line6 pod xt live

[wilkinsi]

i have a boss gt-8 but lots o' people are raving about the pod xt live. has anyone tested it? is there anything i can do with it that i can't with the gt-8 besides hook up via usb and variax? i tried the line6 site but the samples sound like cheesy emu proteus 2000 synth demos

[Dreamland_Rebel]

you can actually do a little more with the gt-8.
i use the line 6.

[BTB007]

I've been through two XTLs. I bought a second one when I bought a Variax to use the acoustic setting. But, never really cared for the actual Variax guitar.
I just bought a Digitech GNX3000 and it came loaded with the supermodels on it. I have a few JSX settings that are the best sounding patches I've ever heard. And, the acoustic simulator sounds maybe 85% as close as the Variax and XTL.
I'd say if you don't intend on buying a Variax, stick with the GT8.

[Twisteramps]

Had an XTL, liked it, Own a GT-8, Love it.

Pete

[hammer84]

IMHO, nobody has better sounding amp models than Line6. I'm talking amp models with no effects. They just seem to react more like real amps do when you use the volume knob and amp controls.

The Boss stuff is the uber-sh*t when it comes to effects. Pick your poison, don't think you can wrong with either.

I chose the Line6 stuff for thereason above and I thought it was alot quieter unit.

[Firebird V]

I got a xt recently and I like it so far. But I also got the variax too so...

I have already ordered a body from warmoth and I had a neck from them that I am going to built my own strat from. The lower line variax just didnt do it for me. I like the sounds from it but the neck and body were low quality.

I like the line 6 as a stand alone without the variax too but I think it needs a little more tweaking right out of the box than the Boss. If you are looking at it as a unit to record with and plug into a PA for gigs/ only want to bring the pedal and one guitar than the L6 w/ the variax IMO is better suited for that than the Boss. To my ears the line 6 sounds more like an amp too.

[i8guitar]

Take this into consideration:

When I was trying to decide between the XTL and GT-8, one of the main considerations was, how will this work in a live setting for me? I sing and play at the same time, and tend to feel around on the floor with my foot without looking to make my patch changes, so I don't lose eye contact with the audience and my mic. The bigger and wider spaced buttons on the GT-8 worked much better for my size 13 feet, which are generally wearing some sort of clunky boot.

[Firebird V]

Yeah. the pod is a bit tight. I used it at practice the other night and I made some bad changes because of the location of the buttons and dials.

[Newc]

Does the GT-8 have a rocker pedal? I didn't really care for having to stomp the XTL pedal to activate the Wah (but then I didn't care for the Wah on it either )

Also, which one has more effect options? I'm assuming Boss since they are the undisputed kings of effects. I wanted more control (and more effects) than the XTL gave. The amps sounded nice and all, and with the Variax I could go from Black Sabbath to Led Zeppelin to Megadeth with one guitar (even all the downtuned and open tuned stuff) but I couldn't get past the idea of not having the total effects control I have with my rack.

[Twisteramps]

Newc - The GT8 has an intelligent harmonizer, and more (in my opinion) useful effects. You can also toggle the wah off and on with a switch, or turn it on like the XTL does with a stomp.

The XTL upgrade to 2.5 improved the hell out of the wah tones though. However, you can do some vetta-like tricks with the GT8, including two amps at once, which is nice. The GT8 will also allow you to set up two different 'amp' channels per patch, and either footswitch between them or allow your dynamics to control which channel is activate. it's pretty spiffy.

Pete

[Firebird V]

Cool. Info is always good. Thanks Pete. I am nailed to the line because of the Variax though. I need to be able to do all the detune stuff and switch guitars in a matter of seconds. I wish the Boss unit had an input for the Variax.

I just ordered a body (variax strat) from Warmoth. I cant wait to get it. I have a few Warmoth necks that are killer players and I cant wait to set them up for it.

[Twisteramps]

The Pod XTL is a great choice, and pretty much the only way to go if you are doing the variax thing. What sealed the deal for me on the GT8 was the intelligent harmonizer and the '4 cord' method where you can move the preamp section of your head anywhere in the chain. That way you can have the wah and boost pedals in front of the amp, or any other effects. It's really nice. But to L6's credit, the XTL sounds good and their software support is light years beyond Boss or any other modelling company IMHO.

Pete

[wilkinsi]

i'm not contemplating ridding myself of the GT-8, noooo way! I was thinking of getting an XTL being as I have two guitars, but was curious as to whether I'd be able to get something "indigeneous" or special out of the XTL. I briefly heard someone demo it and the patch he was using had a really sweet delay to it. I did demo the MAC/PC pod thing ("...200") but found it's editing abilities to be very limited. I've never liked the harmonizer on the GT-8 and rarely ever have a use for it anyway. I was however disappointed when I found out I couldn't transfer GT-6 patches to the GT-8.

[Twisteramps]

i'm not contemplating ridding myself of the GT-8, noooo way! I was thinking of getting an XTL being as I have two guitars, but was curious as to whether I'd be able to get something "indigeneous" or special out of the XTL. I briefly heard someone demo it and the patch he was using had a really sweet delay to it. I did demo the MAC/PC pod thing ("...200") but found it's editing abilities to be very limited. I've never liked the harmonizer on the GT-8 and rarely ever have a use for it anyway. I was however disappointed when I found out I couldn't transfer GT-6 patches to the GT-8.

The harmonizer is going to vary widely depending on where it is in your signal chain. You're going to get a lot better tone putting it towards the end after the preamp. I'd have to fire up my GT8 to see where I put it in the chain, likely after the preamp but before delay effects (chorus, flange, delay, 'verb).

If you put the harmonizer before the preamp, it will sound like shit. Nothing sounds as good as two guitars (ok, maybe one of the high dollar Eventide units) but for live work, the GT8 sounds great and I get a lot of compliments on the harmonies, believe it or not.

Pete

Pete

[Firebird V]

How well does it track Pete? I've had just about all the pedals that do it but was never really satisfied with it because they always had a lag to them. For doing Boston or things that were long and drawn out they did a great job but if you were doing say... Yngwie, THey were always a few milliseconds behind and it really mudded up after a few seconds. It has been a few years since I have owned anything that was designed for that. Did they get it right?