Pod Go wireless

[uk_lefty]

I've got on better with my Helix Stomp than expected. In my current band it's really helping me add something. However, I need access to more buttons. I also seem to have a "one box" solution that has quickly become one box supported by four more and a power supply all mounted on a pedal board... So the Pod Go wireless appears to solve the issues I've got with having all these boxes and it has a wireless which I'd like. So a few questions for users...

 

Are there any good bass wahs?

I'm assuming I could take my presets with me when I ditch the Stomp and buy a Pod Go?

Are there any drawbacks to the Pod Go? It just seems too good to be true!

[Skybone]

Can't comment on the "Wireless" part of the query, but can hopefully shed some light on the POD Go. Or at least try...

 

Good Bass Wah's? 

There aren't any bass specific wah's, and when I've experimented with the ones that are there, they do work. I should also caveat this by saying that I've not tried them outside of the house / in the rehearsal room, which might put them in a different light on things, especially dealing with things like volume drops and how things sit in the band mix. I suppose this is a case of experimenting to find something that you like, and works for you.

 

Transferring Presets?

No idea. Unfortunately, POD Go has it's own Editor software, I assume that this is down to the fact that it is running a slightly reduced model set from the full fat Helix. It might be an idea to either write the settings down somewhere, or alternatively if you get the POD Go, keep hold of the HX Stomp, open both editors, and manually input the settings over. Bit of a long winded process, but I've not got another suggestion here, sorry (don't have a HX Stomp).

 

POD Go Drawbacks?

Depends on your point of view I guess.  

You can't have parallel processing. No great shakes here for a bass player I suppose, unless you like/need multiple effects pinging off all over the shop.

You only have a limited number of pedal slots. Of the pedal 6 slots available, 2 are fixed as either the FX Loop, and a Global EQ. On some amp models, there is a secondary EQ, which can be used as a footswitchable setting (Ampeg SVT4 for example). You can then assign the amp EQ to the FX Loop footswitch, and use it as you see fit. However, there's still the Global EQ there that's taking up a slot, which could be used for a reverb or something. 

If you need more than 4 effects, you may need to look at the HX Stomp XL.

The Wah is a separate slot, so you can have 4 effects as well as the Wah/Volume settings.

 

These limitations do make you "get creative".

Currently, I have 4 switchable effects in my main preset. The Tube Comp, the Zero Amp Bass DI for a bit more grit, the VTron filter and the Jet Flanger. The Amp EQ is there, and the Global EQ. 

I normally love a bit of reverb in the mix, but because there aren't enough slots, I'd need to either loose an effect to have it. The "work around" solution I came up with was to increase the "Early Reflection" in the Cab settings, this gives a sense of "space" that you'd normally get with the reverb. It's not perfect, but it sounds good.

 

One comment on the Helix/HX range is that people only seem to scratch the surface of the units and then get frustrated. There's possibly too much choice. With the POD Go, you have to really think about what you actually need to have in a preset. If you need different effects, create another preset. 

 

Honestly think it's a better unit because of the limitations, certainly loving the sounds I'm getting from it (though admittedly, I am only scratching the surface of what it can do  ).

 

Hope that's helpful. 

[uk_lefty]

1 hour ago, Skybone said:

Hope that's helpful

Very helpful thanks. 

 

I don't understand why they have limited this version compared to the Stomp, like no parallel processing and less blocks. It's making me go off the idea... Even though 99.9% of the time I wouldn't need the extra the Stomp gives I'm just thinking forward and about using presets designed by other people, I don't really want to be limited. But then again, it has stuff I would like right now like built in expression pedal and built in wireless. Interesting, one to ponder.

[Kev]

1 hour ago, uk_lefty said:

Very helpful thanks. 

 

I don't understand why they have limited this version compared to the Stomp, like no parallel processing and less blocks. It's making me go off the idea... Even though 99.9% of the time I wouldn't need the extra the Stomp gives I'm just thinking forward and about using presets designed by other people, I don't really want to be limited. But then again, it has stuff I would like right now like built in expression pedal and built in wireless. Interesting, one to ponder.

