Just wanted to ask if you even discussed it. Thanks for the answer. For me I could have lived without batteries (with USB power instead). For those in need to power it away from wall outlets, power banks are much more flexible. Maybe next time.
Line 6 POD Express
- Thread starter saarangnarayan
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Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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Every bit this. I mean, I have USB outlets supplying power with me all the time anyway (mobile phone, tablet, laptop).
I do of course see the benefits of a unit being able to work in standalone mode, just that for me they don't apply.
paisleywookiee
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Dumb question maybe, but in your opinion is there a market for a $300-$400 device that's this size, with a bit more robust of a feature set? I'm guessing if the answer was yes, we'd already have it. I mean, there's the POD Go, which is fantastic (considering it's the same modeling), but too big for what this purpose is.
Definitely yes for me. Even a version with a $50 bump in price would do it for me.
I loved the sounds but the inability to drive my headphones (Senn HD-6xx) and lack of aux-in/bluetooth for audio-in made it unusable as a late night couch rig. Sad thing is far cheaper modelers (including the tiny plugin modelers) worked better in this regard.
ucnick
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Really? Couldn't you cheaply implement USB/battery diode steering using a couple Schottky diodes connected from the batteries to the circuit board and from the 5V in from the USB-C connector so that the 5V in from the USB would reverse bias the diode (batteries are 1.5V so is less than 5V) and cut out the batteries, kinda like this, except ignore the "charger" block, Vin is the USB-C 5V in, and use, say, 1A/15V Schottkys in place of the 1N4007s:
Woukd adding 2 diodes push up the cost that much? Mouser has 1A/15V SMD Schottky diodes for about $0.14 each in 1000s: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...VS-10BQ015HM3-5BT?qs=p1ya7m3AA0AlGZ3N6/Csfw==, and about $0.10 at quantity 22000... just wondering. Maybe the voltage drop is too much to run the DCDC?
Lysander
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Sadly, there's more to it than a couple diodes. Off the bat, Schottkys have horrible leakage current, so there's a good chance standard AA batteries will get damaged over time.
If you want power over USB-C and batteries, you need proper power management - which means more expensive controllers.
I also came to the same conclusion as @Lysander after thinking about it. And because it seemed so easy I asked DI if they considered it. But he stated they got a price point to watch so it probably was batteries or bus power and they decided for batteries. I guess they got reasons and maybe the target audience is happy with that.
I guess there is quite some demand for these compact devices and maybe we will see something new from L6 some day. Meanwhile it's up to the competition to do it better.
I guess there is quite some demand for these compact devices and maybe we will see something new from L6 some day. Meanwhile it's up to the competition to do it better.
Sascha Franck
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Yeah, that's another thing. A simple aux in would really be pennies in additional cost.
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These are going for $130 at SW right now. It's hard to be too fussy about features for that price, imo. You either just plug in and play with headphones, or maybe run into a mixing board or just straight into a laptop. The last 2 options give you flexibility for further additions like backing tracks, etc. The Two-Notes Opus has extra analog routing capabilities, but it's also $299. It does provide editing software via usb but can't be an interface. It does have more amps and tweaking capabilities, but only has reverb as an effect. I like them both but the Express is more stripped down yet still sounds great.
ragingplatypi
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I’d imagine a product like this would come around only if the follow up to the HX Stomp is clearly in the next price bracket ($750-900).
But I’d imagine the HX Stomp could stick around for another 10 years before really going away.
Sascha Franck
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Well, seriously, we're talking pennies here. Pennies adding immense value that is. You could possibly get that stuff going with an inversed Y-cable (just that you'd likely be running into leveling issues), so slap that in and do whatever it takes to keep the signals independent, done.
paisleywookiee
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INB4 "should have included midi and a Variax input, for the same cost
I keed, I keed. I know. I get it.
Not Digital Igloo said:
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Pennies add up. At some point you have to draw the line, or have a separate product that accommodates greater flexibility... which Line 6 does already.
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No it wouldn't.
Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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Yes it would.
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Gee, I wonder who among us might have some insight here? If only there were an MI industry product designer who has intimate knowledge of such things...
It's like talking to my uncle who claims to know more about [thing we're not supposed to discuss] than our international shipping and customs experts do.
Sascha Franck
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Me. A mate of mine soldered an aux in into my old Zoom G3. He said the parts cost him like around €1. So there.
SillyOctpuss
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Sascha Franck
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WTF?
