Community: Message List - POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:32:39 GMT

I see what you mean. yep, that would work. would still need a mic pre as you say.

tbh, given that fact, the known bug with the tuner mute fx send, and my personal preference for my overdrives over the modelled ones, I am happy to keep running with the pod as effects only after the mic'd up amp.

I think its great that this little box has so many applications. pretty sure i could even use it to simultaneously control a rack over midi if i wanted to rack my actual stomp boxes for a true one-stomp solution. as I have hinted, I am not personally a huge fan of the modelled amps, nor the overdrives, and I don't personally rate the cab / mic modelling..

I know the pod is capable of much more than i use it for because my core fundamental guitar tone (which is hugely important to me) is coming from a real amp, but it is a great solution for me none the less because in one box i have the tube comp (which is what i use btw - for subtle level control after all the gain stages, rather than as a guitar effect), modulations, great delays and reverbs and then on top, all the weird effects that might get used only once each in a set which would be unfeasible to include in a live show otherwise.

for me that is the best of both worlds - i have complete consistency in my core tone through the set, and all the fx that i need to modify it to recreate what we put on the record.

Also just to wrap up, I do keep a set-list for the show that uses modelled amps and cabs so i can run without my amp should I have any technical issues with the real amp. Likewise, having a real amp, should the pod give up the ghost mid-show, i can carry on, just without the lavish effects. To me that redundancy is priceless.

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:58:46 GMT

findo wrote:

i don't think this is possible as you would need 3 paths initially (one for guitar, terminating in fx send, and 2 for mic - going through split paths and then sent L/R as wet/dry outputs to FOH.)

I am not sure I understand that ... in my example above there would be only one mic feed coming into fx return. From there it can be split into two paths inside POD and it would go out as L/R. That is the same as what you described in your earlier post "What i do is run guitar into tuner pedal, then my fuzz, dist and OD (real actual pedals!) then into the amp.I then take the mic'd signal into the pod, where i run it in two parrallel paths." The difference I suggested is that mic signal is inserted at any point in POD's chain (using fx send/return) which gives you option to use POD also as a pre effect (comp, drive, wah) in front of your amp.

At the end what I suggested is very much the same as what you were originally trying to do when you found the issue with the feedback and tuner. Just doing it differently and as you said it requires mic preamp too so not very elegant. Although if you are running your amp hard as you say, the level that your mic will give might be good enough even without the preamp when pluged into fx return.

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:43:20 GMT

of course simplicity is desireable, but at the end of the day it boils down to a question of sound quality..

I like the sound of my amp, i drive it loud and into power stage distortion, and the frequency response and compression coming from the cab and speaker also being driven hard is important to me. I haven't been able to coax a sound out of the pod that can compare, YMMV.

So most of my dirt comes from the amp, and its also important to me that chorus, delays and reverbs are post dirt. hence the pod - as an effects unit that is happy to work with a mic signal is perfect for my application.

at the end of the day there is no right or wrong in this game, only what works for you.

the set-up you describe is similar to what i was using in the screenshot above but you are suggesting i can also run a parrallel dry mic signal as in the set-up i use for bigger gigs. i don't think this is possible as you would need 3 paths initially (one for guitar, terminating in fx send, and 2 for mic - going through split paths and then sent L/R as wet/dry outputs to FOH.)

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:09:02 GMT

From the setup you described I see you are using POD only for effects and also only post amp. You could also try this setup:

guitar -> (any external pedal chain) -> POD -> fx send -> (any external pedal chain) -> your amp in -> mic'ed amp -> POD fx return -> dual path same as you have it now

This would give you option to use POD as pre and post amp effect unit. Pre effects would go into your amp on stage so you would also hear them there. You can decide where the fx loop (your amp) is placed inside POD's chain.

My setup is much simpler since I use POD for both amp and fx. I simply feed 1/4 out (mono) into the power amp (for stage monitor) and split the same signal through DI into FOH. I use studio out. There are no additional FX at the FOH except light EQ as needed.

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:20:29 GMT

Hi Frank,

I do have a mic pre I could use to bring up the mic to line level and then run into the aux but it is a shame to have to do that when all the capabilities are available in the pod.

In fact I was only running this exact set-up for a couple of smaller gigs, where the amp alone was loud enough to not need reinforcement and i ran the effects 100% wet through the PA.

For anything where the cab is normally mic'd up (which is 90% of our gigs) I have settled on a variation of this set up - which doesn't suffer from this issue because i use an external tuner:

What i do is run guitar into tuner pedal, then my fuzz, dist and OD (real actual pedals!) then into the amp.

I then take the mic'd signal into the pod, where i run it in two parrallel paths. One of these is 'dry' panned 100% left and goes to FOH as the dry signal from the L output. The other is 'wet', panned 100% right, and goes to FOH from the L output. (Both are mono- centrally panned in the PA btw.) Then I let the soundguy do his stuff as he is in the best place to judge the mix.

If you are interested; I put a comp first in line, then any tremelo, flanger and chorus (in that order, affecting both wet and dry signals.) Then i do the split, and the 'wet' path takes delays and reverbs primarily, though I can also do pitch shift and any weird fx, where you would mix in some to the dry signal. fx in 'wet' path are set to 100% on their mix parameters. I have a volume pedal patch on the wet path which is activated by the same footswitch as the delay or reverb and set to 0% so that when i'm not using the wet fx there is no signal in that path.

You need to explain to the sound man why you are giving him two feeds and soundcheck some songs which include the wet fx. if you've got your levels set up well, he or she usually won't have to do too much through the show.

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:50:16 GMT

This is a very interesting setup.

I am not sure if you already tried this, but you could feed your fx send signal back into the AUX input instead of the MIC. Would that create the same feedback issue? I have not tried it, just thinking that AUX in might not have the same problem.

For this to try you would probably require an XLR to 1/4 (unbalanced TS) adapter for pluging the mic into AUX. The mic signal might be low for AUX (or not) depending on the level you set the amp.

Frank

RE: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:28:30 GMT

Hey findo,

You are very welcome.

Thanks again for your feedback and concern for this issue.

Please check back on our software and news page for updates in the future:

http://line6.com/software/

http://line6.com/news/

Re: RE: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 18:10:29 GMT

Thanks Hugo - good to know you guys are on it!

I'm sure you are aware of this, but just in case this particular detail helps track down the bug: in my case it is the mic input which is bypassed straight to the fx send when the tuner is engaged, even though it is not even on the same 'path' as the fx block.

Consequently I would argue that there is a strong case for making this a high priority fix since the unintended creation of a loop when the tuner is engaged could feedback and cause permanant hearing damage. Furthermore, the unsuspecting user may not discover this bug while setting up the system at home - and only encounter it at practise or a gig, where generally the equipment is sufficiently powerful to do lasting damage.

I look forward to getting the next firmware update. Keep up the great work,

Findo

RE: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:51:26 GMT

Findo,

There is a logged bug with the POD HD500 where the TUNER does not MUTE the FX Send output. I have added your case to the bug and hope to have this fixed in a future update.

Regards,

Line6Hugo

Re: POD HD500: Mic input linked to fx loop send when tuner is engaged

support@line6.com — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:26:11 GMT

here is a screen shot if this helps to visualise how it's set up.