POD vs. Tube PreAmp for Recording

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 14 Jul 2004 7:20 am

Hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question, but -- if you're using a digital type guitar amp simulator like a POD (or something similar) for recording, would there be any advantage to also using a tube pre-amp? Or would this be overkill? Thanks.

Brad Sarno · Post by **Brad Sarno** » 14 Jul 2004 8:37 am

One problem that you can run into if you use multiple preamps is "over-voicing". Part of a preamp is it's voicing. Voicing is the EQ tone shaping that gives a preamp it's character. Usually a guitar preamp will have some characteristic midrange dip to it. Even with tone controls, there still may be some overall general tone shaping. This voicing is also in the POD models. If you use both, then you may run into redundant or excessive midrange EQ'ing.

If you have a tube preamp that will give you flat response then you can use the tube pre for the tube warmth/sweetening factor. I'm a strong advocate of blending real tubes with digital audio. Tubes can remove the sterility or coldness that digital and solid-state tend to exhibit. Even with digital modeling of tubes like in the POD, it's still solid state and there's some aspects of the tube thang that you just can't fake. Whether it's guitar rigs, recording rigs, or mastering rigs, tubes + digital is a real nice thing. I think that the Steel Guitar Black Box is the best setup. That way you put the tube right up front without any voicing. From there you can hit pretty much any piece of gear; a POD, an amp, a rack preamp, etc., and that tube warmth/sweetness is already injected into the signal.

Brad Sarno

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 14 Jul 2004 8:38 am

Biggest problem I've had with the POD (2.x) is clean headroom. A good tube preamp would help in that department. I've done it, but I don't have a very good tube preamp.

------------------
Ben
Zum D10, NV400, TubeFex, POD, G&L Guitars, etc, etc.

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 14 Jul 2004 12:26 pm

I used the Black Box for just that purpose on my new CD. I use a Boss GT-6 for direct recording and it is clean as a whistle, but lacks character for some tunes.

If you're interested in hearing the difference, go to http://www.larrybell.org/id42.htm
The Charlie Parker tune "Anthropology" uses the Black Box and the Elvis Costello tune "Alison" does not. The samples are mp3 files, so the fidelity is not perfect. You can hear the difference more clearly on the CD itself.

------------------
<small>Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps