POD X3 versus POD X3 Live versus Vetta II
03/10/2007
I’ve finished reading through the manual for the POD X3 and am really excited and a little disappointed, all at the same time. So
where do I start?
The new POD X3 range has all the great looks of the old one, but shinier and sexier. We’re talking bigger screen, chrome knobs and
the POD X3 Live has that fantastic racing car like expression pedal. You now have two inputs, one for a guitar and one for a
microphone. The Live version also features a CD input so you can jam along to your favourite tracks, an unbalanced auxiliary input
allowing you to connect a second guitar or other instrument and a routable effects loop which can take stomp boxes and line level
sources.
...and let’s not forget that with both versions you’re also getting $200 worth of Model Packs thrown in for free.
Dual Tone versus Two Amps at Once
I’ve been studying the videos and sound clips for both of these technologies, the former being new to the POD X3 and the latter a
great feature on the Vetta II – this is where the war begins!
You might be mistaken for thinking that these are two names for the same thing, but they are in fact very different. With the POD X3
you get Dual Tone, simply put, you get two POD XT’s with all of the model packs and the vocal preamps thrown in. These can serve as
two separate guitar amps for one input or you can process a microphone or second guitar through the other input. Undeniably, you can
get some fantastic sounds out of them, but how does this compare to the Vetta II?
The Vetta II gives you excellent routing options at the beginning of your signal path, allowing you to split three stomps between the
two amplifiers in any combination you like. More than this though, these stomps aren’t limited to distortion pedals as they are on the
POD XT and POD X3, these can also include choruses, delays, synths and filters. Where the Vetta II falls down in my opinion is that this
thinking isn’t continued in the later stages of the signal routing where both signal paths are summed and share the same post effects.
So we have something of a conundrum: What’s more important to me? Running any combination of three effects up front or having two
completely independent rigs? This is the root of my disappointment. The reason I’m still using analogue pedals in my rig is because I
like the way that using a couple of distortion pedals together sounds or how a phaser can drive a distortion pedal. The POD X3 Live goes
someway into fixing this by allowing you to put stomp boxes in the effects loop and placing them after its own stomp, but this isn’t quite the same.
There is one other feature which the Vetta II does well and I’ve seen no mention of in the POD X3 documentation and that is the Double Tracker.
The Vetta II has a feature which allows your split signal to sound as if it is being played separately on each of the separate amp rigs. This gives
you a thicker sound, as if two guitarists were playing the same part.
So, who wants what?
Here we have three devices, each of which has their own pros and cons, but ultimately, what sort of user would want each of them?
POD X3 – I believe that the POD X3 is aimed at the budget, home recording enthusiast and bedroom guitarist who wants all sorts of tones at their
fingertips but isn’t prepared to spend the extra cash on the POD X3 Live. To anybody thinking of buying a POD X3 who already own an FBV foot controller,
cnsider selling the FBV and with the money you make buy the POD X3 Live...you’ll probably have some cash left over too!
Note that unlike the POD X3 Live, the POD X3 does not have MIDI ins and outs so guitarists using other MIDI pedal boards won't be able to use them with
this - thanks to ehackster over at the Line 6 Forum
for pointing this out!
POD X3 Live – This has to be aimed at the mass market; one pedal you can use to record tracks at home, jam along to your favourite music and then take
gigging. At this price you get a hell of a lot for your money and it’s worth considering that the FBV’s aren’t much cheaper.
Vetta II – It’s hard to define who’d use these amps over the POD X3. I believe it’s aimed at the professional live and studio guitarist who wants as
much flexibility as they can get, all in one place. It works well, it sounds great and it’s a high end amplifier to boot. There is something to be said
for saving time on setting up your kit and with this, it really is just plug and play.
I’m looking forward to seeing where Line 6 take it from here. I’m hoping that the POD X3 Pro, if Line 6 produce one, will make the best of the features
from both the POD X3 and the Vetta II. Mind you, where would they go from there?
Closing thoughts
I am very interested in trying out the POD X3 Live as a direct replacement for my current live setup. I have a strong feeling that I will be able to get
most things out of it that I want to and the Dual Tone feature will open me up to many new sounds.
You can discuss this article over at the Line 6 Forum.