V-amp pro vs. Pod pro??

Toker41

Better Than You
'k.....I know I'm gonna get bashers from both sides on this, but...
...Has anyone compared the Behringer V-amp pro to the Line6 pod pro? (not the XT). I'm not a fan of "modeler" amps, but I'm looking for something for pre-production recording, and to play at night without waking the bitch...er..I mean wife upstairs. It would be nice if it also had SOME use in recording actual tracks...but I know I'm reaching with that one. (although I am impressed with my Bass Pod Pro for tracking).
So....is there anyone that has tried them both?? I can get the V-amp for $200 and a used Pod pro for around $375. It's not a lot of difference in price, but enough to make me wonder about how close they are in sound and usefulness.
 
I haven't used those particular models but I do own a POD and a V-Amp and I find them to be very similar in capabilities. In fact, I find the V-Amp has a better clean guitar sound than the POD.
I actually find myself using the V-Amp more for recording but I use the POD for live stuff 'cause of the foot controller.
 
I don't own a v-amp but I did play with one for a few hours last year before deciding on the pod. To my ears the v amp sounded cheesey on the dist rock type settings. I thought the pod sounded closer to a real mic'd amp. Also if you wanted to save a few more nickels you might want to check out the j-station for tracking or late night recording.
 
of the two, I'd probably go forthe behringer- I listened to side by side samples on a pod fan's web site (don't have link right now) and the behringer just sounded better.

The deal of the moment has to be the J-station for $89 at musicians friend. Didn't really need one but I couldn't resist. I was surpised at how useful this thing can be.
 
Yeah, the J-Station's great too......plus it has 3 bass-amp models in it....a real plus for recording.....it even has a passable acoustic simulator. At $89, everybody should run out and get one!
 
Got the Bass Pod Pro for recording bass. At $320 new I figured I would give it a chance...turns out to be kinda nice. I will say that the Mesa Boogie 400 settings don't sound like a Mesa, but it's still got some great tones in it. Effects all suck, though. However, I'm not a fan of effect on bass anyway. Duh....Wah on a bass???
 
I have both a POD 2.0 and a POD Pro. Both work well. Most V-Amp owners have similar views on their gear.

The V-Amp Pro has about the same features as the POD Pro for about 1/3 the cost.

If I were buying today, I'd buy the V-Amp Pro and see how it goes. It if worked, then you're done. If not, sell on EBay and go the POD route.

Ed
 
That's kinda the direction I seem to be leaning toward. I've played with a couple line6 amps and didn't really like them as a "guitar player". However, after playing with the Bass Pod Pro I'm really digging it from a "home studio enthusiast" (when no one is around I use the word "producer"...hehe.) Lots of "acceptable" tones! So, I'm going to give one of these other units a chance.
 
Toker41 said:
I've played with a couple line6 amps and didn't really like them as a "guitar player".
That sums it up for me. I have all three of them ( A V-Amp, J-Station and POD ) and I absolutely love them for recording purposes......the variety and the ability to tweak things make them very useful to me.
But on a gig, they come up short in some subtle way that I can't really put into words. There's some impact or immediacy that I refer to as 'snap', that a good tube amp has but these things don't. And yes, I have tried them as a pre-amp into a tube guitar amp and it's closer but no cigar.
People often misinterpret what I'm saying as a slam on the units and I'm not slamming them at all......I like all of mine.........and I can see that if you like that 'processed sound', they should be all you need. But I don't like to play with that processed, compressed sort of sound so they don't work live for me.

Also, people sometimes hint that I just don't know how to use them but I don't think that's it either..........I have way more time on amps than most and I really know amps and sound real well, so I'm pretty sure that they just don't quite get it for me.

Not everything is right for everybody I suppose. After all, I've fallen in love with the old Ampeg sound and not everyone likes that. To each his own.
 
Lt. Bob said:
I haven't used those particular models but I do own a POD and a V-Amp and I find them to be very similar in capabilities. In fact, I find the V-Amp has a better clean guitar sound than the POD.
I actually find myself using the V-Amp more for recording but I use the POD for live stuff 'cause of the foot controller.

