Line level of original bean-shaped bass POD vs. guitar POD - bass needs more level?

[bobbydj]

Eh up everyone -

Quick question about the original Line 6 bass POD. I recently bought one cos they're cheap as chips these days. However, the thing seems to need a lot more mic pre than my Line 6 POD for guitar (the red bean-shaped doobrey). I'm running them into a Tascam M12, and the mic pre for the bass POD needs roughly twice as much gain, everything else being equal.

I just wondered if this accords with anyone else's experience. My guess would be that nobody here is using such antiquated crap these days - but then again, they potentially offer a cheap way to get viable sounds. So maybe some guys here are soldiering on with them.

Any experience / advice gratefully received. ; - )

 

[Slouching Raymond]

I'm using such antiquated crap.
I have the original guitar POD, and used it to give effects before going through a cheap mini Vox valve amp.
Also I use both the guitar and bass versions of the Behringer 19" rack modellers.
They were cheap, but they're still good.

 

[bobbydj]

I want one of those Vox amps. ; - )

 

[Papanate]

If you're experiencing low output from your Bass POD, there are several factors to consider: Global Output Knob: Ensure that the global output knob is turned up sufficiently. This knob controls the overall output level.Output Level Setting: The output level should be set between 12 and 2 o'clock for optimal performance. Adjusting this setting can significantly impact the volume.

If that's okay I think your Bass Pod has screwed the pooch - or it could be simpe: Check Cables -Test with Different Equipment = Inspect Settings: They aren't compicated at all so unless its broken it's got to be one of those things.

 

[rob aylestone]

Is turning the preamp gain up producing issues - or are you just noticing a difference. If it needs so much gain as to be noisy, the POD has probably died - but if it's just a bit low but sounds OK, all is cool?

 

[Steenamaroo]

Make sure all things are equal (balanced, or unbalanced cables for both) and that your bass patch doesn't have heavy handed compression
but, to be honest, I'd expect the bass model to output a much lower signal.
The input signal is likely to be much lower.
Certainly with passive pickups on both guitar and bass that's very likely to be the case.

 

[bobbydj]

Is turning the preamp gain up producing issues - or are you just noticing a difference. If it needs so much gain as to be noisy, the POD has probably died - but if it's just a bit low but sounds OK, all is cool?

Thanks. It needs a lot of gain, and is noticeably noisier than the red POD. I can probably get by, but it's pissing me off. So, e.g., if I swap out the red POD for the bass POD, I need to wind the gain knob round to three o'clock or more, whereas the red POD needs virtually nothing. I'll do more testing later.

 

[bobbydj]

Make sure all things are equal (balanced, or unbalanced cables for both) and that your bass patch doesn't have heavy handed compression
but, to be honest, I'd expect the bass model to output a much lower signal.
The input signal is likely to be much lower.
Certainly with passive pickups on both guitar and bass that's very likely to be the case.

This is all good to know, and somewhat re-assuring. Thanks.

 

[TalismanRich]

Have you tried just using the regular POD with the bass to compare levels? Also, I've use a regular PODxt into my interface for bass. Pull up the Bassman or even the Twin models and play with the cab choices. It's not like you're going to blow out a speaker like with regular amps!

My bass playing buddy now has my PODxt to practice silently.

 

[bobbydj]

Have you tried just using the regular POD with the bass to compare levels? Also, I've use a regular PODxt into my interface for bass. Pull up the Bassman or even the Twin models and play with the cab choices. It's not like you're going to blow out a speaker like with regular amps!

My bass playing buddy now has my PODxt to practice silently.

Yes - I've tried that. For decades I've just the original red POD to play bass through, and've recorded hundreds of songs that way. It makes a fantastic bass amp, and I quickly and easily been able to get a wide range of trad bass sounds with it, and also a lot of great post-punk tones in the style of JJ Burnel and Peter Hook. The compressor effect is great too. There are so many fantastic things about that first red POD. Now, all these years later, I decided to buy the dedicated bass POD (which was apparently first sold in November 2000). Everything sounds right and correct with all of the pre-sets on the bass POD, it's just that the level is so much lower than the red POD - when using the same bass guitars. I need very little if any additional level from the M12's pre with the red POD, but have to crank it around to three o'clock for the grey POD. I'll do some more fiddling later! ; - )

 

[TalismanRich]

I would expect the two to have very similar levels, so that makes me suspect a problem with the bass POD. There's no reason that Line 6 would have crippled the level of the device. There might be a bit of difference in level between a Jazz bass and a Strat, but nothing of the magnitude you are describing. Guitar outputs can range from low 10ths of a volt to 3 - 5volts p-p for very high output or active pickups played hard. I've seen similar numbers for bass guitars.

Here's an article where you can see some info on pickup outputs. https://sound-au.com/articles/guitar-voltage.htm