between the guitar and the POD. I still use my VOX wah in front of the unit.

Also, if you're wanting something to gig with live, don't expect to get good tone if you're pluggin it into a guitar amp. The best way to go live is plug straight into the mix and if you can, get a dedicated monitor for you. For recording, this is better than anything out there. What you hear in your headphones is what you get.

Overall, I give the POD a 9. live and plugging direct, beleive me that even if you have your dream amp miked up with an SM57, the POD will still sound better in the final mix because it is going straight to the mix with no coloration by a mic. Recording in the studio, it's a 10. Through an amp, it's a 2. So, it depends on what you want to use it for. With its versatility, it is a strong 9.

90% of the people 90% of the time.

Submitted by kimmyhendrix at 10/07/2001 03:44

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
No problem, pretty straight forward. Manual is good and quit descriptive in terms of the amp models.

Sound Quality: 2
I would like to say things like "If you think this sounds good you need a different set of ears." .... but I can't, 'cause sound is always so subjective. You could have the shittiest guitar sound ever, and someone would still like it. But what I don't understand is the hype that this unit has generated.

I was quite pleased with some of the cleaner amp models but the more distored ones in my opinion sound very mushy in the bottom end. But the biggest problem with POD is the "Air" switch. This is supposed to emulate the sound of the close mic'ed speaker for direct recording. But line 6 has got something wrong here. Close mic'ed means the mic is positioned right up at the grill cloth and is pointing at the speaker or thereabouts (might be off-axis or closer to the edge than the cone). This "air" switch doesn't sound close mic'ed at all. It sounds like the mic would be pointing at the cabinet somewhere but not at the speaker. This makes all the Pod amps sound very distant or murky and as a result you can never get the guitars to sound "in your face" in a mix situation. In my opinion this makes POD totally useless for the main purpose why they designed it .... as a direct recording device. That is why I took mine back to the store for a refund and that is why I give it such a low rating. It may sound OK for certain applications (i.e practicing), but if a device doesn't function well in its main intended purpose than its mostly just a paper weight.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 2
I've been playing guitar now for about 25 years and have had my own studio for about 10 years. I can assure you that by now I know how to record guitars and get them to sound great in a mix and believe me.... POD isn't the way to do it.

Submitted by RockRoll at 09/26/2001 12:13

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
Pretty easy, just turn the knobs...

Sound Quality: 8
Ahh, well - the difficult and subjective section of the review. To my ears it does a pretty good job of emulating cranked and higly distorted amps (though nothing like the real amps...). But when it comes to emulating a clean amp it really falls through...! My Hughes&Kettner Recording Station does a much better job at that,,,much more sparkling and dynamic (it does have a real tube and it shows, or sounds...:).
Still for the money it's pretty good, just be sure to use something else for recording that clean and sparkling guitar sound...!

Reliability: 8
I've never had any problems with it so far (more than a year...)

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to use it...

Overall Rating: 8
It use it purely for direct recording purposes of cranked and distorted guitars...together with the Hughes&Kettner Recording Station and a Peavey Tubefex for other (clean) sounds.
It's OK for that kind of stuff, though not amazing...

Submitted by Peter at 08/07/2001 13:11

Price Paid: US $250

Ease of Use: 10
this is very easy to use. a godsend for beginner guitar players. the preset sounds are decent for the most part. a little knob tweaking will get you a good sound in no time. all the controls are very straight ahead.

Sound Quality: 7
I'm using a '76 tele (rio grande muy grande tele bridge PU), a custom silvertone jazzmaster-style electric (chandler lipstick PUs), and sometimes a squire P-bass(!!!). This thing sounds good. you get get some really great sounds. the "black face" , "brit classic" (Plexi) , "brit hi gain" (JCM-800), and "modern hi gain" (soldano) sound particularly good. before owning the pod I had played extensively through a '71 fender twin, a marshall JCM 800, and a marshall JMP. I've recorded the pod in the studio, and I have to say that it sounds a bit "murky" when compared to a real mic'ed amp.

Reliability: N/A
I've dropped it a few times and everything's still fine. the casing seems to be very durable.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
since getting the pod, I play guitar more frequently -- and that's a good thing. it's easy to get a good sound, and the delay, chorus, and rotary effects are fun screw around with. I mainly use this for recording song ideas, and for just messing around at home. it's a GREAT tool for that. especially if you have a 4-track or a computer with a multi-track program (like vegas, cubase, or cool edit). you can flesh-out ideas in no time. an the result sounds very good. also, I live in an apartment, so if I want to play guitar really loud t 3:00AM and not disturb the neighbors, I just plug the headphones straight in and crank it up!! this is a fun guitar toy - I recommend to anyone.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/27/2001 01:46

Price Paid: US $265

Features: 9
Very versatile - using the software opens up a myriad of sound possibilities. The headphone jack is great - I can plug in a jam for hours. More effect choices would be nice, but I can just get out the DOD's if I need to.

Sound Quality: 9
My Strat with noiseless pickups is my favorite to play although I can get some badass sounds with the LP armed with a pearly gates & PAF. I mostly play rock and blues. It is very clean and can produce any sound I want. My favorites are Fender Bassman, Soldano, Mesa Boogie and Vox.

Reliability: 9
Only 3 months old. I never gig without a backup 'cause ya never know....

Customer Support: N/A
I have had it for 3 months and have had no problems. No experience dealing with Line 6.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 30+ years. My main guitar is an American Deluxe Strat. I also play a 76 Les Paul Black Beauty, a Gibson Hummingbird, and an Ibanez Roadstar Bass. Amps I have used are Mesa Boogie, Fender Twin, SVT, Model T. I usually run through DOD effects pedal. Now, I do a lot of direct recording and find the POD to be extremly versatile. I am able to get any sound I want without having to lay out serious shinola for a bunch of different amps. If it were lost I would rush down to the music store and get another!

Submitted by rico at 07/22/2001 00:10

Price Paid: US $325.00

Features: 10
This is an update to a previous review posted in January of 2001.
I've had my POD for a year now and have played, toyed, fine-tuned, etc. After a year of using the POD, I can still say without any bias, "The POD is a great tool for any guitarist." Tones can be colored to match any style of playing a guitarist does. Crunchy, Bluesy, Country, Jazzy, Metallic, Clean, etc. It's all there. The key to this product is using the Soundiver software included to tweak patches as necessary. If you are not a tweaker or are lazy like me, you can always download all of the patches from Line 6's Tone Transfer Library, Dthraco's website, Andy Z's website, or Beno A's website. I have about 1000 usable tones stored in my PC for usage as needed. Most of the effects are usable, some may not be as good as your favorite stompbox though. Just plug your stompbox into the chain as needed. The amp models are all good and have some great characteristics. Most of us can't afford more than one Marshall, Fender, Vox, Mesa Boogie, Soldano, Matchless etc. The POD allows you to come close to owning these amps with its modelling technology. Being able to plug in headphones for playing during the wee hours is a plus. The POD can be played through your favorite amp (EQ set flat) or through your bands PA System. No more lugging that Marshall stack.

Sound Quality: 9
Uing a Fender "Big Apple" Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. My amp setup is a Peavy TNT "Bass" Amp (EQ set flat) with a 15" woofer. I play mostly Blues, Classic Rock, and Country music. POD handles all of these styles well. The POD "Noise Gate" takes care of excess noise except when you are playing in front of your PC Monitor. Don't face your monitor while playing through the POD. The pickups on your guitar will pick up a lot of noise from the PC Monitor screen.

Reliability: 10
A very reliable product thus far.
Since I can't afford two POD's, I would either pack a spare amp, or play through the PA system if the POD failed.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not had to deal with customer support. They have a good website at www.line6.com

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing guitar and bass for 30 years. I own a Peavy Deuce Guitar amp, a Fender Mustang bass, a Memphis bass, a Ibanez bass, a Fender Newport acoustic guitar, a cheap classical guitar and the Fender "Big Apple" and Epihone Les Paul previously mentioned.
I would definitely replace the POD if it were lost or stolen since I'm addicted to its tone. I had thought about buying a Line 6 AX212 but have since changed my mind. The POD is much more versatile, cost effective and portable. What I love about this product is its flexibility. Play it anytime, day or night, with headphones or through an amp or PA. Having 36 presets of your favorite patches gives a guitarist a lot of flexibility for any situation.

Submitted by Bob Douglas at 07/18/2001 10:44

Price Paid: US $325

Features: N/A
See below.

Sound Quality: 10
My primary guitar is a Fender Tele '52 reissue, with noiseless pickups. I also have an '83 Strat Elite w/Fender Lace. Finally, I use a Dean Markley Pro Mag Pro on a variety of acoustics, including a '75 Martin D-35. I play rock, pop and country, with a dollop of blues thrown in every now and then to keep me honest. This little bugger does 'em all and then some. I especially like the old Fender tones, but the Marshalls and Boogies are great as well. Let me cut to the quick: if playing through this thing doesn't inspire you, then perhaps you should take up autoharp or the like!

Reliability: 10
No problems yet. From what I've gathered talking to others, the POD is more reliable than most Line 6 products.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't tried it yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I've playing for 30+ years. Other gear? A '90 Fender Jazz, an Ampeg B112, miscellaneous recording devices and effects. I'd get another POD if this one walked away. Nothing else to add or share. Get one. Pure and simple.

Submitted by Ian MacDougald at 07/05/2001 15:09

Price Paid: 279.00 (£ukp)

Features: 10
Without doubt, this little kidney bean shaped metal box has the most diverse scope for use i have ever come across. The sounds, though they take a lot of tweaking, are extremely good. Many people point out that that these sounds aren't the original, well, if you wanted the exact tone of the original, go and buy the damn original. They won't be the same, but believe me, they are only a hair's breadth away. Don't assume that you'll dial in tone after tone or awesome sounds because it does take a lot of tweaking (and the features like sound diver etc. give endless tweaking oppertunities) and if you put the effort in you'll be rewarded with a tone that is larger that you thought could ever be obtained from a small box.

The A.I.R. emulation is very, very useable, have recorded four or five times this week with it, and each time, i've come out of the studio and thought, f*ck me that sound was good, even direct injected!

the effects, whilst perhaps limited are a good choice, and i definately advocate the use of the floor board (not the FB4) because of the extra options that you get.

all in all, feature packed, and at a very reasonable price

Sound Quality: 9
i use an Ibanez RG520QSTB with my POD, though sometimes i have to wonder whether it's a les paul, or a strat or whatever, due to the sheer variety of tone that comes from the little red beast on my amp.

------
Studio

USE THE SOUND DIVER SOFTWARE!! This allows tweaking of everything from presence (depending on amp model) to noise gate. it is excellent and you can produce very good tones that do not sound crap with direct injected. honestly, the sounds are excellent for direct injection (so long as you are set up right)

--------
Live

I put this baby through the PA last night in a gig and took a recording of the gig, the sounds are just as sweet loud. if anything i would say that the true virtue of cranking it up to sound sweet is definately kept with a POD, low volume - sounds sweet, high volume - sounds sweet. it is that good.

-------
Practice

Here i will note a slight downside to this little beast. The headphone sounds do not recreate the sound you would here through speakers or recorded as well as i would like to have them re-created. They are fine for practice, but do not do any proper editing using headphones, as you'll just have to re-edit the sounds after you have finished using the headphones and want to go live.

The effects are clean, what you would expect from digital, and are a small, but well thought out selection. i would have liked to have been able to assign the wah pedal with functions like whammy/pitch shift (a la the whammy/wah from digitech) but nothing to worry about here. if you want sparkly clean sounds, you get them, warmed up clean, in there too, the variety is endless.

This suits every music style i know of (and i play a few), the distortion is made enough even for the likes of kerry king and his heavier brethren.

Use this, if you're worried that it's not high enough quality (not expensive enough) buy the POD pro, i'm going to, just to have one permanently mounted in my studio! and a bass pro, and a bass POD

My only question is, when is the keyboard and drums version out?

Only a nine because of the headphones (though that could be my shitty sony headphones!)

Reliability: 10
Solid, it's F*cking metal all round. built like a tank, none of this plastic rubbish.

Would gig without a backup, and do, just have to worry about the PA now!

Look after this unit, and it will look after you!

Customer Support: 10
Reknowned for their help and swiftness in reply (and free upgrades!)

haven't had cause to contact them but their website contains so much information about everything that you rarely need to anyway

Overall Rating: 10
Playing for nearly five years. Two years studio work, three years live experience with bands of various caliber and now involved heavily in a lot of studio based work for different performing artists. If you think i don't have enough experience, fine, but i'll say that this unit is definately worth every penny, and i would definately buy another.

Love - everything (including the floor board, oh how i could praise that!), especially the users like andy z et al who bother to set up patches and post them on the internet, the users are really helpful and often have the patches that you need, set up for any use, and sounding sweet.

Hate - having to stop playing with it, the fact i can only have one at a time! and i think the headphones thing is perhaps not as usable as i'd like it to be.

Jerry's final thought -

Get one, you'll recoup the money spent with love you get from it's sounds. i think that it is awesome, the guys at the studio think that it is awesome. people that don't even think about tone comment on how good it is!

The only people that say that it is crap are the ones that don't use the deep editing facilities and don't want to have to do some experimenting and tweaking to get that killer sound. trust me.

Submitted by shap shankly at 06/29/2001 16:42

Price Paid: US $55.00

Ease of Use: 10
Easier than changing a light bulb!! Four screws, some slight of hand, and bam, new pod!!

Sound Quality: 9
Some very cool and prestigous amp sounds in here. The new sounds are really tight. Tool is by far my favorite band and I found that with a minimal amount of effort, I was able to get remarkably close to some of the tones that they use.

Reliability: 10
I have used my pod for a countless number of gigs. The upgrade made switching channels faster and more "live" friendly. It has also allowed me to expand my tones and improve my sound quality.

Customer Support: 9
haven't had to deal with line 6 because the POD is so easy and user friendly.

Overall Rating: 10
I like to play everything from blues to metal to alternative to tool (i consider them to be in a category all their own). This just goes to prove the versatily of the POD and it's upgrade. It has always been a part of my rig and while I have and while continue to change out parts such as amps or other effects, the pod will always me part of my personal rig.

Submitted by brock hughston at 06/22/2001 14:31

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 9
Easy. Lots of knobs, no scrolling. Easy to save settings and switch between them. Only bad thing is if you are on a preset and then change the setting of a knob, there's no real way to detect it...

Sound Quality: 5
Alright this is the real skinny. The thing sounds pretty good (about a 7) when used direct (i.e. headphones or straight into a recording device), but I'd still rather just mic a good sounding amp. THe models sound RELATIVELY good (nothing compared to the real thing).

However, hook it up to an amp and it sucks (even if you switch the amp/straight switch). Personally, I think the general EQ is set with not enough high end of most of the amp models. So basically, I use this thing only when I can't be loud.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Jeff at 06/18/2001 16:58

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
pretty easy very intuitive

Sound Quality: 7
I have tried several diffrent set ups.(tube power amp ,mixer ,power amp in on my dual rectifier)Igot alot of good usable tones.

Reliability: 8
seems pretty solid I've dropped mine a couple of times doesnt seem worse for wear and tear.

Customer Support: N/A
have't needed it

Overall Rating: N/A
I play a variety of musical styles from jazz to heavy rock to country.I've been playing for 29yrs.Too much gearto list but I do own some very cool amps (dual rectifier, Marshall jmp50,64 fender super reverb, teed vibrolux).I best describe the Pod sounds as a poster of a painting it gives you the general idea but misses the fine details and for its price this aint a bad thing

Submitted by robin bailey at 06/18/2001 14:54

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A

Sound Quality: 3
The Pod was used in a listening test with a "miked" '59 Bassman, "Amp Farm" and a Boss "blues driver" through a Hughes & Kettner "red box mk3".A late '50's Fender reverb unit was placed before the Bassman.The four different setups were recorded into Pro Tools through a control 24 desk.Mikes used on the Bassman were '57 close U87 room.Genelec' were used for monitoring.SRV (think open E blues) was first cab off the rank followed by some walking bass line chord melody (Stella by Starlight if I remember corectly).No need to labor through any other styles as the Bassman was miles in front! Which means the Pod is fine to "muck" around with in your bedroom but once you've eaten Lobster......
Final score: 1 Bassman(standing next to the amp of course)
2 tie between Amp Farm & Blues Driver/Red Box
3 You guessed it!
Guitars used: L Series Strat and 50' Gibson Super400.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 5
Great, as I said before, if you want a sound that is 60%; 70% ; 80%? of what your looking for but if you know the difference "it 'ain't gonna do it for ya !".

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/14/2001 07:56

Price Paid: US $310.00 used

Features: 7
This is for the Line 6 POD. POD includes 36 factory presets which can be saved over with your own channels, 32 amp models, different cabinets emulations, and many effects including chorus, rotary, flanger, tremelo, etc. I used it for a preamp. One problem though is that you can't switch with your feet so you have to shell out $250 more dollars to buy the Line 6 floorboard. If I wanted to spend that much money ($310(used and with shipping cost) for the POD, $250 for the floorboard), I would have bought a line 6 flextone or something which is an amp and has all these amp simulations and effects onboard.

Sound Quality: 5
I use an Ibanez GIO, and when I plugged into the POD for the first time, I was amazed. It quickly went away when I could only adjust the amp simulations so far. I sometimes play punk rock, and when I pick a rectified or hi gain amp that I need for the song, I can never get the "bright" or "crisp" sound that I need. Most of the distortion amp models are muddy. I can sit there and tweak it all day and still can get the sound I want or need. Especially for lead the "muddiness" makes it sound like crap. The clean channels are sqeaky clean though and I didn't notice too much distorting at high volumes. I liked the Line 6 clean the best. The effects are pretty darn good, especially the chorus and rotary. If Line 6 would have spent as much time on the amp models as they did on the effects, they would have a pretty darn good little machine(that is if they had a channel switch that you can control with your feet included. It kinda sucks when you have to bend over after every song and scroll through all the presets until you have the channel you want, and you can't switch channels during a song unless you want a 5 minute intermission right smack dab in the middle of the song.:))

Reliability: 8
I had it for about 2 months maybe, and it held up pretty good. But I never dropped it or anything. When I was packaging it up when I was selling it on eBay, I noticed some dents and scratches in the paint on the back. Probably from where I was plugging in everything, but I know I was never rough with it. No knobs fell of or anything, seems pretty well built. I would have substituted reliability for sound though, but that would'nt ever happen. Who cares about reliability when it sounds awesome?? Too bad it doesn't.

Customer Support: 9
I never never dealt with customer support for my POD, but I have dealt with Line 6 about my Spider 210. They have a nice system to answer questions, just register a name at the site and ask as many questions as you want, and they should be answered in 24 hours or less. Oh yeah, the manual for the POD is pretty helpful, they have a sense of humor in it and its easy to read and understand.

Overall Rating: 7
I don't have my POD anymore, I sold it and bought a new Digitech RP2000 preamp, which is a lot better. It doesnt have as many amp models as the POD, but they are better. You can adjust EVERY parameter of every amp, effect or whatever. You can have the distortions muddy enough to quish between your toes or bright enough to blind you. This is what I was looking for in the POD and I was disapointed. Also, you can switch everything with your feet,has a volume pedal that can also be used for wah-wah. If your looking for a good preamp, buy a Digitech RP2000. It is almost the exact same price as the POD, and you get so much more. I also got rid of my Digitech too, but not because I didn't like it, but because I needed an amp.
If the POD were lost or stolen when I had it, the only reason I would have been upset is because I could'nt sell it and get something else. Don't buy the POD. It is sometimes hard to use because some of the knobs have two functions, and you have to hold down a button while you twist the knob so that you can adjust the other function of the knob, and you have to look at a page in the manual to see what the second function of the knob is. Yea yea, it has all thses different amp models, but if they don't sound good, who cares? Don't get me wrong, Line 6 is awesome, but they just didn't do too good when making the POD. Maybe future versions will be better. I want to get the Line 6 AX2 212, which 2 people I know have it and it sounds absolutely awesome! And it's loud as crap too! I just need to save some more money then sell my spider 210 and get the AX2. Can't wait!

Submitted by guitar_dude_man at 06/09/2001 20:46

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
you absolutely have to load the software and mess with things to get the sounds closer to the real thing.with say a deluxe reverb there's a treble spike that's a pain in the ass no matter what you do. or the bassman has way too much gain. or the tweed deluxe does'nt do the two volume/ tone control thing (no matter what you do). when you go in and edit you see it all on your screen. a lot of the presets have boosts and bright switches (too bright) engaged as part of the preset and they don't tell you that! just turn all that shit off and you're much much closer to the amp you want. well, most of these devices are designed by rockers (no secret there) and consequently most all of them have too much gain! there is no stock fender bassman in the world that has as much gain as the pod preset. the drive control is very touchy on all models. it would be great if they could get much closer to the taper of the model selected in this department. also sag in non-existent in this unit. a solid state rectifier sound to me is like dragging a piece of bare wire through your teeth. no feel at all, and that is what you get here.i'm being very critical here in the spirit that the strong can take it. i will say at this point i am very impressed with this device despite my criticisms. for a first offering (which is bound to improve) it's quite the acheivement. the manual is pretty good, and i can't stress enough that you have to reaaly study the manual, load the software and get in there and mess with things to get the most out of it. when you see that screen come up the first time then you see what the fuss is about. basic editing is easy ,even on the gig, but do your homework at home first.

Sound Quality: 10
basically real strats and a super reverb. however i don't use it with this setup. i use pod for fly gigs with rental backline. here this thing is an absolute godsend. use the effect loop and use the pod out put level to control everything (this bypasses the host amp's preamp)as this is the least colored sound. i usually ask for a 4-10 blues deville, and i use the air switch. i have the small floorboard and i make my own presets; a different amp for every bank, but with the same 4 sounds, all with a modded small room 'verb. a straight amp sound, the same sound with tremelo, straight sound with slapback, straight sound slightly goossed. if i have the time i'll set the manual setting the the bank i'm using with a leslie'd straight tone, for a total of 5 sounds. every host amp is different, and this is where you can select different speakers, etc. since my main amp is a super, i'll mess with things at home to get in the ballpark and fine tune it quickly on the gig. if there's no f/x loop, dump the bass and treble, pin the mids and vol about 3 and start with that. tweeze as neccessary. i don't use a lot of dirt so i don't find it overly noisy. again, really study the manual and memorize what buttons are dual function, etc. memorize the fucking manual and you will be rewarded! i give it a 10 for my application, not overall sound quality. (more on this)

Reliability: 10
yes and yes

Customer Support: 1
i loaded the version 2 chip and no problem, just take your time

Overall Rating: 10
i'm a straight blues/ roots guitarist in a renowned roots band (20 albums and counting). i joined them in '95 , after 12 years playing in hard core purist blues bands. strats and tellies with a super or bassman is what works best here (for my style). prior it was a '56 kay archtop with 3 p-90's through a bassman and a '63fender reverb unit or the super reverb. absolutely i would replace it; it's really great for plugging straight into 4-track, etc. these things are designed to a price point. if you'll notice, most of the high end emulators (like the zentera) don't have a noise gate. they have serious quality converters, etc in them and don't need a lousy noise gate! you'll also pay about 3 grand for the priviledge. maybe line6 could come out with say a dual engine pod, one chip solely for amps and speakers, one chip solely for effects. if they already do this bump 'em up to something serious and call it superpod or some such thing. the lack of "realness" points to the chipset which is why everyone says amp farm sounds much closer. it use's the computer or workstation's chipset for the processing. let 'em sag, sag, sag if that what the model calls for, they seriously need to improve this. the effects are ehh, but everyone knows that. redo the tweed deluxe so that channel vol and drive are identical, one slightly brighter than the other, and do that interaction thing, and let it sag more than any amp in the lineup (which it has more of). put a really kick ass reverb section with full control over eq, a real spring and a real 3 knob outboard unit emulation. fender did it great on the cyber twin, so can you. c'mon! get rid of that quirk where you go from manual to a bank, you touch the channel vol and you get a volume jump. very annoying! while i feel that this will never take the place of a real amp (yet) the fact that can hook this thing up to a total piece of shit like a roland jazz chorus (i go to japan a lot), do the gig and be quite happy with the tone is absolutely amazing to me, and a real plus for guys like me who can't always bring their rig with them. a double gig bag, pod and a couple of cables and i'm good to go. how about a separate output just for your new and improved effects? how about an aux input so you can plug in a cd player, etc and learn new material driving to the gig? you know how many of my friends have original(grey box) rock'n plays? indespensible. the new ones rot, ibanez treats this like a toy. they're really missing the boat on this. it should be a very serious tool. we had to drive from atlanta to d.c to back tracy nelson at fleetwood's (mick's club) 1st anniversary party with vh-i filming. got the tapes 2 days before the gig and learned them, me and the bass player into the same rock'n play on the way to the gig. need i say more? overall, i think line6 has done a great job here; if i did'nt see the potential in this thing i would'nt be nearly so critical and i certainly would'nt be using it! one more thing, how about a modeler for roots type players like myself? we don't need 14 different flangers and distortion pedals. give us room (with full eq), spring and 3 knob 'verb, echoplex and 1 or 2 different delays, rotary, trem and vibrato, some type of tube screamer with 3 band eq. something for guys with great rigs that don't use wack effects. just some really great, traditional effects in a stompbox. there is a huge market out there for something like this, believe me.

Submitted by pete kanaras at 05/28/2001 14:39

Price Paid: US $600.00

Features: 9
This an amp modeling, rack-mounted pre-amp for live use and recording. There are 32 models of both modern and vintage amplifiers, and 16 effects combinations, as well as various cabinet models, all of which can be modified into many user pre-set combinations. It has digital and analog outputs for direct recording, use with a PA system, and into a power amp for live performances. The tones are software-based on the actual amplifiers that it models; this is NOT a solid-state pre-amp with tube emulation circuitry. For foot-controlled amp switching and effects controls, you will definately need the Line 6 Floor Board foot controller, which costs an extra $230-300 or so.

Sound Quality: 9
The sounds of this machine is simply incredible. The Marshall sounds and the Fender black panel sounds are right on target, since I've owned both in the past. For example,the British high-gain model is based on the Marshall JCM 800 series amps, and sounds exactly like the one I played for 15 years before giving it to my son. I've never played any of the others, but the rectifier amp models sound an awful lot like Metallica, Dream Theater, Korn, etc. As for some of the other tones, try using the tweed setting and play the opening riff to Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4." Sound familiar? The British class A models, particularly the Vox AC-30's, are British invasion heaven. Try Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" using the Line 6 Insane model. The distortion on this thing will blow you away. The clean tones are really clean, too. Even the models of the various Marshalls get really nice clean sounds. The built in noise-gate works well. This is a quiet unit overall. Most of the effects are really nice, particularly the chorus and rotary speaker effects, but don't get rid of your rack-mounted reverb. The fuzz-face model is a bit on the sterile side, however, since it is modeled after the effect going straight into a power amp. I play a Jackson Soloist with the factory-standard H-S-S pickup configuration. I have the POD Pro going into a Tube Works 1160 MosValve stereo power amp, with an old Digitech DSP 128+ in the effects loop. The amp goes into a Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabinet. I play primarily hard rock and some blues, but this unit is suited to just about any style you can imagine. I don't have a recorder, so I can't comment on how it sounds in that capacity. I strongly recommend the Line 6 Floor Board foot controller. It's a necessity for amp-switching, wah-wah, and volume pedal effects.

Reliability: 10
I got it for Christmas of 2000 and haven't had any problems.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't had to contact them for anything. The unit has a 1-year warranty, though.

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for 35 years. The POD Pro offers tonal versatility that just isn't available with any other product. If it were lost or stolen, I would definately replace it. It would be nice if it had some pitch-shifting effects, though.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/27/2001 09:03

Price Paid: US $349.99

Features: 10
I own a Pod V2.0 from 2000. I have recently upgraded to v2.2, as it provides more clarity, and a more focused tone. I have been informed that this is due to the redirection of more "Brain Power" to the amp side, rather than the effects. Either version sounds great. I generally use the Pod for private practice, recording, and writing with my singer (I plug into his PA). I have also tried using the Pod through my Rectoverb- as long as you have half a brain and realize the Pod DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY adjust itself for the scenario YOU GIVE IT, you can go far. All it takes is some tweaking. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is changeable- and it's EASY TO DO. Knobs and secondary button. That's it.

Sound Quality: 10
I am currently using a Washburn NS with a Tone Zone and Paf Pro, a Gibson Les Paul with a Screamin' Demon and a '59, as well as a PRS McCarty with the stock pups. I feel the Pod is an excellent unit in that it allows my hands to do what they do, make tone. I also like how the effects seem to enhance the tones, rather than walk all over them- like the over-processed sounding J-station. Although the Pod has some EXCELLENT tones and options, I find myself sticking around one or two amps, even when I switch styles. I play everything from Metal to Blues to Groove Orientated Hard Rock. I cannot understand why some of the previous responses were so negative. I suppose it is like any of the other reviews here- you are going to get the inexperienced enthusiasts who don't understand the dynamics of rooms, headphones, etc- that blame the Pod for their ignorance. I have an uncle who is a professional recording musician and has a Flextone. Several of my friends own other forms of the Pod/Flex. When I see them live, I can close my eyes and I cannot tell that it is digital. When I hear the recordings, I swear they are well engineered (mic'd) tube amps. No bull. This thing rocks.

Reliability: 10
I know for a fact that it is RELIABLE. While some of the local amp repairshops have seen some failures, they all agree that it is few and far between. Trust me, when you walk into an amp shop and you see 13 Marshalls, 6 Fenders and 1 L6....well, you get the picture.

Customer Support: 10
I had to call the company in order to get my 2.2 chip. I found them to be friendly, and knowledgeable. L6 also has a killer website with tons of support from actual OWNERS and USERS of L6 gear. Not biased L6 folks. Not tech support. In fact, this is how I REALLY learned how to use my Pod. The owners act like they belong to a secret L6 cult- and they are very helpful. There are also plenty of other ways to see how others are setting up their L6 gear.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for almost 9 years. I am a TONE ADDICT. I have a ton of time on many of the actual models this piece replicates. I the tones to be DEAD ON. Especially when you mess with the cab's. I also don't view the L6 gear as modelers- but more as a useful tool with killer tones. I love my Pod.

Submitted by Steve at 05/26/2001 20:18

Price Paid: US $299.00

Features: 9
The POD has some great features! I just wish they were associated with a better sounding unit.

Sound Quality: 3
I had a similar experience with my POD as other users here have had. The first day or so I absolutely LOVED it! The second day or so I thought it was OK, the third day I thought it was poor, and now I think its awful! My beef is that the POD can't handle 2 notes or more without generating an awful low frequency overtone/undertone noise. Its subtle at first, but you notice it after a while. Some of the previous reviewers said they found themselves playing nothing but leads... this could be the reason. Its probably also the reason that everything sounds so mushy. Just like a previous reviewer.... after a while the sound of the POD (and that noise) just grates on my nerves! I thought I had a bad POD, so I went to the local GC and tried out a couple of them. Yep they all had the same irritating noise! You really don't notice it at first, because you're listening to the effects, tweakin' knobs, and changing amp models, but after some critical listening you notice that noise. I bought my POD specifically for recording, and I have not been able to get a good sound recorded yet.... even on super clean settings.

Reliability: 9
I haven't had any reliability problems with the POD.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't dealt with customer support.

Overall Rating: 3
I've been playing for more years than I care to admit. I own a few guitars with pickups that range from Seth Lovers to stock cheesy single coils, and the POD sounds pretty bad with all of them. I think Line6 has a great idea here, but its just not there yet. If Line6 were to spend some time cleaning up, and punching up the basic sound of the POD they would have a fantastic machine that would be worth much more than they are currently charging for it, but like I said.... its not there yet. If my POD were stolen, I'd probably jump for joy, and then try something different.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/22/2001 18:24

Price Paid: US $299.00

Ease of Use: 9
editing is really easy, especially when using the included Sound Diver software. There really isnt a need for the manual (in my opinion, although I'm used to programming a K2000 too)

Sound Quality: 5
I'm using an Ibanez JS series guitar (the older model when they actually used a Mahagony body ;)) The compression on pod is great, as it is modeled after an 1176. I'm using this unit for Direct recording, and my main problem with it is the sound. The high end on the pod seems to be cut big time. After recording I find myself having to boost around 4-6 khz by about 5-7 db!!! thats alot. Its has a really problem cutting through the mix. And the crust and crunch still isnt totally there. So I bought a Tech 21 PSA-1. Lets just say i'm in the process of selling my Pod right now. The Tech 21 had everything the Pod didnt in tone. It cut through the mix with no problem and still had all the note definition the pod lacked.

Reliability: 9
The unit is built very well, I've had mine for about a year now with noe problems

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed to call them. Thats a good sign.

Overall Rating: 6
Its a great unit for Lead work. but for rythem guitar when you need it to cut through a mix, it doesnt cut it. I'm much happier with the Tech 21 PSA-1 MUCH. So I'm in the process of selling the Pod now.

Submitted by Joshua Steffen at 05/08/2001 16:53

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 1
As noted below, I have not been able to get a great sound on my own.
Been told there are secrets to programming it. But, if you need
secrets to make an amp or effect sound good, it's ease of use is
necessarily poor in my humble opinion.

Sound Quality: 3
THE POD: The sounds great through headphones, but extremely mediocre through amps or recording. I've tried all of the factory presets, and I've tried tweeking manually. I've tried going through the effects loop of tube amps; I've tried recording to tape; I've tried recording to DA 38's through a board and without the board. The results - mediocre. I was able to get a somewhat useful black face tone, and a decent (but not great) modern Marshallesque/Boogiesh type sound,but
I don't get what all the hype is about. I've demoed the Line-6 Axis amps, and they sound far better to me. Even then, there is a "thinness" and high end sharpness that is hard to describe, but starts to grate on my nerves after an hour of so of playing. Never experienced that from my tube amps, or even most of the good analog solid state amps I've tried. In addition, I've seen the newer line of Flextone Line 6 amps at a variety of gigs - - Not bad, but they just didn't seem "beefy" compared to the Soldano, Marshall, or Fender Amps they were up against. And again, that everpresent (albiet oh so slight) high-end frequency digital buzz,zing,twang, whatever you call it, started to grind on my ears after awhile. And, for those of you who care, I am not a vintage/tube amp freak. (although I admit that I enjoy the sound of a good album or tape far better than most CD's . . . ) I truly wanted the POD to answer my prayers and to work well enough to use it as a main recording or gigging tool, but it just didn't do it for me. Can anyone send me some of the "secret recipies" for good tone ? Maybe I'll change my mind. But until then,most of the modeling choices seem to only reproduce a thin "inverted" sound of the tube amp's the POD is attempting to copy. By the way, someone mentioned the Yamaha "Stomp" modeler. I plugged it directly in to the front of a Fender Hot Rod Deville at a guitar shop (the front because I couldn't see if there was an effects loop or reach it if there was). That thing sucked beyond belief. I've also played through the Yamaha modeling amp with the fancy knobs that turn by themselves. Cool to look at, lousy to listen to. I'ts not even somewhat close to a good analog tube or even good analog solid state amp. Again, I just don't get it. Either the rest of you are on drugs, or I need some . . . I don't know what your taking about when you rate these digital bombshells with "9" and "10" ratings.

Reliability: N/A
Gave it back to my friend after a few days.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 3
Styles: folk to blues to funk to hard rock to progressive rock to light fusion (which I play ok, but admittedly, I ain't no Holdsworth).
What I play now: a Gibson Les Paul 1962 reissue and a Fender Lone Star Strat. I generally run pedals (e.g. Fulltone 2, Marshall Guv'nor, Rat Pedal, Boss Super Overdrive, Marshall and Boss Choruses, Boss Digital and Analog Delays) through a Fender Concert or Twin, or for some gigs I use a Marshall JMP and Quadraverb through the effects loop of a twin (the JMP (a digital preamp with 2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes) has a number of decent sounds, none of them perfect, but some useable ones. It works ok with a foot controller in conjunction with the quadraverb for a variety of sounds for a progressive rock situation. I've also run the JMP (which is stereo) and Quadraverb through a stereo all tube Marshall power amp into a vintage cheese cloth 4X12 Marshall bottom set up in stereo.
Conclusion for the POD:
Great headphone amp, a few useful sounds, but seems to be mostly
hype when it comes to direct recording or gigging.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/08/2001 01:22

Price Paid: US $329

Ease of Use: 8
Considering how many different sounds you can get out of it, and how many different ways there are to output those sounds, I thought it was quite easy and intuitive to use.

Sound Quality: 4
Okay. When I plugged into a Pod with headphones at the local guitar mall store for the first time, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I couldn't believe how good it sounded! Hotrod Soldano! Dual Rectifier! Marshalls of every type! Fenders! Matchless! Vox! And they all sounded incredible! I couldn't say "I'll take it!!" fast enough.

That night I think I plugged it in about 5 p.m. and finally quit about one in the morning (on a worknight, groan...) My fingers were ragged and sore and I had a cramp in my wrist but I was in amplifier nirvana. I had never had so much fun playing! Every note, every riff, every lead sounded like something the gods had recorded... The effects were all solid and only added to my swooning ambrosial bliss, mmmmmmmmm...

The next night was very fun, too. Lots of fun... but it just wasn't quite as perfect, somehow. The first thing I noticed was that I was playing little else except leads. I mean, lead after lead after lead... They all sounded so good that it was hard to stop or to do anything else. Somewhere along the way the songs and any groove I might have gotten in otherwise just got lost entirely. So, even though everything still sounded great, the overall satisfaction level went way way down that second night.

The third night the satisfaction level had deteriorated to the point where I began to really notice weaknesses in the overall sound quality. For one thing, and others have also noted this, the sound definition isn't that good. Nuances get lost, everything kind of gets squashed into the middle, the highs and lows get seriously toned down, and, perhaps most notably, the attack level *really* diminishes, as though it were taking valium. After a time I found it sounded very digital and fake, especially when I put the Pod down and played through my full-size amp, a Marshall Lead 100 Mosfet and two 1965 cabinets, with a Marshall Drivemaster distortion pedal. The Marshall has almost no bottom end but plenty of top end, and it was night and day comparing the Marshall setup with the Pod. Switching back and forth between the two, the Marshall sounded crisp and clean and sharp and full and the Pod sounded like, well, mud. I also tried it as a front end for the amp, doing as Line 6 advises and turning off the speaker emulation. It sounded almost as good as it did through headphones, but still, compared to the Marshall, it sounded like mud. I play a 1978 Strat with Seymour Duncans, BTW.

To make sure I wasn't just having a bad day, I tried everything again the next day, Day 4, with the same results. The Marshall sounded great, the Pod sounded digital and thin and weak and flat and hollow and all smooshed together. And it's not that the Marshall is such a great amp; rather, I think it's that the Pod has inherent weaknesses in tonal quality that really stand out when compared in a face-to-face shootout with a halfway decent amp.

So, Day 5 I returned the Pod to the store for a refund. I really really really wanted it to work, but it just wasn't happening, not for $329.99 plus tax.

Just out of curiosity I played through a Line 6 Flextone II while at the store, thinking maybe the Pod electronics, run through a built in amp, might sound better. Sure enough, compared to the other amps at the store that I tried, it had that same muddy, digital tone, like a recording of a great amp like a Dual Rectifier or a Marshall Plexi played through the boombox you got free when you opened that checking account down at the local bank...

Reliability: N/A
Worked fine for four days.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 6
I play original droning hard rock that sounds something remotely like Van Halen, the Velvet Underground, Queen, U2, Spiritualized and Nirvana thrown into a blender. I've been playing for 30 years. I've been looking for the Perfect Amp for most of that time. I thought the Pod might be the answer to that sacred quest...

The Pod is like a summer romance, I feel. The first few days the guy is incredibly handsome and sexy and so much fun, and you're thinking you might just fall in love with him, like, where have you been all my life? But then the magic wears off, just a little bit, and you start to notice things... He doesn't always listen when you talk, he rambles on about other women he's known, he's kind of selfish and shallow... By the end of the summer you've got some good memories and you'll always be friends but you're very ready to move on, too. That's the Pod, a summer romance.

On the other hand, if you haven't got tons to spend, and/or don't have a place where you can play loud and not bother the neighbors, it's a good option, assuming you have a good set of headphones. The effects are good, too. So, I'll give it a nod for that. However, for live applications or for a tone-jaded old soul like me, better stick with the real Soldanos and Mesas and Marshalls. Still, because it is such a neat concept, you should probably at least try it out; maybe you'll love it... Just make sure you can return it as the magic may wear off, as it did for me.

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/01/2001 11:29

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 7
Well, it's certainly not brain surgery.

Sound Quality: 8
I've been reading some pretty bad reviews of this unit and felt like I should defend it, as I'm using it in a studio environment quite regularly. I think the only people who will be truly let down by this product are guitarists who have found their perfect tone and have an amp of choice that they can't live without. Fair enough. They would have no real reason to own a Pod. In a studio setting, however, these little guys prove to be pretty useful and good sounding. Does the Marshall model sound realistic? I don't really know, but it has character and the sounds work in a mix. I've been using the Pod for tons of layered guitar parts ala Johhny Marr or, say, any number of Bowie guitar-slingers. It works very well in this context. Granted, I almost never have just one guitar alone in a mix without other instruments, but i wouldn't be afraid to do it. I like one of the Fender models a lot, the Marshall, and what I assume is an ac-30 or thereabouts. It sounds cool. There have been a couple of occasions in the last year when I've resorted to using an amp as a final sonic measure, but those times have been rare, which is nice. If purchasing this unit means I get three ot four really good sounding amps out of it, then I'm happy. I can't claim to use the effects all that much. The Fender models seems to have spring emulation thing going on which is kinda shrill, but I use it a lot. I love the tremolo and the swell effect, although the modulations are kinda so-so. The overdrives on the amp models usually sound pretty right on. I put keyboards through this thing as much as guitars and it always makes those instruments have a real presence in the mix. I like the AIR effect as well.

Reliability: 7
It's metal and seems pretty rugged. I have actually played a couple of shows with it and was quite happy with the results (although I pretty much just left it on one of the Fender settings). The tuner on mine is sketchy. That would keep me from grading this at an 8 or 9 in this category. Most guitarists have tuners, and one really wouldn't want to rely on the tuner in mine...which is kind of a weird bug.

Customer Support: N/A
Line 6 has cool people making the rounds in New England and they seem helpful. I really have no clue how I would handle it if this guy broke however.

Overall Rating: 8
If the Pod were stolen I would have to get another. I would have to, at least for the studio. The only other pedal I could say that about is my Deluxe Memory Man, which come to think of it was stolen from a gig recently and I really really need to replace. I wish the tuner was less fluky and there were a few more amp models I was in love with. The effects could be a tad more editable from the front panel, but this is pretty minor to me. I've never bothered to hook it up to Sound Driver and all that. It's red and cute. I have a couple other Line Six pedals and have to complain about them not coming with power supplies. The Pod, thank the maker, does. For recording, it seems pretty damn solid.

