Community: Message List

Re: Patch to Patch Volume matching w/ HD500 & DT25 head

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 23:27:27 GMT

BTW, everybody who plays loud needs to own one of these audio meters.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/galaxy-audio-cm-130-check-mate-spl-meter/421161000000000

I don't use is ALL the time, but often it helps to know "how loud" instead of it being a subjective thing. Also, if you play an outdoor gig and the cops show up, it helps to know the local noise ordinance and have a way to demonstrate you are in compliance. The cops actually seem to appreciate it most of time. I've witnessed a friend who runs sound at a lot of events do this and have always been impressed with the results.

I haven't done it yet, but I've meant to...and still intend to...bring the thing to regular gigs just to know if (or how much) I'm doing damage to my poor ears.

Patch to Patch Volume matching w/ HD500 & DT25 head

support@line6.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:56:51 GMT

I guess I should have included my primary gripe, searching for non-poopy sounding acoustic patches, in the subject line, but it would have been too long.

I'm trying to get my setup gig ready and the volume differences between clean and dirty patches is aggrivating, and the worst is trying to get a loud enough acoustic tone that's not fugly. Yes, with a DT25 instead of a DT50, there is an inherent limit to the possible headroom, but sheesh, getting a volume balance has been a challenge.

For instance.... Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive". I'm playing a JTV-59 into POD HD500 through L6 to DT25 head into a 4x12 cab. You get the idea... acoustic 12 string patch and the lead solo patch.

What kind of preamp model (or none at all) can I use to get the loudest, most hi-fi acoustic tone?

I have tried to boost the volume with EQ and compressors, helps but not so good.

I am about to turn every patch level down so I can raise the master volume up, but I'm telling ya, the difference in volume is crazy right now, might need to bring some down to like 15%.

Am I whining? I guess I am. Do I want someone to suggest a magic cure to the volume balance issues? Yes. Balancing patches is not fun. Especially less fun when I go to band practice and find I totally misjudged the volume balance. I even got my cheapish audio meter out last week so I had some help in judging the levels (my ears start to get fatigued after a while of switching back and forth trying to find a balance). Still found the volumes crazy different.

Okay, I'll stop whining. I just updated the HD500 while sitting in the living room, so I'm looking forward to trying out the Plexi models with the DT25 in my music room.

Sometimes I get so tired of tweaking I want to go back to Les Paul -> cable -> non-MV tube amp.

Re: Jam along to a song with the Mobile POD

support@line6.com — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 20:41:11 GMT

Okay! I see how it works. There is another thread covering this. Note that, like the Apple novice that I am, I didn't know how to turn off apps that I'd previously used, so it seems like have a bunch of them running at the same time in the background (because I didn't shut them down) was preventing me from playing iTunes and the Mobile POD app at the same time on my iPhone 4S.

Jam along to a song with the Mobile POD

support@line6.com — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 19:58:55 GMT

Is there a way to play music while using the Mobile POD app?

Re: JTV metal pickup?

support@line6.com — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 15:35:16 GMT

Thanks, I'll try some of those. Still trying to figure out how Workbench transfers the settings actually. I swear I'm not stupid, but I seem to keep over-writing the guitar I'm creating with the guitar setting I'm trying send it TO rather than the other way around. I feel like it is almost counter-intuitive. I just need to play with it some more or pay closer attention to the instructions. I gave up last night. All I wanted to do was change the Custom 1 guitar into five settings I could use regularly.

Are there "bundles" or "collections" (or whatever they're called) made by users that can be shared on the internet? I figured there would be some here http://www.vettaville.nl/page.php?id=141 or here http://line6.com/customtone/

JTV metal pickup?

support@line6.com — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 01:37:54 GMT

I have finally got my Tyler Variax '59 hooked up through Workbench (got it in February.... I'm lazy) and was hoping to see more pickup choices available. I was wondering if there were new pickups on the horizon and if there was any chance of something more ballsy. I mean, now that I can adjust the gain level of the pups, I'm guessing I can make the Les Paul bridge pups hotter.... but the models themselves are more geared toward vintage authenticity than they are toward metal tones. Don't get me wrong, I love vintage tones, but I also like the tuning capability of the guitar and have been playing with a group recently where the stock pickups are more useful than the modeled ones...but I can't access the tuning while using these. Anyway, I'd like to see a wider variety of "other" pickups.... Screamin' Demon, EMG 81, Duncan Distortion, Duncan Invader, Pearly Gates, EVH, etc.

