Tips and Tricks: Four cable method
The so called four cable method (4CM) allows you to use POD X3 Live (or Digitech GSP1101) as a full featured effects only processor with your existing amplifier. Required gear to use this technique includes:
- an amplifier with effects loop
- a POD X3 Live (or Digitech GSP1101)
- four 1/4″ guitar cables
- a guitar
Four cable method connections
Start by connecting your guitar, amplifier, and POD using the four guitar cables (see diagram):
- Cable 1: guitar to POD
- Cable 2: POD fx send to amplifier guitar input
- Cable 3: amplifier fx send to POD fx return
- Cable 4: POD output to amplifier fx return
Four cable method advantages
- Use your amplifier’s existing preamp tone and power amp characteristics.
- Use POD’s effects
- POD’s stomp effect comes before your amplifier, just like a normal stompbox.
- POD’s other effects (modulation, delay, reverb) can be placed before or after your amplifier’s preamp
- Place the volume pedal before or after your amplifier
- You can switch POD’s fx loop off to bypass your amplifier’s preamp and use POD’s internal modeling through your amp’s power stage
- This can all be switched with a single footswitch
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DigiTech GSP1101 price check Digitech’s marketing for this unit says it was designed to “adapt and fit within your system, letting you get the most out of your setup without taking over.” What they really mean is it can be hooked up this way for effects only operation. |
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Line 6 POD X3 LIVE price check POD X3 Live works great in this configuration if you want an integrated, stompbox style effects switching system. |
January 17th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I wonder how do I connect POD xt live with 4 cables. I can’t find FX send/return connector on POD xt live. Would you show me that drawing?
January 17th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I’m sorry, the POD XT Live does not have the FX send/return. This method works with POD X3 Live and POD XT Pro. It was a typo about the XT Live.
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:05 am
Do you have any suggestions as too how to get a good sound through a tube amp, I am using a B-52 AT 100
and the pod X3
Should I have went for the x3 live or can I get something that sounds good through the x3 bean?
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:27 am
Try the different “live modes” for sure. Try with and without cab sims (set to “no cab” for the cab selection). That’s the best I can say. Then tweak and tweak again!
March 3rd, 2008 at 12:32 am
thanks, Im pretty new to using Pods and all that stuff so ill try that
March 26th, 2008 at 11:18 am
I’ve tried your wiring using a X3 Live and a Flextone II XL (I prefer the amp modeling of the Flextone II or POD 2, which I think gives more dynamic to the sound).
My wiring is :
guitar (actually variax) in X2L in
X3L send output to flextone II guitar input
FLextone send output to X3L return loop input
X3L Live Out L and R to Flextone return loop using a Y cable (to keep stereo)
With this wiring, I take profit of the wah, stomp, mod and delay stages of the XEL and amp modeling of the Flextone.
THe problem is : when I stop playing notes, there is an horrible white noise out of the FLextone . I suppose it may be the fact that with this rig I have 2 or 3 analod/digital conversions .Do you think it is the real cause of my problem ? Any idea to resolve that (While I’m writing this, an idea came to me : using the flextone noise gate to remove the noise…)?
April 1st, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I tried to use POD XT as a multi FX only but the sound was too coloured by the pod even with no effect on and preamp bypassed . Is the pod X3 familly more neutral ? I could buy the X3 pro but only if doesn’t change my sound….
thanks
Seb
April 1st, 2008 at 9:00 pm
@Crixefill
Did you try the gate on the Flextone, did it solve the problem?