Submitted by Sean Drinkwater at 04/03/2001 01:49

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: 3
I was looking for a good tube tone, easy to record ... I found the pod. But after 1 year I sold it again. I am not satisfied with the sound - its not very tube like.
What do I use now?
The Yamaha DG Stomp
here some examples here:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data/Line_6/POD-01.html

(all Lead-Sounds are made with the DG-Stomp and the internal effects)

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 4

Submitted by AH at 03/23/2001 13:03

Price Paid: US $349.00

Ease of Use: 8
This is a review for the POD version 2.0. I'm sure we all know by now what the POD looks like (several web pages have super blown up pictures of this unit for easy viewing). Very easy to use, yet can also be a tweaker's wet dream. Very easy to get a basic sound but you also have the controls to tweak the heck out of patches. Tweaking is a fairly easy process, however you will probably have to take a gander at the manual (which is one of the best manuals to ANY guitar product I have seen - hell, I might even say it's the best). In order to get the maximum control over your POD, I imagine that you will have to link this unit with your PC via the SoundDriver software which is included (or download the latest version from www.line6.com). I have not been able to hook the POD to my PC yet, because, believe it or not, I cannot find a store/webpage that has the cable I need to link the POD to my soundcard (every store or page I have been to have been out of stock. Did everyone go buy PODS?!?!). Basically, the bottom line is, that you initially twist a series of 10 knobs to bet a basic sound and then you have the alternate controls of holding down a particular button (usually the TAP/HOLD button) and twisting the same knobs to tweak further. Or you can perform all of these tasks via a graphic user interface via the SoundDriver software installed on your PC.

Sound Quality: 8
My setup with the POD, at this time, is just simply a 1987 Paul Reed Smith Standard 24 plugged directly into the input of the POD feeding the effects return of my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Some of the settings on the POD are noisy but I almost get the impression that Line6 purposely put some type of noise on the patches to acurately simulate the classic amps that it models.

The amp models I really like are: Black Panel 1, Tweed Blues, Small Tweed, Line 6 Layer (this model is really useful - with the drive at 7:00 <all the way down> you get an SUPER 80's clean sound, with the drive control cranked you get a modern super distortion sound), Tube Preamp, JC120, Boutique #3 (which is a model of a Budda Twinmaster head) and both the Brit Classic and Brit High Gain models.

The Tube Preamp model is a selection that was designed to be used with NON guitar products (warming up a microphone, bass, synth, etc.) but you can get a great tube like distortion with this model. It has genuine tube squishy-fizziness (I love it, I have been using this model the most and it was not even designed for guitar).

More on the sound quality. Some models sound a tad muffled. Now I imagine an EQ would take care of this, but straight out of the box, I imagine that it would be rather difficult getting a good LIVE sound out of some of the amp models as is (however I do not have a poweramp and/or cabinets to test this, I am just running it into an amp). Keep in mind as well, I am running this STRAIGHT into the effects return on my amp so that could explain a loss in high end as well. Also, if you are DI'ing the POD into a recording device of some sort, more highs might give the unit too much treble or presence for a recording. I, of course, have not tested this theory yet, but I think the POD would sound great for my project recordings.

NOW onto the effects. Previous reviews have really dogged the effects and that is one reason why I was so hesitant in getting a POD because I thought it would be just decent amp models and crappy effects. In my opinion, I think the effects are pretty darn good! The delays are really nice and neutral. Not too digital sounding yet not too analog sounding as well (am I the only guitarist that tends to hate analog delay?!?!?). The flangers I am not too keen on (the are 2 flanger effects). Too modern sounding. There are two chorus' as well and chorus 1 is not all that useful but chorus 2 (which is more pronounced and has greater depth) is pretty good. It is supposed to recreate the sound of an old Boss Ce-1 and comes within about 80% of achieving this. I like the rotary sound but it has too much of a volume jump when activated. It sounds really neat though! But the two effects I love are the compressor and the Delay/Swell effects! I have searched long and hard for a decent compressor in a multieffector and this by far the best one I have come across. I tend to turn the effect down to it's minimum (when cranking this effect the POD generates a lot of noise and I think that's what most of the previous reviewers are experiencing) but at least I have the option of doing this. Most effectors squash the poop out of your sound on the lightest setting, not the POD. Finally, the Delay/Swell effect is one GREAT effect (by far my favorite on the POD). I really think Line 6 should make JUST a pedal that performs this effect. Basically this effect simulates a guitarist riding a volume pedal with a delay. I primarily play Prog Rock and I can get Alex Lifeson/Steve Rothery/Steve Hackett type of volume swells with this effect. The time it takes for the swell to sound after you pluck a string (or strings) can be adjusted as well as the delay time/repeats.

Reliability: N/A
The POD seems reliable. I have not experienced the glitching problems that past reviewers have mentioned (might have been fixed with the version 2.0 firmware release). I cannot honestly tell you wether I would take this to a gig without a backup because I haven't determined yet if this will be practical to be used live or just for practice or home recording. I imagine it would do just fine at a gig. You would probably want to opt for the floorboard if you did this though.

Customer Support: N/A
My unit already came with the version 2.0 upgrade installed. I have not had to deal with Line 6 directly yet either (however, I wouldnt mind to get an endorsement deal with Line 6........).

Overall Rating: 8
I have been playing guitar seriuosly for about 10 years. As I stated previously, I play classic prog rock and this unit is decent match for this type of music. IMHO the POD is geared toward vintage enthusiasts and since I like CLASSIC prog rock, this unit is good for my own projects. If it were stolen I would probably get another one. I might want to try a J Station but I cannot imagine it sounding better than the POD. Maybe comparable but not better. For practice or home recording I would readily recomend this product due to it's fairly low price and number of useful sounds.

Submitted by Tom Bailey at 03/22/2001 08:28

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 7
Pod V2.0 - features are well documented here and on their website. The main thing you need to know is that to unlock the true potential of this, you need the MIDI connection to your computer and the emagic software. If you do not like to tweak settings for hours in search of the perfect sound, this unit is not for you - stick with an amp. But if you are a computer literate tone freak, and want a wide variety of tone options, you will not find a more versatile processor.
What is missing?
1. A true-bypass and/or a dry out (standard on even the cheapest stomp boxes).
2. An on-demand compressor with MIDI adjustable attack and release settings. This should be tied together with the noise gate.
3. A parametric bass frequency filter. Some settings generate obnoxious bass spikes in the 60-150Hz range that will ruin a mix. Most of my custom settings have the A.I.R. turned off, the Bass at zero, and the noise gate up really high just to try to tame the low frequecy stampede.
4. Line input level control. The input variations in pickups have a dramatic effect on the sound. Being able to control the input level would help. Switching between a Fender single coil and a Les Paul humbucker has a big influence on the sound. You can compensate by using the volume pedal at a fixed setting to dampen the input level, but then you can't use the volume pedal.

Features are the only thing holding this unit back from being a required piece of guitar gear. The floorboard is a great add-on. It will let you at many of the settings in a stomp-box format. Plus you get a volume and a wha pedal. If you like to manipulate tones while you are playing, you will need to shell out the extra cash for the ffloorboard.

Sound Quality: 9
The sound quality to my picky ears is a 9 (10 is reserved for the perfect sound that is only attainable with thousands of dollars of studio gear). Other than some quirks I mentioned in the features section, this unit can unlock your own unique ultimate guitar tone, or emulate the tone of your favorite guitar hero. The tone transfer library is a blast. You can get some really good ideas from the settings others develop. I like the effects - the reverb is well suited for the guitar, the delay is a standard digital delay, and the chorus/flange effects are better than any stomp box I have owned, and I think I have tried them all. I don't have much use for the rotary, tremolo, or swell settings, but they seem fine. There is a fabulous approximation of "Shattered" by the Rolling Stones using the Rotary effect in the tone transfer library. The real trick is that you have to tweak the settings with MIDI and the emagic software. The out-of-the-box settings only go so far.
Some reviews state that the unit is noisy. I think these users must not have not used the MIDI software. The stock noise gate is either on or off, so you can't control the threshold. Some configurations will force you to increase the threshold of the noise gate. Being able to adjust the noise gate is critical to controlling the signal noise. It also lets you generate some excellent sounds - try a distorted setting with delay, reverb, and a high threshold (60-70). You can get a good Alex Lifeson sound using a pre-compressor, lots of chorus, and the high threshold noise gate.
The flexibility of this unit has a downside - you have to invest the time to get the right sound out of it. Unless you are happy with the presets, plan on spending hours (months, years) tweaking to find your signature sound.

Reliability: 10
I have used this every day for one year without a single problem.

Customer Support: 10
I bought the original Pod, and learned via the Line 6 website that I could get a free v2.0 upgrade. I filled out the forms, and a few weeks later my v2.0 upgrade kit came. It came with a professional Upgrade Guide, new emagic software, and detailed chip replacement instructions. The v2.0 turned what was a fun stomp-box into a serious recording tool for my home studio. They developed a chip that significantly upgraded the performance original investment, and let me have it for free. That is unbelievable service. If only the major computer companies could be this service oriented with their software upgrades! The website is also quite helpful, and the tone transfer library sets this product apart.

Overall Rating: 8
The only thing that drags the rating down is the lack of the features as mentioned above. The Pod is the most fun I have had with my guitar in my 20+ years of playing and recording. This ranks right up there with the early Rockman X100's and more recently the Tech21 Sans Amp Classic. What sets it apart is the realistic amp sound - when I close my eyes I believe there is a 4x12 speaker cabinet pulsing away in the room with me. The ability to tweak an infinate variety of settings and then save them on a computer is a must-have tool for the compulsive tone freak (which most guitarists are). I don't think you will find a better signal processor on the market for this amount of money.

Submitted by dmac at 02/17/2001 20:29

Price Paid: US $300.00

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy to program.

Sound Quality: 7
Great for recording.I've used it on hundreds of record,tv,and film dates.Never had a producer or engineer gripe.Sounds thin live so I don't gig with it.

Reliability: 3
The input jack broke off in the middle of a session.Not an easy fix.Had to send it back to the factory for a while.The tuner also drifts a lot.

Customer Support: 3
Hard to get tru.Very helpful if you can actually get someone.

Overall Rating: 6
Sounds great for recording,and saves my back.A little weak in the effects so get a TC chorus

Submitted by JA Lum at 02/11/2001 23:54

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 8
This unit is extremely easy to use, but the sound diver software is usable but I never learned everything about it because it was designed so poorly.

Sound Quality: 7
The sound is really good, especially the compression. The amp models sounded nice but in my opinion I only really liked about 3. The effects sounded ok but didn't have much flexibility. I hate the Idea that you can't combine effects. The AIR effect was cool, but most of the time I could barely tell the difference if it was on or off. A $15 boss tuner that I have is about 100 times better than the one on the POD. The only thing that I really liked about this product what that it finally bridged the gap between my vocals, bass, and guitar and my PC.

Reliability: 1
Would I depend on the POD (or any Line 6 product) in a live gig? Absolutely not! If I did I would have made a fool out of myself when the POD randomly switches effects in the middle of a song. Yep, that's what I said, my POD switched to different effects in the middle of while using it. All Line 6 did is suggest PAYING an extra $60 on an upgrade so that the product that I bought from them would work properly. The only other thing they said is that it was due to internal vibrations and to put it on a piece of foam while using it. I have to tell you, I feel sick because I treated this POD unit like a baby and did just that and still it would click over randomly. PLEASE heed my warning and stay away from Line 6 products or at least POD 1.0. In my case, my only alternative was to sell it back to the guitar store I got it from originally for $125 which is about half the price I got it for. Now I'm thinking of spending a little more and getting the BOSS VF-1. Let me mention that I'm not nearly the only person who has had this problem, and one guy said he sent his in a got it "fixed" about 5 times before he have up and tossed it. If you want to buy a product that actually works and that will not make you pull your hair out DO NOT BUY THE POD. Look at it this way, you just as well be throwing away $175 and a month of your life trying to fix it by putting it on a piece of foam.

Customer Support: 2
Because of the fact that they wouldn't not offer any replacements or free upgrade to an actual working version of the product I originally purchased I can't give these guys anything over a 2. But I won't give them a 1 just because of the fact that they do have a web site with Q&A/FAQ type help which at least helped me realize quicker that their product was a piece of crap.

Overall Rating: 1
This product was a piece of crap, read the other sections that I wrote.

Submitted by Jeff at 02/10/2001 20:44

Price Paid: US $159.00 used

Ease of Use: 9
Initially, this unit can't be easier to use. Everything has its own big, well-labelled knob. I bought it without a manual and figured out 99% of the operations in 5 minutes. The MIDI control and SoundDiver software is a bit trickier, but if you are determined to tweak to get the 'perfect' tone, you can expect to do a little work.

Sound Quality: 9
As a direct recording tool, this is probably the best cost-effective method out there. I can't verify how closely the tones resemble the classic amps they were modelled after, beacuse I don't have the money or time (or desire) to play through everything ever made. I'm not trying to copy anyone else's sound, I just needed a broad palette of realistic tones to work with and the POD delivered. Upgrading from a Tech21 Tri-OD, the difference is night and day. With that pedal, I still needed to plug into my combo for realistic sounds. With the POD I can go direct and not have to worry about microphone placement, volume discrepancy, reflections (etc. etc.). Is it real tube amp sound? The only people who will care are those who love to be snobs about things they don't really understand, or uninspired cover band players.

Reliability: 9
I don't see any problem with the construction. I haven't taken out of the studio much, though.

Customer Support: 9
I bought this without a manual or software, but since both were available and updated on the website, I'm just as happy. I can't vouch for their customer service, but from the website they look like they'd be easy to contact.

Overall Rating: 10
I bought this at a pawn shop for a little less than it's going for even on ebay, and it surpassed my expectations when I got it home and plugged in. I'll be happy if I never have to plug into another overhyped, overpriced, and antiquated stack or combo for the rest of my life. If it were stolen or lost or I won the lottery, I'd probably look at some of the company's higher end products. The only real complaint I have is that the POD is so specifically set up for guitar that I lose some of the frequency response when I run vocals, synths, or samples through it. Sometimes this makes things sound better, and it isn't a defect of what is obviously a guitar-oriented product, but it's not a substitute for an all-around FX unit.

Submitted by sollipsist at 01/27/2001 13:12

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 10
This is the easiest processor on the market, if you can set up an effects pedal you can set up this. The manual is very informative and if you read it you can lear alot of neat tricks, like the drive boost which sounds awsome with the Rectified amp.

Sound Quality: 9
The sound qualoity is really great. The Rectified amp model is amazing, it is so raw and heavy, one of the best distortions i have ever heard and all the bluesy type amp models like the fender black face, and Modern class A are great for clean sounds. I play deftones type metal old and new, they are the greatest band. I am currently in a Melodic Hardcore band, and I have a Digitech Wammy Pedal and a Wah, so my playing is like Tom Morello combined with Stephan Carpenter. I love stuff from Fear Factory to Radiohead. And if you want a REALLY spacey sound just combine the flange, delay or the chorus w/ a wah pedal, and move down really slowly, it is so kik ass for intros. The compressor is really great for clean sounds and the tremolo is great. ANd then there is a rotary speaker which is like a tripped out/ underwater tremolo. The one problem I have with it is that when you use the delay/flange or delay/chorus effect the sound changes around constantly.

Reliability: 10
My drummers house burnt down and all my gear was in the basement. Amp, guitar, and POD. THe house was burnt to the ground, and the basement was flooded a 2 feet high from the firemens water. And everything works like it never happened, the POD doesn't even have a blemish on it. I have had scince christmas of 99 and it is still in great condition.

Customer Support: N/A
Never Dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10
I play metal, alternative, techno, and funk (not pussy funk, the good kind) The POD makes my music more exciting everytime I plug it in, If it was stolen I would definately try to get a new one. I love it and treat it like its a baby. I have been playing 4.5 years, and I have an Ibanez RG 270, which i would get rid of if it wasn't the kool LIme Green sparkle color that it is, ( I want an SCA220 or a Shecter 006 or C1, I don't know which though) I tune to C# (the Tuning used on Around the fur) And Eb (I go back and fourth between the two). I use it direct like an effects processor, and I have used it live and all that stuff. I suggest you get the little FB4 foot pedal or if you have enough money to blow that big ass one. This is my creative resource and I can't wait to get home from school, I wish this had a phase shift and ring modulation effect on it as well as others, they would have been cooler than the delay/flange effects which are kind of unlistenable. BUt you get your moneys worth.

Submitted by Trevor Carb at 01/18/2001 20:15

Price Paid: US $325.00

Features: 10
Easy to use features. Allow's me the flexibility of multi-tones for multi-applications.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a Fender "Big Apple" Strat with the POD. Like I said, it is good for all styles of music and generates lots of usable tones. I've had no problems with noise with the unit. The noise gate works fine. I'm currently running my POD through a Barcus Berry 60W amp with great results.

Reliability: 10
I've had my POD since Aug. 2000 and have had no problems whatsoever with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not needed any thus far but love Line 6's website.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing guitar for 29 years and have used various amps and guitars. I can honestly tell you that the POD is the best piece of equipment I've ever bought and I would not hesitate to buy another one. Well maybe I would. I'd probably buy an AX212 the next time. Oh, I wish it had a push button volume boost for lead breaks. Other than that I think it's a great piece of gear.

Submitted by Bob Douglas at 01/13/2001 19:29

Price Paid: US $200.00 used

Features: 6
If your looking for the Vox / Matchless class A handmade tube amp sound, this thing won't get to it, but it will come friggin close.
Get the manual, I repeat, get the manual. (you can get it off their Web site if your used Pod came without like mine) Its a huge help getting what you want out of it.
The effects are ok, but not as good as my Axsys 212.
I only give it a 6 as I'm used to my Axsys sounds..

Sound Quality: 7
I use it as a back up for gigs. (the Axsys does the real work)
I use fender strats, Ibanez, Hartfield, humbuckers and single coils.. You can get what you need for good sound, it does take a bit of experimentation. If you use more than one Guitar you'll notice that you have to set up the programs to the pickups/tones of each guitar, meaning a different set of programs for each guitar, sometimes a real pain in the ass.. But bottom line, you can still get good tones...

Reliability: 10
its a hunk of metal with some knobs, I think you need an axe to break it.

Customer Support: 7
Web site. Email, or phone. My dealer takes care of any real problems.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing about 20 years, too much crap/gear hanging around.
Still like the Pod over my Digitech pedal board. I've had the stack,
had the tube amp, too friggin heavy, and too much to carry.
They wanted 50 bucks for the Pod carrier. (i gotta have an old backpack around here somewhere) My god man! You can show up to a gig
with a guitar and your backpack (bring a good direct box, it sounds better thru the PA that way)
Steal it though, and I would need to hunt you down. It is just simply fun to play with, its great for a gig back up, practicing at home without wakeing the kids, like a video game you can't put it down...
uh, no brainer, get one.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/08/2001 21:05

Price Paid: US $250 used

Ease of Use: 8
Note: Before I say anything else, I want to say that I will give high numbers here because the POD rocks. Most of everything I write will be complaints because everything else about the thing is great. This isn't going to be too in-depth into what it has, scroll down to read all 80000000 reviews that tell you, this one only has what's really good and really bad in my opinion, understanding that I bought it because it gave me the best flexibility and portability in the $200-$300 market, and so I wouldn't have to buy a huge expensive tube amp. Anyways, this is the a review of a POD 1.4 (you can take off the back and it actually says what version it is, nice job!). It's really easy to use, assuming you can turn knobs. My only complaint here is that I've got 3 volume knobs, which you would think would make it easier to adjust, especially considering it's digital, but rather than the drive knob being simply a drive knob and the output level being a true master, they made it just like an amp. Some folks might consider this good and accurate, but all I really want is a master knob that I can set at a good spot and make my soundguy (who doesn't really know that much about running sound, doh!) happy so my volume isn't jumping like crazy when I switch patches (which are really easy to edit, save etc, good job, Line 6, on not leaving any of the patch locations uneditable (why do companies do that?). The manual's on the internet, so if I can't figure it out, it's pretty easy to fix. My only complaint about the fx is that you can't adjust all the parameter w/o getting on the computer, especially if you're using the delay/whatever effects. Then again, I didn't buy it for the fx, and it has a tap tempo button. What else could a man want? Oh, the tuner sucks (as if you won't read that is somebody else's review). Overall, really easy to use.

Two other things: why make the headphone out 1/4"? Is that for rich studio folk who have really nice headphones that are 1/4"? Because I bought this thing because it was a dang good deal and now I can't afford more than the $15 headphones my cousin got me for Christmas (I've got better stuff to spend my money on, like more guitars or something). So now, I've got to find a 1/8-1/4 adaptor. Frustrating. And switching between patches is a little wierd to me. To go from 1A to 1B you push "up" rather than "down". That still throws me. I mean, it's not that big of deal, but it always throws me for a loop.

Ok, one more complaint: why put the mediocre "POD" models on the front and make me go to the computer to get the other mesa models. Doh. Other than that, the thing is freakin' awesome. I mean, it's brainless. Shoot, read a different review if you want to hear some gushing. Just know I've got their back.

Sound Quality: 9
Sound quality is great. I'm using a Hamer SATF w/ Duncan Designed PU's pretty much straight into it. Occasionally, I run my Dano Daddy-O into it, but I haven't really played with that too much because I don't really need it. The thing sounds great. I'm not going to say it sounds 'Just like" a tube amp, but that's mostly because 1) I can't play it insane volumes and 2) as if I could tell any ways. Let me put it this way: the models are great. I don't know if they really sound like what they're modelling (like I have enough time to sit in music stores and just play amps, I've got guitars and fxs and all kinds of stuff to figure out that I want to buy). Ok, enough wasting your time, here's what's not good: . Ok, there you go. Seriously, though, I'm having a hard time getting a good Vox sound out of it (that might have something to do with the fact that the Vox eq controls are all jacked up). Somewhere around here, there's a review that wishes they had some suggestions in teh manual about setting the eq's for different models. He's not smoking. My Ac-30 always sounds muddy. Go figure. Oh, my other complaint is that the Layer model, which is supposed to be two amps together, a clean and a driven one, doesn't work so well. Instead of being able to independetly crank the gain on either you're stuck with one drive knob. Not so good on that one. All the fx are great. Wish it had a phaser. As if I can really complain. It's dang good. Especially for $250.

Reliability: 10
Metal casing, sturdy knobs, recessed inputs, it's great. I'd gig w/o a backup anytime.

Customer Support: 9
their website is really helpful, and I've needed a couple questions answered and they've always been real quick. The way they address questions is wierd (you have to 'generate an incident' on the web page, then they mail you the answer (and I guess post it too(?)). I guess it makes sense, just don't want ya'll to be confused. Not too shabby.

Overall Rating: 10
I think this is a great product. I play a lot at church, and we cover a lot of different styles (mostly rock/bluesy stuff/no metal, sorry boys), and it's great for that. I can find a sound for whatever. The two best parts are these:
1) it was cheap. $250 for great tone and a mess of fx, including delay w/a tap tempo button. I was thinking about buying a tube amp ($200 for a little one) with reverb ($50) and I loved my tremolo on my little Vox pathfinder, so I wanted to keep that (at least $25, either on the amp, or a pedal), and I really wanted tap tempo delay ($100--Boss DD5). I'll let you do the math, but I came out ahead.

2) It's ludicrously portable. I mean, I hate to say in public that I own a gig bag (it was free! and has pockets! and backpack straps, ok, enough justifying it, on with the review) and it fits in the pocket of the gigbag. And it plugs into the mixing board at church. Go ahead, buddy, plug your tubes into the board. Oh wait, you need a good $100 mic (this brings the total to $475, we haven't added in your chorus pedal, your flanger, your compressor, or your Leslie cab). Let me get that mic for you. Oh, sorry, we need it for the vocalists. Oh, you have to have it, I guess the vocalists can stand around one mic and we can have The Supremes at church today. Or you could just turn your amp up. What? It has to be at that volume to sound right? Listen, can we just get a little more of you in the drummer's monitor? Oh wait. Maybe you'd like to lug your amp from your car inside, up to the stage, now we need you to move over the other side. Ok, I've gone off enough, the point is that I deal with pretty much zero of that. I plug my stuff into the direct box and go. I'm no tone freak. I mean I like good tone, but I've only been playing for a couple years, so I can't tell you it's the mecca of tone. But if you've got $250 to spend, (and either a good pair of headphones or a little amp to plug it into (or both) get on ebay and get one. It beat the heck out of a big (or small) tube amp and a mess of effects for somebody who doesn't have 'his own sound' yet, and doesn't have the cash to go looking for it the old fashioned way (or the time to kill in music stores, as sad as that makes me). I'm giving it a 10, because it says 10 is for 'fantastic value' and that's exactly what I think this thing is.

Oh, one more comment, about using it live. As long as you have the mounting thing, or a stool to set it on, or the footboard, and aren't too picky about changing your stuff right in the middle of the song, you'll be fine. If you're going to be changing your sound a lot mid-song, forget it, or just use it as an amp modeler, and forget the fx. Take your pick.

And if it was stolen. . . .I guess this is the part where I say I'd hunt the guy down and step on his hat and crease the brim off-center so he always looks like he's got his hat on crooked and then go buy a new one. Right. Anyways, it's good. Dang good. And dang portable. Just buy one, it's worth it. I promise

Submitted by Jake T at 01/04/2001 22:25

Price Paid: US $259

Features: 8
Most of this ground has been covered already, so I'll reiterate what I think are the most salient points. First, I think the amp models, while not quite perfect, are 'close enough' 90% of the time. I think the OUTPUT is a little weak; I use it for recording and I need to boost the signal before it hits the board (perhaps an impedance problem?) I also play a Peavey 5150. While the POD's overdrive isn't nearly as good, I can't use my amp in my apartment to record, and the clean sounds are FAR superior to the amp's. It's also a godsend for practicing, although I think it sounds much better through a little amp than through headphones (too much low end). The biggest problem I have is that the bass is floppy on most of the sounds-not nearly as tight as on my amp, and I think it's something the engineers should address in the future. Most of the effects are fine for practice, but I always use a dedicated unit for those things. The POD's reverb is perhaps the WORST digital reverb I've heard that was made in the last 10 years, so I keep it off at all costs. Overall, it's an ideal tool for practicing, writing, and recording. I have no intention of using it for live performance.

Sound Quality: 9
I usually use Strats, but I've run any instrument you can think of through it, and have gotten great results. I use a HUGE sonic palette of tones, and its versatility is ideal. I don't have many noise problems with it, as the gate works extremely well.

Reliability: 10
I've never had a problem with it. (knock on wood)

Customer Support: N/A
Hasn't applied yet--the web site is a good idea.

Overall Rating: 9
While it may not be perfect, the sounds are close enough to the real thing in a mix...close enough that I can't tell it's 'not real'. If something happens to this one, I would not hesitate to buy another.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/18/2000 02:19

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A
Fairly easy to use

Sound Quality: 1
These things SUCK!!!! I have no idea what people see in these Digital modeling Amps, They DO NOT sound like a tube amp. They are ok for a practice/headphone practice amp but Suck for any real aplication. There is just no way digitaly or by solid state to copy a tube. There are way to many characteristics in the way a Tube behaives that you can not duplicate. If you want tube sound get a tube amp. If you want real fat organic tone well get a good tube amps. TUBES = TONE PERIOD.

Reliability: N/A
Dont know have did not play through it very long.

Customer Support: N/A
DO not know and dont really care.

Overall Rating: 1
ICK ICK ICK ICK,.... and I will add YUCK! Does not sound like a tube amp. I alos know someone with the line 6 combo and trying to use it in a live gigging situation it sucked. Farted all the way. I have also tried the Line 6 combo and it also SUCKS

Submitted by GuitarSlinger at 12/08/2000 13:17

Price Paid: US $180

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use. Very easy to program your own edits.Really no bitches about ease of operation.

Sound Quality: 8
Sound quality is IMHO is very good and inspiring. Although when I first started to use this unit I was a little disappointed. I have to stress the importance of running this into a flat response amplifier and full range speakers or high quality studio headphones for the best tones. Running this into various standard guitar amps(Marshall 100 watt head and Fender combos) was a waste of time and tone. It doesn't behave nearly as well when pumped through standard guitar amps and 4X12 cabs even with the POD manuals directions for flattening your amps tone response.I went out and got a 1/4" X RCA stereo plug Y cord and ran the POD into my Sony home stereo system and WOW! Sounds great this way but I can't say whether or not it will harm your stereo system.Use caution with the output levels. Another critical point I have to mention is that you must picture the controls just like any amp and tweak it like you would a real amp. I have heard alot of people complain about the Marshall models and at first I thought they sucked.But, after tweaking for a few days I Realized that just like a Marshall you gotta crank the output volume and then you can bring down the overall tone with channel volume and it made the Brit high-gain model sound really convincing.Again for the most part I am using my POD with some high grade studio headphones which themselves color the tone in a very sweet way. It has absolutely revolutionized my late night jamming! She can sleep, I can ROCK.I think the best thing about the POD is the unlimited hours of practice and writing time you can get in with the headphones.The tone is satisfying ( not PERFECT amp tone) but very very good for what it is.

Reliability: 6
I have to admit I am sometimes VERY clumsy and this thing has fallen off the top of my Marshall half-stack like three times now. Face first onto a hard floor and it hasn't hurt it a bit. Appears to be very tough so far.Other than that I haven't had it long enough to rule on it's longevity.

Customer Support: 8
Never had to deal with these guys but their website is bitchin'.
I am sure they stand behind their stuff.

Overall Rating: 10
Playing rock and blues and always experimenting. This is a great match. Been playing for 20 plus years. Got lotsa gear. All the major names blah blah. Humbuckers sound great with the heavy gain models and single coils work great with the blackface model and rippin' off fat blues riffs is a joy. Love the ability to go midi and record instantly into any recording medium or live mixing board and still sound great. The effects are passable but not it's strong point and they are not meant to be.This is a software based amp tone modeler and these models are close enough for rock and roll. And again the headphone tones will keep you wailing for hours. Can't find anything to hate about this.Hates bad anyhow. I built a homemade headless guitar and I take this thing to work for impromptu jams.The POD and the guitar fit in a little duffle bag. People are amazed. More playing time, less filling. Tastes great!! Definitely helps the evolving player to progress.They are sometimes going for half of retail on Ebay. Grab one and have fun.Can't wait for the next generation of Modeled guitar tone. It can only get better!

Submitted by RJ Shaw at 12/06/2000 22:05

Price Paid: US $280

Features: 8
1999 model. The unit is very versitile. I've got small kids in the house so this unit allows me to play and get decent tones and not wake anyone up.

Sound Quality: 7
I'm into hard rock & metal (70's, 80's & early 90's). The sounds that the unit produces are fine, but they don't hold a candle to the real things. The tones sound o.k. on tape but they don't inspire you like the real amps do. The manual says that the tone controls are programed to respond like the original amps' would. In this case most of the modeled amps have three bass controls because thats all the POD's controls do is add or subtract bass. A real Marshall amp sounds and records much more "punchy" than the POD's model does.

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 7
Been playing for 14 years. I would not replace it if it were stolen. It's has some of the best direct tones I've heard, but that still doesn't mean it's inpiring to play through it. Nothing in the world sounds as good as a good cabinet, and this unit doesn't even come close to being that good. I give it mostly 7's because the tones are fine for noodling around and the knobs are easy to tweak (compared to a chameleon).

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/04/2000 10:31

Price Paid: US $150

Ease of Use: 10
This thing is very easy to use. One of the foot pedals will really help. You can create alot of different sounds, it comes with some already programed in it, but you'll change them. The manual covers everything you'll need to know.

Sound Quality: 9
I use it with an Ibanez acoustic, Ibanez RG560, Epiphone SeriesII Plus, Marshal MG30, Boss MT2(metal zone), Boss PH2(super phase), Ibanez super chours, and also direct recording. It has a noise gate option to reduce back ground noise and static, which works fairly well. All the effects are very powerful. The only problem is that you can only use one of them at a time(no choursed tremelo), so don't get rid of your pedals. I'm useing a marshal MG30 with it and it sounds great. You can sound like a ton of different people, I'll leave it at that. This thing models amplifiers, so it acts just like 16 top of the line amps. Old and new, Fenders, Marshals, Mesa Boogies,ect. So you get clean and distorted sounds, which all sound very well. Some are not exactly like the amps they model, but still sound good. All the effects are equal, they all kick-ass.

Reliability: 10
LIKE A ROCK

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 9
This is a very good peice of equimpnet for the stage or for the studio. It's well worth the money.

Submitted by Mike Smith at 11/29/2000 18:55

Price Paid: US $299.00

Ease of Use: 7
Its a simple enough unit though i really dislike the fact that it has everything linked effects wise. I suppose for a toy, it does well but in a serious studio environment, its shortcomings and lack of granularity become quickly apparent.

Sound Quality: 4
Hmmm its not a real amp. Can i say that anymore? I suppose it is ok but whoever thinks the patch for rectified sounds like my Tremoverb head needs his ears cleaned. It is not a bad sound but I layed all sorts of tracks using it and then compared them to mic'd tracks from my tremo half stack and a single rectifier combo and it was not even close. The truth is that 300 bucks will not replace the quality of a good handmade amp. Plus I hate the fact that everything is linked effects wise and you cannot just dial it in. Hype.

Reliability: 10
Seems a strong and wellbuilt unit. A+ here.

Customer Support: N/A
No Idea.

Overall Rating: 7
My range goes fromjazz to alternative to ambient. It is a good practice amp but its benefits are far outweighed by its shortcomings which makes it more frustration and hindrance getting that track recorded than to simply mic the amp and be done with it. Gimme a good Mic, pre amp and tube amp and i have a sure fire superior tone. Now for apartment living, the roles are by necessity probably reversed. If you can stand things being 80% instead of 100% or just to get that idea before it is lost, then I say go for it. You can't beat it there or for that 2am idea.

Submitted by Peter at 11/28/2000 00:32

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10

Sound Quality: 9

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: 9

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/10/2000 17:10

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
the pod is very easy to use and is quite impressive apon first impression. the manual is well written and the design is well thought out. editing is easy and the interface was really made with the gtr player in mind.

Sound Quality: 9
when i first recv'd the pod i was really happy with it and thought i found my magic box. when i started recording with it (direct) i was very unhappy with the results. it sounded very boomy/flabby and the low end was peaking out the signal. as i experimented with the pod i got closer to what i was looking for. the first thing i did to help the pod is buy an art levelar tube compressor. this smoothed out the peaks and allowed me to get incredibly close to digital zero. it also added a slight tape like saturation to my gtr sound going into my daw. the next step was to employ the low cut filter on my mixer and that took care of the unnatural lowend that went beyond the gtr's normal freq. range. finally i tweaked the pod's sounds and lowered the gain alot. what sounds good when your jamming and what sounds good stereo multi-tracked is 2 different stories. the distortion sounds much more focused and loses that muddy quality that almost made me sell the pod. with direct recording less gain is actully more powerful. now i'm glad i didn't sell the pod, i'm getting sounds direct into my pc that are quite impressive.
go to http://www.positivenrg.net and check the music page, these clips were recorded using the pod and have impressed many players/music fans. so, if you are willing to experiment you can get some high quality sounds that won't tarnish your music. if you have to record/play direct (i can't mic out an amp at 1:00 in the morning) then this is the next best thing to the real thing. as far as the clean sounds go, i have had no trouble getting great clean sounds in any styles imaginable. the pod even sounds good thru a power amp and cabinet (i don't think it sounds good thru a gtr amp but thats true of all preamps going into another preamp)

Reliability: 10
this seems very reliable and i've had no trouble at all with it (i've owned the pod for a little over a year)

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
the pod is very well stacked to cover all the styles of music under the sun. i've been playing for over 17 years and music is a gift that has really helped me thru some hard times. i love many styles of music from rock/hardrock/blues/pop/classical etc...there are many choices out there for direct recording and i think the pod is a very flexible tool for sound sculpting. i also own a tech-21 gt2 and a digitech rp-100 that are also very useful tools in their own right (every tool has qualities that are different than the other's, they are all good for different purposes) why limit your self with one tool. the pod for it's realistic amp tones is hard to beat. check out my site for a taste and email me if you have any thoughts or questions. we are all the most valuable tool we have, so lets work together to rock the world!!!!!

Submitted by MPH at 10/19/2000 16:51

Price Paid: US to much

Ease of Use: 9
easy, yet it is a bitch when they hide amp sounds in it that you can't hear without midi.How many guitar players know midi? 1 out of 10 maybe..the manual is fine.

Sound Quality: N/A
I use a carvin sc90s with burning pick-ups.
I play melodic death metal,black metal and power metal styles.
I use the high gain amp and hold down the tempo button and turn the presence and channel volume up so it sounds alive.Allways do that when you go to your fav. patch ,if not it sounds dead.after that i plug it into a shitty eq pedal then into my korg d-8 digital recorder
and the sound is god..fuckin god...i record cds and get great fuckin sound. Well it has tons of models and all that shit but only 2 of them sound good...and the cleans suck ass.The distortion is great and the delay is god...channel switching sucks..and line 6 are a bunch of greedy bastards..i would like to beat them to death with my pod and then tell them to fix all the little problems in it....
What it all comes down to is this..it is portable as hell and i get great sound and record great tracks with it.If anything ever happened to it I would first attempt to steal one cause it cost to much,and line 6 are shit heads,that only use there custmers as lab rats,to test there products on and then they put out the good stuff.....regardless i would steal buy another.....all death metal black metal and power metal guys need to check it out...it produces a good metal sound,,,even better if you eq it after you run out of it..
any dark metal fans want to hear the damn thing should go to mp3.com and search for my one man band called THE AWAKENED ONE and hear how great it records.....

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A
customer support does not exist,,just a answering machine

Overall Rating: N/A
GOD

Submitted by jeff woodruff at 10/02/2000 22:55

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
This unit is very easy to use. This, is the POD'd biggest strength. Us guitarist have wanted this forever. Give us a box that has some knobs on it, and not a bunch of buttons, and menus on a screen the size of a postage stamp. It works great for recording, which I do a lot of. I think you lose a little bit of versitility, unless you use midi editing. I tried midi editing, but found that i would spend too much time tweeking patches, and not playing or recording.

Sound Quality: 9
The amp sounds on this unit are better than any other unit i have heard. The digital effects are not that spectacualar, but at least they are usealbe unlike many other units i used. The pod sounds great through my mixer, and if your amp has an effect return plug it right in and it shoud sound great. I have a Peavey Ranger 212 tube amp and the pod sounds awesome on it. Unfortunately you would need a foot controller to make it worth while Don't plug into the preamp. This will kill the sound. There are a couple of models i dont like. The Fuzz is not fuzzy enough, and the VOx ac30 model is only ok. I bought my pod after using a digitech rp20 for a year or two. Along with being easier to use the pod also sounds better, and is easier to use. If you are thinking about buying one you can listen to some of my songs at
http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/152/suburban_decay.html
I am giving this unit a 9 because of the fuzz.

Reliability: 9
one year old and still working fine. It's made of metal, and has no foot pedals to stomp on. It is odly shaped, and since you would typicllay set it on a table top. you can easily pull it of with your guitar cord, and watch as it falls on the floor. Ive done it plenty of times, and it still works.

Customer Support: N/A
Havent had to deal with them yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I play a few different styles ranging from grunge/metal to industrial to pop. This unit suites many styles. For heavier tones you can run a distortion pedal in front of it. This is by far the best thing i have bought except maybe my guitar. If it were stolen I'd check out the POD II. I'd probably try to find annother one of these on ebay.

Submitted by Brian Marshall at 09/27/2000 00:26

Price Paid: US $269

Features: 9
I just upgraded to v2 so there are 32 amp models along with the cabinet simulations & effects accessible from the front panel. The only thing missing here is a phase shifter.

Sound Quality: 8
I use a powerhouse strat into a mxr phase 100 into a sustainpunch creamy dreamer which goes into the POD which feeds a Tech21 power engine. I've only been playing for a year but I've listened all my 35 years & the sound is more or less good. I use the "direct" setting for high gain..the "amp setting" is a bit harsh & flabby to my ear. On the other hand the "amp" setting "b" brings to life the clean sounds of the POD. I'm confused as to what the correct setting would be for the tech 21. I understand that the "direct" position engages the mic simulation but the differences between the positions for high gain settings is drastic.

Reliability: N/A
I don't move the POD around so I havn't really tested it. I will say that the v2 tuner is much better than the older one. The POD seems solid.

Customer Support: 9
Line 6 was a bit slow shipping the v2 chip but it was free. They seemed proffessional.

Overall Rating: 9
I should thank everyone that has taken time to review products on this website. Although I'm a novice the information on this site has helped me put together a very nice rig cost effectively. Five years ago I would have blown thousands of dollars to get to this point. If my POD were stolen I'd give serious consideration to a J-station or a Mesa Boogie. The POD has helped me decide(assuming the models are accurate) that I prefer the Mesa sound. Maybe one of the best things about an amp modeler is that it can point you in the right direction when it comes time to buy a real tube amp. Pete Townsend has referred to the POD as a nice toy but I see it as a road map.

Submitted by Greg Jones at 09/26/2000 11:19

Price Paid: US $265 used

Ease of Use: 9
Knobs, knobs, and ... knobs! Guitar players LOVE knobs. You turn one and the sound changes! What could be simpler?
Once you've got thw whole thing plugged in and figured out whether you're going to go Amp or Direct it pretty much works like an amp with a rotary selector for amp models. That is of course until you want to load a saved sound or save a sound setting. Then you have to deal with a spare digital readout and some cumbersome buttons. No big deal. The manual does a good job of explaining how the controls are modeled after the real thing, so be sure to read that section because its as easy to horrible sounds from this thing as it is to get great tones. The MIDI editing thing was a really, really nice touch. Since most devices have some digital capability these days, I can't see why other manufacturers don't adopt this method of extending the user interface of their devices.

Sound Quality: 9
I use this plugged direct into my PC for recording purposes; it replaces my Digitech Rp-7/ADA Microcab setup. Boy what a difference! With my RP-7/cab emulator setup, I could get tube-amp-like tones but they sounded processed and one dimenional: vary your picking style or putz with your volume control and you still get the same sound. This is true of most stomp boxes and the like.

Not so this POD. It reacts and responds more like a tube amp. Pick lightly or back off your volume control and you get a dramatic change in your tone texture without losing the warmth. It also lets the individual character of each guitar come through. While on a typical stomp box, a single good setting will make virtually all guitars sound the same, the POD needs to be tweaked for each guitar as it will sound a bit different. This is not a bad thing.
Is it really tube-like? Yes, in a way. There is a bit of digital flavor to the sound, like you are listening to an MP3 conversion of a WAV file recording of the original sound. There also seems to be a slight delay in the output.

Te tube amp models are convincing, though not exactly like the amps they are emulating. They are good starting points for new tones and an excellent resource for those of us who've not had the opportunity to have been around a whole lot of tube amps.
Some combinations yield some noise, but hey, we're all guitar players here. What's a little hum or hiss when you're used to standing in front of a 200W 12x4 with a stock Strat?
It could use more effects (I'm not getting rid of my Digitech units just yet), but the included effects can be tweaked successfully and the additonal control via MIDI is just great.

Reliability: 9
I bought this used and it seems none the worse for wear...whatever the previous owner may have done to it.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I play many styles and record a lot. This unit certainly adds a lot of variety to my sonic palette.

Submitted by Anonymous at 09/25/2000 10:40

Price Paid: US $500 came with the amp and the amp was an awesome price tha u cant get no where else.

Ease of Use: 10
LoL. ok lets see, its got like 10 buttons, and they all say what to do and what they do...And the Amp Models are pretty straight out....I have the POD built into my Line6 Amp, so there is no such thing as a tube amp, in replacement it has JAZZ CLEAN which is cleaner than the normal Line6 clean....Very easy to use and wont give u a hard ass time.

Sound Quality: 10
This thing fuckin rocks!!! I play heavy metal like Metallica and Godsmack etc. and the Rectified and Modern High gain is awesome!!!!! The effects are the best ive ever seen, the sound quality of the effects is 50x more than u will ever need. The flanger cranked up all the way sounds like a UFO. I can get anyy band outa this thing

Metallica - Recti, modern high
Papa roach - recti
Gsmack- recti
SOft metallica - brit classic or jazz clean

Reliability: N/A
Well i cant say cos its built in my amp so i would be really sayin how strong my amp is....and tha would be a definite 10!

