Line 6 POD Go Review: Is It Worth It?

The Line 6 POD Go is a multi-FX floor processor. It’s designed to provide amp modeling, effects, cabs, and more in a small, portable enclosure.

This new POD features Line 6 modern technology in a platform that is not a recreation of the Helix. But a new philosophy that takes the guesswork out of setting up.

It’s easy to use thanks to the pre-assigned functionality. Getting to a great sound is so much faster and straightforward.

Features

Let’s have a look at some key features!

• Helix amp or preamp models.
• Helix cabs or your own IRs.
• 4X4 USB audio interface.
• Onboard stomp box FX.
• Semi fixed signal path.
• Stereo FX loop built in.
• Intuitive controls.
• Small and portable.

Who is it For?

Guitarists looking for a user-friendly processor should consider the Line 6 POD Go. It’s an excellent option for most players. It’s a portable solution that can offer a wide range of tones. You could even put it on your pedal board!

Beginners and intermediate guitarists will appreciate the Line 6 POD Go. Especially for its comprehensive range of amp and effects models.

Its intuitive interface and user-friendly design make it easy to navigate. It’s too simple to dial in your desired sound. All without getting bogged down in complex menus or confusing settings.

The Line 6 POD Go can also be a useful tool for recording in a home studio. It enables you to quickly record high-quality guitar tones directly into your DAW. And without the need for additional equipment thanks to its direct recording capabilities.

Sound Performance

So now you know a bit about the features. The biggest question would be, how does the POD Go sound?

For these test, I used two guitars:

• PRS SE Custom 24 for heavier tones.
• Fender Deluxe Nashville telecaster for low to mid-gain tone.

There are over 270+ amp, stomp, and cab models built into this unit. It’s a huge playground, and I couldn’t get through all of them! But one thing is for sure, the models I did use sound great!

The heavier tones sounded great with the PRS. Compared to a tube amp, they come somewhat close to the real thing.

With the added effects and some great cab simulations, I was really enjoying some of the sounds that I’d dialed in. They had the aggressive sound I wanted, but kind of sound two-dimensional.

The Fender Telecaster for low to mid-gain sounds was a really sweet sound. I preferred the more vintage sounds as they had a different feel.

I was able to get a different vibe from the POD Go in the lower gain stuff than the heavier tones. Likewise, I almost feel like the heavier sounds were missing a bit of the same vibe.

Don’t get me wrong, they still sounded great, but as a tube amp user, I think that is where DSP might be lacking a little. But overall, this is a perfect little unit that has some great sounds.

The Line 6 Helix is a favorite to many players because of the great sounds built in. The POD Go is loaded with the same great models found in the Helix. And it is true, they are great sounds from amps to cabs to effects!

This little unit is fun to play with and sounds good. The video below will demonstrate some of these sounds that I speak of. Check it out!

External Hardware

The POD Go is 5.2 Lbs and is super light! It is a portable unit measuring 14″ wide, 9″ deep, and 3.5″ high, making it easy to carry around. It is smaller than the POD HD500X.

The controls are very sturdy. The switches feel great and come equipped with color change rings like the Helix.

This is a great feature that allows you to remember what is stored on each switch. The rotary knobs and encoders are also quite sturdy and do not feel cheap when used.

The expression pedal built-in is smooth when used and the enclosure is steel, making it a durable unit. There have been concerns with plastic units in the past, but the POD Go is built sturdy. And rest assured, the color LCD is bright and clear!

Channels and Controls

The POD Go is quite easy to use, and the controls are intuitive. Each button has a color ring that coincides with the effect colors that Line 6 designated. This makes it easy to know what is assigned to the button.

The Rotary controls allow you to cycle through the different pages and blocks. This makes it easy to set up your rig within the POD Go signal path.

The rotary knobs then allow you to adjust all the different settings within the blocks. For example, once you select an amp or preamp model. You can use the rotary encoders to adjust your EQ like any other amp.

There are a ton of amp and stomp-type effect models built into the POD Go! While the controls are easy to use and understand, it will take some time to get used to the options.

Digital Cabinets And IRS

The Line 6 POD Go comes with built-in speaker cabinet models that you can choose from. They have come from the Helix and are proven to sound great by players all over the world.

I enjoyed the sounds from the built-in cabinets, but the really cool feature is that you can also load your own!

By switching your cabinet over to the IR options, you have access to load your own cabs or use some made by others. So if you have favorites that you collected over the years, the POD Go will allow you to use them!

Expression Pedal

The POD Go comes equipped with an expression pedal that is quite sturdy. This gives you the ability to alter the volume of your signal or inject some great Wah or rotary effects!

I found the expression pedal to be a great built-in feature with this unit! In fact, with the number of effects built into this machine, it would be odd not to have it.

There is also the option to add a second expression pedal by plugging it into the connector on the rear of the POD Go. For this review, I did not use it.

Stereo loop

The POD Go has a real stereo effects loop built into the unit, and it sounds great! This allows you to use your own stomps or effects with the unit.

We all have our favorite effects, and so luckily the POD Go has a built-in loop. A really cool feature with the POD Go is that you can assign the loop anywhere you want in the signal chain.

This offers some real flexibility. Especially when it comes to setting up your effects within your presets. And the fact that it is a stereo loop adds some great versatility.

Snapshots

Another great feature of the POD Go is the ability to create snapshots! Snapshots let you create different variations of presets.

If you wanted to have different sounds, you can create snapshots and change between them on the fly. This is a pretty powerful feature and is easy to set up and use with the press of a button.

Built In Looper

The POD Go also features a looper that can be configured as mono or stereo. Simply select the looper to be part of one of the four effects blocks and set it up according to your needs.

Duration, playback, and low and high cut among other things can be tailored to best fit your sound. It’s a very versatile feature!

POD Go Connectivity

Another cool benefit of the POD Go is the ability to use it in the 4 cable method configuration in a rig! By connecting it this way and setting the blocks up.

You can have effects before and after your amplifier’s preamp. Just imagine the power of the POD Go with your favorite tube amp.

Notable Competitor

Another modeler that is quite good is the Neural DSP Quad Cortex. I have done a thorough review on this one too. And so once you finish checking out the Line 6 Pod Go, have a look! It’s probably some of the most advanced DSP that exists in guitar amp modelers today.

Final Verdict

The POD Go is a great new addition to the Line 6 catalog. It is very easy to learn to use and has some great sounds and features. For the price, you really cannot go wrong here. It can simplify your rig when you need something small, light, and easy to carry around.

If you own a Helix, you might be disappointed as some of the more powerful features are not found in the POD Go. Although that was the plan according to Line 6. They went for a simple-to-use multi-effect processor with a smaller price tag.

I give this unit a thumbs up! There is a ton of things it can do and so many features that any player would benefit greatly! The new POD Go will surely take this line in a great new direction!

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FAQs

What effects does POD Go have?

The POD Go is loaded with as many effects as you will ever need. With each effect type, you have the ability to select many types. For base effects, the POD go includes:

• Distortion.
• Overdrive.
• Fuzz.
• Gates.
• EQ cut.
• Chorus.
• Delay.
• Flanger.
• Reverb.
• Pitch/Synth.
• Filters.

And so much more! If you perform with a tube amp, the POD Go can be connected to the loop in 4 cable method. You can then take advantage of the many effects this unit has to offer.

Is the POD Go a mini helix?

Not Necessarily. The POD Go and helix are set up a bit differently. The POD Go does have some of the same types of effects and a lot of the models, but the Helix offers far more. If you already own the Helix, the POD Go would be a bit of a downgrade.