Pod xt Live Vs. Vox Tonelab

[benm73]

Which is better? Tone? Ease of Use? Relaibility? Is one better for Recording or Live situations?
I record more than I gig, and I actually like my amp sound live. Its an all tube crate half stack. But I dont like micing my amp to record. I have owned the Pod xt (not the floor unit) and I thought it was useful. Then I borrowed a friends Vox Tonelab and I think its pretty cool too. I play classic rock and 80's heavy metal.
I can't decide.

[ccso8462]

I have a Podxt and an xtLive. For live use I think they are pretty good. You can get a lot of tone without lugging several amps around. But to be very honest, NOTHING sounds like a good tube amp.
The Pod is easy to use and I think it is easy to learn, but you may never be happy recording with it. I use mine constantly, simply because it is easy ;D, but my best sound still comes from my beat up old Fender VibroChamp.
I think that you would find the same thing with the VOX, but since it has a tube in it, I may be wrong. My son plays a Korg Xtreme keyboard and when he kicks on the tube, it really makes a big difference in tone.
I bought the Podxt used for less than $200 and liked it so well I wanted to have something that was better for live playing, so got the xtLive. With an A-B switch I can change from my acoustic to my PRS or to my Tele and have presets to accomodate the piezo, single coil, and humbuckers at the tap of a toe. So personally I'm sold on the Pod. Still, an emulator is an emulator, and has it's limitations when it comes to tone.

HTH
Carl