DI for reamping using PodXT

[Jevil]

How do you record clean and raw direct signal with POD for reamping?
There is a way via USB that lets you record direct signal while monitoring your favourite preset, and the reamp with the POD again via USB.
It's a bit uncomfrtable doing it with the USB, and the drivers from Line6 for this purpose are crap.

How about recording turning off all ampsim, effects... and monitoring with a Plugin Ampsim? Is the signal good enough to send to a professional studio, or is a shit? Which levels are recommended for a good signal? Between -3 and -6db?

 

[DominikJW]

Open Gearbox, then: Edit/Preferences/Hardware/PodXt Driver Settings/Inputs & Recording/Pod Xt Audio Signal Routing/Send Clean Guitar

To reamp - same directory, but choose 'Send re-amp playback' instead of 'Send Clean Guitar'

 

[Jevil]

Open Gearbox, then: Edit/Preferences/Hardware/PodXt Driver Settings/Inputs & Recording/Pod Xt Audio Signal Routing/Send Clean Guitar

That is what I did but with no Gearbox but Midi/Audio Devices Settings in PodXT Software and Drivers.


With gearbox, do you need to connect via USB, or where the hell do you plug your guitar? Direct to the board or soundcard?

 

[Metaltastic]

Well I take it you're not connecting the Pod to your computer via USB, Jevo? Cuz that's the easiest way to do it, but either way, I've heard quite a few things about the quality of DI tracks from Pods being pretty sub-par, which most definitely affects the tone when it's re-amping time. Since you're in Europe, I'm pretty sure the Countryman Type 85 Direct Box would be way too much money, so I would look for a BSS AR-133, the other best one out there!

Also, what interface are you using dude?

 

[Jevil]

Well I take it you're not connecting the Pod to your computer via USB, Jevo? Cuz that's the easiest way to do it, but either way, I've heard quite a few things about the quality of DI tracks from Pods being pretty sub-par, which most definitely affects the tone when it's re-amping time. Since you're in Europe, I'm pretty sure the Countryman Type 85 Direct Box would be way too much money, so I would look for a BSS AR-133, the other best one out there!

Also, what interface are you using dude?

Thanks, that's what I wanted to know about the quality.
What I want is to record at home a whole album and then go to studio to reamp. But I don't want any kind of low-quality surprise!
I'll get one of those direct boxes and do it right.

 

[Metaltastic]

Hell yeah, that's the best way to do it!

 

[DominikJW]

Yeah that's what I would do too if I was going to record an album. DI's recorded even thru my Firepod sound clearer and more dynamic than thru the POD.

 

[Forceps]

I'll get one of those direct boxes and do it right.

That's what I did while using a XT Pro and I sure noticed a difference... DI boxes FTW! :Smokedev:

 

[Jevil]

And I wonder... why do I need a direct box while I can plug my jack direct to my soundcard input?
Wouldn't it be the perfect way to do it? What's the secret of a Direct Box?

BTW, how is the Behringer's Direct Box, a shit? I can borrow a couple of these:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHDI100

 

[Nukular!]

^^
Somewhere here on the board is a calculation that shows what happens when plugging hi-z (guitar) to lo-z (I assume you mean the line in of your soundcard). Sucks the tone --> sucking bad tone.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

I actually do have the DI-100 and am still waiting for my AR-133... so can't do a comparison right now. BUT if I compare the hi-z instrument in of my onyx satellite with DI-Box-->Mic in, then I must say it is a huge difference in quality. Even if it's a low cost DI-Box it sounds way better (clearer, deeper) than without and using the instrument in.

 

[Metaltastic]

And I wonder... why do I need a direct box while I can plug my jack direct to my soundcard input?
Wouldn't it be the perfect way to do it? What's the secret of a Direct Box?

BTW, how is the Behringer's Direct Box, a shit? I can borrow a couple of these:
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHDI100

Higher quality direct boxes preserve more highs and detail in your DI's and have lower THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) values, if you're gonna invest in anything dude, this is one of the most important IMO!

 

[DanLights]

Now that were on the DI subject, isn't what the DI does esentially the same thing a preamp does? except (clean) DIs aren't supposed to colour the sound? I've heard a Sansamp BDDI called as a "pedal preamp". So is it kinda the same thing? what's the difference?

 

[Metaltastic]

Well by definition, all a DI is supposed to do is convert a high impedance unbalanced signal (in this case guitar) into a low impedance balanced signal (mic/line), the BDDI just happens to also have a preamp built in, but normally the DI is run into a mic preamp's XLR input for the appropriate gain boost!

 

[DominikJW]

Well since we're on the DI subject ( ) I have another q. Is it possible to reamp tracks via DI-box? Or do have to invest into a reamp box? (Well obviously I should, as the name states 'reamp', but I'm kinda short on $$ and reamp boxes are few times more expensive than di-boxes plus I don't need any top-hi-end quality)

 

[Metaltastic]

Eh, you can only re-amp with a passive DI box in reverse, and even then I'm not sure how well it works out, and anyway, active DI boxes are generally better cuz they can have higher input impedances - just grab a Radial ProRMP and use the inst. input on your interface until you can afford something better!

 

[Jevil]

^^
Somewhere here on the board is a calculation that shows what happens when plugging hi-z (guitar) to lo-z (I assume you mean the line in of your soundcard). Sucks the tone --> sucking bad tone.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

In my old Terratec I can plug guitar to MIC IN and adjust Input Level.
I still don't understand what the hell do the DI Boxes. Guitar->Mic In should be the purest sound.

 

[DanLights]

In my old Terratec I can plug guitar to MIC IN and adjust Input Level.
I still don't understand what the hell do the DI Boxes. Guitar->Mic In should be the purest sound.

From what I've heard guitars outputs aren't the same as mics, so a mic in wouldn't be appropiate to plug in a guitar, that's what the DI does, change the guitar level to mic level

 

[Metaltastic]

It's a question of impedance - guitar pickups need to see a high impedance to put out the best signal (or else they lose high-end detail and just feel lifeless), and mic inputs have low input impedances - thus, that's what a DI box does! (see post 13 )

 

[DanLights]

So to make it short, a DI lowers the impedance of the (guitar/bass) signal so you can "directly inject" it into a mic input instead of into and amp then micing the amp and plugging the mic into a mic input, and a preamp gives a gain boost and colors the signal? Sorry for the newbie questioning marcus, I hope it isn´t becoming a pain in the arse to answer, but I really appreciate you taking the time to clear me these silly doubts I don´t seem to understand well on tutorial pages for some reason. So, preamps have XLR outputs/inputs right? at least the mic preamps? I havent dealt with standalone preamps of any kind yet, just built in mixer and interface preamps plus guitar/bass multieffects that serve as preamps

 

[Metaltastic]

No problem dude, and yeah, you pretty much got it, though ideally it should be as clean a preamp as possible for the least amount of coloration (since you're trying to capture the guitar DI as faithfully and accurately as possible)