The PodGo has a quite different approach to how much flexibility it gives the user. I think it’s intended to be as easy as possible to use, while still providing great tones.
Instead of giving you a completely blank signal path, all PodGo presets comes with 6 “block types” which must be there (you can turn them off if you want though) and then only 4 empty blocks per preset, which you can use for whatever you want… as long as there is enough processing power left!
The 6 “must have” blocks are these: Volume pedal, Wah Pedal, amp head model, cabinet model, effects loop and an EQ pedal. You can change the type of each block (pick a different EQ pedal model, or a different amp or cab)… and you can also drag the blocks around on the signal chain to place them whereever you want. An empty preset in the PC editor looks like this:
Ok, so let’s talk some limitations already now…
The PodGo supports 4 snapshots per preset - but it cannot have two amp models at the same time… so, for my use case, it was not possible to mirror the idea of a single preset with snapshots. So I went for the traditional multi-fx approach with having different presets for my tones. Then I’ll have to “live with” a small stutter when changing tone, and maintain common parameters across presets. A bummer, but in my case OK, since this is a backup unit that I expect to program once, and then leave as it is…
It also does not support parallel processing - so I cannot do my ideal reverb/delay setup. BUT, I can easily “live with” the traditional “delay into reverb” setup, just tweaking the values slightly differently.
I also cannot have my “dual delay” setup for my solo patch, but again this is OK… I just pick the one delay I like the best and tweak from there.
My Lead preset then looks like this:
You can see I dragged things around a bit - for example, I always want my volume pedal after the amp, but before reverb/delay. That way it does not affect gain level (I use guitar volume for that)… and when I roll down volume at the end of a song, any remaining delay/reverb repeats will still ring out.
But the good part - otherwise the PodGo gives me the exact same blocks as I use on the Big Helix. And my Lead patch sounds 95% the same (only the previously described differences with delay/reverb). But the PodGo really sounds just great!
Now for the last, but (perhaps) important limitation;
When setting up my “Wet 80s clean tone” (that classic “glassy” clean 80s tone with tons of chorus, delay and reverb) I actually ran into problems. The PodGo did not have enough processing power in its CPU to do that kind of thing, using the blocks I was using on the big one.
That tone has a signal like this:
Guitar → Compressor → Fender clean amp → Chorus → Delay → Reverb → EQ → Out
So it doesn’t sound THAT complicated, right?
But I normally use a “Deluxe Comp” compressor block, a “Trinity Chorus” block, the latest “Dynamic Hall” reverb block and a “Transistor Tape delay” block. I picked those on the big Helix because those sounded the best… gave me that “expensive rack” 80s tone…
However, these specific blocks are apparently quite CPU intensive… so the PodGo could not run them at the same time! I eventually had to compromise and use a simpler compressor and a much simpler reverb block.
So just something to be aware of - it’s not just a theoretical discussion, running out of processing power. It really can happen, even with a quite standard signal chain like this one. Not a deal breaker, since it still sounds pretty great with the replacement blocks, but something to be aware of… you may have to prioritize and optimize certain tones you want to set up…
Ok, final post…
To summarize the pros/cons as I see them:
- Great price for a great hardware layout with some great tones possible
- Not the ideal choice if you want to use it with a channel switching real amp
- Not the ideal choice if you want the most advanced/flexible signal routing
- Very quick and easy to set up great tones, if your needs are a bit more basic/traditional (not meant in a negative way)
- Be aware that you may actually run out of processing power, when using the best models in each block
- Very lightweight, has headphones out… easy to bring with you in a backpack
- No XLR output, only 1/4"
Still gets my seal of approval as a really great multi-fx for most hobbyist players!
@TheMadman_tobyjenner, @Kasper-
Why do you guys do this to us?
I was really happy with my li’l amp, having discovered what the reverb, delay and gain knobs do… 
Shame on you!
Next month I’ll have to figure out how my looper actually works (maybe)…
But if ever…I will definitely read this with great interest,…thanks in advance for this
Greetings
Edit: I see you had the same thought @brianlarsen 
Sorry to be fanning the flames of any GAS 
But as long as you guys are happy with what you have, then you (probably) don’t need anything new, right? 
I forgot to mention;
The “cab” blocks on the PodGo is pretty good, but (IMO) the tones takes a big step up if you use a 3rd party IR file with it. In my case I’m a fan of the Celestion IRs, so I’ve uploaded a couple of the best ones to the PodGo (drag and drop a file in the PC editor) and then change the cab block to “Impulse Response”.
Also I should perhaps link a few example of the tones. Now, as I mentioned - I use the Helix modelling tones for 95% of my home practice sessions. And it was also this exact Lead patch I showed above that I used for those couple of quick iPhone camera clips I have previously posted with some solos. I’ll link them again, although they do not really give the PodGo the full justice it deserves. It would sound a lot better in a real recording into a DAW (and my bends would also, perhaps, be more accurate 
). But still, even on my iPhone “in the room” tone I think the Helix modelling tones sounds great. Good enough that I’m happy practicing with them at least 
You know what to do when you get an itch !
