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876 Views 10 Replies Latest reply: Aug 2, 2011 10:04 AM by ozbadman RSS
Craig35 Just Startin'
Craig35
9 posts since
Jul 28, 2011
Currently Being Moderated

Jul 31, 2011 9:09 PM

Craig35

I just brought a HD400 and after reading a number of recommendations I first went to the Line6 website and downloaded the updates the software identified and recommended - this appeared to go OK.

Ready to crank I

- Plugged my strat into the Guitar in port

- The Vox Night Train amp in into the unbalanced output (tried both mono/left and right)

- Moved the selector swith to Amp

- Master Volume up to 50%

- Amp and HD400 plugged in and powered up

- Guitar Volume up

No sound comes out?  I feel like I'm missing some obvious volume or on/off switch or some easy (foolishly overlooked step). Is there and obvious miss step here? Should I reload the software/drivers??

Any help would be appreciated and don't be afraid to call me a dump a*^%&$ if it will help me to get some sound out of the HD400.

  • ozbadman Gear Head
    ozbadman
    1,474 posts since
    Apr 17, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 31, 2011 9:55 PM (in response to Craig35)
    Re: Craig35

    After upgrading the firmware you have to make sure you recalibrate the volume pedal. See the Advaned User Guide for instructions.

  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
    Nick_Mattocks
    9,065 posts since
    Mar 26, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jul 31, 2011 11:15 PM (in response to Craig35)
    Re: Craig35

    Did you try the unit at all before applying the firmware updates?  That's what I would normally do to check something works straight out of the box - whether you did or not now is irrelevant I guess, but next time....... ;-)

     

    As David suggests re-calibrate the Expression Pedal.  Try headphones.  Double check where you have the guitar plugged in and that you're not using the External Expression Pedal socket thinking it's the guitar input socket (I've done that before LOL)

     

    Nick

    • Craig35 Just Startin'
      Craig35
      9 posts since
      Jul 28, 2011
      Currently Being Moderated
      Aug 1, 2011 6:14 PM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
      Re: Craig35

      Excellent point so I took the unit back to Guitar Center where one of the tech's and I fooled with it and eventually decided to try another. I feel strongly I'm missing something big/easy here.

      This time I didn't download any update and the same thing is happening with this unit. I tried head phones and amp, made sure everything is in tight and in the right place etc.

      Per the suggestions I tried the factory restore and when I get to the Pedal Calibration I get to the point of "press and hold the toe switch" and nothing happens - I never get the "Pedal to MIN pos and press ChD" screen.

      The only external sound I've been able to get out of this thing is with the head phones I was able to hear some of FX3 echo come through but that is it.

       

      - Could it be possible I have 2 bad ones in a row?

      - Is there not a Line 6 live person that can talk me through this? I'll pay for the time just to get this closed out or returned for good to GC.

      • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
        spaceatl
        4,456 posts since
        Jan 24, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Aug 1, 2011 6:59 PM (in response to Craig35)
        Re: Craig35

        To press and hold the toe switch you have to put a little weight on it when they are new...And you do have to hold it ffor a few seconds...If you can't get passed the calibration, things can be weird with the volume...

         

        and like nick said, make sure you don't have the guitar in the Exp jack that is right next to the guitar input jack...yep, I have done that too once or twice.

        • Craig35 Just Startin'
          Craig35
          9 posts since
          Jul 28, 2011
          Currently Being Moderated
          Aug 1, 2011 8:52 PM (in response to spaceatl)
          Re: Craig35

          Your tip about the extra weight helped me get thru the recalibration but no change in the sound out put. I did/have the following:

          - Tested all the cables directly to the small 10W Fender amp I'm using and they all work.

          - I powered off the HD400.

          - Plugged the cable from the amp input in the front of the amp (with the amp off) directly to the 1/4" LMono port although I've tried the right as well. The unbalanced output is switched to amp.

          - Plugged the guitar directly into the guitar in port making sure it isn't accidently plugged into the Pedal2 port next to it.

