That's an interesting assessment. From this video, I thought the POD Express sounded best in this stand-alone application. Thanks for the insight. P.S. I liked the sound of the Boss the least in this demo. There was a weird "boxy" mid-range thing that I didn't like, but probably helps to cut through in a band mix, and it definitely didn't have the top end for the note definition.
@@myguitarsandmeThat's exactly it - the Boss sounds all sound like they'd sit in a live mix much better than the others, but sound pretty bad on their own.
For real! The "I just need a ___" musicians are getting pretty quiet right about now, and we're all running out of excuses as to why we're not sitting down and making music!
Great video. I own the Boss IR-2, POD Express and Quad Cortex. I gig the Quad Cortex, but the POD Express makes me the happiest with its feature set, tones and simplicity.
Pete was right, that on the higher-gain, there wasn't much too choose between them. I preferred the Tonex on clean, and clean with pedals. And I'd probably go with the Tonex. just because with the software it has access to so much more models. There's two things I want from a pedal like this, a small pedal to load with my favourite clean 'pedal platform' tone. And then, a tone chameleon, for the studio to cover me for sounds other than the amps I have. I have a Vox AC, a Marshall JTM and a Victory V40. So, the modeller would get used for amps I won't ever buy, like Dumbles, Fender Pro/Super/Twin Reverb, Vintage Tweed Champ/Princeton, Big old Vintage Twin Reverb, Orange Rockerverb, Matamp, Hi-watt Custom, Soldano SLO etc ...
I have the Pod Express and use it as an office practice amp plugged into an old Bose speaker. The 2 fit in my guitar bag and go with me to play in back yard or in a park. So while it doesn't compare to a UAFX pedal or a real amp, it is pretty amazing for portability and practice. Some people will complain about the features it doesn't have (e.g. a display for tuner, metal chassis, etc) but for the right use case it is a relatively inexpensive and high quality portable practice rig. I am happy with it.
The issue you mentioned is real. I've lost track of the amount of times I've been searching for a sound with digital gear only to end up back at the first one I tried (unknowingly). The range of sounds available in these units is a blessing and a curse.
Someone suggested to do a setup session where you find a handful of different tones, then stick to those presets and delete/hide the rest. Fiddling can be ok if it has a purpose, like learning to set up your gear, but yeah, not good if you should be creative and write stuff.
Surprised but not at the same time, how good the Pod Express sounded. Liked it best for most (except the hi-Gain, that Tonex won for me). IR-2 was last for me on all.
I got the tonex and pod express. They are awesome together and stand alone but I lean pod because of effects versatility. The thing that amazes me is that you can actually gig with these for such a cheap price. They both sound great thru a PA or amp cabs.
I gig with the Tonex one. I love the Dumble ODS legends pack. I use one, "Smooth as Silk" as my base tone and run a Boss TU-3 > Boss noise suppressor (4 cable) > compressor >Tube Screamer > RAT > Blues Driver BD2 > EQ pedal > return to NS > out to Tonex > vintage Bi Fet Preamp booster > Tremolo > to GT-1 For Stereo Chorus, Vibrato, Stereo Delay and Stereo Reverb. The stacked overdrives are great for adding as much or little as I need. I find stacking the BD-2 and Rat or BD2 and tube screamer clean up very well with lowering the guitar volume. I use either a Fender Strat, An Epiphone Prophecy or a Gretsch 5420T. Depending on the gig. They all get a glorious sound with this setup and all very versatile. The Tonex just takes the place of the amp and I go DI into Front of house. I'm very happy with the Tonex, it responds so much like an amp and the Dumble pack is killer!
Pod Express 1st for overall sound and versatility. ToneX 2nd for sounds, but being tied to a computer is limiting. I was surprised that I didn't like any of the sounds from the "boxy" Boss IR. I've heard other videos where the Boss sounded good at the time.
I just recently picked us the TONEX. It’s my first dive into the digital guitar world as I’m an old dude that is not all that tech-y. I never jumped on the Helix/Kemper/Fractal train because i honestly never felt like I needed access to every possible amp or effect available. In all my years of playing, I got by fine with a clean tone, a crunchy tone, and a solo/ lead tone. With the Tonex I have it set up exactly that way. I run a delay and chorus after it into an FRFR and I’m good to go. I have no experience with the POD express or the IR2, but I could see me possibly getting the IR2 if I ever did want to run my analog pedals into my amp.
It's always interesting how different companies do the "same" amp differently. They all sound pretty good but I agree that the Boss one gives you a very good base tone, the rest of them seem to be made for bedroom / headphone users as there's extra processing to make them sound bigger. If you're playing live at high volumes with a speaker cabinet it might be too much
I think if you play each of them a little longer, your ears will adjust. I find that gap makes it harder to remember what you heard/felt. My favourite was the POD Express.