Customer Support: N/A
I neva dealt with them but i heard they cool ppl.

Overall Rating: 10
THe pod is the coolest thing out to date...The cheap ass imitation the Johnson J-station isa piece of shit...I use the pod and A Boss ME-30 for effects and they both work great but the POD gives u a deeper exact sound.....I love the Amp models.....From fenders to mesas to marshalls....I mainly use the 1968 Marshall Plexi for clean stuff
1994 Mesa Boogie for hard rock
1989 Soldano for heavy metal

Submitted by Metallicatz at 09/06/2000 09:58

Price Paid: US $279

Ease of Use: 8
Pretty easy basically, but to get to the really good tones in my opinion you will have to figure out the Sound Diver software. It may take a day of thinking about it, and a little knowledge of computers, but once you get the Pod communicating with the computer is is simple to tweek away. The help section in the manual was helpful getting the software trouble fixed. I would have given it a 10 but maybe they could figure out a Wizard to get the computer communicating with the Pod.

Sound Quality: 9
I have a great time with the headphones with this thing! I keep finding more sounds I like just about everytime I play with it. I bought it for headphone and recording, but the first time I put it inline with my Boogie Studio 22, I though it blew chunks. Cheesy as could be. Then after a few days I tried it again through the effects return. Wow, This is really a pretty killer little setup, kinda like digital preamp, then though some real tubes. I play my amp without the pod hooked up for about 10 seconds, and then I hook the Pod back in. I give this a nine because sometimes the unit pops between patches.

Reliability: 10
I don't gig anymore, too old, but I have owned it for 8 months with no problems at all.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I'm 39, been playing since I was 14, Sold my half stack 70s Marshall because it didn't get used much and needed tubes badly, I think I know good tone when I hear it! I play Van Halen and Pat Travers and ZZ Top and Ronnie Montrose and like to make up my own originals. Bought a Boss drum machine and a Tascam 4 track, and was ready to tear it up recording my own stuff but I had a hard time getting the guitar tone I was looking for with a Shure SM57. So a bought the Pod. The tones I can get now are way better than I could get with micing my Boogie. I almost bought the GT3 from Sansamp. I got the pod because of the rave reviews right from this site. Interesting enough, when I went to get it, I had to wait for a salesman at Guitar Center. This kid was trying one out though a Roland Jazz Chorus. I could not believe haw many crappy tones he was getting from it. I just about passed on it. I told the salesman I had heard great things about this Pod but if I can't get it to sound better than this guy, I'm returning it. (Thanks Floyd!) Thay have a 45 day return policy. Thank You, I'm glad I got it. I would get this again, Yes! I like this thing alot because you can get pretty darn good tone and not disturb even the cat. I wish they would have a jam along jack for a CD player, but I can mix that with my Tascam. The only thing I hated was you have to turn on every light in the house 'till you are familiar with it, to plug anything in. Since I have had this I play much more guitar now, and that is a good thing.

Submitted by Dave Mullen at 09/01/2000 20:20

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 10
You know by now, go buy one. Your stupid if you don't! You name it you got it. Been playing out since I was a pup, many moons ago. Heck many pups ago!

Sound Quality: 10
Other than Gerald Weber (the tube God) Line 6 has to be the Solid State Tone Gods from another planet! Where did they get this idea and how did they make it work? Who the hell cares, this is one bad tone machine (sorry Gerald). I normally play a Flying V and a Les Paul Special through a Crate 2x100 watt power amp to two ADA 2x12 boxes with green backs. What a rocking machine. Anything from Yule Gibbons to Billy Gibbons. From Frankie Valie to Frank Marino and in between.

Reliability: 10
So far, so good. Baught mine in Jan. 99 for my birthday in Feb. Yes I was the big 45. They offered the upgrade in Feb. That pissed me off.

Customer Support: 8
Line 6 has the best suppor Web page there is and if you can't find it there there are several people who have POD support Web pages that are super. an 8 only because I have not delt with Line 6 directly.

Overall Rating: 10
I luv this thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by Rick at 08/12/2000 19:07

Price Paid: L 700.000 (Lire Italian)

Ease of Use: 10
It's very like a multichannel amp.And you can use it like a real amp or you can take advantage of the midi knobs and use it like a classic multieffect and store your preset.Very easy to use,the only problem is your style,I make only few preset and then use an overdrive to change the sound or the floorboard,another expensive but very useful tool

Sound Quality: 10
This is the best idea ever make after the guitar amp.This object can reproduce the sound of the best amp in the world and i can understand the different between the models of vacuum tube and in which way they affect my sound.Is not very simple to get the best sound out of this unit. I think this setup is the best:the signal of Pod must go in a mic preamp and you must take the signal relative low (about 4 on mine Pod output) and then in a mixer stereo whit the output in your linear stereo home hi-fi, whit another exit in a multitrack recorder.
You can mix the sound of Pod whit your favorite artist or midi base or keyboard, it always sound great and you surprise because your sound is very near the sound of your favorite artist (Jimi, Stevie, Rory).
And, of course, the best sound you are looking for can magically appears on your recorder whitout boring whit cable, mics and annoing neighbors.It sound great whit overdrives,fuzz,eq and other stomp boxes,but they cut the real sound of your axe because they can't really bypass the guitar signal.
The question is if it can really sound like a vintage amp?
the answer is yes,really like a new vintage amp whit all of the tubes ready to rock and whitout stand-by,mics tube sound,old tubes to change,excessive weight,but whitout the really nice presence what they have.
And yes, when i'll can,i surely buy an old VOX ac30TB and not only dream about it,but this is real life and i can play at any hour and in any place whit my fully driven virtually Vox ac30TB and i'm still happy.

Reliability: 9
I think this unit is like a stomp box and like that you are sure it can resist for a long time,but my floorboard has broken is tap led and now is in assistance for repairing.

Customer Support: 10
Great,frendly people, they send me an answer on email in 1 day .

Overall Rating: 10
I'm not a great guitar hero but i like guitar,my firsts was twenty years ago,i like blues rock h. rock metal pop folk bossanova jazz,everythink about guitar.And Pod is like an enciclopedia of guitar sound,i buy pod an year ago and every night,when i can,i switch on pod and start to dream and every night he can make my heart sing.
I'll tried whit amps,whit headphones,direct in recorder,in mixer, whit P.A., whit mic preamp and hi-fi,whit all my old stomp boxes and whit my multieffects, whit marshall valvestate, it always sound good,but if you serch for a more compressed sound that sound good in an ensemble you preffer to the output of pod high and use line setting for mixer preamp but you lost defenition and your sond is more dark and whitout dinamics, if you like like to play like real tubes whit all the dinamics and presence and dirtortion of this wonderful object, you must set pod outputs a little lower an increase your preamp gain setting.Don't expect the real sound of vintage amps trought your amp.
Your amp is unique and don't want to sound like another,only bad amp, very flat and whit no timbre,can sound whit pod.
If i lost it,i surely surely buy another,but Pod2.
However in september i'll buy the upgrade;and this prove the cure they used to make this unit, not Podda 2 and more money,but Pod upgrade and few money.
i'm sorry for my terrible english but i'm from Italy.

Submitted by mimmo at 07/31/2000 14:28

Price Paid: US $150 used

Features: 9
The features are easy to use and you get used to them quickly.

Sound Quality: 9
I use it with all types of guitars (mostly gibsons, though) and run it into a Peavey Classic 50. With the amp on clean I can get nearly any tone I can think of. I haven't used it for recording at all but will try to eventually.

Reliability: 9
Seems great. Bought it used and have no trouble at all.

Customer Support: 9
Haven't needed them, but their web-site is key to the product because you can download tones. I got a Brian May tone that is unbelievable that I could never figure out on my own....

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing on-and-off for 16 years. Most people would use this thing to record, but I use it strictly as a live affects box in the overall rig. It's really fun to try to emulate bands tones exactly......

Submitted by Haak at 07/11/2000 11:12

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
Pretty simple actually. I got this about a year ago, and was up & running in no time, recording through a good mic preamp (more on this later) direct into a Roland VS-880. The manual is easy to follow. I went and set up a couple of presets that are pretty fail-safe for me to track on. A lot of the presets have way too much goo on 'em, but those edit and save buttons work just fine to correct that.

Sound Quality: 8
Here's where I'm coming from with this. I play with a few singer-songwriters, backing them on a bunch of different instruments, etc. both live & in the studio. For electric guitars my mainstays are a G&L ASAT Classic and a '62 Guild Starfire 2 with Dearmonds. My main amps for recording are a '68 Fender Deluxe (transition year), and a '62 Ampeg Reverb Rocket. I'll get pretty finicky with tone. I tracked 70% of an album on this run through a tube mic preamp (Telefunken) straight into the board. The album was mixed at a different facility, one that I work at frquently. At mixdown the engineer said "Man that deluxe sounds great." He was stunned when I told him. I still bring a great old amp or 2 into any recording situation, but the Pod is in the gig bag and winds up being used more often than not, just for simplicity's sake. The 2 things I'd say are, you have to be willing to tweak some knobs (Most of the preset sounds are so-so, but hey, you tweak knobs on an amp anyway.), and run through some old pre-amp into the board. I haven't used it live, I'm a Fender guy through & through there.

Reliability: 8
I've tracked solely on it for a session, and it worked fine. Again, it's not my kind of thing for a live gig.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to use 'em yet.

Overall Rating: 9
I use this out of my home studio (a barebones Roland VS-880 with a few knickknacks around), and at a bunch of studios around here. If there's any question of the engineer needing to isolate a few extra tracks, I'll use this without hesitation. Does it sound like my amps exactly? No, but then again, I'll use another amp that's in the studio, and that won't sound like my old amps either, but it'll still sound good. It's a ridiculously useful tool that has saved valuable studio time, by learning how to get good sounds out of the right model for the song.

Submitted by J-Bar at 07/07/2000 23:58

Price Paid: 340.00 (Canadian)

Ease of Use: 9
Can you plug in a toaster? If yes, you can use a POD. I never used the midi functions, never felt the need. Very easy to customize a sound and save it to memory for future use. The manual is easy to understand and well organized.

Sound Quality: 9
I bought the POD for the sole purpose of recording and this thing delivered. Driving the POD with a Strat carrying and active pickup at the bridge, this unit blew me away. I had a Carvin X100 amp like Vai used in Crossroads and that amp smoked but I could never get a good sound on tape. The POD is the cure. A little EQ and this thing sounds unreal. The cons of this unit are some clicks when selecting different amps and limitation on the interface for customizing effects. Line six has provided their own effects combinations that can't be reconfigured to the best of my knowledge. Boss units have better control over effects combinations but their distortion sounds come with a sick bag.

Reliability: 10
So far, when I turn the POD on, everything works. Good solid construction.

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed support.

Overall Rating: 9
I have never used the POD into an amp. I've just used it with headphones and direct into a board and onto tape. For those wanting a compact, robust, easy-to-use, smokin' guitar amp sim for direct recording, the search is over for you. Take it from a picky guy, this thing sounds fabulous.

Submitted by Radek at 06/18/2000 23:08

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
the POD is the easiest piece of gear i've ever used for getting great tones. the front panel is laid out very simply. i bought it, came home, plugged it in, and instantly found how to work it without touching the manual. changing sounds, amps, effects, etc is a breeze. then, when i did check out the manual, it was great; even some funny stuff thrown in. i love this thing! haven't even had time to check out the software, as i'm still not thru playing with the front panel!

Sound Quality: 10
i play a strat thru my POD into a peavey bandit--cheapest rig in the world, but i get great tones. i have dreamed of a peice of gear like this for years. easy, cheap, and a blast to play. and not only did i get great sounding amps, but the effects are awesome. i have read a lot of gripes and complaints about them, but man, this thing is as good or better than any stompbox. now, if you want to go spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on top-notch studio gear, then do it. but if you're looking for a good piece of gear that is very versatile, don't hesitate. GO BUY A POD! i can virtually sound like anyone in the music biz, and even create tones that haven't been used.

Reliability: 10
i've only had it a couple of weeks, but so far, it's love! i'll definately be using it live. why would you not?

Customer Support: 9
i was given a coupon good for a free 2.0 upgrade when i bought it. very cool, very cool. i'm sure customer service is great.

Overall Rating: 10
like i said, i can do it all on my POD. clean, blues, rock, metal. trust me, it's in here, and so many more tones you've never heard. i've been playing for 8 years, and this is the piece of gear i've dreamed of since i started. i just have never had the inkling to spend thousands on gear, and now i'm so glad i didn't. 300 bucks for amazing tone is awesome! because the website asks for less-than-glowing reports, i WILL make a complaint. the floorboard? what's up with the price? that's all i can gripe about. the POD goes so far beyond my expectations. thank you line 6. you guys are a Godsend! please, don't blow this review off as a starstruck guitar hack with nothing bad to say. buy a POD! it is amazing! i am fascinated with it, therefore spending way more time on my guitar, therefore getting better everyday. all because of my POD. now how could you turn THAT down? : )

Submitted by adam at 06/18/2000 15:18

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 10
Easy and very self expalanatory.

Sound Quality: 9
I wanted to write in too tell my experience with POD. I have had it for about 6 months and was ready to get rid of it. It seem to be muffled and kind of like the simulations were not done right. I read alot of good reviews and kept working with it and finally put it down for a while. I use a Marshall JMP-1 and H&K pre amp for home recording. One evening I hooked up the midi cables and loaded the software that came with pod. I turned off the A.I.R. and cabinet simulation in the fender blackface and BAM, everything I have ever wanted for home recording. I am looking forward to turning off the A.I.R. and cabinet simulation on the rest of the am models. POD just screams and crys now. Get the software hooked up.

Reliability: 10
Had it for a long time and no problems.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them

Overall Rating: 10
If home recording is what you are after this is it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/15/2000 16:08

Price Paid: US $399

Ease of Use: 10
The POD is a very simple to use product. It has all the knobs you would see on a regular amp, and a few more, which are easy to use. All you have to do to change your favorite presets is twist the knobs and hit save twice.

Sound Quality: 9
I run a Gibson les paul custom and a Fender american standard strat through the POD in a Laney VC-30, with the tone controls on the amp flat. The POD is very versatile, and the amp simulations are dead on, and the effects are pretty decent. The Vox's sound brilliant, the Marshall's crunchy, although the JCM 800 is kinda weak on gain, and the MESA/BOOGIES roar. One of my favorite presets is the Soldano SLO. It has sustain for days and with a little delay it has a great 80's sound, perfect for shredding.

Reliability: 7
It is built like a tank, but the cord for the foot pedal doesn't stay in the pedal very well, annoying if it falls out mid song.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with Line 6.

Overall Rating: 10
I play heavy metal, rock, and blues, and this pedal has every one of those covered, and then some. I highly recomend it for anybody looking for a versatile piece of equipment.

Submitted by Martin at 06/08/2000 16:12

Price Paid: US $299.00

Ease of Use: 10
very easy to dial in sounds, has knobs to turn instead of pages lke many modern processers. the handbook is fun to read and easy to understand. i had both versions of the pod the pod pro and the ax2

Sound Quality: 4
i have a heritage les paul and G&L ASAT classic a G&L L2000 bass ,roland V drums and i am recording classic rock tunes into a roland VS 1680. standing alone the pod sounds great! but, heres the bad news, when i compared the amp modeling to my marshall jmp 1 pre amp there was simply no quality comparison, the pod & pod pro sound like toys compared to the marshall, and keep in mind i used the pod for almost 2 years and could not get my sound until i found the marshall jmp1. in respect to the built in effects processor in the pod it sounds cheap,eventhough line 6 is the best in amp simulation market(other than marshall) i feel the technology just is not there yet, you would be better off to buy one of thier combo amps and mike the dam thing for better or more professional results. i also agree with a previous reviewer who stated there's too much unnatural low end. other than the marshall i found the boss VF1 to be a more versital and better sounding unit

Reliability: 10
never a problem!

Customer Support: 10
customer support always fast and courtious!

Overall Rating: 4
ive been playing and recording for over 20 years and had high hopes for a great relationship with the pod and pod pro pro, i tried for close to 2 years to get a good recording sound out of here, gave her every chance a man can give her,but the marshall jmp 1 & marshall jfx1 & TC electronics M 2000 saved the day. im not playing with toys anymore im playing with the top studio quality effects processors you can find, if you want an amp simulator that does everything, and does it barely acceptable, then the pods for you, otherwise look somewhere else, i find it hard to believe the artists who are endorsing this product, the streets at line 6 must surely be lined in gold!

Submitted by john at 06/07/2000 10:46

Price Paid: 5000 (ATS)

Ease of Use: 10
As easy as to use an amp. I always play it live with the floorboard connected. I mostly use the same amp model and when I switch off the channel select mode, I can add boost, distortion, one effect, delay, reverb, and wah just If I would have an amp with some stop boxes.
It takes me 5 minutes to be ready for play, before I worked almost an hour to set up my amp, the stomp boxes, power supplys and get some order with all that cables. The same thing when the gig is over.

Sound Quality: 10
Many people wrote, that it's great for recording but not that great with an amp. I plug the POD directly to the mixer of the PA and I'm sure it sounds better then any amp I know which is miked or connected by an DI-box. At home I use head phones or 2 active monitor boxes.
Sure, some amp models are not perfect, so I don't use it, there left many.

Reliability: 9
I have to depend on it. The only stuff made me headake is that power supply. But I checked out that it's also working with any DC power supply with at least 1000mAh and I have lots of them.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had a problem. I only wish it would be easier to get the update to POD2. If I could download the software I would burn the chip by myself.

Overall Rating: 10
In case of lost I would buy it again immediatly. As mentioned above, it makes it so easy to be a guitarist. Before I sometimes wished to be the saxophone player just a mike and the instrument. With POD I'm really close.

Submitted by Erwin at 06/06/2000 16:06

Price Paid: US $325

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: 9
For the most part, this little thing rules. I play heavy metal with a Washburn CS780 and an ESP F-200 through a Marshall 8008 poweramp to a Marshall 1960 Cab. I like most of the amps on here except for one overall thing: it has too much low end for me. The Rectified and Marshall 800 have way better distortion than anything I've tried before, but they are too loose and bassy. I tried the actual Dual Rectifier Tremoverb recently and it sounds very close to the POD but way brighter and tighter. My favorite model is the Modern Hi-gain with the bass at 4, mids at 2, and tremble on 8. Then I put this through my amp without the AIR. It is the only one with good distortion and still stays tight. With that setting I got a better sound than my Digitech RP3, marshall VS100 and my ADA MP-1. For clean, the POD clean is pretty good with the drive all the way off, or if you want a little distortion on it, try the small tweed with the drive halfway.

Reliability: 9
It works fine for me. Already dropped it a couple times and I've only had it about a month. Its made of metal so it should be pretty sturdy.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing for 2 years and have spent the last 6 months searching for that perfect sound. Short of buying the actuall Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier or the Johnson Millenium, the POD is the best thing you can find. If you have a nice loud amp head already, just put it on clean and plug your POD into it and it will sound freaking awesome. Until I get $1500 for the real thing, the $300 POD rules

Submitted by Isaac at 05/10/2000 15:47

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: N/A
I've owned this unit for about 2-yrs and I have one major comment that I believe will help a lot of frustrated users: READ ABOUT THE AMP MODELS IN THE MANUAL TO GET A GOOD TONE.

Example: I knew nothing about Marshall amps when I got the POD and was not impressed with the models at first (for a long time!); then, I read the manual (it only took me a year to figure that this might be a good idea...) and it said that ALL the models are designed to react just like the originals. So, I had no idea how to make a '68 Plexi sound good but they do mention in the manual for the Brit Classic: Bass: 3.5 (9 o'clock), Mid: 10 (maxed), Treble: 10 (maxed). Sure enough, that setting sounds pretty darn cool and really livens it up. Another example is the Brit Class A: a Vox AC-15: you've only got a single tone control on this (the Treble) as on the original so max it out and the sound improves.

I was so used to classic American models (Fender) where all you have to do is plug in and go with all tone knobs from say, 4 to 7, and you have a great sound. I did not have any experience with the actual amps modeled by POD as the British models or the hi-gain American models.

I think Line6 made the assumption that most guitarists DO know how to get great sounds out of these wide range of amps: heck, I wasn't even born when the Plexi came out! How am I supposed to know how to get Jimi...blah, blah, blah....get the point?

So, I think that Line6 just needs to make some "suggested or recommended" settings available for those for those of us who don't have experience with a lot of classic amps - then we can tweak them as we please.

Otherwise, this thing is my Most Valuable Player.

Thanks.

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 05/03/2000 21:26

Price Paid: 500.00 (CAN)

Ease of Use: 7
This unit is pretty straight forward to use. How difficult can turning knobs be?? The manual is an enjoyable read and is a must to fully understand how the EQ works with each amp model! I did have a few problems getting the MIDI connection working correctly with my sound card. After a few hours of messing around with it, I was able to figure it out! It's a drag that you need the software to access the other half of the amp models!! I guess that is being fixed with the POD 2 upgrade.

Sound Quality: 7
I initially bought this to use as an effects processor live with my tube amps. I knew that this wasn't the units' strength, but I wanted to buy something for practice at home and recording as well. I have a Gibson Nighthawk running through either a 1987 Marshall Plexi reissue with the 1960TV cab, or a Fender Blues Jr. I would rate this a 9.5 as a headphone amp! I have played it direct through a PA and my stereo at home and it does sound pretty good through most models so I would give it a 7 in this area. But then it goes downhill when I try and use it with my amps! Yes, the AIR switch is set to Amp and I have tried turning cab emulation off and months of different EQ settings. I can come pretty close to creating a 'bypass' sound and then adding effects on top of that. But when distortion is added, it just sounds too digital! The effects aren't really that great either! So I give it a 5 for live use with a tube amp and believe me, I wanted and tried to get a great distortion sound with my amps, but it just isn't there.

Reliability: 8
I've had no major problems with it yet. The Brit Class A & Brit Classic simulations are very bassy on my unit, no matter what I do with the EQ. The Floorboard also seems pretty rugged.

Customer Support: 9
The only time I've had to contact them was when I was having problems with the Sound Driver software. They responded within two days (but I had figured the problem out by then). Their website is fantastic!

Overall Rating: 7
I play in a church worship team as well as a rock band and I was looking for a very versatile piece of gear to generate a large pallette of sounds. If you need a headphone amp or something for a home studio, buy this unit! If you are looking for an effects processor to put in front of your amp, I would look elsewhere! I traded in a Mesa V-Twin, Dan-Echo, and Boss Flanger to get the POD. Now I'm beginning to regret it. The unit blew me away at first, but that is wearing out fast! I may take a look at the Zoom GFX-8 or a Digitech RP 21 for live playing.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/29/2000 19:53

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 8
The engineer was fooling with it and he didn't like the fact that one had to 'step' through patches, i.e., to go from A to D you had to go through B and C.

Sound Quality: 10
I was in a studio the other night and somebody brought in one of those POD Line 6 amp modelers.  Many coveted amp sounds were represented: a blackface deluxe and bassman, Fender tweeds, three Marshalls ('65 50 watt plexi, '68 100 watt plexi, late 80s modded, a couple different Voxes and various other amps.  Then, you can control the amount of overdrive, reverb, equalization etc.  I used one of the Fender blackface patches and was amazed at how good it sounded, and this was on digital ADAT.  There was a Les Paul available so for fun I dialed up the Marshall '68 plexi patch and quoted a few 'Crossroads' licks and tone wise it sounded just like live Cream era Clapton, i.e., aggresive yet sweet overdrive with that Marshall cabinet 'thump'.  S'neat!

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Purists might deny stuff like this but five years ago if someone showed me this thing and said it cost $300 I would think I was dreaming.

Submitted by jan at 04/27/2000 15:09

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 9
Anybody with 2 brain cells in their head can sit down with this thing for 5 minutes and figure out how to mess with it. Getting good sounds may take a little longer but I didn't find it too tough. Editing patches is a no brainer--yank the knob you want to edit till it sounds good and hit the save button. Whoever wrote the manual had a good sense of humor so it wasn't a pain to sit down and read. I haven't had the chance to try out the MIDI capabilities and I only hope it's not as hard to use as everyone says it is.

Sound Quality: 9
Tons of amp models and a bunch of decent effects let you get pretty much any sound you want out of this thing. The noise gate takes care of most of the hissing or noise you may encounter. For practice at home I put it through my little solid state Crate GX-15 with the cabinet emulation off (by the way some idiot wrote you can't turn off the speaker emulation without the MIDI--there's a switch on the back you dolt) and it sounds alright, not as good as when I'm going direct into a PA! I bought this thing for going direct when I'm playing live and with all the different sounds I can get to in one little box with no amp to mess around with I absolutely love it. Sure it's not a real tube amp, but it's damn close and I don't think anybody in the audience is going to notice.

Reliability: 10
This thing was made to take a beating (trust me I've given it one) and there's still no problems. Not even any mars on the shiny aluminum-red finish. My only fear is snapping a knob off while transporting it but they seem pretty solid so maybe I'm just paranoid. I use it all the time live, and even if I could afford it I really don't think I'd need a back up

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them

Overall Rating: 10
I play just about every style of music - which is perfect because I can get just about any sound I want out of this thing. For the price and for what it's used for, I couldn't ask for a better piece of equipment. If this thing disappeared or took a shit on me, I'd definately get another. It seems like everybody has mixed opinions on this product... either they love it or they hate it. Well sure it won't beat out a lexicon processor but hey--it's 300 bucks! You're stupid if you don't like this thing!

Submitted by Joe at 04/24/2000 06:51

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 6
Right out of the box I can get good tones with headphones. Editing patches is very easy, almost too easy. I almost didn't need the manual. Hooking it up to my computer via MIDI is where it gets confusing. The manual tells you nothing about how to hook it up. The Software didn't even have a help file,eventhough I downloaded a newer version. I gave it a 6 in this catagory because frontpanel use is easy,but using it with my computer is very confusing.

Sound Quality: 9
I play a crappy Samick guitar with humbuckers. I play it through the effects return of my Crate GT-50 Head into a Crate cab. It does'nt sound as good as headphones. I play mostly metal (Pantera ,Ozzy,Old Metallica, Megadeth,Black Sabbath, with some Alice in Chains and AC/DC thrown in)I mostly play it with headphones with my brother's cheap Ibanez, and I can get anything from country sounds to tight and heavy distortion( Perfect for Metallica and Megadeth). I can't find a good Pantera sound,it needs more Crunch and Sustain. Maybe when I get the Soundiver thing to work. The effects are pretty good( not the best), but they are good enough for me.

Reliability: 10
It is very strong, although the nobs are plastic.

Customer Support: N/A
n/a

Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing for 2 years,and this is the best Piece of gear i own. I also own a Zoom 505 ( ok for beginners)a SansAmp GT2 (not bad)and a boss metal zone(not very good in my opinion)
If it were stolen I would get another in a month or two( as soon as I had the money)
Overall POD is a very useful piece of gear that I would recommend to anyone who plays an instrument.

Submitted by Brandon Sams at 04/21/2000 19:49

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
If you are a rock guitar player into Hendrix/Page to Van Halen to Eric Johnson to Hammet,Satriani,Vai etc buy this! I was very skeptical about this red orb, but it is nothing short of amazing. You can choose from Boogies, Marshalls, Soldanos, Dumbles, Fenders, Vox, JC120s etc. ANd pretty much choose any speaker configuration from classics Marshall/Celestion V-30s to G-70s 4x12's 1x12s, Tweed, the list goes on, I havent slept for 2 days now.

The amp simulation is simply the best I have ever heard, have played for about 12 years. I used to hate direct recording (I own the Sans Amp GT2- too thin, The Cream Machine- Too many weird mids, Rockman...too Boston, dont get me wrong I love them). This smokes the sans amp, no comparison.

The true hidden features lie in the software editor/librarian from Emagic. Everyone is dogging this program, and I dont know why! Yes the docs are non existent (could be improved). But If you have any patience, or experience with computers and MIDI it is a breeze once you get it up and running. I actually like it better than using the POD controls, call me crazy.

Sound Quality: 9
I use the Peavey EVH Wolfgang standard guitar, all stock, also an Ibanez RG760 w/ EMGs. My favorite recording sound is to crank my 5150 half stack or Boogie MKIII with an SM-57 mic. But I'm in an apartment, so that ain't happenin!

Sounds as mentioned above, will keep you busy for a lonnng time. All incredible reproductions of miked amps/speakers. I dont think I will ever go back to miking in the studio unless I have a good engineer. In addition to the built in modifiable sounds, there are dozens of varying styles available for download from the line 6 web site, very cool database (I got a great 5150 amp sim,basically a soldano SLO modified). Then you use the SoundDiver editor/librarian to send to the Pod via your midi Interface.

Word of note, one of the reasons people have not gotten the Pod/ Soundiver to work w/ MIDI is that you need to have both the MIDI IN and OUTs connected. I would have thought all I needed was to do the MIDI In to the POD. The software froze, crashed and didnt recognize anything until I connected both! I believe it needs to retrive some sort of ping from the Pod. The auto detect worked great after taht.

The reason I gave it a 9, is not really the sound itself. There is an issue with the input sensitivity level. For unknown reasons (the company is supposedly aware of this) it will clip and distort (the bad digital kind) at some settings. I keep the channel volume and the output level around 1 o'clock and seems to do the trick. I run it through a Mackie 1202 VLZ, then into my computer where I run Cakewalk Pro Audio. By the way there is a studioware control panel in Cakewalk to Control the Pod and it gives you access to a mock pedalboard including the wah!

Also the noise gate is a bit funky, takes a bit to get used to but again you need to set the threshold/gates correctly. The effects are OK, not great but ok. I use a Quadraverb plus, Replifex, MXR Flanger, Morely Bad Horsie Wah, so I just messed with the Pods effects briefly.

Reliability: N/A
The thing is built like a Tonka Truck (a good thing)
Dont know bout the electronics reliability, just got it yesterday.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know, hopefully I will never have to deal with it :-)

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for 12 years, have had a bunch of the amp/cab simulators, there is NOTHING else like this (except for the other Line 6 Flextone Amps). $299 is more expensive then the slightly similar Sans Amp but way more flexible, and also the POD is ALOT better soundwise. Try it out at the music store, play it through headphones or through a mixer/amp to studio monitors, bring your guitar. I did try it into a guitar amp as well (Ironically the Tech 21 amp) and it sounded good, but you arent recording this way anyway!

Also make note, it does not sound like you just plugged into your tube amp and have your ear right in front of your 4x12. It sounds like that same amp, professionally miked and going through the board (which in itself is an artform I have yet to master)

Submitted by Jon at 04/17/2000 17:56

Price Paid: US $279

Features: 7
Well covered so I won't restate. My wife is a bitch whenever I turn up an amp she bitches. I do a lot of home recording. I used to have a Fender Blues DeVille, a VOX AC 15, and A Marshall 15 watt 12" tube combo, and a few peddles and 3 Neuman Mics. I still own a lot of guitars. Because of my wifes nagging I sold the amps and mics and bought a POD (which was about all the money I had left after the bitch took her commision) I am glad she knows nothing of Line 6 and the chances of her reading this are about as good as her letting me buy another Fender Tube Amp.

Having said that I used to be able to get a lot of sounds recorded with real amps/mics right off the bat a POD is limited, but I may buy another one, or the POD PRO when that comes out. What a bunch of money grabers I wish they would have just released the POD PRO 1st or simultaneously. Johnson Amplification is due to release a J station which looks like it may be better than the POD I'll check it out.

Sound Quality: 7
I like the early fender sounds this thing gets. very expressive. When I listened to old cd's I made with real amps I must say the POD is different, but I have grown to like it. I learned over time the more you tweek it the shittier it sounds. The 28 or so amps (numbered 1a, 1b,1c,1d...to 9a, 9b,9c,9d) are pretty much all I use. It came with a card that told you which amp is what. Like 4a is modeled after a 1952 Fender Deluxe with room reverb. For $300 bucks they should have put an LCD screen to tell ya that. I've splilled so much beer on that card they give ya, that it's practically wallpapered to the table I keep my mixer on.

The distortion sounds are really great too. like 7c is modeled after a 1968 Marshall "Plexi" Playing classic rock like Led Zep, Clapton, Humble Pie, etc... sounds authentic with the appropriate Strat, Tele,
Les Paul, Rickenbacker, etc....

Some people won't like the sounds. I hated it when I 1st bought it, the dynamics are very diffent then the feel of the 3 amps I had. You can't get the same sustain intonations as real tube equipment.

For example turn up a tube amp and strum one cord and listen to the shape of the sound as it sustains and eventually dies out.
Now hit one note, and give it some left hand vibrato to sustain the note. Listen to how you can controll the sound of the note with the left hand sustain (as well as how the note was originally struck)

With the POD you have to learn to play your guitars differenty when it comes to controlling your dynamics. It just does not sound quite like the real thing. It is more limited. I pretend I'm in a big studio with real amps behind some glass room and when I turn the dial to 5d, or 2a, or whatever, some engineer is running around the glass room with amps and microphones setting up. If I keep that fantasy going when I play, then I feel the POD's sounds are nice. They are real, and you can see them through the glass room, you just cann't go into the room. The sounds will definately grow on you.

Reliability: 10
It will last longer than the Card that came with it, and maybe longer than my marriage unless I get used to her constant nagging.

Customer Support: N/A
I have no time for customer service. If the thing died I'd probably place it in the shit can and go buy another brand. I like the unit I wish I knew where to get another amp model card.

Overall Rating: 10
I've played over 20 years everything from Classical to Serious Jazz, Blues, Rock, Metal. There isn't much I cannot play. This thing gives ya a decent palette of sounds to play with. It will take ya 2-3 months to really get to know the sounds you like and how to use them. If you have a decent guitar or two this will keep ya happy.

One thing I really like is that I can put my headphones on and tune out all of my household noise (like my wife). It is pretty clean if I keep it away from my computer monitor.

For a cheap $300 you get a metal case, plastic knobs, and a cardboard referrence sheet. I recomend getting the later laminated and put it where you can get at it quick.

Just for the record, guitars I usually play with this are 56 Tele, 58 strat, 69 Rickenbacker 330, 59 Gibson ES 175, 90 Gibson ES 335, 94 Gibson Classic (1960 re-issue), 50's reissue strat, 97PRS Mccartney.

I hope you enjoyed my article.

Submitted by baronluigi at 04/02/2000 22:33

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 5
This category gets a mixed review: a "10" for front panel use and a "0" for computer/MIDI use. Average= "5". Fornt panel is extremely easy to use but after 70 hours of work I was not able to get my G3 to "recognize" the POD so I could use it's full capabilities. Be advised that I'm very computer savvy and even with suggestions from the designer (George Van Wagner) as well as from several message boards I was still unable to get my computer to "talk" to the POD. The guys from eMagic (SoundDiver) would not respond to emails or to phone calls for technical assistance. Definitely unprofessional business practices.

Sound Quality: 5
Sound quality was OK, not great, not terrible, from front panel settings, but again, I was unable to access the "deep-editing" capabilities that I believe are where the "magical" tones lie. For example, you cannot disengage the cabinet simulations from the front panel which virtually eliminates the possibility of programming crystal-clear tones that are not muffled sounding. Effects tweakability is severely limited from the front panel. "Deep editing" mode ostensibly opens up boundless programming options. I'll take their word on that as I was never able to get that far...

Reliability: 10
Built like a tank. Very solid. Definitely gig without a backup.

Customer Support: 1
George Van Wagner (of Line6) was very up front about assistance. In the end, however, it was to no avail. eMagic (vendor for the SoundDiver software thta is necessary to run the POD via computer) was non-existant. What a waste!!! I got the distinct impression from this ordeal that nobody really gave a damn about Mac users and their problems, since there are so few of us out there, and therefore makes little financial sense to address their problems. I couldn't even download the newest version of SoundDiver from either the Line6 site or the eMagic site. As a test I used a friend's PC and had absolutely no trouble downloading it. The manual is very well written concerning manual (front panel) operation, but disproportionately skimpy on computer implementation. The manual would benefit greatly from an expanded treatise on computer implementation.

Overall Rating: 2
For the price, it produced a decent, not spectacular or special, sound from the front panel controls. I really expected to be able to use the product as advertised and intended-WITH computer tweakability. I was, unfortunately, unable to do that so I sold the whole rig. If I get info in the future concerning increased customer support and/or
increased Mac-friendliness, I will purchase another one. Be forewarned, the possibility exists that it may not work with your Mac. If it does, GREAT! If it doesn't, you're S.O.L. buddy, 'cuz they obviously don't give a rat's ass about Mac users.

Submitted by John at 03/30/2000 10:49

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 10
Just take it out of the box and start fiddling with knobs - it's very easy to get great sounds out of this thing right away without delving into the manual.

Sound Quality: 9
The amp simulation are simply the best ever created to date. I have not tried it through an amp, but through phones and for recording (my main reason in buying it) this thing is incredible - I'm going through a Peavey CDS-2 compressor and then into the POD which then goes into the mixer on my Fostex FD-8. Line 6's A.I.R technology creates the sound of a tube amp perfectly miked in a studio with great acoustics. I could never get such a great sound using actual amps and mics. This is the first amp simulator that actually responds like a tube amp - this is what so many other simulators are missing. A tube amp is responsive to how you touch the strings and use vibrato - it makes the guitar sing. This POD makes the guitar sing just like that, it is also very responsive to pick attacks. The effects are not great - the chorus is good, the reverb sucks, the delays are ok, the compression sucks, the others are all right, but not studio quality. I will definitely use my other processors for reverbs and delay. The somewhat low quality of the effects is why I give it a nine - the amp simulation are a perfect 10. For the $300, you get a plethora of guitar amps that all sound like that they are perfectly miked in a great sounding studio. This is the best thing to happen to the recording guitarist since...well, maybe ever!

Reliability: 9
Seems like its built like a tank.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
As I already said, this is the best piece of equipment ever for the recording guitarist.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/27/2000 11:29

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 7
The POD features are easy to find info on, so I won't repeat them. I found it annoying that there wasn't a display for patch name, in addition to just number, so you could know what patches were in there. Including the MIDI patch editing software is a great idea.

Sound Quality: 4
I got the POD to use as a DI scratch recording box. The clean and mid gain sounds were good, but the high gain sounds were horrible. They sounded sterile and processed, and worst of all the low end was extremely fartly and loose. The sounds did caputre some of the tonal essence of the originals - their Boogie Mark II sounds was phat and loose like the original - but the high gain sounds just weren't very good.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A
The Line6 web site is nice, and there are a lot of user web sites with patches.

Overall Rating: 5
The POD wasn't bad for a first generation digital amp sim device, but there's still a long way to go on high gain sounds and some tuning on overall feel before this unit can replace a tube amp.

Submitted by scott andrews at 03/26/2000 08:19

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 7
I'd have to agree with other postings in that the POD is easy to tweak by itself, but getting it hooked up to a computer was a pain in the ass. Once accomplished though, the SoundDiver software was great. One of my big beefs with the POD is that you can't stack up effects however you want. You're stuck with the combinations they offer. I figured it's due to the number of knobs on the front, but you can't fix this within SoundDiver either, so it must be a processor limitation. Strangely enough, using my floorboard (I own an AX2) I was able to individially turn effects on and off, but I still have tweaking problems.

I liked the manual, except it could have gone a little deeper into the computer end of things.

The ProTools is bogus. It's a super old version that isn't supported and isn't certified for anything beyond MacOS 7.6.

Sound Quality: 8
I got some great sounds out of it. Literally 2 days after I got it, I used it live at a show where we had to play through other people's amps. I plugged it into the effects return on a Mesa 1X12 combo and it was fat.

I also had fun using it as a practice amp at home, which is why I bought it. I plugged it directly into my stereo receiver. I was hoping to be able to use this to roughly dial in sounds at home, and then mimic them onto my AX2 at our studio, but unfortunately, the effects selection is not nearly as flexible as the AX2.

I am generally partial to Fender clean sounds and dual-rectifier distortions. The POD gave me both to a very capable degree.

I found the noise suppressor to work great and was able to dial in sounds for everything from the surf guitar to some pretty chunky metal.

Probably the most annoying drawback that I have found on both my AX2 and the POD is that there is a time-delay when switching between amp models. So when you're going for a sound change in the middle of a song, you have to anticipate your footswitch by about a half a second. This might not be as noticeable live, but it's a pain in the ass in the studio. I tried to just stay within an amp model and use some of the distortion pedal settings. While this gave me an instantaneous switch, the distortion pedals sucked. Maybe I didn't spend enough time messing with them, but it felt like too much time, you know what I mean?

Reliability: N/A
I don't have a solid opinion on this. Due to the limited tweakability and the time-lag on the switching, I returned it to the store.

But it seems pretty rugged with its rounded aluminum body. I guess the knobs are the most vulnerable.

Customer Support: 5
I dealt with the customer support a number of times while I tried to get the computer stuff working. One guy was a complete slacker. He would promise to send me something and then wouldn't do it for about a week. They were also in denial that their webpage was not working properly. I couldn't use the faq. There weren't any scroll bars and the links wouldn't forward me to the requested info. I tried to explain to them that it might be a problem with Mac OS9 compatibility, but instead he just insisted that their site was up and running. Not very helpful. He should at least try to find a reason why it doesn't work on my computer. Likely, there are other customers out there with the same problem and then he'd be able to help them too. If I had only dealt with him, I would have scored them lower, but I also dealt with others who were much more coherent and helpful.

Overall Rating: 8
I have been playing for about 10 years and am currently in a surf band and another band that plays many styles. I play a Tom Anderson drop-top classic (AMAZING!) and have been using an AX2.

Loved: size, quality of the amp models, the tuner, the floorboard compatibility, the cost
Hated: time-lag, limited tweakability

I wish it were at least as tweakable as the AX2 so that I could use it to dial in tones at home and then take it to the studio. It would also be cool if you could directly download the sounds, although I know you'd have to fine tweak them for the actual amp. Incidentally, I hear that Line6 has two combos coming out this summer that will have POD download ability. But I fear that these combos will be limited in terms of tweakability rather than bumping the POD up to full power.

I still may end up with the POD just for its practice amp ability. It takes up no space in my room and sounds plenty good through my stereo for home practice and scratch track recording. It would be cool if it had a simple metronome feature.

Submitted by Arturo Mueniot at 03/24/2000 14:32

Price Paid: $425 (CDN)

Features: 9
This has been covered quite thoroughly already. For what it is, it does all i need it to do. I'd give it a ten if the effects were a little more controllable from the main interface; (they are totally configurable using the software interface.)

Sound Quality: 10
Again, for what it is, POD is a really amazing unit. I'm always amused by the folks who arrogantly maintain that it "still doesn't come close to a real tube amp." Well, of course it doesn't. It isn't a tube amp! BUT, it does a frighteningly realistic simulation of what those amps sound like when recorded. What I mean is, when you play a real amp, you are moving air and getting the bodily sensation that goes with playing at high volume. Playing POD through headphones or monitor speakers simply can't re-create such a phenomenon. But i guaran-freakin'-tee you that in a final mixdown, Mr. It-just-isn't-the-same will simply NOT be able to tell the difference. Now, if I had a nice isolated room for recording loud guitar, and better mics and outboard gear, I would certainly take the time to record my vintage Marshall or Fender amps properly, if for nothing more than the sheer aesthetic experience... But for making decent, effective recordings in my basement on a VS-1680, there is no question that POD is one of the most useful recording devices ever for the guitar.

Reliability: 9
It seems very sturdy. I've had no problems in the 8 months I've had it.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to call.

