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The best POD yet? Certainly...

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• Review
• Manufacturer's Description

The POD X3 represents the latest stage in POD evolution that started in 1998 when the original burst into our stores. The bean-shaped POD X3 is spanglier than its predecessors, finished in a shade close to candy apple red and sporting chrome knobs.

So, what's changed from the previous PODxt versions? Well, for starters you now get almost double the number of guitar amps - up to 78 from 42. There are 24 guitar cabs, 98 stompbox and studio effects and you also now get facilities for bass and vocals with 28 bass amps, 22 bass cabs and six vocal preamps.

Other changes include a larger LCD and a different (expanded) set of controls. But the most significant difference is in the routing options, in that there's a Dual mode where the signal can now be split through two different amp and effect chains simultaneously (Tone 1 and Tone 2).

This means that you can send a single instrument through both paths or, alternatively, dual inputs can be used to individually process two instruments at the same time - guitar and mic connections are provided.

Computer integration has also been upgraded: the USB 1.0 connection of the previous generation has been superseded by USB 2.0, which supports more audio channels between POD and computer. Also new is a stereo S/PDIF digital connection.

The USB 2.0 connection allows the X3 to be used as an audio interface. It opens up a variety of recording options by giving you eight channels to send audio from the POD to a computer and a stereo return to the POD for monitoring.

Those eight are configured so that you can send the main output signal on channels one-two, Tone 1 in stereo on channels three-four and Tone 2 in stereo on channels five-six. On channel seven you can send the dry signal from the inputs that you've chosen for Tone 1 while channel eight does the same for Tone 2.

If you set up the appropriate recording tracks on your computer's recording software you can record the lot simultaneously, leaving plenty of options available as to what to use in the final mix - the stuff recorded from seven and eight being useful raw sounds to which you may wish to re-amp, or apply some other plug-ins such as Line 6's own GearBox selections.

In use

Hear the Line 6 POD X3 in action:

POD-X3.mp3