By the way, great guitar!

Re: Does the Mic input do anything special?

support@line6.com — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 20:17:04 GMT

Okay, I found something along the lines of what I meant in the Vocoder filter effect. There is a mic input. Can't seem to make it do what I understand a Vocoder is supposed to do though.

Does the Mic input do anything special?

support@line6.com — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 19:58:47 GMT

Aside from just allowing you to put a mic through the same FX as a guitar? What kind of craziness can be done with the mic and the unit? Any presets that are specifically meant for the mic input?

Interested in P.A.'s for use with Variax and HD500 POD

support@line6.com — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 17:37:27 GMT

I bought a Tyler JTV-59 and POD HD500 a few weeks ago and have been exploring the possibilities and for the most part am quite happy. I'm not very happy with my current P.A. I haven't been in a gigging band for a few years and have just used the P.A. in my home studio jam room, didn't even notice some of the breakup and rattles and speaker vibration until I plugged the HD500 into it. They are powered speakers, RCF brand from back before they sold this model to Mackie, I've had them for over 10 years and usually use a Mackie board (currently in a repair shop, so I'm using a little Behrringer mixer). I've tried them direct from the HD500 because they connect with XLR cables this seemed like a pretty good idea, but the same issues of speaker rattle, speaker breakup, buzzes, vibrations and so forth rear their ugly heads as I found when going through the mixer (trying to carefully set the gains and the output volume of the HD500 to avoid it). Overall it sounds like crap. Even when the gains and volumes are low enough to avoid these noises, it just isn't very good. I wasn't expecting it to be great, and was still disappointed. I also tried it directly into the back of my Roland AC-60 acoustic amp (into the 1/4" stereo direct inputs) and was also not thrilled. It sounds pretty good through my cheapish studio monitors (some old Fostex things that I've been meaning to replace forever with some mid-level home project studio level quality monitors), but still there is danger of rattle and overwhelming the speakers...not really with high volumes, just with like too frequency rich signal. At least it seems that way to me.

I have a lot of guitars and amps already, and have quite a bit of experience with various gear. I like trying new stuff and have been with Line6 stuff from the beginning. I owned an AxSys when they came out, upgraded to an AX2, had an early Flextone, the first POD, a PODxt, (still have the latter two), the delay, distortion and modulation modellers...oh and I used a Guitar Port at my office for a number of years. It's been a while since I gave Line6 gear another look. I understand that I need to work with it a bunch and find the right combination of equipment to get the most out of it.

I'd like to hear about other's P.A.'s or amplifying setup to get a good live sound from the Variax into a an HD500.

I was considering sending my P.A. to the shop, getting it tuned up a bit and then selling it. I have a powered Samson subwoofer also in the shop. I'm thinking of selling all of it and getting something more useful for all my needs. That is, I don't need an entire P.A. anymore because were I to play out in a full band again, I'd hire a soundman (just too much hastle to try to run a P.A. for gigs and set it up and break it down anyway). So I'm thinking of something along the lines of a Fishman SA220 Solo Performance System & Acoustic Guitar Combo Amp or Bose L1 Compact PA System (although I don't think these will make use of the stereo capabilities of the HD500). I could use these for my solo acoustic gigs and to amplify vocals for jams and band practices. I was wondering if the keyboard amps might be the way to go. Like maybe the Roland KC-880.

I was also thinking about getting a stereo guitar power amp just to drive some guitar cabinets with it. I have quite a few cabs already. Two 4x12's (a Bogner and a Marshall, the latter wired up for stereo, both with V30's and G12H30's in a cross pattern) and two 2x12 Jenkins with various Celestions. Funny how there aren't nearly as many guitar rack mounted power amps available now as there used to be.

So, anyway, too many words. What kind of P.A. are you using with good results?

Re: Where can I buy the XPS A/B direct box?

support@line6.com — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 22:52:22 GMT

Thanks! Good to know. I'd like to get one for the added flexibility with different rigs. I just got a JTV-59 and POD HD500 and am climbing up the learning curve slowly. I can foresee maybe using it in situations without the HD500 and switching to an acoustic guitar amp for the acoustic sounds. Any idea of the price if ordered through an authorized dealer? I figured there would be some on eBay or elsewhere but haven't found one in my first few searches.