Rowbinet – Rowbi's Guitar & Recording Blog

Meambobbo is a regular on the Line 6 User Community, and is particularly knowledgeable and helpful in the POD HD section of the Line 6 User Community.

Recently he has prepared a very interesting and in-depth guide covering the wide-ranging and all-encompassing topic of guitar tone.  But if you’re pushed for time the contents page at the beginning will help you narrow down to the section you are after to get some good general advice on what parts of you and your rig make up your guitar tone or what part of your POD HD setup needs some more work to improve your tone.

Click here for the webpage guide.

Click here for Meambobbo’s tone demo site.

Line 6 are soon going to give us a free update to our James Tyler Variax’s and , but what goodies should we expect from the update, and what will it mean for us players when using JTV flash v1.8 with a POD HD500 or POD HD Pro running flash v2.0?
Read more…

Along come Line 6, and give us some more free updates.  This time some extra features for the modelling of the acoustic guitar models in the JTV, as well v2.0 for the higher end POD HD devices.

Soon to be downloadable for free on line6.com, JTV firmware v1.8 for the James Tyler Variax series features spectacular updates to the guitar’s five acoustic models and enhanced functionality when the guitar is connected to a POD HD500 or POD HD Pro multi-effect processor.

Read more…

To complete the initial line up of Line 6 Live Sound PA gear, here are the L3s subwoofers.  In the photo above you can see four subs underneath four L3t PA speakers.  This isn’t the only configuration, as you can mix and match anything from a single L3t PA speaker, to using multiples of L3t and L3s speakers and subs to build the size of sound reinforcement required.

Line 6 Launches StageSource L3s, the World’s Most Versatile High-powered Subwoofer

— StageSource L3s combines versatile design with Smart Speaker modes, automatic speaker configuration and a tour-grade enclosure for the widest variety of live sound applications —

ANAHEIM, Calif.—January 19, 2012—Line 6, Inc. (NAMM room 212A/B) proudly introduces StageSource L3s.  The new StageSource loudspeaker systems are built on a powerful new technology platform that enables a single enclosure to provide best-in-class performance in multiple live sound functions.

StageSource L3s is the most versatile subwoofer for high-power sound reinforcement applications.  Using four innovative Smart Speaker modes, the L3s optimizes its output for a variety of performance scenarios: Reference and High Punch for PA applications, Extended Bass and Ultra Bass for playback applications. Smart Speaker modes can be set manually or via an L6 LINK™ digital network.
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To go hand in hand with Line 6′s new digital mixer, come the StageSource L3t Active PA speakers.

Line 6 Launches StageSource L3t, the World’s Most Versatile High-powered Loudspeaker for Musicians

— StageSource L3t combines multi-function design with Smart Speaker modes, integrated mixer and digital networking for the widest variety of live sound applications —

ANAHEIM, Calif.—January 19, 2012—Line 6, Inc. (NAMM room 212A/B) proudly introduces StageSource L3t.  The new StageSource loudspeaker systems are built on a powerful new technology platform that enables a single enclosure to provide best-of-class performance in multiple live sound functions.

Read more…

Line 6 Launches New XD-V Series Digital Wireless Microphone Systems Built on 4th-Generation Digital Platform

 — The latest XD-V systems combine exclusive modeling technology with pure, 24-bit digital wireless performance —

ANAHEIM, Calif.—January 19, 2012—Line 6, Inc. (NAMM room 212A/B) introduces the XD-V75, XD-V55, and XD-V35 series digital wireless microphone systems at Winter NAMM 2012.

Featuring sophisticated microphone modeling technology, XD-V systems deliver the sound of the world’s most popular wired mics combined with a proven 4th-generation digital wireless platform. With 24-bit, 10Hz–20kHz, compander-free performance, XD-V series digital wireless systems provide unmatched, full-range audio clarity and license-free operation worldwide.

Designed for professional vocalists and performers, the new flagship XD-V75 line includes handheld, lavalier, headset and bodypack digital wireless systems. The family offers pure, 24-bit sound with unparalleled reliability and a full complement of professional features including signal encryption, dynamic filters, gain control, channel scanning and more to handle the most complex applications.

