Why dont Line 6 like me ?

[Bogwhoppit]

Up until 1994 I was using an Marshall Plexi Head ( inc powersoak ) and/or a AC30 with RAT distortion and an array of old coloursound effects. From 1994 I moved over to a Marshall JCM800 and in 1995 I added a Zoom 2020 floorboard.

I had pretty much gone from the standard classic rock setup through to the 1st generation processors without any issues. I always got that thick valve sound that I had grown up with. Regardless of using a fat Strat or Les Paul I never had an issue with my sound. In 2006 I walked into a dealer and saw a Behringer LX210 Vampire sitting there for what looked like stupid silly money. I played around with it, twiddled some knobs and was shaken that this cheap piece of kit could mimic my Plexi head and AC30 with pure ease.

It sounded thick, it sounded valve & I was gobsmacked. I bought two on the spot ( I was told they are unreliable and if I wanted to gig with it I was going to need a backup ) I have been using the LX210 since 2006 , that's approx over 300 gigs and it has never missed a beat. The sounds I can get from it are fantastic, the quality of the effects exceed my old Coloursound pedals from the 70's and the harmonics I get out of this thing for the odd Satch, Vai number we do is faultless. I have never used the backup and now it is in storage.

Since 2006 I have been plagued by people coming up to me at gigs and saying you want to use Line 6, its much better then Behringer and still a pretty good price. I read all the articles on Line 6 and was really impressed by its specs, the people that use it and its reputation. I have no doubt it is a fantastic piece of pro kit, but I cannot get it to sound right ?


Every piece of Line 6 gear I have bought sounds thin and buzzy. The distortions sound thin and like a hornets nest, what the hell am I doing wrong ? I have spent ages going through all the settings on the early PODs, the X3 floorboard and pretty much given up. I tried a Vox valvetronic and got that sounding great, a couple of Digitec floor processors and they were easy to get a thick sound from. But I must be the only person on the planet who cannot get a decent sound from a Line 6 and it really is doing my head in.

I dont want to ditch Behringer yet, I just want a new sound for another band I am in. I was going to buy a Vox Valvetronic A50T thingy, but might give Line 6 another chance.

If I can learn how to use the thing

[Fretwired]

Originally Posted by Bogwhoppit

Up until 1994 I was using an Marshall Plexi Head ( inc powersoak ) and/or a AC30 with RAT distortion and an array of old coloursound effects. From 1994 I moved over to a Marshall JCM800 and in 1995 I added a Zoom 2020 floorboard.

I had pretty much gone from the standard classic rock setup through to the 1st generation processors without any issues. I always got that thick valve sound that I had grown up with. Regardless of using a fat Strat or Les Paul I never had an issue with my sound. In 2006 I walked into a dealer and saw a Behringer LX210 Vampire sitting there for what looked like stupid silly money. I played around with it, twiddled some knobs and was shaken that this cheap piece of kit could mimic my Plexi head and AC30 with pure ease.

It sounded thick, it sounded valve & I was gobsmacked. I bought two on the spot ( I was told they are unreliable and if I wanted to gig with it I was going to need a backup ) I have been using the LX210 since 2006 , that's approx over 300 gigs and it has never missed a beat. The sounds I can get from it are fantastic, the quality of the effects exceed my old Coloursound pedals from the 70's and the harmonics I get out of this thing for the odd Satch, Vai number we do is faultless. I have never used the backup and now it is in storage.

Since 2006 I have been plagued by people coming up to me at gigs and saying you want to use Line 6, its much better then Behringer and still a pretty good price. I read all the articles on Line 6 and was really impressed by its specs, the people that use it and its reputation. I have no doubt it is a fantastic piece of pro kit, but I cannot get it to sound right ?


Every piece of Line 6 gear I have bought sounds thin and buzzy. The distortions sound thin and like a hornets nest, what the hell am I doing wrong ? I have spent ages going through all the settings on the early PODs, the X3 floorboard and pretty much given up. I tried a Vox valvetronic and got that sounding great, a couple of Digitec floor processors and they were easy to get a thick sound from. But I must be the only person on the planet who cannot get a decent sound from a Line 6 and it really is doing my head in.