@Seb
The X3 is not a “true bypass” effect. If you didn’t like the sound of XT when bypassed you most likely will not be any more happy with X3. Best bet is to try to find one to test in person with your ears.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Hello, Im from argentina. I wanted to know if I can select the clean or distortion Channels from my real amp (mesa boogie triple rectifier) with the Pod x3 live, I want to have the sound of the real amp with the stompboxes/delays/mod/ from the pod x3 live. At the back of my mesa boogie I have 5 connectors (1/4-inch) to select the Channel 1,2,3,solo,fx loop. I will only use two of the channels from the real amp and I need to be avaible to select them with the pod x3 live.
sorry about my english
April 8th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Sorry, POD X3 Live does not offer any switching for an amp having 1/4″ footswitch jacks.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Thanks for the info on this, I have tried it, and I get a lot of hum using the effect loop, but it does work, but as soon as I turn off the effect loop, the hum is gone. I currently am using the x3 live for orchestra/pit music for theater, and running it into a cd/line input on a small practice amp. that seems to give the very best sound quality, however this makes the volume control on the amp useless. I have also tried plugging into my 100w fender twin, and I still get an unwanted hiss/hum when turned up to play at a club gigging level, the twin doesn’t have the cd/line input.
Do you have any advice on what type of amp to use the X3 live with, without the hum, but still loud enough to play medium sized clubs with?
May 1st, 2008 at 3:36 pm
hey man, i have the pod x3 live. and i have some problems. i use the marshall hdfx 100 watt half stack, and i cant get good tones and sounds out of this. i conect the x3 live to the effex loop. but i cant find a way to get really loud without affecting my sound or getting a muddy tone. do you have any suggestions or answers?
May 1st, 2008 at 10:06 pm
First, getting loud will always affect your tone. We hear differently at loud volumes than at quiet volumes.
Second, have you tried playing with the “live modes” of X3? Make sure to try running in all four of the live modes. Also try turning off the cab model.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Hello!
I’ve tried the 4-cable method with a Peavey Rockmaster preamp but have some problems. It seems like the clean sound from the POD breaking trough and affects my sound from the Rockmaster. What settings in the FX-loop do you recommend and are there any other setting I have to try, like any special output mode etc.
Thanks for a great site!
Cheers!
/Jon
May 17th, 2008 at 10:21 am
hi there i have just got the pod x3 board and i have a line 6 spider 150wattt amp and just wonded if i can conect the x3 to the amp and how thanx.linsay
May 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
You can hook the X3 to your Spider. I haven’t personally done this (as I don’t own a Spider) so I would say your best bet for advice on this setup is to ask at the Line 6 official forums. There are a lot of people there who are using X3 with a Spider.
July 4th, 2008 at 12:40 am
hi. i am running a Gibson 61 re issue sg and a line 6 spidervalve amp. i like the tones i get with this set up very much, but reccently i picked up the X3 live and have been very disappointed in how it sounds, particularly with heavy distorted settings. i’ve tweaked with it for hours but still can’t shake the feeling that my amp’s distortion channels are much better seeing as it is a real tube set up. is there anyway i can run the X3 with out compromising my tube sound? i cant seemt o find the trick
July 5th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Yes, the article you’re commenting on describes the way to set it up. Just keep the amp block of X3 turned off.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Thanks for a great article!
A question about dirtboxes: Does the four cable method improve the sound of analogue distortion / overdrive pedals mixed with the Pod X3? Furthermore, what would you say is the best placement for a dirt box in the four cable method signal chain?
Thanks again!
July 18th, 2008 at 9:54 am
I don’t think it changes or “improves” the sound of any stompbox to configure your setup this way. I would put my “dirt box” right after the guitar.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Hi can you give me any tips on general EQ needed when using x3 l ive direct? Are there any popular preferences? I don’t mean amp EQ.
November 7th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Try to keep the mids strong and don’t get too crazy with highs and lows. Do some google research on the Fletcher-Munson curves to see why you should do this.
November 18th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Is there a way to use this set up and still be able to use the amp modeling when I want to? I’d like to use this set up but still be able to switch my amp over to its clean channel and then use the x3 live higher gain amp models since my amp is better at low gain crunch.
November 20th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Yes, that is one of the main benefits of this setup. You can use the amp’s preamp and tone or the modeler’s preamp and tone. That is why we have the amp’s preamp set up in the effects loop of the modeler. Set your modeler’s patch up to have the FX loop turned off and you will bypass the amp’s preamp.