POD or JStation

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kurt_tietjen

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I'm looking at an amp modelling "toy". I wanted some opinions on the POD and/or the JStation modellers. I am interested not only in the machine itself but the foot switch as well.

I haven't seen too much in the magazines on the JStation -- but i played a Johnson amp and WOAH!

KT
 
I bought a j-station a month ago and one of the reasons was the pedal issue.The pod requires you to also buy their optional pedal at about $225.The j-station has full midi implemention and I am using a generic midi foot controller to switch patches.
There were other reasons as well I selected the j-station over the pod but the pedal was important.

Tom
 
j-station w/midi pedal

Tom,
Using that setup, j-station with a midi pedal, do you get any "dropout" or gliching when you change patches? I use a Digitech RP2000 live and I'm just curious.
Thanks,
Roybot
 
Well, the Pod does have that footpedal thing, but it also has the same MIDI implementation as the J-Station. You can use any kind of generic mid controller with the POD too. I personally think they are both kind of iffy, but if I had t buy one I'd go J-Stationing. Theres a site out there that did a head-to-head comparison with sound files. http://www.dthraco.com/podvsjs.htm
Anyways they both had their ups/downs. read it up for more info. I'd just try them both out and see which one oyu like more. If you're gonna be putting it out a PA, put it out a PA in the store. If you're running it out your amp, drag your amp there and play out of it. Make sure you get what you want, cause there is a lot to choose from. I personally have one of the Line 6 Flextone amps (the discontinued Duo) which I "converted" into a 2x50 watt stereo head. It works great, and I think it blows the Pod away with tone. They just have a different sound, and I think the amp kills the Pod (and I do own both).

Jake
 
If a good price/performance ratio is a consideration for you,you might want to take a look at the Digitech RP200.It has a built in assignable pedal and about a dozen amp models plus a decent collection of FX.It can be had for $130-150.No MIDI,no S/PDIF.
 
Lots of others, myself included, like the DG Stomp also. Has a really good feature set, and sounds more realistic to some people. It doesn't specifically model certain amps (i.e. no "'59 Bassman" model or anything like that), but has its own amps. Sounds great to me.
 
Virtual Ray and Kabudokan, I am buying a RP200
next week. I am going to be running an electric
violin through it. I well let you know
how it works, David
 
thanks all

from all that i've seen the only advantage of the jstation over the pod is the acoustic amp modelling, which is a huge plus. I will definitely check out the digitech pedal. I actually dont go in much for the effects boxes (which i actually find surprising), i prefer just to play the guitar and see what kinds of noises i can make with my fingers and the strings.
 
The J-Station also has a pitch/detuning effect that the POD does not, and the J-Station sounds MUCH better through an amp. The POD sounds all tinny, even if you use the "cabinet tuning" it says will fix it. The J-Station is made for either direct recording, or as a front end to an amp. I've heard remarkable things about the J-Station from experienced people at my local music shop, and only mediocre things about the POD. ALthough I think they both have their plusses and minuses, I trust these people. The J-Station is also cheaper (plus). The Digitech pedals everyone says are really harsh/digitaly sounding (even compared to the harsh digital sounds of the Line 6 and Johnson ones) and extremely hard to use live. I've never tried one, but thats what I've heard from people I know who bought, and returned them.

Jake
 
I think the pod is great for direct recording.If you combine it with a good pre amp youll get the most amazing sounds.

The j-station is kinda steroided up. If you do metal thats the one to use.I like the pod 2 quite a bit for recording. I dont see any reason to get another one of these "toys". for an amp front end also consider the yamaha dg.

Ive heard people who prefer the pod and those that prefer j-station.It shouldnt matter what the guys at guitar center say, just listen to them and tweak them without doing the presets and youll see the differences.
 
I know it doesn't matter what they say, usually. It isn't Guitar Center (I hate that place). I've known these guys for almost 4 years, seeing them a few times a week. They all know me by name and even know my phone number by heart when I buy stuff. They're all really cool guys. I take their opinions to heart when they tell me them. They're opinions don't make me buy stuff, but it helps point me in the right direction. They know more about the product since they sell it. For the J-Station they actually went and got trained by Johnson on it. They were blown away, and they expressed this to me. I listened. Then I checked out the J-Station, and ocmpared to the POD, it blew me away. As an amp front end that is, they both are cool for direct recording, just depends on what sound you're looking for. J-Station is more suited to metal, but thats only because it's Rectified and other high-gain sounds are so much better then the opposing amp models on the POD.
Jake
 
See, I dont own the j- station or stomp dg.

I have found theres a sort of "boomy" quality on the j-station.This helps on sounds like the mesa. but its imprint upon the twin reveb model is somewhat irksome.

On the pod 2 there are some other amps I have found extremely rewarding as well. If you want a high qain pure violin tone that can crunch just check out the line 6 insane.the modern class A with a little verb is nice.And on the pod I do beleive there are 2 rectifier models so it would depend wich one your after.Im not even sayin theyre accurate models, but Ive dialed in some kick ass tones on that thing.

the pod does haver its way of behaving, just listening to the "grain" of the tone and feeling its response, but when Im recording its done pretty good.

