Marshall JMP-1 / POD Pro and Jem7VWH - A good combination?

armindo__dias · #1 05-03-2001, 06:45 AM

I'm looking for a new pre-amp, for the added benefits of having presets, more tonal options, the usual stuff.

Currently i'm playing my 7VHW through a Boss DS-1 and to a Marshall JCM 900 2x12 combo (the one with 5881's). I like the sound, but it still isn't THE sound, if you understand me... I would like to get a liquid sound for solos (think Vai an Petrucci...) and raging distortion for rythm work. The Boogies are out of question (too expensive and they simple don't exist in Portugal).

I'm considering the Marshall JMP-1 or the POD Pro. I tried the JMP-1 in a store with a Fender Strat. The sound, of course, will be a lot different with my Jem, but i couldn't tried with an hambucked guitar. I liked the sound, but i wonder how would it be with the 7VWH.

I tried also the POD Pro, not under the ideal circunstances, though. In the store, they didn't have a power amp, so they connected the Pro to a Flextone amp, in bypass... i don't know the Line 6 stuff, so i don't know if in bypass i was using just the power amp section on the Flextone. I was using an Washburn with hambuckers. I was a bit dissapointed. It sounded good, but kinda processed. Like i said, i guess this wasn't the best scenario for trying the POD.

Anyway, do any of you guys (with a Jem with Evo's) tried / own any of this pre-amps? Does the Jem and the Marshall POD make a great combination?

Thanks in advance,
Armindo Dias

shawn · #2 05-03-2001, 11:06 PM

i have a jem 7v, a jmp-1, and a flextone II (which is basically a pod pro in a combo amp). *i love the jmp-1, its not "the" sound that im looking for, i could deal with a little more real tube sound, but im not sure that ill ever find that. *the 7v works very well with both the jmp-1 and the flextone/pod stuff -- *to my taste any way. *i use the jmp-1 or a triple giant into a g-force into a vht 2/50/2 into a 4x12" of greenbacks -- i get mad tone out of this rig. *i use the flextone for little jazz gigs and such.

Purplehaze · #3 05-04-2001, 05:50 AM

Hi Armindo,

I have a 7VWH which I use with a JMP1 and a Soldano SP77. *I have the Soldano for clean and lead, and use the JMP1 for heavy rhythm work. *For my taste I find that the Soldano is superior for extended lead playing & that 'liquid' sound you speak of, however, that's not to say that the JMP1 doesn't cut it - it does. *For many years I simply ran the JMP1 into an Intellifex and that combination covered most basses, I even played out in a jazz orchestra with it.

I think that the power amp is an important consideration, too. *Power tube saturation is a vital element to many guitarists blessed with great tone. *I have a 9200 and the JMP1 kicks some serious ground shaking butt. *I find that a good test is can you play the pre/poweramp without reaching for reverb or other fx? *If so then you have the basis of cultivating great tone.

Just to contradict myself, I hooked my Soldano up with a Rocktron Velocity 100 (basic SS power amp), and it sounded awesome! *The JMP1 under the same circumstances desperately needed some reverb to make it playable.

Hope this is of some help to you...

Mikey

armindo__dias · #4 05-04-2001, 09:18 AM

Thanks for the replys.

I really want to have that "liquid" tone. When i tried the JMP-1 with a Fender, i can't say i was getting that, but with the Evos driving harder the pre-amp, i'm shure i could get that. Anyway, i have the Boss DS-1 and that should help too.

I i buy the JMP-1 i will play it with my JCM 900 with 5881's. I will feed the effects return, of course, but i guess i can't get the power amp tube saturation (i play at home, right now, and my neighbours don't like very much to hear a good tone...

).

Thanks again,
Armindo

shredmaster · #5 05-04-2001, 06:02 PM

hey man, what's up? *i almost bought the jmp but didn't. *not too into marshall stuff. *from what i have seen, it has to be hot-rodded to sound really good. *not knocking it, it's just not for me.

i just picked up a line6 pod pro (which is the red rackmount unit that takes up 2 rack spaces.) *this thing totally jams! *right out of the box, with very little tweaking, you can get great tone. *line6 engineers spent forever emulating the tones of the amps. *i have had it for 2 weeks now and i recorded with it straight to the board. *oh man!!! this thing is insane! *line6 is known for their direct recording. *it is even amazing live! *we do dream theater type stuff, ozzy, that kind of era. *my tone rhythm-wise calls for heavy tight bottom end crunch. *i certainly get it. *there are 36 presets to store your tones in. *for some players, that's not enough at all. *for me, i only use 3-4 anyway. *you can also get on line6 website and download patches from other users and load them in your unit via a pc and the software that comes with it. *i got some cool patch some guy made up that emulates kirk hammett's live tone. *with more tweaking, i'm sure i'll get even more! i'm using my jem 7dbk with the breed pickups and it's killer! *we're recording our new album with it straight to the board. *so far it's insane! *live i connect it to my mesa boogie 50/50 poweramp. *i recommend this highly. *whichever you buy, at least you can try them out and return them.

maybe buy the jmp and check it out at home. *return it if you don't like it and buy the line6 and use it at home. *try that one. *i have done this many times. *i bought the line6 to try at home and didn't even make it to the jmp. *i loved the line6 that much.

i can guarantee you one thing. *if you are going to try recording direct to the mixer, the jmp won't cut it. *line6 is known for that stuff and let me tell you....it sounds way better than any mic'd amp.

email me if you want.

RSVampire · #6 05-06-2001, 02:39 AM

try running whatever your running into a Legacy....I heard those get a "liquid" sound.....whatever that is....

MD · #7 05-07-2001, 11:01 AM

Im own Flextone II which is nothing more than POD and power amp in one. When you record it's basically a POD. I use it with my 7VWH. I can get any tone from it - rythm/liquid leads whatever - just don't forget it's like any other amp and some EQ in the mix is absolutely needed. Disadvantages are:
POD is oversensitive to attack and it picks up all scratches. *It can be fixed in the mix.
Way too much bottom end in presets.
Sometimes it's a bit muddy but no more than any regular tube amp.
It does not react to your playing like regular tube amp (this is the biggest disadvantage for me)
It needs a lot of tweaking and patience to get a good tone out of it, but there are a lot of already made libraries for start (read the manual if you are not familiar with modelled amps).
Advantages are:
You will have to have at least $10,000 worth pile of tube amps to get tone possibilities of pod. It sounds good even at volume 1. And you will never worry anymore about mic placement/type of floor in your recording room/temperature of valves in your amp when recording.

Anyway I'll never use tube amp for rythm recording anymore, because all nunaces of playing which pod cuts are lost in the mix anyway, so why bother with tubes.
For solo work it's too early but in 3-4 years this technology will replace tube amps for most applications. Just ask your record engineer, he will tell you.

Just my opinion, please no flames tube lowers

(Edited by MD at 4:04 am on May 7, 2001)

armindo__dias · #8 05-07-2001, 11:19 AM

Thanks all for the replys.

The POD Pro seems like a good value and pretty versatille. However, i'm a bit skeptical about this modelling technology. That's why i was looking for a standard pre-amp too, the JMP-1. But let me try to explain why this skepticism.

I have another pre-amp, a Rocktron Voodu Valve. Although it isn't a modelling pre-amp, it is digitall as well, just having a tube to warm up the sound a bit. It works wonders with my Fender Strat, but i can't get a good with my Jem. I'll tell you why (this is where things get complicated). When i, play in the B string, for example, a harmonic that isn't exactly in the node spot, the sound goes out for a few miliseconds. It seems to me that it can't handle such frequencies and in a few milisenconds the sound just go out. It is like i was overloading the pre-amp input, but that is not the case: the input level is almost 0... *In my tube amp, the Marshall JCM 900, when i do the exact same thing, i hear a "thump" sound... it's kinda hard to explain, i don't know if you understand what i'm talking about... Does any of you had this symptom in the POD or other digital pre-amp/modelling amp?

So i'm a bit skeptical about the POD. Does it "really" emulate all this tube responses of real amps? And does it have any of this digital glitches that i get with the Rocktron? These are the doubts that keep me off from buying the POD in a heartbeat. In the other hand, i tried the JMP-1 and it seems natural, with that "thump" i was talking about. Yes, i know that i have to try it myself with my guitar, but to me this is impossible right now. And here in Portugal we can't test this stuff in the confort of our house and return it if we are not satisfied. If you want to take it home, you have to buy it!

