toasterdude wrote:

I don't have a problem with the DSP limit kicking in. It is just that with dual amp rigs it kicks in way to easily. As others have said the Axe FX also has a DSP limitation but you will run into it WAY less and there is a meter to help you as you start making patches. . .

Or you could buy 4 x HD500's and chain them together, running into the DSP limit WAY less than on an AXE-FX for the same price! I do agree a meter would be useful however (I happen to have both an AXE and an HD500).

toasterdude wrote:

They have done "pro" PODS in the past. The DT 50 is a fairly expensive amp, as was the vetta. The US versions of the JTV are certainly priced more like corvettes or camaros than ford focuses.

You make a good point. The DSP limit is a limitation (by definition!) -- marketing-wise, Line6 has decided that the compromise between features and price was at the $500 mark they chose. Those that would have liked to spend more and see the DSP ceiling raised at this time have no alternative within the L6 products. In the past, I thought the PRO versions of the pods were overpriced considering the feature differences. But I felt like the pros were "showcases" to keep up the image of the company: products with no compromises for those willing to pay. I'm one of those that was glad that the HD ships for 500 bucks, and I am not too bothered by the DSP limit. I, however, can understand the frustration of those that would like an uncompromising L6 product but find the present offer falling short. There is however little to be gained by complaining over a company strategy. The best chance would be to let your interest in an uncompromizing "pro" version reach the "powers that be", by issuing feature requests and such. Pod Pros have always hit the street after the "poor man's" versions, so this might be the case again.

tim1953 wrote:

 

No one is putting down Line 6 - like I said - overall I really like my HD 500 but I think Line 6 made a mistake when they chose the prosessor for the HD 500.

It is under powered.

 

You shouldn't run out of DSP just because you choose the "wrong" selections of amps & effects.

Did they really think that given the choice of certain amps & effects the customer would never select those combinations?

I've maxed the DSP out without even using 8 effects at once - a Deluxe reverb amp, a compressor, a chorus, a certain echo & a certain reverb and I've maxed it out - that's way under powered as far as I'm concerned.

I'm certain that the next step up in processors would not of cost that much more money.

 

The sad thing about it is I was hoping that the HD 500 was going to evolve over the next several years.

We all know that Line 6 is going to develope more complex models and as this happens the need for more DSP will grow.

If we're already maxing out the DSP now then we must assume that the DSP is already obsolete and will not support future higher level models.

Maybe that's how they have it planned - so in a year or so we have to buy their next "Super HD Pod".

 

Don't tell me I can use dual amps & have 8 effects because that's not the case with all the models.

I think the ads were misleading.

I am pretty sure on single amps you can have 8 FX. Dual amps you can max out really quickly. I was really hoping the HD would be a great solution for dual tones from the JTV variaxes. . . .but I was wrong.

The hype for HD was pretty big. People asked about whether you can load in user IRs and someone answered that you wouldn't want to. I guess inferring that what they came up with was even better. Instead we got so so cab sims that may have been improved for 1.3 according to Glen. Before 1.3 many cabs sound like they have a blanket over them.

To this day the marketing spin on the Line 6 site doesn't really make you think that a gibtone and a divided by 13 plus reverb will max out DSP.

I think you are right. Apart from adding additional amps or effects and maybe some more routing options. . . .. the HD doesn't seem like a platform to grow with. It appears they would rather sell 500 boxes every 2 years than a 2k box that lasts for 10.

They are also losing some of their other advantages over the competition. In the X3 generation besides variax compatability I dug the fact that I could use Gear Box VST for recording and get the same tones live if I wish. Now I use Pod Farm and those tones are not compatible with X3 or HD.

I guess that means I can buy other VSTs such as Revalver now as I am tied to using Line 6 exclusively. More tools and more choices is always good.

I will most likely buy Red Wire and other third party IRs to use in my DAW with Pod Farm and also to load into the Axe. The stock cab sims on the Axe are way better than the HD. . . at least pre 1.3. . . and the red wires are supposed to take things up a notch or two!