Overall Rating: 10
Amp modelers seem to be proliferating at a fantastic rate these days. However, Line 6 was one of the first to tackle this exploding market, and they created a winner in POD. If you are in the market for this kind of device, and are getting confused at the many choices available, rest assured that you will never go wrong with POD.

Submitted by mimo at 03/23/2000 00:25

Price Paid: borrowed

Ease of Use: 7
i never found any settings that i liked but it was easy enough to look

Sound Quality: 3
My keyboard player bought a pod and i decided to try it out in our home studio so that i wouldn't have to cart my half-stack to our demo sessions. He told me that this unit was the mac-daddy. I would be able to find a plethora of sounds from which to choose. From reading some of these reviews it seems he is not the only one who thought so.
Unfortunately, I'll have to be the voice of dissent (though i must admit that i didn't use this unit for more than a few days). I tried the three guitars that i brought to the session; a les paul goldtop with dimarzios, a les paul custom with a seymour duncans (distortion in bridge), and a solid maple strat-body that i built from kit parts with a duncan pickup. We ran the unit straight into a mackie board, through our software program, and then into our adat. I spent hours trying to get a fat distorted sound that did not sound like it came out of a box. We tried eq'ing the presets, editing, using outboard gear and anything else we could think of. I never did find a setting that sounded like an actual amp. I ended up settling for the best sound that i could find and then doubling all of my parts and hard panning them to get a large stereo separation. The doubling seemed to help but i was still disappointed.
When we went into the studio that we utilised for our final recordings, my 76 marshall 50 watt half-stack was getting radio interference and a borrowed 100w mesa blew a fuse that we had no replacement for and i was once again forced to try the pod. Again we spent a great deal of time trying to get a sound that i could live with on a final recording. The studio owner (who was donating his time and letting us record for free) got pissed, I became exasperated, and the band was disappointed.
We cut the session short because I was not willing to compromise my sound by using the pod. While I wouldn't hesitate to use the pod on a 4-track demo, i couldn't see spending the three hundred bucks or so that it costs to buy one. I would just as soon use my dilapidated and outdated rockman, which i can eq to sound just as good as any of the pod's settings that i could find.

Reliability: N/A
n/a didn't use it long enough

Customer Support: N/A
n/a

Overall Rating: 3
While i may be a bit of a perfectionist and set my expectations too high, this unit to me sounds like just another solid-state, amateur piece of equipment. While i'll always prefer a real live amp, I'm still searching for something that sounds like a real amp when plugged into studio gear. This, unfortunately, wasn't it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/21/2000 16:09

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 9
I love the simplicity. I had a Digitech Rp-12, and appreciated the unit's attention to minute detail, but I just sorta wished at times it had a set of stinking tone knobs. The POD is a no brainer. Read the manual, which is pretty entertaining as far as manuals go, and you'll have absolutely no problems. I only give it a 9 because the MIDI functionality of the POD can be a bit complicated, in terms of getting your computer and POD to speak to each other reasonably. It's nice to have the option to really dig in and get down the minute details, but it's even nicer to be at a gig and switching tones and settings on the fly without fumbling around with navigating through banks and banks of crap.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using this mostly with my American Standard strat... my baby. I love all the amp settings. I look at it in terms of opening up a whole array of tonal options, and I think each simulation has its definite merits. Not a weak one in the bunch. The effects are fantastic. I LOVE the leslie simulator (not exactly 100% simulation, but close enough for live settings, and often close enough for detailed recording), the delays are fantastic. The built in wah, accessible thru the floorboard or optional expression pedal, is pretty nice. very smooth. I'm not too fond of the chorus' or the flangers, tho, and the compressor seems a bit noisy. I'd love to have had a phaser simulator. Oh well, it does so much so well, these "complaints" are hardly worth mentioning.

Reliability: N/A
It seems to be built pretty well. I've taken it to several gigs, including outdoor festivals and such with no backup and I feel very confident.

Customer Support: N/A
I have never dealt with Line 6 directly, as I've had no need. I've surfed the POD forum, which is basically like a BBS or newsgroup, and they've got a guy from Line 6 who replies to technical questions. He's very good, as are other people not affiliated with Line 6. You probably wouldn't need to call to get your questions answered... you could just go there.

Overall Rating: 10
I play a lot of classic rock, blues, a little of the alternative thing, whatever that is any more. I absolutely love and adore the POD. I recently used it on a CD project and found it unbelieveably useful. Used it on vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, mellotron. Anything and everything I could run it thru, I did. And this wasn't just weird stuff... I was using the tube preamp simulation with the effects and found the quality to be outstanding. I love the POD so much I recently bought an AX2 for gigging so I can leave the POD in my home studio, permanently hooked up to all my gadgets. I hate nothing about it, barely dislike a few of the effects, and that's due more to personal taste than to quality. It absolutely helps me make music- it's crammed with tons of great, useful tones. Any guitarist could find it invaulable for studio work of any type. For $300 it makes it a neccessary tool. I wasn't sure if I wrote a review when I first bought the POD, but I've been so impressed I thought I'd "share the Gospel of POD" again just in case. BUY IT!

Submitted by Jason Reed at 03/19/2000 23:42

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
(For those who don't like reading long reviews: Buy one.)

Most people will use the Pod in manual mode - turn the knobs, change the sound. it should take about half an hour to understand this - you just use the knobs as though they were on an amp itself.

After this, it starts getting difficult. I like the way the manual is written. I write manuals for a job and this one is very good. I'm going to to show it to my freelance clients. BUT . . . it leaves you on your own once you stray off the beaten track. Not many Pod owners will do anything more than the aforementioned knob-turning, but even if it had to be a page on the web site, the product badly needs better instructions at this level.

There are 36 presets - 22 of them are stored versions of sounds you can get by turning the knobs, but the remaining 14 use amp models you can't get from the Pod's front panel. The trouble is that most of them have effects added, and it's unclear whether you can get rid of the effects and if so, how to do this.

As far as I can see it is possible to change an effect by simply turning the associated knob, whereupon the sound changes to the position the knob holds once you move it. When you select a patch through the up and down arrows, the positions of the Pod's knobs have nothing to do with the sound - until you move them. In this way I got rid of a massive slow Swell/Delay effect on one patch - it was like playing a cello. The manual says nothing about this.

It's even worse when you try to use the SoundDiver editing software. There is a chapter from a manual produced by Emagic who created SoundDiver. The whole thing is unecessarily complex and says nothing about how you change a sound. All I did to get this working was to download one of the .LIB files of sounds from Line 6's web site, and then opened it from within SoundDiver. Magic! There was a series of knobs and buttons on the screen, and the whole thing was nearly as obvious as the Pod's front panel. But again there was nothing about this in the Pod's documentation or that which comes with SoundDiver.

I don't think it's fair to give an overall rating based on these other parts of the Pod that most people won't use, but if I had to rate ease of use on these two sections alone I couldn't give it more than two or three.

Incidentally, I really like the tuner in the Pod. It's much less sloppy than the one in my Korg AX1G, and it's much easier to get in tune accurately.

Sound Quality: 10
The sounds are every bit as good as I'd hoped. Someone once praised his Mesa Boogie to me by saying "No matter where I turn the knobs, I get a great sound." Well, the Pod's even better than this. You can spend hours just getting great sound after great sound from it, and then you can select a different amp model and get another huge range of sounds.

You have replicas of ten amps (three each of Fenders and Marshalls, a Boogie, a Matchless, a Soldano, and a Vox AC30). You also have the setup Hendix used to record "Purple Haze" - an Arbiter Fuzz Face fuzzbox that runs directly into an Orange power amp and a Marshall cabinet. There's a generic "tube preamp," and four amps that only exist inside the Pod - they have no "real-world" equivalents.

It's no exaggeration to say that you can get dozens of useful tones with any one of these. If you wanted to reproduce an overdriven 100w amp running two 4 x 12 cabinets, it's better to start with a Marshall rather than a Fender, but there's a whole range of clean and dirty tones from every amp model.

With the tone controls at 12 o'clock for bass, 2 for mid, and full treble, the drive control at eleven o'clock or more, and a little reverb and compression, you'll get a great sound. I don't even bother to write down what setting I'm using, because I know I'll get a whole other selection of great sounds the next time I use the Pod.

I have three guitars - A De Armond M65C with a Seymour Duncan JB at the bridge, a Squier Affinity Strat with a fake Bill Lawrence blade pickup in the bridge, and a Hondo Explorer replica with the stock pickups. Naturally, all sound excellent, whether using the stock pickups or the replacements.

That may be due to the amp. I use a Peavey keyboard amp - the KB100, which has a 75 watt solid state amp driving a 15 inch speaker and a horn. I run the Pod directly into the power amp section. What this means is that the amp has next to no effect on the tone - it's all pure Pod. I can't understand those people who run the Pod into a guitar amplifier - it's rather like running two fuzzboxes one after the other because you think it will sound twice as good as one fuzz. If you have to use a guitar amplifier, try to get the minimum of tone and distortion changes. If your guitar sounds particularly uninspired directly into the amp, it will probably sound great with the Pod.

Is it accurate? I don't care. It sounds good to me. I would guess if you are trying to nail the tone of your favorite guitarist, chances are no-one in your audience cares. So long as you sound good, that's all that matters. Those people here who have checked the sound of the Pod against the original tend to say that it's close enough. No-one seems to think that there's any particular amp model that doesn't cut it.

Reliability: 10
The Pod is metal, and it seems firm enough to be very reliable. I worried that it might be too light in that moving the cables might move it off the top of my amp, but that desn't look like it's going to happen.

Customer Support: 8
I've not dealt with the company but the web site is very useful. There are 400+ patches and a discussion board. Try "The LUP" section of the site - "The Patch Exchange" is in fact the bulletin board. There are a number of useful user websites

Overall Rating: 10
I couldn't imagine playing without it. What pleases me immensely is that Line 6 put a lot of effort into getting it right. The feel of the whole unit is just right. Just the simple rocker on-off switch is streets ahead of any similar switch I've used on computers and electronics generally.

If you ignore the hassles with intermediate and advanced patch editing - which most people won't use anyway - the unit is close to perfect. For the $300 for the Pod (and the $200 for my amp) I've essentially ended any further investment in guitar amplification. I have a close approximation of around $20,000 worth of amplifiers.

Of course, all those amplifiers have headphone jacks, can produce up to 75 watts, will give an overdriven tone at any volume level I choose, and come complete with a recording studio with an optimally-placed high quality microphone. If they're in the Pod, that is.

Submitted by David Field at 03/14/2000 20:55

Price Paid: US $299.00

Ease of Use: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
No need to repeat all the features for the 700th time but there's a few things missing from all the other posts.

First of all I think this thing is ALMOST the Holy Grail. I figured that even if it didn't sound good through the front of my amp it wouldn't be a total loss because I can use it for recording (which is what it was meant to do) or practising.

Here's the thing. It's great for recording and practising without disturbing the neighbors but depending on what kind of amp you have, your amp will probably sound better without the POD.

I hooked the POD up to a Peavey Classic 50 4X10 and a 5150 and though it was fun to mess around with, the sounds weren't that appealing. Very processy sounding. And that was with the effects bypass on.

So what you would need is a very transparent amp. Serile and Toneless maybe? Solid State? Something that won't influence the natural sound of the POD. When I've read reviews I read about these guys plugging it into various amps and getting these awesome sounds. What I have learned is that you have to consider the source.

Listening to a Rap Metal guy go on and on about the great tone of his POD through his amp is not going to sound so good to a guy who's after a nice warm Bluesy (Traditional) tube sounding tone. There's tone and there's tone. Consider the source. Right now I could sound like George Lynch with it in my amp but I'm really not looking to do that.

Yesterday I plugged it into a friends Bass Power amp and it sounded great! Nice and very tweak-able. It models the amps pretty much 90% and the effects were fun too.

I won't be able to use it in front of my amp (unless I can figure out a way to make the amp sound transparent) but all the other qualities of the unit kicks butt. A nice investment, and it's gonna save my back when I return to the studio.

The last thing I would do to make the the guys at Line 6 freak is to have a bypass switch so that if you were using it in front of your amp, you could go back and forth between your amp and the POD amp models. Now that would be something!

Submitted by Oscar Jordan at 03/13/2000 16:00

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 6
While the POD itself is simple as cake, the Sound Diver interface is awfully unintuitive. Being a software developer myself, I would have made the interface far more intuitive. I write these things for a living and it confused me. I can only imagine what it would do to someone who isn't computer literate!!!

That aside, SoundDiver does do what its supposed to do. It is definitely a HUGE impact on the POD's versitility...

Sound Quality: 10
Not a bad simulation or effect in the bunch. I own a JCM 900 half-stack with a bunch of pedals. The POD simulation for the JCM 800 sounded better than my rig. The Rectifier and Soldano patches are out of this world!!!!

The effects are also damn good. The reverb is not as good as a PCM90 but its better than most rack units that do effects only. That could be said for just about any effect in this thing. Just plain good.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Awesome for practicing and recording!!! I've recorded some really great stuff with it! The SoundDiver does the job but could be easier to use.

Submitted by Vladimir Berns at 03/11/2000 11:33

Price Paid: US $410 used

Ease of Use: 10
Excellent. Easy to use, with knobs and everything. Nuff said.

Sound Quality: 7
A little weak on those extreme distortion. Don't quite like the Mesa cos it doesn't sound close to the real thing. I know, I played one before. Somehow, the dynamics is not the same. Then again, what do you expect from this price. But the damn thing is that in gigs where you need an amp, you'll have to lug around the floorboard, which is not small and light, mind you. But rumours have it that there's gonna be a floorboard version of the POD. Mini POD or some shit like that. Soon I hope.

Reliability: 9
Whoa, built like a tank although the paintwork sucks. MIne is like 30% bare.

Customer Support: N/A
Hmm, do I need one??

Overall Rating: 7
Go for it for recoding use. Scrap it for live use. Go for pedals. They sound better with a more refined dynamics.

Submitted by Slick at 03/11/2000 08:25

Price Paid: US $295

Ease of Use: 9
I use it in conjunction with a Line 6 Floor Board which makes it easy to select patches and effects, and usefully allows for quick tune ups from the foot pedal. There's not much that's counterintuitive except that some of the options (e.g. amps) are only available if you manipulate the POD via MIDI (but those patches can then be saved).

The manual is good but a bit too chatty. The style wears thin pretty quickly but it is thoughtfully written.

Sound Quality: 7
The amp sounds are excellent. If you are searching for ultimate tone buy yourself a room full of real vintage amps. But with this processor you can get as close as you probably want to, to any guitar amp tone you want to emulate (let's face it, that's the goal for most people playing the guitar). As far as I'm concerned the sounds are closer to the real amps than I care about.

I'm punishing this unit for two sound quality flaws:
1) Zipper noise in some of the volume/level controls. This is an artifact of the volume being changed in discrete steps rather than being smoothly faded. It is also easily avoidable with good software design. It's not a problem for the foot volume pedal though for some reason.

2) Nasty glitches when changing effects. Not so bad if you use the floorboard or save the patches you want to use, but I think it is not acceptable that the device should make different glitches depending on how slow/fast you turn the effects knob.

Both of these restrict the capabilities for MIDI automation to some extend (but not totally, if you are careful and using a sequencer you can insert patch changes into your song).

Reliability: 9
Appears to be sturdily built. Nice to see cast aluminium construction instead of plastic. At this price you can easily afford to have some kind of backup on your gig.

Customer Support: 5
Send three emails over a week. Took a total of 8 days before I got a response. But there's lots of useful info on their website.

Overall Rating: 8
At the price this is a great processor. It has realistic equivalents to more amps than you could want. I don't gig but I use it for practice. I live in an apartment and have no alternative if I want to play with distorted guitar sounds. A lot more fun and rewarding than having just one or two amps. Also it gives you no excuses if you can get the tone you want for a particular song, the only reason why you don't sound like the guitarist in the original is in your fingers :-)

If you are searching for ultimate tone, I doubt you'll be satisfied. For one thing, it would typically be used to give full-bore amp sounds at a reduced volume and there's nothing you can do to make that sound 'right'.

If you're starting out and don't have an amp yet, buy one of these. If you want to play with a dozen vintage amps you're unlikely to do more to than look at in a music store, it's for you as well.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/10/2000 02:39

Price Paid: 425 (Canadian)

Features: 10
My POD was made in 98' probably, since the firmware version is only 1.1. I play metal exclusively (thrash, death, black) and the POD cranks out the stuff I need. Not as thrashy as my BOSS Metal Zone through the Marshall, but it sounds way better. There's a lot more definition and more crunch with the POD. Plus, I've downloaded a ton of patches for use with the Soundiver software and gotten fairly accurate representations of band's tones like Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth, or whatever other band you want really. Another thing I thought was cool was that Guitar World includes POD settings for the transcribed songs right in the magazine, which are downloadable from their website as well. It has 32 amp models I believe, but only 16 are accessible without using the Soundiver software, not a big deal though since they include all of the amp models in the presets so with some tweaking you can edit all of the amp models. The Soundiver software isn't that hard to use, I had trouble setting it up since my computer didn't recognize the POD at first, but a quick look at the manual gave me a step by step rundown on how to get it up and running. Once your past this hurdle editing the patches is fairly simple. Editing the patches from the face of the unit is the easiest though. It also comes with some effects, which I almost never use, I keep my tone fairly straight-up. But they sound not bad, it's nice to have them there in case someday you might need them. The POD also includes a tuner, which is a great feature, just being able to have everything I need all in one box. I use the POD at home since I live in a fairly quiet apartment building, I needed something that sounded good through headphones. And the POD fits the bill perfectly.
One other thing I do is plug the output of the POD into my stereo and then I can jam along with a CD and also quickly tape any ideas I have and it doesn't shound like total shit like my old method (a mic laying on the floor in front of my amp.)

Sound Quality: 10
I play through the POD with my cheap-ass Yamaha RGX, which is a surprisingly good beginner guitar, I just don't know why I waited so damn long to replace it. I have a new Jackson DR-3 loaded with EMG-81s in both positions on order so we'll see how much better that will sound. The Yamaha's pickups are nothing special, but they do the job, the POD makes this piece of shit actually sound good, so that tells you something. I wouldn't say the POD suits my music style (metal), since I only use the Rectified and the Brit High-Gain amp models, but you never know what you're going to need. Will I even be playing the same kind of music in a few years? Probably, but not necessarily. It does what I wanted it to though. The POD isn't noisy at all, plus the noise gate feature makes it even less so. They variety of sounds is limitless, you can pretty much dial in whatever kind of sound you want and get it fairly close to the sound you're looking for. I'm pretty satisfied when it comes to sound though. I'd rather have a good sound with less distortion than a shitty one with more anyway. I don't really have any opinion on the authenticity of the amp models, I don't really care. It's a nice feeling that your're playing through historic amplifiers, but I'm more concerned with getting a good sound that picking apart the models. I've never even heard the real thing, and if you have access to a real one to compare the POD to, what the hell do you need a POD for? Direct recording, maybe, but the POD really should be the poor man's shed full of amps.

Reliability: 8
I've had it for about three months now and I haven't had any problems with it. There is a bit of a glitch that surfaces from time to time, mostly when I turn it on and switch the patch right away there is a burst of static and it echos, getting quieter each time until it's gone. This also happens when switching off the tuner. But I e-mailed Line 6 and they're going to mail out the upgrade to me, so that's cool. I haven't had it for long, but I'm guessing it's a pretty reliable box. It's built out of metal, the pictures make it look like plastic, and it's finish doesn't seem to scratch easily. I thought I scratched it up one time, but I could just rub the marks off it with my fingers. I don't gig (yet) but I think that no matter how reliable something is, you should have a backup whether it be an amp or another POD, you should have something. I'll give it an 8, only because of the glitch, which would sound horrible though a PA, but as soon as I get the upgrade it will be a 10. Newer PODs most likely have the newest firmware version, which is 1.4. You can check the version by holding the MANUAL button while powering up the POD.

Customer Support: 9
Line 6 rules. I've e-mailed other companies like Gibson (never got an answer) and Ibanez doesn't even have an e-mail address on their site. I mailed them in the evening and I had a response in the morning and they said they just needed my address and they would ship out the upgrade to me right away. I haven't gotten it yet, but it hasn't been that long and I trust that it will get here.
The only problem I've had is with their online registration, it wasn't working when I tried to use it so I just filled out the form that came with the POD and mailed it out. I don't think this is too big a deal, but the problem is reflected in my rating. (Still excellent though)

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for about 5 years, off and on. I also own a Marshall VS65R combo, a DOD multi-fx pedal whose name I can't remember since I don't use it anymore, BOSS Metal Zone (awesome pedal) and that's about it, really. If my POD was stolen I would definitely buy it again, it suits my needs well as a practice unit, plus the direct recording capabilities are awesome. I know that people complain about the shape, it is a bit awkward, but it looks cool. I think that I'll buy the stand for it to give it a little tilt to I can access the fromt panel better. Plus there's also the option to mount it on a mike stand. I like that idea. One thing that kind of gets me is the pedal board. I'm getting a bit tired of reaching down and having to switch sounds right on the POD, but the pedal board is so damm expensive. Where I live it costs about $330 Canadian, which is not horrible, but $150 would be more like it. I'm eventually going to get it anyway, I just can't afford to get it right now. You can't access the POD's built in wah without it either. It will be a lot easier once I get the pedal. I never compareed it to anything else, there are a few products that do somewhat similar amp modeling, more and more as the POD gains popularity, but I read all of the reviews here on Harmony Central and that's what really convinced me just to go out and get it. And I'm not disappointed I did. Please mail me if you have any questions, I'd be happy to help out.

Submitted by Chris at 03/07/2000 08:23

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
Great manual, "analog" interface, a real pleasure to use. I don't know why, but I've never liked scrolling through menus for guitar related gear. I do it all the time with synths/modules, but it somehow seems incongruous with a guitar. So much easier to use than a Digitech 2120, and IMHO, sounds better.

Sound Quality: 8
American Deluxe Tele, '57 Ash Body Strat Reissue, then straight into a Roland VS-1680. Sound is shockingly good. I have been a diehard "tubeman". This is the first non-tube rig I have ever used. Sure, if I had a perfect acoustical environment, a few dozen perfect classic amps, perfect mics, perfect engineer, well, you get the point. I give it an 8 because while the effects are usable, they are not up to the quality of the amp modeling.

Reliability: N/A
Only had it for a few weeks, and I only use it for recording.

Customer Support: N/A
Great website, haven't needed customer support.

Overall Rating: 9
I play original rock&roll, blues, experimental/electronic. I've been playing for 35 years and have owned so much gear I could start a shop. The Soundiver software expands the units' capabilities considerably, so POD is especially useful to computer people. I will probably buy POD PRO when it comes out to take advantage of the digital outs. This thing does what great gear is supposed to: Sound wonderful, then get out of the way. I'd replace it in a second if it were lost or stolen. Incredible value. If they could upgrade the effects in future versions, all the better. In the meantime, Line6 has given us a modern classic.

Submitted by faticus at 03/06/2000 03:41

Price Paid: US $239 at Sam Ash - ask for Doug at extension 2236!

Ease of Use: 10
POD is very intuitive, which is one of the main reasons I chose it over a conventional rackmount or footswitch unit. I'd rather be twisting knobs than futzing around with buttons any day. After years of using knobs on tube amps, it's only natural.

The manual that comes with POD is WONDERFUL. I am a professional writer, and I admire the straight-ahead, frank, and engaging voice it's written in, not to mention that it actually answers your questions without making you take a course in engineering.

Editing patches is like falling off a log. If you can't operate POD, you belong on the SHORT bus.

The one thing I HATE about it is the mounting bracket. It is about a quarter-inch too wide to fit under the handle of the Fender Blues and Hot Rod series amps, has no rubber "feet" to keep it from scratching whatever you put it on, and needs to be set up to actually GRIP the POD to keep it from flying off the top of your amp in mid-crescendo. But I called them and they're re-designing it ... nice people.

Sound Quality: 9
I plug my hotrodded Les Paul (SD '59 in the neck, SD JB at the bridge) into the POD and then into my Fender Hot Rod DeLuxe amp. That way I get the versatility of the POD models and effects, plus the overall warmth of the Fender tube sound. I find it actually sounds better this way than through earphones.

My favorite amp models offered by POD for the stuff I play (rock, blues, gospel) are the Matchless Chieftain, '59 Bassman, Dumble, and Budda Twin ... amps I could never in my wildest dreams own all at once without taking out a second mortgage.

POD's effects are OK. By that I mean they're not obnoxious, and I use them. I find myself running most of the time with a little delay or compression, a little gain, and using the amp's reverb instead of the POD's. I leave chorus and flange on a couple just for sheer silliness (who REALLY uses those sounds much?!), and the "rotating Leslie" sound is pretty dumb. The tremelo is OK, but again, there isn't that much application for that in real life.

Be advised -- as with most multieffects units, it seems that most of POD's preset patches were designed to attract and impress the "guitar wankers" that hang around in music stores squeezing their zits and harassing clerks all day until their mothers come to pick them up. So I reprogrammed several of them to my preferences.

Beyond that, the sounds POD provides are clean, non-noisy, and sound great. And that's high praise coming from a guy who's played for 30+ years and generally doesn't plug into ANYTHING that has transistors in its soul.

Reliability: N/A
I currently play in a Christian worship team. That means I put my equipment through four hours of rehearsal and four hours of live play weekly (2 services back to back), probably at least five times the average amount of use. I've been using the POD a couple of months now and so far it's been 100% reliable, but that's really not enough time to tell the whole story. If it ever screws up on me I'll just bypass it and plug into my DeLuxe direct.

BTW -- POD does NOT have a "bypass" switch, which should be added. If you want to bypass it, you have to yank cords and re-plug.

Customer Support: 10
This is where POD really shines. The folks at Line 6 are GOOD PEOPLE. They answer emails, take phone calls, and are generally informed about the product and happy to help. And I know because I was a royal pain in the butt when I first got the thing. I called up and bitched at them @ the small number of patches (only 36, and they're all presets you have to program over if you want anything different) and the crappy design of the "mounting bracket" thingy they sold me for $20. More on that later. But they never failed to help and made me feel better about the product.

Overall Rating: 10
Whether you're a heavy metal beasty, an old rocker like me, a funkmeister, or jazz guru, the POD can deliver sounds you'll never be able to afford otherwise. It's solid, dependable, intuitive, and backed by GREAT customer service.

However, they need to fix the mounting bracket thing and offer MORE PROGRAMMABLE MEMORY. And a bypass switch. The guys at Line 6 say that the next generation will probably have most of those improvements. So if you're waiting to buy, you may inquire at their website as to when that's coming out and perhaps wait a bit longer.

POD is a good thing. Buy one. Unless you're Billy Gibbons or Rick Nielsen and have a barn full of amps to play with. Most of us can barely afford one axe and one amp, and POD makes it all worthwhile.

Submitted by Kyle Albert at 02/29/2000 11:08

Price Paid: US $279.00

Ease of Use: 10
This product rocks before you open the box! I haven't yet delved into the software/midi yet (3 days old) but cannot believe the amp sounds that this POD delivers. The manual is excellent, funny & very descriptive of POD's features & operation.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using the POD with a very clean amp, a '76 MusicMan 65 watt with a JBL D-130. The manual advises to turn off the A.I.R. when used through a guitar amp but it sounds incredible through this amp with A.I.R. enabled. The MusicMan doesn't "color" the sound at all.
I don't like the "POD layer" sound or the "Brit class A" but that doesn't mean you won't like them as well as the 36 pre-sets. Some cool, some not; if you don't like 'em, change 'em.
I haven't played pro for 11 years but did for about 20 & this is the greatest product to come along in ages. The effects are fine & so is the tuner. Both are just gravy on top of the amp models!
If you don't think this is a great modeller, turn it to "BRIT CLASSIC", crank the gain & play a few "Crossroads" licks. Nuff said!

Reliability: 10
This POD-thang is a veritable tank. I've read no negative feedback regarding this & have no reason not to trust it. I've used lesser pedals/stomp boxes for years & would expect the same from the POD, by God!

Customer Support: N/A
Line6 has a great site and I may try their patience once I delve into the deep software. So far, I'm just blown away by the factory sounds.

Overall Rating: 10
I play rock, blues, country, NRBQ & Southern Culture On The Skids. I'm 46, been playing since i was in 5th grade- you do the math! I would most assuredly replace if stolen & would congratulate the burglar on his good taste. I wish the optional thingies were cheaper but they're still a lot cheaper than a real box-full-of-amps. The enclosed sounds are inspiring for practice & performing & that's what mainly led me to this purchase.There may be something better out there but I've yet to find it.

Submitted by Steve D. at 02/27/2000 00:15

Price Paid: US $290

Ease of Use: 10
Can't beat it. Love the laptop interface!

Sound Quality: 10
I just wish it were rack mountable, but the POD Pro will be out soon...
Never used anything better. I go from the spkr sim out to a DBX comp. and XLR out direct to my PA and it sounds incredible! I can get controlable (intentional)feedback on stage from the monitors and can go from metal to Little Wing at the touch of a button. The Floor Board is a must as well. The wah is also awesome!!!! Great for live performance. No more lugging amps around. Now my rig can fit in the front seat of my car!!!!!

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: 10
I play covers from the 60's to present and there isn't a sound I can't get. Can't beat the bang for the buck!

Submitted by Bobby Meeks at 02/21/2000 14:38

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
I was trying to shape my sounds with a Roland GP-100 and prior to that a digitech rack processor. I hated scrolling through menu after menu. Sure they have more paramaters to tweak, but what a pain. I bought the microphone stand mount for the POD, keep it right at my fingertips when I'm playing. I'm an incessant tweaker, and the dials are made for tweaking. I like having everything major on the knobs ready to go. Before, I go with as few tones as I could get away with--now, I'm coming up with custom tones for almost every song I play. I haven't gone into the software yet, but I've gotten about 10 useful tones for my gigs already without even going deep into the software. I haven't used the manual much yet, not much need for it until I get into the computer.

Sound Quality: 9
I bought the POD to go directly into the board at gigs, because I was tired of lugging around a whole separate guitar rig and miking it. I use a Strat Plus with lace pickups, and go from that into the POD and then into the effects return on my Yorkville Y100B bass amp (which I have, because I also play bass, so why not use it?) --then from the amp's line-out into my mixer. That's sounded best so far for the Strat--better than going from the POD straight to the mixer, though that wasn't bad. (I have the Mackie 808M and EV speakers). The Yorkville gives the electric sounds more bite, sort of a compressed closed-back cabinet sound. I mainly work with the amp models on the left side of the dial--the Brit amps sound kind of dark and muddy to me, and I don't use much highly distorted or fuzz sound. The Fender clean sounds are great, very useable, and the overdrive and distortion is very useable. The other day I broke a string and just for fun, picked up my accoustic (Martin D-35 with a Fishman piezo pickup) to see how it would sound through the POD. To my amazement, the POD is a great accoustic preamp--in fact, after hearing it, if I didn't have an electric guitar, I'd still buy the POD just for my accoustic. I use the Black Panel and Tube Preamp settings mostly, and fool around with effects combinations. I love the effected sounds. The effects are a little noisy, and I've had to adjust high/mid mixer EQ somewhat to quiet them down. But I'm amazed at the fullness and crispness of the tone as the volume goes up--the tone keeps its integrity very well with the accoustic. I never liked using chorus much in the past, but the chorus on the POD can be tweaked to give a rich full sound to an accoustic that doesn't sound too chorus-y.

Reliability: 10
I haven't had it long. It looks bulletproof. I'd use it without a backup, same as everything else I have one of.

Customer Support: 10
Haven't had to use customer support yet, but have been to the website, and will definitely take advantage of their patches and upgrades.

Overall Rating: 9
I play with a band that does mostly accoustic music, with a few electric rock songs and some electric leads and blues thrown in. I was able to duplicate several tones I was using with my previous rig, (Roland GP-100, Marshall 8080 power amp and Carvin 2-12 cabinet--by the way, if anyone is interested,I'll give 'em a great deal on this rig!) and actually make better sounding ones in just an afternoon of tweaking the POD. I would definitely buy the POD again, for its ease of use and useable tones. I don't compare it to the original amps, because I haven't played with them, but I am very picky about my tone, and I play at mostly lower volumes, so I could never get optimum tone out of a conventional amp anyway. The POD does the job for me. I haven't even begun to discover the possibilities, but I'm saving newly created tones left and right. On the down side, the tuner is kind of gimpy--but since I didn't even know it came with a tuner, that's not a big deal to me. I would like quieter effects, but I can work around that--they're not that noisy. For someone who wants to go stright into a PA with an electric or accoustic guitar at gigs, this is the best sounding preamp I've tried--and about half the price of some I've bought. I'm gonna keep it. P.S. Get the mic stand mount for the POD, reinforce it with a little velcro--you'll be glad you did. And did I mention it looks really cool.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/13/2000 22:27

Price Paid: US $295

Ease of Use: 9
The manual and face of the POD is simple to use. Changing parameters directly on the POD or using the provided software is easy. But, you must upgrade the program in order to use patches found on the net. No worries there, it's a free upgrade. Switching between presets can be a pain if you want to go from a lead setting to a rhythm setting on the fly. That's what the Floor Board is for (a little pricey but worth the money). Editing the effects directly on the POD isn't good for fine tuning, but using the software made it easier to adjust and store. It took awhile to figure out the presence and other hidden settings, but again, the software made it easy. I'm not too crazy about the tuner, since I already have a Boss Chrom. Tuner. The noise gate is nice feature too.

Sound Quality: 10
AWESOME!...I shred with a Fender 60's Strat & a home built Carvin Bolt guitar with custom wiring and Seymour Duncan hum. pickups. I'm currently using the amp side (65 watts) of a Fender Princeton 112 combo which powers a 2x12" cab with Celestion spkrs. Odd, but it rocks! (Until I get an amp head that is.) I've tried almost all the effects boards out there and none of them comes close to the quality of the POD. The amp simulations are amazing and near to the amps they simulate. I was able to compare the Marshall setting of my POD to a friend's JCM800, and it was very close (close enough!). I get incredible warm tones from my solid state amp. Even when using headphones, the sound is amazing. Sometimes I'd rather use the headphones (especially at night). The effects on the POD are good. I like the delay and the chorus. The double effects are okay. The delay/flanger#2 has this unique sound that I really like (especially for clean tones). The cab emulations really helps when using headphones but isn't necessary with my 2x12" cab. It does however create some interesting dynamics when used together. Don't expect to get 4x12" cab dynamics (e.i. bass extension) with a single 1x8 combo. But the POD will definitly improve any setup. I have any noise problems with the POD, a definite plus.

Reliability: 9
Looks oddly like a lima bean but it's very sturdy and feels solid as a rock. If I gigged, I wouldn't worry about the abuse.

Customer Support: N/A
No need for it yet.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 5 years. My style ranges from blues to metal. The POD doesn't disappoint in any catagory or music style. I can play SRV's "Lenny" (with the exact tone!) one second and get soaring Vai leads the next. Recording with the POD is easy. The sound I get from my headphones is what I hear on my recordings! The A.I.R. feature for recording is something many of the other effects boards can't compete with. The patches that are available through the net had me playing day and night. I have the peeling skin and calluses to prove it. Overall, the POD inspires me to play better because the tone I've always wanted is there and more...much more. From Fender to Boogie to Marshall, this thing has it all. I'd buy it again if it were stolen. The $300 price tag was nothing compared to the features. It's worth every penny. If your looking for inspiration to play, the POD will show you the way. Don't Hold Back your Tone!

Submitted by Phil at 02/05/2000 03:31

Price Paid: 180 (pounds sterling) used

Ease of Use: 8
It's pretty easy to use, and incredibly easy to get good sounds out of it. Because of the intricacies of the modelling (e.g. the way the eq works changes when you change amp model), it does take some work, but perseverence rewards. No bank up and down is a joke though, if you've got the FB4 (like myself) and want to change from banks 5 to 1, that's a lot of button taps! Also, accessing the other 12 amp models is a pain too, and I like those models!

Sound Quality: 9
The sounds are pretty damn good all in all. Some are better than others, the heavy distortions and clean sounds are more convincing than the warm class A sounds. No surprise really. But none of the amp sounds suck at any rate. The noise gate isn't what it could be, neither is the compression. If you want a slick processed tone, you'll still a multi-effects. I use a Kork AX30g with it and the results are fabulous. So all in all, it's fab..but it doesn't do everything. The effects are alright I guess, the delay is good and continues to decay even if you change patch (you need MIDI to cut the highs though dagnammit!).

Reliability: 10
I've already scratched some paint off but that's not a big deal. I think it would be tough to break. Can't really afford two so I would gig it without a backup, and without a sleepless night beforehand.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 10
I play indie rock with a bit of experimental noise mongering thrown in. I've been playing a few years and play an Epi Les Paul and a Squire Vista Supersonic through the POD and AX30g, into the "power amp in" socket of a Fender Stage 185. The key thing here is that I wasn't after multi-effects when I bought this, I was looking to beef up my amp sound. And that's the right way to see the POD, as an alternative to buying a tube amp or amps. If you want a multi-effects buy a Korg 1000G or a Zoom 8080.

Submitted by Alan Hill at 02/04/2000 07:49

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
The POD has helped my playing immensely, and I believe the ease of use, combined with its functionality, is the reason for this. It's very easy to find a suitable sound for any song, any style of playing.

I've had trouble getting my MOTU Midi Flyer to work with the software, but i've heard that my interface isn't the best out there and I plan on upgrading. My POD came with the other amp sims programmed into the unit, so i haven't needed to store them on my PC yet, eventually i'll start saving sounds though. Perhaps that new Soundblaster Platinum with the front bay in/out and Midi ports is the way to go.

Sound Quality: 8
I use the POD for practice at home with headphones, which is an amazing experience. I also use it at our studio, running it through a tube pre-amp into the Akai DPS-12, and the sound is quite good. It does take some tweaking, though, particularly the EQ. What may sound good at home with the earphones probably won't through your recording setup, and you may have to further EQ the sound.

The other night i brought the POD along to a gig, thinking i'd try it out at the sound check. Well, using a friend's old Peavey 150, i plugged the POD into the Power Amp in, turned off the A.I.R. switch, and let the power chords fly. It sounded great, the POD drove the speaker, and I filled the room with all my favorite POD sounds that I use at home! I really could have used the footswitch, but I know the unit well enough that I was able to switch sounds easily enough, and years of gigging helped me get the levels just right.

Reliability: 7
Just about anything that can go wrong at a gig has gone wrong for me over the years, so I wouldn't bring the unit alone (in order to plug it directly into the PA, as Line 6 suggests), but I'll bring it from now on and test the waters as I sound check. I've been meaning to buy a new gig amp, and i'm leaning towards picking up one from the Line 6 line (that cool setup with the separate speaker sounds awesome).

I own two PODs (one for home, one for the studio) and one of them has the tremelo/delay glitch where the effect comes on when you change a sound. I've heard there's an upgrade for this, but it can be turned off by turning the Effect Tweak knob. This would be a BIG problem if you were using the footswitch and playing live though.

Customer Support: 7
I've had some contact with a tech over at Line 6 and he's been helpful, even offered to call me at home at a specified time in order to help me get my Midi interface working. I have a feeling that as their products get more popular it's going to be tough for them to keep that small company vibe they have going over there, but we'll see. It's been done before!

Overall Rating: 9
Like I said before, the POD has really helped me with my playing. Not so much the technical side of my playing, but the creative side. I was in a real funk before I bought this thing; I had gotten terribly bored plugging my tele into my amp and trying to write, or playing my acoustic. The sounds that the POD gave me seemed to wake up my creative juices, and i've been writing like crazy. It's just so easy to just go into my study, put on the earphones, plug in the Fender and wail, or pick, or strum - even practicing scales becomes more interesting when the notes are swirling in your head (that dizzying rotary effect, while probably quite useless in a gig/recording environment, sure is fun with the headphones).

I highly suggest it (and already have, three of my friends have already picked it up, and I own two PODs, one for home, one for the studio). It may not be the end - all, and i bet it'll be obsolete within 18 months, but for the price, it's worth it.

Submitted by Chris Marz at 02/01/2000 05:26

Price Paid: 419 (Can $)

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use.
Do not need to read the instruction book.

Sound Quality: 9
Very good sound quality. I have a Fender Super Reverb and I put Bass and treble control to zero and the Middle control to max.
All the effects sound very good and clean. This POD is good for any king of music. I love it...

Reliability: 9
I have since a month so far so good.
It look very robust.

Customer Support: 9
There Web Site getting better and better.
No problem so far.

Overall Rating: 9
Good sound quality easy to use - din't try the recording yet.
With good quality headphone or with good amp the POD is perfect.

Submitted by Denis R Charron at 01/26/2000 12:48

Price Paid: US $268

Ease of Use: 9
I find operating the POD and it's floorboard is very easy. A read of its' manual and all of your questions are answered. Sound changes are NOT instant as you change between patches but I am not a stage-performing musician so it doesn't matter. I do find the instruction on using the Sounddiver MIDI deep editing program to be lacking and that took me a while to guess through since I am not a MIDI head. Hopefully one day they will have some device other thana computer that would allow you to do deep editing. It woul dbe nice if the it had an aux input to be able to practice along with a CD privately and it would also be nice if it had a guitar level out in addition to the line level out so that you could plug into a guitar amp easily.

Sound Quality: 9
I am not a purist. I don't have $20,000 worth of 20 vintage amps to AB wit the POD. I do like the sounds and the customized patches other users have avaialble on the net. I think you get an amazing amout of sounds for the buck. All should remember that thi sis a computer modeling of tube and SS amps so differences with the original will exist but so what? Will someone hear your solo and say, that must be a modeled AC30TB? Not likely. Als remember the proper comparison is between the Pod and a live amp, miked and recorded and played back.

I do think there may be too many distorto amps modeled but probably 16 year old EVH clones are more likely to buy this than anyone else so...

It would be good if the modeled an acoistic guitar amp so that you could blug your acoustic into it. I don't know if a bass guitar would sound good. No bass amps were modeled

Reliability: 10
I am just playing the Pod and the floorboard in my house so it has been 100% reliable to me. The construction looks very solid so it probably would be a great touring asset. just don't use it as a boat anchor

Customer Support: 10
perfect, very responsive, very helpful, very fast

Overall Rating: 10
I think the pod is an amazing product. I see no reason to have an amp outside of a practice one

Submitted by Bobster at 01/17/2000 17:31

Price Paid: 400 (Canadian)

Ease of Use: 10
Getting the sounds you want are quite easy, because the POD allows you to change many of the sound characteristics right on the front of the unit via knobs. This is a big plus over many effects units because you don't have to dive into menus to change a preset. When you get a sound you want you can just tap the save button, select the memory location you want to save to (36 altogether) and then tap save again!

Sound Quality: 7
Through Headphones the POD will amaze you. When I first turned it on for the first time I had a big pair of headphones on and was blown away by the distorted sounds. I normally use it live going into my PA system. Although this is not POD's intended primary use, I can still get great guitar tones going direct into the PA system, which is exactly what I wanted. One thing I do notice though is that the POD has cabinet emulation. When combined with the PA system any sounds you try to make manually sound a bit muddy with my setup. I overcame this by hooking up the POD to my computer and using Sound Diver to turn off the cabinet emulation. A note about Sound Diver and POD: it is HIGHLY recommended! you get so many more options by using sound diver as opposed to just making patches on the front console of the POD.
I find that many of the effects in the POD are not very useful. I don't normally like to add tons of effects to my guitar sound to begin with, but there are some strange combinations of effect presets (like tremelo/delay) that I would just never use...once again sound diver can allow you to access some of the effects like volume swelling that can only be used with delay normally. Another qualm about the sound quality is if you change the tone shaping and effect intensity knobs while you play you will hear a harsh digital clicking sound

Reliability: 7
The POD looks like a really rugged piece of gear. It's make out of strong materials and would probably still survive if you dropped it. I am a bit uneasy though with my purchase because I had bought one of them which worked for about 3 weeks and it suddenly had this big glitch where every effect you turn it to in the effects section would either be the rotary speaker or a really choppy delay. I brought it back to the store though and my new unit seems to be working just fine

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't really dealt with Line 6, just the store that I bought it at. Line 6 appears to have quite a nice customer relations thing going on though.

