Line6 PODxt and VOX ToneLab

Guitar Amp Modeling Units - A Digital Comparison

This comparison was done using a digital recording setup (Pro Tools LE), and no test was performed in regard to live sound. On the surface this seemed like a tough call, but where it counted, one was the hands down winner.

ToneLab - Sweet Tone, Limited Control

I took the Vox ToneLab home and was impressed right off the bat. Just out of the box I noticed that the unit is a very attractively built, solid-as-a-rock, heavy chunk of hardware. It comes with all the same connections as the PODxt but with SP DIF connectivity. It connected to my rig (MBOX) easily and before I knew it, my guitar sounded like a pretty good approximation of Brian May's (one of the 48 presets). I played the presets with both a Gibson '82 SG Special and a customized, Buzz Feiten tuned G&L Legacy with a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge position, Kinman Avn in the center and Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in the neck position. I really liked about 7 or 8 of the presets and the preset controls were relatively intuitive and easy to work with.

When you start playing with the amps and cabs though, that's when things get fun. You can match up classic amps with their respective cabinets or you can mix them up. I found the amp and cab match, effects and pedal I liked best and recorded some tracks.

[RECTO Amp and VoxAD412 Cab, Treble Boost pedal (necessary), and Spring reverb]

The sound transferred quite nicely using a standard 1/4" guitar cable. I did not try out the SP DIF connection. It sounded very nearly as fat and warm recorded as it sounded live coming out of my headphones. I wish I could afford to buy both the ToneLab and the PODxt, but alas, I'm a working stiff and can't really afford both. Overall, it's a good piece of hardware for your digital studio if you wish to duplicate the sound of classic amplifiers when recording direct. The problem with the ToneLab though, is that that is all that it does.

PODxt - Sugar Buzz

I thought I'd be crapping all over the PODxt because the majority of the guys at the store (as well as myself) really dig the Vox amps (the Valvetronix especially) and don't appreciate the Line 6 amps. I think, although, that that's because we haven't taken the time to get to know the Line6 stuff as well as the more familiar Vox. I've noticed some players shy away from amps with digital controls, as if learning to use the amp would require a 6 week course. The Line 6 amps do have a bit of a learning curve, but it's worth it. This is not amplifiers we're talking about though, this is software, primarily for recording, and Line 6 has been doing it a quite bit longer than Vox.

I opened the PODxt and plugged it in in much the same manner as I did the ToneLab. I already knew I liked the ToneLab's solid THUNK construction and that I wasn't particularly fond of the PODxt's toy-like appearance. You can step up to the PODxt Pro, which is rack mounted unit with additional connectivity, including SP DIF connection, but it's nearly twice as expensive, and does not share the PODxt's portability. Next, I plugged my guitar into the PODxt. I didn't really care for the way it clicked into the jack; It felt less solid than the ToneLab, but that was because of the ToneLab's considerably heavier box.

I started by checking out the presets, and as I progressed through them, all concerns about the physical unit faded away. The PODxt can be set to sound just as warm and fuzzy as ToneLab with all its highly marketable tube processing. The PODxt goes beyond the warm and fuzzy tones of the "Classic Amps" though. You can dial in virtually any type of tone your heart desires. I haven't even touched on the PODxt's additional features, such as live sound simulation,  mic selection, mic placement in front of the virtual cab of your choice, and the ability to choose whether to run effects before or after the amp. There are more effects and more pedals and more options than the ToneLab or any other product, meaning more control.  The PODxt even had a nice greasy breakfast ready for me when I woke up this morning. Well, not really, just juice and toast.

And the Winner Is...

The VOX Tonelab sounds great, records great, and the actual box and controls have a familiar feel and comfort level. I would imagine that players who are more comfortable with traditional recording methods will levitate toward this nice box. I really wanted to like it best because of its handsome look and sturdy heft.

The PODxt surprised me completely. It sounds just as good as the ToneLab, both when monitoring through studio headphones and after being digitally recorded. It has more amp models, more effects, more pedals, more control over subtle nuances and it delivers much more bang for the buck. The PODxt is the winner for digital recording, regardless of the cheaper looking packaging and seemingly cheaper construction. The PODxt definitely Rocks-n-Rules.

Brett W. Bertram