“Haha, GAK can deliver one tomorrow for £359.”
“Listen to me: Do not go into the light Stop where you are. Turn away from it.”
I see I have more reading to do !! Thank you.
Now I have looked at the manual and seen the range of amps and cabs I am even more impressed, compared to the Mustang (17 amps 12 cabs) but happy to see some old favourites and looking forward to see how they compare, especially the 57 Champ.
IR use noted and the nod to Celestion. I’ll be hanging back on that route for a while. From what I see learning and applying snapshots will be the first challenge. The rest looks pretty straight forward.
Great audio share, don’t care how many times you drop those in here ! Love that Elmore James signature lick btw and on my to learn list !! Ordered some TRS cables today, so I can plumb it into either AIs if I am doing a playing/singing “gig”.
Can’t wait until Friday, I’ll be standing at the end of the drive waiting for UPS !
Well for my intended use it ticks all the boxes. The limitation apart from possible CPU overload, will not hinder my use. Great write up and comparison.
Glad to hear it, and I thought it would. Enjoy!
And, of course, just ask if you have any questions when you get it
@Kasper
Kasper, thanks for taking time to share and educate all of us, not just @TheMadman_tobyjenner. I may never get one but that took nothing away from reading all about it plus the added bonus of another listen to the two clips.
Hi! Just got a pod go a few weeks ago and have been absolutely loving it. I’m very late to this conversation, but I believe that it is still very much relevant, for some people like me at least. I made my own spreadsheet using the real-life model equivalents from the Line 6 website, and the DSP allocations for each model as rounded percentage values from BenVesco.com, and anyone can make a copy of it to make their own spreadsheet. If you scroll to the right, I also included my preset templates with some of the fixed blocks (like wah) removed and a quick tutorial of how to free up those blocks yourself. Using spreadsheets is almost second nature for me, and I thought this one was worth sharing. POD Go Models - Based On & DSP (shared) - Google Sheets
Hi Kasper - I have a question about POD GO. I’m considering buying one and there’s a dealbreaker issue that I need an answer to before I go ahead.
I need to have 3 delay effects in a single patch along with reverb, chorus, and trem. Since PODGO only allows 4 effect blocks I would need to set up 4 Snapshots of my main patch (Delay, reverb, cho, trem). The snapshots would be identical except the time setting: each would have a different setting for the time subdivision. One would be 1/16, another triplet 1/8, and the third dotted 1/8.
I should mention that I won’t be using the amp or cab models. I intend to use the PODGO as a pedalboard.
My question is, can I do this? Or is that parameter a universal one and not controllable by individual patch?
Welcome @rumrill!
If I understand you correctly, then you don’t need multiple delays active at the same time - simply a different time division for different tones. Maybe a slapback on a rhythm tone, and then a longer delay on a lead tone?
If so, then this is exactly what you can do with snapshots. You can’t swap the type of the block (ex, switch it from a digital to tape delay) but you can toggle the on/off state of each block as well as the value of any parameter (incl time division) on a per snapshot basis.
Agree with Kasper, Snapshots are the way to go, so you could have 4 different sets of parameters on the one block and also have the ability to stomp it on and off.
Thanks so much. You got my question correctly.
Just to clarify, everything else in the patch - other effects, vol pedal, EQ, etc - remember, no amp/cab models! - would be identical. The only differences would be in the delay settings. I like to have a triplet single slap for shuffle tunes and a straight 8’s slap for str 8 songs. My delay time to be controlled by the TAP footswitch, right? I would also use the other expression pedal to control delay level.
My POD X3 Live will do all this on the same patch. I wanted to make sure it’s possible on the GO.
Yes, that’s how I use my Helix for live playing as well. A single patch with multiple snapshots.
The main benefits over having multiple completely different patches are silent/instant switching and also that if you then go ahead and tweak something “global” - some EQ block perhaps - then that’s affecting all your tones. You explicitly mark the properties that you want a “per snapshot” value for in the patch… in your example the delay time subdivision.
There are some edge cases though that caused me a little bit of trouble. For example, say you want to have delay mix level on the expression pedal. You would then go ahead and assign the pedal to the mix param, and specify “min” and “max” mix values. But then you cannot have a “lead” snapshot that forces full mix. You cannot specify a per-snapshot min and max value for an expression pedal controlled param… only for params with fixed values. Hope they’ll fix that at some point. For now, what I had to do was to have two identical delay blocks in the patch - one with the mix controlled by the expression pedal, and another with a fixed value. And then use snapshots to only have one of them enabled at a time.