PODxt vs. Vox ToneLab

i am trying to start up a studio in my house and i was wondering what was better.. the PODxt or the Vox ToneLab.. they are the same price, so that isnt an issue.. from what i've seen the ToneLab is rated better, but i wasnt quite sure. Is there anybody who has experience with both? any help would be appreciated

thanks

I have experience only with a POD (2.0). They're ok, nice for recording but not the real deal of course. From what I've heard around the guitar forums, the Vox Tonelab is the best modeler available. It uses a 12AX7 circuit to emulate the characteristics of a real tube power section.

I've not tried the newer POD XT but I've also heard good things about it. As you may well know, both the POD XT and Tonelab are available in desktop and footpedal configurations. Maybe your best option, if you can, is to try before you buy.

My guess, as a guitar player of 23 years, is that you'll probably be happier with the Tonelab due to the tube circuitry. Good luck!

okay, thanks.

anyone else have any hands on experience with both?

thanks, see ya.

I like the Tonelab

I've had both but I kept the tonelab. It even sounds cool in front of an amp live.

I demo'd both the XT and Tonelab at a guitar center a few months ago. Tonelab kicks the crap out of the XT in every way, shape and form. Tonelab is, so far, the best direct modeled guitar amp sim on the market right now... at least according to my ears.

Cloneboy Studio said:

I demo'd both the XT and Tonelab at a guitar center a few months ago. Tonelab kicks the crap out of the XT in every way, shape and form. Tonelab is, so far, the best direct modeled guitar amp sim on the market right now... at least according to my ears.

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I think it's more a matter of how you are using the PodXT and your ability to get the best sound out of it.

Read the "Pod for Homerecording" thread and find the post about the Pod sound that emulates EVH's sound. It sounds pretty close.

I've had both. The so-called tube response of the tonelab is ok, but doesn't rival the POD XT for that just-break up overdrive. The POD XT can do the same job of clean and distortion sounds throughout the whole spectrum with some tweaking. The Presets on both units suck, but tweaking each to the max I really think the POD XT has better capabilities. Another great feature of the POD XT that the Tonelab lacks is the USB connections which make recording on the PC a breeze and Line 6 has firmware upgrades every 6 months or so that seem to always make the POD XT sound better and better with more options.

The tube on the Tonelab looks neat and it is a great 'idea' but it doesn't translate as well into real tube sounds as good as you'd think it would.. Like I said, I've owned both and I kept the POD.... the XT just has far more potential than the Tonelab out of the box..

MarkIV123 said:

I've had both. The so-called tube response of the tonelab is ok, but doesn't rival the POD XT for that just-break up overdrive. The POD XT can do the same job of clean and distortion sounds throughout the whole spectrum with some tweaking. The Presets on both units suck, but tweaking each to the max I really think the POD XT has better capabilities. Another great feature of the POD XT that the Tonelab lacks is the USB connections which make recording on the PC a breeze and Line 6 has firmware upgrades every 6 months or so that seem to always make the POD XT sound better and better with more options.

The tube on the Tonelab looks neat and it is a great 'idea' but it doesn't translate as well into real tube sounds as good as you'd think it would.. Like I said, I've owned both and I kept the POD.... the XT just has far more potential than the Tonelab out of the box..

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That's kind of what I've been wondering.
From what I've read, the PODxt seems to have a bit more versatility than the Tonelab.

i haven't gotten the chance to play around with the tonelab yet but i would like to.

i think the advantage of the xt would be the ability to download new patches/effects. i don't see the point in using it to record to the computer. most people who are recording will already have an interface they can use to interact with the computer. and chances are the interface they are already using has better converters than the xt. i can't be for sure though as my only experience is with the original POD which was way too digital for my tastes.

I agree that the factory presets suck on both units. Tweaking on the Vox is a breeze if you have midi in & out on your computer. It comes with a cool software program called ToneLab Sound editor. Great easy to use program.
I think the ToneLab has better amp simulation. That's why I kept the ToneLab and returned the XT. You need to try both for yourself. It doesn't matter what we think.

Definately try them both out like I did. I thought the POD was squishy sounding, and the Vox acted more like a tube amp does. POD has more options, Vox had better tone and feel.

Honestly, both blow away what was available 4 years ago.

Before the XTs upgrade I would say the Tonelab had the upperhand,, Now,, It's reversed IMHO,,PodXT wins easily now

I haven't used either and won't. I use a J-Station for recording and it sux, but now since I have an awesome guitar setup, I'm going to record using my amp. From what I've heard other people say, the POD has been the flag carrier of the amp modelers. Solid state programming will come close to nailing tube tone, and probably will hit it one day in the near future, but why strive for being artificial when you can have the real thing. Now since VOX has introduced a tube in their first modeler I bet anything Line 6 will put one in their next POD product. Lots of companies are doing the tube thing now. Look at Marshall's AVT amps, and the host of boutique stompboxes available. Thats looking at it from a marketing perspective. I think at that point I will jump on the Line 6 wagon, and Line 6 being the leader in the field that it is will probably crush its competition.

~darknail

XTPro

I personally think the POD XTPRO is better than the Tone Lab...it's HG tones are sharper IMHO, plus the XTPRO has far more flexibility when it comes to stomps/FX, etc...

Here's a whole bunch of simple TONE SAMPLES I have recently done with the XTPRO...take a wee listen, and decide IF it's good enuff for you...

http://www.nowhereradio.com/artists/album.php?aid=2136&alid=-1

However, playing each unit is the only real way to tell for yourself.

KEV

If you have a decent computer you should checkout Native Instruments Guitar Rig modeling program.

Ive owned (and brought back to guitar center) both the PodXT AND the Tonelab and the Guitar Rig Sounds so much better and is so much easier to configure. It even come with its own USB footpedal preamp.

I use the Blue Robbie tube mic preamp into guitar rig and its definitely sounds genuine and tube like.

If your using software to record Guitar Rig wil intergrate as a plugin and really give you easy and great sounding recording. The cabinet and micing quality alone is extremely impressive.

If Guitar Rig wasnt an option i would stick with the Tonelab.

I personally like the Pod better for recording, but I have a Vox AD120 that kicks the crap out of any Line6 in a live setup. I have owned over 20 tube amps, mostly GOOD tube amps, and the AD120 is as good as most of the stuff out there with all tubes in it. And better than several all tube amps.

H2H

It even come with its own USB footpedal preamp.

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Are you sure you have used this? It doesnt come with a USB footpedal.

I've owned both (still own the Tonelab), and found the Tonelab to be much more faithful to the way the real amps that it emulates would sound. BUT, this is not what most people are looking for when they get a processor.

People seem to buy the POD to get the "radio-ready" sound, compression, FX, whatever, and that's generally what it gives. I've talked to many people who think that the POD is best, and if you want something that's easy to use, and gives you a "predictable" sound, go for it. When I owned it, I didn't go too deep into editing, since I wasn't entirely happy with it's sound to begin with.

The Tonelab, on the other hand, has really blown my mind with the way it sounds. Instead of the Hit Single sound, you are given a nice selection of amp models that sound like the amps after they've been miced up, but before any post processing. I like this better, because even though my gear isn't top of the line, this feature, or whatever you'd call it, makes it feel like I'm working with a real amp, so I can use much of the knowledge I gained from working with real amps, which in turn gives me a much better sound in the en d than the PODxt.


And before I ramble on forever, Snapper, Guitar Rig does come with a USB footpedal (and honestly, I think it does sound better than both the POD and Tonelab, but can be a pain due to CPU usage)

I guess I should've also mentioned in my post above that I've owned both... Got rid of em both and am extremely happy with my V Amp Pro