Bass PODxt reliability / alternatives ?

[BigBeatNut]

I have reliability issues with my Bass PODxt. Particularly in a live context.

It's now 3 or 4 times in the last 3 or 4 years (twice in the last 6 months) that the PODxt has died on me. By 'died' I mean that I power it up, and get a lit-up, but blank, screen. I've used the line6 forums (same thing as support) and tried the various answers. I always get it back working again, but it usually requires several hours of messing around with a compputer and repeatedly (like, maybe 20 times last night) reloading the firmware drivers.

Also (minor thing) the PODxt is extremely sensitive to power supply fluctuations. I once did a whole set where the POD repeatedly cut out and came back. During the first break, traced the problem to my power coming from a socket near the drummers hi-hat foot. Every time he hit the floor hard, there was a small interrruption to power which caused the POD to re-boot.

[b]First[/b], Am I the only one with these problems ? The Line6 forums suggest not, but I can't find it being discussed here.

[b]Second[/b] are there any alternatives to the PODxt ... which for me means 3 or 4 switchable channels with different EQ and differing valve emulations ? I'm thinking along the lines of a Sansamp programmable Bass driver, but I'm not happy about saving into a memory and then not being able to 'see' what I saved e.g. how much 'drive' selected on preset 3.

Ideas ? Thoughts ?

Andy

[BigBeatNut]

Am I the only one in the UK that uses a Bass PODxt in a live situation ?

[chriswilliams666]

Quite possibly... I use a Bass POD Pro. The old school rack-mount one with a more hands on interface. I haven't had any issues with it. You can pick these up for around £120-£150 (possibly one on this forum) I know these are used by loads of session musicians in the studio.

Other than that you're looking at the SansAmp or even a Rocktron Blue Thunder?








[quote name='BigBeatNut' post='829095' date='May 5 2010, 10:53 PM']Am I the only one in the UK that uses a Bass PODxt in a live situation ?[/quote]

[BigRedX]

Never encountered that problem at all.

I use a BassPod XT Pro in my main rack and a BassPod XT which I use when I'm sharing someone else's amp at a gig. Both have performed flawlessly since I bought them in 2003. I've not encountered any power supply issues either although they are always connected to the mains via a mains filter/surge protector as any digital equipment should be.

[BigBeatNut]

[quote name='chriswilliams666' post='829113' date='May 5 2010, 11:03 PM']Quite possibly... I use a Bass POD Pro. The old school rack-mount one with a more hands on interface. I haven't had any issues with it. You can pick these up for around £120-£150 (possibly one on this forum) I know these are used by loads of session musicians in the studio.

Other than that you're looking at the SansAmp or even a Rocktron Blue Thunder?[/quote]
I thought you might have something there with the Blue thunder, but I've just checked it and its a rackmount. Space is usually at a premium at the gigs I do, so I'm not really looking at a rack solution at the moment ... and the same issue really rules out floor-based PODs (the 'POD Live' ones at least).

Really, the sansamp or something similar with 3 or 4 presets, valve emulation, and maybe a compressor, is all I need. I've not seen the sansamp progammable or deluxe in the flesh, so its possible that even the deluxe is going to be pushing it for size.

The rocktron Utopia (bass mode) might just do the trick. Or possibly I should switch to an amp like the [url="http://www.tcelectronic.com/rh450.asp"]RH 450[/url] .