I added the scores and here is what I came up with. Lower is better in this scoring contest. POD express 7 pts. Boss IR-2 8 pts. Tonex One 9 pts. Boss and Line6 took the #1 spot two times each. But Boss took #3 two times where the Line6 only took #3 once and took #2 once. So if you were trying to keep an official "score" the Line6 won by a hair. Thanks for the video, guys! Fun to watch!
Line 6 Pod E. I bought it when it came out and I think it is the most complete and easy to use of all. You can also use it with batteries and headphones and most importantly for me, it has stereo output.
Really amazing comparison! Totally I liked the Boss the best because it didn’t have the effects and just sounded “cleaner”. but for usability, Pod for a complete pedal with tones and effects.
I have the POD Express and a ToneX (big one, not the ONE). I think the appeal and maybe downside of the ToneX is that if you don't like, say, a Deluxe Clean type tone, you just find a capture you like better. The downside also being is that while there are free captures out there, you may have to pay extra for the ones you really want. The POD Express is, IMO, a perfect practice/headphone rig. It fits nicely in my gig bag to use as a backup (my main rig is a Fractal FM9). If I could only pick one of the two I have experience with I think I'd actually go with the POD.
For what, though, is the question. All-in-1, backup rig, with headphones - POD, for sure (seems to have extra bass, which works well for headphones - and not such a big deal for what’s just a backup rig). Best Amp sounds and variety thereof - ToneX, for sure. I didn’t really like the Boss best for anything?! (despite being a bit of a vintage Boss fanboi).
I like the user interface on the Line6 . I think they have included a ton of features in a small space and I can still understand how to use it by just looking at it. I don't know how it really sounds but that could be a bedroom/band room rocker.
@@nagualnazgul3101 Anywhere when you are using the send and returns as the "amp" block. There are videos how to set up and its best to follow those to the letter as they will help you avoid heartache.
I own a helix, an hx stomp, and a tonex. Features is helix by a mile. Maybe it’s just because I gigged with helix for 6 years and got used to it, But the tonex feels noticeably more like an amp. I’ve run both as preamps into a tube power section and the tonex was more accurate. Plenty of great sounds on the helix still.
I own the Pod express, a Fender blues jr. and a Katana MK2 50watt....this bit of kit is ridiculously fun to jam on... Unlimited options and can stack all kinds of effects. Nobody in the bars I play cares about my boutique pedal board and I don't risk someone spilling beer on it.
I had the Tonex for a week then sent it back as I didn't connect with it. I've got the IR-2. Think I've played it twice. Selling it this weekend. I've had the Helix and HX stomp; both sold. The only units that have stayed on my board are the UAFX amps. I don't miss playing an amp with these pedals.
I'm thoroughly enjoying the Line 6 Pod Express. The models sound fantastic even without the effects but I've been very enamored with the Tape Echo and Clean Boost ones. The Chorus is the weak spot for me, I wish I could replace it with something else. Great unit, I love the Dynamic and Special amps.
Well done, indeed! Had and returned the Boss, feeling it felt too boxy and metallic/squished, which became very apparent in my standard tuning, which is 3 half-steps down (C# standard). Pre-ordered but cancelled the Line 6, and glad I did, now. Own the big ToneX, so not too tempted to downsize. So what compact (!) option is best? None of the above. Instead, get a Katana Go and run your guitar cable into a tuner, then into the Katana Go, and from there via an adapter cable into whatever else your need, if anything. Works like a charm, and has a great app, plus presets you can use wirelessly with the Boss footswitch. Also doubles as a grab-and-go amp and rig (which is obviously what it was really intended to be).
I played along and liked to Pod Express for most(mainly the gain tones)and the Boss 2nd although I thought the Boss sounded better clean. If I didn’t already have a Pod Go I’d grab the express.
I think the break between sounds is a great Like drinking orange juicer after brushing your teeth, you need to clean the palate some tones can clash when hearing one after the other
Definitely a good idea for anyone using modellers to have those pauses - there is so much colour in an amp sound that you really need to let your ears settle with a new sound before you write it off! Who knows, you may find your favourite amp sound is based on a Line 6 Spider Insane and you just dont know it yet ;)
The one thing I heard about tonex is the preset captures are not the best. But if you want to spend a couple bucks you can get stuff that is next level. Once you upgrade with amalgam or tone Junkie captures you will be in awe
Yeah the IK stuff sounds awful imho. No wonder the Andertons guys never like Tonex. Amalgam is completely next level though if you like vintage amps. I wish Lee & Pete would demo some of those.
I've had the same phenomenon when I compared my Kraken to my 5150 and every time I switched amps, the amp that I switched to sounded awful compared to the one I switched from and it happened every time I switched.
You should have used the TWN setting on the IR-2. And my experience with Tonex one is that it’s a good thing to tweak the tone on the pedal e.g. gain to get a great sound.
