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POD X3 Pro owners get a free download of the new POD Farm software and can use this as a plug-in to process the dry sound at mixdown.

The range of models in the POD X3 Pro is so expansive that there's very little in the world of guitar amps and effects sounds that you can't dial up – from all the staple, Fender, Marshall, Vox AC30 tones through a range of more esoteric amps and more effects than you can wiggle a pick at.

The Dual Tone processing offers plenty of creative possibilities, opening up a world of hybrid sounds that go well beyond basic guitar stuff for some crazy effects.

Alternatively, Dual Tone could let you record both guitar and vocal at the same time, each with its own modelled signal path. The XLR inputs provide a nice clear sound for any vocal mics and, with models of classic vocal preamps onboard plus compressors, there's plenty of scope for sculpting the tone.

Without any tweaks at all the onboard presets should instantly be suitable for a host of recording tasks, but they are also a very useful jumping-off point for editing things exactly to your liking and creating new sounds.

Editing is very intuitive from the front-panel controls, all of which are instantly linked to the very clear display. However, if you want to see things on a larger scale, the POD X3 Pro can be edited with the included Gearbox software.

Summary

The POD X3 Pro is the current pinnacle when it comes to relatively affordable hardware that lets you record guitar using modelled sounds, and offers massive versatility in terms of both tone generation and connectivity.

This is not just for guitar, bass and vocals, though – it's a fine resource for adding distortion and effects to any sound. Rack one up in your studio and we guarantee it'll get plenty of use.

Listen to the POD X3 Pro in action: