The MIDI spec doesn't just allow patches to be changed remotely and patch data to be backed up, it also makes it possible to edit Pod's patches via software. Pod has a single guitar input, a stereo pair of TRS (3-pole) balanced jack outputs that may also be used unbalanced, a stereo headphone output and a pair of MIDI In and Out sockets.

Power comes from an included external PSU, but there is still a power on/off switch. There's also an on-board guitar tuner and one amp model designed to emulate a tube preamp for warming vocals or instruments. Once a patch has been created, it may be stored in any of the 36 user memories - to get you started, all 36 locations come filled with example patches.

A simple 16-way rotary switch is used to select the amplifier type to be emulated, with a second 16-way selector used to determine the effects to be added.

Housed in a solid aluminium casting that looks like a cross between a squashed kidney bean and a Baywatch babe's bum print, Pod manages to cram a huge amount of functionality into a very small space, and without a menu or cursor in sight! There are clearly labelled 'guitarist-friendly' conventional rotary knobs for Drive, Bass, Middle, Treble, Output Level, Channel Level (patch level), Reverb and Effect Tweak. In addition, it also provides multi-effects tailored for guitar, including delay, chorus, flanging, tremolo, rotary speaker, slow attack and a very convincing spring reverb emulation. Its all-digital engine offers a choice of physically modelled amps and speaker cabinets based on the detailed analysis of traditional and classic amps from Marshall, Fender, Mesa Boogie, Soldano and even old Vox models. Now, in the form of Pod, they've produced a dedicated guitar recording preamp based around the same TubeTone modelling technology. But it is as Line 6 that their physical modelling guitar combos and amps have been winning over a surprising number of die-hard 'valves or nothing' guitarists, first with the ground-breaking Axyss 212, and then the affordable Flextone range. Between them they've been instrumental in designs ranging from classic Oberheim synths to the ADAT digital multitrack and drum machines from Alesis. The Line 6 company grew out of one of the industry's most respected teams of electronic designers and software engineers. Can this intriguing little box really emulate the recorded sound of many of the world's greatest guitar amplifiers?

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