C. Cab Selection for Live Tones

When not using Studio/Direct output mode, selecting a cab enables "live-voiced cabs" which are a mild EQ effect designed to color your actual cab's sound to be more like the one selected. I tend not to use these, instead selecting "no cab". They seem to muffle the high end a bit.

If you find "no cab" too harsh, first check your amp/power amp. Some power amps have a presence control that's used to dial in the right amount of high end. Sometimes, you may think it’s a pre-amp control that's being bypassed, so you don't think to adjust it. If there's no setting on your power amp to dial back harshness, you may simply have harsh speakers. In this case, I do recommend setting your output mode to something other than "Studio/Direct" (Stack power amp or Combo power amp usually), and using a live-voiced cab that suits you.

I believe they are free DSP-wise and don't consume additional effects blocks, so in that sense they are better than an EQ effect. Don't just try the ideal cab you want here - try them all. Try the 1x12's as well as 2x12's and 4x12's. You can't know in advance how well any one will work with your actual cab - the Pod doesn't know what kind of cab you have.

If your tone is still too harsh with one of those, try dialing down the high end with an EQ effect. I like the Mid-Focus EQ's low pass.

If you still have no luck, try using Studio/Direct output mode with a cab/mic simulation. Even though this is not how the Pod was designed to be set up, as long as you like the tone you get, you should use it. Your only other option at this point would be to replace your speaker(s) (given the issue isn't due to how you set up a patch).

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D. Mic Selection

I. Sm57 On/Off Axis

90% of my tones use the SM57 mic. It seems to get the most guitar tone and the least noise for distorted tones. Many have complained that it creates too much fizz or harsh high-end. I think some of the other mics are fizzier, but I do agree about the high-end. However, this is easily solved with the low-pass of a Mid-Focus EQ (see Mid-Focus EQ). If there's any fizzy spots, you can easily dial them out with a Parametric EQ (see fizzy spots).

I go back and forth on whether I prefer on or off axis. It depends on the tone I'm going for. I like to start on-axis. It really captures the high-end sizzle cleanly, and the tone just seems richest with this mic. But something about this mic can also make the tone sound like a modeler and not a real guitar tone - I think it's the lack of punch and warmth. Sometimes you can dial in enough warmth with the on axis depending on the tone you're going for and the amp model you're using. Or if you're using the dual cab technique below, you just pair this mic with a darker cab. I find my favorite tone is a Hiway/XXL combo, both using the 57 on axis - thick AND rich.

The cab DEP's have really helped get the right amount of growl and bite from this mic. You can use the Res. Level, Thump, and Decay controls to thicken up and smooth out the tone more than you otherwise could.

But sometimes you want the off axis. In general, the off axis is less clean - it sounds a bit noisier, and maybe a bit fizzier. But you get a more punchy tone really centered around the warm mids, but you still have a good high-end response. The one exception is on the Greenbacks cab - I find the 57 off axis is a bit brighter and cleaner for some reason.

For dual cab tones, I always use a 57 on axis on one of the cabs to get a nice clean upper midrange and treble response. None of the other mics come close for these frequencies.

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