Line 6 Pod HD Quick Guide - Revision history

Meambobbo at 05:31, 25 February 2016

2016-02-25T05:31:36Z

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Meambobbo: /* EQ Effects Roundup */

2016-02-25T05:27:29Z

‎EQ Effects Roundup

Meambobbo: /* Distortion Effects Roundup */

2016-02-25T05:25:50Z

‎Distortion Effects Roundup

Meambobbo: /* Cabs/Mics Roundup */

2016-02-25T05:24:00Z

‎Cabs/Mics Roundup

Meambobbo: /* High-Gain Amp Roundup */

2016-02-25T05:21:26Z

‎High-Gain Amp Roundup

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Meambobbo: /* Quirks */

2016-02-25T05:18:52Z

‎Quirks

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Meambobbo: /* Single Lines = Stereo Signals */

2016-02-25T05:15:14Z

‎Single Lines = Stereo Signals

Meambobbo: /* Single Lines = Stereo Signals */

2016-02-25T05:14:35Z

‎Single Lines = Stereo Signals

Meambobbo: /* Quirks */

2016-02-25T05:13:50Z

‎Quirks

Meambobbo: /* Quirks */

2016-02-25T04:59:04Z

‎Quirks

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 === Q Filter ===
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 Probably the best way to pre-eq an amp or distortion effect. Use as band-pass with low Q to boost the amp. Dial in the frequency you want with the mix level you want. Increase Q to make the tone sound more focused but it'll start sounding more like a wah pedal as you go higher. Gain compresses the frequencies - this can help draw out the focused frequencies at lower levels or add more saturation to a distorted tone but can kill too much dynamics if too high.
 === Parametric EQ ===
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 The Lows and Highs parameters control shelf filters with fixed Q and cutoff frequency. They can help even out a tone, but don't rely too much on them. Frequency goes from 60 Hz to ~ 5000 Hz, with ~900 Hz at 50%. Low Q = wide boost/cuts, high Q = narrow. This effect is very useful for narrow cuts, to remove a fizz or harsh spot. It also works well for pre-EQ'ing, as you can dial in a nice mid-range hump in the exact sweet spot to get the distortion tone you want. It's also useful if you need to adjust a nice chunk of frequencies that fit between any two of the amp EQ controls. I find I often boost the punch or warmth that lies between the bass and mids knobs.
 === Mid-Focus EQ ===
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 This is useful to trim or roll-off the high and low ends of the tone. This is useful for both pre-EQ'ing and post-EQ'ing. I find it's necessary when using the SM57 on axis mic, especially with the Hiway 4x12, to get rid of the crackly high-end. The Gain parameter is a final output level, and has no control over how much filtering the EQ actually does. 50% Q is a quick drop off. Moving the Q higher will make the drop-off steeper, but also ends up boosting at the cut-off frequency (which may produce the opposite effect that you intended). 0% Q is a gradual roll-off. HP freq goes from 0-525 Hz; LP goes from 500-18,000 Hz - this is the only EQ that lets you really fine-tune the ultra high-end.
 === Studio EQ ===
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 Basically two parametric EQ's, but you cannot control Q (which is set to be quite wide) and have a limited number of center frequencies to choose from. It is most useful as a post-EQ to balance the tone when you need to get in between the amp's bass/mids/presence/treble controls. The Gain parameter boosts/cuts independent of the filtering, so I actually like this effect for a clean boost or otherwise to adjust the signal level without regard to EQ'ing.
 === Graphic EQ ===
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 -band graphic EQ. Notice the highest adjustable frequency is 2200 Hz. This EQ is not suitable for fine-tuning presence or treble after the amp. It works best for pre-EQ'ing. Also, notice that even with completely neutral settings, it tends to brighten the signal a tad. It is useful where you want a W or otherwise irregularly-shaped curve - if you just want a simple hump or valley, use the Parametric EQ.
 === 4-band Shift EQ ===
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 I never use this. It's kind of awkward and covers a lot of the same ground as the amp's bass/mids/presence/treble controls. See the [[Line_6_Pod_HD_EQ#4_Band_Shift_EQ|EQ Page]] for more details.