I have a real soft spot for Boss pedals. I have NO need for the IR-2, but I do like its straight forward, two channel amp approach. Usually I'm a tube amp guy and I already have an HX Stomp for modeling. When I use modeling, I do the hybrid modeled amp into power amp and cab setup; no IRs. I find tweaking a patch 'live' is tougher than twisting a knob or two on an amp to adjust for the room. When my band practiced, conditions were different every time; different location, loading in, room arranged a bit differently, so setting a patch and expecting it to sound the same week to week didn't work. I struggled to match clean and dirt volumes. I could see the Boss being much closer to that immediate amp tweak interaction.
I've used the IR-2 in a band setting via a Fender FR12. Stupid simple to use. Nobody heard the difference from it and a real tube amp. Tweaking was instantaneous when adjusting for the room.
I know that myself and a lot of other folks watching these kinds of gear shootouts have long pushed for you demo folks to take a bit of break between devices. It's just natural. Conceptually no different from wine tasters clearing their palates between samples, chefs sampling dishes and perfume scent specialists taking a few moments - all to rest your senses. Going further, especially with guitar gear, we all are guilty of hearing with our eyes. Thus even adding blind comparisons is essential whenever possible. It's why the recent "winner stays on" comparisons with Rabea were so good. Blind and you guys did take a bit of time between pedals. Of course, Rabea has superb ears for his sound preferences.... Good on Anderton's for waking up and smelling the coffee here....
I play almost exclusively on clean channels and kick on fuzzes for leads, so I can't really use these. For whatever reason they just can't replicate big Fender type cleans (especially live) and they don't play too well with fuzz boxes). BUT I have messed with them a lot and if I wanted that marshall stack or Vox jangle, I would 100% use the Boss over the others. The Boss does that barky 4x12 thing very well and its Vox setting has the boxy "kerrang" nailed down.
Funny the helix amps did so good in the blind test this time. I think its because its predialed in. Everytime they shootout the helix they dont to dial it in at all.
I’d be curious to know if the tonex amp captures they used are the ones supplied by IK Media, or if they were pulled from some other user or creator via ToneNet. I own the Tonex One and find the user/creator based captures are far better than those provided by IK Media themselves in most cases. In the end, all three had shining moments and I feel that all three would serve most anyone wanting to jump into the amp modeling world well.
People keep forgetting Boss IR-2 sims are pretty much demo tones in my mind and not IRs that I'd use. I have an IR-2. Plan on swapping out to York Audio IRs. Other users have done that and turned a mediocre sounding unit to a killer unit.
Why not include the Mooer Preamp X in comparison? I think you have it in your store and it's a comparable device - has amp sims and IRs although it doesn't do stereo.
I really liked previous demos of the Boss so was expecting to prefer it here … TBH, I suspect it might sound the most like a “real” amp, but I think the Line 6 takes it for me for usable tones.
Bought and returned the IR-2. It didn’t interact very well with my pedals and had a strange buzzing sound that Boss were unable to fix. Tonex for me sounds a lot better with York IRs
I have both tonex pedals but i think the pod won this one for total package, with all the fx included and everything you need. All of the Boss tones sounded like a wet blanket over the amp when compared to the others. The Tonex ONE is fiddly AF, i would highly recommend the full size Tonex pedal unless you plan to mostly just leave it on one or two amps or pedals most of the time.
This is a tough comparison to make. Your favorite is going to greatly depend on what you need to use the pedal for. if you need effects you're going to like the Pod but if you are just looking for amp sounds, it's going to be really hard to beat the Tonex for the amp captures that are available. There are some absolutely amazing captures out there, especially if you're willing to spend a couple dollars. As for the IR-2, well Boss is just Boss and you know how their pedals are. it doesn't do a ton but what it does, it does very well.
MMm. The problem with the Tonex, imho is it's lack of controls AND that it uses capture tech. That means you WILL have to set up presets via the App, because those knobs will not react like the amp captured (EQ and Gain) because capture tech captures an amp at particular settings. Switching presets on the Tonex 1 is anything but intuitive (You have to remember what is what).
TONEX is awesome but wish it had FX (or at least MIDI) capability. The POD Express is a different animal as it’s almost all-in-one (no compressor). POD Express for someone who wants fx and maybe practice at home … For more serious pedalboard people, the Boss and for people who really are serious about amp tone & captures, two Tonex ones on a pedalboard for stereo.
I had the Tonex pedal (the bigger one)but found the clean tones kinda on the boxy side. I tried tweaking through the pedal and improved it but when I compared the clean tones to my UA Dream 65 and the Dream 65 smoked the Tonex. The overdrive tones were ok too on the Tonex but I didn’t find that it lived up to the hype. So I returned it and bought the Boss IR-200, again the bigger version over the Boss IR-2. The Boss sounds much better with clean and overdrive tones to me so the Boss IR-200 is a keeper for me. I know that there are thousands of tones available on the Tonex through the app but I didn’t want to have to search through thousands of IRs to find the tones I liked. I found the Boss delivered the tones I liked with just a little tweaking to the cab/mic IRs on the unit. However they all had their strengths and weaknesses in this video. But then again if this were all real amps in the room they would have their strengths and weaknesses too based on tone preferences and styles. So I guess we’re living in the age of great tone options and for very reasonable prices.
