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HD500X really bad sounding overdrive and distortion, is it normal?


bluesoverdrive
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Hi there! My first post here! I been playing with my new HD500X but it is giving me such a hard time to get a good amp overdriven sound.

 

Before you help me listening to the sounds I recorded, let me say that I am using headphones, Output is set to "direct", amps + cabinet simulation are on. POD is updated Flash 1.30

 

When using a Fender amp (Twin or Dlx) on my humbucker bridge pickup I am getting this sound: https://soundcloud.com/bluesoverdrive/pod-hd500x-really-bad-fender?in=bluesoverdrive/sets/hd500x  (first bridge pickup clean ---> Tube Overdrive --> Neck+Bridge clean)

I find it to be really bad, the amp when starts to overdrive sound more like fret buzzing. Then I turn on the "Tube Overdrive" pedal, everything still sound so thin and buzzy. Only at the end of the recording you can hear a good tone when I add the Neck pickup.

 

Do you find this sound to be the normal sound of a Fender Deluxe or Twin when starting to break up? Is my pod damaged? 

 

Here's the sound of a JCM800, I thinks it is kinda too "buzzy"(when it should be crunchy), please tell me what do you think: https://soundcloud.com/bluesoverdrive/pod-hd500x-marshall-jcm800-1   (Bridge Humbucker pickup)

 

Does you pod sound like this too?

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Your pod is not broken. I think you're experiencing ear fatigue and the major problem is that you're using Headphones. I listened also through headphones to your recordings and they sound fine.  Keep in mind that headphones are far from Ideal when listening to guitar tones. They're used in studios as a compromise. Even when having the best real world amplifers, mic pres and, most guitarists hate the sound of the best headphones. Don't judge your POD based on Headphones sound. If you don't have studio monitors,  even using a home stereo will get much better results than headphones. Also remember when you dial your sound for headphones, you need to add ambiance and once all said and done, something that sounds spectacular through the headphones, usually can sound pretty lousy when played through real speakers.

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Does you pod sound like this too?

No. A couple of thoughts. First, play the guitar. Most of your tone comes from how you play. Your playing in those clips was sloppy and timid and did not seem like you were really playin your instrument and for me that makes it hard to hear what may or may not be an issue. If you play in a timid ham handed way, you are going to get a timid thin tone. So play the guitar like you mean it!

 

Second, maybe you can share what you think it should sound like. Send us a link to a tone you heard and would like to emulate. you may not be as far off the mark as you may think.

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I think you're experiencing ear fatigue and the major problem is that you're using Headphones.

   DeanDinosaur, you may be right, today I got able to dial better tones and even the overdrive and distortion sounded a lot better to me than yesterday, weird. Tomorrow I will try also running the output to a 2.1 polk speaker I have and check out how it sounds. Took note on the headphones advice too. I used to use the same headphone AKG K44 with my Blackstar HT-1R and it sounded so good right away, that's one reason why I am findind the POD strange.

Thank you, you were very helpful. 

 

 

No. A couple of thoughts. First, play the guitar. Most of your tone comes from how you play. Your playing in those clips was sloppy and timid and did not seem like you were really playin your instrument and for me that makes it hard to hear what may or may not be an issue. If you play in a timid ham handed way, you are going to get a timid thin tone. So play the guitar like you mean it!

 

Second, maybe you can share what you think it should sound like. Send us a link to a tone you heard and would like to emulate. you may not be as far off the mark as you may think.

Tboneus, thanks for your tips, I recorded new sounds that I made up with the HD500X, I think this ones I got some good tones, I tried to play better to show the tones I created, I know it is still out of time and I kinda suck playing, but is better this time I promise :)

 

Check it out: 

Radiohead Clean Fender + drivepedal tones

Smashing Pumpkins Zero (bigmuff + marshal) 

Smashing Pumpkins Galapogos (not really close)

Green Day Dookie Inspired

 

 

Reduce your Input Z Setting to 32k.

Joel_Brown, I did it and it does sound better, the bridge pickup stopped to overdrive the amp but there is some tone sucking goind on, I got better results setting it to 90k.  Thanks for your help!

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Really bad Fender tone does'nt sound good to me.

The is a scratchy buzzing. It sounds like it is driven but played very lightly. I agree try to adjust the impedience.

With the overdrive engaged its sound fine so too the other.

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Agreed .This forum is a great resource. Stick with that unit and take the advice given from all of these guys here and soon that HD will be your best friend.I am having a blast gigging my HD500 into my Marshall tube combo and my FRFR powered speakers and my Atomic Reactor wedge.If you can play the HD into a good amp or FRFR speakers at a loud volume you will really understand how powerful these things are.

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