Tone Battle: Line 6 Pod Express vs. Boss Katana Go | Guitar Showdown!

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Welcome to the ultimate tone showdown! In this video, we're pitting the Line 6 Pod Express against the Boss Katana Go in a three-round battle to determine which unit reigns supreme in the realm of guitar tone.
Round 1 kicks off with the iconic Eddie Van Halen Brown Sound. Armed with an EVH Wolfgang guitar, we put both units to the test to see which one can nail that legendary tone.
Moving on to Round 2, it's time to channel our inner Blues Lawyer. With a classic Gibson SG in hand, we delve into the realm of blues guitar tones, exploring the rich textures and soulful vibes each unit can produce.
Finally, in Round 3, we embark on a journey into the realm of ambient clean tones. Utilizing my trusty Suhr S-Type guitar, we dial in lush, atmospheric sounds on both the Line 6 Pod Express and the Boss Katana Go, aiming to create ethereal landscapes of sound.
Join us as we compare, contrast, and ultimately crown a winner in this epic Tone Battle. Which unit will come out on top? Tune in to find out! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more guitar-related content. Let the battle begin!

[@cambriakilgannon12]

I read a comment on some forum a few months ago that really stuck with me, it went something like this: "nowadays with the quality of modeling technology from so many companies, the only people listening who might dislike the tone of the modeler you bought will be you, and any guitarists listening who bought the other product" 😂 Since then I've decided I'm most likely going to like the tone of most modelers I come across (you sound great with both of them!), and choices like these became a question of utility. It's great that the Katana Go untethers you from a floor unit, but I don't move all that much when playing, and I don't like the idea of being beholden to an app to access a unit's full functionality. While battery power is flexible if you can keep it topped up, I usually don't expect battery life estimates from the companies themselves to be accurate, and I know that life is going to shorten as the battery degrades. This also a big reason why I don't like required apps. Large tone/effects libraries sounded appealing to me at first, but at the end of the day all it meant for me was more fiddling and less practicing and playing during my limited free time. 😂 The Pod Express can be used as a practice unit AND a simple but performance-worthy rig. It can also be used with a dual footswitch, which is a cheap purchase and a flexible pedal that you'll want to keep if you don't already have one. It has a 9v power socket and can also be powered by alkaline batteries in a pinch. The final nail in the coffin for me is the knob design. My first amp was a Spider 3 and the effects knobs were the same design! I'm excited for my Pod to come; first thing I'm gonna do is try and get it to sound like the "insane" setting on the old spider amps!😂

[@badbrad]

The infamous insane setting lol!!! You make a lot of great points. These days good tones are to be had out of all modelers. I’ve yet to hear something sound bad. I don’t mind the required apps cause I usually work with my computer and the modelers. Thanks for chiming in!

[@rolandoamado1459]

Congratulations to BOSS for finally bringing a product to compete with Fender Mustang Micro, Flamma, NUX, etc. Sound quality: the HELIX (POD Express) is in a very different league in modeling technology.

[@badbrad]

Yes boss has a great product but the edge goes to Line 6.

[@scottbecker3485]

Liked before even watching . 🤗 Exactly the comparison I need right now….

[@badbrad]

Awesome!!! Thank you!

[@jimmcdougall9973]

As you have said, these are two different tools. With the Boss being strictly a practicing, headphone amp, but can do more. And the Line 6 being aimed more as a performance multi effects unit. The Boss wins on tones alone. Then you add in the features brought over from their headphones (the on stage feel), rechargeable with up to 5 hours usage, USB interface, the app for tablet or phone, etc, etc. This is just my opinion, but I can’t wait for the Boss to be available in my country.

[@badbrad]

Very cool yes! What country are you in?

[@jimmcdougall9973]

@@badbrad South Africa. So I hope we get it before the “Go MKII” comes out 😂

[@badbrad]

@@jimmcdougall9973 Wow Very Cool! I'll keep my fingers crossed for ya!

[@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist]

Apparently the go can run whilst charging, if you wanted you could mount it on a micro board with a few choice pedals and power it off a usb c battery pack to extend battery life a lot.

[@badbrad]

@@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist good idea!

[@jayeurgo1961]

“So we can put our khaki pants on and Hawaiian shirts…” Hilarious!!

[@badbrad]

I got jokes!

[@RobinSmithCGP]

Hey Brad…great video …really gives an idea of the sounds from both units…thanks ..

[@badbrad]

Thanks so much!!!

[@jimmyjames2022]

Nice selection of instruments to demo these Kat Go and Pod Express, and both sound like a lot of fun for exploring tones. I think I prefer the Pod Express- I thought I'd like the Boss presets equally but turns out not so much after all.