I dont want to ditch Behringer yet, I just want a new sound for another band I am in. I was going to buy a Vox Valvetronic A50T thingy, but might give Line 6 another chance.

If I can learn how to use the thing

Personally I think Line 6 gear does sound good. The downside is it can take you a millennium of tweaking to get a great tone - I think it's fine for recording, but I doubt I'd ever go that route if I played live live regularly. I'm currently jamming with a few friends with a view to forming a band. I leave my Line 6 PODxt at home and take an amp and a few pedals. In my opinion you can only get the best out of a Line 6 amp through the Gearbox software application which requires a PC - not that practical when you're playing in your local pub.

[keithm]

I've got a V-amp Pro, a podxt and a flextone II combo. The V-amp is every bit as good as the line 6's in tone (but not build quality), and of course the vampire is a V-amp pro in combo form.

What Behringer got right (and line 6 so wrong) is the v-amp range has master volume and tone - so you can tweak the sound of the rig across alll presets at once. Quite why the flextones (II and III) and Podxt don't allow this is beyond me.

As for line 6 sounding thin? On the combo I turn off the speaker emulation and the amp sounds much better, don't know why it has speaker emulation when it has a speaker in it! I also think the line 6 can lack bottom end - another reason why the behriger master tone section is better.

I can't really imagine you getting a better sound out of Line 6 gear unless you try the new Spider Valve combo.

[Bogwhoppit]

I have tried removing all the emulation in the Line 6, but it still sounds thin.

Many people who own and use Line 6 have been telling me its not really a live tool.

Rather then struggle with Line 6 anymore, what other floorboards ( Boss GT10 etc ) are worth looking at, that will give me what the LX210 does.

[paulmapp8306]

I have an X3 Live - but use it for recording and quiet (headphone) practice.

I dont think I'd ever use it live either. i have tried it through PA speakers, Powered moniters - both live ones and studio ones - and it actually sounds best with cab/mic sims turned off running into my FX return of my valve amp. Its still not as good as the amp though.

Its fine for FX though.

If you want an amp teh Line 6 spider Valve is much better than their other stuff for live - you could try one of those.

If you want a floorboad - the Vox Tonelab LE if you dont want mega gain which I dont think it does too well - though others will disagree).

It also depends on budget and useage (size of venues - live/recording split etc). There are good bits of kit about but they get expensive (think upwards of £1000).

[Professor SourTone]

Originally Posted by Bogwhoppit

Up until 1994 I was using an Marshall Plexi Head ( inc powersoak ) and/or a AC30 with RAT distortion and an array of old coloursound effects.

Can't think why you ever changed.

[Bogwhoppit]

Originally Posted by Professor SourTone

Can't think why you ever changed.

Try lugging around a head and cab for over 20 years for a pointless pub gig


Then finding space to put it and then to find something 1/10 of the size sound just as good, its a no brainer.

I still have the head, the cabs and the AC30's...they help prop the workbech up in my garage

[Professor SourTone]

I guess that's understandable. I don't think my ageing back would cope with that kind of rig either. Just one AC30 weighs a ton by itself.

If you're happy with the Behringer and still have the spare the Line6 business is just plain old itchy feet imo.

[Amberience]

Originally Posted by Bogwhoppit

Try lugging around a head and cab for over 20 years for a pointless pub gig


Then finding space to put it and then to find something 1/10 of the size sound just as good, its a no brainer.

I still have the head, the cabs and the AC30's...they help prop the workbech up in my garage

If its a pointless gig, why do it regardless of your gear??

[keithm]

I've used the flextone II (basically a pod 2 in combo form) live a lot and always got a good sound. I think the secret is not to overdo the gain, what sounds great on its own can sound thin when the band kicks in.

Definately worth trying the spider valve. But, if you just want some good tones the Peavey valveking 50watt combo is cheap and fairly light and by all accounts very good.