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!
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.
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.
I've been using my Valeton GP200 ever since I saw your video demoing it. I've used it for my acoustic electric and bass guitars touring all across America. I love it and I love you guys. Thank you for turning me on to so many great products.
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!
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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 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).
@@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.
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.
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
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.
I use ToneX and Amplitube 5 on my desktop, that combo is awesome as you can use ToneX amps in Amplitube 5 with A5's effects and stereo rigs. I'm surprised the bigger ToneX pedal doesn't have this functionality as it would be a great solution for an all In one pedal.
The tonex (I have the big TONEX pedal, not the one that I am speaking of) does require a computer to set it up the way you want your tones etc.. But after you set it up, you will 150 presets of amps and cabinets you want that will far outshine the other two pedals. Like anything it takes time, and with tones a bit more time to learn the software. But you really don't need the computer once you have your tones set. It's much like the PODxt was without effects. A bit different but much better captures that telling a real amp from the tonex would be hard.
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.
For me, these have such different use cases. When the IR-2 arrives, it’s going on my pedal board. When I get a POD Express, it’s going on the side table next to my sofa. And if I ever decide I really want to take my tube amp somewhere without actually taking my tube amp somewhere, I’ll get the Tonex. So they’re not really comparable to me.
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.
@@gustavoloebel If I had to choose one, the Iridium all day long. You can get it very close to the Dream with York IRs, and it does Vox/marshall just as good. The Vox May actually be the best of the 3.
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 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 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!
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
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.
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.
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).
@andertons you really should try out the AMT Pangaea U2 which includes both amp/cab sim and some modulation/delay/reverb effects. It's a mini pedal format with some advanced features which no other compact pedal can offer (like send/return or stereo mode or two assignable external foot switches / exp. pedals).
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.
They all sounded good. You can't really go wrong with either. The Pod is probably the best if you are low on board real estate because you get all the effects. It's like a mini travel rig.
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 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 would love to see any or all of them against the "big boy" boxes, ie. Kemper, Helix, and Axe-FX. Be very interested to see how far apart they are sound-wise, particularly in a blind test.
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....
Hi guys. Thanks for another great and informative video. I'm thoroughly impressed by all of these products. All are similar yet seem to have slightly different ideal applications. The Tone X is the one that really intrigued me because it doesn't only model amps, it models other specific pedals also. I can have a TS, a BM, a RAT, a Klon, delays, etc. all available in that one little mini pedal. That's great for a person like me who already has all of his amp and/or interface needs covered and is reluctant to add things to his signal, but still would like to have the options available. I feel like that was a genius touch from IK Multimedia. Cheers!
no not delays, no time based effects replication\profiling. there's reverb in the pedal but no delay, no modulation. you can copy the whole rig except ones i mentioned b4. so you can copy fuzzes, muffs, etc just no mod
Thanks guys. I'm an amp guy but need a modeller to go through the sound system of a sports centre next year. Clean Strat sound - 2/4 positions. I want to keep it as simple as possible as I'll have zero sound check time. Are these good for going ampless and plugging straight into the mixer? Any of them produce background hum or noise?
The ToneX has a noise gate and a knob lock feature that might help out in a live situation like that. And a built in tuner. I understand it runs on USB power or 9V. - It would be my choice.
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.
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.
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 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’ve noticed that phenomenon, where when I first change amp settings I think I don’t like it as much as the one I was on. Then I play for a few minutes and like it.
Am I right that the Boss has no reverb and the other two did? Surely that’s going to make a major difference to how you perceive the sound. Each time they went to the Boss it sounded dry.
I have the IR-2 and it has reverb (spring, hall and plate). It needs to be activated and then select the type of ambience. Run dry it sucks, but I use external pedals anyway for that.
Im going to get the Pod Bass version. I just need something ampless for jams and gigs and literally only use like 1 to 2 sounds. As cool as the bigger multi units are its just not a wise financial decision for what i do.
I literally like all of them at different points from here. I wouldn't be upset with any. I think the POD sounds like it has some compression or something on input , cleans weren't all that clean? But that could be useful too
Hello there guys. I'm thinking between these 2 to use one as an effect pedal on my Marshall dsl 5 little tube amp. Could you tell me which one will suit me better on that?
Clean, the Tonex and L6 had that ubiquitous failed collapsing attack followed by great note sustain. The IR was most amp-like on the attack dynamics but petered out re fullness and decay. Tradeoffs.
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.