I have a tonex and the Pod. Once I bought some captures I really like, the Tonex (for me) sounds quite a bit better. But the Pod is a great tool of course.
Cool comparison. I guess that adjusting the eq or changing the IR can completely change the character of any of those pedals.. But from here I liked best the Tonex (need a touch more gain to shine though) and then Pod. The IR2 did not sound as convincing in my opinion.
Tonex, tonenet amps are spot on. Almagm Audio makes some stellar amps in the models they demo'd. No comparison IMHO. All great pedals, i just can't tell an amp from the amalgam captures on the tonex. (some other awesome premium captures from others, i just stick with amalgam. Maybe i should buy a few from others.). But IMHO no comparison in real life. between these three. The tonex is a recorded amp (don't like the stock captures so much).
I get that "phenomenon" when I'm switching between rigs on my HeadRush. One will sound great but then sounds like crap when I switch and switch back without giving my ears a second to adjust.
For all it has onboard I think we have to say the Pod Go Express is the overall winner of these three. But if you already have a lot of your own effects the Boss makes a lot of sense as well. Tonex for the computer driven folks.
It's hard to judge on a phone, but today's tech is sooo much better than yesterdays. The Tonex when used with computer is best. The Pod has the most tweak able knobs and two foot switches if that's what you want, The Boss sounded cardboard boxy to me. In a mix you'll have to find out yourself. None are bad actually as everyone agrees. The Pod seemed to have a LOT of treble, of course that is tweak able on all three.
Honestly, every one of these is serious bang for the buck. I’m not into ToneX (QC and HX here) but it is pretty darn impressive. The Boss was the most surprising to me - good, solid tones but nothing that blows the doors off. Thanks for another great video, Lee and Pete!
Good video,,as usual. And good fun seeing you struggle to pronounce Julen Lopetegi (Basque name and surname) Not easy for a non Basque speaker,I guess.
These latest Andertons videos only serve to reinforce my desire to go forward with my SAGA project - a Simple Analog Guitar preAmp with a couple foot-switchable stages of distortion, some aggressive lowpass filtering at the output, and a bit of mid scoop in a Pi-style tone control to approximate the resonant impedance of a speaker cabinet. Pair it with any competent powered speaker and you can busk with it without offending any tone snob.
I have the boss and the line 6.
The boss is great for using other pedals with it.
The line 6 is great for something stand-alone
That's an interesting assessment. From this video, I thought the POD Express sounded best in this stand-alone application. Thanks for the insight. P.S. I liked the sound of the Boss the least in this demo. There was a weird "boxy" mid-range thing that I didn't like, but probably helps to cut through in a band mix, and it definitely didn't have the top end for the note definition.
Both great pedals. The L6 as well has separate volume on the phones 😎
I am so certain that Brandon Carter doesn’t play the guitar
@@joshball8674 you can Google that. Lol
@@myguitarsandmeThat's exactly it - the Boss sounds all sound like they'd sit in a live mix much better than the others, but sound pretty bad on their own.
The winner is us. Low cost access to good sounding stuff. All three are good.
Bingo
We are in the platinum age of music
For real! The "I just need a ___" musicians are getting pretty quiet right about now, and we're all running out of excuses as to why we're not sitting down and making music!
You must be fun at parties, he said unsarcastically 😊
Great video. I own the Boss IR-2, POD Express and Quad Cortex. I gig the Quad Cortex, but the POD Express makes me the happiest with its feature set, tones and simplicity.
How about the boss ir-2? no love?
Pete was right, that on the higher-gain, there wasn't much too choose between them. I preferred the Tonex on clean, and clean with pedals. And I'd probably go with the Tonex. just because with the software it has access to so much more models. There's two things I want from a pedal like this, a small pedal to load with my favourite clean 'pedal platform' tone. And then, a tone chameleon, for the studio to cover me for sounds other than the amps I have. I have a Vox AC, a Marshall JTM and a Victory V40. So, the modeller would get used for amps I won't ever buy, like Dumbles, Fender Pro/Super/Twin Reverb, Vintage Tweed Champ/Princeton, Big old Vintage Twin Reverb, Orange Rockerverb, Matamp, Hi-watt Custom, Soldano SLO etc ...
I have the Pod Express and use it as an office practice amp plugged into an old Bose speaker. The 2 fit in my guitar bag and go with me to play in back yard or in a park. So while it doesn't compare to a UAFX pedal or a real amp, it is pretty amazing for portability and practice. Some people will complain about the features it doesn't have (e.g. a display for tuner, metal chassis, etc) but for the right use case it is a relatively inexpensive and high quality portable practice rig. I am happy with it.
How did you connect it? Is it a powered speaker?
The issue you mentioned is real. I've lost track of the amount of times I've been searching for a sound with digital gear only to end up back at the first one I tried (unknowingly). The range of sounds available in these units is a blessing and a curse.