I recently picked up a V-amp Pro as I was looking for something to replace my digitech rp2000, which I just could not get a modern decent sounding distortion. In some ways I kid of liked the Pod a little better for distortion but not enough to spend the kind of money they want for it. They are way too close to spend anything more IMO. Not big on Behringer stuff but for $200?? As far as amp modelers go it’s a steal, excellent value and the thing is better than the RP2000. If anyone is going to use one of these I recommend downloading the software and grab some patches and start tweaking.
 
grab some patches? c'mon, you don't have to be a rocket-scientist to get the sound you want (as long as it is "in there") :).

anyway: I bought the v-amp about one year ago. the pod was no option: that much for that piece of plastic? sure, the v-amp is a piece of plastic too, but it's much cheaper and to me it sounds better (not only because I have it). the pod's distortions are a bit to dull in my opinion.
and then there's the ease of use: those LED's around the knobs - an idea I've already appreciated with my peavey transfex. I hate the pod-style knobs.

and don't ever think the pod must be better because it costs more. the v-amp is only cheaper because they didn't have to invent this thing: yes, it is a copy, and yes, it isn't fair ;) but good for us!

i only use it for recordings. I also think it lacks of something when using it live as an amp, although you CAN get SOME acceptable results by pluging it to your power amp, but don't forget to deactivate the speaker-simulation. the thing is: if your "real amp" is a hardrock-amp, using the v-amp as pre you will be limited to the more rockier amp-simulations - everything else will sound strange thru your rack - analogically if you have a blues amp. and this leaves the question: so why are you doing it?

aaah... I know this band: the drummer plays a d-drum and the guitar-players play thru pods directly into the p.a. ... aaaaargggh... that's definitely NOT rock & roll!
and then he - the drummer - loves to say: if you want to play this song like the original you could as well listen to the cd!
isn't THAT ironic?

oh, off topic :D

what I want to say: v-amp / pod, verrrrrrry very good for recording, suck as real pre-amps.

ah, and one more thing: I think the v-amp reverbs are beautiful - don't know about the pod. but recording you won't need them anyway ;) .
 
As so many have stated these amp modelers are great for recording. For example if after listening to the mix a week later and diciding you don't like the guitar tracks with one of these babies you can dail in the exact sound and "fix" them. This is why these things were created. Oh did I mention great for peeps who live in apartments and/or families. They were never meant to replace a real amp. Lets not forget this...
 
I find it funny how all these guys thought the line6 pod was the greatest thing on earth a few month ago, and now.....
 
I have a pod 2.o, same guts as a pod pro that i have used for about 2 years now. I really like the cleaner sounds, but the distorted ones sound incredibly dull to me. They just don't have any life and need hordes of eq to even bring them close to something i would use to double a amped guitar track.

The eq of the pod seems to be really unresponsive.

I have not used a Behringer v-amp but a person i know who does a lot of direct input recording was really unimpressed with it (and the mesa recording rectifier also). He swears by the j station and from the stuff he has done i have heard, it sounds pretty good.

I would say don't get the pod, although i don't know about the new XT version BUT I would approach the v-amp with a bit of caution.
 
WickedChild said:
I'd say check out the digitech genesis 3 they're only $150 and in my opinion better than the pod i don't know about the pod pro though i haven't tried that yet but for its value i think the genesis3 is the best.

Interesting.....Recording buddy of mine dumped his Genx2 after hearing the V-amp I picked up. I dumped my RP2000 also because I felt the V-amp distortions are much better. What this does is only prove how "subjective" sound is and what
works for one won't work for another. At this point the Pods seem way overpriced.
 
I recently picked up a J-station, and I'm totally impressed with it. I'm not sure how well it'd do in a live situation, but for recording I think it's quite a handy tool. I like that I can dial in patches through the J-edit software, and I also like that I can go directly out through s/pdif.

Is it me, or is Johnson going completely under? I just get the feeling they're liquidating what stock they have left since the prices are so low. At 99$, I couldn't pass it up.
 
I own the J.station,Pod2.3 and V amp Pro.. Gotta give the nod to the V amp Pro:) I never thought I'd find a unit that would make me move away from my Pod but the V amp Pro has done just that. All three are good units but the V Pro is just heads and shoulders above the other two
 
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