POD PRO or Mesa Boogie TRI-AXIS

[Montra]

hi there, well, guess i have enough money for a pod pro (around $800. bucks canadian), but i have tried to read up on as many threads about the pod as i could, it's suppose to be great for an all in one tool for recording but,,,,,,some folks out there are having concerns about volume's being weird when switching to diferent patches ( causes some concern for me since i'd also like to use it live through a little tube power amp, then into a cab . Then there is the quotes of it not having that "thing" that a tube amp has....most of these quotes were talking about the pod2.0, and not the pro rackmount. i usta have a marshal jmp-1 rackmount pre-amp, which i liked but it only gave me a few good tones (which is a good start anyways eh lol) but now i'm thinking of the rackmount midi 5 tube pre-amp by mesa boogie called the tri-axis.....i usta have a mark4 combo with an ev speaker in it a long time ago, i used to run it a hotter clean, then stomped on the orange boss distortion pedal for my crunch, then on top of that, i'd hit a boss eq stomp box to just boost my crunch for leads,,,it was awesome when run that way, but whenever i ran a boogie amp using there distortion tones, they always sounded chainsawy to me,,,,,,so there is yet another concern of mine,,,,,oh yeah, i guess the cost of the mesa tri-axis too,,,,,,but, it is true sometimes " u get what u pay for".......what do ya think?

[Gag]

Ahhh your a wank lol , Gag

[Gag]

hey how you doing? I finally got my comp back it still sucks I'm definitely going the analog route than comp route. Anyways I,ll call ya . Cheers Gag

[Krystof01]

What are you going to be using it for? I have a pod pro nut haven't tried the other out so couldn't compare. what's all this about noise between changing patches; do you mean noise actually changing the patches or the differing levels once changed. I can offer my advice if you ask a specific question regarding the pod pro.

[BBB]

I thought this thread was a joke or at least the answer would be a no-brainer, but you raise some legit concerns.

IMHO, I would get the TriAxis in a heartbeat, but I love the MegaBooger tone.

The reason you raise some legit concerns is because you apparently don't like the Mesa Boogie sound. If you had the Mark IV and couldn't get a IYHO good tone, you probably won't like the tone of the TriAxis. The TriAxis does pretty much everything the Mark IV preamp section does with the addition of the ability to do Recto tones and the ability to store numerious patches. If you don't like the Recto and didn't like the Mark IV, you probably won't be satisfied with the TriAxis.

The POD Pro could be useful for you live. I'm not a big fan of the POD's for many reasons, but if you want a wide variety of tones, it may be good for you. I personally use the SansAmp PSA-1 for the same reason. The reason being the ability to drastically tweak my tone and obtain many amp styles quickly that will work depending on the gig setting. By using an emulator live, I can obtain consistent tones without messing up the mix with overpowering stage volume. You may like this feature with the POD Pro.

All that being said, I still prefer my Mesa Boogie for raw tone. The POD Pro is not at the point where it can replace a good tube amp if you desire good tube amp tone and playing nuances.


Matt

[GONZO-X]

I PLAY BOOGIE.
i love boogie.

here's some people that use boogie.......

http://www.mesaboogie.com/US/Artists/artist_roster.htm

it's a rather impressive list, compare it with the pod pro roster.......
i'm guessing these people had the bucks to be able to really compare.........

[AlChuck]

From what I understand the POD Pro sounds identical to the bean-shaped standard POD, except that you can get a 24-bit S/PDIF digital signal into your soundcard from it, so you don't have to go through its own DACs to analog, out through cables, and then through your soundcard's ADCs to get it recorded... but I bet that's a pretty subtle difference.

[Montra]

lol gag, hey u beat me to it yaaaaa wanker lol, glad to hear yer up and running again, talk to ya soon.
hi krystof01,,,i meant when switching from a clean tone to a distorted one, some post i have been reading were pointing out that problem, it is a concern of mine if true.
BBB, no, i loved the mark4, don't get me wrong (it was probably one of the best tones i've experienced), but only when i ran it a hot clean, then using an external distortion,, but this was a long time ago, maybe 10 years i guess, i haven't tried any of the newer recter series or anything, i like a lot of the newer tones some of the bands r using, so i am now thinking of the tri-axis.
gonzo, yeah good link, i checked that list out a while ago, thanx for the post!!!
Alchuck,,,,kewl, i was really wondering if the extra $350. for the pod pro would be justified,,although it's a goal to have the perfect recording but, i doubt i ever will so i just want to get a good recording of a "GREAT SONG" er 2 , i would love to save the money buy just purchasing the pod2.0 bean, then later buying a good guitar pre amp for live kick-ass tone.....lots of food for thought, thanx guys peace.

