I know this thread is about the HD500 - when it was started there wasn't a way to post HD500 topics.

If your question is related to the HD500 I suggest posting it here instead (the HD500 forum) http://line6.com/support/community/support/pod_support/pod_hd?view=discussions&start=0

Remember to mark your question as a question when you post it.

Disclaimer: I'm no expert. I'm just exploring and figuring things out as I go along.

Like you I noticed there are significant variations in volume both between different amp models (i.e. gibtone or treadplate, etc...) and within each individual amp model (i.e. A -> D).

For my purposes this isn't very useful. I play live and like the flexibility of choosing different amp models for different songs, but don't want to be messing around with volume levels each time I choose a different amp. Also, the variations between patches within an amp selection are too great. You can barely hear clean in my setup for some amps (e.g.: gibtone) and others (e.g.: Brit J-800) are practically blowing my speakers apart.

Here are my goals:

- Same organisation of my setlist as introduced by Nick Mattocks.

- Each amp has 4 different settings. Setting A is amp default, B -> D represent increasing levels of gain in equal increments from the default value (A) to maximum gain, 100%, (D).

- Setting X (A, B, C or D) in any given amp model should have approximately the same volume as setting X in any other amp model (as measured by maximum DB in a DAW).

- Try to preserve the tonal qualities of each amp model (hence, base setting A on default gain).

I sat down yesterday to try and resolve this problem. I'm trying to preserve the tone qualities for each amp model, but equalize the volume levels between different patch sets.

Here's how I'm approaching it.

1. Hook up my HD500 to my computer and startup your DAW and HD500 Edit. My config is Mac Mini + Reaper, but whatever combo should work for you.

2. Make sure your HD500 output switch is set to "line" and not "amp". (remember to change it back afterwards when connecting to your amp.)

3. Choose a "quiet" amp model (I think the "quietest" patch is the gibtone, but I may be wrong. That's what I'm using anyway.)

4. For patch A, just use the default parameters and make a note of the default gain.

5. Strum a few chords on your guitar and note the max DB level in your DAW. In my case, it's about -27DB.

6. For each patch B(1), C(2), D(3) do this:

Gain Level = Defaut Gain + ((100 - Default Gain) * patch number / 3)

e.g. gibtone default gain = 44%

Gain Level for patch C on Gibtone = 44 +  ((100 - 44) * 2/3) = (approx) 81

7. Capture the DB level for each patch. On my setup this results in:

gibtone

A = -27

B = -23

C = -16

D = -12

(Make your mind up as to whether this represents a reasonable volume difference between each patch. In my case, it is a good volume difference (step). If not, you will need to use the mixer settings here to modify the volume levels appropriately. This is a crucial part of the whole process, you have to be happy that they differences between each step A->B->C->D are what you desire.)

8. Repeat this process for every amp which you are interested in using. You'll find that the default gain settings are different for every amp. In order to get the volume levels right, you'll need to use the mixer controls for each different amp to get the target levels correct for each amp model.

9. Once you've got one set of patches, you can repeat this process for each amp model you are interested in.

I won't pretend this isn't time consuming. It took me three or four hours of fiddling around in HD500 Edit before settling on this approach and then another three hours or so to actually create the patches (I got faster as I went along) for the amps I was interested in (9 of them).

The worst thing is when you realise you made a mistake in one controller setting and then have to repeat that setting for each different patch. I really wish the HD500 Edit software was better. My wishlist includes:

- Text format file for setlists so you can edit them manually in your favourite text editor. That would be so much easier for "batch" editing

- Failing that, a much smarter GUI which allows copying within setlists and copying multiple patches at the same time and targetted copying between setlists

I'd be interested in any feedback on the validity of this approach or improvements that anyone can suggest.

Cheers,

Gary

daveschutt wrote:

 

I primarily use my with the XLR direct out to FOH sound system and prefer having the volume/wah pedal on all the presets so I'm just trying to save time by figuring out which of the setlists would be the best starting point.

You'll probably want Nick's set list since it contains the cab modeling.  The one I created was for playing through a guitar amp where the cab modeling would be redundant.  The difference on the wah/volume pedals order is just a preference.  Nick used a volume pedal effect which uses an FX slot and mine mapped the volume pedal to the amp models channel volume which frees up an FX slot and provides similar control.  Once you get comfortable with the HD Edit program play around with these.  It's really very easy to setup the pedalboard to do exactly what you want rather than retraining yourself to just use it how someone else configured it.

You could also just download each of them and load them into separate set list banks.  Being able to listen to one then flip to other will make some of the differences much more apparent.  You may find you like some of the amp model Pre's better than the full with cabs.  There really isn't a right answer, just guidelines.