I have heard that plugging some of these modelling effects don't sound too good (sometimes) when plugged into a normal amp.
So I am wondering what are you meant to plug into?
Are they mainly for recording into computers - or maybe directly into a PA system for live playing.

I think most of them have headphones sockets so do I even need a combo anymore? just kidding

Any info would be much appreciated

I didn't like the Line6 Pods, but I found that the Korg PX5D uses the REMS technology which is the same as in their high ends synths. So I got one myself and it models amp/cabs and pickups along with a plethora of effects and it's a USB audio interface as well.


These are friends that I've recorded with who told me about the unit and they now use it for their on-stage shows (no amps)...see :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnFma9rITmA

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

This is purely subjective.

Some people just do not like simulations. Try one for yourself through your amp of choice and you decide if it's for you.

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http://www.bluesrepublic.org/

2008 Fender American Stratocaster
2008 Fender Deluxe Telecaster
Fender Power Jazz Bass Special 1987 (MIJ)
Egnater Renegade Head
Egnater Tourmaster 2x12 cab

My find with line6 is that their clean sounds are absolutely to die for, the driven stuff lets em down.

What I found with all those things is that a regular guitar amp will mess em up. Imagine you want a fender clean sound, you wouldnt plug a twin into the front end of a marshall to get it would you. You'd use either the twin or the marshall set clean. With a amp modeler your pretty much plugging the eq and drive section into the eq and drive section of another amp when you just plug it into where a guitar was meant to go. You need to get round all of that and idealy just plug it into the power section of your guitar amp. That way the guitar amp doesnt colour the sound you are trying to get, too much.
The only way I found to do that is to plug the modeler into the effects return of your guitar amp. So your chain goes

Guitar-into -line6 Pod-into-amps effects return.

In doing that you will also keep your pods effects in order The compression will still be before the gain, the modulation and delay effects after it. If your amp doesnt have a effects loop then you really need to buy a power amp. In modeler instruction manuals it says to plug into a guitar amp you need to set it to a flat eq setting, with no drive. They still dont sound good doing that though. Luckily 2nd hand solidstate power amps are very cheap (I sold my 80watt a side marshall one for £65). They work fantasticaly with modelers also as they dont colour sound much, unlike valve power amps.

Thats how I've used pod's, behringers, zooms and this digitech thing I have now.

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No no and no

I have played through a pod x3 live ( floor pod). I found some of the amp simulations to die for. my strat through its fender bassman amp simulation is just amazing.

It does marshall amps pretty well also. It didnt hold up so well for more metal tones, but its not too bad, and really, i dont play metal so its not an issue for me.

My guitar teacher uses only the x3 live through small amp into a cab. and he is awesome. he gets amazing blues tones. It will be one of my next purchases.

For folks who like to emulate lots of different sounds, and cant have 10+ amps and a myriad of pedals due to space and cash constraints its perfect.

You really have to have a go on one, and spend a while getting used to it, or get someone who knows how to get the best out of it to help you try it properly. You will see what its capable of.

First let me thank you for sharing your experiences with me, I am grateful for your input.

I didn't want to make my question too long and boring at the beginning but I feel like I should explain why I asked the question

I have a japanese strat, peavey bandit combo bos ds-1 dunlop crybaby & (da da) a Zoom 505... (which was a free gift)
Now all my stuff seems to work well together strat->ds-1->amp 'great' -wah is fine also (nice clear sound hardly any noise)
But, if I go strat->Zoom->amp is sounds very odd.
What do I mean by odd? First is really noisey even on clean sound and bypass, and seems quiet so I have to turn the amp up lounder, which makes the noise louder.

The weird thing is, if I plug headphones into it or guitar->zoom->computer it's great - there's hardly any noise and sounds fine.
It's like the levels or impedence or something just doesn't match with my combo - And I tried it in the effects loop and the noise is even worse... the 505 is very old now though, maybe its broken?

My post was to try and see if anyone has had similar things happening with newer equipment - I mean I've never had this happen with boss pedals and even a me-50 I once had, just the zoom - Its like it wasn't made for amps - just headphones and DI-ing?


Sorry if I've bored you with this

Regards

P.S. When I said -
"I have heard that plugging some of these modelling effects don't sound too good (sometimes) when plugged into a normal amp"

I didn't really mean the 'simulation quality' of the amps etc, I actually meant the actual change in sound quality when compared to DI into a computer or similar - sorry if I worded it wrong