Overall Rating: 8
The POD is way better than anything I have previously used for live guitar sound. I used to use a Digitech RP-1 which I like the effects better than the POD but it just totally lacked good distortion sounds. I then bought a dod grunge distortion after hearing a great demo in the store...the grunge pedal just didn't sound good with the rp-1 so now I'm happy with the POD.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/17/2000 11:11

Price Paid: US $330

Ease of Use: 8
For basic sound editing it is very simple, and similar to using a regular guitar amp. When I demoed it in the store I had no difficulty using it without reading the manual. As has been mentioned before, though, advanced functions are only available through MIDI SYSEX calls. If you have a MIDI card, Line 6 supplies a free program to do this. If you don't have MIDI card, there are factory presets for all the "hidden" amp models, so you can get the models by modifying the appropriate program. This is kind of a pain, though.

For people like me who like to automate their setup via MIDI, POD will respond to program change messages and most parameters can be modified by CC messages. The only difficulty is that you can't remap which MIDI program numbers select which POD programs. Also, each CC number is fixed to a particular parameter. Not crippling, but kind of a pain.

Sound Quality: 9
I use either a 80's Charvel or a Strat into the POD, then to my digital fx rack. The signal then goes into a mixer (for recording) or a clean (non-guitar) amplifier for playing.

Basically, the POD is perfect for my type of setup. I can have an almost limitless variety of amplifier tones without owning all the amps. The amp models sound incredibly good, leagues better than other simulators I've used/auditioned (SansAmp for instance). I can pretty much get any amp sound I can think of with this thing from metal to folk.

The only things wrong with the sound is that the noise gate is pretty average and the effects are not nothing to write home about either. I guess that's what my rack is for...

Reliability: 10
Been using it for about 6 months now without any problem. It's a cast iron chassis and the pots are very solid.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I mostly play metal, but POD certainly not limited to this genre. After four years of playing through my Peavy, this thing was a dream come true, giving me a better sound, more variety, and simple DI capabilities for interfacing with my rack. If it were stolen I would replace it as soon as possible.

Here's my plea to Line 6: PLEASE make a rackmount version of this thing with full front panel control and better MIDI support (program remapping for instance) and a line level input. When this comes out on the market I'm first in line. For now, I've got this funky looking bean shaped thing kind of floating around in my rack.

Submitted by Scott Kee at 01/14/2000 01:06

Price Paid: 400 (EURO)

Features: 8
yes as it has been said here before pod is in deed very versatible, it gives u a lot sonds u can explore to ur one flavor .......

Sound Quality: 9
whell i play mostly hard rock metal and trash, so i need a lot of gain ...
the high gain models pod simulates are realy great, i just think that the marshall jcm 800 could use a little bit more gain, the real thing overdrives more ..
as far as the boogie and the soldano models they are ok ,i dont realy know haw a soldano sounds like, but if it sounds like the pod models it its realy very good, the boogie is very close to the dual rectifier
if heard the pod simulation and the boogie and you would have a litlle trouble teeling whitch was whitch.
i also think some of the low gain simulations are good, especialy the marshals.
as i said before u can get almost every sound u whant of that little red box.
one thing thoo it sounds very god on hedphones or directly to one reasonable PA but if ur pluging it to ur amp, u have to be very pacient to get all those great sounds u love so much and u may not be able to get decent sound at all, of course that depends a lot on the amp u are using, if u whant one tip .. plug it to one decent bass amp, and adjust the amp tone to ur flavor..
it also sounds god on ur pc if u have decent speekers, and gess what else ITS STEREO...

Reliability: N/A
whell never broke,and i never used it on stage..

Customer Support: N/A
i realy just dont know...........

Overall Rating: 9
whell i think it´s a little expensive, especialy here in europe
but it´s worth it, it´s the best practice amp there is to my knoledge,
and it´s very good for home recording, simple to use,
the first time i looked at it i thought ok another little toy the guys made this realy dont have enything better to do...
but when i herd the sound of it troo one god pa i said woooooooooo
that litlle socker really bites... there is one thing i realy dont like much about it, THE SOUND DRIVER , that socks, but the new version is better, still not good enouth.. with sound driver well if were lost or stolen y would probably not eat for one mounth, or twoo to buy another one ....... he he he

Submitted by Sandro Novais at 01/13/2000 19:12

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 5
Very easy, yet terrible. You can easily get 16 amp models from one front-panel knob. To get the other 16, you either have to access them with midi or the expensive footpedal. I've had mine for over a month, and still haven't heard the other 16 models! So, I rate the 1st 16 as a "10", and the 2nd 16 as a "0".

Sound Quality: 8
The amp sounds are great. Sometimes a little "strange digital grunge comes through at the tail end of notes, but mostly the sounds are useful. The Fender reverb doesn't give a good "surf splash" sound on high settings when hand muting plucked strings, however. Absolutely essential for 60's surf music. Too bad.
NOTE: Play POD through a jambox or nice hifi system, NOT THROUGH A GUITAR AMP. Guitar amps have deliberately boomy bass because of the high Q speakers used to get high efficiency. Also, guitar amps have raised treble response. POD already duplicates this. Therefore, if you listen to POD through a regular guitar amp, you get DOUBLE this effect, causing POD to sound phony. I think many of the criticisms that I read about inaccurate amp sounds are due to playing POD through a guitar amp.

Reliability: N/A
Too soon to tell.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A
I play mostly blues, some country, surfin', old rock, rockabilly. The POD is convenient and easy to use. Several of the amp sounds are fabulous. The Fender, Marshall, Matchless, POD sounds are great, except for the Fender reverb. (Very little splash! Ya can't do Pipeline or Baja without big splash!). POD has become my main practice tool. It stays hooked into my stereo system, where I get big sounds conveniently. Therefore, I play more.

Submitted by AH at 01/12/2000 06:33

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: N/A
No need to talk about this, everyone else already has.

Sound Quality: 3
God did I want this to work. I live in a house where I get to practice very infrequently (mostly because of family). Out of the house I can crank my amps to infinity, but I needed something for practice at home where I could crank it and noone would care, and still sound halfway decent. Well, the POD came along. Wow, over 20 amp models, effects, and direct recording for 300???? GIVE ME!

Ripped that sucker apart when I got home, plugged it in, and started to play around. Here's my take on it after 3 solid days of use:

1. Effects are good. Some are cheesey (delay-flanger) and some are fairly good (delay, chorus), but since these are primarily add-ons, I think they did a good job here giving us some effects to play around on.

2. Clean sound. Some of these sounded very generic, but some were very very good! Of course my Ampeg Reverbrocket can sound better than these easily, they did hold up pretty darn good. I especially liked the Roland JC120 sound, that actually sounded CLOSE to the real thing, I mean REAL close.

3. Distorted sounds. Bah. These didn't do anything for me. One thing I noticed right off the bat, even if I rolled off the treble all the ways, this POD has an excess of treble almost to the point of hurting (in most cases it does). The only one I fairly liked was the POD Drive, they should make an amp off of that one...that's pretty good. All the others were either generic, too muddy, or just didn't sound anywhere close to the real thing.

4. Direct recording. Hey it might have been my sound card, but this thing sounded nowhere near what I heard with headphones. I look at this device as primarily a headphone practice amp.

Reliability: N/A
It's solid, I've heard of glitches in software, but I didn't have any of those problems. But I'm not going to grade as I didn't have enough time to mess with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Ditto, though Line 6 looks pretty good in this area, but stories of people never getting firmware updates kind of scares me.

Overall Rating: 3
I so wanted this to work. I've been looking for something like this all my years of playing. It has decent clean sounds, ok effects, and horrible distortion. BUT, I give Line 6 another year or 2. Let them come up with the POD2, and I bet it'll be a ton better. Heck, I WAS amazed at first at what they had been able to do, but after you hear some of the shortcomings, you'll probably send it back just like I'm about to do (get youre music stuff at americanmusical.com, payment plans and returning stuff is easy as pie).

Submitted by Brian at 01/08/2000 23:05

Price Paid: 279 (UK pounds)

Ease of Use: 9
Dead easy - just turn a few knobs and you'll get loads of decent sounds. If you take the time to use the PC software included, you'll have much more control over the sounds, too.

Sound Quality: 9
Excellent. Huge variety, too. Some of the patches are a little noisy, though probably no worse than their real-life counterparts, and the noise gate is pretty effective anyway. For my personal taste, some of the patches could do with a little extra mid-boost, especially when using humbucking guitars, but it's no real problem to do this on the mixing desk afterwards.

Reliability: 8
Very sturdy. Stupid impractical shape, though. EVERYONE wants a rackmount version, how long before they deliver???

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know.

Overall Rating: 9
Excellent, a real quality product. I dare say an experienced engineer with a load of expensive amps in a studio with ideal acoustics could get better results... but then I'm not in that situation, plus I'd prefer to save the time (and money!) in the studio by just plugging straight into the POD.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/08/2000 17:07

Price Paid: US $279

Ease of Use: 8
The POD can be very simple to use by turning a few knobs or bit more complex if you use a MIDI interface & experiment with it a bit (there's a ton of sounds in this thing). The firmware version on mine is dated 12/99, so I'm pretty sure it's current.
My biggest gripe is the vague MIDI instructions. The software is no help either, it takes some time to get it working. Why dont the additional 12 amp settings just come from the factory preset in banks 7,8 &9 ? Someone buying this that doesnt have a PC is screwed out of all the sounds. The price of the pedal board is a CRIME!

Sound Quality: 10
It's really hard to fault the sounds in the POD at all. Direct or through a amp, the sounds are very good. I use the POD into the effects return of a 5150 combo & the sound is really amazing. The 5150 is a great amp, but a bit limited (I still love this amp though). The trick here is to keep the AIR setting on but go into the POD via MIDi & bypass the cabinet simulations for this set up. The monster amp section & sealed 2x12 cabinet of the 5150 teamed with the pod is incredible. I recomend getting the bracket & mounting it on a mic stand.
Most modeling gear Ive tried in the past tended to sound the same no mater what Guitar you used, the POD is different. A Strat will sound like a Strat etc.

Reliability: 8
It's only a week old, but the metal case & pots seem durable.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I think the POD is the Rockman of 2000. It's gonna be hard for anyone to resist the range of tones available for $300. They need to program all of the settings from the factory & get real about the asking price for the pedal board and it would get a 10!

Submitted by Kevin Paradise at 01/06/2000 14:12

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
If you can crank a volume POT, you can operate this.
Easy to use, control and manage.
THe knobs feel right.

Sound Quality: 9
Now, I'm using a N1 Washburn with 2Humbuckers and a crate amp with a 10inch speaker.
With this humble setup, i can play almost any rock and roll song as well as some metal. It doesn't sound artificial.
VERY VERY NATURAL!!!!
THe sound i like the best are the overdriven sounds and the clean sounds.

Reliability: N/A
Haven't gigged with it since i just got it.
But i will gig with it if i get the foot pedal.

Customer Support: 10
VERY GOOD CUSTOMER SUPPORT>
I personally think they are one of the best around.
A tech there emailed me back and forth till i got to reset my POD.
Also, all my questions were answered.

Overall Rating: 9
I play pop, rock, metal and this almost plays everything.
I personally think all guitarists should have one of this.
Its pretty expensive but if you think about it...
its cheap for the sound you get.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/03/2000 22:01

Price Paid: 400.00 (Canadian)

Ease of Use: 8
Right out of the box this baby has potential!! It is just like using a amp, no fancy light shows, or pressing buttons to make changes........good old fashioned knobs. The manual is a little vague at times, but over all useful. They definately have a sense of humour at Line 6, read the manual and you will see my point. My biggest beef to date? The software provided with Pod sucks! Sound driver is a disaster, and you will need to update it right away.

Sound Quality: 8
I am fortunate enough to own a P.R.S. which sounds good with anything! But a Mexican Strat would still sound good through the Pod.
The effects are solid, but cumbersome to set accurately. You will need a P.C. to edit these percisely, we will get into that later! The amp sims are very nice, but once again hard to dial in without a computer to access all the goodies. Some of my favourite amps are only accessable in Sound Driver. You really do need a computer to take full advantage of what Pod has to offer. Most of the really cool stuff is hidden, not accessable from the front panel, a large over sight on Line 6's part!!!!Once you have hit the Line 6 web page, you can download 400 some odd presets........everthing from Metallica, to Eric Johnson, to Clint Black!!!! You can mix and match various amps and cabinets for that perfect sound, then spinkle a little sugar on it, and presto...........exctasy!!!! I have so many presets and amp/cab combos to consider i can't decide what i want to play anymore!!!!

Reliability: 10
As for dependability............I have yet to drive accross town with the Pod rolling around the trunk, or drop it down the stairs. But, I am sure it is well constructed, not a cheap stomp box! I would definately use this as part of my live rig anyday!! After all, live a little man!!!!

Customer Support: 10
I imediately hit the Line 6 home page to download a upgraded version of Sound Driver. The Line 6 folks have everything you need and more there to assist you on your journey. Join their "Lup" and you are in for some great downloads, and you can share info with all the other Pod heads!! Got a question? Post it and you will be saved! They are very helpfull.

Overall Rating: 9
I am fond of all that is heavy and loud, so I enjoyed this little puppy. But beleive me when I say, it is for everyone. It has everything!!! I have somewhere around 15 years of twangin' under my belt, and i have never enjoyed a gadget as much as the Pod. I would never be without one again, it is that good!! It is very versatile, but works best with your computer's help (have I made that point clear?) Digital amps.......who would have thunk it 10 years ago! I would have laughed in your face. I wish it would have come with vibrato effect, but I can carry on regardless. Having all those amp options before me has really opened my eyes to other sounds and playing styles, great to get the old creative juices flowing. And, even amuse your friends with some wacky renditions of the classics......In conclusion I would just like to say, rejoice guitarists of the world!!!!! Pod has arrived!!

Submitted by D.Myers at 01/03/2000 17:50

Price Paid: US

Ease of Use: 10
I've been raised with racks. I had many myself (my previous preamp was an ADA MP2) and that's why I doubted that the few buttons available on the POD could offer enough control. How wrong I was! This unit offers very simple controls and yet very subtle tunning can be done. As easy to tune as an amp with midi storage facility. A real wonder.

Sound Quality: 10
I have several Ibanez guitar and a BC Rich. The first thing that stroke me was how faithfull to each guitar's characters the POD was. Many people warned me that digital modeling would kill the original sound of the guitar. I don't agree at all and I have many friends trying the unit and none complained about that.
The amp emulation is great. I have been trying for years to record my guitar at bedroom volume. I used a sansamp, a Hugues and Kettner tubeman, an Ada MP2, real amps DI'ed with a palmer box. It all sounded good but nothing was half as good as the POD. Totally convincing valve amp simulation and absolute ease of use. The effects are just what 90% of players will ever need. I you exept an eventide thing though, try something else.
The range of sounds that can be achieved is wide and is very close to the amps they are supposed to emulate. I play pop and metal and have yet not been able to say this unit couldn't do what I wanted

Reliability: 9
I'm using this single using both for home and gigs. I can't afford any backup system at the moment, but a second POD would be nice, just in case. The metal shell is indeed useful. It fell on a concrete ground recently and apart from a scratch on the paint, it was fine

Customer Support: N/A
I've had it for six months and never had a problem.

Overall Rating: 10
This unit is my holy grail. I have been playing for ten years. I sold back my ADA MP2 and bought with the money the POD and a Roland Midi footboard. The result is the setup I'm using both at home and in the studio. I just plug it in the PA and here it goes. This is a cheap way to get a great sound but I never felt it was a compromise in terms of quality. Here are the two best things I can say for the POD.
- I have been working with programable units for years and fought with the damned machines and never got the sound I wanted. Now with the POD, even if it is possible to get some more amp model by linking it to my PC, I never had to do it because the basic sounds were so good I didn't even had too. In a few years, when I'll be sick of my current sound, I might do it.
- I recently recorded a demo with a friend of mine who is a professional of sound recording. We plugged the POD and after trying different eq corrections, he decided to let it almost flat because in his own words "this unit sounds so good there is little point in correcting the signal too much". The only slight backdraw is that it is a bit noisy for recording purpose. I use a berhinger denoiser and it's fine.
My final word is that it would have same me a lot of time, efforts and money if this unit had existed when I started to play. Have a try!

Submitted by renaud at 01/03/2000 07:26

Price Paid: $399 (Canadian)

Ease of Use: 9
The pod is pretty easy to use. It has basic tone controls and an effects section which is easy to get some nice sounds out of.

Sound Quality: 10
It has Amazing sound quality. All of the amp simulations are useful, and the effects can be a nice touch. Most of the time I don't use a lot of the effects. I just enjoy the exellent amplifier sounds.

However, one problem that I noticed with my POD is that to get
"no cabinet emulation", you have to select it through the SoundDriver software. (the A.I.R. switch is supposed to turn off the cabinet emulation but it just filters some of the low and high end, which is a pain for playing live through an amp)

Reliability: 10
The POD seems to be very solid.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them

Overall Rating: 10
Overall, I think the POD is an amazing unit. Any of the Line 6
products that I have tried, have been excellent.
One thing that I would to say to people considering buying the POD:
This is not an effects unit with a whole bunch of crazy noises.
The POD does have effects, and they are very good, but the POD is supposed to be an amp simulator.

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/26/1999 00:33

Price Paid: US $375 w/GB4footswitch

Features: 1
This unit is great except for one HUGE flaw.....when you use the foot switch to change "channels" there is a split second of silence! Yes, believe it or not the darn sound drops! I would have given this thing a 10 here but this flaw kills it and made me return the unit.

Sound Quality: 10
Unbelievable! Awesome! Heart-stopping! This thing kicked ass with a Les paul and a Fender Evil Twin......BUT see the flaw mentioned in features....

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: 10
I emailed them my concerns about the flaw listed above and they responded with an honest answer within two days. In my opinion that's pretty darn good!

Overall Rating: 5
This unit didn't do very well with my 4 tracker and the aforementioned flaw really made this unit useless to me. It's a sham because they put a lot of work into the sound, which is absolutely awesome.

Submitted by DG at 12/24/1999 12:18

Price Paid: US $254.00

Features: 10
Tons of great features are available, very versatile.

Sound Quality: 10
Quite simply put, the POD sounds unbelievable.

Reliability: 10
Very well-built, durable piece of equipment.

Customer Support: 10
Before I bought the POD I talked with the Line6 Regional Sales Representative for the Seattle area regarding a few issues, he was very cool and answered my questions. He gave me some good suggestions regarding using the POD for live applications. In general, I was impressed with the way my questions were handled and this was even BEFORE I had purchased the unit.

Overall Rating: 10
As mentioned, the POD sounds fantastic, I use it with a Strat that has EMG Select pickups. For the price it is a tremendous value and I can only see it getting better. I don't love the outside appearance but after a while it grows on you. However, I would prefer a more conventional looking piece. I am hoping they come out with a rack mountable unit in the future. Also, it would be nice if more sounds could be added/upgraded.

Submitted by Ricky Samuel at 12/22/1999 12:06

Price Paid: US $289

Ease of Use: 9
Couldn't be easier all the knobs are there to be tweaked like an amp.
I haven't tried the PC software for editing, but I am glad they included it anyway. The manual is simple to understand and make use of.

Sound Quality: 9
This is the best sounding direct unit I have heard so far for guitar. The way this thing sounds with my Paul or Strat is not only as good as my attempts at miking amps, but probably a lot better. I have or have had, Sansamp, Rocktron and Digitech and ART rack mount units, no question this thing wins hands down in comparison. The problem with most of these other product, is that even though the distortions are pretty good; the cabinet sims have been lacking. This is where this product seems to shine. It's very full sounding. So much so it seems to take over the mix somewhat, it you max out the bass control on some settings. But this may be because I haven't used it enough to get a feel for EQ settings. I wouldn't say it emulates every sonic artifact of each tube amp model perfectly. I am not sure that's even possible with todays technology. But this unit has so many versatile sounds that its a real winner.

Reliability: N/A
Have only had the unit less than 1 month.

Customer Support: N/A
Have not needed any - so can't say.

Overall Rating: 8
I play all types from metal to blues and jazz. And the Pod is a very
good match for all these styles. I own quite a bit of other gear, and this beats them all for direct recording. I would definitely buy it again, if stolen. I love the ease of use and amp like controls. But I
do wish all the amp models were accessible without going into software control,

Submitted by Steven Keys at 12/20/1999 20:11

Price Paid: £250.00 (Pounds)

Ease of Use: 10
If you can't figure it out then perhaps you should consider further education and/or taking fewer drugs. Also when you are sober the lights will seem less bright and more defined!

Sound Quality: 9
Tone is great, just like a cranked amp perfectly recorded singing through the monitors and eminating from a room where you can't hear it at all - try a Marshall Anniversary at three foot (111 decibels - louder than a jack hammer!) I can't get over how good this thing sounds! Without doubt the best item of musical equipment I have ever bought bar my Ibanez and Pro Tools which rank as equally liberating. I'm sure they could tweak the sound by resampling and checking various 'non scientific' opinions and no doubt they will! I use it without the effects which are secondary to the basis of this unit - microphone/cranked amp emulation. So the nine is for this aspect. The compressor is o.k but really you need a little more control. The noise gate is eerily transparent considering it is automatic - normally this is something you set up for each sound - so I guess it must be 'intelligent' as to what you are playing - Pod is pretty smart! Hope it doesn't take over my other gear, my Mac is getting a little concerned with the abilities of this thing, and despite reassuring it, I think I may have to get a G4 which won't feel so intimidated!
This company is going to make buckets of cash from their emulations which could end up replacing just about every item of equipment in a recording studio. Bottom line is if you end up sticking your sound onto a digital format (CD anyone?) then you CAN replicate any analogue circuitry to this level - even loopy stuff like random analogue variations can be emulated using chaos theory type algorithms so as long as Line 6 look at every part of a units sound from the effect that the material used for the input has to the the transistors/tubes etc etc then this is without doubt the future and Line 6 are way ahead!
Remember this unit should sound like being in a recording studio with an engineer having moved the microphone round your cabinet grill with an SM57 et al to find the right spot. It will not though sound exactly like what your hearing on records until the output has been:
a) Compressed a little (not for sustain but to level it and stop it destroying your hi fi speakers!) - even stuff that is not compressed at the recording stage will be at the mastering stage! Remember if you do this turn off the noise gate as the post-gate compressor will bring the gating to your attention in a bad way (probably). Get a valve compressor but if line 6 emulate a Urei get one of those instead - I suspect it would be a tad cheaper!
b) Equalised - the general rule in a studio is get the best sound you can to tape with the amp set so the guitarist feels right about his sound when playing over the other sounds and tweak later at mix down - recorded guitars sound massive not by blowing apart your speakers and pretending to be an amp but by having the right compression/eq and by being placed well in the mix.
c) You turned the noise gate off so you need to get one (a Drawmer is the industry standard but Line 6 will no doubt have a perfect one soon - gating is a piece of cake - it just has to work well - its all slopes and stuff - shouldn't colour the sound so I suspect it'll take the guys at Line 6 about five minutes to figure out this one, not three years like the tubes!
Remember all this and you will understand why Pod IS the best thing to happen to the guitar since someone said 'hey how do we make these things louder?'!

Reliability: N/A
Had it two days, still works!

Customer Support: N/A
We know that in the real world very few people could really give a %@!! about how well they do their jobs in customer services etc but Line 6 may surprise me!

Overall Rating: 9
This thing could be improved for pro-studio use and I think if they do this you'll find a rack version in pretty much every recording studio in the world.
1. There needs to be a digital out to a) keep noise as low as possible and b) to avoid digital conversion time lag when used in combination with other units. i.e mine plugs into a digital effects unit which again adds a little delay before going to disk. This is not a problem so long as not too many units are daisy chained. As Line 6 seem Hell bent on replacing all analogue gear with emulation I think they need to consider digital inputs and outputs which will increase price a little but it will be a great help in studios which are also set to become totally digital with a few (expensive/esoteric) exceptions.
2. Rack unit should feature more amps(!) and all original controls (i.e bright switches etc) should be catered for! Non should be available only via midi - a dedicated display section with knob for amp selection would be quick and a couple of extra on/off type switches and a few more knobs would take care of bright/eq sweep/gain buttons etc etc. If they don't screw up (i.e by having a naff external power supply!) such a unit would be real scarey!
3. Different microphone/angle combinations could be offered
4. They should make a virtual stomp box (rack please!) that emulates every overdrive/distortion pedal ever made. This is food for thought!

In summary - Pod is awesome dudes - get one!!
There is nothing else on the market that even comes close!
No I do not work for Line 6 but those guys should be bought a beer by every recording guitarist out there!

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/15/1999 15:15

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 8
The POD is pretty self explanetory. Look at the damn unit, all the controls are pretty obvious. I haven't actually gotten to use the MIDI editor yet, so no comment on that one, but the fact that you have to hook the POD up to a computer to get other amp models is a minus in my opinion. It was probably done to keep the cost down etc. Too bad for those without a computer....

Sound Quality: 7
The sound quality is good. It sounded GREAT the first time I demoed it at the guitar center, it wears off a little. I think the best amp models are hi gain and rectifier. I have a Fernandes TEJ telecaster type guitar and run the POD through to my Roland VS 840 then to a pair of Alesis M1 active monitors. I haven't tried the POD through my Fender Princeton CHorus yet, the main reason I bought the POD was for direct recording. The sounds coming from the POD are pretty clean, with minimal noise. THe effects are OK, nothing special, more like an added bonus. I bought this thing for recording, and it sounded pretty good in my mixes. There's one thing though, I can't help but think about how much money it cost me. $300?? For this price I might have to return it and get a cheaper SANS AMP. I just don't think it's worth the buck. But, hey if you got the money, go for it. I will return mine in the next week.

Reliability: N/A
Haven't delt with reliability problems, but unit seems very heavy duty and sturdy.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 7
ALthough this is a good unit, I really dont think it shoud be $300. It's not THAT great. Definitely not $300 worth. If the unit was $250 retail, it would be a great buy. If ALL the amp models were available from the front panel, it would be an even greater buy. If the damn floor board was cheaper...anyway, if you're interested in this unit, simply go out and try it. Your opinion counts the most. I wouldn't buy it though, think I'll return it and get a SANS AMP.

Submitted by cyph at 12/12/1999 22:24

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
Been discussed to death here, but a blind chimp could use it. Took it out of the box, plugged it in, and off I went. Strongly recommend reading the manual anyway; lots of little subtleties that one would miss otherwise. Manual's pretty good; MIDI software (SoundDiver) is horrid. I've been in the software biz for years, and although it provides LOTS of tweaking capability, it is absolutely the most user-hostile software I've seen in a long, long time. Zip for documentation. That aside, the POD itself has been remarkably easy to use.

Sound Quality: 9
Simple setup here: an '81 Les Paul Custom, the POD, mid-'80's Fender "The Twin" (I also use a Shure wireless setup). Now, here's the deal: I've never been a stomp-box user; I have always found them cheesey-sounding. In fact, I hate 'em. For years now, I've actually used, of all things, the above setup but with an old Scholz Rockman X100 (don't laugh too hard; you'd be amazed at the tone I got from that setup....and how many gigs I used it in!!). However, it was high-time I expanded my sonic horizons, and I had played around a bit with a friend's POD. The sound is........unbelievable. I'm an old rock/blues player (since the late '60's), but the last few years, all my "gigging" has been in church: contemporary Christian music. We tend to ......ahem.........rock the place, but we play straight to the board. Everything on stage goes straight to the board. I haven't screwed up the courage to use the POD by itself yet; I still run it through my trusty Twin, then out to the board. Since I only got the POD fairly recently, I've had the chance to use it live only a few times. Has worked well for me in such an environment. I favor the sounds of Gary Moore, David Gilmour, a few others. LOVE the effects; lush and full (Chorus 2 is fabulous). The amp models are top-notch, just as you've read elsewhere here. They are practically DEAD-ON. I favor the Modern Hi-Gain (Soldano) or Rectified (Boogie) for heavier tones (both are wonderful) and the POD Layer for clean work (Dumble). Have had friends come over who own expensive, rack-mount multi-effects units, and they are positively blown away by the sound. In fact, I don't use the POD's presets at all. I play by ear and "feel"; if you're like me that way, you can tweak very quickly to achieve marvelous tone.

Reliability: 9
So far so good, but still pretty new. Built like a little tank, though. I wouldn't hesitate to gig with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't needed 'em. I'm BIG on customer support and heard great things about Line 6 support personnel, but no direct experience with 'em yet.

Overall Rating: 10
As one who has been playing guitar for over 30 years, but not a paid professional, I know the sound I like. The POD has been a great addition to my little set-up described above and I expect to use it to death. If it was stolen, I'd replace it in a heartbeat. Folks, this has GOT to be the best 300 bucks a guitarist can spend, hands down, end of story.

Submitted by stuvr at 12/09/1999 02:57

Price Paid: gift

Ease of Use: 9
There are already plenty of posts regarding this fine product, so I will try and tailor my remarks to the specific aspects which I find most crucial. I find the POD to be extremely easy to use, though I haven't used any of the MIDI-editing features yet. What I like most about its user interface is the ability to tweak the sound like a guitar amp (using good old-fashioned knobs), combined with ready access to the built-in effects. I also think the manual (pilot's guide) is a big plus. First of all, it's written by someone who obviously speaks English, and nicely outlines the features in a straightforward manner. First time in my life that I've read a manual in one sitting, cover to cover.

Sound Quality: 9
A stunner. I agree with most of the raves already posted here. It sounds great. The amp models are uncannily similar to the real thing, and the cabinet emulation (A.I.R) seems to be the key to creating the psychoacoustic image. Now here's the thing--a lot of reviews have gone into painstaking levels of analytical detail to discern how close it comes to, say, a real Marshall plexi, or which vintage Fender the "small tweed" should have been modeled after. I don't care about that. Things either sound good, or they don't. I rarely record just one guitar track. A guitar track within a song's final mix complements the other instruments, and other guitar tracks. Nobody listens to a recording and declares that they would have liked the song better if the guitarist had used a soldano instead of a dual rectifier. If they do, they're probably a sound engineer with a really annoying personality. The rest of us can now enjoy a plethora of amp combinations that I weren't easily attainable before. Plus, no angry neighbors.

Maybe if I did have a stable of vintage amps at my disposal, I'd feel differently, but I don't, and I doubt that most people do. The amount of tonal sacrifice I formerly had to make for expedience has been reduced to practically zero.

Reliability: N/A
I expect to be able to rely on it. I have no opinion yet. I don't plan on gigging with it. If it breaks down in six months, I'll post a follow-up. I got it with the carrying case, and if you're going to purchase one, it's probably a good idea to get at least that one accessory. It has an odd shape, not well suited to either a rack case or a duffel bag full of stompboxes.

Customer Support: N/A
I've heard they have good customer support. I don't know. I like their web site. I like that you can read the product manuals before buying the product.

Overall Rating: 9
BANG FOR THE BUCK! For $300 you're getting a whole lot of sounds, an effects unit, a direct box, headphone amp(s), a tuner, a tube preamp model for recording non-guitar tracks, maybe even a front end for that old solid state amp you never use. Think of all the money you could spend on just one good vintage amp, never mind upkeep. This thing is worthy of all the praise it's getting, and when these digital-modeling products gain wider acceptance, perhaps the demand for vintage gear will decrease, forcing dealers to reduce the ridiculous prices they charge. In the meantime, the ability to possess the sorts of tonal options a large collection of vintage amps would provide is now available for a very reasonable amount of money. And by the way, I've been playing more than twenty years. I'm not a teenager running this thing into my parents' stereo, although if I was, I bet it would sound fabulous.

Submitted by Phil DeGrave at 12/01/1999 11:32

Price Paid: US $299.99

Ease of Use: 8
Basically, I think most people can figure it out, the other reviews here go into that

Sound Quality: 9
I originally bought the unit for home practice, but took it to a jam session to putz around with it, running it into my Bandmaster reverb. At first I didnt like it then with some tweaking decided it could give me some new tools to work with.
I have never been able to get a good "hard rock" sort of tone at lower volume levels. Back in the late 60's and 70's I was primarily a rock guitarist, then I turned more to blues. I have never liked any loud distorted tones that were generated
any way other than having a power amp cranked. I absolutly detest most signal processor's high gain and saturated tones. ICK!
After my initial outing I went right out and bought the floorboard, so I could control this thing in a live situation. I immediately hooked it up to my Bandmaster, turned on the Boogie MK II drive setting, tweaked both a few of the knobs on both the amp and the POD
and "WOW" a great high gain sound. And I could get it a volume people can actually stand to listen to. I was worried that the Bandmaster's pre-amp might wash out the POD's tones, as some of the reviews here have said, but after some tweaking I don't find that to be the case.
I must note that the B/R's own spring reverb is much better sounding than the POD's, although I've has some success with using both at the same time.
So far, I've been able to dial up about seven or eight usefull tones out of the POD/Bandmaster combo. I can also program both "rhythm" and "solo" versions of most of the sounds. I could care less if they sound like to "original" amps, although I can make my bandmaster reverb
(conveted to a 2 x 10 combo) sound virtually identical to my Bassman reissue. I think the Key is to think of the presets as starting points, and then tweak them to your liking.
I also bought the POD mike stand adapter. How cool! It's amazing how handy it is to be able to reach down right in front of you and quckly twist a knob and go right back to playing,
without having to turn around or run back to the amp. Finally, I might add that I've been carting 3 or 4 amps, and 3 or 4 guitars around with me. Now, I can cover most sonic bases
with my Tele and Ibanez AS-100 (335 clone). I also have sounds at my disposal that I never thought I'd be able to have in a live situation. My ability to express myself has been greatly enhanced.

Reliability: 6
Too new to really decide. If it dies at a gig, I've still got my pedals.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
See my comments above. This has opened new doors for me. I'm finding I can makemany convincing
tones that I'd never be able to otherwise make in a stage situation, and I have something I can practice with at home with headphones
and not disturb anyone. I used to have a Rockman, and I quickly tired of it's limitations, I could never find a reasonable tone to play
a Beatle song, for example. Last night, I found a very good aproximation of Larry Carlton's "Kid Charlamagn" tone using my Ibanez AS-100.
Talk about inspiring! Oh yes, I have 4 guitars, and they all sound quite different through the pod. Other processing units I've tried, have tended to
make the guitars all sound the same, to a degree. I've always used effects sparingly, and I have always been primarily a straght into the amp sort of guy,
finding many effects to yank a lot of the personality and individuality from my playing.

Submitted by Scott Stevens at 11/23/1999 12:25

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 7
Simple - like dialing in the tone on your amp.

Sound Quality: 9
Basically gets as close as u can get 2 any amp sound without actually having the amps. It really doesn't give u EXACTLY the sound of the amp but seeing as it is mainly for direct recording, once u get the bass/drums/vocals in over the top u just won't notice the difference. It is basically quite similiar to AmpFarm from Pro Tools, just that this u can actually see. I do think AmpFarm is slightly better though.

Reliability: 8
I ain't got room to bitch about it. Feels pretty solid but it is definetly more for a studio environment than live. I don't think i'd use it live.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.

Overall Rating: 9
Yeah pretty damn good. I use a Jackson ps-4 guitar and it takes the previously "metal only" sound to basically anywhere. I play new wave meets metal music (think orgy, deadsy, videodrone etc) and it gives me a lot more room to work in. The Line 6 is part of my rig alongside the GR-30 guitar synth, electro-harmonix big muff, Voodoo Labs Tremolo, Boss DD-5 digital Delay, plus the Boomerang sampler pedal. This set-up is really at the front of guitar playing and the line 6 is basically the core of my sound. I am definetly not a guitar purist. The line 6 just opens up more horizons because after spending so much money on my damn pedal board i don't have anything to spend on shitloads of amps. A must buy for any profesional guitarist that doesn't want to have just one character to their sound..

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/21/1999 15:43

Price Paid: £299 (UK Pounds)

Features: 8
Same as everyone else states.

Sound Quality: 10
Used with Telecaster, Yamaha SG3000S and Jackson Model 6. All guitars sounds great, from Steely Dan, to Dave Gilmour through to Slash and Page. All these people right here right now...know what I mean...!?
Forget all the comments about digital distortion, these guys must have an oscilloscope on the damn thing! You won't here digital noise in a recording or above the clinking of beer glasses!

Reliability: 9
No comment, it's nicely tucked away behind my keyboard and under a photo of the Wife & Kids! It lights up every time I switch it on. Would be nice if you could get it to automatically return to the last used setting, just like a real amp would do!

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed them. Never gone wrong. I treat the software as a sort of freebie and don't really feel the need to comment. Personally, I would rather have seen something by Line6, say a GUI front end which looked the same. had knobs that worked in the software, with maybe a couple of extra knobs for the extra bits.

Overall Rating: 9
I part exchanged this for a Carlsboro 80 watt combo. That was quite a good combo but was a bit long in the tooth with crackley volume / tone controls, and sounded awfull Direct In, and took me ages to mike up successfully. The Pod has blown all that away, is 20th of the size, weighs a 25th of the combo, dosn't clog up the floor and gather dust and sounds 25 times better. And if I'm feeling really unsociable I plug in the cans and all you can here is silly noises I make whilst concentrating on my playing.
What, a score of only 9?, Well it doesn't make the tea which is really annoying.

Submitted by Philfy Phil at 11/19/1999 07:26

Price Paid: 299 (Sterling)

Ease of Use: 10
Still easy even when you want to tweek something and it's been a few weeks since you tweeked!

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using POD for 90% live as i've had no time to record recently. I lightly compress before pod then striaght in to the desk in stereo (becuase stereo is available).

Reliability: 10
Nevel messed up yet in 6 moths of gigging. I'm also now using the Floor Board, with no problems yet. The CAT 5 cable gave me cause for concern but it's still OK and the connectors are still in one piece so far......

Customer Support: 8
Things slightly amiss here but it may be because I'm in the UK and cannot get things direct from Line 6 (last time I tried). I've got an early POD which has the effects on glitch. I've requested upgrads - OK earlier this year - and LIne 6 said I should get one via the UK supplier but it never turned up. BUT I use the work around (patch and effect knobs at bypass) and it doesn't bother me. I'm going to buy a second POD soon for recording which will be a later version (I hope).....

The Line 6 web site isn't updated too much at the moment either....

Overall Rating: 10
This is an update to a review I did in Jan 1999. The band is up and running now and I did fix POD in to the back of a 4U case behind the effects etc so that it's always plugged in, power and chord wise. I use a transmitter so nothing needs disturbing, only plugging the outputs in to the desk. The case obviously gets some use from garage to van to gig to van to garage, we've done about 30 gigs so far and POD has not skipped a beat! I was not an effects man before so that side was new to me and I know other pedals do the same, different and better but the POD effects suit me to give subtle colour to sounds, it's easy to do and set up. I must admit that I prefer to concoct my own sound rather than worry about it not being quite like a JCM800 or exactly like the record (although I do with some songs - and POD is great for that). Infact I tend to use the POD Drive/Clean settings more than the others unless it's mega overdrive time......
For live I'm totally reliant on my monitor setup - but we're lucky to have good monitors so that's fine. Some people say they could not be happy unless there's an amp booming out behind them but at bigger gigs you rely on your monitors anyway so why not a smaller ones too?

Also for me I'm glad that I don't have to lug a Fender Twin around anymore, give me a POD anyday. Now POD in a 19" rack.........

Submitted by Nick Sumner at 11/11/1999 06:31

Price Paid: US $270

Features: 10
This thing is GREAT! Before I bought it I read all of the reviews about it here but decided to buy it anway. I was amazed at what a bunch of clueless bedroom wankers there are here spouting a bunch of uninformed nonsense.

Sound Quality: 10
10
I've owned every amp modeled here and then some, I think this thing is killer! It doesn't sound exactly like the real deal but it's close enough. Besides, what else are you gonna use to get close to have this many sound with this kind of simplicity and ease of use? This is it! I wish some of you amatuers would get your heads out of your asses and be realistic! I've used this thing with P-90's, Tele's, Les Paul's, Gretsch's, Strat's etc. and it came out shining!

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
This is one of the best thins I ever bought! I would buy it again in a second if anything happened to it. I have played countless gigs, sesiion etc. I've been around and used and/or owned all of the real gear (Vox, VHT, Mesa, Marshall, Fender, Pearce, Polytone, Roland, Hiwatt, Orange, etc.) and I'm telling you this is the shit! I would loved for it to have had a Hiwatt model and I think the Small Tweed could of been a '59 Deluxe or 2x10 Super (I mean, a '52 Wide Panel Deluxe? C'mon! The Narrow Panel Tweeds are the ones!!). Otherwise, The Pod is totally worth the money and easy and useable right out of the box.

Submitted by Dennis Rambo at 11/10/1999 11:20

Price Paid: 399.00 (Cdn)

Ease of Use: 7
The POD in completely knob-based, so it's pretty easy to use. Unfortunately, when you want to edit a patch, there is no level indicator for any of the parameters, so you don't know what position your knobs were in originally for that patch.

Sound Quality: 9
Very impressive sound. From Boogie high gain settings all the way to POD Clean shimmering settings. Some of the weaker gain amp models (e.g., Jazz Chorus) lack volume however relative to the high gain amp models.

Reliability: 4
Here where I've run into some problems. The "edited" light comes on for no reason at all. This flaw would make the average live musicina quite nervous, since he/she has no idea if his/her sound is going to change or not right in the middle of a song.

Customer Support: 7
Line6 have replied to my emails concerning the above problem, though they weren't exactly helpful regarding potential remedies.

Overall Rating: 8
Assuming the problem described above is not generalizable to all pods, I would definitely buy this unit again if it got lost or destroyed.

Submitted by Laurent Lapierre at 11/09/1999 09:14

Price Paid: US $200 used

Ease of Use: 9
Right out of the box the POD itself is very easy to use. You can spin the dials yourself, or choose an amp simulation by pressing a button until the bank and patch you want shows on the display. The effects are just as easy, spin the dial and select. Modifying and saving patches is also quite easy.

As easy as the POD is to use, that's how difficult the accompanying Soundiver software is. While it can do some very sophisticated things, the online documentation is horrendus and there's nothing intuitive about it at all. Be prepared to spend considerable time on the software to get familiar. I've never seen two products more opposite, as easy as the POD is, that's how difficult the Soundiver software is. Obviously, the rating is for the POD itself.

Sound Quality: 10
The POD is designed to do three things for you. It's a headphone practice amp, and, bar none, the best I have ever used. The variety of amp simulations at your disposal is huge. With a little tweaking of the dials you can nail just about anybody's sound, from the Everly Bros. to Greenday. Overdrive, distortion, its all there, at whatever listening volume you dial into the headphones. This is breakthrough stuff here.

The POD is also designed for direct recording using MIDI or digitized audio. I've yet to be able to get the Midi to work. I put the POD into my SoundBlaster AWE64 into Cakewalk guitar studio and nothing. I've checked everything but get nothing. My keyboard into Cakewalk works great, but the POD - nothing. I am checking with Cakewalk and Creative Labs to try to find out why it won't work. I can get the POD to talk to the Soundiver software, though, so I don't think its the POD, or not just the POD. It must be the POD and the AWE64. I'm sure I will get it to work, but it hasn't been plug n play for me.