Someone suggested to do a setup session where you find a handful of different tones, then stick to those presets and delete/hide the rest. Fiddling can be ok if it has a purpose, like learning to set up your gear, but yeah, not good if you should be creative and write stuff.
Surprised but not at the same time, how good the Pod Express sounded. Liked it best for most (except the hi-Gain, that Tonex won for me). IR-2 was last for me on all.
That POD really nailed the EVH tone, surprisingly. It was so, so close.
Great to hear Pete's vocals. Classic danish sports bar quality!
I got the tonex and pod express. They are awesome together and stand alone but I lean pod because of effects versatility. The thing that amazes me is that you can actually gig with these for such a cheap price. They both sound great thru a PA or amp cabs.
I gig with the Tonex one. I love the Dumble ODS legends pack. I use one, "Smooth as Silk" as my base tone and run a Boss TU-3 > Boss noise suppressor (4 cable) > compressor >Tube Screamer > RAT > Blues Driver BD2 > EQ pedal > return to NS > out to Tonex > vintage Bi Fet Preamp booster > Tremolo > to GT-1 For Stereo Chorus, Vibrato, Stereo Delay and Stereo Reverb.
The stacked overdrives are great for adding as much or little as I need. I find stacking the BD-2 and Rat or BD2 and tube screamer clean up very well with lowering the guitar volume. I use either a Fender Strat, An Epiphone Prophecy or a Gretsch 5420T. Depending on the gig. They all get a glorious sound with this setup and all very versatile. The Tonex just takes the place of the amp and I go DI into Front of house. I'm very happy with the Tonex, it responds so much like an amp and the Dumble pack is killer!
Pod Express 1st for overall sound and versatility. ToneX 2nd for sounds, but being tied to a computer is limiting. I was surprised that I didn't like any of the sounds from the "boxy" Boss IR. I've heard other videos where the Boss sounded good at the time.
Could be because of the Speaker Cabinet IR that was used. The boxyness can maybe be solved with loading another Cabinet IR.
I just recently picked us the TONEX. It’s my first dive into the digital guitar world as I’m an old dude that is not all that tech-y. I never jumped on the Helix/Kemper/Fractal train because i honestly never felt like I needed access to every possible amp or effect available. In all my years of playing, I got by fine with a clean tone, a crunchy tone, and a solo/ lead tone. With the Tonex I have it set up exactly that way. I run a delay and chorus after it into an FRFR and I’m good to go. I have no experience with the POD express or the IR2, but I could see me possibly getting the IR2 if I ever did want to run my analog pedals into my amp.
The Pod express had a lot of Reverb on all presets, which made IT sound fuller.
It's always interesting how different companies do the "same" amp differently. They all sound pretty good but I agree that the Boss one gives you a very good base tone, the rest of them seem to be made for bedroom / headphone users as there's extra processing to make them sound bigger. If you're playing live at high volumes with a speaker cabinet it might be too much
I think if you play each of them a little longer, your ears will adjust. I find that gap makes it harder to remember what you heard/felt. My favourite was the POD Express.
All good products. Each has its place and purpose. If you don't need software app I would say the IR2 probably has an edge in terms of amp tone.
Come for the demo, stay for the silliness.
Love Anderton’s video. Informative as heck and still massively entertaining
Love these guys!
ALWAYS!!!!!!! and I wouldn't have it ANY OTHER WAY!!!!!!!
I added the scores and here is what I came up with. Lower is better in this scoring contest.
POD express 7 pts.
Boss IR-2 8 pts.
Tonex One 9 pts.
Boss and Line6 took the #1 spot two times each. But Boss took #3 two times where the Line6 only took #3 once and took #2 once. So if you were trying to keep an official "score" the Line6 won by a hair.
Thanks for the video, guys! Fun to watch!
Line 6 Pod E. I bought it when it came out and I think it is the most complete and easy to use of all. You can also use it with batteries and headphones and most importantly for me, it has stereo output.
Really amazing comparison! Totally I liked the Boss the best because it didn’t have the effects and just sounded “cleaner”. but for usability, Pod for a complete pedal with tones and effects.
I have the POD Express and a ToneX (big one, not the ONE). I think the appeal and maybe downside of the ToneX is that if you don't like, say, a Deluxe Clean type tone, you just find a capture you like better. The downside also being is that while there are free captures out there, you may have to pay extra for the ones you really want.
The POD Express is, IMO, a perfect practice/headphone rig. It fits nicely in my gig bag to use as a backup (my main rig is a Fractal FM9).
If I could only pick one of the two I have experience with I think I'd actually go with the POD.
For what, though, is the question. All-in-1, backup rig, with headphones - POD, for sure (seems to have extra bass, which works well for headphones - and not such a big deal for what’s just a backup rig). Best Amp sounds and variety thereof - ToneX, for sure. I didn’t really like the Boss best for anything?! (despite being a bit of a vintage Boss fanboi).
I like the user interface on the Line6 . I think they have included a ton of features in a small space and I can still understand how to use it by just looking at it. I don't know how it really sounds but that could be a bedroom/band room rocker.