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
Hey! Can anyone tell me how to set the Line 6 outputs to line? I googled it and it said to go to global settings, but when I go to that section in the manual it mentions nothing about setting the outputs to line. Thanks
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 😊
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.
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?
I've been using my Valeton GP200 ever since I saw your video demoing it. I've used it for my acoustic electric and bass guitars touring all across America. I love it and I love you guys. Thank you for turning me on to so many great products.
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!
The fact that it’s got a bunch of effects along with it makes a preposterously impressive little piece of gear.
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?
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 ...
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.
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.
That POD really nailed the EVH tone, surprisingly. It was so, so close.
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 have the IR2. it’s a fantastic addition to any home studio setup. Quickest way to workable tone.
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.
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.
The Pod express had a lot of Reverb on all presets, which made IT sound fuller.
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).
The sweeping bit 🤣. “The last time I did any sweeping was when I first got a job at Andertons and I’m not doing that again. I’M NOT GOING BACK!” 🤣
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
I noticed a lack of dynamics and top end with the tonex, that is not bad but i'm asking if it's his signature sound rather than just this preset.
I use ToneX and Amplitube 5 on my desktop, that combo is awesome as you can use ToneX amps in Amplitube 5 with A5's effects and stereo rigs. I'm surprised the bigger ToneX pedal doesn't have this functionality as it would be a great solution for an all In one pedal.
The tonex (I have the big TONEX pedal, not the one that I am speaking of) does require a computer to set it up the way you want your tones etc.. But after you set it up, you will 150 presets of amps and cabinets you want that will far outshine the other two pedals. Like anything it takes time, and with tones a bit more time to learn the software. But you really don't need the computer once you have your tones set. It's much like the PODxt was without effects. A bit different but much better captures that telling a real amp from the tonex would be hard.
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 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
I'm happy I could help with this one :D Still set on my TC Electronic ampworks
For me, these have such different use cases. When the IR-2 arrives, it’s going on my pedal board. When I get a POD Express, it’s going on the side table next to my sofa. And if I ever decide I really want to take my tube amp somewhere without actually taking my tube amp somewhere, I’ll get the Tonex. So they’re not really comparable to me.
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
I have the big Tonex, and it was a game changer for me. I LOVE it.
You're amazing guys! Thank you for this demo!
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'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.
I’ve got a UAD Dream 65 for gigs, and an Iridium w/ York IRs for studio tracking, and honestly, it’s all pretty good.
Which One do you prefer?
@@gustavoloebel If I had to choose one, the Iridium all day long. You can get it very close to the Dream with York IRs, and it does Vox/marshall just as good. The Vox May actually be the best of the 3.
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 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.
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!!!!!!!
Oh yes the part where you went through all 3 and back the first one -Yes my ears needed a moment
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!
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
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.
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.
Would sometime kindly tell me what kind of guitar that mustard colored tele is? I’m loving it.
Opening part of vid bro
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 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?
Might have been good to disable reverb on the Pod to make comparisons fairer
@andertons you really should try out the AMT Pangaea U2 which includes both amp/cab sim and some modulation/delay/reverb effects. It's a mini pedal format with some advanced features which no other compact pedal can offer (like send/return or stereo mode or two assignable external foot switches / exp. pedals).
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.
They all sounded good. You can't really go wrong with either. The Pod is probably the best if you are low on board real estate because you get all the effects. It's like a mini travel rig.
I have the Line 6 POD Express, but will probably buy the TONEX One too.
could you add one of the Two Notes "Le Preamp" series? I bet the "Le Clean" or the "Le Crunch" versions would also work
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 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
I would love to see any or all of them against the "big boy" boxes, ie. Kemper, Helix, and Axe-FX. Be very interested to see how far apart they are sound-wise, particularly in a blind test.
Of these 3 I thought the ToneX sounded best. But I still believe that I prefer the amp sounds in the QC and Fractals.
Great shootout, what interface are the pedals going into?
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....
Hi guys. Thanks for another great and informative video.
I'm thoroughly impressed by all of these products. All are similar yet seem to have slightly different ideal applications. The Tone X is the one that really intrigued me because it doesn't only model amps, it models other specific pedals also. I can have a TS, a BM, a RAT, a Klon, delays, etc. all available in that one little mini pedal. That's great for a person like me who already has all of his amp and/or interface needs covered and is reluctant to add things to his signal, but still would like to have the options available. I feel like that was a genius touch from IK Multimedia.