Using the POD with an amp I'd have to say is just so-so. I first tried it with a Fender Bullet Reverb practice amp and, while you could recognize the different amp simulations, none were what I would rate as excellent. Some of the classic amps sounds were OK but the modern, hi-gain stuff was not. Now I thought the same thing as you are thinking, "what do you expect from a $100 practice amp". So I then hooked it up to a Mesa Heartbreaker through the effects return. Sure it sounded better, but you wouldn't mistake it for a Soldano or dual rectifier. Maybe in a mix it wouldn't sound out of place, but by itself, weak.

I'm not big on effects but the POD has a bunch and they are all pretty good, none are awful, but none are great. The rating is based on using the POD as a headphone amp. For direct recording I'd give it a 7 and hooked to an amp, no more than a 6.

Reliability: 8
Seems pretty reliable. Construction is robust, having an aluminum case. The knobs seem well attached nothing rattles when you shake it, but I wouldn't gig it without a backup if the show depended on it.

Customer Support: N/A
We'll see if they can help with my midi problem.

Overall Rating: 9
As a headphone amp, its great. I play a Steinberger GM and a Guild SF IV. Works great with both. I'd guess it would work well with any guitar. I'd certainly get another if it were lost or stolen, just to use as a headphone amp. It's going to take a while to get the Soundiver software to be useful and the MIDI recording too.

You are going to play better having bought a POD. You'll enjoy playing at volume when you can't crank your amp and its more fun learning Beatles tunes on a VOX and Hendrix on a Marshall than having just one amp.

Submitted by Jim Buono at 11/08/1999 09:35

Price Paid: US $245.00

Ease of Use: 8
I have not used the SoundDiver editor / librarian software package, so this entire review is made exclusively on the basis of the front panel interface. That aside, the POD is cake to use.

However, the interface is not perfect. One non-intuitive aspect of the interface is the fact that the "Channel Volume" parameter does not reflect the setting of the corresponding knob on the panel after a patch change or an amplifier model change is made. I feel that the current setting of the "Channel Volume" knob should be read by the software upon patch and amplifier model changes and the setting of the knob should be automatically mapped to the corresponding set of software parameters that affect the sound output of the POD (of course, this functionality implies that patch changes potentially take a little longer; maybe that's part of the reason Line 6 didn't implement the design this way). Anyway, I hate that aspect of the design since I ALWAYS have to turn the damn knob myself after I change the amplifier model or patch.

Another negative aspect of the design / interface is the "Tap Tempo" button. When using effects like the rotary speaker emulation, the tempo setting can be only one of two possible values. It's either fast or slow, but nothing in between. I wish the POD had been designed so that when I tap on the "Tap Tempo" button twice in succession, the interval between my taps sets the period of oscillation of the rotary speaker effect instead of setting the period to a pre-determined fast or slow rate. Again, the way this is implemeted in the POD is not intuitive to the user.

Sound Quality: 7
Let me preface the following criticisms by saying that I have a very "critical" ear. I tend to notice aspects of sound that most people don't or can't hear. I'm definitely more critical than most when it comes to sound. Some of the sonic flaws of the POD that I assert in this section may in reality be more subtle than the words I use to describe them.

The tone of the POD is fantastic, very tube-like. However, the dynamics (the instant burst of sound that comes out of the unit immediately after you've plucked a guitar string) of the POD is mushy and, dare I say, very "digital" or "solid-state" sounding compared to a real cranked tube amp. It doesn't have the attack that a real tube amp does. While I realize that the POD wasn't designed to be a tube power amplifier, it was designed to emulate the power amp sections (in fact, the whole signal path of some classic tube amplifiers including pre-amp and power-amp sections) of tube amplifiers, and I think it falls discernibly short of its goal of total tube amp emulation with regard to dynamics. The sound output by the POD just doesn't have the same sledgehammer-to-the-chest feel that a cranked all-tube amplifier does. Even when the line-level signal output of the POD is sent to a high-wattage power amplifier and a sensitive speaker cabinet, I notice that the attack is mushy, not punchy. If Line 6 can get the dynamics emulation correct in a future product, I think they will have acheived the right combination of tone and dynamic attack to mount a serious threat to the hordes of one-trick-pony tube amps, especially considering you will be able to buy a whole bunch of satisfying emulations of those amps in one small package for roughly a tenth of the price of even one classic tube amp.

Second, the POD lacks sufficient headroom for me to connect my 1996 PRS Custom 22 (using the bridge humbucker) straight to the input of the POD without overdriving the input section. It's not an active pickup, it's a stock Dragon humbucker, and none of my other amps have a problem handling its output. What's the deal? I wish Line 6 hadn't cut corners (with regard to the components spec'd for the POD) to keep costs down.

Third, I occasionally notice noisy hard clipping (not the desirable clipping you get with a high-gain pre-amp section, but the BAD kind that results when some electrical component elsewhere in the signal chain is overloaded and a harsh, gritty, trashy noise is introduced to the signal) in the signal WITHOUT OVERDRIVING THE POD's INPUT. This is totally unrelated to the headroom of the input section of the POD that I mentioned above. As I recall, internal hard clipping consistently occurs when using some of the high-gain amplifier models, though I can't remember a specific combination of settings to reproduce this off the top of my head. Somewhere in the signal path, Line 6 has a headroom bottleneck. Again, I don't think Line 6 should have cut corners (with regard to the components spec'd for the POD) to cut cost. It is totally unacceptable.

Finally, the effects are usable, but certainly not the best I've encountered. They're satisfying enough for practicing, but I wouldn't use them on recorded tracks.

Reliability: 9
I feel I can depend on it. It's well built and feels solid. A reasonably thick zinc casting encloses the ciruit board, wiring, connections, and potentiometers. There are essentially no loose parts and not a lot of components that I imagine could come loose over a POD's lifetime. I've had it for a long time (since they were first released to the market, though I've since upgraded to firmware version 1.4) and I think it will last much longer without any problems.

Customer Support: 7
Line 6 customer support has been good to me. While they made me explain why I wanted the current latest firmware version when I requested it from them (that's unreasonable; companies should either be committed to providing solutions through good support or not), they did ship it to me VERY PROMPTLY FOR FREE after I convinced them I needed the upgrade. As I see it, I purchased customer support for the POD when I purchased the POD from the store. I paid in advance for the customer support that I might need in the future. Line 6 (and all OEM's) should consider support costs when they formulate wholesale prices and MSRP's instead of making customers "prove" that they really need upgrades, etc., to control costs after a product has been released.

Overall Rating: 9
I think that the POD is an indispensable tool for ANY electric guitarist regardless of style since so many classic amp models are emulated in the POD. It's a fantastic practice amp when used with headphones, by far the most satisfying practice amp I've ever used. It's also a great tool for recording, especially easy to setup and get great results when those elusive episodes of inspiration strike. The speaker emulation is very, very good - probably the best, in fact, that I've ever used. It sounds great on tape. And the tone of the POD is second to none. Line 6 has absolutely nailed it. The emulations are true to the original classics with repect to tone. But, for me, dynamics is another story - something I really hope Line 6 addresses in future products.

In the end, I love my POD and I can't imagine parting with it. It has found its natural place in my practice / recording routine and purchasing the POD has been a very satisfying investment. Another clear winner in the "bang for buck" category.

Submitted by Jeff Bunds at 11/05/1999 07:47

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
The POD is very easy to use initially but one would need a computer for deeper editing. This works well in a midi/audio production environment. Live use seems a bit more of a pain (you would definitely need the pedal board to go with it).

Sound Quality: 6
I used the POD with a Gibson SG and 335. I ran it directly into a Motu 2408 and then through a Trademark 60 (power amp in). The high gain settings impressed me at first but on the second day of trial it sounded harsh and thin. There's a certain initial wow factor that weened by the second day of use. My main complaint is that moderate distorted were not very good. I liked some of the clean tones.

Overall, I would have liked a little more warmth however, for 300 bucks, there is a lot to work with.

Reliability: N/A
I found it to be rugged but I wouldn't Gig with it unless I had the floor board as well.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 7
I play mostly progressive rock now and have been playing for 15+ years. I needed something for live use really and I didn't feel the sound was good enough to spring for the floorboard. I returned the POD and picked up a Boss Gt3 which has the warmth I was looking for as well as much more extensive efx and editability. The GT3 was $100 more however but it gives me the ability to insert my favorite overdrives(Fulltone 2,SIB varidrive)into the unit prior to the amp models.

Overall it's a good deal - just not my flavor.

Submitted by Carl Lie at 11/04/1999 09:47

Price Paid: 395$ (canadian)

Features: 8
I think most of the previous reviews covered this topic very well (if you need more info on that you can also see Line-6 web site at www.line6.com). I give it an 8 because you can't use the compressor with the chorus/flanger. But this red bean shaped piece of gear gives you lotsa features for the money and even more. At last, this is a device that puts a smile on your face every time you fire it up.

Sound Quality: 10
This little piece of gear rocks. Period. This is the best 400$ (canadian) i ever spent. Remember, this is a piece of gear that cost around 275$us so, it's a must have for all guitar players wanting a good tone at home while everyone else is sleeping. The FX are ok, some are good some are so so. If you intend to do a lot of recording with it, a computer is a must. Using the software will give you access to some hidden features. If you want to use it as a preamp for live purpose or for jamming with your friends, the floorbaord is almost essential. The Line-6 model is expensive but it's well done, seems sturdy and really easy to use. You can also use a MIDI controller but you'll have to do some tweaking. By the way, if you already have a good FX unit, you can still use it with your POD. The POD let you bypass its internal FX.

Reliability: N/A
Got it for some months now and i've been using it at home only. I can't really comment on that right now but up to this day, it works fine for me.

Customer Support: 10
Line-6 tech supports is one of the best in the industry. Their forum is real good. George Van Wagner (Line-6 tech dude) is really great and answered all my question the same day. Line-6 sent me by mail the chip upgrade for my POD and it was really easy to replace. Also, you'll find a lot of POD users over the web dedicated to help you. I'm also ready to post a new web site on the POD real soon (see it at http://listen.to/thepod). Right now it's under heavy construction.

Overall Rating: 10
This piece of gear is a must. Some would love to have it rackmount, some would like more FX, some asks for more amp simulation but for the price it can't be beat and it will let you cover a lot of ground. It's really easy to use, even the software. We're living in the age of computers dudes so c'mon, don't be afraid by a PC or a Mac. I'm no tube purist, i'm no pro and i'm not working for Line-6 either. I'd love to have a Mesa/Boogie, a Soldano and a Fender tube amp. But hey, i don't have the money and i would not be able to use them at home while the kids are sleeping. So, let's face it and give it a real soundcheck. You will be very suprised.

Submitted by BenoA at 11/03/1999 07:25

Price Paid: Canadian (399$)

Features: 10
The POD is a digital amp simulator/Direct recording device, its geared towards the person with a home studio that wants big, loud cranked amp sounds without making the neighbours call the cops. It has 16 modeled amps and 16 effect variations which according to me is plenty. The amp sims range from a vintage fender to a raging mesa/boogie dual rectifier and everything in between. I feel the POD has more than enough versatility for my needs (home recording and and just jamming with my headphones on)
I feel the people at Line 6 made some great selections when choosing the amp models to be included with the POD, they are vast enough for any style of music.

Sound Quality: 10
Ive been using the POD with a Yamaha PAC112L, it has a H-S-S pickup combination. The POD suits my style (hard rock, blues, metal) perfectly. I can dial in any tone Im thinking of in a relatively short time. You just have to spend some time with the POD to get to know the amp models. The POD is very quiet even under the highest gain settings, especially if you use the noise gate. Although I dont like the effect the noise gate has on my sustain, it does do a great job of taking away that unwanted noise on clean settings.
The POD is capable of a multitude of sounds, literally thousands. I know a lot of people want to know if the POD sounds exactly like the tube amps its simulating. My answer to this is "WHO CARES?" because to me the important thing is the overall quality and usability of the sounds and the POD kicks serious ass in that department. But if you must know, Ive played a dual rectifier on a few occasions and Ive heard it on tons of CD's (Alice In Chains, Metallica, Sevendust and many more) and I can get mimic all those sounds with the rectifed model in the POD. Ive also played a Vox AC30TB and I feel the POD's model of this amp is amazing. Very very accurate to my ears!!!
Is it perfect???? Im not sure but its close enough to fool me and Im sure many other tube experts. Im will be purchasing a Line 6 AX2 because I am so impressed with their amp modelling. I think its amazing how great this stuff sounds for such a modest price.
Go out and try some line 6 stuff for yourself, I urge you!!!
Youll be impressed Im sure.

Reliability: 8
Yes I can depend on it although Ive only owned it since July 99.
The only problem Ive come across it that the connection where the power supply plugs into the POD has come loose and I fear it may comeplety come out although Im going to look into fixing this problem myself. No biggie.

Customer Support: 10
Ive emailed Line 6 on numerous occasions and theyve always responded the very same day. Very impressive!!!!
They seem to be very friendly people and they even sent me an upgrade for my POD for free. Great job guys!!!
I appreciate it!!!

Overall Rating: 10
Ive been playing just about 6 years (Im 17)
I own a Yamaha Pacifica PAC112L, a Peavey Express 112, Danelectro Fab Tone, Boss ME-8 and many other things.
I really love the POD and feel its the best 400$ I ever spent and probably will remain the best buy Ive ever made for a long time. Its a truly great product and I love everything about it, no major complaints at all. I dont think there are many products out there for the price that offer the sound quality and versatiliy the POD has.
Its think its a complete package, although I wish the effect were a little more "tweakable".
I love my POD and encourage everyone to go have a listen for yourself. Make sure you use a good pair of headphones though cuz this thing packs some serious bass!!!

Submitted by Shaun Desjardins at 11/02/1999 11:33

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: 7
Out of the box, the presets need work, but the user interface is easy enough to get that process underway quickly. There are some quirks, like holding this down while turning that...these should have been avoided in the design: if it's important enough to be there, make it obvious.

V2.0 software works, but took me a while to understand. I'd give it a '2' on the rating scale. And the software is a must since some groovy things are hidden from the simplified knob-based physical user interface.

I have no idea about which firmware I'm running. Based on what I've come to understand about their PC software, Line6 would do well to invest a little more attention to the quality aspects of their software deliveries.

Sound Quality: 9
There isn't a 'weak' effect on the unit. The amp modeling is wonderful. I have a friend who dabbles in solid state tube emulation. While he was able to succesfully get a tube's warm harmonic content, he didn't get to the modeling point, let alone including things like cabinet configuration and "AIR" in the model. This is a piece of engineering, boys and girls.

I use the POD as a direct box, with phones, and as input to any number of small combo amps (the latter only occasionally.) I disagree with one of the other posters who said it shouldn't be used for home recording: I think it's exactly what makes home recording possible! I use a VS880 with an effects card, and its emulation is really, really good, but when I plugged into this thing and turned it to 'Marshall', then 'Twin' I was floored.

I'm not big on the rectified or fuzz box models, so for my tastes, they could have used the knob positions to expose some of the settings available only trhough software (e.g., Dumble, Budda (what's a Budda anyhow? Did they make this up themselves?)

One of the groovy things about the software is that it lets you play with the attack and release of the noise gate. Each preset can be set differently which is cool because the really ballsy ones need the most gating, and the cleaner ones can be set to a lower threshold for more subtlety in expression.

It'd really be cool if they had one knob for the head setting and a separate one for the cabinet, as well as an AIR dial(isn't that a dog with wiry hair?) instead of a switch, a drive boost pushbutton toggle instead of that press here and rotate crap, and a gate threshold setting (with a nominal attack/release perhaps reachable only by software.) With these controls exposed, you'd really be in business.

Reliability: 10
I disagree with one comment I read about not dropping it or some such. While I wouldn't toss it around, I think the thing can withstand a fair amount of abuse. It's made of cast aluminum, for Pete's sake. You could give somebody a helluva welt on the noggin with this blob.

Customer Support: 5
I tried the E-Magic support line on a different matter (VS880 software). I include the comments here because the software that comes with the POD is E-Magic software, and the software is a must to get the presets to their optimum.

These folks are hard to get hold of (no answers, long hold times...almost like their phone system is malfunctioning). Their software for this product is in my opinion not up to snuff.

I'll assume Line 6 would be a '10' and score the average as an overall rating.

Overall Rating: 10
I've used Fender and Marshall amps (mostly the former) for thirty years with single- and double-coil instruments.

With the POD, I love the true-sounding emulations in a small package. I can tuck it into the pocket of my gig bag and I'm off. It makes me a better player...why? Because it inspires me to play things I may not have considered, and to quote things that may not have come to mind. It's like having the sounds on all those cool recordings you really like in one spot, without worrying about where to get a replacement for that blown out transformer.

If you try one, get it hooked up to a PC and get those presets dialled in!

Submitted by Sky Dog at 11/01/1999 11:20

Price Paid: 300 + 240 (Sterling)

Ease of Use: 10
This is my third review, after 6 happy months with Pod. My comments are related to the 1.4 EPROM and Soundiver for Pod v2.0, which is much easier to use (if you have a computer).

Ignoring midi access, Pod's controls look like an amplifier's, so ease of use couldn't be better. Even Effect tweak is pretty intuitive.

Sound Quality: 9
Excellent.

My main uses of Pod are as headphone practice amp and for recording onto my Tascam 488/II. I usually eq and enhance guitar tracks when mixing, Pod's sounds respond just like a miked amp/cab, as you would expect.

After using Soundiver v1.0 to deep edit and archive my favourite sounds, I find Pod a doddle to use. Soundiver for Pod v2.0 is much much better. The better control over reverb and chorus/delay is a big leap forward.

I showed my Pod to a Marshall loving friend, he loved the JTM45, Plexi, and JCM800. Given we were in a lounge with a pair of Walkman earphones and some cheap pc speakers, Pod did well to impress.

I raved before about the benefits of experimenting with each amp model, deep-editing, and of buying the Floorboard. Do it!

Reliability: 10
Yes. In six months my only problems were with midi lockup. With the 1.4 eprom my Pod has been fine for a month or more.

Customer Support: N/A
I am still irritated about the delay in getting the v1.4 EPROM. I have never dealt directly with Line 6, so please read other reviewers' comments.

Overall Rating: 10
Superb product, especially with the Floorboard. I would love to have the "tape" delay simulation I suggested before.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/30/1999 05:28

Price Paid: US $249

Features: 10
This thing was made around '99,I believe. I play praise and worship(pop,rock,ac, and all versions in between) for my church,I play sessions (mostly pop,rock,or country, mainly electric.)This thing gives you the ability to go direct to a mixing console with the best direct tone in the business (stereo),drive the front end of an amp with it's tone, has a headphone out, but is not suitable for your EFX loop (they'll tell you that in the manual.)This last one would be my only gripe in this department, because if you have to drive the front end of a high gain amplifier with one, the sounds will distort because you'll be driving the power amp,and you'll lose fidelity. The line out is worth the price of this whole rig,though:if you run it into a board in the studio,you'll find that you can barely tell the difference between the perfectly mic'd version of the real thing and it.Stylistically, this box will do lots of things extremely well:the Matchless and Deluxe sounds perfect for country,the rectifier and Soldano is great for rockin' and solos,the British stacks do everything a Marshall should do.

Sound Quality: 9
I've got 2 Peavey Axcellorators-one with Bardens-single,single,hum, and another with Van Vandts (single,single,single.)I've also played through it with a friend's Epiphone Sheraton II and Les Paul-in all cases,the sounds conjured up images of the records I'd heard them on. This thing suits my mainstream playing styles (CCM,Country,Pop,Jazz,Retro Rock,most mod rock)perfectly, but it lacks things like the more extreme effects (like a tape delay,more fuzz/distortion box simulations, more analogue choruses, and such)to cover all the bases perfectly in all situations (hey,but what can?)I mean,if I get hired to play for a Christian alternative rock band that wants something more on the wild side, I'd have to go with an amp and my stomp boxes,particularly to get a more stompbox and amp tone rather than the amp tones this thing does so well.

Reliability: 7
I sure wish this thing were a rack mount or a stompbox with serious armor-it hasn't let me down yet,but I wouldn't hope for much if it were dropped very far!

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
There is nothing that compares to being a poor boy like me and being able to get this type of tone this cheap!I just wish it came as a rack where it was more durable and less likely to be sneezed at by my keyboard and rack-happy producer friends. I tried their flextones, and I liked the more distorted sounds,but the clean ones weren't as good coming through the air as they are coming direct from the POD.I've tried other simulators as well, but everything else sounds like an RP6 on steroids. I wish it had an efx loop,but for the amount of money I gave, I'm well satisfied.

Submitted by michael pollard at 10/20/1999 15:46

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
Follow-up review of 5/99 - owned for a year now. This unit is my most valuable player. I play at home 95% of the time and this is a real savior for playing with headphones or occasionally through small tube amps: 1960 Gibson Skylark and 1950 Fender Deluxe. Sound is passable to good through the small amps but pretty poor at higher volumes throug any amp. My playing has improved a lot because of this unit - I can play as hard as I want through this thing with good sounds and I don't even disturb the cat!

I urge you to stick with it - play with the knobs and just keep trying to find your sounds. I really like the older Tweed sounds and the POD does a fine job through headphones - A LOT OF FUN!

Things I wish it had: a rythym function like the Korg Pandora; a line-in for CD jam-along. Anyone got an easy fix for this? Haven't used the software at all. I have used a really nice-sounding Fender '63 RI reverb unit through it and it doesn't seem to improve on the reverb tones - sold the reverb unit and am happy enough with the modeled reverb now that I figured out how to adjust it. This unit takes time to shine! Again, stick with it. To my ears it sounds head-and-shoulders above anything from Korg, Boss, Ibanez, etc. processors that I have owned or tried (in the price-range).

Have noticed random switches to tremolo or chorus on hard-driven overdrive as others have noted.

For the money, and for my uses at home for practicing or recording to 4-track, this is a great unit. I cannot say enough about sticking with it and comparing it to your other options. I'm no tone-snob, but I do have some nice-sounding tube amps and the POD is a lot of fun to play when I cannot play my amps at night after work in my condo.

Truly my MVP - I would not recommend it for playing live or for serious home recording.

Sound Quality: 8
I use a Strat Plus with the hated lace sensors and an early 70's Les Paul. The sounds are just plain great for practicing and amateur recording. Again, I would not use this in front of a tube amp playing live - my pedals are better sounding. BUT, I would trade every amp I own just to be able to play hard and loud without bothering anyone.

Reliability: 7
Noticed the random switch to tremolo and chorus under hard playing that others have noticed. I have the first model so perhaps I can get a fix from Line6. Again, I do not use it playing live so the problem is minor. I have spun every knob and pushed every button many times and have only noticed the problem occasionally. No big deal to me given what this unit does for my practicing.

Customer Support: N/A
I really should try to get the fix mentioned above (if there is one), but I am probably the perfect POD owner as I don't like to mess around too much with things to get a good sound as I play most of the time as relaxation after work - after dealing with every one else's problems all day, this is minor.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing for 15 years and I would definitely buy this again - I have not found any other piece of gear that can allow me to get such FUN sounds for my practicing and recording as the POD. The technology will surely get better with time. I compare this unit favorably in the fun factor with my vintage tube amps. I'm certainly not a purist and feel that good sounds can be found with almost any setup - so don't expect a "holy grail"; just have FUN!

Anyone figure out how to play along with a CD? I would appreciate the tip! Thanks in advance. I rate it a 9 for what I need it to do and just wish it had a rythym track and the aforementioned jam-along function.

Submitted by Scott at 10/19/1999 21:52

Price Paid: 699 (SGD)

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use. Knobs everywhere. Helps if you have a PC cos there are other settings that you can experiment with only thru the PC. Wonder why the makers of POD does not have this accesible on the main panel itself.

Sound Quality: 10
Well let me start off by a little intro. I'm from S'pore. And currently using a Ibanez S270 with two Evolution pickups. Man, those pickups rock. So damn versatile with lots of output, and the tone is superb. Thanks to Eddie from Swee Lee for that recommendation. But enough about the pickups. I have a Peavey Rage as my main amplifier but would rather prefer a Marshall. I play mostly metal. Sepultura, Metallica and Godflesh. Check me out at BMC in Bedok.

Got the POD by accident. Went down to City Music for a looksee and this long haired guy (sorry I don't know your name) introduce me to the POD. And it sound terribly good. I tried it thru a Carvin amp and a Jackson guitar. The first thing that I checked out was the high gain settings. The RECTIFIED option is suppose to simulate or emulate the sound and tone of a real Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier (happily used by Metallica and Sepultura. And it really does. You get those deep muting and extra crunch when playing diads. But the real beauty about it is that I achieve that sound using a Carvin. I never really got the chance to try out the other sounds cos I am so eager to get it home and try it out with my own gear. And so I did. Paid $699 for it. Man, those things are expensive.

Got home and plug everything in and voila, the same sound I got when I was at the shop. Unbelievable. Then there are tons of other preset that are available and they are pretty good. Must tweak a bit for that extra defination.

Other reviews claim that it is only for direct recording and not for live use. I beg to differ. Those S'porean that happen to be reading my review will know the crappy Roland amps that the jam studio have. (Seng Chye and BMC, to name a few). But plug this babeh in and you'll hear the difference. For once, I get a big, compact sound in a jam studio. And onlookers are bewildered at the POD. I never really tried direct recording. Maybe I should.

I have to emphasis this bit though. The distortion from POD is solely digital, not ANALOG. But it beats the hell out of any analog driven distortion. GET LOST BOSS (MT2). First, the tone is not sacrified. In fact, it accentuate the guitar and playing character of the player. And no thank to Korg for the Toneworks series floorboard. Stinks like a skunk a***ole. I must say the Zoom 3000 series board is good. I used that before the POD. The beauty about ZOOM is the dual distortion cct. Like most pedal (BOSS esp), the tend to distort the signal with only once circuitry and if the gain is set to high, muddy is the word. But ZOOM has two. The first to provide enough gain so that the sound in still tonally sound and the second to distort the first distorted signal. Clever, but it still doesn't come close to the RECTIFIED setting on the POD. So it's POD from me from now on but I won't sell my ZOOM pedal as I can get steely sounds from it and I simply love it too.

Reliability: 10
Thumbs up to Line 6 for the construction. But I do recommend getting a foot switch with the POD. There's a wah and volume pedal in built onto them and a bunch of other switches. I intend to get one very soon but I'll be taking the smaller version of it. So that if I go to the jam studio for some ear damaging extravaganza, I would like to switch between patches easily and not having to press it with my finger.

Customer Support: 1
HUH????

Overall Rating: 10
Hell yeah, I would buy it again. I must buy it again. I need to buy it again. I really really really need to buy it again.

Submitted by Spet at 10/19/1999 03:42

Price Paid: US $ 249

Ease of Use: 9
Very simple and straight forward to use. Good manual and control knobs easy to dial in your settings. I have not needed to use the editing software yet, so I haven't experienced some of the problems others have in that reguard.

Sound Quality: 9
This little wonder box is great for my purposes!!! The sound through a good set of headphones is clear and has a nice presence. Outside of the occasional crackel of the headphone speakers when overdriven sounds are dialed in, the sounds are next to perfect. I really love how easy it is to preset sounds and control reverb and the tap timing button is a great idea. I took some time searching to find a good amp to combine this box with to play at home. My experience was that when used with any amp with a signature sound ie.(certain color to the clean channel already present)the POD sounded really muted and not accurate like the Axysis model. I was able to find an older Yamaha G-100,which is a nice solid state amp with a super clean and quiet channel. When using the POD in combination with this amp I have a sound that is a little better than what I heard through the Line-6 amps in the stores. The G-100 is great for acoustic work because it has a built-in EQ that allows you to cut or boost certain frequencies and contol how wide a band you want. This is great for a simple fix for some of the POD settings that may be a little muted through an amp. I am really impressed with the quality of the modeling. The Twin and Bassman sounds really even sound as if I have a 2 or 4 speakers working in a larger cabinet. This is really a cool feature. The Dumble,Matchless,Budda,Plexi,Bassman,and Deluxe models are ones I have really used often. The Solondo preset is fun too. I can create just about any classic rock sound needed. The effects are pretty good, but I still prefer my Digitech effects to those in the POD.
Overall this is a great little amp emmulator. I am very pleased with my purchase of this product.

Reliability: 10
I have only used this POD for 3 months. It has been no problem.

Customer Support: N/A
No problems, therefore no support needed.

Overall Rating: 10
Rating this little box is easy. If you want to have a great, portable headphone amp, this is the best money you can spend. At just under $300 you can have some very convincing amp models at your command. If used with the right type of amp this box is also very impressive. My guess is that unless you are able to work in a studio that has mutiple vintage amps, and high quality effects available on a routine basis, you will be very convinced with the sounds this box produces.

Submitted by RG Ellis at 10/18/1999 05:37

Price Paid: 400 (CANADIAN)

Ease of Use: 8
Fairly straightforward. Editing the unit via midi is no problem, unless your familiarity with Windows or Mac interfaces is limited. My unit was recognized immediately with the latest version of Soundiver, and I was making excellent custom patches within 1 minute. Not a lot of documentation for the software (none?), but fiddling wioth it will work if you are blessed with patience.

Sound Quality: 10
I compare this unit to my trusty GP-100 (see my review of that unit from about 4 years ago). Sound quality is easily comparable to that unit. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Roland, but most of the very useful ones are present, especially if you employ their 'Floorboard' controller. I wasn't too impressed with the presets, but of course those were done by others, and each person has their own idea of what is 'right'. (In defence of Line 6, I didn't care for almost all of the Roland's 200 presets). I downloaded some user-made patches, and dialed in a few of my own, and found pleasing results quite easily. Note that most of the negative feedback on this unit was from persons who didn't keep the unit long. Perhaps they were looking for the ideal 'plug and play' solution. I personally don't beleive that one can exist. Play with it, and I'm sure you can get the tone you're looking for. It may take some work however, but it's probably in there.

Reliability: 7
I can rely on it to blow the friggin speakers out of my cabinet if I shut it off before cutting power to the amp. I've yet to contact Line6 about this (kinda want to figure it out myself), but cutting power sends an absolutely EAR DEAFENING squeal to the amp. Hey, maybe I'm just doing something that I could do with the Roland, and can't do with this. Plugging into a power strip doesn't work either (this thing squeals long before the tubes lose their juice). Otherwise, it's behaved well. I popped it open just yesterday to see if it could be the notorious buggy chip causing my difficulties, but alas, it's a 1.04
Two months old, and no reliability problems.

Customer Support: N/A
Probably going to find out soon, don't expect any problems

Overall Rating: 9
Overall, I like this kidney bean, but can't figure out why they wouldn't have fashioned a rack-mounted unit as well. Had to build a little holder inside my rack to keep it secure (and out of sight...had one bar patron ask me if it was some kind of techno-tambourine!) Since I haven't figured out the squeal problem yet, I have to reach inside the rack, shut it off, THEN toggle the rack power. Kind of a pain. BUT really, if somebody is going to steal my gear, I'd rather lose this and replace it than my expensive Roland.
And yes, I would replace it if lost. ((HINT HINT LINE 6! I'D PROBABLY BUY ANOTHER ONE TOMORROW IF IT WAS RACK MOUNTABLE!!!)

Submitted by Glen Burgess at 10/17/1999 12:03

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
Just got POD 2 Days ago, it sounds just as good as the hype says it does. The included editing software is awesome...very deep. It sounds so good that I'm selling my MESA Dual Rectifier and boogie studio preamp ASAP. Sounds better than the real amps without the hassles of mic'ing or the reliability issues. BUY POD.

Sound Quality: 10
Killer sounds across the board.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for about 16 years, and this is the best sounding "amp" I have ever played through, period.

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/13/1999 04:57

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
By now you've seen all the features in other reviews!

Sound Quality: 10
I use this with a Peavey Predator Plus. It is so versatile, how could it not fit my style?! It's not noisy, but it will pick up some single coil hum--but what amp wouldn't? This thing knows no limits! Clean to death metal, it sounds great. I haven't recorded with it yet but through headphones it is fantastic and through my Vox Pathfinder it is absolutely amazing. It achieves sounds and tones I used to only get at ear bleeding volume levels with a big amp. I have had some. I know.

Reliability: 10
Had it about a month. So far, so good.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with them. Cool website, great manual.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for about 23 years and this is by far the best guitar product I have ever purchased. I mean that! I would absolutely buy one again if I had to. I love everything about it. I chose this based on reviews, their website and by trying one out myself!

Submitted by PaulR at 09/10/1999 16:27

Price Paid: US $299.00

Ease of Use: 10
I'm getting all kinds of sounds out of this mutha and I haven't opened the manual yet. I'm primarily using it as a headphone amp. Haven't used it for recording yet. Knobs are definitely easier (and quicker) to use than those goofy little LED screen devices. I've got a BOSS ME-30 and the POD beats it in the ease of use department.

Sound Quality: 9
I ain't no conisuer (hell I can't even spell coniseur) but I know what I like, and the sounds you can get out of this unit are unbelieveable. I use the POD as a headphone amp (I live in a duplex and an overdriven amp is out of the question). I would dearly love to fire up a Marshall stack or a Mesa Dual Rectifier in my living room, but my neighbor would kill me (and I've heard me play - - I wouldn't blame him a bit!!!) It's interesting to read reviews from folks who can tell you why a 300 dollar effects unit doesn't sound like a million dollar studio setup, but frankly, I could care less about comparing something like the POD to the last album from my favorite band. The fact is, I can't play like any of my favorite guitarists, but I can still strive to get a close approximation to the sound, and with the POD, I can get the sound of ANY of my favorite guitarists. This thing will do it all, including rock/metal/blues/jazz/pop/country. If all you use this unit for is headphone practice, you could not spend $300.00 better on any other musical gear!!!

Reliability: N/A
I've only had it for a month (dropped it out of the box) so I really can't coment on the reliability situation.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had a chance to use customer support - - that reminds me, I should mail in the registration card !!!

Overall Rating: 10
I'm not a professional musican. I don't make a living using musical gear, but I do love the sound of a wailing guitar!!! The POD can re-create just about every type of guitar sound I've ever heard, and I've got a wide range of musical interests. This thing suits me perfectly, as I like to plug in headphones and play along with a wide varity of CD's (rock/blues/pop/etc.) The "drive" knob allows you to adjust the amount of crunch on any of the 16 preset amp "emulations". With additional control over bass, middle, treble, reverb and the many different "effects" combinations, the sounds available from this unit are truly ENDLESS. If all you ever use it for is headphone practice, you will definitely get your moneys worth out of this unit.

Submitted by Steve Pamers at 09/07/1999 19:49

Price Paid: US $250

Ease of Use: 7
Firmware v. 1.1 (the one with the tremolo glitch) Plug it in, twiddle some knobs, you're off! It's really that simple to get some decent sounds out of the POD. This is a good point and a bad point. Many people judge the POD by the tones they can get from the front knobs. This works to POD's advantage and to its disadvantage! POD lives a dopuble life, both as a very simple, nice sounding amp modeler, as well as a very versatile, hotter, very convincing sounding MIDI editable one!
As to the MIDI software, Sound Diver allows you to access many more amp models than are available from the front panel. You can even mix and match amps with different speaker cabinets, as well as tweak the effects, the "mic placement/room ambience," and the like. Once you're up and running, it's a rather easy learning curve. . .
The trick is getting up and running. The Sound Diver software seems to have been designed with Mark Of The Unicorn's MIDI Time Piece MIDI interface in mind. I'm sure it works very smoothly with it. I, on the other hand, had a bit of an adventure trying to communicate with my POD using Mark Of The Unicorn's MIDI Express interface (one generation older) even though the user's manual assured me otherwise. After some trial and error, and trying everything but the kitchen sink (the online help only helped just so much. . .), I got it running, but it seems to be a bit of an "uneasy truce" between the interface and the program. If you're new to MIDI, not very technically inclined concerning things "computer," or running a different interface than MIDI Time Piece, you'll probably have a bit of a time getting your POD and your computer to talk to each other.
I heard that Line6 recently released a 2.0 version of Sound Diver for the POD, which is supposed to address some glitches with the earlier version. No matter, once you get things working, it will be worth the trouble! I've got my POD completely reprogrammed.
Speaking of the manual (POD Pilot's Handbook. . .cute), it's definitely reader friendly. More along the lines of those Mackie manuals. For those of you who like those techie specs, they are conspicuously absent from the manual. The Adobie Acrobat Sound Diver Manual is also rather thorough, (though not as much fun).
It gets a 9+ for ease of use, but getting the software up and running brings it down a couple of notches. . .

Sound Quality: 7
First off, it is important to remember that the POD emulates the sound of certain amps as they would sound when run through a microphone, and not how they sound live to your ears. With that in mind, the POD's sounds become even that more convincing, though there is still a bit of a "muffled" feel to some of the sounds. Adding a touch of 10-16 kHz at the mixing board takes care of this nicely.
There is a bit of a "spike" around the 1kHz range, but this also can be bumped down a notch at the mixing board. On some models, there is a bit of a delay between the time you pick a note and the time it comes out of your speaker. If you've spent time with any type of MIDI guitar synth setup, this is not a problem. If not, it will take some geting used to.
The biggest problem i've had with tone occurs with my DC400 with active tone controls (see below). When I boost the treble and go into single coil mode on the bridge pickup, the high end causes a crackling, unmusical type of distortion in the sound. Probably a higher bit/sampling/processing rate would help with this. One last thing, some of the levels for some of the amps, and amp/speaker combinations place a limit on individual volume levels, so you will have to spend some time normalizing levels between patches. Basically bringing most of them down to the level of the weakest ones.
As for guitars, I'm using it with a Carvin DC400T (hum/hum)w/active electronics, a Carvin DC135T (sing/sing/hum), a Gibson ES335, A TexMex Strat, and a Fender VI Electric Bass Guitar (converted to a baritone electric). I also run a Boss compressor into an Ernie Ball volume pedal (same front end setup I use with my Boogie Mark IV), and then into the POD. The whole rig's wired with Performer 500 Series Monster Cable. Monster Rock in front, and Monster Jazz to the mixing board.
As for noise, only the high gain amp models seem to be much of a problem for me, and then, the noise gate makes things dead silent. On the other amp models, i've got the gate turned off. Some noise get's added back when I engage the compressor on some patches, but that's par for the course. You can adjust the noise gate's sensitivity in Deep Edit mode to even cover this without losing too much sustain.
An important note about the effects, The Floorboard foot control unit is very important to be able to exploit the POD's features easily and quickly. It's well worth the money to get it.
The effects (reverb, chorus, flanger) areof mediocre quality. Nice controls, slightly weak algorithms, and some strange glitches. The delay is pretty nice, the tremolo is warm sounding (when it doesn't glitch). The wah is adjustible for it's sweep range, and I love its tone. The "Distortion" switch drives the tone into either raging grind, or warm fatness, depending on the amp model, and level of gain. The volume boost will allow you to let your leads be heard above a band. I haven't had the oportunity to use the Leslie rotating speaker simulation yet, but give me time. . .
As to amps, I'm not convinced by the sound of the POD through guitar amps. To me, the sound gets colored too much by the amp's speakers, and I wasn't impressed by the tone you get when you disengage the mic simulation. However, when I got the chance to run the POD through various bass rigs (full range, 15" speakers, graphic eq, 250 watts or better), the POD's tone FLOORED me! In fact, I liked the tone better than the AxSys, and even the Flextone! The extra power, and bottom thump added HUGE dynamics and punch to the POD's tone, so much so, that I'm likely going to shop around for a small, powerful bass rig!
Now, as to the basic tone of the unit: I edited the tones through my stereo speakers, as this is what I'm most used to for listening to music. It was simply a matter of matching what I heard on CD to what I heard from the POD, and what I was hearing in my head.
I've been able to get very close to the sounds of some of my favorite players. One example, the JC-120/Twin amp/speaker com

Reliability: 9
Every once in a while, I have to turn it off and on again, but othr than that, it hasn't failed me so far. It's built like a tank, and I've gigged and played session work with it and no backups.

Customer Support: 10
Costumer support has been excellent. The CD rom that shipped with my POD had a fault, and they happily sent me a new one which came in a couple of days! I recently requested the v.1.4 chip upgrade, and I'm confident it will arrive soon as well.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been at it about 25 years, and play some of just about any style out there (with the exception of Klezmer. . . so far), and the POD is perfect for this kind of setting. It gives convincing country, blues, progressive rock, alternative, jazz, and fusion. . . what am I leaving out? POD most likely can do "some-o-dat" as well! I'd most definitely get another one if something happened to this one. It's too much fun, and has insinuated itself among my gear as "first to be grabbed."
It's portability is a great feature (after lugging around a bunch of amps, rack gear, and equipment bags). The ability to reach over and tweak tings on the fly, according to the situation (including the "tap tempo" function) is a big plus in live situations. As to my favorite feature, that happens to be the Floor Board. It's not strictly part of the POD itself, but is powerful enough to be considered very important to the full and effective use of the POD.
I considered the SansAmp PT-2(?) after recording with it, but the POD sounds much more convincing to my ears. It is also replacing the Korg PX-1 Pandora, which I've used to record, and at a couple of jam sessions, to great success.
After hearing the POD through bass rigs, it would be nice to see a rack mount version (. . .not that the "kidney bean on steroids" look ain't cute 'n all. . .) that could be used in conjunction with a seperate power amp and a graphic eq to tune the speaker sound.
Is the POD musical? Very! You really need to get into the Sound Diver program to make the POD really sing! Is it perfect? Naah, but you can work around its weaker points and still make some great music!

Submitted by Brett G. Valentine at 08/30/1999 14:05

Price Paid: US $285.00

Features: 7
The Pod is touted as a great direct recording device. It has essentially the same features as Line 6's Flextone series. Everyone else here has gone into the features in detail and I won't bore you with them again.

Sound Quality: 3
Ok I sold my Johnson Milleinum after I bought a Marshall VS100 as a drag around combo amp the Marshall blew the Johnson away tonewise. So I sold the Johnson and I needed something to direct record with that had good effecty clean tones as My Tremoverb dosen't quite cut it for the clean. (I got the Boogie to replace the Johnson, and haven't had time to work with the clean channel.) A friend of mine is a die hard line 6 fan, and I had tried the Spyder and thought it had some good clean tones. I was impressed at first using the Pod with headphones. I tried running it direct into my Roland VS1680 and was less impressed. All of the distorted tones are too dark and muddy. Crunch? I don't know maybe my idea of crunch and everyone elses is different but I didn't like it at all. The clean seemed too dark and lacked mids and highs. I don't understand why this has gotten such high reviews. I compared the dirty patches to my Boogie. No contest. Then I compared the Pod to the amp sims in the VS1680's effects processors. Again the Pod got slammed. I know everyone will tell me that I don't know how to eq it, but I have had alot of experience with digital amps Johnonson, and Line 6, and the thing just sounded awful. I believe that this is one of thoes things like all digital amps really that sound pretty good alone, but put another amp in the room and the loose their allure.

Reliability: 6
I only had mine for a few days, and the led's would get a bit flaky at times. Don't know if I could trust it, but this is not something you would use live anyway.

Customer Support: 9
Neve dealt with them, they have a great web presence, and have heard nothing but good things about them.

Overall Rating: 4
I ended up taking it back and trading it for another effect card for the VS1680. It really is amazing how good the amp sims are in the Roland. On the other hand, there aren't too many other direct recording devices in this price range that offer these features for not alot of money, I'm sure this would be ok, I just couldn't justify the tone difference compared to what I already have. I do belive that Line 6 will continue to develope better sims and look forward to hearing them in the future. I have been playing over 20 years. I use a Tom Anderson Drop Top Classic, an 83 Gibson Heritage Explorer, An 85 Flying V Custom Shop (Black and white Michael Schenker), A Jackson PS-7 with GK2A pickup for the GR-30, Yari Accoustic, Mesa Boogie Tremoverb head with a Marshall 1936 Cab and a Marshall VS100R combo.

