LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP REVIEW
Posted on Thu 19 April 2012 in entries
You can read more reviews like this, along with Tony’s productions at his personal site -> Tony Long Music.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - INTRODUCTION
The Line 6 POD range has been around for quite a few years now and has been a source of great effects and amp modelling both off stage and in the studio for many bands and artists. Based in California, this company now boast a new POD HD range with five models; the POD HD Desktop, POD HD300, POD HD400, POD HD500 and the POD HD PRO.
I have managed to get my hands on a POD HD Desktop (known as 'the Bean'), which was announced at Musikmesse 2011, but unfortunately I am not a Guitarist, so I will have to review the HD Desktop from the point of view of someone who is wanting to make use of effects for studio/production purposes and perhaps look at the possibilities of using it with my keyboards. Fortunately for me, the POD HD Desktop is mainly aimed at the studio user and has not been designed for the live-playing guitarist who needs good LCD visibility and stomp-box type foot pedals to effortlessly change effects, whilst in full flow of their Blackmore-type solo.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Line 6 POD HD Desktop - The Bean"]
](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/guitar-department-45/effect-pedals-454/guitar-amp-modelling-4543/line-6-pod-hd-bean-desktop-guitar-amp-modeller-44717)[/caption]
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - WHAT'S IN THE BOX AND WHAT DO I WANT FROM IT?
Things have moved on quite a bit since the original desktop POD was conceived, so the Line 6 guys took full advantage of the latest DSP technology when developing their new HD range. Such improvements have led to Line 6 making a number of bold statements, including claiming that their HD range offers ten times more computing power than the originals!
As I start to unpack the POD HD Desktop from its box, I can't wait to find out if I can produce amp models that behave exactly like the real thing! I'm just hoping that it makes finding the 'right' guitar sound for a particular recording situation, as easy as possible, regardless of whether or not it is perfect recreation of the original.
The great thing about having a unit like this is surely the ability to audition from a vast choice of sounds, in order to find what works best for your needs. As I open the deep red and black box, on top of the cardboard protection is a small manual called the 'Pilot's Handbook'. This guide is a starting point to using the POD HD Desktop, but you can download a 109-Page advanced guide from the Line 6 website.
The small lightweight POD comes complete with a PC-3 power adaptor, optional socket attachments and a USB lead. It is no longer the famous bright red colour but it now displays a rather professional looking black finish with white and gold writing. You can also get a POD mounting stand as an optional extra, which can either sit on your desktop or mounts on top of a mic stand.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - WHAT AMPS WERE MODELLED?
As a result of the free firmware update, the amount of amp models available in the POD HD Desktop has increased from 16 to 22. You get a very detailed and different sound from each amp and with the Amp Edit facility, you can adjust the early reflections and the type of microphone being used, which include some old favourites like the Shure SM57 and Royer 121 ribbon mic.
For those of you who simply must know the answer to the burning question as to exactly what Amps were modelled, then here is the full 22 HD model list:-
1. Bogner Uberschall
2. Divided by 13 JRT 9/15
3. Dr. Z Route 66
4. ENGL Fireball 100
5. Fender Bassman
6. Fender Bassman ('Vibrato' channel)
7. Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb
8. Fender Blackface Deluxe Reverb ('Vibrato' channel)
9. Fender Twin Reverb
10. Fender Twin Reverb ('Vibrato' channel)
11. Gibson EH-185
12. Hiwatt Custom 100 (DR103)
13. Line 6 Elektrik
14. Marshall JCM-800 (2204)
15. Marshall JTM-45 MkII
16. Marshall JTM-45 MkII ('Normal' channel)
17. Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
18. Park 75
19. Park 75 ('Normal' channel)
20. Supro S6616
21. Vox AC-15
22. Vox AC-30 (Top Boost)
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - GETTING STARTED
You have to remember that the bean-shaped POD HD is a desktop model and is really more suited for the studio than for live performance purposes. However, whilst the compact size of the POD HD makes it great for this purpose, its controls are still meaty enough for an enjoyable hands-on experience with it's positioned on your studio desk.
The POD HD Desktop has a nice user-friendly layout, ladened with all the knobs that you would expect on a traditional guitar amplifier. These controls form a half-moon shape at the top of the unit, which circle around the central LCD. The eight main knobs are very solid and the POD HD Desktop gives you controls for: Drive, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, Tweak, Volume and Master. The Tweak knob was not available on previous models but it can be assigned to either an amplifier sound or an effect and used to modify parameters in real time.