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For the last few weeks we’ve all been wondering what the banner on Line 6′s website ‘SEE. CHANGE.” meant.  Well among other things, it meant Line 6 were releasing some very cool new live PA gear including the feature packed touch screen digital mixer.  Basically it’s designed around being easy to use even for those of us who aren’t sound engineers, while also offering the more advanced features that we and the engineers need.

Line 6 Launches StageScape™ M20d, the World’s First Smart Mixer for Live Sound

— StageScape M20d is an integrated live sound solution that delivers touchscreen based visual mixing, comprehensive audio processing, multi-track recording, and remote control via iPad® to explode the traditional mixer paradigm.—

ANAHEIM, Calif.—January 19, 2012—Line 6, Inc. (NAMM room 212A/B) introduces StageScape™ M20d, the world’s first smart mixer for live sound.

Featuring a groundbreaking touchscreen visual mixing environment, StageScape M20d streamlines and accelerates the process of getting great live sound in an intuitive, complete solution that inspires great performances. Massive DSP power delivers comprehensive professional audio processing on every channel including multi-band feedback suppression. Multi-channel recording, remote control capabilities via one or more iPad® devices and pristine audio quality make the StageScape M20d an ideal mixing solution for a wide variety of live sound applications.

Read more…

Line 6 has obviously been very busy of late… New site, New product line of live devices (SoundStage and SoundScape), new USB and iOS tri-platform keyboard controllers, a new version of wireless microphones with extra microphone models and features.

Also announced today are some upcoming updates (v2.0) to the higher end POD HD series of amp/FX modelers and some new acoustic guitar models for the Variax guitar line (v1.8).  Both these updates will be released in the near future, so there aren’t many details yet…

All of these plus the existing DT25 amplifiers, and POD HD Pro  announced a few months back will be demoing at Winter NAMM starting today.

Check the other blogs later today for more info on all the products I’ve mentioned in this blog…

Whether you need a MIDI keyboard for your PC, MAC, iPhone, iPOD Touch or iPad… You now have a single option that can do all those things. Introducing Line 6 Mobile Keys.

Here’s the official Press Release from Line 6 from earlier today:

Line 6 Mobile Keys™ Premium Keyboard Controllers Move Seamlessly Between iPad®, iPhone®, Mac® and PC

– Available in 25- and 49-key models, each with full-size keys, iOS and USB connectivity, and compatibility with iPhone^®, iPad^® and iPod touch^® –

ANAHEIM, Calif. – January 19, 2012 – Line 6 (room 212A/B) is showing Mobile Keys™ premium keyboard controller for iPad^®, iPhone^®, Mac^® and PC at Winter NAMM 2012.

Mobile Keys 25 and Mobile Keys 49 are a pair of new, lightweight, ultraportable keyboards designed to control iOS music apps and do double duty as USB MIDI controllers for Mac^® and Windows^® computers. Both models have full-size keys and solid keyboard action. The keys are velocity sensitive, allowing them to accurately interpret the nuances and subtleties of a keyboardist’s playing. Both Mobile Keys models are compatible with any iOS app that supports the CoreMIDI standard for input, including GarageBand^® and numerous drum machines, synthesizers and virtual instruments.

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I remember the first effects pedal I ever bought when I was an angry teenager at 15 years old – The Zoom 3030.  I didn’t really need such a large box of tricks, and a Zoom 505 would have likely done the job well enough.  However a friend of mine (who was also a better guitarist than me) had the 505, and so felt getting a bigger FX pedal would make me a better player… Well FX pedals do have an instant talent switch, don’t they!?

Roll forward 15 years and there’s far more processing power available in my iPhone and iPad than in pedals even from a few years ago, as well as many tens of millions of users of iPhones and iPads globally.  So it’s a sensible way forward for any amp modeling and FX software company to design an interface and iPhone/iPad App that can give guitarists the amp and FX tones they crave for, any time and in any place they can hook up their iPhone/iPad…
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