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 === Line 6 Drive ===
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 Probably the best all-around Distortion effect. The distortion tone is great - not too much bite or anything off-putting about it. And for using it to EQ the tone, the Mids parameter acts as a center frequency, not a boost/cut. This lets you dial in the specific center frequency you want to boost an amp with.
 === Tube Drive ===
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 This is probably the most natural-sounding distortion effect. It basically adds an extra gain-stage to whatever amp you're using, although it can produce a nice distortion all on its own. I use it in front of a Plexi, and with various settings, this produces good Rhoads, Slash, and EVH tones. It has decent headroom, so you can use it as a basic compressor. It has bass/mids/treble controls that make it a good filter for pre-EQ'ing.
 === Screamer ===
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 Similar to the Tube Drive, it makes a good pre-EQ choice. I don't use it as a standalone distortion. It has a unique frequency response and compression that makes it ideal for modern metal - you get a djenty presence from it. It won't get 100% clean even at 0% drive, but it's dirt tends to get incorporated into the distortion tone of whatever amp you feed it into. It's also a bit scratchier and colder than the Tube Drive.
 === Classic Distortion ===
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 This can sometimes makes a good pre-EQ filter, but is difficult to control on the bass side, often coming out too scoooped. The Filter control requires experimentation to understand. The Treble control seems to effect very high frequencies and things can get harsh when boosted. I try to keep it at 50%. It will get clean at 0% Drive, and makes a decent compressor. I prefer to use the Tube Drive as a standalone distortion. I would try this out where the Tube Drive and Screamer just aren't working for some reason.
 === Line 6 Distortion ===
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 I use this as a standalone distortion, when I want a very tight, very distorted tone, similar to a Boss Metal Zone. I'll actually pre-EQ this effect, to dial in exactly the distortion I want. In this sense, it's like having an additional high-gain amp, but you have to pair it with the right amp to get a good tone out of it. I like the Park 75, as it seems to deliver a more natural frequency response than some other amps. Also the Divided by 13 works well.
 === Overdrive ===
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 I actually like to use this for a standalone distortion. Pre-EQ'ing a little bass in front gives it a nice warm fuzz tone, and it's not wonky like a lot of the other fuzzes.
 === Facial Fuzz ===
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 I use this as a part boost/part standalone distortion into a Plexi for a Hendrix tone. It's got that strange dynamic response you need for that kind of tone. By itself it's a bit much for my tastes. As a filter with mild gain, it's not really doing that much. I use medium gain and output, and let the Plexi add its distortion flavor on top the response.
 === Others ===
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 The others sound too wonky to me. The Muff in particular sounds like you're playing through damaged electronics, but maybe I'm just not using it right.

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 === Hiway 4x12 ===
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 This is my go-to cab. Of all the 4x12's, it seems to be the only one that sounds like real guitar speakers. It's got a well-defined midrange and high-end - nothing sounds washed out. I like to use it with the SM 57's, preferably on axis. It can be a little harsh on the high end, but that's easily filtered out by the Mid-Focus EQ. When I use dual cabs, I always make this one of the cabs. I like to reduce the Res. Level DEP a bit to make it even crispier.
 === XXL V30 4x12 ===
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 Something sounds a bit off on this cab by itself, like the mids and highs are a little washed out. Boosting Res Level DEP up a bit helps bring out some mids. Still, the main draw of this cab is its huge low-end response. It's very punchy, making it great for a metalcore tone. But it can also be a little too boomy, requiring EQ to remove some low-end drone. By itself, the 409 Dyn mic tends to help bring out a decent high-end response from it. I like to use it in combination with the Hiway in a dual cab configuration using a SM 57 mic.
 === Other 4x12 ===
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 The Greenbacks and Treadplate cabs have a high quality to them, but they're not as good as the Hiway. The Greenbacks do have a more unique sound, which is worth experimenting with. The Treadplate is very bright and louder than the other cabs, which needs to be compensated for. The Blackbacks and T-75 cabs sound fake and not worth using to me, but they also have their own unique tones which are worth exploring. The T-75's might be good for a vintage tone. The Uber cab is good, but it's kind of in no-man's land. I'd use it for the same applications I'd use the Hiway or Treadplate for, but the Hiway is better. It does have a better low-end response than many of the cabs though, and is a good conservative choice.
 === Other cabs ===
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 I like to use the Fender 2x12 for my Fender cleans, and for vintage tones, sometimes the G-12H sounds nice, but otherwise, I don't mess with these. Most of them sound thin and harsh, excpet for the PhD, which sounds a bit lacking in the mids/presence department.
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 === SM 57's ===
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 The SM57 on axis is my go-to mic. By itself it can be a little bright, but it works well in a dual cab config when using the XXL as one of the cabs. It can also be EQ'ed to add in the punch and warmth it initially appears to be missing. The reason I like this mic so much is because it seems to have the least amount of noise, so all you hear is rich guitar tone. It can be a little harsh on the high end, but that's easily filtered out by the Mid-Focus EQ. The off axis variant is a little more buzzy than crisp-sounding. On its own it sounds more like a real guitar tone than the on-axis, but with EQ'ing I find they can be quite similar. I prefer the on-axis because the off axis seems to be a touch noisier and less focused in the high end.
 === Dynamic Mics ===
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 The dynamic mics sound a bit more scooped than the SM57's, and can sound a bit more aggressive in the high-end. They're also a little noisier. I prefer the 409, but I occasionally use the 421 but only in a dual cab config.
 === Other mics ===
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 I do like the 121 for dual cab configs to blend its rich midrange with the SM57's bite.  Other mics are too noisy for my tastes. The '67 Condensor isn't bad tonally, but is just too noisy compared to alternatives. I might try these out for a clean or vintage tone, but I ignore them for a modern distorted tone.

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 All the lines you see in the Pod editor's signal path and in the HD Edit software are stereo signals, including each for Channels A and B. You do not need to use both Channel A and B to get stereo functionality.