Podxt sounds pretty dead when recorded

[Sitbh]

So i wasn't sure which forum to post under so i'll go with this one.

When i set up my PodXT with USB recording, i can get some nice sounds. I can play them on my guitar, hear them through my monitors, and it sounds great. But when i record into the computer and listen back, it sounds alot more dead. It lacks some warmth and just general response.

It's in the studio/direct mode, all connected fine, set to 44.1khz, 24bit, using asio podxt drivers, cubase is set up the same. I get what i actually played fine, i get the tone, but it's just lacking something. I fear it's losing something on the way into the computer. It sounds fine going Guitar > PodXT > monitors. But it seems to lose alot of signal going Guitar > PodXT > Computer/cubase> Monitors.

Do others see this? It's more evident with my clean tones. Wondering if there's a workaround or a way to help get some oomph back?

Cheers

 

[Notuern]

Yeah, I also noticed this, but I dont know the solution, sence I run my pod through a poweramp and 4*12.

 

[kev]

sounds like you are monitoring in stereo and recording in mono possibly?

 

[Sitbh]

sounds like you are monitoring in stereo and recording in mono possibly?

You may very well be on to something there. I go use the L+R analog outs of the podXT to go into the monitors, but record in cubase in mono through USB. Is it worth recording in stereo in cubase then?

 

[Metaltastic]

Well unless you have some sort of stereo effect on (stereo delay, chorus, etc.), since a guitar is just one instrument, it's inherently mono - thus there shouldn't be any difference. I've been recording with my Podxt via USB for years, and it does sound slightly different than when I recorded into my MBOX2 via Line in, but I figured that was more a factor of the MBOX's preamp than anything else.

 

[kev]

Well unless you have some sort of stereo effect on (stereo delay, chorus, etc.), since a guitar is just one instrument, it's inherently mono - thus there shouldn't be any difference. I've been recording with my Podxt via USB for years, and it does sound slightly different than when I recorded into my MBOX2 via Line in, but I figured that was more a factor of the MBOX's preamp than anything else.

Yep metaltastic is spot on there i think. It sounds like you might be monitoring with a nice stereo chorus on and reverb (or delay etc), and when it comes down to it after the mono signal is recorded you are disapointed and rightly so. The reason you dont get it so much with distortion is probably because you dont affect it so much I would think.

 

[TheStoryteller]

Also, try to compare the pre/post recording sound using headphones instead of speakers/monitors. Sometimes the acoustic sound from your guitar & strings will blend nicely with the distorted mess you hear from your monitors, and create the illusion of a great guitar sound even though it's not. This has actually happened to me several times.

The second reason can be purely psychical - although somewhat more unusal. As long as you PLAY the guitar it sounds good, but when you play back what you've recorded it sounds dead because you can't feel the strings physically. This has also happened to me a couple of times; especially when I've done 700 takes and my ears are exhausted.

Good luck.

 

[kev]

Also, try to compare the pre/post recording sound using headphones instead of speakers/monitors. Sometimes the acoustic sound from your guitar & strings will blend nicely with the distorted mess you hear from your monitors, and create the illusion of a great guitar sound even though it's not. This has actually happened to me several times.

The second reason can be purely psychical - although somewhat more unusal. As long as you PLAY the guitar it sounds good, but when you play back what you've recorded it sounds dead because you can't feel the strings physically. This has also happened to me a couple of times; especially when I've done 700 takes and my ears are exhausted.

Good luck.

Interesting point dude, the voice of experience is always a nice 1!

 

[Carcass29]

I record using the usb into cubase as well but I don't use the line outs from the POD...I use the "phone" out instead, I think it sounds better when recording.