[@badbrad]

I think yeah for straight up tone...the Pod wins but the Kat Go has a ton more effects and tweakability, perhaps if I tweaked it a bit I could dial it in better.

[@jimmyjames2022]

@@badbrad I think you matched the tone spec really close for that demo. Maybe some Presence adjustment on the Express would get it closer.

[@badbrad]

@@jimmyjames2022 Thank you!

[@allbushnocraft3031]

i like the idea of using it as a super easy and quality di recording unit for getting ideas down

[@badbrad]

Absolutely! Both are very cool!

[@JTB--]

I've got the Katana Go. It's Great. I'd only dock it a few points for the Omission of a Drum Machine feature like many other similar mini amps have

[@badbrad]

It seems to have something in the app for you to jam with videos or something?

[@JTB--]

@@badbrad It has ways to play with your iTunes music etc... and to KZbin videos which is cool, but many buy these little mini guitar plug in amps for late night jamming to not wake the others in the house. I had the similar competition unit from Nux and the Drum Machine feature was just huge. I'm really shocked that Boss over looked it. I've got a work around going into a mixer with the Go and a Donner Drum Machine, but I'm not looking to take 10 minutes to set-up everytime I want to jam on the Katana Go at 11pm. I'd still highly recommend the Katana Go, but it could have been a total Home Run and cornered the market with a Drum Machine feature. Hopefully it's possible to add one to the app

[@michaelwade379]

They are both impressive for what they are. I would still think they each server a slightly different but unique purpose given the size/specs of the Go. My son has a Katana and I find myself plugging into that instead of my bloated 80s rig all the time. It's just so easy and convenient. Blues setting aside, I prefer the Go in this shoot out.

[@badbrad]

The katana platform is amazing. Yes those amps are so easy to make sound good. That is awesome that you and your son can share the experience of playing guitar. You can’t do wrong with either unit! Thanks for tuning in!

[@michaeldean7220]

Can we please have a showdown between the Go and the NUX Mighty Plug Pro?

[@badbrad]

'I wasn't familiar with the Nux, but I will take a look and see.

[@mikepeterson443]

Just from what you presented: Pod Express got the bluez, and the Katana won the other two categories. Another player may dial up different tones that will change the outcome.

[@badbrad]

Absolutely. I did not spend a ton of time tweaking. To my ears tho I like the brown and Blues better....but Amb clean goes to Katana.

[@briane.paulson]

Great review

[@badbrad]

Thank you!

[@ShreddingFinn]

I feel like these are entirely different use cases, the Boss thing is for kicking around the house with a pair of cans the HX will go nicely on a board or just by itself on the floor. I’m not sure which one produces better tone my blind guess would be the HX

[@badbrad]

I like the POD on my desk to get quick good recorded tones.

[@scottbecker3485]

Now having watched, this was really interesting! I have both units on pre-order, and am seriously considering cancelling the pre-order on the Line6. The Katana Go appears to offer a more „realistic“/responsive tone with a bit more depth. That said, the blues tone on the Katana Go was too grisly and needs a bit of fine-tuning. But I‘m more a clean-and-crunch guy playing Jazzmaster as a solo acoustic/electric performer, and the Katana Go plus the wireless 3x footswitch (plus an FS-6 or FS-7 dual footswitch) looks like a great way for me to downsize my pedalboard. Heck, I could even envision using a 2nd Katana Go on its acoustic setting (with and without modulation, delay, etc.). Sure, having a dinky cable isn‘t cool for live, but as long as I carry a couple extras, maybe with 90-degree plugs, I should be fine. Could maybe add a 2nd 3x footswitch for the acoustic, and switch stuff on the floor with basically no pedalboard. Interesting days…

[@badbrad]

Everybody's ears are different. I do think for what you're doing maybe the Kat Go is best. For me, I have tracked with the Pod Express and have been very happy. One way to not have the Kat go sticking out of your jack. You could run into one pedal and place the Kat go in the output jack of the pedal. Thank for watching!

[@scottbecker3485]

@@badbrad Yeah, your previous videos of the Pod Express were totally convincing, hence my pre-order. But your rec of the Kat Go for my use case is very much appreciated, and your idea of running it after a pedal (e.g. my tuner) is brilliant! :-))) Jeez, why didn‘t I think of that?!? This could truly revolutionize my setup, also thanks to app control if needs be to tweak something at a gig. Thanks again for giving us a real musician‘s closer look at the Pod Express and now the Kat Go, minus all the mainstream hype and bias. Very refreshing!

