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1191 Views 22 Replies Latest reply: Jun 1, 2012 5:14 AM by hobbes40 RSS
hobbes40 Just Startin'
hobbes40
20 posts since
Nov 30, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Dec 10, 2011 6:36 PM

JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

Hello. I have  a korean jtv-69 and recently bought a line6 VDI cable direct from line6. This is the cable that is like a regular guitar cable but has the more solid ethernet connections at each end and will power the jtv without the battery. anyway, i've noticed that the variax acoustic 12 string tracking is very poor when using this cable as well as the VDI cable included with the purchased guitar (new from line6 as well). there are all sorts of warbling and artifacts especially on the low E string and worse with chords than single notes. the tracking problems are not present on any other 6 string acoustic or electric variax models.

  i've tried building presents in my pod hd 500 from scratch as well as using line6 pre-built presets and have the same problems. i've tried it using the pod hd edit on and off, powering the pod hd 500 on and off, switching presents back to a 6 string electric and then back to the acoustic 12 string. no dice. it's always there with the VDI cables but the tracking is generally very good with a regular guitar cable.

 

am i missing something here? is this a known bug or is there a fix that i'm overlooking? i searched the forum here with no luck. i have the latest firmware on all equipment. i would really like to be able to use the VDI cable in a live setting so i'd never have to worry about the battery power but there is no way i could use a 12 string setting like this.

 

any ideas or suggestions to fix this issue?

thanks

Tags: vdi, cable, jtv-69, 12-string
  • Nick_Mattocks Best of the Best
    Nick_Mattocks
    9,065 posts since
    Mar 26, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 11, 2011 1:23 AM (in response to hobbes40)
    Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

    Personally I think they over-cooked the defaults a bit with reference to the 12 string models.  I think they did with the older Variaxes too.

     

    WorkBench is your friend however.

     

    Make sure your guitar does not buzz when you fre the strings. Make sure the intonation is correctly adjusted and perfectly in tune before you do anything in WorkBench.

     

    Now in WorkBench you can adjust the detune value (in cents) and the mix volume of the 'virtual' string in each 'pair'.  I usually drop the mix volume and bring the virtual strings near enough in tune with the real strings and this cleans things up a lot.

     

    The pitch shifter circuitry 'hears' the pitch of the real string and then has to make a best choice for the pitch of the virtual string based on what it hears.  It is vital therefore that the string can be heard cleanly by the circuitry, so you need to play cleanly and without misfretting or buzzing strings.

     

    Nick

    • hobbes40 Just Startin'
      hobbes40
      20 posts since
      Nov 30, 2008
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 11, 2011 9:31 AM (in response to Nick_Mattocks)
      Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

      hi nick,

      thanks for replying. the problem really seems to be that the tracking issues are only present when using the VDI cables i got from LIne6. when i use a regular 1/4" guitar cable to plug into the pod hd500, it tracks the 12 string models fine. I agree that the 12 string models are cooked a little too much by line6 but what i am talking about is a different issue all together. the VDI cable does not seem to transmit data fast enough for the connection to keep up and make the tracking error free to within a reasonable amount. either this is a failing of the cable or the conectors or the processors, etc. I state this simply because all other things being equal and unchanged, the 1/4" connection doesnt suffer the tracking issues.

      any other ideas about this that anyone might have?

      thanks!

       

      andy

  • Line6david Line 6 Support
    Line6david
    5,196 posts since
    Jan 27, 2010
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 30, 2011 2:27 PM (in response to hobbes40)
    Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

    Hi,

     

    +1 to Nick, I think I hear a mix of the dry guitar and the DSP based signal. What are you Variax input settings set to on the POD HD 500? Listed on page 3/9 of the setup menu on the 500.

     

    Thanks,

    David

    Line 6 Customer Support

    • hobbes40 Just Startin'
      hobbes40
      20 posts since
      Nov 30, 2008
      Currently Being Moderated
      Dec 31, 2011 4:27 PM (in response to Line6david)
      Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

      hi david: at the time of the recording, the inputs were Variax CH1 and input 2 = guitar

      currently, i run input 1 = guitar + variax ch1 and input 2 = mic and that seemed to relieve a lot of the problem. if you listen to my mp3 noodling above at the 1:23 mark, you can hear a real synth-y, toy keyboard sort of tone on the open G string. i have yet to be able to get this to go away no matter what settings i use in the pod or the workbench software. it really stands out in the 12 strings but no where else. i recently changed strings as well on the jtv69 and it is still there.

      ideas?

      thanks

      • Line6Hugo Line 6
        Line6Hugo
        6,580 posts since
        Apr 8, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Jan 5, 2012 5:32 PM (in response to hobbes40)
        Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

        Do you get that synthy soud you describe if you just hit the G string by itself?  Do any other stirings do this?  If you get this warble noise on just the G string on more than one fret, there may be a hardware issue with the guitar which would require it to be serviced.  So if the re-installation of the flash memory has not cleared up that problem, we would need to get it back here to get it serviced.

         

        Regards,

         

        Line6Hugo

        • hobbes40 Just Startin'
          hobbes40
          20 posts since
          Nov 30, 2008
          Currently Being Moderated
          Jan 8, 2012 4:45 PM (in response to Line6Hugo)
          Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

          Hi Hugo,

          I just updated to the latest flash in the tyler. i've been playing for a few minutes and I think that the Tyler has, indeed, been improved in it's tracking with the VDI cable and the newest firmware update. Thanks for that!

          The synthy tone is still present to some degree and it is evident on the E-A-D-G strings with the most audible on the D-G strings, open strings and fretted notes all have the overtones. The overtone (synth-y) is more noticeable on the factory settings than the ones I have gone in and decreased the volume of the de-tuned sounds in Workbench. I am wondering if this is a software artifact vs. a hardware defect??

           

          is there any authorized service dealer in my area (zip 23518 in Va.) that could check it out? I'd hate to part with my Tyler for a long time (shipping back to Line6 in Cali) unless I/We were really certain it was a hardware issue. Yes, I love the guitar that much! It is really a wonderful piece of gear and I hate to put it down!

           

          The synthy overtones are present when using any 12 string model in the variax, with either the line6 VDI cable or any 1/4" guitar cable I've tried. It does not seem to be present is any other model.

          Thanks for your help with this!

  • overstood Just Startin'
    overstood
    3 posts since
    Jan 2, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Dec 31, 2011 9:09 AM (in response to hobbes40)
    Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

    I have a JTV-69 connecting through a POD HD 500. I too am having issues with alt tunings when connected with a VDI cable. I have tried a varietry of combinations on the input sources..what is the correct input source setting for my rig? I have no issue when connecting with a regular guitar cable

    Thanks

  • hobbes40 Just Startin'
    hobbes40
    20 posts since
    Nov 30, 2008
    Currently Being Moderated
    Jan 17, 2012 6:34 AM (in response to hobbes40)
    Re: JTV-69 and Line 6 VDI cable: problems with 12 string tracking

    just wanted to see if the Line6 folks had any further thoughts on my post in this thread from 1/8/12. please let me know. thanks!

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