I imagine price point is the main reason, decent bit cheaper than the Stomp isn't it?

 

It looks good as a budget all in one multi effects, whereas the Stomp is a limited version of a more premium product.

[uk_lefty]

I've been a doofus and assumed it was part of the Helix range. It's not. Guess it'd need to be the 8-£900 version of the Helix to give what I wanted, plus a wireless kit..... may as well stay as I am or go Stomp XL

[Skybone]

16 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

Very helpful thanks. 

 

I don't understand why they have limited this version compared to the Stomp, like no parallel processing and less blocks. It's making me go off the idea... Even though 99.9% of the time I wouldn't need the extra the Stomp gives I'm just thinking forward and about using presets designed by other people, I don't really want to be limited. But then again, it has stuff I would like right now like built in expression pedal and built in wireless. Interesting, one to ponder.

 

I suppose it's more about filling a gap in the market, where the previous offerings like the HD500x sat, as well as offering the same (or slightly reduced) model sets to those wanting to trade up from the likes of the Zoom B3n, without having to commit to expensive gear that people might only use a fraction of their potential.

 

Both the HX Stomp and POD Go are "compromised", but they also offer excellent possibilities for people who want access to the palette offered by Helix, but can neither afford or justify buying into Helix.

 

One of the great things about POD Go, IMO, is that you have access to all six footswitches when you're in the "play" mode. In the "select" mode, you have the choice of the 4 presets, and the "up"/"down" switches, which is great if you need to switch between presets quickly. Then you have access to the Snapshots, which TBH, I haven't used and can't quite see the point of from a bass player's perspective, but they allow you to change parameters in a preset (for example, adding more boost, changing an EQ, intensifying an effect, etc.). This is the big selling point of the POD Go over the HX Stomp, but they had to make some compromises to achieve the price point I suppose.

 

Although I use effects, and have been a long time user of Line6 gear, I'm quite liking the approach that using the POD Go gives me. I get access to the amp/cab models, a wah and a volume pedal, FX Loop, EQ (you can select which sort of EQ) and 4 different pedal types. Not a massive amount, but enough to give me a great sound (well, I think it's a great sound!  ), doesn't break the bank, and gives me loads of other options to have different setups for different occasions. Must admit though, that I do tend to find a great base amp/cab setting, then copy it over to another slot, and add different effects. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Skybone

[SumOne]

I'm going to get a Pod Go Wireless. Partly as I have been looking into wirelss systems and the Relay G10 II transmitter/receiver alone costs about £140. Also partly as I want some specific expression pedal effects which don't seem easily achievable with individual pedals or cheaper multi FX (a couple of things I want are: expression pedal simultaniously reducing bass while increasing mids and increasing reverb, and expression pedal increasing echo + reverb + distortion simultaniously). Those things alone make it worth getting for me, but also lately I've only been using EQ, Tuner, Compressor and a light bit of Overdrive so I should be able to sell them to cover most of the cost, and it simplifies things down to one bit of kit.  

 

I have already owned the Helix Stomp, Stomp XL, and Helix Effects though so I have no doubt that I'll get bored of it and will sell it to get individual effects in a few months! 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by SumOne

[uk_lefty]

3 hours ago, SumOne said:

have already owned the Helix Stomp, Stomp XL, and Helix Effects though so I have no doubt that I'll get bored of it and will sell it to get individual effects in a few months! 

Let me know how you get on! Since my original post my board has grown to include a Boss Synth and expression pedal and a Smooth Hound wireless. I am tending to stick to one amp SIM effect in my Helix with a couple of effects I switch in and out but it's great to know if I need a flanger I can program it in, rather than having to keep buying flangers until I find one that I like. 

[SumOne]

16 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Let me know how you get on! Since my original post my board has grown to include a Boss Synth and expression pedal and a Smooth Hound wireless. I am tending to stick to one amp SIM effect in my Helix with a couple of effects I switch in and out but it's great to know if I need a flanger I can program it in, rather than having to keep buying flangers until I find one that I like. 

