GT-8 vs. Podxt Live - getting nervous

[jimmygtr]

I have been doing more reading of reviews out there and it sounds like a lot of people are really liking the XTProLive so I'm starting to weaken on my hard line stance for the GT-8. I'm about to fall otf the wagon. Somebody help!

[MrSleepy]

I have a pod xt live for DAW recording... and it has some wonderous sounds built in.
The presets are very good,with few unusable ones (unlike earlier pods).
The amp sims now sound like what there supposed too.
It is quite sensitive to pickup characteristics..Single coil (strat) and low output HBs (les pauls etc) sound great. But the guitars that I have converted to Dimarzio HS100's sound muddy (although they sound great when directly connected to an overdriven jcm800).
Excellent for direct recording.
Excellent live straight into the PA mixer.

If placed in the front of valve amp..it sounds shite ... adding the low pass compression characteristics of the amp... and the XTlive....and all you have left is a overcompressed low frequency mush.

I have placed an order for the GT8... and I expect to find myself recording with both,but playing live with the GT8 due to the flexibility of the effect switching

[Rottenegg]

Know waht you mean, I've been waiting for months and now I have to choose between the XTL, Tonelab and GT-8 (and GNX?). I'm most interested in realistic amp modeling (well, one that I like), cool FX is great but I could live without it . So far, I really like the vox stuff: tonelab and AD amps are great.

Line6:I own a Guitarport, so I know how the XTL sounds: I used to think it was great but I guess I'm getting used to it, now I think it's pretty sterile.

And to the Boss stuff: to be honest I haven't found a single sample (on the net) of the GT-6 that I really like. Cheesy 80's rock with tons of delay is NOT what I'm looking for...I guess I'm a bit too optimistic thinking that the GT8 will be radically different,.

[airship71]

Yup, I'm in the same boat, choosing between the GT-8 and XTL (and occasionally considering the Tonelab SE, although, damn, that thing is pricey). I'm more interested in effects, and I want whatever I get to sound good live and for computer recording. I'm still not sure which way to go, although I've been leaning toward the GT-8 recently. But one thing about the GT-8 ticks me off a little -- why couldn't they have put in a longer looper? 2.8 seconds? Can't do much with that.

[jimmygtr]

The GT-8 has much better Midi power (e.g. abiltiy to clock sync effect BPM to drum machine or other midi sync product.

I think the effects will be stronger too on the GT-8.

Having an effects loop is really great.

The amp emulations I suspect will mostly be a tad weaker (the old ones from the GT-6 that have not changed...but I think the new ones will be as good as or better).

No pc software...this stinks big time.

[timbo]

This is my first post on any forum. You guys crack me up. I've been reading for a couple of weeks now and I had to join in the fun.
I was at the NAMM show in southern California and the question of the difference between the GT8 and the GTpro was asked the demonstrater.
He said the GT8 was geared a little more toward the player-quick set-up, convenient, easy to carry, Changes are simpler and quicker to implement, etc. Also the price is more in the reach of the average player. The pro is a bit more for the home studio...usb, software,more connectivity. You would have to buy the accessory foot pedal to make it really gig friendly. He was playing through two JC120's running into the effects returns. He did some awesome things with it.
I,m getting one.

Later
timbo

[Aggravated_Alien]

XT Live

7 stompboxes

32 amps without Model Packs another 36 with Model Packs Installed

Only 46 out of the 72 a based on real amps the rest are Line 6 Originals

No Customized Amps

No Customized Cabnets

No Acoustic Sim

No Sitar Sim

No Pickup Modeling

4 band parametric EQ

Only 10% of its Parametters can be assigned to the Expression pedal

If you want a alternet Compressor you must sacrifice a Stompbox

No Biphase Effect

No Pitchshifting

No Harmonist

Only One Amp at a time

Cannot control effects with dynamics AKA hardness of picking

Cannot allocate the string that the octaver uses Example - Octaver only on E A D Strings

Only 1 wah type

Cannot set the range of the Wah Wah

Cannot customize the Wah

No Talk Box vowel sounds

Effects have less Parametters for you to tweak

No Effects Placement


Thats all I can think of for now

Hope this helps

[Aggravated_Alien]

If you can live with the differences then buy it.

[jimmygtr]

If you can live with the differences then buy it.

Actually, that was pretty impressive! The other big thing (for me) is that I can beat sync the effects of the Boss GT-8 with a drum machine as it can sync with an external midi clock and adjusts time based effects on BPM and some abirtary measurement.

I really forgot how much the GT-8 has to offer. I'm told Roland will be 3 weeks out getting the GT-8 to most distribution points in the U.S....oh well, this happened to me several years ago when I tried to get my GT-6.

[frenchfries]

Using a GT8 for a week, I’ve only worked with 4 Marshall models (MS1959 I, II, I+II, MShighgain) : I can say that every one is useable (wasn’t the case on the GT6) and VERY versatile… I’ve already found some convincing tones, sounding like those of Blackmore in “Made in Japan”, Uli Jon Roth in “Tokyo Tapes”, Yngwie Malmsteen in “Marching out”, the Young Bros. in “Back in Black” (the TWO, since there’s a dual mode with two amps), Eddie VH in the first album. Of course, I talk about the tones, not about my own playing :D . I had never succeeded to fully achieve these tones with the GT6, even with hours of tweaking. Does it sound better than the Tonelab or the POD XT? I don’t think so. Anyway, I can’t really judge the beast (as I said in a mail to another member, I’m totally accustomed with the Boss sound). This said, the GT8 is a lot more flexible: using the 4 cables method, I can also offer to my old and beloved Marshall combo a bunch of compressors, od/dist (33!!!), an harmonizer with an EQ to avoid power tube distorsion, etc. This multiFX is a multipurpose toolkit and here is its strength. Buy it if you’re looking for such an animal…

[Supaa]

I have been doing more reading of reviews out there and it sounds like a lot of people are really liking the XTProLive so I'm starting to weaken on my hard line stance for the GT-8. I'm about to fall otf the wagon. Somebody help!

