I am/was having a hard time too. I did manage to configure a patch tonight that might do with a little tweaking. This is my first attempt to build a patch on this thing. I will upload the tone. It's called Hardy Beef Tone.  I doubt it will fix your problem but it's worth a shot.  I am going straight from the balanced mono 1/4" to a power amp in to a 4x12 cab.  I have pad set not normal.  I also have it set to line.  I tried the the XLR outs and wasn't satisfied with my sound. It sounded weak so I switched to the 1/4". Now I am getting a better sound.  

Message was edited by: FrozenOzone

Tom

Some very good pointers from the guys who've replied so far.

To add to what's already been said, I would suggest the following:

First, update the HD500's firmware to the latest (v1.1) - EVEN if 1.1 is already installed!  Let's just make certain that it is installed correctly and that, like them or not, you can get a decent sound from some of the factory presets - when the update procedure asks if you want to retain your presets answer NO (Note your custom presets if you have any you want to keep will be lost, so you may want to backe these up using HD500 Edit before you start).

The firmware on your POD at delivery is almost certainly a pre-launch version and the nature of pre-launch firmware is that tweaks may be still have been being made to the final firmware that was available by launch date.  The likellihood with pre-launch firmware installed at the factory is that some amp models may not yet have been fully optimised, so consider firmware v1.1 as the current optimum version and anything before that may show variable results.

OK - once you've got a clean updated system and you're on a level playing field, set the Output options to Studio/Direct and plug in just a pair of reasonable or good quality headphones to assess how the HD500 sounds through them.

Assuming all sounds reasonably OK, then the next stage is to set the Output options to Combo Power Amp, and connect both the Left and Right 1/4" outputs to the Left and Right FX Loop Returns on your Vetta - make sure you have a dummy 1/4" jack into the input of your Vetta.  I don't think you should be using a 'Y' adapter if your amp has stereo FX returns - and to my mind that might be where the sound is being summed somehow out of phase leading to the nastiness you're hearing.

Turn the Master volume on your Vetta to a moderately low to medium setting so as not to blow the roof off.

Turn the Master Volume on the HD500 to about 12:00

Set the Guitar in switch on the HD500 to Normal

Set the 1/4" switch on the HD500 to Line Out

The factory presets - unless they are heavily effected as some are, should at least sound OK through the Vetta.  If they sound really bad, then compare how they sound through headphones again and if there is a major difference (there will of course be some difference because headphones aren't speakers), then you need to try a different amp with your HD500 just to rule out the Vetta as a possible cause.  If that produces the same horrible sound, then you may have a faulty HD500, ad so you may want to go back to where you bought it and have them audition the HD500 and check it out against another one.   There's no way unless you design a patch to sound really nasty deliberately, that your HD500 should ever sound completely terrible as you seem to be describing.

HTH

Regards

Nick

I certainly don't have it all figured out yet.....but I've found a pretty quick method for getting my sounds tweaked.

I move the looper to the "pre" position, and then I record some playing.  After I've got something recorded, I just let the loop play over and over, and while it's doing that I can tweak some settings and hear the result instantly.  This has helped me tremendously in the "tone-crafting" department.  Maybe this would help you too....

In fact, when I first turned on my POD HD, I was very unhappy with the crunch to metal type sounds, but I'm getting happier each day.

Good luck,

Andy

this may be dumb, but be sure to check all the Outputs modes... i guess, if youre running into a head effects return, you should start with the Stack Power Amp  mode and not combo amp as you mentioned.

Also, why are you using a Y cable? i dont get that...

Here is my two and a half cents. I just purchased an HD500 a week ago. I have been using line6 since the beginning, so I am no stranger to their gear and limitations. I have had the original kidney, XT Live, X3 Live and UX-8. The HD500 sound quality is horrible. It is the most brittle thin sounding box I have ever owned, and I am a fan of Line6 boxes for what they are. I have spent 3 days trying to get one patch to sound even half as good as my X3. This box is a big dissapointment. The only reason I keep trying to make this thing work is because of the assignable footswitches and FX, and FX loop. The effect parameter editing access is unusable even in a studio situation. By the time I get to the parameter I want I forgot what the heck I was doing. I couldn't imagine playing out with this thing. The real crime here is that this box just washes out when you try to mix it with anything. It either sounds a million miles away or so thin you wish it would get away. Severely dissapointed!!!!!

My advice is to take the thing back like I'm going to do. Get yourself an X3.  

Best explanation !!!

http://psg.com/~dlamkins/lamkins-guitar/music/article/hd500