          - Powered on the HD400 and the amp. The screen reads Bank 01A 65 clean

          - Volume knob on the back of the HD400 is at ~75%.

          - Drive, Bass, Mid, Treble, CH Vol are at ~50%

          - For good measure I have all the FX turned up a bit.

          - To test it I pressed the wah pedal on and when I strum the strings and rock the pedal I can hear a very light wah sound but I'm putting my ear against the amp grill to hear it.

          - Mode is with the greem light up at amp pre/post) and a green light at the bottom of 3 lights by the "A"
          ANthing I'm missing????
          • ozbadman Gear Head
            ozbadman
            1,474 posts since
            Apr 17, 2008
            Currently Being Moderated
            Aug 1, 2011 10:49 PM (in response to Craig35)
            Re: Craig35

            I must admit, I'm running out of ideas, but it's not likely you had two bad units so it's probably something simple.

             

            Have you checked that all the cables you are using are mono cables and not stereo cables, as this could cause this problem?

            • Craig35 Just Startin'
              Craig35
              9 posts since
              Jul 28, 2011
              Currently Being Moderated
              Aug 2, 2011 5:37 AM (in response to ozbadman)
              Re: Craig35

              Some success this morning. As a last ditch effort I replaced the cables AND went back to my VOX 15W night Train. I don't think the cables were the problem as all my cables are standard off the shelf versions but perhaps some were in better shape than others.

              I believe what I am up against now is learning how to optimize the volume. I suspect each of the amp models have some degree of their own set ups but as an example I had the volume almost all the way up on my VOX and the clean and Pawnshop amp settings were marginally audible - the high gain blew me out of the room.

              In the presets I saw a setting that over rides the facotry presets and allows you to control the amps from the panel ( I believe at the time I was focusing on other problems).

              Any additional tips for optimizing volume now that we have something to work with.

              P.S. who are you guys? Are you just nice guys that like helping rookies get up and running or do you actually work for Line6?

              • spaceatl Expert Line 6 User
                spaceatl
                4,456 posts since
                Jan 24, 2007
                Currently Being Moderated
                Aug 2, 2011 6:41 AM (in response to Craig35)
                Re: Craig35

                The volume potential does vary a bit betwee the models...But that often has to do with the drive level and how the amp model needs to hit the DT-50 in order to give a more realistic response...I use the Vox model quite a bit and you are spot on in that it has a weaker potential compared to some of the others...You general approach should be to use the channel volume to level the patches relative to each other...and yes, some of the higher gain models might very well end up with 40% channel volume...

                 

                The gain staging changes between the models also...For example, if you are using the twin...A decent general approach is to just about max the channel volume and use the drive for the volume...This is a bit more like a real twin when you think about it since there is no gain control really on that amp...But then there is DrZ...The bass control is actually a gain...just thowing another wrench into the mix...

                 

                Here's a little bit more about the members of the community...

                 

                http://line6.com/support/docs/DOC-2120

                
                • Craig35 Just Startin'
                  Craig35
                  9 posts since
                  Jul 28, 2011
                  Currently Being Moderated
                  Aug 2, 2011 8:53 AM (in response to spaceatl)
                  Re: Craig35

                  A ton of thanks to both you and ozbandman for helping me dig out of the ditch. I'm not an electronics expert so this may sound a bit funny but it is almost as if the board is breaking in or aging up the more I use it?? I had it on all morning and the volumes seem to be inproving. I thought only wines got better with time.

                  I think at this point it is a matter of me digging in with the manual and playing with it to learn how it works. Hopefully the questions in the future will be more challenging patch building and performance enhancements etc.

                  I will start with all the tips you included in the prior post as a means to dial in the amps.

                   

                  Again - thanks a lot.

                  • ozbadman Gear Head
                    ozbadman
                    1,474 posts since
                    Apr 17, 2008
                    Currently Being Moderated
                    Aug 2, 2011 10:04 AM (in response to Craig35)
                    Re: Craig35

                    No worries.

                     

                    And be aware that there are pre and full amp models of all the amps. The pre models tend to be softer overall. Pre means preamp only (no poweramp section emulation).

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