I am using the ToneX into my Line 6 Helix LT and my goodness the tones by combining both!
same here with the HX Stomp. Absolutely amazing! I never had such a great sound.
It can be positioned everywhere in the presets chain or only in the front?
@@nagualnazgul3101 Anywhere when you are using the send and returns as the "amp" block. There are videos how to set up and its best to follow those to the letter as they will help you avoid heartache.
Boss IR2 for me the tone is very solid on it compared to the others and it can be used with other pedals.
Can’t they all 3 be used with other pedals??? 🤷♂️.........Yes.....they can.
I own a helix, an hx stomp, and a tonex. Features is helix by a mile. Maybe it’s just because I gigged with helix for 6 years and got used to it, But the tonex feels noticeably more like an amp. I’ve run both as preamps into a tube power section and the tonex was more accurate. Plenty of great sounds on the helix still.
I own the Pod express, a Fender blues jr. and a Katana MK2 50watt....this bit of kit is ridiculously fun to jam on... Unlimited options and can stack all kinds of effects. Nobody in the bars I play cares about my boutique pedal board and I don't risk someone spilling beer on it.
I had the Tonex for a week then sent it back as I didn't connect with it. I've got the IR-2. Think I've played it twice. Selling it this weekend. I've had the Helix and HX stomp; both sold. The only units that have stayed on my board are the UAFX amps. I don't miss playing an amp with these pedals.
Recently picked up the Pod Express and it's very good. Lots of different Tones and FX choices. Audio Interface. Good Bang for the Buck unit
The one arm bandits joke was brilliant
You're amazing guys! Thank you for this demo!
I'm thoroughly enjoying the Line 6 Pod Express. The models sound fantastic even without the effects but I've been very enamored with the Tape Echo and Clean Boost ones. The Chorus is the weak spot for me, I wish I could replace it with something else. Great unit, I love the Dynamic and Special amps.
Well done, indeed! Had and returned the Boss, feeling it felt too boxy and metallic/squished, which became very apparent in my standard tuning, which is 3 half-steps down (C# standard). Pre-ordered but cancelled the Line 6, and glad I did, now. Own the big ToneX, so not too tempted to downsize. So what compact (!) option is best? None of the above. Instead, get a Katana Go and run your guitar cable into a tuner, then into the Katana Go, and from there via an adapter cable into whatever else your need, if anything. Works like a charm, and has a great app, plus presets you can use wirelessly with the Boss footswitch. Also doubles as a grab-and-go amp and rig (which is obviously what it was really intended to be).
I have the Line 6 POD Express, but will probably buy the TONEX One too.
I played along and liked to Pod Express for most(mainly the gain tones)and the Boss 2nd although I thought the Boss sounded better clean. If I didn’t already have a Pod Go I’d grab the express.
I think the break between sounds is a great
Like drinking orange juicer after brushing your teeth, you need to clean the palate
some tones can clash when hearing one after the other
Thanks so much. I'll keep my IR-2
Same
Definitely a good idea for anyone using modellers to have those pauses - there is so much colour in an amp sound that you really need to let your ears settle with a new sound before you write it off! Who knows, you may find your favourite amp sound is based on a Line 6 Spider Insane and you just dont know it yet ;)
I'm happy I could help with this one :D Still set on my TC Electronic ampworks
Like the boss two. Like the reset. Fill the space with trivia or games! 15 second competition that racks up score to end of video
The one thing I heard about tonex is the preset captures are not the best. But if you want to spend a couple bucks you can get stuff that is next level. Once you upgrade with amalgam or tone Junkie captures you will be in awe
I've not heard that at all. In fact of the comparisons of captures Ive heard Tonex was significantly ahead
Yeah the IK stuff sounds awful imho. No wonder the Andertons guys never like Tonex. Amalgam is completely next level though if you like vintage amps. I wish Lee & Pete would demo some of those.
I've had the same phenomenon when I compared my Kraken to my 5150 and every time I switched amps, the amp that I switched to sounded awful compared to the one I switched from and it happened every time I switched.
You should have used the TWN setting on the IR-2. And my experience with Tonex one is that it’s a good thing to tweak the tone on the pedal e.g. gain to get a great sound.
I have a real soft spot for Boss pedals. I have NO need for the IR-2, but I do like its straight forward, two channel amp approach. Usually I'm a tube amp guy and I already have an HX Stomp for modeling. When I use modeling, I do the hybrid modeled amp into power amp and cab setup; no IRs. I find tweaking a patch 'live' is tougher than twisting a knob or two on an amp to adjust for the room. When my band practiced, conditions were different every time; different location, loading in, room arranged a bit differently, so setting a patch and expecting it to sound the same week to week didn't work. I struggled to match clean and dirt volumes. I could see the Boss being much closer to that immediate amp tweak interaction.
I've used the IR-2 in a band setting via a Fender FR12. Stupid simple to use. Nobody heard the difference from it and a real tube amp. Tweaking was instantaneous when adjusting for the room.