Submitted by Eric Smith at 08/27/1999 11:33

Price Paid: Canadian $460

Ease of Use: 8
It was easy to use right out of the box. Controls are meant to be like those of an amplifier's, so they are extremely simple to operate. Editing patches manually takes some time to get used to, but isn't all that hard at all. The manual is incorrect in some places (amp models), and there's practically nothing for the SoundDiver software. My POD has the v1.4 firmware revision, which is the newest right now.

Sound Quality: 8
I use this with a 15w ss amp, and the POD makes it sound like a '67 Vox AC-30TB, Dual Rectifier, or JCM-800. Sounds exactly like what you hear on your albums with a bit of tweaking. There is background hiss (due to the electronic nature of the POD), but the Noise Gate takes care of this. I can go from fuzzy Oasis rhythm tones to roaring Metallica overdrive. The effects could have been better; reverb is alright, but flanger and chorus are a disappointment. The swell effects are useless imho. Don't bother with the effects withouth the FB4 or floor board. I personally would like to see a phaser instead of a flanger.

Reliability: 10
I would depend on this wholeheartedly. I've dropped it twice and it has stood up fine. It seems just as rugged as my Boss SD-2 with it's thick metal case, but it needs extra care. I've never really gigged, so I can't really say anything about backups.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never had to deal with Line 6.

Overall Rating: 9
This matches any kind of music you would want to play. Metal? Dial in the Rectified or Soldano models. Jazz? Dial in the JC-120 model. Every genre suits this box perfectly. If I lost this, I would save up and probably buy it again. I just wish this thing had a pedal for channel switching and/or effects included. Buy it!

Submitted by Sam at 08/26/1999 23:28

Price Paid: US $390.00

Features: 10
The line 6 POD is simply the most versatile piece of audio equipment I have ever owned. If you cannot find the sound you are looking for in this piece of gear, it may not exist (except for in your head). It sounds great through the mixing board or through headphones. If your amp had a good clean sound with some amount of headroom, the pod will sound great with it as well. When going through the mix or headphones the stereo options sound robust. The effects include compression, delay, flanger, chorus, leslie emulation and tremelo. Effects can be controlled through the front panel, midi pedal (optional) or via a PC with their included software.

Sound Quality: 10
Currently I use a Guild Liberator with active Bartolini pickups, a 80-something Telecaster and an Ovation Ultra-Elite acoustic electric. I tend to say within the boundry of rock, folk, country music, but I like to fool around with different sounds when ever possible. That is why I find the Pod so attractive, it has about any sound you can imagine.

Reliability: 9
The pod is build solid and I have had no issues associated to bad workmanship. However, I have only had this piece of equipment for a month now.

Customer Support: N/A
I have not talked to cstomer support at Line6 to this date.

Overall Rating: 10
Get one of these, you will not be sorry.

Submitted by bob (with one 'O') at 08/24/1999 17:22

Price Paid: US $289

Features: 10
I've held off on a review for a few weeks because I wanted to give the POD a really thorough run through. As everyone knows by now, its got a TON of features. 16 amps that you can select from the front panel, I think another 12 you can access via midi. Various effects such as choruses, delayes, flanger, compressor, and combinations. Its got guitar input, left and right outputs, midi in and out, headphone and a jack for a footcontroller. Also the standard treble, mid, bass, as well as drive, channel volume, reverb level, effect tweak, and output level knobs. Everything is right there, anyone can use it even with out reading the manual which is cool.

Sound Quality: 10
Well I gotta say after a few weeks, my first impression of the POD still stands and that is that this thing is simply AMAZING! I am completely blown away by the tones on this thing, even just using the presets. The amp simulations sound so real is frigthening! Lets see you've got a ton of amps to chose from, Fender, Vox, Marshall, Boogie, Soldano, POD custom settings, etc.
I'm using this with a few guitars. One main guitar is my '96 US Fender Strat Plus. Its got a blue lace sensor in neck, gold lace in middle, and Dimarzio Fast Track 2 in bridge position. I also use a 250K volume pot so some high end is rolled off in the bridge position. My other guitar is a late 80's Ibanez RG 550 w/ Dimarzio Evolution in bridge, Ibanez S1 single coil mid, and Dimarzio Super distorion in the neck. Whew! The POD sounds great with both guitars. Also on occassion I use a friends '82 Les Paul Standard.
All of the amp tones are impressive IMO. I've only played a handful of the amps "for real." I've played a Boogie Dual Recto on several occasions, a reissue Fender Twin, a real '90 JCM 800 that was modified, and a really old Fender Champ. You can pretty much get any sound you want with the POD. I've started making my own custom patches now and I've nailed a ton of great guitar tones. Among them are SRV tone w/ '59 Bassman, 4 and 5 position on my Strat. Eric Johnson's whole rig basically (Fender Twin w/ reverb + delay, Fuzz box w/ reverb, and Fender Twin w/ chours and delay). Dream Theater sound from the Images and Words album using the Ibanez and Dual Recto. With active EMG's the Dual Recto or Mark IIC+ lead channel screams Metallica. Steve Vai lead sound with the JCM 800. BTW- the JCM 800 on the POD sounds even better than a friend of mine who had his modified for more gain! I've got the Satch "Crystal Planet" tone using the Soldano X88R preamp, chourus 2 and delay with a little reverb. I could go on forever. I also have a Lexicon MPX-100 and a Kittyhawk Quattro preamp. Lexicon I gotta say has overall better effects but the POD effects are cool too. I like chorus 2 which is really nice and lush and smooth sounding. Delays are cool also with the tap feature. Delay/Swell effect is also very neat. The flangers are okay, I prefer my MPX-100 for flange.
50 watt Plexi is great for Hendrix and Clapton-esque stuff as well. I use the LP for that sound Clapton got with John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers on the "Beano" album. Vox simulations are good, the AC-30 though is too dark. Maybe if I had a Rickerbacker, it would sound more like my favorite, the Beatles! To get a "useable" sound you need bass at zero, treble at 10. However, the AC-15 sounds great, that real "woody" sound as the manual describes it as. I also love the Fender Deluxe for clean work. Marshall JTM-45 gets a huge low end thump sound, like the real thing. The Soldano SLO-100 is complete insanity. I mean it just has too much gain. All metalheads will love this thing, its got a midrange response that will tear you in half! I find that I can't put the drive on max or its just too much and it gets too muddy. Oh yes and the POD does sound the best thru headphones. I've played it through the line input of my Marshall 6100B head and it tends to color the sound a bit. It just isn't quite as good. The noise gate feature is also a plus it totally kills the hum, but it tends to cut the end of super long sustain notes off. However you'll never really notice, I just wanted to see what would happen if I let a note sustain w/ noise gate on and it faded out a bit abruptly. Just shut it off and you be set if it bothers you.
Basically any sound you want is hear; jazz, blues, rock, metal, anything. Plus using the Emagic Sounddiver software is a plus. Choosing speaker cabs (I believe 12 to chose from) also helps greatly in shaping the tone you're after. Even has custom POD cabs, the 4x12 sounds amazing. I don't care all that much for the "Boutique" sounds. They are okay I'd say. Same deal with the Budda Twinmast

Reliability: 10
My POD came with software version 1.4, the latest one, so I'm set! I've had no problems at all. No midi lock ups or anything. Everytime I turn it on, it works perfectly. Oh yes and its digital, not solid state, there is a difference. I probably wouldn't gig with because that's why I've got my Marshall/Lexicon/Kittyhawk rig. Plus the sound gets colored when playing thru another amp. I use the POD more for practice, jamming, and recording.

Customer Support: 10
Line 6 is has super awesome customer support. I've talked to George Van Wagner several times and have e-mailed Line 6. They got back to me within a few hours! How nice is that! You don't get that from any other company I know. Hell, I e-mailed Electro Harmonix (New Sensor) and it took 'em 2 weeks to get back to me!

Overall Rating: 10
Bottom line is its amazing. Its like have every amp you've wanted at a tiny tiny fraction of the price. I wouldn't even want to know how much all the real amps would cost all together, too much is the answer. I mean just think of it, even if you're getting 80% of the sound of these great amps, isn't it still worth that the not even $300 a POD? I've had many tube amps and still own many, just check out my Marshall 6100, its got 11 tubes! I'm pretty much a tube freak but this thing sounds exactly like 'em. The POD has been my answer to great tone and recording is also much better. I get much better results than with micing my amp with a Shure SM-57. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to go throw out my Marshall anniversary head, but the POD is superb. I've compared it to the Johnson Millennium thing and that thing was garbage in comparison. Also tried the Sansamp PSA-1, again that thing was HORRIBLE! Don't even go near it! The POD sounds a bazillion times better! You know the deal, you want great classic tones, go and get one of these things. Atleast go try one and you won't be disappoined, just remember it sounds best thru a decent set of headphones.

Submitted by Adam Edgemont at 08/13/1999 23:21

Price Paid: CDN approximately $400

Ease of Use: 10
Enough people have described the POD features that I don't really need to go into them. If you want a real overview look at the in depth review. It basically doesn't get any easier than this to use. It has a bunch of knobs and if you can operate an amp you can operate the POD. It does pay to read the manual though as there are a couple of extra features such as a presence boost, a drive boost and a volume boost that you can turn on or off by holding a button and turning a knob (or even better you can control them using the floor board). The manual is excellent - easy to understand and fun to read.
From the other reviews here it sounds like the SoundDiver MIDI software is not very good but I haven't tried it as my computer doesn't have Windows 95. So my rating for this category doesn't include the software. However, you can get the MIDI sysex commands from their web page and I am thinking of writing my own Windows 3.1 program for POD control if I ever find some free time.
Even without the in depth editing you can get some awesome tones from this box without much effort. As for the firmware revision number, mine is version 1.4 which I hear is the latest version so I haven't needed to upgrade it.

Sound Quality: 10
Unlike some of the reviewers here, I have never played through any of the amps modelled in the POD. In fact I have never played through a tube amp of any kind (except for maybe one or twice in a guitar store when trying out a guitar but I wasn't really trying the amp). I always figured I could never afford a good tube amp and didn't want the hassle/expense of replacing tubes anyway. But when I saw the POD for $400 that simulates several classic tube amps and never needs to replace a tube I decided to check it out. So I can't say if the POD sounds like the modelled amps or if it even sounds like an actual tube amp. But it doesn't sound like any solid state amps I've played on and it can produce some awesome tones.
I use the POD with a 1995 Gibson SG standard (check out my review on Harmony Central). I have used the POD with headphones and into my home stereo system for practicing as well as into my Yorkville Stage 100G 85 watt solid state amp and direct into a mixer/ PA system for playing live. With my amp I find it sounds best if I feed the POD directly into the power amp in (the effects return on the amp) which bypasses the amps preamp and gives me the cleanest uncolored sound (so you can hear the POD's tone uncolored by my guitar amp). With all the above setups, the POD sounds great.
I've noticed that no one else here has mentioned using the POD with an acoustic guitar. But, I also have tried mine out with my Takemine acoustic (which has a built in piezo pickup). Usually acoustics sound like crap through an electric guitar amp (as it does with most of the amp models in the POD) but the POD has one amp model called Tube Preamp which is suppose to be a general instrument amp model that works great with my Takemine. According to the manual the Tube Preamp can be used for keyboards, vocals, bass or other instruments that you want to warm up with a tube tone since it has a flat EQ (unlike guitar amps) so I figured that should be great for my acoustic too and tried it out. Now I can use the POD as the ultimate DI box for my acoustic when playing my acoutic live into a PA system. Not only does it eliminate my need for a standard DI, it provides a built in tuner, and I can use the chorus, delay, reverb and other effects with my acoustic.
Some people have complained about the effects, and I must admit, the chorus is a little harsh and kind of metallic sounding in comparison to the BOSS chorus ensemble that I used to own (the only effect that I've had any experience with). But I still think all the effects are usable and are an added bonus (really the amp models are the real attraction and key to the POD). Plus with the midi software, you can edit the effect parameters in detail and perhaps get even better sounds out of them.
Overall, the POD can produce all the tones and sounds that I was looking for and more. For $400 you can't ask for more.

Reliability: 10
Seems pretty solid. Haven't had any problems with it yet after 2 months. I play at church on Sunday mornings without a backup. In fact I play without even an amp now - just plug the POD directly into the sound system and use montitors (so I don't have to lug my amp to church - I can just throw the POD and cables into my back pack pick up my guitar and go).

Customer Support: N/A
I had a couple of questions about using the POD and I emailed their customer support and got an answer fairly quickly. But haven't really put their customer support to the test.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing guitar for about 17 years and play a variety of styles including classical, blues, rock, metal/grunge, and Christian worship styles. The POD is good match for all my styles of playing and more. Again, I must admit that I don't know if it sounds like the modeled amps, or how close it sounds to real tubes. But, it does sound awesome. I can get a real variety of tones and colors and different feel with the different amp models. Originally I was considering buying a Digitech RP3 or RP7 multi-effect unit to play into my amp or direct into a PA system (again so I could play at church without my amp and save my back carting my amp to church). I was tired of the limited tones that I could get from my amp, and from the reviews on Harmony Central the Digitech products seemed like the best bet for the money. But then I read the in-depth review of the POD here at HC as well as in magazines and it sounded too good to be true. So I tried it out and was sold and there has been no looking back. Not only does it provide great tone through an amp or direct into a mixer, it is easy to use with the knob driven controls. I love the manual mode so that you don't have to program in every sound you want (as in the case of most multi-effects) but you can change your sound on the go by just turning a few knobs like on any amp. But, at the same time you can save up to 36 programs as well and it is easy to program. My only complaint is that it doesn't include a foot controller and the floor board is a little too expensive for me (it costs almost as much as the POD!) However, I think I might look into midi based controllers - perhaps I can find something more reasonable. Either way, I think the POD is truely amazing and I would definately buy it again if it was stolen.

Submitted by Christopher Coutlée at 08/10/1999 21:22

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 3
This is a further update on my previous posts.
Although the Sound Diver software is horribly documented and is tough to setup and connect to the POD. The rewards for doing so are substantial.
If you have problems, contact Line6 support and they should be responsive and helpful.
This rating is for the SoundDiver software. The POD by itself is very easy to use.

Sound Quality: 8
Like many POD users, I've been impressed by the POD, but found it has this kind of "far-away" sound, especially when played live or recorded along with other live guitars.
I've experimented and found that the best live sound I can get with my setup, (a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe where I run from the POD into the Poweramp In, bypassing the amp's pre-amp), is to not only turn off the AIR on the POD itself, but also to turn off the speaker cabinet emulation by using the Sound Diver software. All of a sudden, the sound comes back to the front. Because my amp's tube power amp is being pushed by the POD, you get the good tubey overdrive and feedback from this setup at band level volumes, and decent sounds at lower volumes.
This is especially useful on the Mesa, Soldano, and Marshall patches which never sounded right through my amp before this. (The clean sound of my Deluxe is about as good as I could ever want and the POD comes close but does not seem to give me as thick and rich tone as the amp itself for clean stuff).
I also turn the reverb off, and use a dab of reverb on my amp. The Classic Marshall sound is especially sweet, driving my amp's power tubes and speaker just like I would like a Marshall to do naturally. The result is a significant improvement over the sound I got before the changes and gives me sounds that I can't get from the amp itself.
This also seems to improve the gain on the signal, and cleans up the sounds of the effects.
Overall just a huge improvement. Now I am willing to consider using the POD in a live setting.
For recording, I still like the speaker emulation's effect, (mixing and matching pre-amp models and speaker models gives a lot of sounds not possible without the Sound Diver), but I've learned to reduce the AIR settings which also has the "back to front" effect.
For anyone with a POD who has delayed using the software, I would encourage you to discover the extra sounds the POD has hidden inside.
If anyone can suggest a better tool than SoundDiver, please let me know.
Also... Line6, You are missing a huge opportunity to impress your customers by not having a more user friendly, easy to install and configure, and more powerful software.
This rating is after the changes I've indicated.

Reliability: 8
No Problems so far. The chip upgrades have solved a lot of earlier issues.

Customer Support: 9
Line6 has excellent customer support, too bad they have to waste so much time and money to support software this challenging to use.

Overall Rating: 8
I play original rock, blues and jazz, and the POD is a cool addition to my sounds. I've been playing for over 20 years and have both a blues / rock electric band and an acoustic duo going now.
I also have experimented with success with using various devices in front of the POD. My favorites include FullTone FullDrive 2, Ibanez Tube Screamer, and Tech21 XXL pedal.
The overdrives / distortions seem to have similar effect as if in front of a real amp, and help to make the live sound of the POD even more like my ears want to hear.
I wonder how this would work with a basic rack mounted tube poweramp, driving a couple of 4x12 cabs... I bet it sound huge. Maybe we'll see a rack mounted POD one of these days.

Submitted by Michael Saulnier at 08/04/1999 12:05

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 10
There are already a lot of reviews so you can read the features there or go to www.Line6.com to find out more. In essence, it's a digital amp modeler. It has a multitude of amps from your blues to crunch amps, such as Fenders, Boogies, Soldanos and Marshalls to name a few. I also have it's big brother the Flextone HD(read my review on it as well). It's an amazing practice amp as well as direct recording device. You're probably wondering why I have both, well do you practice in your apartments with a half stack? I know I could have gotten a cheap practice amp but I LOVE my Flextone HD and couldn't stand practicing with something that didn't sound as good as my amp. I'm not rich by any means(I owe Mastercard some serious cash) but I am a stuborn musician who won't compromise his sound. It comes very close to sounding like the amps it models, not perfect but close(what do you expect it's $300). The sounds this little red box produce are amazing to say the least. I've tried other headphone processors such as Digitech but this thing leaves them at the starting line. If you can't afford all of your favorite amps(which you probably can't) then try the POD out, you just might fall in love, I know I did.

Sound Quality: 10
I have a LTD H-207(7-string) and play heavy music. You can read my review on that guitar as well. As I said earlier it sounds great, the Rectifier sound is amazing and I have put my Flextone up against a Dual Rectifier and they are very close in sound. It has quite a few effects built into it. Many people have complained about them but I find them nice especially since it not supposed to be an effects unit, it's a amp modeler with some simple effects thrown in. Considering how much you pay for stomp boxes how great of a sound do you expect from a $300 AMP box. If you want effects go get an effects unit to use with the POD. I get a great sound out of it and think you can too. All you have to do is 1-realise it's not an actual tube amp and 2-experiment with it.

Reliability: N/A
I haven't had it a very long time maybe a month and a half but I haven't had any problems with it. I use it ever day and it sounds the same everytime I turn it on(try saying that with a tube amp). It's made of steel and seems very durable, just treat it with care the way you should treat your equipment and you should be fine. I can't give you an opinion on how it would work live because I have the Flextone HD.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't had to deal with customer support so I don't know. I have contacted the company about covers for my Flextone and they e-mailed me back the next day so I guess that says something. I think if I do have a problem then I will be able to get it resloved fairly quickly, I better I've bought $1350 worth of their equipment(Flextone HD, POD and Floorboard).

Overall Rating: 10
I've played bass for 9 yrs. and recently switched to guitar. I have a LTD H-207,Flextone HD, floorboard for Line6, Crybaby 535(chrome), Boss digital delay, Boss bass chorus and a Boss compressor/sustainer as well as a Hartke rig consisting of the 7000 head, MX 4/10(paper cones) and the 2/15. I also have a Washburn 6 string bass. If it were stolen I would definitly replace it once I got my card paid down some. In a nutshell, if you havn't heard or tried a Line6 product POD or Flextone try one out.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/31/1999 22:39

Price Paid: US $250

Features: 9
I know, another review. I'll try to make this a very objective review and make it worth your while instead of 'it's god' or 'it's sucks balls.'
Features: 12 tube-amp models, several built in effects, EQ, Drive and channel volume. Several more accesible through MIDI. Optional foot board with wah-wah and volume. Mono-Input, Stereo output. Headphones are stereo. A.I.R. modeling for 'amp, cabinet, mike' sound. As a bonus it has a Tube-Preamp model for running keyboard in it and other stuff (try ReBirth on a PC in it, etc).
This thing is very versatile. It makes a great practice amp. I've never recorded with it, so I don't know how it'd sound on tape (CD).

Sound Quality: 9
Ok, this is the nitty-gritty info. I played with this a lot before purchasing it. When you go to the music store, the clerk will ALWAYS give you the best guitar in the store to try it on. ANYTHING sounds good with a custom fender or Les Paul (yay, even a gorilla). You must try this with a variety of guitars to get a real opinion of it. It is very sensitive to the pickups on your guitar and the type of shielding used. If you have bad grounding it will resonate the noise (it has a noise gate, which is of questionable value to me. It works sometimes.) It is very much like a real amp, but for some reason it is a little more sensitive to this then the real thing. Especially the EQ and effects section!
With that in mind, this thing can sound absolutely amazing with a good custom guitar with excellent pickups and shielding. Some stock guitars (like the epiphones) came out over saturated when overdriven. Depending on the sound you want, make sure you have the right pickups and grounding on your guitar! I noticed on some of the cheap stock guitars the EQ was over-colored and nastily saturated on any drive.
Now, I was very impressed with the unit. Does it sound like a real amp? Maybe. It lacks the 'punch' of a real tube amp (they haven't gotten to modeling the actual mechanical process of air vibrating in the cabinet). It's not quite as a bright as some tube amps. It's not quite as colorful as most of the amps. But what it is, is CHEAP and SMALL. For $250 (I bought mine as a floor model!) it is worth every penny you pay for it, I think. I use a cheap old Gibson epiphone guitar with mixed stock/custom pickups (2 singles, 1 humbucker), but I put a lot of effort into grounding it carefully. It sounds great on my guitar. It'd sound better on a les paul. I plan to buy one again sometime (I just got back into playing after a few years off... I've been playing for about 15 years though).
I found it's very expressive, sounds pretty damn close to the real thing for a cheap piece of silicon in a goofy-ass red box. Look, this is about as close as most of us are going to get playing on a vintage '68 plexi ok? Take it for what it is, a little red box that costs about $300 and sounds pretty fucking good for the price!
Another thing, read the manual. They're is a lot of information in there which explains how the amp modeling works, and you need to understand this to make some of the amp models sound more like the original gear. Also, many of the effects can be controlled via the tap button, so you can alter the (pretty damn aweful preset) tap rates on the flange and chorus and delay.

Reliability: N/A
I don't know. It would seem reliable if you treat it right. It's small, and I wouldn't want to drop it to hard.

Customer Support: N/A
Don't know. Never called them yet.

Overall Rating: 9
I've played since I was 6 years old. I've been on a sabatical for a couple of years, but I've played a variety of guitars and quite a few of the amps on this thing (JCM 800, Rectified Boogie, several of the fenders). Right now I mainly have synths and computers. I only have one Gibson Epiphone guitar which I customized quite a bit, and it sounds great.
I'd be disappointed if it were stolen. It's cheap gear, man. Get a job and buy one yourself.
I love it. It sounds cool. I'd rather have a real arbiter fuzz face and a 68 plexi, but who wouldn't? For $250-300 bucks, it was worth every penny. Also, the Tube-Preamp works great on keyboards and computer stuff.
What do I hate about it? The fact I had to buy this and not a real 68 plexi :)
I compared this with my knowledge of what the original amps I knew sounded like. It's an emulator. It's not the real thing. But it sounds pretty damn good for what it is. I thought the JCM-800 was almost identical, minus the 'punch'. You can even get the 800's presence by tap-dancing on the keys (read the friggin manuals blokes).
If I had a wish list, I'd wish it had stereo-inputs, more preamp models ( i dunno, get original with it k?), and more elaborate effects and particurily the ability to use more than 1 or 2 at a time. I'd also wish it were a real tube plexi..
Very cool. Cheap. Sounds good. It's an emulator. It doesn't look like an amp. It's not a real amp. It's a goofy red box that has bollocks. I'd recommend it to anyone who can't afford to buy the original gear.

Submitted by Nick at 07/30/1999 12:09

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
Other reviews covered this ground. It's very easy to use out of the box, more advanced features require some MIDI familiarity.

Sound Quality: 9
I've been using it primarily as a headphone amp, and I've been having a blast. It sounds great with my AKG 240 headphone and once I get going I have a hard time stopping because it sounds so damn good. I especially like the Marshall and Fender simulations. I have a VG-8, Boss GT-5, and tons of other pedals, but the POD is now my #1 choice anytime I plug-in. I bought it with very high expectations (based on reviews on HC) and I was sure it could not live up to them, but it did, and more.

Reliability: N/A
Looks well built.

Overall Rating: 10
As a headphone amp, it's the best I've ever had. It beats Pandora's Box and all the others hands down. I have yet to use it for recording, but I expect it will sound as good as it does when I practice and mess around with it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/24/1999 18:39

Price Paid: US $260

Features: 10
The POD is a Line 6 amp designed to be used for direct recording into a multitrack or other recording device. It can also be used direct to a PA or can serve to "take over" another amp. Mine is a 1999 model amp purchased locally for $260.00. I have had it 6 months and use it almost exclusivly now. It is stereo and has midi modifiable amp emulations (solid state). It has 16 amps modeled fromt he front panal and another set which can be found using the midi softwear which comes with the amp. Most of the midi amps can also be used by going into the factory preset memory banks (it has 36 I believe). It also has several effects units built into it such as reverb, flang, echo, chorus, leslie, etc. It has one channel. Not only does this unit emulate amps it emulates a variety of speaker cabs/speakers as well. It has line level output and a socket for a headphone jack. There are 2 foot pedals/controllers which are also available as add-on's for this unit. The amp emulations cover very clean (such as Jazz Chorus and Twin Reverb) to high gain (such as Marshall and Slo). There are more features thatn I am willing to type. Check out www.line6.com for the full schoop of features. It is a unbelievably versitile unit.

Sound Quality: 10
I play a Heritage 535 (335), Home built mahog bodied strat having 3 singles (Carvin A11) or 2 buckers (Gibson 57 Classics) depending on how it is set up. The noise level veries dependig onthe amp emulation you choose, from little to none for the clean amps to a fair amount (similar in degree to the amps that it emulates) for the high gain models. The switching from one amp model to another is quite easy, but hte volume difference are quire strinking with the same settings across the unit. I love the clean tones with all the guitar set ups. Although I rarely use high gain those also seem very good, with the Slo being my favorite in particular. The amp emulations bring out the differences (as they should) between guitars and pickups well. It reacts like a tube amp should with "getting on it" driving the amp harder. I play large blues, clean delta styled. But occationally I play a more driven George Throughgood type blues/country-blues and this amp does a great job with these styles. The effects are very good as well.

Reliability: 10
Well, I do largely home recording using a Porta 02 4 track. I do not take it out to gigs or the like, though probably will when I do. It seems unbelievable strong. It has a metal case which seems indestructable. There was one softwear upgrade put out hich fixed a bug inthe midi and it was sent free of charge.

Customer Support: 10
When I have addressed e-mail to customer support I have heard back within 2 days. Most frequently they have responded within a day. They have been great. There are also on-line news groups for the POD at the line 6 site. Documentation is also avaiable on-line form the site as well.

Overall Rating: 10
I have played for about 25 years. Most of that time acoustic. The last 2-3 years I have been playing electric. I have owned various guitars over the years from Fenders and Gibsons to yard sale specials. I have owned several Fender amps, including my current one a Blues Jr. I love the Blues Jr but also love the POD. My wife and neighbors also love the POD as it is a great quiet (headphone) amp as well. If it were taken I would call the police! I won't lose it, but if I needed to I would replace it in a heartbeat. I have found nothing else like it for a product at any proce, and for it's proce this thing is a steal. In my opinion no home user, or guitar player who likes to record shoud be without one.

Submitted by Dale Pietrzak at 07/21/1999 11:27

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
pretty easy to use and the manual is very good. you just have to play around with it alot (thousands of combinations)to find the sounds you like.

Sound Quality: 9
The sound quality is excellent for what it is (a $299 digital box). It sounds pretty close to the amps that it models. is it perfect, of course not, but it sounds good especially through headphones or a PA. If you want the perfect 59 Fender Bassman or 68 Marshall plexi than go buy one. I have not used it for nor have I talked to anyone who records with it.

Reliability: 10
so far so good

Overall Rating: 9
I play have used it to play SRV and Hendrix to Black Sabbath it sounds great. I use a Fender Strat and a princeton chorus w/ a cry baby, and I've heard it played on a vintage Park 100w head and 4x12 cabinet. If it was stolen I would get another one ASAP. I would recommend it for anyone.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/20/1999 00:39

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
I guess the nicest thing about the pod was it's easy to use interface. It is set up like a amp so for guitar players it should be pretty simple to tweek in the sound you are lookink for.I never really got into the midi stuff but there seems to be alot of nice features.

Sound Quality: 5
Here's where in my opion the pod goes down hill.I expected the pod to sound great considering all of the great reviews it has gotten but for me my pandora's box gives me alot of the same sounds. I admit the pod is easier to work with but as far as sounding like a mesa or a fender, well I think not. Most of the distortions were either to mellow or too over driven just like most effect boxes I have tried. Yes some settings got close like the Soldano and the Fender Deluxe but for all the hype I would rather use a Sans amp or do it the good old way and buy a good mike and mike my amp.

Overall Rating: 5
if you are looking for a good practice amp or something to through down some basic tracks then this might be you answer but if you were hopeing like me that the Pod would be the answer to all you recording problems then you are sadly mistaking.

Submitted by Joe at 07/19/1999 19:56

Price Paid: US $299.

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy if satisfied with presets. Takes some tinkering to get adjusted to the many levels and settings. Somewhat difficult to 'deep' edit.

Sound Quality: 5
I returned this product after several days. I compared it's "tube" sounds to my Mesa Boogie Mark III and was astonished at how flat the POD sounded. It was not able to even come close to the precussive "punch" of the note from a real tube amp...keep trying, Line 6! However, the POD worked quite well for my recording needs, which are basically scratch tracks that I create to noodle for song ideas.

Reliability: N/A
Seemed fine. No problems during my short use of the POD.

Overall Rating: 7
I want to send a message to people like me who search for as much info as you could find about the POD and are hoping the POD will reproduce the presence of a tube amp for live performances. The POD failed in this area. I am fortunate the the music store was nice enough to let me return this unit. If I had enough cash I would have kept it, but like the other reviewer, I would rather spend the money on some good mics or even a second used Boogie Mark III. The POD is good for recording, great for practicing, terrible for creating a present tone for live use.

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/15/1999 12:40

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 10
Basic tone (bass/mid/high) and drive controls like you would find on any amplifier, plus knobs for selecting the amp to be emulated and the choice of effects [Delay and Reverb are always available and you can also add compression OR chorus (2 types) OR Flanger (2 also) OR Tremolo OR Rotary (Leslie Speaker)] and finally an overall Output Volume (all patches affected) as well as Channel Volume (settable for each patch). Bonus buttons for MIDI function, Noise Gate (VERY useful!), Tap Tempo (delay and tremolo time settings, etc.), Tuner (!) and Manual Mode (instant tweaking w/o messing with any of the stored patches). Once you have the tone you like just hit save, scroll to a location to overwrite and hit save again - nothing could be easier, really. IMHO this is the BEST Headphone device ever! But it is so much more really. Comes with a rather confusing PC or Mac based editor (Sound Diver) which may be a bear if you don't have much experience with that sort of thing. I found a great little Studioware Panel (Cakewalk) on the web and use it exclusively to tweak the "hidden" features that cannot be reached using the front panel controls. Of course that doesn't have librarian functions but it is MUCH more intuitive when it comes to dialing in the sounds. The FB4 footpedal is a waste of money - go right for the big boy and you'll be happy. It may look funky, but the layout really is ergonomic and much easier to handle than would be possible in a rackmount. I'm no fan of table top devices but I really enjoy working with this one. I just wish that whoever chose the gray lettering on dark crimson would get a clue - it is VERY hard to read the fine print even in brightly lit environments (which does not include most studios and all stages). But once you learn where everything is it becomes less of an issue.

Sound Quality: 9
DO NOT JUDGE POD BY THE PRESETS!!!! Like every other company these days, Line6 seem determined to smack you in the face with soaking wet effects. If you crank down the effects levels and tweak the drive and EQ settings it'll start to sound like a real world rig. Every guiatr is different, some will work well with it and some won't - just like with any real amp. I found it to be remarkably usable once I spent a good deal of time dialing in my own patches and trying various guitars with it. The deep editing (attainable through MIDI only) really makes a difference here; there is simply no other way to properly dial in the effects. And when you start mixing and matching heads and cabinets you can really get things going. The amp emulations are surprisingly good - not perfect - but the effects are only average. The Rotary is fairly convincing (I can nail the SRV Cold Shot sound!) and the Tremolo and Delay are okay but I found the Chorus and Flanger to be rather poor and the Reverb a bit too Cheap-o sounding for real-world use. But then, I'm a picky SOB sometimes... For a first generation device it is really good, and for $300 it is downright AMAZING! It prints very well to tape or PC, but for live use as a preamp I think the coloration of your guitar amp will hinder the effectiveness of the emulations drastically. I haven't tried it straight to the PA or with a full range rig (such as for keyboard) and that may help solve that problem. I found my Custom Tele to be a little brittle sounding but it LOVES the Les Paul Standard and the Ibanez. The Fender emu's are the closest, followed quickly by the Marshalls and the Mesa Boogies. The Voxes always sound too muddy and dark no matter the EQ settings, and the Soldano just rips your head off with grittiness. The Boutiques (Dumble, Matchless, etc.) are just average but the Roland JC120 is real close. Too bad you can't get to ALL of the amps from the front panel - there are more available thru sysex only and that is a shame. It isn't the be-all end-all of effects/emulation units but it comes closer than anything else I've ever tried and I think there are literally THOUSANDS of usable tones to be gotten. Sure is nice to have over $50,000 worth of amps in a $300 box - even if they aren't EXACTLY dead-on. Makes recording a lot easier and that is what it was really designed to do. Too bad it sometimes seems to be just as noisy as the real amps, but with careful attention to Computer Monitor orientation and selective use of the excellent noise gate, that too can be overcome. The variety of tones is staggering and I find it to be incredibly inspiring - a blessing really. Some people have said they don't think it responds well to touch and nuance like a real tube amp does but I say it does IF you know how to dial up your gain and IF you use high quality speakers to reproduce the tone in the room at a decent enough level - headphones obviuosly offer NO FEEDBACK for the guitar to couple with. I find it to be _almost_ as sympathetic as my Hot Rod Deluxe, and that is saying something. 1 point lost for the crappy Vox sounds

Reliability: 5
Well, it is a little flaky under MIDI control. Supposedly there is a new chip-fix for that. It works okay most of the time but does lock up when ever certain midi events come at it, and whenever I change patches on my midi patch bay - a real drag. But I simply power off/on and it's back to normal. It seems to be built well, the knobs are strong and smooth and the jacks all seem to be well made. But I'm too experienced to believe that anything on a pcb ciruit-board will hold up on the road under a guitarist's normal use/abuse. I think if you handle it as you would a hard drive you'll be okay, but I wouldn't try any of that toss-it-in-the-bag-with-the-pedals crap with this baby. I hope it proves me wrong, but I pack it all in a nice soft laptop case and take backup pedals along just in case.

Customer Support: 2
Line 6 seems to have a good rep from everyone else around here but I was promised my chip upgrade 7 weeks ago and to date I haven't heard squat and no reply to 1 voicemail and 2 emails so I'm starting to lose faith....

Overall Rating: 10
Been a pro player for over 22 years. Owned LOTS of gear. I also play keys and drums and bass and sing. If it was lost or stolen I would buy another one within hours - it has become indispensable to me for studio work. I compared it to a Boss GT-5 (so-so), an RP-7 (not too bad, but not really good for direct box recording), a couple of different SansAmps (good but not very versatile) and a couple of Zooms (they really sucked). Like others here I wish it had better and more effects (plus the ability to run longer combinations, i.e. Delay + Compressor + Rotary), a few more amp models, and better MIDI stability. I would gladly pay twice the price for those features plus a decent LCD readout. But for a first generation device Line6 really scored a home run. Can't wait to see what it'll be like in a few more years. Bravo guys! I have made some great purchases in the past but nothing even comes close to the bang-for-the-buck that the POD provides for me. It isn't perfect, but it's more than I deserve for a measly $300. Easily the best investment I have EVER made in guitar-related equipment besides my axes. I'll keep my footpedals, but the amps are in the closet now.

Submitted by Doc at 07/11/1999 22:32

Price Paid: US $339

Features: 9
YOu all know the features. 16 different amp emulations, and some effects. Because its the only thing of its kind I can't give the features anything but 10, nobody else makes anything like it, so there's nothing better. I realy can't think of anything it lacks. Except one thing, but I can't hold this against them. Its the lack of a foot pedal. But the POD was primarly designed for stufio direct recording. I'm using it as a pre-amp which is was also designed for, but like I said this isn't it's primary purpose. I have had it for a week and a half, and I haven't bought a foot pedal yet. I can get by without it for now by using the dirty channel on my amp when I need to switch from clean to dirty during a song, the erst of the time I can just use the pod's distortion, and then roll the volume around to make adjustments. But the pedal is must eventualy.

Sound Quality: 10
Incredible. Thats all I can say for it. Like I said, I'm using it as a preamp for my amp. I run it into the effects return on my Crate Blue Voodoo 120 with a 4x12 cab. Sounds superb, all models are very close I love using the rectifier's distortion. All of the models are very usible, I use all the models for differnt songs. And its fun just sit around and play around with them....running though solos with all the diiffernt distortions. Its leave me nothing to be desired

Reliability: 9
Its aluminum. Very rugged, I will be gigging without a back up as soon as I get a pedal board. And I have no worries. I have to buy this little gadget Line ^ makes to secure it to the top of my amp. Thats the only reason I don't give a 10. It would really suck if I yanked it off the top of my amp while I was playing and thrashed it. I dunno if its guts could take an impact like that on concrete

Customer Support: N/A
Newer dealt with them

Overall Rating: 10
I love it. Its going to be a solid part of my rig. If you wanna know my back ground in guitar, check out my review of the Boss GT-3. I purchased at GT-3 for its amp modeling, which was a mistake. The boss gave way too much emphasis on effects, which is not me. I like it so its me, my guitar, and my amp. I use very few effects. So my plan was to return the GT-3 for a digitech RP-7. And then I got to try a POD. They keep my amp instock right there in the store so I got to try the pod with my own amp, just like it would sound at home. I loved it. So I ended up exchenging the the boss for a pod, and I am so glad I did. I would definantly do it again.

Submitted by Matt at 07/03/1999 19:21

Price Paid: US $299+tax

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy, if used only as a desktop unit. A bit more is involved if you wish to use the midi capabilities. Still, it responded well to midi, so it's pretty easy overall.

Sound Quality: 2
OK, here's the scoop: I purchased this unit exclusively to record my guitar direct to my PC's hard disk. I love the sound of my Fender amp, but wanted to be able to record without the huge volumes typically required. I was initially skeptical after first reading the Line 6 ads, but the reviews on HC really made me think that the Pod would be a great investment. I was horribly disappointed. The Pod's amp simulations force you to choose between two flavors of distortion: muddy over-saturation, and weak, no balls at all distortion. The tone knobs don't do very much in most of the amp simulations; you either like the simulated tone or you don't. Even running my trusty Boss GE-7 after the Pod could not make this unit sound good. There's a certain nasty, nasal tone that it seems just can't be avoided when you try to run a distorted guitar sound direct. I had my hopes pretty high after reading the reviews here that the Pod would solve this problem, but it just doesn't. Oddly enough, it's pretty good as a HEADPHONES ONLY practice amp, assuming that you like the weak distortion "alternative" sound or the thick as soup "death metal" sound. Unfortunately, it sucked as a direct box. Believe me, I spent the whole night experimenting with patching various components before and after it, running the Pod through a (very nice) mixer before the PC, all to no avail. I should mention for the skeptics that I have a quite nicely equipped home studio, and have been home recording for thirteen years. I really wanted to like the Pod (as it seemed like such a great idea), but I just refuse to settle when it comes to guitar tone. The Pod may be a nice toy, but a professional piece of recording equipment it is not. For it's price, you can buy two Shure SM-58s and a couple of nice cables for them. If it's a great sound you're after, and you already like your amp's tone, don't waste your time or money on this device. Just spend time experimenting with microphone placement, and you'll end up with your own voice on tape or disk (and not Line 6's), even if it does bother the neighbors. I returned the unit for a refund the very next day.

Reliability: N/A
I only owned it for 24 hours, so I can't really say. It seemed fairly sturdy, though.

Overall Rating: 2
As a headphone practice amp, it's one of the better ones I've ever heard. As a direct recording box, it failed miserably.

Submitted by Ed at 06/18/1999 09:24

Price Paid: US $299+tax

Features: 9
YOu all know the features. 16 different amp emulations, and some effects. Because its the only thing of its kind I can't give the features anything but 10, nobody else makes anything like it, so there's nothing better. I realy can't think of anything it lacks. Except one thing, but I can't hold this against them. Its the lack of a foot pedal. But the POD was primarly designed for stufio direct recording. I'm using it as a pre-amp which is was also designed for, but like I said this isn't it's primary purpose. I have had it for a week and a half, and I haven't bought a foot pedal yet. I can get by without it for now by using the dirty channel on my amp when I need to switch from clean to dirty during a song, the erst of the time I can just use the pod's distortion, and then roll the volume around to make adjustments. But the pedal is must eventualy.

Ease of Use: 8
Very easy, if used only as a desktop unit. A bit more is involved if you wish to use the midi capabilities. Still, it responded well to midi, so it's pretty easy overall.

Sound Quality: 2
OK, here's the scoop: I purchased this unit exclusively to record my guitar direct to my PC's hard disk. I love the sound of my Fender amp, but wanted to be able to record without the huge volumes typically required. I was initially skeptical after first reading the Line 6 ads, but the reviews on HC really made me think that the Pod would be a great investment. I was horribly disappointed. The Pod's amp simulations force you to choose between two flavors of distortion: muddy over-saturation, and weak, no balls at all distortion. The tone knobs don't do very much in most of the amp simulations; you either like the simulated tone or you don't. Even running my trusty Boss GE-7 after the Pod could not make this unit sound good. There's a certain nasty, nasal tone that it seems just can't be avoided when you try to run a distorted guitar sound direct. I had my hopes pretty high after reading the reviews here that the Pod would solve this problem, but it just doesn't. Oddly enough, it's pretty good as a HEADPHONES ONLY practice amp, assuming that you like the weak distortion "alternative" sound or the thick as soup "death metal" sound. Unfortunately, it sucked as a direct box. Believe me, I spent the whole night experimenting with patching various components before and after it, running the Pod through a (very nice) mixer before the PC, all to no avail. I should mention for the skeptics that I have a quite nicely equipped home studio, and have been home recording for thirteen years. I really wanted to like the Pod (as it seemed like such a great idea), but I just refuse to settle when it comes to guitar tone. The Pod may be a nice toy, but a professional piece of recording equipment it is not. For it's price, you can buy two Shure SM-58s and a couple of nice cables for them. If it's a great sound you're after, and you already like your amp's tone, don't waste your time or money on this device. Just spend time experimenting with microphone placement, and you'll end up with your own voice on tape or disk (and not Line 6's), even if it does bother the neighbors. I returned the unit for a refund the very next day.

Reliability: N/A
I only owned it for 24 hours, so I can't really say. It seemed fairly sturdy, though.

