On the Pod XT, Tonelab, and Digitech GNX2

[desertbluesman]

I use both and have had them both for a long time. The PodXT Beano is brighter and sounds more digital, but translates well for recording. It has a better reverb (evem though I do not use the effects on the XT) and it is updatable. It has more cabinet options and the Mid gain stuff is good. But it has one of the cleanest "clean type" of amp sounds I can get from any modeler. I use the HiWatt hundred model for that, but any of the cleans sound about the same. I am hoping for an improvement in the cabs in the impending 2.13 firmeware update, which should be showing up soon. I never use the XT for practice or live play at all. It is to brittle sounding on my system for that. My favorite models on the XT are the HiWatt and the Solodano model.

I use the GNX2 for my daily practice, live use, and for recording as well. This would be my modeler of choice to keep if I had to give one of them up for some reason. It is warmer, and more varied sounding than the XT is. And the GNX2 has the best compressor of any modeler I have ever tried, and I have been using modelers since the Roland GP8 which I had two of. The XT sounds like a differently EQ'd XT no matter what model I go to, the GNX2 on the other hand sounds different from model to model and cab to cab although there are less options, and no further updates. When they blow them out at the end of the model run I may buy another one or two for backup purposes.

I also purchased a Vox Tonelab a few weeks back after hearing all of the raves, but I sent it back the same day. It was a nice modeler of course but since I bought it for recording and since I record all of my guitar tracks dry of effects, I thought the XT was a better option for that type of recording. Once you turn off all of the effects on the Tonelab it starts to sound tinny, overly bright, brittle and metallic. It is very hard to deal with that type of sound once it is recorded on the DAW. Several of my friends told me to put a screamer or other stomp in front of the Tonelab to get the right overdrive sound, but since I can get as good a sound from the XT or GNX2 without the stomp, and since I COULD send the Tonelab back, I did.

I have had the XT and GNX2 far too long to send them back.