Avid Eleven Rack - POD XT killer?

BMU

Referring to Alan's article:

http://articles.guitarforum.co.za/reviews/review-eleven-rack

This is timely, I just stumbled upon this thing in a music store the other day. Been curious about it since.

My only question is: does it beat my POD XT for amp simulations, especially of the heavy variety. Or do we hold out for the POD HD. Or heck maybe extend the mortgage and get an Axe-FX.

It gets more complicated too. There's a span of free amp sims on the web that are reportedly very good. I've heard amazing tones from the Lepou stuff (Lecto, Legion, X30 etc). They take effort to sound good, but so does a POD and even an Axe-FX. (I've heard some heavenly and some truly crappy Axe-FX recordings, it's all up to the skill of the user as always.)

Choices, choices.

Tokai-SA

I've been in contact with AndyZ from Line 6 during the development and beta testing of the HD300/400/500 floor modellers, and the genius Bogner DT50 amps.
Andy's been gigging the DT50 and HD500 for months.
He's a studio player, a producer, been around, played all the gear, owns a ton of tube amps.
He chose the amps Line 6 modelled for the HD series, he knows what the real ones sounded like, he reckons the modelling is so good he almost cant tell the difference when playing "live".

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING...WAIT. ?

The HDs and the DT50s will be here in a month or so, Marshall Music are the agents and they're getting them all.
I have a 1 x 12 DT50 & the HD500 booked.
The HDs are ridiculously cheap, a 1/4 the price of the Axe-Fx.

Take a listen to a few of the first HD clips...not sure if they'll download, let me know if they dont.

Tweed_B-Man_Screamer.mp3 (3.85 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42259812...amer.mp3?bin=1

Satchfile_POD_HD500.mp3 (4.05 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42317337...D500.mp3?bin=1

Mesa_Recto_POD_HD500.mp3 (4.02 MB))
http://rapidshare.com/files/42318631...D500.mp3?bin=1

JTM-45_POD_HD500.mp3 (9.87 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42314923...D500.mp3?bin=1

JCM_800_POD_HD500.mp3 (3.37 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42260510...D500.mp3?bin=1

Hiwatt_Tube_Driver_POD_HD500.mp3 (4.40 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42296179...D500.mp3?bin=1

ENGL_PODHD500.mp3 (3.62 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42260085...D500.mp3?bin=1

Brit_P-75_POD_HD500.mp3 (5.48 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42278892...D500.mp3?bin=1

Bogner Ueberschall_POD_HD500.mp3 (6.34 MB)
http://rapidshare.com/files/42289126...D500.mp3?bin=1

And a vid or two.

BMU

Yep I hear ya that this is a good time to wait and see rather than plunge in. Thanks for that detailed response, appreciate it.

Personally, I'm very excited that the Uberschall is one of the 16 new HD amp models. That's my weapon of choice on the POD XT even though it's clearly miles away from anything authentic (very scratchy, very fizzy!) And the fact that one Mr Reinhardt Bogner himself worked on the Line 6 HD development can only bode well.