I know that myself and a lot of other folks watching these kinds of gear shootouts have long pushed for you demo folks to take a bit of break between devices. It's just natural. Conceptually no different from wine tasters clearing their palates between samples, chefs sampling dishes and perfume scent specialists taking a few moments - all to rest your senses.
Going further, especially with guitar gear, we all are guilty of hearing with our eyes. Thus even adding blind comparisons is essential whenever possible. It's why the recent "winner stays on" comparisons with Rabea were so good. Blind and you guys did take a bit of time between pedals. Of course, Rabea has superb ears for his sound preferences....
Good on Anderton's for waking up and smelling the coffee here....
I play almost exclusively on clean channels and kick on fuzzes for leads, so I can't really use these. For whatever reason they just can't replicate big Fender type cleans (especially live) and they don't play too well with fuzz boxes).
BUT I have messed with them a lot and if I wanted that marshall stack or Vox jangle, I would 100% use the Boss over the others. The Boss does that barky 4x12 thing very well and its Vox setting has the boxy "kerrang" nailed down.
I have the big tonex and it works amazing with fuzz pedals
Might have been good to disable reverb on the Pod to make comparisons fairer
I wanted to like one of them, but I just couldn't. Pick the least worst to you or find a different solution to whatever problem this solves for you?
Oh yes the part where you went through all 3 and back the first one -Yes my ears needed a moment
I think Boss' clean sounds like a Roland JC, which makes more sense since Roland owns Boss
Funny the helix amps did so good in the blind test this time.
I think its because its predialed in.
Everytime they shootout the helix they dont to dial it in at all.
Wow guys, only 17 minutes in and I’ve learned how to reboot my ears & learned of a new band called the one armed bandits. Who needs the news.
I’d be curious to know if the tonex amp captures they used are the ones supplied by IK Media, or if they were pulled from some other user or creator via ToneNet. I own the Tonex One and find the user/creator based captures are far better than those provided by IK Media themselves in most cases.
In the end, all three had shining moments and I feel that all three would serve most anyone wanting to jump into the amp modeling world well.
"They don't sound anything like each other though do they?"...
..."honestly I can't tell the difference man" 😂😂
Love you Pete
People keep forgetting Boss IR-2 sims are pretty much demo tones in my mind and not IRs that I'd use. I have an IR-2. Plan on swapping out to York Audio IRs. Other users have done that and turned a mediocre sounding unit to a killer unit.
I have the ToneX but thought the Pod Go sounded best in this.
Wonder how it would have gone if they used Amalgam captures for the ToneX
Why not include the Mooer Preamp X in comparison? I think you have it in your store and it's a comparable device - has amp sims and IRs although it doesn't do stereo.
Surprisingly Line6 sounds the best, especially on the high gain, where Tonex and Boss are more like a compressed wall of noise.
IMO any of these will do the job with a little tweeking. The POD is probably the out-of-the-box solution with instant good tones and effects.
I really liked previous demos of the Boss so was expecting to prefer it here … TBH, I suspect it might sound the most like a “real” amp, but I think the Line 6 takes it for me for usable tones.
They are so right about going back and forth
“Lob a potato. Is he Irish?” -DP
Bought and returned the IR-2. It didn’t interact very well with my pedals and had a strange buzzing sound that Boss were unable to fix. Tonex for me sounds a lot better with York IRs
I have both tonex pedals but i think the pod won this one for total package, with all the fx included and everything you need. All of the Boss tones sounded like a wet blanket over the amp when compared to the others. The Tonex ONE is fiddly AF, i would highly recommend the full size Tonex pedal unless you plan to mostly just leave it on one or two amps or pedals most of the time.
Pete’s overdrive pedal is the winner for me.
This is a tough comparison to make. Your favorite is going to greatly depend on what you need to use the pedal for. if you need effects you're going to like the Pod but if you are just looking for amp sounds, it's going to be really hard to beat the Tonex for the amp captures that are available. There are some absolutely amazing captures out there, especially if you're willing to spend a couple dollars. As for the IR-2, well Boss is just Boss and you know how their pedals are. it doesn't do a ton but what it does, it does very well.
MMm. The problem with the Tonex, imho is it's lack of controls AND that it uses capture tech. That means you WILL have to set up presets via the App, because those knobs will not react like the amp captured (EQ and Gain) because capture tech captures an amp at particular settings. Switching presets on the Tonex 1 is anything but intuitive (You have to remember what is what).
TONEX is awesome but wish it had FX (or at least MIDI) capability. The POD Express is a different animal as it’s almost all-in-one (no compressor).
POD Express for someone who wants fx and maybe practice at home …
For more serious pedalboard people, the Boss and for people who really are serious about amp tone & captures, two Tonex ones on a pedalboard for stereo.
Hi! The ToneX big box has MIDI.
I do prefer the "big box" to the ToneX One.
