POD XT and "Ampless"

Dave Little · Post by **Dave Little** » 2 May 2005 1:19 pm

With all the talk about the POD XT, I just had to have one. Mine was delivered a few days ago and I think I'm going to go "ampless" as soon as I can figure this thing out and get some tweeked sounds in it.
Here's 1 idea of the ampless set-up: Guitar > Volume Pedal > POD > Left Output to PA Board; Right Output to a small (very small) amp for a personal up close monitor. I'd like this monitor amp to be so small I can attach it to the guitar leg or, if necessary, a modified mic stand (so I can get it close to my ear). Also, an earphone jack in the amp would be good.
The other scenerio I've thought of would be to just plug earphones into the phone jack of the POD and only use one ear of the phones. 1 or both Outputs go to the Board. There may be a problem with this in that when phones are pluged in the POD, the Output Volume Control works the Phone as well as the 2 Line Outputs. You couldn't adjust your earphone volume without changing your level in the house mains. Someone may know a way around this?

Is either one of these a good idea? How do you guy's set up "ampless" with the pod?
Also I need suggestions on what would be a good small monitor amp like I described (if there is one).
Thanks
Dave Little

Kiyoshi Osawa · Post by **Kiyoshi Osawa** » 2 May 2005 1:26 pm

here's one option. Although something that small would probably be overtaken by the rest of the band on stage

there's also something like that from yamaha, and another from roland with simliar specs... they all mount on a mic stand.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AmpCan/

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 2 May 2005 1:39 pm

Dave, I've played with a couple drummers that use a small monitor, I think it's called at "hot spot" or something like that. I bet it's 12" by 6" or thereabouts and clamps to the rack or a symbol stand. "Hot Spot" may be a brand name but there are several brands of "personal monitors."

If you're going the headphone route, you can always get a little headphone amp or one of those small (2-4 channel), cheap mixers. Then run the right output into the headphone amp or mixer.

Shure makes some "in ear" monitors, and you can get just the ear pieces. Just like a headphone without the bulk. Several different options on quality of sound.

The one thing I'd pay attention to is if you're splitting you signal with the right and left outputs, one to the house and one to your monitor, you won't be able to use any stereo effects.

A little mixer might work well, you could run your POD signal through it and then out to the board. Maybe even use an AUX output for your tuner?? And, if you were really clever, you could maybe bring a line back from the board to hear the rest of the band in your monitor. Lots of options.[This message was edited by Ben Slaughter on 02 May 2005 at 02:42 PM.]

Dave Little · Post by **Dave Little** » 2 May 2005 3:04 pm

Thanks for the suggestions guys. From what I've read on SGF about the POD, I understand that it is basically a mono output. Only a couple of effects are real stereo (auto pan is one, I think). This being the case, I'm leaning toward something like one of the small monitor amps you suggest (pluged into one of the POD Outputs). I'll be going from a full rack on wheels and 2 Peavy 15" speaker cabs to a POD and a tiny monitor amp. This makes it: The Steel, the Pack-a-seat, and one small case for the POD, amp, mike and cables. Loading and unloading time and strain should be dramatically reduced. And I think the sound will be just as good to the listeners/dancers.
Dave Little

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 2 May 2005 4:28 pm

OK. There are several effects that are stereo. Autopan, stereo chorus, stereo delay, ping pong delay and a couple others. Unfortunately the reverb isn't nor is the leslie or vibes. It's up to you, or as mentioned, used one channel for a monitor. I dunno the voltage match etc for using the headphones, but using them doesn't mute the output signals.

NOW.

The Important thing is that the 1/4 inch outputs ARE LOW Z Ring/Tip/Sleeve outputs, and are easily used that way with cheap RTS to mike chord adapters.

I am also not aware of a separate volume control for the headphones, but I imagine you could get a smallenough signal cut/booster for them, or earplug monitors if you lean that way.

Anyhow, it IS important to know about the LoWZ RTS outputs, and the ease of using them with adapters direct to mike chords.

EJL[This message was edited by Eric West on 02 May 2005 at 05:30 PM.]

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 2 May 2005 4:32 pm

I've used a Pod as my small club rig for the last 3 years. If there's a good PA with separate monitor mixes, I've just used my house monitor. But most of the time in club gigs, I use a small 50-watt solid-state bass amp as my monitor. I've tried hot-spot type monitors, and for a very low-volume gig, they might be OK. But the ones I tried had almost no bass response. I like the sound of a small Peavey solid-state amp (for example, a Bandit 112 or KB60), a Fender Princeton (no reverb), or even a small Fender VibroChamp much better. I like the idea of in-ear monitors, but then nobody else can hear me unless everybody's got their own in-ear mix. That's not gonna happen with the people I play with.

I wouldn't worry about stereo effects. Most club PAs don't run stereo front-of-house anyway. Swirling effects on steel sound pretty gimmicky anyway, to me. I find it very useful to run a balanced-to-XLR connector to hook up my left line out (which also serves as the mono out) to the house PA. It cuts the noise significantly. They're about $10. (Just saw Eric's post - I agree)

Believe me, I like the idea of completely ampless. As long as you can live with the monitor sound, it should be fine. But on anything but a very low-volume gig, the tinny sound from these tiny monitor amps doesn't cut it for me. YMMV, but I suggest you try carefully before you buy.

------------------
MSA Classic D-10 8+4, Sierra U-14 8+5, Sierra S-10 3+4, BMI S-10 3+4 plus assorted six-stringers;
Peavey LTD 400, Line6 Pod 2.0 + Ampeg BA 112, '64 Fender Deluxe Reverb, '69 Dual Showman Reverb + EVM Cabinet

Ben Slaughter · Post by **Ben Slaughter** » 2 May 2005 4:53 pm

Just to clutter the matter more, when you go ampless, it takes some getting used to, especially if you're going to "ears" or headphones. You loose a certain "feel." The feel of the speaker pushing air or something. It's hard to describe, but you notice. Some people don't like it or can't deal with it.

So my suggestion would be, if you can, try before you buy.

Tommy Dodd · Post by **Tommy Dodd** » 2 May 2005 5:40 pm

Dave,
If you are now using a POD XT you might want to take a look at the mounting bracket I have designed for steel players. Here is what one looks like

I am making and marketing these for steel and singing guitar players (ie. those who have a microphone stands if front of them to hang their POD/bracket on!). If you are interested here's a link to the marketing propaganda click here

To keep this on track, using the POD (and carrying it in a briefcase instead of a 4-space rack) can definitely lighten up your load-in![This message was edited by Tommy Dodd on 02 May 2005 at 06:46 PM.]