Thanks,
Armindo

shredmaster · #9 05-07-2001, 12:41 PM

i have the rocktron voodoo as well and it is way cool! *i had 2 of them at one point. *they are good for recording, infact, i used mine this weekend for our new record. *BUT my pod kicks its ass!!!! *i use my voodoo at the practice space and the pod in my studio at home! *i will be laying tracks later with the pod today. *i can't praise it enough. *i know you're a skeptic but the pod is totally modeled off these amps. *they sound so close! *it doesn't even sound like transistors and stuff. *it is at least 5 times better than the voodoo.

petedz · #10 05-07-2001, 12:58 PM

I gotta say something here.

I have a POD and a Voodu as well, but my experience has been very different. *I use the POD to practice and record, and use the Voodu for everything else. The POD is fun for getting wildly differing amp tones, but IMO can't come anywhere close to the *quality* of the Voodu. *The Voodu reacts better to dyanmics, has much better effects, sounds good loud, and can cut through with no problems. *It can pump out some of the best 80s hair band tones I've ever heard. *The only catch is that the Rocktron does the equivalent of maybe 2 or three "models" compared to the boatload available with the POD.

The kicker is that the Voodu (bought heavily used) has been 100% reliable while the POD (bought new) has been flakey. *I like the versatility, but I would never gig with the POD. *For me, the Voodu's the real thing.

armindo__dias · #11 05-07-2001, 01:08 PM

Hi, Petedz.

And did you find that problem i was talking about, that digital drop-out?

Maybe i'm not using the EQ properly and overloading some frequencies that causes that, but i've been tweeking for days and that drop-outs are always present.

And maybe the Evo's pickups are too hot for the Voodu, but my input level is almost on "0"...

Armindo

petedz · #12 05-07-2001, 02:57 PM

I've never experienced anything like that. *Even with hot active pickups, I have the input level somewhere around 10-12 o'clock. *I know you're thinking it's the low B. Since I have never played/owned a 7 string, I can't say for sure. *I suppose I could try plugging a bass in and seeing whether that wreaks havok with the input... Are you playing through factory patches or ones you've programmed yourself?

Having the input level close to zero sure sounds fishy....

armindo__dias · #13 05-07-2001, 05:23 PM

Hi petedz,

i mean the high B, not the low B string. And i'm playing through my own presets. It's pretty anoying to have the input level around 0, but that way i can minimize that strange effect. It's a strange thing. Even when i playd with my strat through it, tuned down to c# i didn't notice that. The frequencies that cause that glitch are much higher than the chunka-chunka i used to play so mybe this is the cause...

petedz · #14 05-07-2001, 05:55 PM

I misunderstood before...do I have it right this time? *
- With the Evo equipped JEM the input LEDs are peaking with the input trim set to 0-1. *
- When you hit...say...a 4th fret harmonic on the high B string, the sound cuts out completely.

I can assure you that the Voodu does not behave that way with hot pickups. *My Californian has an EMG-81 in the bridge position and I've never seen anything like this. I'm pretty sure that the Evo and the EMG-81 are similar in output.

I'm convinced that either there's something amiss with your Voodu or with some other part of your signal chain. Before you run out and buy another preamp, tell Rocktron's tech support about this. *They might have some suggestions. *Personally, I suspect your Voodu might need to see a doctor.

armindo__dias · #15 05-07-2001, 08:08 PM

hi petedz,

it's a strange thing that's happening with my Voodu. I set the input level about 0-1 and the LED doesn't even come to orange, so the input is not too high.

When i play a pinch harmoni that's not exactly in the right spot, it should give a "thump", a hollow sound that shouldn't be perceived as a regulçar note. Insted, i hear a drop out in sound (a few milisenconds), the same kind of sound i got when i really put the input until the red LED's hits. This is strange: the LEDs are green, but are certain notes/sounds that completly "burn" the pre-amp making that extremly short cut in sound, but you can hear it...

I'm suspecting that this is something to do with the EQ. I use the low gain mode, set the gain to 70, and the post EQ about: bass 13, mid -3, high 5 and presence 6. But i'v trid other values and i get: the same drop-out or some unusable sounds...

Anyway, i was thinking something... how about trade some patches? I could send you one i my patches that i use for a lead sound where this glitch occours and you send me one of yours to check my Voodu?

Please e-mail me.

Thanks,
Armindo