Hey all. I have a 2005 DR with the parallel loop. I fixed a Pod X3 Live that was given to me and used the four cable method to hook it up. After a lot of trial, error, and internet searches, I think I got a good tone out of it. If there is any comb filtering, I'm not hearing it. I A/B'd it with the amp loop on and the effects turned off against the amp loop off; it sounds almost exactly the same. I thought I'd put this out there in case anyone comes searching for a similar solution.
I turned the mix knob up to 100% wet and my send level is at about noon. The FX loop on the Pod is at 100% and I have the loop sitting in the "pre" position in the software. I used the send gain in the POD to compensate for loss in volume.
I'm using the diode rectifier and bold setting. My third channel's volume is at around 9 o'clock. The second channel's volume is around 10.5 in raw mode. The first channel's volume is set at noon and clean.
I run the output volume between 11 and 1 and get those tubes cooking. I know there's some bleed through as part of the design, but I can't hear it. The only downside to digital effects is a slightly less punchy sound (like someone tamed the beast a bit). It's barely noticeable solo, and with other musicians, I don't think it would make a difference.
One of the great things about this setup is that I can mix the effects in at whatever level I want them. I read a lot of things about using an 100% wet signal and mixing it, but that just isn't applicable to Mesa. Also, having the mix knob low enough to not have noticeable phasing made the effects pointless (and the reverb was practically non-existent). In case anyone cares, some of the filtering and pitch shifting effects have digital artifacts and sound unmusical going through a tube amp.
So, after 3 days of messing with it, I think I found something I can live with. Until it gets to the point where processing power enables digital effects units with zero latency, I'll be fine with this.
Now, to kill the ground loop hum..........
I turned the mix knob up to 100% wet and my send level is at about noon. The FX loop on the Pod is at 100% and I have the loop sitting in the "pre" position in the software. I used the send gain in the POD to compensate for loss in volume.
I'm using the diode rectifier and bold setting. My third channel's volume is at around 9 o'clock. The second channel's volume is around 10.5 in raw mode. The first channel's volume is set at noon and clean.
I run the output volume between 11 and 1 and get those tubes cooking. I know there's some bleed through as part of the design, but I can't hear it. The only downside to digital effects is a slightly less punchy sound (like someone tamed the beast a bit). It's barely noticeable solo, and with other musicians, I don't think it would make a difference.
One of the great things about this setup is that I can mix the effects in at whatever level I want them. I read a lot of things about using an 100% wet signal and mixing it, but that just isn't applicable to Mesa. Also, having the mix knob low enough to not have noticeable phasing made the effects pointless (and the reverb was practically non-existent). In case anyone cares, some of the filtering and pitch shifting effects have digital artifacts and sound unmusical going through a tube amp.
So, after 3 days of messing with it, I think I found something I can live with. Until it gets to the point where processing power enables digital effects units with zero latency, I'll be fine with this.
Now, to kill the ground loop hum..........
