Confused about POD/Tonelab Use

[CasitaCoolin]

Hi All!

I'm a bit confused about all of the rhetoric surrounding using a modeller such as a POD or Tonelab. :toobad

Most folks will say that yes- these units provide great tone, and believable representation of the amps they model. Effects are good, balh, blah. Some argue over ease of use, but generally I find that most poeple like these units....FOR RECORDING, or playing/practicing at 'low volume'..
And, I even hear "don't run them through an amp- it will color the sound, etc"

Here is where my idiot brain starts to seize up..

I play through a HR Deville 212..and as you know, it can get pretty load, especially at practice time when I'm trying to be quiet! hehe

Now, I get a modeller because I am looking to expand my tonal library without buying 50 pedals, etc. Let's say I love the tones I can get with one...
OK, now it's time to go over to buddy's house and turn up the HRD a littleand jam to classic rock covers! woohoo! But- now I don't have the POD/Tonelab goin, so I lose the tones I liked?

Does this makes sense to anyone but me?

Bottom line- can you/do you utilize the modellers through a tube amp, in a live setting? Results?
I do use a toneBone for distortion, but I'm already wanting more tones, effects, etc. And the ToneBone sounds very "isolated" to me..The clean tube amp has alot more headroom to me..I dunno..

Anyone?...Bueller? hehehe!

Rick

[Rickenjangle]

Well, most of the modellers have some sort of switch (whether mechanical or software-based) that can turn off cabinet emulation. That is the real bugbear for running the pod/tonelab/jstation/what have you through an amp. In your case, I'd turn off cab emulation globally when you want to run the unit through the amp, and then make sure to run the output of the unit into the effects return of the amp. In effect, this makes the modelling unit the preamp and all you are getting from the amp is the clean power. This should sound pretty good, even if it's not as convincing as going direct to the recording equipment.

[Rickenjangle]

PS most of the guys here, including me, often get a little "vintage-snobby" from time to time. If you find something that works for you and you like the sound, then it doesn't matter as much what we think.

I myself use my J-station all the time at church, but I play direct into the PA with it and we use in-ear monitors. I've never used the J through an amp, 'cause when I play with the band I just find that pedals are easier. However, when I was in a alterna-pop/shoegazer band I used to use many pedals + a rack into two amps in stereo, so I understand the love of the infinite possibilities of the multiFx units...Sometimes it was just fun to see how badly I could goof up the sound...sometimes the result had a kind of raw, lo-fi beauty to it.

[Strat-Mangler]

I own a ToneLab and I am selling it, because I need the cash. Having said that, while I completely disagree that you can dial in a setting and automatically, people will go "That's a Marshall 1972 4x12!" or "That's a Super Reverb 1965!", the reality is that there a few useable tones that can be found in there.

With good headphones (Grado, etc...) the sound is pretty good. The ToneLab is very nice, because you can plug it into any stereo and it works right away! Very nice! These are very useful settings, but I have to be honest with you : I'd never contemplate playing live with it. It's just a very different sound than what I'd want.

I'm extremely descriminating when it comes to sound, so maybe I'll be in the minority, but I've never been fooled by a modeler... so far. I hope things change, because when they do, I'll be very excited at the possibilities.

Modelers are very practical, but there's too much of a big difference between a real tube amp and a modeler for now. As silly as it sounds, if you want a Marshall crunch, get yourself a Marshall. Clean Fender? Get yourself a Fender. Etc... It's expensive, but how many sounds do you want in the end? Do you want something that is just approximate anyway or the real thing?

[CasitaCoolin]

Thanks for the replys-

In reality- I don't really want the modeller for the "amp" stuff. I am more
interested in the multi effects part, such as flanger/chorus/different reverbs/
Delay, distortions, etc..

The amp models are fine, but I am playing through a tube now- and I like it! :)

I am more concerned with how the models and effects will work through my existing tube, rather than going through a PA setup. I know the "vintage" situation- and I'm partly witcha! I don't get the opportunity to let 'er rip that much- so I was just afraid of setting up a modeller, and liking a particular tone- then thinking "crap, I won't be able to replicate this live" er sumthin..

/remove Dunce cap..

Thanks again!

Rick

[clayville]

I read a pretty interesting and very long review over on thegearpage written by one of their admins, Scott Peterson, that compared the PodXT Live to the Tonelab pedal version. The guy seemed to know his stuff, and evaluated them both in a number of different areas that I found helpful.
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...ghlight=pod+xt

Later on, it turns out that live he ONLY uses the effects portion of the Pod, none of the amp sims. Basically replaced his rather full pedal board and found the ease of set-up a big plus, and the tones pretty good:
http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sh...;threadid=69426

Might help you.... might not. I bought a Pod last week, but wanted it solely for latenight headphone use.

[Bongolation]

I don't know why, but my modeler sounds absolutely horrible through headphones, and I'm using a $280 set of 'Studio Reference' AKG K-240DFs.

For every other use, it's fine. Go figure!