ok, POD Processing tips thread

[Pablo333]

ok, so I just started using the POD x3 again for the first time in a while and it's taking a bit of time for my ears to "re-adjust" to the POD sound

- I think all my past best tones come from the POD -
but thought it would be a good idea to start a thread listing you guys post (or pre) processing secrets/tips.

currently i'm just using curve eq and no compression.

 

[narcossintese]

Lately I´ve been only using LPF and HPF at 100hz and 10Khz.

 

[shred101]

I think mistake number one is to crank the gain too high on these things for rhythm tones in my opinion. Simulations like the L6 insane. the double rectifier and both the soldanos can get muddy pretty fast so I try and stick to lower gain settings for pod so that its at the point where it crosses from like an overdrive tone to a distortion tone if that makes any sense. Especially for really really heavy stuff or blackmetal type stuff where you need all the definition you can get. I have the bog standard Pod 2.00 purely because I found most of the effects on the XT pretty useless to be honest. I normally stick to treadplate/dual rectifier/soldano tones (except the crappy SLO sim) and I'll generally use 4x12 cab models except the greenbacks sim which I hate. My favourite is probably the vintage 30's or the Line6 cab to be honest.
I always record the guitars in stereo by playing each track twice and have some kind of mic simulator plus a mild bit of early reflections in the way in to give it a more real quality because I dont think that the pod simulates the tonal quality of a real miced up distorted guitar very well so I try and trash them up slightly by using another mic sim to give an impression of a real room/mic/amp. Ill also run them through my ART Studio V3 set to a low gain setting on the way in to warm them up even more.
Use a slightly different preset for the 2nd guitar tracks. Normally Ill leave the amp/tone alone and just switch to a similar sounding cab sim.
I try and cut down on annoying resonant frequencies on the way in using a parametric and I rarely if ever compress on the way in (except solos).
HPF and LPF is a big thing and part of the reason I double up on the speaker simulation, and use valves and eq and shit on the way in is because POD's have a stupidly annoying high end on some patches. I assume this is because you're using a direct line for your signal rather than a mic/speaker combination which would filter the highs out more. So afterwards ill always filter highs out right down to the point where you start to notice the difference.
LPF same but I normally end up filtering between 90 and 111hz (111 seems to be a strong resonant frequency for one of my Ibanez's) to get rid of the mud but it really depends what sound youre going for and what kind of music. 2.00-2.52 Khz seems to be pretty overstated in POD's as well but that just might be something to do with my processing so I try and cut that a bit on the way in.
Ill always pan them hard left and right and then (because at the end of recording rhythm guitar I effectively have 2 stero tracks) bring 1 of each stereo tracks in towards the middle a bit to gain a bit more coverage.
After everythings sorted I route them to a subtle room or plate reverb to try and give them even more of a real quality. Apart from basic effects like that I dont use any compression or anything on guitars.

 

[ATLA]

using a real tube screamer in front of the pod instead of the sim works nicely!

 

[TomAwesome]

This is probably an obvious one, but disabling the cab sim and putting a cab impulse on it instead gives it a pretty good bump in quality and realism.

 

[Jevil]

Bogner Uberschall sim + Screamer + Impulse = Best sound I got.

Now I prefer Lepou and Onqel's sims. My Pod is just a red decorative electrical appliance over the table.

 

[amarshism]

using a real tube screamer in front of the pod instead of the sim works nicely!

+1

I've always used my overdrive going into my interface.

 

[kev]

Bogner Uberschall sim + Screamer + Impulse = Best sound I got.

Now I prefer Lepou and Onqel's sims. My Pod is just a red decorative electrical appliance over the table.

Same, not sure whether to sell the xt pro rak I have.