Hello!

I record guitars with my old POD XT. Connecting it via USB makes it work as the sound card and I am able to record the DI signal, the dry guitar.

Now the output volume of my POD cannot be changed it the POD itself is bypassed...my Fender works well but my Ibanez is too loud. How can I lower the recorded signal in Sonar so it does not distort or pop?

Newer versions of the POD have a knob to change the volume but mine from 2004 doesn't. I don't want to lower the guitar's volume as it does not have numbers on it...and connecting my Whammy pedal lowers the volume but I also don't want to do this...there must be a way to do this in Sonar?!

There should be an app that came with the PODXT, with Gain.  Proper gaining is soooo important, shoot for 70%  level (otherwise known as RMS, Root Means Square)

Thanks for your reply! My POD XT is old...it only has a Windows driver and you can transfer sounds.
 
Just browsed the drivers and software..."Driver 4.2.5.1 adds gain control for USB audio. You can now control the levels sent from your POD HD to your recording application using Line 6 Audio-MIDI Devices control panel. These controls have been added for POD HD, POD HD300, POD HD400, POD HD500 and POD HD Pro."

=> only added for new PODs...mine is legacy.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that your POD XT has a "pad" button or switch somewhere. This is for taming overly hot signals. 
 
Actually I just Google Imaged POD XT and indeed there appears to be a switch giving you the option of NORM/PAD. 
 
By the way, I always turn the volume pot of my Telecaster down a touch when going into an amp sim. I don't know why but it seems to give a better sound. 
 
EDIT: actually perhaps I was looking at photos of some other Line 6 product. I just had a look around the back of the XT and there doesn't appear to be a pad switch. Or maybe you can see one? 

Thanks!

No, there isn't. Only L+R out, pedal, USB, midi in, midi out...besides, there are different XT versions (also live and pro).
 
What about Sonar? Is there something to reduce the volume of an input?

BBottom line is your trying to kludge an obsolete piece of gear into a modernn  system.
You have options and they involve not even bothering with the usb because it won't work if the signal is too hot, Sonar has no way to change USB/ digital signal levels, That is always done by the interface. There either needs to be a control on the device or a software mixer or forget using the usb connection. 
So just use the audio output of the pod into your audio interface. Don't have an interface? You need to buy one or forget about making a good audio recording. 
 

LeanderAT
 
What about Sonar? Is there something to reduce the volume of an input?

No, DAWs record the signal as delivered. By the time the signal arrives at the DAW it is too late to alter the level. If it is too loud for the DAW it is too loud for the A/D converters in the interface.

Lower the channel volume of the POD patch you are using.

Cactus Music
BBottom line is your trying to kludge an obsolete piece of gear into a modernn  system.
You have options and they involve not even bothering with the usb because it won't work if the signal is too hot, Sonar has no way to change USB/ digital signal levels, That is always done by the interface. There either needs to be a control on the device or a software mixer or forget using the usb connection. 
So just use the audio output of the pod into your audio interface. Don't have an interface? You need to buy one or forget about making a good audio recording. 
 

Yep, I've only ever used the analog outs from my POD into SONAR

If its the old Red pod xt 2.0 than I wouldn't even bother.
There is a thread here https://line6.com/supportarchivenew/thread/12273/
About using the Gear box software but that thread is almost 10 years old and compatability issues may surface.
A lot of older external amp sims/interfaces had this issue where you needed to pad the instrument signal. Its cheap hardware.
 
I bought a Pod XT 2.0 in 2002 and used it for analog recording. it was okay for the time but the modeling is inferior now compared to more improved Amp Sims.
If you really want to take advantage of newer software, invest in a cheap Audio interface for under 100.00 bucks. A Focusrite Scarllett are the best bang for the buck in my opinion.