[charger]

I don't understand the concern over volume changes. On any programmable preamp, you can save the volume with a patch, so it should be pretty easy to get the volumes right. However, setting patch volumes in headphones or at "living room" volume isn't going to work for stage volume.

That said, I have a POD, but not a POD pro. I love the little sucker. My buddy had a TriAxis, but we could never get a really great sound out of it. The problem we had was we were using it in a studio setting, direct, and it had a crap direct sound, which just happens to be the POD's forte. So if you get it, you're gonna need some kind of cab simulator, or an amp and a guitar cab to run it through, to get a decent recorded sound. Also, anyone who tells you it has the Rectifier sound is nuts, it's nowhere close. The Rectifier series must have an extra gain stage or something, because the TriAxis I have heard didn't really get far beyond a "modded Marshall" level of distortion.

If you really want a great sound, save your money and get a Rectifier, or the Line6 Vetta.

[Montra]

kewl charger, thanx for the reply, good to hear about the tri-axis, yeah the line6 vetta is new right?,,,,it will interesting to hear it, although i wonder how much it will cost,,,,,i remember playing a line6 head about 3 years ago, it was running through a marshall cab, but it was in a music store, and the volume was low, so it sounded awesome (but then again most do in the music store),,,,thing is, i can justify $425. canadian for say the pod2.0 for what it does, but any more money could i justify the pod pro, or the vetta, or even the tri-axis if i don't get a lot of variety,,,,,heck i'd paid $1400. bucks for something that stands it's own and i didn't have to have 3 diferent amps to lug, wouldn't we all eh,,,,,,,,yeah the programing the volume for each patch is a good point, but one thing i have learned from playing live is, what might sound even volume wise on stage when using guitar midi stuff, does not get to the soundman (or frontend if stage mixing) the same as say a marshall run hot clean, then stomping on a distortion box set at an equal volume level, there is something about that. through these posts u guys r posting, i think that i'll for now, get the pod2.0 so i can get the tunes to a satisfied degree then worry about checking out some kinda class A club amp to gig with...hopefully something small , maybe one of those Dr. Z amps with a few stomp boxes, i dun know, will check that out when i can......peace, and thanx again.

[enemyofthesun]

the mesa no questions.. i have had a pod and it sounds good but has no balls.

[Montra]

lol

[Krystof01]

The changes in volume. Charger is right, you can store the volumes. If you do get the pod pro make sure you hook it up to your pc so you can alter the patches in far greater detail than from the front panel. I also have the big floorboard which has a volume pedal on it to alter volume when I use it live.

[Montra]

yeah a volume pedal is a good thing to have, i usta have one about 10 er so years ago when playing country duo or trio gigs, geesh where did that volume pedal go? musta got better with my pinky i guess... )

[guhlenn]

If you use a boss distortion with a mark IV definately get the POD... The markIV is like the best tube tone around, especially for distortion... the triaxis isn't as good IMO

i have to add it's quite unbelievable that you get such a fine amplifier and then use two boss pedals to get your sound. I would add that in my perspective , you're setup sucks. But then again it's your setup. i think you'll like the pod more...

guhlenn

[BBB]

Interesting that you don't like the TriAxis as much as the Mark IV. Especially because it essentually does very similar routing as the Mark IV. It may be possible that you did not hear the TriAxis through a 2:90 and decent speakers.

I was also bewildered that someone would need extra pedals with a IV. Possibly Montra prefers a solid state tone overdriving a tube power amp. Eh... Montra may prefer the POD. However, I cannot personally recommend it over a Boogie.

[guhlenn]

It's not that i dislike the triaxis, it's just not as great as the heads it essentially is. i found it VERY hard to get good sounds out of the triaxis, although i have to admit i wasn't using a 2:90 at the time. so i might me thrown off by the ada microtube i was using at that time. (i used a custom 4x12" which is f*ckin great...)
I'm kind of biased as i always seem to notice a little more livelyhood in heads then in the pre power amp config... this might be "in my head" but i can hear the difference.

Anyway point being if you have the guts to hook up boss shit to a mark IV you are definately in the wrong league...
it's bizarre honest to god.

but bbb , what do you play over then?

guhlenn

[guhlenn]

a little afterthough;

when already using the boss distortion pedal, why not just get a decent tube amp (like a bassman or jcm800) and hook up on of those boss multieffect units, don't know the name right now... damn lot cheaper i think... at least compared to a triaxis

although you will be leaving good tone behind, but that is my biased yet humble opinion...

guhlenn

[BBB]

Originally posted by guhlenn
what do you play over then?

guhlenn,

Right now I'm using a Boogie Quad in the studio and a SansAmp PSA-1 live. While I love the TriAxis, I'm currently considering a Rectifier Combo to add more balls than the Quad.

