Bass POD questions (+ Rack mounted system etc)

[Bassection]

Hey guys,

As someone who uses a UX1 interface and the POD Farm software for recording, I've been very intrigued by the Bass POD (Or other similarly named products) for use in live/rehearsal situations, as well as using a rack-mounted system.
All I've ever used in the past is either combo's, or a head & cab, and wondered what would be needed for me to get started with a proper rack mounted system (Are power amps even rack mounted, oh god I don't know)


Is a pre-amp even necessary if my bass has one built-in, or will they just interfere with each other? (Is anything essential other than the power amp?)

Does the Bass POD act as an effects pedal, in that it just goes onto your board with the usual in/out connectivity?

Am I right in assuming that the same wattage matching rules apply to power amp/cab as they do to head/cab?


If somebody could possibly enlighten me as to the route I should be taking on this new venture into rack-mounting and power-amping, I would certainly be grateful.

[Jack]

In theory, a bass pod or similar modelling piece of kit replaces some or all of your effects and the preamp part of your amplifier. You either run straight into the effect return of your head or into a pa style power amp. Of course, if you don't fancy the amp modelling it's perfectly possible to run them into the instrument input of any amp.

A 4 space rack with a bass pod rackmount and 2 space power amp such as the Peavey IPR series would effectively be a very powerful and very versatile bass amp. It's possible, by virtue of massive power amp ratings and crazy effects (particularly compressors ad octavers) to chew through cabinets. As ever, the ONLY hard and fast rule with regards to power handling is listen (hard!) and turn down if anything sounds strained.

[winterfire666]

i have had a couple of rack rigs and the best thing to do is decide what you need in terms of sound shaping(EQ, amp moddeling), effects(drive, modulation, ambience) and power. (although the same wattage rules apply, i found it handy to have a little extra headroom with a pa amp to get the same kind of volume)
when you have a requirements list sorted there are literally hundreds of different options, and depending what you need you can source a suitably sized rack too, additionally i would be more than happy to discuss options directy if think a chat might help (just PM me)

[WinterMute]

I have the Pod XT pro, and it's a remarkable bit of kit but it not the easiest thing in the world to use, the factory presets are pretty useless and the sheer complexity of the unit will baffle anyone use to basic tone and gain controls on bass amps. If you spend a bit of time getting to grips with how the various modelling components work and how the EQ and effects sections are used then it becomes a bit of a monster... If you're looking for a pre-amp to dial one sound into and leave it, then it's probably not worth the effort...!

That said I've been using the XT in studios for a long time (am a pro engineer) and its a very very good unit for getting great bass tones from a single box.

I have mine running into a Crown XLS1500 and a Barefaced Big Twin, and this rig is capable of amplifying anything I throw at it from the pod, I use 5 string fretted and fretless and quite a lot of tonal variation so it's useful to have a cab that runs full range.

Usual power/impedance rules apply when choosing amp and cab however, and the XT has both balanced and unbalanced outputs so a wide range of amps are fine. Some people report that the output from the XT is a little on the low side, but it's never given me a moments problem into the XLS (and an XTi1000 before that).

You have the option of modelling amps and cabs, so a cab capable of being neutral is useful if you intend to get the best out of the modelling system.

Edited August 5, 2013 by WinterMute