 

My usual Helix thing is:

 

Sell individual pedals > buy Helix > think it's great > get a bit annoyed with the amount of time I spend programming presets and lack of instant hardware controls/visability and individual footswitches> realise that individual pedals often sound slightly better (especially synths and envelope filters) > buy a few pedals to free up Helix blocks/footswitches have extra control and and sound better > decide that now I've got a few individual pedals that need a power supply and pedal board so I might as well sell the Helix and do it all with individual pedals.....repeat with a different Helix product a few months later...repeat forever!

 

I'm hoping that the combination of wireless, a lot of footswitches, more hardware controls including an expression pedal make the Pod Go a winner. It's a shame it doesn't have the processing of the Stomp - block limits might be an issue but 90% of what I play just needs Tuner + Distortion + Preamp+ EQ + Compressor so hopefully it covers that well enough + the modulation and delay stuff that will be good with the expression pedal. I'll probably buy something like a C4 to cover envelope filter and synth things.

[SumOne]

Pod Go Wireless arrived and seems good. I've owned the Helix Effects, Stomp, and Stomp XL and it holds up with them - there are quite a few things I actually think it does better. 

 

• Good things:
  • Sounds good: The same sounds as Helix, it includes all the same Amps, EQ, Wah and almost all effects (just three omitted, annoyingly though one is the space echo which is one of my favorites).
  • Lots of hardware controls - a decent amount of footswitches & dials and the expression pedal is good (with an extra hidden 'toe press' switch), it works very well at easily mapping multiple fx and parameters - this is a big selling point for me. 
  • Good size/weight, any smaller and it wouldn't have enough footswitches or they would be too close, also some sockets would need to go on the sides like the Stomp.
  • Big screen (bigger than Stomp and better than Effects).
  • Sturdy and well designed.
  • Software works well (it's slightly different to Helix, but very similar) and is easy to navigate on the Pod Go or via Laptop which all connected easily.  
  • Good value (now that shops aren't charging the original original overpriced RRP) .
• Downsides:
  • No parallel signal paths: Due to the processing power needed, but I wish a few more fx had a 'mix' parameter as that's a useful workaround to keep a % of clean blended, also it's a useful way of using the expression pedal to fade in/out an effect. 
  • Certain blocks are fixed: 10x block total (which I think is actually better than the Stomp's 8x), but unlike the Stomp, 6x are fixed (Volume, Wah, FX loop, Amp/Preamp, Cab/IR, EQ) leaving only 4x for other things. I get that there is limited processing power and the fixed ones possibly don't use much processing (like the 'volume' and 'fx loop' blocks) but it also includes EQ and Amp & Cab blocks which I guess use a fair bit of processing and aren't always needed (e.g. if using a real Amp & Cab) so if they could be removed (rather than just turned off) it'd free up blocks. It kind of feels like a deliberate choice by Line 6 to restrict it to not make the Pod Go too good and step on Helix's toes because other than that drawback it is pretty close to doing all the things a Stomp XL + expression pedal can do at almost double the cost. Actually though, I'm finding those 6x fixed blocks can be used well e.g. map Amp block parameters to snapshots so it can be used for distortion rather than using a distortion block. It's not often I'd need more than 6x fixed + 4x other effects all used at exactly the same time so it just takes some Preset and snapshot planning. 
  • No midi sockets, but it can do limited midi stuff via the USB. 
  • The wireless generally works well but one issue is that it fights with my Boss Waza Air and drops the signal unless you have the Boss turned on first (in which case the Pod Go scans and selects the best un-used frequency). Not a big deal once figured out but possibly an issue if playing live and someone comes along and plugs in their Boss Wireless transmitter after you.  
  • As with the Stomp, the power cable isn't great - it's too short at 1.5m and seems delicate. You can faff with alternatives to go from certain power bricks and use current doublers and barrel size convertors though.
  • ..... So those downsides have workarounds and aren't deal breakers. 

 

Overall it seems very good. Add a decent power supply and a software update adding 'mix' parameter to a few more effects and allowing the fixed blocks to be replaced and it'd be great.

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by SumOne