I have heard too that the j-stations cabinet emulation is superior. But, the more I explore my pod the more I find all these great tones.

If I was to get another one of these things it would definately be the yamaha dg and not the j-station. to me the dg just has great sounds pure and simple.Also I'm tellin ya, those yamaha amps sound really nice.Also the dg is the best amp front end.Its a nice little unit that has no noise gate(arrrg) but its not especially noisy so...

Id like to hear some of rocktrons stuff as well.Supposedly it just straight up rocks
 
it all depends on the situation...

i'm just adding my 2 cents worth to the forum. i really agree with all the posts above though. i actually own the j-station, pod, and bass pod and use the j-station over the other two for guitar and bass (it has, uh three or four bass amp models and three cabinet models).
the j-station has a spdif output that makes its the hands down winner for sparkly clean tone like a mid-driver jtm 45 (i think that's it), also, big point for me, may or may not matter to you but the j-station's computer interface software is much much much easier to use than the pod's. i've owned the pod's for several months and have yet to figure it out (and i'm pretty midi literate) where as i was editing the j-station the day i bought it. the guitar pod does have some really nice dynamically responsive amp models though, the pod-drive and the blues amp models really act like an overdriven tube amp and it sounds very convincing when recorded. but nothing out there hangs with the j-station's dual rectifier model, it records like a marshal stack with a pro engineer working the mics and board, it's unbelievable, try it out. i still use an old amp/cab live, so i can't comment on any live uses, but for recording, if i had just one, it would be the j-station.
oh yeah, i have played on all the digitech competition, rp-100, 200 and 2000, they sound like crap through an amp, i tried and tried and couldn't get anything but crap and more crap out of them, maybe they work better in a studio, maybe... well, hope this helps you, i'll check back here, so just post if you have any specific or special application questions about any of those three models and i'll try it and let you know...
Capt. Snazzy
 
sorry so long to post a reply but my computer has been down for a few days.As to dropout or artifacts using the pedal when switching patches,no its dead quiet.
I'm using mine live with my band and it is just great.I go guitar-j station-hafler p1200- open back cab w/EV12L.

Tom
 
JStation

Just thought I'd add my $.02...

I own the Jstation, and I use it exclusively for direct recording (using a Mackie SR24, Behringer compressor/limiter, fostex D-80 8 track HD recorder) and I am convinced that there is very little difference between the sound I get from a Mic'd cab played very loud (which just isn't an option, the neighbors just wouldn't dig that).

The controls feel a little "flimsey" but that is just a minor drawback. Some of the factory pre-sets require a great deal of tweeking to get a really decent sound (of course what piece of gear that has factory pre-sets doesn't require tweeking?).

If you like to reproduce the full-bodied qualities of a 4x12 cab mic'd with some trusty shure 57's, this is the box to do it.

./dave
 
I have a Pod, and floorboard. Never had a chance to compare, but it seems to be very satisfying to play.

To get the same sound out of my Fender Bassman, I would go deaf. Thank you Pod. Fender Bassman looks cooler though.
 
Has anyone used/tested both for DIRECT recording?

I am currently looking for a good direct recording option.
I own a PC based Digital Studio and have considered the POD Pro very seriously , but don't know anything about J-Station.

Thanks in advance.
 
I've played the J-Station at Mars and liked the sound potential for digital recording... it was weird using stereo monitor speakers which they had set up for the display (and to show off the stereo effects, I'd venture) but that's probably a good indicator of final recorded quality.

To add my $.02 -

Every post I've read by bass players on the issue say that the J-Station, despite having only three bass amp models, is as good as better as the obviously specialized Bass Pod - and for also-guitarists like me, it's a no brainer since it has perfectly useful guitar sounds, too.

When I get one, I'm putting everything through it at least once - who says those amp sims can't warm up a vocal or give a nice, filtered, unusual sound to a keyboard or any instrument?
 
I have to second C. Williams on the bass issue.I'm a guitar player primarily but I have gigged as a blues bass player.I use a Jackson Pro "P-J" and I have had the J-Station for about a month now.
I also record and the tones which have seemed satisfactory to me live sound ****ing awesome recorded!There is a patch "Rock Bass Delay" are something like that which is a Hiwatt with a delay that I really like to use in a rock context with a pick.Reveiws I have read by guys who tried both the j-station and the bass pod leaned in johnsons favor.
My brother has the regular pod and it seems to be more oriented towards shred or metal tones.The dual rectifier tone is definately more realistic on the j-station.Effects is another issue in johnsons favor,as is S/PDIF out selectable wet or dry.
What is the critical issue in your decision?# of amp models?Pod.24 bit effects S/PDIF?Johnson.Both have full midi implementation (I use my j-station live w/ a midi pedal and saved 50-60 lbs. off my gear load!).
If you are recording digital I would go Johnson and if you are analog,Pod offers greater variety.How much is time a factor for you?There are 4 or 5 amp modelers now and more are sure to come with even more bells and whistles.

Tom
 
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