I want to be able to record and use headphones without my amp for the times when my 15 month old is snoozing.  I am debating whether to get the first edition $99 POD, the Behringer Ultra-G DI Box ($30) or just make a DIY cab sim.  I already have a mixer with various inputs and monitoring capabilities.  The DI could only be used as a DI from guitar only since my amp has no 1/4 input from output --> speaker.  Should I just make the cab sim and use my mixer for monitoring (via headphones) or is the POD worth the $99?  Anyone like the Behringer DI cab sim and can it be used with or without an amplifier?  It would be nice to also have a cab sim that switches between and open back Fender and a closed back Marshall cab!

Hi,
Assuming you want to record on your computer, you can try this software
for free just to get a feeling for it.
http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?products_us
on the left side of the page, under Demo Version, look for
Guitar Rig PC (or Mac). Now, I must warn you that this s/w did not work for a few people on the forum but it worked for me and my friends. The sound is similar to what you would get with a POD or Amplitube. The advantage of this software is that it works as a stand alone (and as a VST plug-in).

ncc

Where can you get a POD for $99?!?!?!

I have a pod 2.0. Id recommend that. NO berhinger! I have no faith in that company/products..Too many friends of mine went that way to save a buck and got poor quality. The POD is awsome!

I have a Behringer V-Amp 2 and it's held up very nice; I know some people with the mixers and they've held up pretty well. I wouldn't buy anything too expensive from them, but I think the reliability on the V-Amp is roughly similar to the Pod, so long as you're not beating it up. Only thing to watch out for is that you have to unplug the adapter from the wall, rather than the unit itself. Makes little sense, but I do it anyway. Wouldn't gig with much Behringer stuff, but for low-impact stuff it's cheap and usually has as many or more features. My only real problem with them is that they rip off ideas from other companies...

Anyway, you should be able to get a V-Amp 2 for $100 used. I'm not sure how much Pod 1.0's go for, $100 used seems pretty fair since I've seen 2.0's go used for $140. One of Digitech's mini-companies makes the Johnson J-Station which gets some good reviews. Digitech's GNX stuff gets reviews all over the spectrum but does amp modeling. There's the Pod 1, 2, and XT; supposedly the XT is in a league above the rest but it's also more expensive. Behringer has the X V-amp, which costs $70 new and is like a V-Amp 2 in pedal form, with no midband EQ adjustment, forced per-model speaker cab simulation, but adds an expression pedal, Whammy sim, wah sim, and stompbox modeling as opposed to generic effects.

I tried Guitar Rig and didn't care for the distorted sounds too much. If you want to keep it longer than the demo period, it's very expensive and you'd be better off with a Pod XT, IMO the XT has better sound quality and you don't have to be near a computer. For recording, Guitar Rig might be a good investment, it's just not for me.

The RunoffGroove amp sims are great; if you can stand to always be by your rig you can just run an output to a cab sim/DI. I would personally go with a pod-like device, because it's more portable than multiple boxes, and offers a lot of flexibility. Good for recording as well.

I was thinking about getting a Behringer ampolifier, namely the V-TONE GMX212. However, from teh comments that I've heard here, perhaps behringer is not the way to go. I'm going to start a new topic on Behringer for feedback on the company. If you have any stories to tell about good/bad Behringer buys, I would appreciate hearing them.

I have the Berhinger Ultra-G DI Box, and I must say it's a damn good box for the price.

I used it live with my guitar plugged straight in and it went direct to the console which was at a good distance from the DI box.

At the sound check, I told the soundman, who would be at the second floor at quite a distance (where was the console) from me during the show, to give me a cue if I had to lift the ground in case of hum or other problem.

Well, I went through the sound check, and through the show without any problem. The sound was A1, and I used the Cab Sim all the time.

So I would recommend it anytime. Later on, I even ordered the Berhinger MIC200 Tube Preamp based on my experiences with the Ultra G. But I did not received it yet, so I can't say about that one.

I also have a brother-in-law that is a sound man that worked with many big names (Gino Vanelli being one of them), and he tested one of their mixer with very good results. He used it to monitor the shows, and record sound tracks for his own use on a laptop.

As a side note, I also went to a few shows where the guys had some expensive equipment and that sounded like crap. (I also sounded like crap a few times with the same equipment that sounded good the week before).

Gilles

try DigiTech RP200A Guitar Multi-Effects Pedal.. I thought id hate it but use it for a whammy and volume pedal but it really rocks!!  A little sterile on some stuff, but overall very cool..its too diff to comare it to my POD ( which is really just good for amp simulation and recording) but im having a blast w this rp200a!!