Jimmy, we both own an Adrenalinn II and we know this thing sounds better than POD's; Then why you wanna buy an XTL ?
If you don't like the GT8 amp sims (but maybe you will), you can still loop your Adren into it for that. I'm pretty sure these 2 units will work well together (hehe, midi sync & stuff...) 8)

[jimmygtr]

I have been doing more reading of reviews out there and it sounds like a lot of people are really liking the XTProLive so I'm starting to weaken on my hard line stance for the GT-8. I'm about to fall otf the wagon. Somebody help!

Jimmy, we both own an Adrenalinn II and we know this thing sounds better than POD's; Then why you wanna buy an XTL ?
If you don't like the GT8 amp sims (but maybe you will), you can still loop your Adren into it for that. I'm pretty sure these 2 units will work well together (hehe, midi sync & stuff...) 8)

That's exactly it Supa. FX Loop for the Adrenalinn with GT-8, midi clock sync. That alone will be most excellent.

The Adrenalinn II such a cool little unit!!!

[silentk2003]

He was playing through two JC120's running into the effects returns. He did some awesome things with it.
I,m getting one.
Hey Timbo,

You may have noticed that there is almost endless discussion here about what type of output device is best with the GT-6/8. And a lot of folks here think that using a traditional amplifier defeats the purpose of using a preamp modeler, so active full range PA monitors are very popular as well as just playing direct to PA with no amp. In my case, I've opted for a less expensive alternative and am playing through a Tech 21 Power Engine. But I've always wondered about using the JC 120: it's a Roland product and there is a specific Output Select for it on the GT-6/8, so you would think that it would be the ideal output device. Seems like it would be the no-brainer solution to great tone from the GT-6/8. So -- drum roll please -- the million-dollar question for you is, are you going to spring for a JC 120 (or two!) for your GT-8?

[mommama]

I agree- the XT is very inflexible. That's why I went with the GT-8. Line 6 is more like a pedal board and the GT is like a rack/midi controller in one. I personally prefer the rack/midi board mentality, but I know many others like a board to be more basic. Tonelab SE is the same way as Line 6. Basic pedal board control kind of idea.....

Kevin

[MrSleepy]

I intend to keep my XTL..It should complement the GT8 well.
The one that I'm selling is my tonelab se...
Its nothing more than an older Korg ,with a valve thrown in as an attempt to remove some of the digital sibilance...sounds bloody awful when compared to the XTL.

[timbo]

[quote:So -- drum roll please -- the million-dollar question for you is, are you going to spring for a JC 120 (or two!) for your GT-8?]

Hey Silentk2003,

No, I'm not buying a JC120(or two). The Boss demo guy said the engineers and techs use PA's to design and test the GT8's. Roland was trying to sell moooore stuff. Nik and the rest of the guys have it right... the cleaner you go you get more GT8. Everything else will color the sound. Which isn't bad .... just personal taste. If I were to buy another Amp it would be because I liked the sound of it on it's own... preamp and all. My thing with the GT8 is the ease of set up and versitility for playing/performing. I'm sure it is more than adequite for any home studio stuff I'm likely to do for some time to come. (My recording equipment is not that sophisticated).
I don't want to lug around a bunch of equipment that takes time to set up. Multiple trips to unload. And can be just plain heavy! I used to carry a boogie mark 3(heavy!), a Korg A3Rack mount/with foot pedal. endless cables. Set up. tear down. For playing in bars no less. Always being told to turn down. Ahh, sorry where was I. GT8 into tech 21 power engine or house pa sounds great to me. I've heard the GT6 played into PA's. And into a Blues JR. (outside gig). Both very different aplications. They both sounded great. Robben Ford, Larry Carlton,SRV tones. All sounded good! Thats what convinced me to get a GT6/8. I might Look into the Tech 21 power engine. The Trademark 60 sounds good.

Forgive my Long winded response,
timbo

[silentk2003]

Thanks Timbo!

[arnexxx]

Hey, i'm a prior user of a GT-6, i sold it 2 week's ago and bought the POD xt Live, and i like very much the Amps and distortions, the effects are not that good, when you compare it to the ones in the GT's, but anyway, i think it's a good idea if you hear a demo from the forums of line 6, this persons recorded them with POD xt. Maybe you like how it sound's.

http://www.switchrocks.com/music/the10thplanet.mp3

http://www.despirited.com/tornadosolo.mp3

http://www.digitalsoundplanet.com/Members/000156247_000025623.mp3

http://www.cs.umu.se/~c02lcr/mp3/frantic.mp3

http://www.satori-band.com/rx7/MOS.mp3

http://media.audiostreet.net/899B751AF738451794C57FEABDDFDAB2/53225/Download/pod_xt_sample.mp3

The only thing i didn't like in the POD live is that it doesn't have an Acoustic Simulator (very good in GT-6. But they maybe bring it up in a upgrade in the near future. And is not a really good board to use it Live, it doesn't seem to have the same quality as a GT, like a tank. Sorry if somebody gets angry for putting this demo here, sorry, just so everybody can compare. The wah is really goood.