F-50 vs POD-XT vs Mark IV

[SeasonOfPain]

I'm in the midst of coming up with some parts for a new tune. I initially recorded the parts with my POD-XT, but just on a lark re-recorded them on my F-50 to see how they'd sound in comparison. Both takes are quad-tracked with my EBMM Axis Sport. Drums are EZDrummer-DFH (bear with the simplicity / repetitiveness, they're really placeholders for future variation on the drums & guitar).

No, I'm not going to make you guess which one is which, it's frightfully obvious (to me anyway).

Here's the initial recording with my Pod, using a tweaked Big Bottom patch:

Take 1 with POD

Here's the same part I just re-tracked with my Mesa F-50:

Take 2 with F-50

Edit 3/3/07: Here's the same clip with the Mark IV:

Take 3 with Mark IV

Comments?

 

[Nick_cor]

I guess you recorded through your record out on your POD? and through a mic on your 50? because I .. well i don't know what to think, my ears tell me that the f50 is missing something, it's not sitting in the mix well, but the pod clips sounds artificial, but sits in the mix way better and therefore i think it's the better of the two

 

[barneyc4]

amazing, the PODXT sounds much better.

WTF?

 

[Anonymous]

Post removed.

 

[ytse_jam]

I am definitely NOT a tube-or-nothing guy, but I think the F50 sounds better, much more organic... a real tone. Pod's tone, while having more gain and being chunkier, isn't as big sounding as the F50's one. The tone seems to be a bit "choked" in the pod clip. Maybe the lower gain on the F50 helped to make it sound more defined.
Btw, I still have got your great MarkIV clip in my mind, SeasonOfPain, what a great tone! However you made a good work with both the two clips you posted.

P.S.: i would like to know if you (like me) find EZDrummer to lack some bottom end punch. I always have to reinforce the basses with some plugins...

 

[SeasonOfPain]

Thanks for all the feedback!

I actually have to agree on the "sitting in the mix" part. I hate how artificial the Pod sounds (and, more importanly, "feels" when I'm playing), but the Big Bottom patch has this low end that seems to blend so much better with the bass part, whereas the F-50, while tonally more pure and crunchy, lacks the smooth bottom end, and seems to "float" a bit more. I wonder if this is mainly due to my mortal enemy, mic position, again? The house was certainly shaking when I tracked the F-50 part (master at 9:00, through a Mesa 2x12 horizontal on the floor). Gain was fairly high (around 2:00).

Btw, I still have got your great MarkIV clip in my mind, SeasonOfPain, what a great tone! However you made a good work with both the two clips you posted.

P.S.: i would like to know if you (like me) find EZDrummer to lack some bottom end punch. I always have to reinforce the basses with some plugins...

Thanks, ytse_jam! I do find EZDrummer's DFH to lack a bit in the low end. I actually like the snare of the basic kit better, but miss all the cymbals & toms. Generally I'm finding EZD most useful for composing purposes, but for final mixes I still prefer using DFHS (though that requires a lot more constant tweaking).

 

[JPIndustrie]

Great sound man.

One of my biggest gripes with the Line6 Modeling stuff (I've had a Pod since the beginning, v1.0) was that while it was so easy to setup a sound and record, I felt like I was playing a recording all the time, rather than playing a living breathing guitar amplifier.

The same problem accompanied me to band practice. I was all set to use the Pod, but realized I couldn't get a good sound at all when blasting it to band levels, and the 'sounds like a recording rather than a guitar amp' problem was multiplied two fold.

Playing my DR thru a redbox or a Loadbox sounded alot better honestly than the pod. However the Pod is unbeatable for the ease factor.

 

[recto-robbie]

the f50 is clearly more organic. at first I wasnt going to listen to them through and the pod for the first 10 secs. or so through me for a loop... went back and listened to both through and I believe the f50 sounds much better... more full

 

[masque]

f-50 no question.

 

[oneamongthefence]

f-50 no question.

+1 :twisted:

 

[SeasonOfPain]

Just for giggles, I recorded the same track again with my Mark IV to see how it would compare.

Here's all three:

POD-XT
F-50
Mark IV

 

[ytse_jam]

great work, Season! I really don't know if I like more the F50 or the MarkIV clip, they've got a noticeable different feeling but I can't decide anyhow

 

[David.W]

Out of those 3 examples I like the f-50.

But;

If i was travelling to a friends place across the city to just lay scratch tracks, I'd bring the pod

If I was only looking for that one song or the like, I'd bring the f-50

If I had some lead work to do, or needed several tones for an entire album, I'd bring the MarkIV

Time and place I guess?!?
Thanks for posting those man!

 

[Elpelotero]

f-50 no question.

+1 :twisted:

+1 more

 

[jcalabro]

im going to agree with ytse_jam and say it's a hard decision between the F-50 and the MarkIV.
BUt i have made up my mind and am going to say the MarkIV! I feel the MarkIV has a bit more personallity (in the clips). One might say that is a biased opinion as i own a MarkIV and not a F-50 .. although i did look into the F-50's and still plan on purchasing one!