Cheers!
no not delays, no time based effects replication\profiling. there's reverb in the pedal but no delay, no modulation. you can copy the whole rig except ones i mentioned b4. so you can copy fuzzes, muffs, etc just no mod
Do any of these have XLR out? And do any have a bypass output that would allow me to send a dry signal to an amp?
Which of them will work best as a standalone preamp connected directly to the power amplifier with cabinet ?
Thanks guys. I'm an amp guy but need a modeller to go through the sound system of a sports centre next year. Clean Strat sound - 2/4 positions. I want to keep it as simple as possible as I'll have zero sound check time. Are these good for going ampless and plugging straight into the mixer? Any of them produce background hum or noise?
The ToneX has a noise gate and a knob lock feature that might help out in a live situation like that. And a built in tuner. I understand it runs on USB power or 9V. - It would be my choice.
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.
How is the pod connected to the katanas’ power amp in?
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.
Couldn't you use the tonex to capture the sound of the other pedals? You could essentially have all of them!
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 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’ve noticed that phenomenon, where when I first change amp settings I think I don’t like it as much as the one I was on. Then I play for a few minutes and like it.
Am I right that the Boss has no reverb and the other two did? Surely that’s going to make a major difference to how you perceive the sound. Each time they went to the Boss it sounded dry.
I have the IR-2 and it has reverb (spring, hall and plate). It needs to be activated and then select the type of ambience. Run dry it sucks, but I use external pedals anyway for that.
Im going to get the Pod Bass version. I just need something ampless for jams and gigs and literally only use like 1 to 2 sounds. As cool as the bigger multi units are its just not a wise financial decision for what i do.
LITTLE KNOWN FACT: Stacy's Mom actually WAS Jesse's Girl.
LINE 6 for the win.
Pete's gold top Chapman for a solid runner-up. That thing was great.
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
weren't Diamond a brand that JMI sold alongside VOX?
oops.. that was Domino....
Pete, for the V2 of the DP Durple can you put 2 inputs? 🤣
what do you do with the orange thing on the Marshall Stack ?? It makes Pete happy !
The one arm bandits joke was brilliant
Hope line 6 would launch an IR uploading application for the POD express. That would be a fantastic addition, to an already fantastic product.
Am i the only one who noticed pete playing the intro riff when he enabled the OD? 7:04
lmao. I love that they listened to popular demand and made Lee's signature lick the intro.
It would be great if you told us what kind of speakers you hear the sound come from, if you have some kind of FRFR or what not.
We use Genelec 8040s in the room
"They don't sound anything like each other though do they?"...
..."honestly I can't tell the difference man" 😂😂
Love you Pete
You forgot the drop test and small cab or cymbals impact.
It seems like the Boss has more dynamic range than the other two. Pod (more) and Tonex (little less) sound like they always have a compressor on.
I literally like all of them at different points from here. I wouldn't be upset with any. I think the POD sounds like it has some compression or something on input , cleans weren't all that clean? But that could be useful too
Where do I put these in my signal chain? That would be a good video.
i need a clean fenderish type pedal that can take pedals, which one?
Hello there guys. I'm thinking between these 2 to use one as an effect pedal on my Marshall dsl 5 little tube amp. Could you tell me which one will suit me better on that?
Clean, the Tonex and L6 had that ubiquitous failed collapsing attack followed by great note sustain. The IR was most amp-like on the attack dynamics but petered out re fullness and decay. Tradeoffs.
I wonder if incorporating a vox nutube might help things.
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.
Just got an ir2 love it! As for breaking into a car with it, I’m a guitarist not a drummer. Kidding! 😂
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
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
Hey! Can anyone tell me how to set the Line 6 outputs to line? I googled it and it said to go to global settings, but when I go to that section in the manual it mentions nothing about setting the outputs to line. Thanks
When the Boss ir2 will be available?
It's been available for a few months already. I love mine. With its headphone out I can practice late at night
@@chefboyardee86 it's out of stock everywhere
@@andriygntk I got one new on eBay from Japan. Arrived in 10 days. It's a really good sounding pedal.
@@andriygntk try smaller stores. Tried one in person in the Roland stores 3 months ago, then bought it 2 weeks later on Fair Deal Music. Love it
What song is Pete playing in the high gain examples??
blink 182, Damnit - If anyone else is wondering
I think the Boss IR sound more open and less compressed than the others and more amp like.
21:18 didnt know pete was such a blink182 - dammit , all those small things fan ;),
Surely the pod wins? Even if it’s just for the extra switch?