Down each side of the screen, the POD HD Desktop has navigation controls for Save, View, Enter and Move. On top of the 'Save/View' buttons is a smaller knob that tells you that you can cycle through the Presets or 'Press' to bring up Set Lists.
On top of the 'Enter/Move' buttons there is the main navigation control to move Up, Down, Left or Right. Below the screen are four multi-function knobs that allow you to adjust the Effect or Amp parameters, then below these are seven square buttons. The first allows you to navigate through all 16 preset banks in the currently selected Set List. You then have A, B, C and D buttons to select any of the four presets in the current bank and then finally, you have the 'Tap' button for tempo-synchronising, but if you hold it, you can access the Tuner to tune to the standard 440 Hz (or if you want any different tunings you can actually tune between 425-455 Hz).
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Line 6 POD HD Desktop"]
](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/guitar-department-45/effect-pedals-454/guitar-amp-modelling-4543/line-6-pod-hd-bean-desktop-guitar-amp-modeller-44717)[/caption]
I have also briefly mentioned that the POD HD Desktop has a 'Set List' function. Here you can save up to eight of them with 64 presets per list - excellent!
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - LOOPER AND DUAL TONE
The POD HD Desktop also has a Loop facility; however I think that this works better on the other models where you can control it with your feet. You can access the Looper by means of an alternative use of the A, B, C, D and Bank Up and Down buttons. You get either 48 seconds of mono recording time in Half-Speed mode, or 24 seconds of recording at normal speed. You can overdub and layer in real time as many times as you want, and it is great fun to try this out with vocals, especially if you make your own vocal percussion sounds. You also get something called 'Dual Tone', whereby you can play through two rigs at once. Using this, you can route your guitar signal through two different chains of models or pan them hard left and right.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - THEY DO IT FOR EFFECT
The effects on this unit are just endless and there are 109 of them, which Line 6 have taken from their M9 and M13 effects boards. I found that more often than not, adding just one effect is not enough because you want to layer effects to give you endless sonic possibilities. Well, with the POD HD Desktop you can use up to eight simultaneous effects and you can select from a vast range of absolute gems to sculpt your sound.
The effect chain is controlled from the central LCD screen, but the POD HD Desktop offers far more flexibility that just lining up effects, for example, you can insert two amp models into your signal path and pan them left and right. These functions are accessed via the Signal Flow view, and they are controlled with the multi-function knobs below the LCD.
The addition of the 4-way Navigation pad allows you to effortlessly move an amplifier or effect into the desired position, or loop in the signal chain. You get 19 delays, which include Analogue and Digital, Tape and Sweep Echoes, Ping Pong, Echo Platters, Tube, Reverse, Multi-Head, Low Res, Stereo, Dynamic and Auto Volume. There is also a fantastic choice of delays; I have to watch that I don't repeat myself! I really like the Multi-Head delay, which is apparently modelled on the sound created by the multiple playback heads of the Roland RE-101 Space Echo. I used this to enhance one of the guitar sounds in my Korg Triton and it made such a difference and really brought the sound to life.
The Dynamic Delay also worked exceptionally well. It has a handy ducking control to keep the delays from overwhelming what I was playing, which I think is so important when you are using delay effects. Line 6 got inspired by those clever guys at TC Electronics, who created the 2290 Dynamic Digital Delay.
Moving on to the Modulation Effects, there are 23 of these to keep you busy with deciding which one is best for your needs! Here you have some gritty sweeping Flangers, jumbo jet Phasers, warm, larger than life Chorus effects, Tremelo's inspired by famous guitar amps like the Vox AC15 and Fender's Blackface 64 Deluxe Reverb Amp. There is also a Ring Modulator and a Frequency Shifter to add some weird and wonderful elements to your sound, not forgetting of course, a couple of Rotary effects.
Well you can't have fun on a guitar without Distortion and you have 17 here, consisting of Classic Tubes, Overdrives, Fuzz, Big Muff, Buzz Saw, Colourdrive, Octaves and Screamers. I think my favourite here is the biting sound of the Ibanez Tube Screamer.
Six essential Compressors, five EQs and a Noise Gate are also included with the POD HD Desktop. And no, we are not done yet because there are also 26 filters, comprised of 7 different types of Wah filter, Throbbers, Voice Boxes, Growlers, Wave-Shapers, Cry Babies, Q-Filters, Pitch Shifters, Chrome and a Wammy!