Customer Support: N/A
Newer dealt with them

Overall Rating: 2
As a headphone practice amp, it's one of the better ones I've ever heard. As a direct recording box, it failed miserably.

Submitted by Ed at 06/18/1999 09:24

Price Paid: 299 + 250 Sterling

Ease of Use: 8
Still waiting for the EPROM upgrade suggested by Line 6, but no major bugs aside from not getting tap tempo on FB4 and Soundiver occasionally locks up POD.

Sound Quality: 10
You get amazingly good amp emulations and excellent sounds out of the box, see my 11/6/99 original review.
Since my original review from last week, I have exchanged the FB4 for the full Floorboard which allows switching of effects, etc. However, using Soundiver I have altered the character of the wah, delays and other effects to suit each patch. This transforms POD's sounds from being impressive to really great.
My advice is to pay the extra for the Floorboard, it really transforms the way you can use POD.

Reliability: 10
My frustration about POD not recognising FB4's tap tempo has been fixed by taking the FB4 back and getting a Floorboard instead. My thanks to the dealer, Williams in Middlesbrough, for acknowledging the problem and sorting it out.
Yes, I'd probably gig it without a backup but I'd carry a spare cat5 lead just like a spare guitar lead.

Customer Support: 8
Full marks to Williams of Middlesbrough for chasing Sound Technology for the overdue EPROM upgrade, and for warranty exchanging the FB4 against the Floorboard.
Still no sign of the EPROM but to be fair to Line 6 and Sound Technology, I have had polite and helpful replies to my e mails. The FB4 tap tempo is the only thing that doesn't do what the manual says.
POD's controls are pretty standard so the manual's humour is quite good in getting you to look into the fiddlier stuff like deep editing.
Having used Soundiver a lot I'd say it's essential to achieve POD's potential. But an excellent product like POD really shouldn't have such a basic and appallingly under-documented program.

Overall Rating: 10
The basic models and excellent sounds you can get in the first few minutes are superb value. But the extra effort of customising tones and effects pays off.
POD + Floorboard is a terrific combination but you have to do the techie bits with Soundiver. So you need a computer and hours to sit with guitar, phones, POD, etc. But I'd guess that's a once off exercise with just tweaking and library maintenance from now on.
Wish list for future POD EPROM's:
Some of the distortion and auto-wah models from the AxSys range.
tape echo, or a top cut/lo-fi on the delay to allow a simulation.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/15/1999 04:23

Price Paid: Sterling 299

Ease of Use: 10
Excellent sounds and very true to character of original amplifiers.The control knobs are spot on for each amplifier. Ignore the presets and work through the models, find the tones like you would with a real amplifier.

Sound Quality: 10
I mainly use a Les Paul copy with coil taps and a Squier Strat. As you'd expect some amps suit one and some suit the other, the class A's and old Fenders sounded better with the "thinner" tone of the Strat.
It's when you start exploring the individual amplifiers and hear how well the emulations have captured the character of the original amplifiers, you realise what a bargain POD is.
I found Soundiver fairly easy once I had it running. I'm still getting to grips with using libraries to organise the numerous presets you start to create, and experimenting with best use of the four preset banks. It's great to have a printed list of POD's current contents.
I loved the Fenders, especially the Champ, Bassman, and the Twin. The tribute is that these tones are instantly recognisable from blues, surf,bayou... I loved the JTM45 and Plexi, was impressed by the AC30/TB. The JC120 with chorus was instantly recognisable, so is the same amp model with delay and compression. The Mesa Boogies are stunning, especially when cranked up.
Overall the effects are up to standard or better than many pedal boards, with the benefit of being right for guitar. The tremelo is great, the Flangers and Chorus are pretty good as well. The room reverb is okay but the spring reverb is pretty dire, no matter what you do with Soundiver.
The noise gate isn't bad but I did spend some time tweaking its settings to stop my Strat being cut off!
POD sounds amazing DI'd. Especially on a decent pair of headphones when the AIR modelling and a little room reverb can create most of the illusion of standing in front of the amp, even if the physical sensation of the air moved by a stack is missing.
I have used the POD with a monitor style combo where a 100W amp drives a 12 inch speaker, but the sound isn't as convincing because the speaker/cab's character dominates.

I have put electric bass through the POD and it's as good as you'd expect. No it's like being in the room with it. Tip: don't use the POD compressor, compress after POD as if you were processing a miked bass cab.

Reliability: 8
I haven't gigged it but the unit is very solid, including the jacks. I have an FB4 and experience of RJ45 cables - I have no concern at all over reliability, just route it round the edge of the stage.

Has anyone else noticed that the Tap Tempo on the FB4 doesn't work with POD? I bought the FB4 with my POD for the channel change and tap tempo. When I e mailed Line 6 and UK distributor Sound Technology, both were quick to suggest I needed the EPROM upgrade. Very helpful but I'm still waiting.

Customer Support: 3
See above - three weeks later and still no EPROM. But both Line 6 and Sound Technology (UK) replied promptly to my e mails.

Overall Rating: 10
Excellent. It's like owning the amplifiers I've always wanted but I can play them in my house. Yes, you're damned right I'd buy another one!
Despite the FB4/tap tempo bug, I'd wholeheartedly recommend POD.
If you want a Hendrix/Clapton/May/EVH brown sound, it's there in POD. With a little imagination you can easily adapt the Flextone and AxSys presets on the Line6 website for POD use.
I agree with past reviewers that:
1) Soundiver is poorly documented, however
2) when you work it out, you can do all Line 6 say, but
3) with an expensive unit like POD you expect the frills, i.e. more amps, user AIR/mic tweaking, and so on.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/11/1999 11:39

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 8
First of all, let me say that I've been using the POD for about 2 weeks now. I'm a guitar player of 15 years, and I've got experience with lots of different gear. I bought the POD to use in my home studio. I haven't fully explored this piece yet, so this review won't be completely comprehensive.
The POD is a dual-natured creature. Using the handful of knobs, switches, and buttons on the box, it is quite easy to dial up a sound--a lot like dialing up a sound on a real amp, actually. I haven't worked much with saving patches yet, so I'll reserve comment on that aspect for now.
Aside from the physical knobs, the real power of the POD becomes apparent when you control it via MIDI. You can use the included (win/mac) software, or the editor/librarian/sequencer of your choice. Controlling the POD with MIDI opens up additional amp models, allows you to select cabinet models, and gives you greater control over the effects. The manual (more on it in a second) outlines all of the MIDI controllers that the POD will respond to, and how to utilize them. As great as this capability is, the included SoundDiver software is pretty lackluster to say the least. It works...sometimes...sorta. But it's buggy, and definitely not going to win any awards for ease of use.
The POD's manual is *excellent*. It includes a discussion of the technology behind the POD, how to configure and connect it in various environments, great descriptions of all of the amp models, information about MIDI control, and much more. It is probably the most readable and interesting user's manual I've ever come across. As you might expect, the documentation for the SoundDiver software is pretty abysmal. There is online help, but it's not much...umm...help. Let me put it this way--I use the SoundDiver software, and it gets the job done, but I am looking for a better program to use. I think that sums up the situation pretty well.
My POD has v1.1 firmware, I believe. I sent an e-mail to support@line6.com with my name, address, and POD serial number, and they promptly returned my mail, telling me that an eprom upgrade would be mailed to me right away. Very nice.
The documentation for the software, however, is practically useless. There is some online help available, but you're pretty much on your own to try and get it to work--and even when you do everything right, it still may not work. I hope future revisions of the software improve upon this situation.

Sound Quality: 9
Like I mentioned before, I use the POD in my home studio, which consists of the following: a Power Mac 8600, Event Gina soundcard, Event 20/20p powered monitors, Alesis Studio 24 mixer, and various other crap.
I wasn't too thrilled by Line 6's series of guitar amplifiers. I think using technology meant to mimic a guitar amplifier, and then amplifying it through a guitar amplifier creates bad mojo...too much sound coloration going on. This kind of thing really shines in a direct recording situation, however.
The sounds, in a word, are fantastic. I've been using a Sansamp until now, and the POD is much more versatile and capable. Some of the extreme settings, especially in the models not based on real amps (the POD Clean, POD Drive, etc) can be a little harsh, but beyond that, there is a real truckload of useable, musical tones here. Each amp model sounds distinctly different from the next, and is a credible replication of the real deal. I do own one of the amp's that the POD replicates, in case you were wondering--the Budda Twinmaster--and I've played through most of the others at one time or another. Are the models perfect clones? No. Are they the closest you are going to get to the real thing at this point in time? Definitely.
Perhaps the most intriguing thing about the POD is how the different amp models play. Any amp guru will tell you that a guitar amp isn't just a way to make the guitar louder. It is an instrument unto itself, with a distinct character, personality, feel, and of course, sound. Apparently, the engineers at Line 6 understand this. The controls on the amp models respond as they do on the real thing. The tone controls are interactive where they should be. You can go ahead and crank the "drive" control on the Twin, but it won't distort. Cranking up a JTM-45 provides a much different sonic character and response than cranking the Soldano.
The effects aren't too shabby, either. The available reverb is either spring-type or room-type, depending on whether the original amp had spring reverb or not. Both sound really good, although some amp models like the Twin give you way too much reverb on a setting that works fine with other models. That's a simple fix...just turn down the reverb. The spring reverb model is eerily realistic. You can actually hear the springs "boing".
All the other effects--delay, chorus, reverb, trem, rotary speaker, compression, flange, etc. are all useable and quite good, but not great. I'm particularly fond of the rotary speaker (nails that Cold Shot tone) and trem.
I truly believe that having the ability to pick and choose from a stable of real name-brand amps and cabinets (the names of the actual amps are visible within the SoundDiver software, while generic names are used on the POD's front panel) provides a psychological edge to the player. It makes things a whole lot more fun.
Whatever tone you are looking for, chances are you'll be able to find it in here, provided that your guitar and the rest of your setup is up to the task. If you want a Cream-era Clapton tone, just call up one of the vintage Marshall models and crank it up. SRV--the Bassman or Deluxe will do the trick nicely. For a great clean sound, you can't do much better than a Matchless or Twin. The Soldanos, JCM-800, and Boogies fit the bill for more modern, saturated tones.
If you're an EJ fan, you'll be especially pleased. Imagine saving a series of presets like this....1) A Twin with chorus, echo, and reverb, 2) a Dumble, slightly overdriven, with echo, 3) a 50-watt Plexi Marshall with drive boost, presence and treble turned down a bit, echo, and reverb, and finally 4) a Fuzz Face , heavy on the echo and verb. There, you've got a believable replica of EJ's entire rig, ready to go at any time. Pretty damn cool. Now if I just had EJ's skill...
The kind of player who might be disappointed by the POD is the one looking for an extreme amount of control over every last effect parameter, or wild, off-the-wall effets. It's

Reliability: N/A
I won't comment on reliability other than to say, no problems so far (it's been 2 weeks).

Customer Support: 9
I was impressed with how they handled the firmware upgrade situation. Other than that, I haven't had to contact them. Their website is very informative, and features a whole pile of .mp3 samples, product information, user forums, and software upgrades (though none were available yet, last time I checked).

Overall Rating: 10
I think that for anyone doing home recording, who is currently going direct with a Sansamp, distortion pedal , or is struggling with mic'ing an amp, and isn't satisfied with their tone--they need to do themselves a favor and go grab a POD. Think about it, for the price of a crappy practice amp, you get a bunch of great sounds with no mic'ing hassles, and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who could tell the difference in a mix. Hell, most people wouldn't be able to discern the POD from the real thing even outside a mix. That's the good news for your audience. The good news for you is that the POD plays and responds damn near like the real amps that it mimics, and it is perfectly at home in a small studio setup. If it were lost or stolen, I would definitely buy another.
Having said all that, the POD isn't perfect. I already mentioned the software issues. Knobs on digital devices are always kind of finicky, jumping from value to value when you switch patches, forcing you to give the knob a twist to "reset" it. And I'm all for innovation in product design and styling, but I'd like to meet the designer who came up with the great idea to make the POD look like an inflamed horse kidney.
My wish list for the POD: more amp and cab models (too much is never enough), more little tricks and tweaks (like a Variac option, mic placement options, dual mic'ing, different mic models, bi-amping, tri-amping), and more effects models. Basically more of the kind of good stuff that the POD is already filled with. I can't think of much else...it already has balanced stereo outs, a 1/4" headphone jack, and a built-in tuner. The tap tempo feature for the effects is a cool feature too. But, if I could only have one wish, it would be that the Line 6 engineers write their own MIDI editor/librarian software for the POD and dump the SoundDiver garbage.
Line 6's modelling technology is pretty amazing. I'm looking forward to what products they'll come up with next. (And no, I don't work for them).

Submitted by Mike at 06/04/1999 15:49

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
I'm going to try to keep this review short and to the point so I can go practice...I've owned the POD for about 6 months and have used it as a processor in front of an amp, a direct recording device, and most often as a practice amp with headphones. I have been playing for over 15 years and when I play out, I use an amp but when I am home with my wife (most of the time) I use the POD and some headphones or the POD and a small practice amp. This unit is fantastic and will only get better. Comments: I do not like having to adjust the channel volume every time I change amp models in the manual mode; have never used (and probably will never use) the MIDI functions or software despite a very good knowledge of computers/software; reverb ruins several otherwise great models.

Sound Quality: 8
As an effects unit before an amp: with higher volume amps with a lot of character the unit fails completely to add any pleasant sounds - very harsh and tinny. However, in front of my 1960 Gibson Skylark tube amp (about 5 watts, and only volume and tremolo), it is a really GREAT effects unit - must be the low volumes and the tubes darkening up the sound some.
As a direct recording device and/or practice amp with headphones: the class A models are fantastic - remember that on a real Vox AC-30 TB you have to turn the Bass way down/off and boost the treble; same goes for other models such as the Marshall JTM-45 where you really need to cut the bass and boost the mids and trebles. OK, to keep it short, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO USE EXTREME SETTINGS TO GET GOOD TONES. Reverb is poor and kills the Fender Deluxe and Twin models. Otherwise, on my 4-track I could really not notice even the bad reverb. Superb direct recording device.

Reliability: 9
So far so good...no problems whatsoever and I got one of the first-run units that are supposed to do some pretty crazy things. I am very, very impressed though at how well this unit has stood up to my constant "knob-spinning", channel changing, effect tweaking, etc. with nary a glitch.

Customer Support: N/A
No idea...from the humorous manual to the laid-back website I would guess that service would be pretty friendly.

Overall Rating: 9
I play mostly blues/blues rock/jazz so mainly use the '59 Bassman through to the Brit Classic models...no hi-gain stuff for me though the Mesa Boogie and Soldano models really smoke. I especially like the Vox AC-30, Marshall JTM-45, and '59 Bassman models; none of these has any "spring" reverb just a passable "room" reverb which I find more pleasing. In "real life" I play a Fender Twin or Deluxe which I think are ruined by the bad reverb modeling.
However, to GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT: I think the Line6 engineers should hurry up with adding the high-end amp models found in their studio software AMP FARM. Let the bean-counters cringe and just build it - we will come...

Submitted by Scott at 05/24/1999 21:10

Price Paid: US $380w/fb4

Ease of Use: 10
don't need the manual but it's good for some laughs, theres alot of jokes throughout it. I was nervouse at first because i dont know anything about midi and it comes woth MIDI editing software and theres only 16 amp models on the selector switch but there all saved in the 36 presets that the sounds can be saved in. Its all knobs you can't fuck it up.

Sound Quality: 10
i say this because i ran it in to my little pignose to achive a hetfeild god sound it sounds pretty good through an amp but it sounds phenominal using it directly into a portastudio or out of the head phones. The effects are really good just as good as my digitch rp-7 and the distiortion is brutal even more brutal than my metalzone pedal and it has so much more body and richness to its sound. I have played like 3 of the 25+ amp models that it emulates and i dont even care if it sounds like these amps it just sounds really good and real. I like the "real " sound that i can achive with this beast. the tap tempo is a nice feature.

Reliability: 7
for live uses i suggest investing in the fb4 pedal or the larger more expensive floor controler. semless patch changes when u use the optional foot pedals. on the fb4 setting tap tempo doesn't work

Customer Support: N/A
not crossed that bridge as of yet

Overall Rating: 10
from heavey metal to blues to rock n roll at the hit of a button. I was really impressed at the sound that this thing puts out and the amount of distortion i can i achieve with this beast. POD= Pre-amp Of Doom

Submitted by Dirk Diggler at 05/22/1999 13:08

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 7
Pretty straightforward out of the box. As usual, the presets are mostly not usable, but it's easy enough to create your own sounds. It's just knobs, after all, and the majority of the controls should be self-explanatory to anyone who's been playing for any length of time. The real editing power, though, is in the software, and it's not so easy. I'm a computer geek, and I was confused by the software. The software documentation kind of sucks (the POD manual is really good, though), so be prepared for frustration. Once I got it working, though, it's awesome what you can do with it.
So this category really gets a split rating. If you only use the front panel controls, it's a 9, but if you want to use the software, a 5 at best. Better documentation would raise that score. How about it, Line 6?

Sound Quality: 8

Before I give my opinion of the sound quality, let me say this--I use the Pod for direct recording and headphone practice ONLY. I have NEVER plugged it into an amp and played through a cab, so I have no idea how it sounds in that situation. Maybe someday...

Now that that's out of the way:
I think I have a fairly good ear for tone, but I don't have experience with higher end and/or vintage gear, so I can't really say how true the simulations are. I will say this, though, the tones are very usable in a mix, and when I practice to a CD, I can usually get a sound pretty close to the one on the CD.
Before the Pod, I played/recorded through a SansAmp PSA-1, which is a nice sounding device, but a little homogenous. It's got a "SansAmp sound" that's present in all of its programs. Frankly, it's a little harsh and digital sounding compared to the Pod, so I switched. Sorry, Tech 21.
I'm particularly impressed with how quiet the Pod is, even on high-gain sounds. Effects on the Pod are not bad, but I haven't experimented with them too much since I own a T.C. G-Force. The Pod's noise gate is not the best. It tends to eat your attack ever so slightly, but it's enough for me to notice it. I just turn it off and use the gate on the G-Force. It bears mentioning that the true flexibility of the unit is untapped without a computer with a MIDI port. You've really got to get in there with the SoundDiver software to fully tweak the Pod.

Reliability: N/A
I haven't owned it long enough to give an honest response here. My first impression is that the chassis looks fairly solid, but it's a computer on the inside, and computers can freak out at the worst possible time. On a gig, I'd probably want a backup, which is okay since the thing is so inexpensive. Besides, you could easily duplicate the programs on a pair of them with the included software.

Customer Support: N/A
Again, no opinion. I was confused by the software, but I hate asking for help with that sort of thing, so I eventually figured it out myself.

Overall Rating: 9
So far I really like the Pod. Tonewise, it's a step up from the SansAmp PSA-1. Once you dig in with the software, it's capable of creating a hell of a lot of tones. It has a few flaws, but it's still one of the best values on the market right now. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a practice amp or direct recording device.

Submitted by Bob Thing at 05/16/1999 00:37

Price Paid: Hfl. 1000

Ease of Use: 7
At first it is very easy to get a good sound out of the POD, but when you want to get a realy good sound, you have to hook it up to your computer and start editing the finer controls of the effects so they can sound good. The manual about the POD itself is really very good. The manual about sounddriver software SUCKS !!

Sound Quality: 10
I bought the POD after I saw and heared it in the studio where I was recording with my band (and stil am recording, we never get done!) so after dragging all my amps to the studio, the guy from the studio comes with this little red box, which looks like "my first sony" and said you have got to try this. And right he was, I recorded all my guitars through the POD and it all sounded great. But it was only after I bought a POD myself and hooked up to my computer and started editing the sounds and effects, I found myself truly in heaven. My next goal was to use the POD live, first I hooked up to a Marshall aniversary head, it sounded OK, but the marshall coloured the sound to much, but then I hooked it up to a very old peavey deuce with an old 4*12 soundcity cabinet it instantly sounded great maybe even better than in the studio. The effects are OK, only the chorus and the flangers suck when the are in mono. It's also very easy to put effects in front or after the POD, I put a lexicon, a evintide harmonizer, tubescreamers in front or after the POD depending on which effect, and it all sounded great. The great thing about the POD is, when you really like a sound but you want add more midrange, you can simply change the speaker emulation. For example the Soldano preamp with the Fender twin cabinet sounds great for solo's. Other great amps are; the Mesa boogie dual rectifier tremoverb, the Mesa boogie Mark IIc drive, the Fender twin and the Soldano preamp.

Reliability: 8
I own it for 2 months now and it has not failed me yet. I used very intensly in the studio, played with it live about 15 times.

Customer Support: 5
The reason for my low grade is that I had some trouble with my computer soundcard, I went to the store where I bought the POD and they said that my soundcard was no good,I called the national distributor in Holland (where I live) and they said they had not heard of the problem, but when mailed line 6 they said it should work and they send to some pages that handled general midi problems, but I could get no answer from that. And after emailing them 3 times, (the last time I was pissed off). They gave the answer they told me how to set up the software manually and it worked right away. I wonder why the couldn't tell me the first time.

Overall Rating: 8
This unit is great. I play in a coverband and in a progressive rockband so it is clear I need a lot of sounds, and this units delivers all the sounds I need and does it very well. I have already sold my Marshall.

Submitted by Pascal Zagers at 05/11/1999 06:19

Price Paid: N/A

Ease of Use: N/A
This is an update to my previous post.
I recently received the latest upgrade chip from Line6 (v1.2) for my POD and it seems to have fixed the unwanted patch change problem found in the original firmware. This was free from Line6, Cool! You must contact them and ask for this, but they have excellent customer support and will respond right away.
You have to pull the original chip and replace it... I had never done this before and was a bit surprised how easy it was to accidently bend the metal legs on the chip... be careful. They might have included a brief set of instructions on how to do this. Also, the new chip was a fraction wider than the old one, so I had to manually bend the legs enough to fit into the sockets...scary but it worked.
Also, be sure to note how your original chip is installed. There are more sockets than legs and once you have pulled out your chip, you want to be sure you put the new one in the right sockets.
I also recently purchased the Line6 Floorboard ($189)and I suggest this for all POD users. It adds several capabilities to the non-midi control of the POD. These include: Volume and Wah footpedals, random preset switching, and the ability to turn on and off delay, reverb, time based effects, (chorus and flange), eq (presence), clean boost, and overdrive. This greatly improves your ability to vary your sound while recording or playing live.
There are a few things about the floorboard controls that are not immediately obvious. For example: you can switch on the delay even if you don't have the delay set as an effect. Or, if you have a dual effect setting on, such as flange 1 and delay, you can turn the delay on and off while retaining the other effect. Nice.
You don't have any control over the delay effect though, in terms of the mix or rate if you are turning it on while it's not setup as a patch parameter, so it's not as flexible as it could be.
I also feel that the wah sounds that are setup on each patch are ok but not awesome. There seems to be a volume reduction when you turn them on. I guess I'm going to have to get into the midi software to tweek them to my liking. (I'm glad you can have this fine level control, even if it's a bit of a hassle to control your effects with midi software). For now, I still find myself using my wah and other effects along with the POD to give me the sounds I'm looking for.
I also find the volume control to be not as smooth to use as say a volume control swell on your guitar. It tends to have a sharp volume increase as you push the pedal forward instead of a smooth increase in volume throughout the pedal's range.
Even considering these issues, I continue to be impressed by the versatility of this unit. I've certainly expanded my range of amp tones, but I'm worried I may be temped to go out and get the real Soldono, Budda, Mesa, Vox, Marshall, and other amps... G.A.S. to the max.
Like others, I really don't care whether or not these amp models replicate the exact sound of the real thing as long as they give me useful sounds for my recordings.

Submitted by Michael Saulnier at 05/09/1999 10:31

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 10
I think the Pod is very easy to use-if you can dial in a stomp box you'll be able to use the Pod. I bought it for direct recording and for practicing with headphones.

Sound Quality: 9
I think it sounds great for direct recording and through headphones. I'm not too concerened about how authentic the tones are-just that they are good and useable. I think in a mix a person would have a hard time telling you were recording direct without an amp. It helps me out a lot because I don't have the option in my home studio of cranking a half stack for extended periods of time. I'm getting a lot more recording these days just out of convience. I'm real happy with the results. My favorite models are the Rectifed, Black Face, Modern High Gain-kinda like the Fuzz Face too for EJ sort of lead tones. Wish they would have included a couple of Bass patches on here aswell. I tried it on the efx return on one of my amps and wasn't impressed. Maybe direct to the board would work live. I don't have any plans to use it live though myself.

Reliability: N/A
no plans of using this live.

Customer Support: 7

Overall Rating: 10
I think this thing is really cool-great sounds and easy to use-you don't even need a manual. I play a lot of different stuff-lots of heavy prog/death stuff-blues, funk,country and rock. I wouldn't use it live myslef but I wouldn't think twice about direct recording with it. The wisest $300 investment I've made in some time.

Submitted by DMB at 05/02/1999 22:25

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
Doesn't get much easier than turning knobs and pushing a few buttons if necessary. I see some have complained about the need for editing via MIDI to access some of the paramaters, but I think its better to think of that as a bonus rather than stuffing useful controls out of the user's way. The question to ask is would you still buy the unit if it didn't have the "hidden" paramaters? My only complaint, and this is common on many modeled synths with knobs, is that when you turn the knob, it "jumps" to the chosen value. This only happens when you're editing in the preset mode; this doesn't occur in the manual mode. A better solution would have been a relative mode where turning the knob increases or decreases from the value in the preset without regard for the position of the knob.

Sound Quality: 9
Sounds great to me. I mean for the price you really get great simulations. And compared to other effects boxes, the character of the guitar still comes through regardless of the settings. I've used this with headphones, DI into a DAT recorder, through a hi-fi, and through a bass amp. Luckily the bass amp has a power amp in where the preamp is totally bypassed, and other than the characteristics of a 15 inch speaker, it sounds great. I think the range of effects is pretty good, although the presets have them set a little to the overboard side. I find the addition of holding the tap tempo button and turning the effects tweak knob an adequate way of changing the time parameter. I think the leslie effect is done well.

Reliability: 9
I've gigged with it and its pretty easy to change your tone and add some distortion by quickly turning the knobs, so I can do without the foot controls. Time will tell. I don't go for those extended warranty programs. Most gear, if it's going to fail, will 95 percent of the time do so within the warranty period because of a design or manufacturing defect.

Customer Support: 9
Never dealt with them directly, but find the web site pretty good. I was able to view the manual before I bought the unit and I find this beneficial for making a purchase decision

Overall Rating: 10
For the price, I don't think you can go wrong. The amp simulations are strong and varied, you get a good range of effects, and you can control all the necessary functions by knobs. As an added bonus, some extra paramaters and amp models are available via MIDI, but you can get fantastic sounds without ever hooking up a MIDI cable.

Submitted by jonathan block at 04/30/1999 08:44

Price Paid: US $300

Ease of Use: 8
There are really two issues to address here, and for this reason, the POD really deserves a split rating here 9/4. I'm averaging these to 8 for purposes of this review -- mathematically inaccurate, weighted judgment.
In terms of out-of-the-box ease of use, the POD deserves a 9. Reading the manual is helpful but not really necessary (though the manual's very well written and has a nice, grassroots tone). The controls are modeled on classic amp controls, and behave exactly the way you expect them to -- three-band EQ, drive, volume, these are all no-brainers. The ports, AIR switch, and front panel buttons are all extremely self-explanatory and well labeled.
The patch editing features, however, seem to assume you'll be using the editing software via MIDI -- and this is frustrating for those of us who'd like to configure our POD's from the road. I seem to recall there's an on-the-fly way to set patches, but it has considerable limitations -- haven't really played with this yet, don't mark my words here.
Between the configure-by-MIDI system and the fact that there are subsystems that are inaccessible without additional hardware (e.g. the wah simulation), I'm a little disappointed. Okay, you may argue that the wah function is useless without a pedal anyway -- maybe it's just the principle of the thing that bothers me. But still, it's enough in my eyes to dock the POD a point.

Sound Quality: 9
I've tried using my POD through headphones, DI into a mixer, and into both a Peavey solid-state and a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Most of my playing with it has been with an LP Standard, a '67 SG Standard, and an '88 Fender Am Std Strat.
The amp simulations are impressive -- better than the SansAmp Classic IMHO, and very thorough in modelling everything from response range to drive contour to natural compression. It's very clear that the Line6 engineers did their homework, and really put some thought and research into what makes a certain classic amp sound the way it does. And to be honest, the simulations are very spot-on. The Fender sims have that Fender bass end, the Marshall sims bite and snarl, the Soldano sim is a metal wannabe's dream.
Does the POD truly sound like a mic'ed classic amp? "Like" is the operative term. There are differences, for certain (I side-by-sided a POD with an AC30), but I don't think, if I heard the POD on a recording, I'd be able to say "Oh, that was done with a POD." And that's really the bottom line, isn't it? Side by side, I can tell there's a difference, but in the mix -- no, I really don't think I could tell, if the mix were done well.
The effects really shine too. The POD basically has capacity for three simultaneous effects (reverb, delay, plus a variable 'other' chorus/flange/tremolo), but these are executed as reverb plus one 'effect,' in which there are delay-added versions of most effects. The 'delay/swell' setting is a deadly-smooth automatic tape reverse simulator that I still can't get over. The flanges are thick and formidable, and the second chorus is usually lush and warm.
I use the POD to dabble, and experiment sonically -- when I want to try out a new sound, I'll dial one in, and see how what I'm working with sounds through it. It doesn't replace the well-cultivated set of sounds I've built over the years with amps and pedals and such, but it's a very convenient way to address the fact that I just can't afford to have a wall of classic amps sitting there, waiting for the ten minutes when I need their sound. ;)
Rated strictly, the POD might be a seven-eight, but on a sliding scale in which one is a godawful simulator and ten is the best simulator imaginable, the POD easily earns a nine.

Reliability: N/A
Only had it for a little while. To be honest, it looks pretty sturdy. I don't think it's likely to break on me. In truth though, I don't really know.

Customer Support: N/A
I always buy a store warranty with my gear, on principle. My local Sam Ash is very good about it, and gives loaners/does no-questions-asked repairs/etc. with their warranties. I wouldn't know how they are, though my request for some information before buying was answered cheerfully and promptly.

Overall Rating: 9
I bought my POD on a whim (tax rebate = gear acquisition orgy), and expected nothing more than the latest toy. It exceeded my expectations many times over.
I own a SansAmp Classic, a Kong Pandora PX-2, and a Zoom Fire 7010, all of which previously acting as my jack-of-all-trades boxes. The POD has easily not only surpassed them, but largely replaced them. The SansAmp is nice, but its amp range is too limited for my tastes, and its bias is heavily toward the Marshall simulation. The Pandora is really an effects box with token cabinet simulation properties, and for this it's excellent, but the POD is much more powerful. The Zoom Fire's a tolerable practice amp with effects presets (and is more versatile in terms of raw numbers of effects than the POD), but it lacks the ability to truly simulate classic setups.
In fairness, the POD is not the panacea for all recording woes. After the hype dies down, I think people will realize it's a worthy entry into the history of DI recording tools, but hardly a reason to stop looking ahead. I would love to see Line6 develop an acoustic simulator as sophisticated as the POD. A reverb modeller to simulate the acoustics of classic arenas and concert halls. Perhaps a pickup simulator (it wouldn't be impossible). Or something new and different entirely.
However, all in all, the POD's a beauty. Get one now, folks. I have a feeling it's going to become a classic.

Submitted by Justin Carpenter at 04/26/1999 11:13

Price Paid: US $319.00

Ease of Use: 10
Very easy to use. My main reason for choosing the pod over other processors was that it has knobs. I don't mind going through menus to do deep editing, but I hate to have to scroll around just to tweek my gain a little.
The downside to this simplicity is the lack to control over some parameters without using the MIDI software. It would be nice if all parameters were available from the front (top) panel, like on the typical multi-effects processor.
I found the manual to be complete and easy to use.

Sound Quality: 8
I use the pod with three guitars. A 1980 Gibson Les Paul Standard, Charvel Model 6 ( a mid priced strat based Van Halen type guitar, and a Yamaha G235 classical (nylon string). The Les Paul has its humbuckers wired to allow switching between series and parallel, with the parallel giving a brite jangly Rickenbraker tone, and the classical has a DeArmond transducer. I have two amps, a Marshall 50-watt Silver Aniversary mini-half-stack with 2x12, and a Peavy 10W solid state.
Overall, I think the amp modeling is excellent. I think that they have really captured the response of a tube amp, and I am able to find most (but not all) of the sounds I'm looking for. Some people say it does not have the "feel" of a real tube amp, but I disagree. Of course, if your recording direct or using headpones, you can't get the acustic feedback like you can when you have the guitar right in front of a cranked Marshall.
If I have a complaint about the sound it is that it's too dark, or not bright enough (if there's a difference). It's doesn't seem like the problem is the the amp models themselves, it's more like it's EQed wrong. I've also found that it can really make a difference what you are using to amplify the pod's output. For example, I find that it sounds much better through the Peavy than the Marshall, with our without the AIR (speaker, air, mic) simulator. The Marshall tends to color the sound too much, making it too soft and dark. It was very harsh though a friends PA, (could be the PA). I sounds good through headpones, but again, it depends somewhat on the phones. The pod has a lot of bass, but again its not like its in the amp model, it like its in the EQ. I find myself turning down the bass, but then loosing the punch in the amp.
Overall though, the pod is very good. The Marshall JCM800 sounds pretty much like my Marshall, and I find that I always end up with the knobs set in about the same places. The Bassman compares well with my friends 1963 Bassman, and the Fender twin is very nice. The pod really excells at playing right at the edge of clean and distortion. I've always been a hard rock and metal head, but I find that the pod has caused me to start playing styles of guitar that I never played much before. Its amazing that for $300 you can by something that turns a el cheapo solid state amp into a vintage Fender. The Soldono preamp is an excellent high gain lead sound, perfect for Ozzy, Alice In Chains, or new Van Halen. I was disapointed by some of the amp models though, especially the class A models, although to be fair, I have not actually played through the real amps. Still, I just can't get that bright jangly Pretenders/REM/Tom Petty sound that I CAN get with every Peavy that I have owned.
The pod also has a tube preamp for non-guitar sources, that works very nicely with my Yamaha classical, and my buddy's Ovation.

Reliability: N/A
Too new to say. Digital stuff is generally reliable though.

Overall Rating: 9
Overall I think the pod is pretty good. I've been looking for a good headpone amp so I could play after the wife and kids are in bed. Still, if something happened to it, I would probably spend more money and move up to a complete digital amp (with headphone out). I'd certainly look at the Line6 AX2, but I'd also look at some of the other new digital amps as well. One thing is for sure though, whatever I bought to replace it would also use digital modeling, there is just too much versatility for the average guy to pass up. I am a digital electronics engineer, and I belive that there is absoultely no reason that a digital amp can't sound as good or better than a tube amp. I believe that this technology will completely take over the low to mid priced amp maket within the next few years.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/25/1999 20:16

Price Paid: US $270

Ease of Use: 10
This thing is a breeze to get a geat sound out of. All I have to say is KNOBS!! Choose your Amp model, get some basic EQ settings, and you're off and running. 3 Effects available simultaneously (Reverb delay, and some type of modulation, etc). Not too much programmability in terms of effects parameters, but they really sound great. Keep in mind I am using the POD striclty as a direct box, I haven't and probably never will play it into a guitar amp, or PA system.

Sound Quality: 10
The unit is very quiet. I throw the noise gate on, and even with the Rectifier amp model, and the drive at 100%, it is still quiet enough for a pro recording, and I am a total clean freak.

Reliability: N/A
Can't really comment on this one, as it will probably never leave my studio. It does seem to be pretty sturdy though

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had to contact them, but the documentation is great and I've heard that their tech support is fantastic (a very hard reputation to gain I might add, especially for a comapny as new as Line 6)

Overall Rating: 10
Overall, this thing ABSOLUTELY BLEW ME AWAY. I had been using a Digitech 2112 to record direct into my Mackie mixer and into my computer, but compared to the POD, the digfitech sounds like dog sh**. If you are looking for very natural, authentic respresentations of almost every amp type in history, you really must check this thing out. Even for any guitarist with a serious rack of gear, you can't afford not to have one of these for practicing or for recording. It has changed the way I feel about playing guitar. It truly is the best piece of gear I have bought in recent memory - and at the price I paid, it is an absolute steal.

Submitted by Anonymous at 04/12/1999 16:10

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 9
IT GETS NO easier! WELCOME BACK TO KNOBS ALL OF YOU RACK HEADS IN DESPAIR!

Sound Quality: 9
see previous revuew in my name - very good (in an already good setup live) but built for direct recording, where it really shines.

Reliability: 7
mine died after three months of heavy use - but I got one of the very first, which had factory defects, so they say - but more importantly than that ...

Customer Support: 10
They have among the best tech support and customer service in the Biz! George (the tech)rules!! Line6 Fed-Ex'ed me all the replacements and upgrades right away with no hassles and at no charge. I'll give every product they ever make a long look for this reason! Ever tried to call digitech, Marshall, or any of a lot of other companies? Did you get friendly helpful and genuine support? If you got all that you still got less than than you'd get from the Line6 folks.

Overall Rating: 9
read my other review - but for the money the POD is one thing every guitarist should try.

Submitted by Paul at 03/22/1999 19:11

Price Paid: N/A

Reliability: 1
This is a supplement to a review I made earlier. POD is a great live tool, but don't leave your trusty BOSS pedals at home. Apart from the software bug it had when I purchased it, mine failed completely after only two months of gigging about 3 days / week. I had my old pedals handy in the van, but it was still very annoying. To anyone considering buying a POD for live use, I would say to go for it - it's cheap, versatile, and it sounds great...but whatever you do, gig with backup gear. It either works perfectly, or you're screwed.
When my POD died, I took it in to Long & McQuade in Toronto where I bought it from and they replaced it for me immediately without my even asking - mind you, I keep my gear in pristine condition so they knew I wasn't abusing it. What a great store. If you live near Toronto, you should really check them out.
Although it sounds just as good, my new POD is quieter than my old one. I guess I shouldn't expect computers to behave consistently, should I? Don't gig without a backup.

Customer Support: N/A
I didn't have to deal with Line 6, since Long and McQuade took care of things for me. Usually Line 6 is great with service, as everyone knows by now. However, as a regularly-gigging musician, the best customer service in the world will never make up for an unreliable product.

Submitted by Kyle at 03/22/1999 11:59

Price Paid: US $299

Ease of Use: 10
Just turn the knobbies and use your ears.....

Sound Quality: 10
I read some of the reviews here and it seems a few people didn't read the sales lit. The POD is for direct recording and it is really good at it. It may not sound exactly like MY amp but can sound like just about any amp I've heard recorded at a really good studio. I line it in direct to my aardvark 20/20 (10 track digital recording PCI card)twist the knobbies till I like it and punch it in. I've used a Strat, Les Paul, and a Rick with it with good results. It seems to like guitars with 10's better than 9's (string gauge). The 10's give more signal to work with and it will reward you with a much fatter tone. If your guitar amp doesn't sound like a great stereo don't bother trying to line it in to play live; You will be disapointed. Same's true for a PA. Most PA's are loud not really pristinely clean. The soundriver midi software is junk. It is very fussy about your midi port. It works fine on some (el cheapo soundblaster cards) and not at all on others (ensonics audio PCI). The fx can sound a bit extreme but in the mix hold there own pretty nicely.. Hell what really good fx isn't extreme??

Reliability: 4
Gig with it? You must be joking!!!

Overall Rating: 10
God I love the 90's, where else can you get so many different usable sounds for peanuts. A decent digital delay in '82 was over $500. I've owned a ton of gear over the last 20 years and this is the best value I've ever seen for a new piece of equipment.

Submitted by Paul at 03/13/1999 16:08

Price Paid: US $250

Ease of Use: 8
Twirling the physical knobs on the POD isn't hard. The flexibility built into the MIDI software does impose a bit of a learing curve. Overall, the POD is easy to use given the number of parameters that you can tweak.

Sound Quality: 9
I've had one now for a couple of weeks. When I first got it, I messed with it for a while with headphones. I thought everything sounded thin and buzzy. Next, I tried it through a line-level input I had grafted onto my Bandmaster. It still sounded harsh. It also lacked the "electricity" of a good tube amp. I was preparing to send it back.
Finally, I tried running it through the guitar input on the Bandmaster. I set the amp pretty much like the manual suggests: middle dimed and bass off, but I cracked the treble to about 2 instead of turning it off as well.
Ah, much better. Running into the Bandmaster's front end homogenizes the models somewhat, so they don't sound exactly like the real thing, but several of them sound very good, and enough of their character remains to ameliorate temporarily one's lust for 20 different amps. The Bandmaster pre-amp tamed the harshness and gave the models the punch they otherwise lacked.
I got a MIDI interface up and running and started poking around the several POD parameters that are inaccessible via the physical knobs. Here's what I found:
First, the earlier reviewer who talks about needing the software to turn off the cab modeling was partially right. The POD has a slider switch to turn the A.I.R. processing off, but that only disables the room and mic emulations. You still get the speaker cab emulation. You need the software to turn the cab emulations off.
With the SoundDriver software you can create a library of the POD's 36 pre-sets, do whatever tweaking you want, save them to the POD's memory, dump 'em all, or just some. You can cut and paste presets to whatever location you want in the 36-patch memory. If you want to start over, you can return the POD to its original factory pre-sets by powering up while holding down a couple buttons.
With the software, you can also assign any of of about 10 or so different cabs--or no cab at all--to a given amp model. This, of course, makes the number of tonal options grow by a factor of ten. I nixed the cab settings on all the presets, but only after having saved 'em all to disk. When I decided I didn't like some of the models without the cab emulation, I copied the saved versions back into the POD. Once you get the hang of the software, it couldn't be easier. Some amp models (e.g., BF Deluxe) improved with the cab emulation off, but others lost their distinctive character (e.g., Plexi & JTM45).
A few criticisms: The patch volume knobs (actual and virtual) are not really very effective. For example, you can turn off the volume on most of the patches and lots of sound still comes through. This makes it difficult to balance the gain on certain patches. Some of the models are surprisingly weak gainwise. The more overdriven models (e.g. Soldano SLO) are really soft compared to, say, the Marshall models.
You'll probably also need to mess around with the noise gate a bit. At rehearsal I ended up turning it off because it tends to cut off the ends of notes rather abruptly. Some of the patches can be noisy without the gate.
The compressor is a notch-style deal: that is, you get 3 or 4 levels of compression, but in stair-step increments. On the higher gain models, use the compressor and you can forget about controlling distortion by rolling down the guitar's volume pot and/or softening pick attack. I really can't do without that, so I found myself nixing the compressor. I suppose that problem will end when I get a footswitch happening. The floorboard goes for about $200, but it allows you to control just about the every POD parameter, including wah and volume. It would be too much pedal for me, but I would like the volume and wah pedals, which you don't get with the $75 low-end floor switch.
One model that I liked right out of the box, but haven't been impressed with since, is the Dumble ODS. It sounds harsh and buzzy. It definitely is not the Robben Ford-type Dumble. Bummer, since it sounds like the AX2's is.
So far, I like the BF Deluxe Reverb, Plexi, and

Reliability: 8
It's all metal, so I wouldn't consider it very fragile. It's a little computer, however, so if it breaks I assume you'd have to install all new guts. The model I have doesn't have the tremolo software bug reported by earlier purchasers.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't contacted 'em.

Overall Rating: 10
I play in a cover band. We cover everything from classic rock to country. Like I said, for $250, you can't go wrong.

Submitted by Carlos Holguin at 03/13/1999 13:04