Axe FX vs Pod HD part 2

[Ermz]

Yeah, unfortunately they may be hard pressed. The impulse used has that build up of weird resonances that impulses get when capturing a speaker in a frozen, unnatural state. Ryan's thus far is the only one I've found where that quality is so minimal that it renders the impulse actually useful. I would have hoped actually, that a unit as expensive as the Axe would implement something more sophisticated as far as cab modeling goes. Still, it totally owns the POD here.

Btw, been mixing that track of yours, trying to find the sweet spot for it to lie in. Getting there! You weren't kidding about the vocals either, haha.

 

[Ola Englund]

Btw, been mixing that track of yours, trying to find the sweet spot for it to lie in. Getting there! You weren't kidding about the vocals either, haha.

Haha we did it the hardcore way when we recorded that. Mario standing up holding the microphone in his hand screaming the living shit out of it.

Really looking forward hearing it being mixed by a pro!

 

[53Crëw]

Thanks for posting this, Ola. It helps to hear them in a mix.

I take it there is no EQ on the guitars?

I think the AxeFX sounds slightly better, and I agree with Jeff about the fizz on the Pod. Still, the Pod seems like a good deal for the price...

 

[s34nsm411]

axe fx sounds way better on my laptop

any way you could repeat this test but with the preamp signal into the same impulse? and might i also suggest an impulse from aradaz ourcabinet, sits best in metal mixes imho

 

[arin]

axe fx by miles.
sounds way darker/more realistic.

i love how a side to side comparison shows you exact differences!

 

[Harry Hughes]

Prefer the Axe FX here.
Did you play around with the EQ options on the HD (Parametric EQ etc)?

 

[drew_drummer]

I don't know why, but in this clip I massively preferred the PodHD. In the previous one, I leant towards the Axe.

Strange.

 

[Ola Englund]

I don't know why, but in this clip I massively preferred the PodHD. In the previous one, I leant towards the Axe.

Strange.

It's not strange. People have different ideals of what good amp sound is.

Almost everybody on Harmony Central Amp forum liked the Pod over the Axe.
And most of the people here like the Axe.

So go hang out with your brothers on HCAF where you belong bitch!

 

[drew_drummer]

I'm wondering what you did differently this time round for me to prefer the Pod?

 

[Ola Englund]

I'm wondering what you did differently this time round for me to prefer the Pod?

I made it sound like Pod.

 

[LosingReality]

sounds awsome man! Hey dude, ive asked ya a couple times.....but i think you missed it. So you cannot bypass the cabs with the 300? Thanks.

 

[Jind]

While like most I do think the Axe-FX sounds a bit more "real", mostly I suppose because of the bottom end, but I suppose it's a bit like comparing a Volkswagen Jetta at $20,000 dollars to a BMW 6 Series at $70,000 ($400 for a POD HD400 vs. $2000 for an Axe-FX Ultra) - you get what you pay for and for the investment you make in a PODHD unit you are getting pretty good value for your money, especially if you are looking for a portable rig as Ola has mentioned he will use it for.

If you figure in the fact that the majority of Line6 purchases are going to be people looking for a better solution that what they currently have and can afford - it's going to be a huge win for Line6 and in the end will probably not steal any sales away from the Axe-FX unit which let's be honest is targeted at a different audience in general with direct sales approach and a much smaller expected production levels than the mass produced Line6 products (I highly doubt anyone at Line6 pictured this as being an "Axe-FX killer" in any way).

For my needs (I will never release an album, I don't gig except for a few open mic nights (obviously not bone crunching metal), and I just record my own music - the PODHD is probably a more logical choice and to be honest I'd rather still buy a small tube amp of each of the primary four tone base amps - Fender (American), VOX & Marshall (British), and High-Gain (cost wise - probably a 6150 combo over a Rectifier) and I'd still probably be around the cost of an Axe-FX with real tube tone covering all the bases.

Just my thoughts and as always - your mileage may vary.

 

[Charlie E.]

AxeFX definitely winning on this for me, POD has this incredibly annoying fizz to it, the entire mix gets focused and wah-cocked when it switches over.

Agreed! What's funny is I preferred the Pod in the previous test

 

[Ola Englund]

Agreed! What's funny is I preferred the Pod in the previous test

That's why I did this test, after putting up the other one I noticed the Axe sounds being way to muffled.

 

[wyllie]

I'm really surprised with this unit. I think coupled with a decent power amp and cab it could be such a versatile rig for playing live with minimal setup time.
Kinda the same way the Axe-FX is but like 3 times cheaper. Wins for the broke musician!

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Both are fine to me, I think I preferred the AX as well. The fizz Jeff mentions is what kills it for me. But honestly, I think either would do just fine in a live setting.

 

[LosingReality]

Anyone else get one of these? And have an opinion. I keep flip flopping back and forth....I read a killer review and then i read crappy ones saying it is no better then an X3. (for high gain)

 

[pipaguapique]

axe fx fo shizzle!!

the pod is fizzy and ugly...even though it's good but the axe sounds like a mic'd amp. and the pod just sounds digital.

 

[LosingReality]

axe fx fo shizzle!!

the pod is fizzy and ugly...even though it's good but the axe sounds like a mic'd amp. and the pod just sounds digital.

I dont hear it, would have been cool if this was a blind test.

 

[Ola Englund]

haven't even bothered playing with my pod since the last video...