I assume you have either a Mark IV or a Boogie head?

[tubedude]

If you can't get a good tone out of the Mark IV, you are nt gonna get a good tone out of anything. Were the tubes in it good? I've owned a DC-5, triple rectifier, Mark III, Quad and a dual rectifier 3 channel, that I still have. Each were somewhat different except for the Rectifiers.
You should question your ability to dial in the sounds you want properly before discounting the Mark IV, and perhaps the tubes were shot. It is kind of a weird puppy to figure out if you're not used to it. They are kind of trebly scooped amps in the ndirty modes, but they sit great in mixes, particularly the rectifiers. Love em. As for the Pod, you can get decent tones, but even though its not always discernable, the differences that is, there is always something in the back of your mind that says FAKE over and over again. I think it'll be another 20 years before they perfect it to the point where no one can tell at all, cause a POD DOES NOT stand a chance against my Boogie.
If you dont like the Boogie, check out the Marshall TSL (or 5 of them, cause they all sound different) for a less hyped top end, or maybe check out some high end boutique amps. Soldano will really sound buzzsaw to you, so skip that one.

[enemyofthesun]

Originally posted by tubedude
a POD DOES NOT stand a chance against my Boogie.

this is SO SO true. Soon I think people are going to get over the marketing hype and realize how lame those things are.

[guhlenn]

i almost bought the quad at one time, but the deal fell through. And currently i don't own any mesa amp, i'm a student and have no money to spare. well not enough for mesa gear anyway. i own the dsl 100... i think it's great, definately when considering the price...

anyway, i 've been looking for a markIV but as i live in europe they are simply unaffordable for me, and for the money i have to spend on the mark i can get TWO (yes two...) Diezel VH-4's.

fuck the dollar!!!

i'm going to add a fender bassman for more bass soon, as the marshall isgreat but anything lower then D-E is mud on that thing... and although i donot like basdhing the pod( everyone alse does it already) i can truly say i hear the difference, no matter what volume. it's just that distortion was never ment to sound sooo good, the pod is just like to nice... it needs to squeek and roar unexpectedly at times, that is what great distortion tone is all about IMHO

greetz guhlenn

[guhlenn]

i almost bought the quad at one time, but the deal fell through. And currently i don't own any mesa amp, i'm a student and have no money to spare. well not enough for mesa gear anyway. i own the dsl 100... i think it's great, definately when considering the price...

anyway, i 've been looking for a markIV but as i live in europe they are simply unaffordable for me, and for the money i have to spend on the mark i can get TWO (yes two...) Diezel VH-4's.

fuck the dollar!!!

i'm going to add a fender bassman for more bass soon, as the marshall isgreat but anything lower then D-E is mud on that thing... and although i donot like basdhing the pod( everyone alse does it already) i can truly say i hear the difference, no matter what volume. it's just that distortion was never ment to sound sooo good, the pod is just like to nice... it needs to squeek and roar unexpectedly at times, that is what great distortion tone is all about IMHO

greetz guhlenn

[BBB]

Originally posted by guhlenn
i almost bought the quad at one time, but the deal fell through. And currently i don't own any mesa amp, i'm a student and have no money to spare. well not enough for mesa gear anyway. i own the dsl 100... i think it's great, definately when considering the price...

greetz:

The DSL kicks ass. It has that Marshall tone that IMHO is jujst as good as a Boogie. In fact, the dilemma I'm having is deciding between a DSL and a Rectifier. Two different tones, but both awesome. Each has its own character that the other can't reproduce.

The ultimate rig would be a DSL or TSL, a TriAxis or Rectifier, and a Bassman.

[BBB]

Originally posted by guhlenn
i almost bought the quad at one time, but the deal fell through. And currently i don't own any mesa amp, i'm a student and have no money to spare. well not enough for mesa gear anyway. i own the dsl 100... i think it's great, definately when considering the price...

Also, you could check eBay for a Quad. They sometimes have great prices. There's only one there now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1492790698

The reserve isn't met at $337. However, you can often find one for around $350.

Eh. Student status does strain the pocketbook. Yet, you'll get no sympathy from me. Now I can afford better amps, but I don't have as much time to play them as when I was I student. I'd rather have one decent amp and awesome technique than have an arsinal of 'em to mask mediocre playing. I used to be able to spend 6 hours a day playing. Now I limit it to 3.

Matt