Stroopy121 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Planning on upgrading my bass rig and I want to go with a preamp / power amp affair. Currently using an Ampeg B410 but will at some point want to upgrade to an 8x10 or add a 1x15, but that comes later.Have considered a couple of different preamps, but love the look of this guy:line 6 X3 PODIt can model guitar amps as well as bass, so can be used for either which is a lovely touch - as well as having a huge variety of sounds to choose from.I also love that it can be used as a USB interface for recording and again being usable for guitar and bass will make recording and demoing songs a little easier.My question is this: is this bad boy worth taking a punt on, or are there other bits of kit out there that are better? Someone mentioned a Fractal unit that rapes line 6 but they appear to only make guitar units.Anyway: opinions, please? Thankiesxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Not heard much about the X3 tbh. It's got the same models as the bass Pod as far as I remember but with the xlr ins and the USB stuff.I'd stay away from it. Get an upgraded Ampeg rig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Rocker Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 If you're looking at pre/power amp set up, I'd go for something that will give you a great tone on it's own merit rather than looking at amp modelling set ups. Find your own tone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig9590 Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Just get an Ampeg SVT CL head, amazing tone from what i've heard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Not everyone has >1k to just spend on an amp head like that mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 True dat, but by the time he buys the X3 and a good power amp, surely that'd be about 700? The X3 is 550 from Thomann, plus a good power amp... probably more than the 700 I thought of actually.Get an Ampeg. My bass player got the SVT-4 Pro and it's great. Pop up occasionally for good prices every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Oh no doubt it'd still be expensive, but all I'm highlighting is the post above my reply as to it not always being feasible "just like that". Could use the regular X3 (kidney bean desktop style) instead of the rackmount as they are (RRP) 350ish so would be cheaper through most places. Depending on the requirements of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 problem with getting an ampeg (or another dedicated bass head or preamp) is that I'll also need to get a decent usb interface too.. plus a guitar head or preamp etc etc if I want to do any work with guitar too..I like the versatility of the line 6 (at least on paper). Looks like it might just be a case of plonking about with the line 6's they have in r'n'b for a while and see if I actually like using one in reality, along with a few million demo videos..Other than the AxeFX (which is also farcically expensive) are there any other bits of kit along the lines of the line 6 worth considering?xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 If you come in to plonk about and try one in R&B to go buy it online, I'll be disappoint, son. Regarding USB preamps, the Focusrite Saffire 6 USB is excellent. Well priced at 150 as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 Do rnb stock the x3 pro?xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 No X3 Pros in stock.I don't think there are any X3 Lives left. Just onto the HD300, HD400 and HD500 now. (The HD500 is AWESOME, but bass and acoustic patches haven't been released as yet. It's waaaaaaaaay better quality (tonally) than any of the previous outings (2.0, XT, X3))There's a regular X3 still in stock though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 hmmmmworth a look then.Could be worth holding off till the HD comes out with all it's bells and whistles for bass and the like to bring the cost of the X3 down, then pick one up from someone who's upgrading....xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 To be honest, if you try one (HD), you wouldn't want the X3 comparatively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 I imagine you'd be right, but........xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 12, 2011 Report Share Posted January 12, 2011 409 for an HD500 at present. Well, 409 + 2.12% (VAT increase). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 The X3 uses the same processing as the XT as far as I'm aware, and you could get the XT Pro with the add on bass packs for less than the X3. I sold mine for 200! Or you could hold off for the HD bass stuff and see if it's any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 The X3 uses the same processing as the XT as far as I'm aware, and you could get the XT Pro with the add on bass packs for less than the X3.I actually thought about that last night and came on this morning to ask about something along those lines! Here's what google found (although this is comparing the floor models rather than rack mounted...):XT is $399 retail, X3 is $499 retail XT has 36 guitar amps, X3 has 76 XT has 84 stompbox and studio effects, X3 has 98 XT has no vocal preamps (or vocal input), X3 has 6 XT is USB 1.1, X3 is USB 2.0 (faster) conneciton XT can do one tone at once, X3 can blend 2 patches together XT has a smaller LCD display, X3?s is nearly double the size XT has traditional out, X3 has S/PDIF and XLR out in addition to 1/4? jacks The HD is actually a lot cheaper than I thought, but I'm a rack mounting fanboy... Not a fan of the rat's nest of cables that pedals tend to bring about, much prefer everything in a nice neat box. Plus if I'm using the thing as a preamp then I'd need to take a power amp too, so having it rackmounted just makes sense.xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 The XT can be had for cheaper than that. If you got the XT Pro (which I had and sold for 200) then it's got S/PDIF and XLR outs as well. USB isn't really important when sending patches to the unit from your PC as the files are tiny. I have Pod Farm 2 Platinum, basically XT/X3 in software form and the dual amps are horrible sounding.Just trying to save you some coin man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 The XT can be had for cheaper than that. If you got the XT Pro (which I had and sold for 200) then it's got S/PDIF and XLR outs as well. USB isn't really important when sending patches to the unit from your PC as the files are tiny. I have Pod Farm 2 Platinum, basically XT/X3 in software form and the dual amps are horrible sounding.Just trying to save you some coin man Much appreciated!It's sounding like a good shout, the only thing that was swinging the X3 was the dual amping, but if it's gash then I might just give an XT a blast, if I like it then I'll grab one (second hand hopefully means if I want to dump it after the honeymoon, I could theoretically sell it for more or less what I paid..)xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeid Posted January 13, 2011 Report Share Posted January 13, 2011 It's fairly gash. In fact, on a gash scale of 1-10(10 being really gash), I'd say it's easily a 9...9.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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