Lastly are the 12 lush Reverbs, which include the gorgeous 1963 brown spring-reverb head, a Lux Spring, a Line 6 original (that turns your chords into a modulated pad), the standard Room, Chamber, Hall, Plate, Cave, Echo reverbs, a tiled bathroom or shower and a Ducking reverb (where the volume goes down while you play and back up when you stop). What a great choice! I love them all but I think that my personal favourite is the harmonised decay of the Octo Reverb.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - SOUND
A guitarist friend of mine owns the old red Bean - the Line 6 POD XT. He has kept it in great condition and up-to-date so we did a comparison of how they both sounded and we both agreed that the new POD HD Desktop was a big improvement. The sounds were clearer, brighter and fuller. I guess this is why they call it 'High Definition'.
My friend thought that the Effects section had the greatest amount of improvement over the XT and after trying out the HD's assortment of goodies with his Fender Strat, I think he wanted to take my HD home with him - sorry no can do! He did however comment on the amount of Amp models. He could not understand why there were 32 Amp Models on his XT, but only 22 on the newer HD and was a little put out that some of his old favourites had vanished in the POD HD Desktop. I guess that you need to make compromises with any product though.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - PLUG IN A MICROPHONE
I decided to try the POD HD Desktop with a microphone and a set of headphones. I put some distortion and some reverb on my voice and it sounded great! There are also some presets readily available for vocals, including some excellent synthy robotic sounds.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - POD HD EDITOR AND LIBRARIAN
Line 6 allow you to download an Editor and Librarian for your POD HD Desktop. This application is very handy, allowing you to see what is going on in your POD HD on a large computer screen. Using this software you can easily edit all of the parameters for Amp, Preamp and Effects models, manage and store hundreds of Presets and Set Lists, as well as create, edit and back them up. You can also share your own POD HD presets or download from a huge library of artist and user presets. These are all available on the Line 6 CustomTone site.
What I like about the Editor is that it allows you to see the Signal Flow Panel in great detail. The pictures used on the visual display means that it is really easy to understand what is being used and how it is working. Also, if you add an effects model in the software, you will then see it on the hardware and visa-versa and this is all as easy to achieve as a simple drag-and-drop procedure.
When you wish to update your POD HD, you need to use the free application called 'Line 6 Monkey'. This app will automatically let you know about Firmware and Driver updates etc. Line 6, at time of writing have just released another update - Version 2.02, which includes two guitar amp models, the world's first HD bass amp model (with eight mic model choices) and a new vintage-voiced mic preamp model - it just keeps getting better!
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - RECORDING
When you are recording with your DAW, you can configure the sample rate from 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz. You don't have to worry about latency because the driver software allows for the signal to be split and sends one signal to the computer and the other directly out of the main outputs and headphone jack. The output is fixed at 24-bit.
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Line 6 POD HD Desktop - Back"]
](https://www.absolutemusic.co.uk/store/guitar-department-45/effect-pedals-454/guitar-amp-modelling-4543/line-6-pod-hd-bean-desktop-guitar-amp-modeller-44717)[/caption]
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - CONNECTIONS
The POD HD Desktop gives you a good range of connections with its 1/4-inch mono guitar/bass input, stereo 1/4-inch balanced outs, USB 2.0, S/PDIF out for a 24-bit version of the direct signal, a 1/4-inch headphone jack, an XLR mic input and a jack for connection to a Line 6 foot controller. The unit is designed for guitarists or bassists with its mono instrument input, but I wish it also accepted a stereo input for keyboard players, but this will not bother the majority of buyers.
LINE 6 POD HD DESKTOP - CONCLUSION
The Line 6 POD HD Desktop is a great value unit for your studio, giving you a convenient solution for your amp simulation and effects with a lot of choice right at your fingertips. All of the processing takes place in the internal DSP engine, taking the strain away from your computer when recording. The Line 6 POD HD Desktop is far superior to software alternatives and provides exceptional models of many great stomp boxes. I don't really think it is there to replace guitar hardware, but from a portable, instant choice point of view, it is a remarkable piece of kit.
Taking the quality of the effects into account, the free editor and librarian and the means to create your own setups and Set Lists, you really do get a lot for your money here. If you are a guitarist then you can also use it for practice purposes with headphones. You can even make your guitar sound like a spooky old organ with it, if you want!
The Line 6 POD HD Desktop has been substantially updated a couple of times since its release, already providing further enhancements and facilities that you can download for free. Plus, if you find that you really do want to use your feet like on many other Stomp Boxes, then you do have the option to connect a foot controller, or alternatively, if you haven't purchased one yet, then you may want to have a look at the POD HD500.
For more information on the Line 6 POD HD Desktop, give us a call on 01202 597180 or click the link below:
Line 6 POD HD Desktop - More Info/Buy
Line 6 POD HD300 - More Info/Buy