POD XT PRO input level with active pickups

[Lasse Lammert]

that's what the input pad is for...it's really that easy!
if you've got to little gain afterwards either your pod is broken or you should reconsider your taste for distortion

 

[lilhermiejobo]

A higher samplerate doesn't give you more headroom, but a higher bit depth does.

I have no problem with emg pickups into my Pod X3, but as Jevil said, just turn down channel vol. until it stops clipping, end then turn up master vol

thats what I meant, sorry. I set mine to 24bit when I got it and since I dont mess with those settings I forgot they were seperate. thanks for the correction!!!
back OT, Why not throw a distortion pedal in front of your pod if you cant live without skull crushing amounts of gain? there are pedal sims/stompbox models in the pod as well... maybe try adding one of those and cranking the gain.

 

[preampdude]

Sorry to bump this old thread, but this is a problem indeed.

I don't know why Line6 haven't added a proper input level control like in all proper preamps. The only way for me to get the pod to work right without clipping and without losing a lot of signal is to have a pedal infront.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

It's not a problem to clip the input of the amp, it is a problem to clip the OUTPUT. I wouldn't care a little bit...

 

[preampdude]

When talking about real analog amps, the input level is not a problem. Digital clipping is totally unwanted though.

 

[Erik Monsonis]

If you can hear the clipping, PAD
If not... who cares?

 

[006]

I just got a PODxt Pro on Wednesday. Using EMGs it does clip the signal but I just flipped the switch to PAD and I have zero issues with the amount of gain I can get. If I turn the gain/drive knob all the way up it's as I would expect - too much gain. There is something wrong with your guitar/cable/battery/POD/taste in gain.

Or... it could be the wood!

 

[preampdude]

The pod x3 desktop doesn't have the PAD switch, but even if it did it's stupid as it turns down the input level by a fixed value. I want to be able to set the input level EXACTLY at the right point; I want accuracy not some quick fix just because the Line6 guys thought that an input level control is too much for the short attention span of the kids today.


But in any case, the right fix is this: use a clean boost infront and set the level JUST a little before it starts clipping the input.

 

[006]

it's stupid as it turns down the input level by a fixed value

What exactly do you think a PAD is dude?

 

[Mutant]

If 1 is not enough and 2 is too much set it to 2 and turn down the volume knob on your guitar until it stops clipping the input.

Of course EMGs are amplified internally so you will not lose any dynamics - you will just lower both noise floor and max volume peaks.

Imagine it like this: pickup>op-amp>pod

If Pod has too much voltage, lower the voltage at the op-amp stage like you would if it were a normal pickup going to some preamp before the Pod.

 

[Metaltastic]

What the hell is everyone's fucking aversion to a pad? (referring to this thread and the eternally_gutted one a week or two ago)

EDIT: Nevermind, same thread, just a different person complaining

 

[Jind]

This is what I've always thought a "pad" was:

A network of resistors designed to introduce a fixed loss, or for impedance-matching purposes

Well, maybe not exactly that, but pretty much the "fixed loss" part.

 

[eternally_gutted]

If 1 is not enough and 2 is too much set it to 2 and turn down the volume knob on your guitar until it stops clipping the input.

Of course EMGs are amplified internally so you will not lose any dynamics - you will just lower both noise floor and max volume peaks.

Imagine it like this: pickup>op-amp>pod

If Pod has too much voltage, lower the voltage at the op-amp stage like you would if it were a normal pickup going to some preamp before the Pod.

i bought a new jack cable and i think it works better now.
answering to you: it´s good down guitar volumen knob? i think guitar volume has to be in 100%.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

it's unbelievable that this thread is still around.
it's all been said on the first page...if the input clips and it annoys you, engage the pad.period.

this is getting ridiculous
/thread

 

[Metaltastic]

Hahaha, seriously Lasse, that's why I thought it was a different thread at first!

 

[Mutant]

i bought a new jack cable and i think it works better now.
answering to you: it´s good down guitar volumen knob? i think guitar volume has to be in 100%.

The volume knob is a knob not a switch for a reason.

However...

With passive pickups turning it down robs you of the dynamic range.

But with actives you can turn it down quite a bit without losing ANY dynamics.

 

[eternally_gutted]

The volume knob is a knob not a switch for a reason.

However...

With passive pickups turning it down robs you of the dynamic range.

But with actives you can turn it down quite a bit without losing ANY dynamics.

man, thanks a lot for that info.

 

[preampdude]

For those complaining about the bump, I apologised before doing it, obviously that wasn't enough.

I wanted to stress out that the pad isn't the best solution and if you want something that properly covers all cases and all pickups you need an input level control, like in old preamps. Mutant's observations were spot on btw.

 

[006]

I wanted to stress out that the pad isn't the best solution

Pads on nearly everything these days are fixed value. I guess the manufacturers just don't know what they are doing huh? From mics to preamps to bass amplifiers and other things - fixed value. Not trying to keep this thread going, just curious as to how fixed value isn't good enough. The pad on my XT Pro works exactly like Lasse explained, it clipped with it off, doesn't clip the input with it on. Done deal. So in my case, and Lasse's, and I'm sure countless others, the pad on the XT is the best solution.