[@badbrad]

@@scottbecker3485 yes indeed put your phone or iPad on your mic stand and boom you can tweak on the fly. Thanks so much for tuning in. I will strive to provide unbiased reviews. Thanks again.

[@lawrenrich-nf3ni]

I can see different use scenarios for both.

[@badbrad]

Absolutely. Both units are killer and good for different situations.

[@mutantboy8888]

How did the different units feel while you were playing? I noticed you played the Pod Express much longer, so it may have felt more responsive. Line 6 has been in the modeler game much longer, so they have the skills to make the feel of the Amp Model much more realistic. Right now I am playing through the HX Stomp, and it feels much more real than any other modeler to me. I love playing it, it has a Dumble Model that is amazing...

[@badbrad]

I've been using a HX stomp for a long time live but for delays and verb only. Used a Kemper for many years. Switched to toneX but maybe I need to bring the HX into the studio.

[@jayeurgo1961]

The biggest difference I heard was in the blues sound. There was an unpleasant grit to the drive from the Katana Go. I prefer smoother drive tones and the Pod sounded smoother.

[@badbrad]

Yeah when I was playing it the Katana Go felt better, but then when I was editing the clips, it was very bass heavy, and not so smooth.

[@outermarker5801]

To my ears, in _this_ (awesome🤘) comparison, Boss is my favorite. The sheer 'presence' is stunning. That said, these things are so deeply flexible tonewise you could probably make them sound a lot more alike.

[@badbrad]

I think you could dial either of these units to get them closer in tone. The boss is an impressive unit!

[@rveurope]

Ordered both , Boss already here, Line 6 expected tomorrow! great vid ...try to resemble a Marshall JCM 800 with Clone in front😂

[@badbrad]

Hey Boss and Line 6 are ya listening~! Thanks bro, it means a lot. Have a great time jamming!

[@sipnscoot3049]

They both sound good

[@badbrad]

Yes indeed!

[@MrCalenture]

POD EXPRESS ---EASY WINNER! Sounds amazing!!!

[@badbrad]

Thanks for chiming in!

[@MrCalenture]

my pleasure!!@@badbrad

[@topavelka]

Brown and blues sound clearly wins Line6. For ambient sound, I would put more reverb on Line6 and then the BOSS defeat would be complete.

[@badbrad]

I think if I had spent about two more seconds dialing in the line 6 I could have topped the Boss on the Ambient for sure. I'm still very impressed by the boss. We live in interesting times as far as gear goes.

[@alexdoyleguitar]

if you plug these units into an iPhone via usb c do the tones record direct when filming??

[@badbrad]

I think you could do that but I plugged it into my interface straight into my daw captured the tones that way.

[@paulburton5150]

What's funny is that the Boss headphone amp is mono, whereas the line6 pedal for playing through your amp is stereo. D'oh! 🙄

[@badbrad]

The boss headphone amp is stereo..,..I used a TRS 1/8 inch jack that splits to two 1/4 inch jacks.

[@paulburton5150]

@@badbrad from what I understand you can send it out to two speakers, sure, and you can use "stage" to position the overall guitar sound in the mix, but the effects themselves are all mono.

[@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist]

Stereo, the pan delay pans apparently, Andy's video had an error according to more recent posts

[@paulburton5150]

@@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist Interesting. This is why you shouldn't trust copilot search results I guess 🙂

[@AlecBourneMidiMadScientist]

@@paulburton5150 we shall see, another days wait and mine should be here. I'd expected the dual mono headphones out too but apparently it's real stereo on certain effects, even if it wasn't this would still be a neat little mobile tool for testing pedals, a bit unorthodox perhaps but for mobile mini boards i think it will do the thing.

[@Gibson1976uk]

I always pass on line6! So I ordered the Boss :)

[@badbrad]

Hey you can’t go wrong with that!

[@Gibson1976uk]

@@badbrad I actually have GO and Boss IR-2 on the way, I’m having a go at modern solutions with ease of space and travel :)

[@badbrad]

@@Gibson1976uk Wow Very cool! I'm still waiting on the Boss IR2...they are hard to come by.

[@Gibson1976uk]

@@badbrad I should have one on its way this week from Anderton’s? I ordered at the end of last December! It’s been deejayed a few times! Original date was end of January:) I hope it’s worth the wait! I love the idea of having the option of headphones with my pedalboard and recording stuff into a looper! Plus the usb DAW feature!

[@badbrad]

@@Gibson1976uk If I wasn't planning on doing a KZbin demo I would cancel the order at this point.....still not sure if people are still interested in this.

[@JoelDubay]

That wig has got to go

[@badbrad]

That wig is my hair bro. 😎