I have the pod express its so good with headphone i love it
Hate to tell you Pete BUT the Boss also has a headphone input like the Line 6 .......
I’ve noticed when Pete plays blindfolded there is more focus on articulation kind of Stevie Wonder thing 😅
I’m always going to use an amp & pedals live, but I’ll plug-in any of these in the studio and find great sounds.
I had the Tonex pedal (the bigger one)but found the clean tones kinda on the boxy side. I tried tweaking through the pedal and improved it but when I compared the clean tones to my UA Dream 65 and the Dream 65 smoked the Tonex. The overdrive tones were ok too on the Tonex but I didn’t find that it lived up to the hype.
So I returned it and bought the Boss IR-200, again the bigger version over the Boss IR-2. The Boss sounds much better with clean and overdrive tones to me so the Boss IR-200 is a keeper for me. I know that there are thousands of tones available on the Tonex through the app but I didn’t want to have to search through thousands of IRs to find the tones I liked. I found the Boss delivered the tones I liked with just a little tweaking to the cab/mic IRs on the unit.
However they all had their strengths and weaknesses in this video. But then again if this were all real amps in the room they would have their strengths and weaknesses too based on tone preferences and styles. So I guess we’re living in the age of great tone options and for very reasonable prices.
The Boss had the least chime more muted sound. The pod probably sounded best to me.
21:18 didnt know pete was such a blink182 - dammit , all those small things fan ;),
I have a tonex and the Pod. Once I bought some captures I really like, the Tonex (for me) sounds quite a bit better. But the Pod is a great tool of course.
I think the Boss IR sound more open and less compressed than the others and more amp like.
Cool comparison. I guess that adjusting the eq or changing the IR can completely change the character of any of those pedals.. But from here I liked best the Tonex (need a touch more gain to shine though) and then Pod. The IR2 did not sound as convincing in my opinion.
16:58
I said "One Armed Bandits" at the exact same time as Captain Lee!
😂😂
Finally a shootout!!!!
I notice a big difference between the clean tonesthan the high gain tones.
I got the tone X, loaded my three sounds; after much frustration, and will never touch the software again.
Tonex, tonenet amps are spot on. Almagm Audio makes some stellar amps in the models they demo'd. No comparison IMHO. All great pedals, i just can't tell an amp from the amalgam captures on the tonex. (some other awesome premium captures from others, i just stick with amalgam. Maybe i should buy a few from others.).
But IMHO no comparison in real life. between these three. The tonex is a recorded amp (don't like the stock captures so much).
I get that "phenomenon" when I'm switching between rigs on my HeadRush. One will sound great but then sounds like crap when I switch and switch back without giving my ears a second to adjust.
For all it has onboard I think we have to say the Pod Go Express is the overall winner of these three. But if you already have a lot of your own effects the Boss makes a lot of sense as well. Tonex for the computer driven folks.
It's hard to judge on a phone, but today's tech is sooo much better than yesterdays. The Tonex when used with computer is best. The Pod has the most tweak able knobs and two foot switches if that's what you want, The Boss sounded cardboard boxy to me. In a mix you'll have to find out yourself. None are bad actually as everyone agrees. The Pod seemed to have a LOT of treble, of course that is tweak able on all three.
Honestly, every one of these is serious bang for the buck. I’m not into ToneX (QC and HX here) but it is pretty darn impressive.
The Boss was the most surprising to me - good, solid tones but nothing that blows the doors off.
Thanks for another great video, Lee and Pete!
For me
1st place: Tonex
Close 2nd: IR2
Distant 3rd: Pod....
So the pause between is like a 'Sound Sorbet'!!!!!
I don't see EQ on POD express. So you'll get good built in sounds but you can't tweak the low, mid, and high frequencies from it.
The 4 knobs at the corners are dual purpose, bass/mid/treble/gain are all on there
It's the Golden Age of Electric Guitar Players' Lower Backs. No losers.
Pete, for the V2 of the DP Durple can you put 2 inputs? 🤣
All of them sounds really good! I would love to see the reactions from you comparing these to Axe-FX III. Let’s hope someday. 🤘🎩
You forgot the drop test and small cab or cymbals impact.
I think the tonex had the best tone and is the most bang for the money. That said the boss is just bullet proof and simple.
The Tonex One would be that much better if it had a separate tweakable delay.
Good video,,as usual. And good fun seeing you struggle to pronounce Julen Lopetegi (Basque name and surname) Not easy for a non Basque speaker,I guess.
These latest Andertons videos only serve to reinforce my desire to go forward with my SAGA project - a Simple Analog Guitar preAmp with a couple foot-switchable stages of distortion, some aggressive lowpass filtering at the output, and a bit of mid scoop in a Pi-style tone control to approximate the resonant impedance of a speaker cabinet. Pair it with any competent powered speaker and you can busk with it without offending any tone snob.
Of course if you have a delay/reverb already then the Boss makes more sense
Where do I put these in my signal chain? That would be a good video.
The 15 second gap works so well because comparison is the thief of joy as they say lol