Thanks, spaceatl...I understand what you mean.  I was leaning to the simpler setup of the HD400, too.  It seems like the HD400 would be easier to use live and the HD500 might be better used in the studio.

@ Scottcv: Yes, you can connect the POD HD to monitor speakers too, as long as they are  powered speakers, same as the X3; but, if you record bass with it, or do vocals, don't get rid of the X3 yet, because the HD doesn't have any models for bass (unless you consider using the Tweed B-man) and there are not "preamps" for vocals yet. Also, if you use POD farm as a plugin, it will not work with the HD either, yet. And the models sound pretty much the same, slightly betters, some of them, but I, myself made the big mistake of selling the X3, and jumped into the HD. As a new toy, it looked great, nice build, 16 models only, I didn't need any more really, but...I had to return the first one and get another at GC, because I noticed a random "pop" or "click" which I really didn't wanna have during recording, It only did it every once in a while, but still, it was annoying, besides, I was getting a "distortion" not the good one, but some kind of a noise that you only get from digital artifacts, and some king of a "fizz", specially with the British J-800 which is the one I wanted the most.  I got the new one, played it for a couple of days, and I have to admit, I love some of the models, but mostly in a clean setting. When I tried some crunch and high gain, the fizz came back, actually worst that the X3 (that also have that fizz) and the "random click" happened again, just a few times, but enough to made me go to the store and get a full refund. I won't be wasting my time and money on any other modeling device, not even the Axe Fx, at least not for a while, I'm getting great tones out of my Blackstar HT5 with custom made speaker cabs, at least is the tone I like. There are plenty of low wattage tube amps in the market these days, most of them sound really good, and I got my eyes a couple of them, specially the new Vox Lil' Night Train and the Blackstar HT 1 that's coming out in the next few months. I know a lot of people love these digital modelers, and they get great recordings out of them, but I'd rather not waste time tweaking, and "fixing" and fiddling with knobs. That's all I did for the past week, I spent all my time creating tones, and saving, and creating another, and comparing, and I found myself not playing guitar at all, I wished I could get my time back.

Wow - it seems I got here kinda late, but I do have a POD HD500 that I bought to test drive along with a DT50 2x12 combo, plus I'm a Beta person for the JTV guitars and have a Model 59US.  I thought it best to get ALL the new gear that has been labeled the NEW Flagship series.

I'm still a die hard Vetta user and I never had any problems with either of my two Vax electric model 700s.

However, I do have many observations as every one else has about these various pices of new L6 gear.  My opinions are just that - opinions, not facts.  When I do discuss any piece of gear, I will separate my factual findings from my personal opinions if they either the same or differ.  I also have no problems in writing or speaking what I feel to be where L6 or how L6 is doing with any piece of hardware or software that I've tried or own.

I've got lots of reading to do and if there are things I've found that may not have been already discussed, I'll bring them up.

What I have found to be a problem is getting my computers to have both version of EDIT on it at the same time.  NOT RUNNING at the same time, but just ON the computer at the same time.  What has happened to me is the HD500 EDIT somehow messes up the older EDIT for my Vetta and prevents the older version from "seeing" my Vetta connection as it always has previously.  It DOES work as long as I DO NOT have the NEW EDIT installed.

Am I alone with this??

Take care,

Neal

New "Flagship" gear....  Below - Old Flagship gear....

A lot of information about HD500. thanks to all of you guys.

Hi all,

First time poster on Line 6. I have a few  questions that I would be grateful if you guys could help me on. I have  sold my Boss ME-50. I want to buy either the Line 6 M13 or Line 6 HD500,  but I am not sure which I want. I have a Fender Blues Deville 4x12 and a Fender Strat as the guts of my main rig.

My main worry about the HD500 is any time lapse between patches (pet hate from the Boss ME-50).

My main worrk about the M13 is switching between scenes on the fly.

I like being able to pre-program sounds into patches but also like the stomp box effects.

I don't foresee using the amp modeling as I have a good tube amp already but maybe that would work well into the Blues Deville?

Please help.

Thanks for that Glideman,

The Blues Deville has an effect loop (Preamp out is the send,  Power amp in is the return).

I am still wondering is there any time lapse between patches (pet hate from the Boss ME-50)?

I'm computer based user with a UX2. Can these HD amps run on the UX2 ?

Is there or will there be a new toneport that will run the HD tones ?