I have both, and use both.  They are different animals.  As far as amp models go, the 500 has the GT-10 beat handily.  Clean, mid gain, high gain amps on the 500 are all clear winners in my ears.  The GT amp models in many cases are laughable, particularly the AC30.  And a lot of the delay and mod effects in the 500 are also better.  Tri-chorus isn't even aviailable on the GT.  I will say that I like the harmonizer on the GT better than the HD, though.  Overdrive stomps go to the GT-10.  There's just more variety, and I frankly think they sound better.

As far as using with a real amp, I've been using the GT with all my tube amps for a while.  I have it dialed in where I want it and I'm reluctant to change it out.  The GT definitely offers more simultaneous effects, and has some dedicated "utility" effects that don't really take up "blocks":  i.e. - two noise reductions, a dedicated PEQ, overall patch EQ, global EQ, etc.   But the HD is mighty formidable as an effects unit too.

I don't know, it's a hard choice from the perspective of using it as an effects processor with real amps.  If I were you right at this moment and I really wanted good amp models to record with, I'd go HD500 first.  Then, if and when Boss probably releases a next gen GT-12 or whatever in January (as is speculated), and if you want a unit to use with real amps, grab that one too if you can afford both.  Boss makes nice effects too.

Edit:  Sorry, I didn't see where you said you already had the GT-10.  Anyway, you know what that unit can do.

Hi

I have both the GT-10 and the HD500 as well as an X3 Live, XT Live and POD 2.0.

The GT-10 is a good unit there's no doubt.  It is not overly intuitive in terms of patch creation and there is no official Boss computer based editor (there is a pretty good third party editor, but it lacks some finesse still and is nowhere near the level of the HD500 Edit program in terms of usability IMO - but credit to the author nevertheless,  however Roland/BOSS should really have been all over this and done it themselves IMO)

There has only been one firmware update for the GT-10 in all the time I've owned mine (I got it very shortly after release), which says it's either perfect and there's little more that can be done in the way of improving how it sounds or its usability - which may be true, or that BOSS decided up-front where the unit could go in terms of development and simply abandoned all thought of further development during the product's life cycle.  I'm not saying either is the wrong approach, but I do prefer Line 6's approach to continued product development even after a product has been launched, in their continued efforts to squeeze as much out of a unit like the X3 Live for instance as possible with some serious updates and feature additions.  I believe that Line 6 will follow this same sort of pattern with all the HD units as they have done with the X3L, M9/M13, Spider Valve MkII, Spider IV etc... as that seems to be the sort of company and personalities that they are.

Some like COSM, and some don't and some like me don't have a problem with it.  There's the 'cocked wah' thing too but that's never arisen for me with my GT-10.

The LED brightness is a real issue for me with the GT-10 and I'd prefer to avoid anything like that in any future model in the GT-xx range as it hurts my eyes .  I do like the size and brightness of the GT-10's LCD though, however the HD500's LCD is easily a match for it

In terms of intuitiveness in use and quality of tone and FX, for me the HD500 is by far the better unit, but there is nearly three years difference in the state of the technology between the two, so we don't yet know what BOSS's next move will be, and there are certainly rumours of a GT-12 being announced shortly.

If I didn't already own both units and I had a finite pot of money (rather than no money LOL) to spend, after a fair audition of the two for a week or two, I would opt for the HD500 based on what I know about the two units, how they sound/feel and how easy it is to set up usable patches without having to navigate endless menus.  the GT-10 is a great unit, there's no doubt, but for me the HD500 on balance easily outweighs the GT-10 - but we are comparing apples to oranges to some extent due to the age and technological differences.

I'd certainly recommend that you audition an HD500 at your earliest convenience though.

Nick

You may already be aware of Glen DeLaunne since you're a GT-10 owner, but if not, you really should check him out - even ask him his opinions. He's a member on this forum - gangsterusa is his handle.  Here is a link to a video he created on the HD500. http://line6.com/community/thread/46904?start=0&tstart=0  And here is a link to his website for patch downloads and videos. I'm guessing he'll be updating w/ a section for the HD line at some point.  http://www.glenndelaune.com/Patch_download_page/Patch%20Download%20Area.htm

My opinion on this topic is based on owning the GT-10 for a brief time - long enough to know that I was not happy with the amp models, and I was not willing to endure the endless tweaking needed to get it to sound good with my real amps. I found it to be very sterile and brittle. I, like many was hearing the nasally cocked wah tone. I was coming off the X3L when I tried the GT-10, so that was my point of reference. Since then, I landed on the Digitech RP1000, and I found that to be a good option for me. I was able to get really good results with very little tweaking.

Now that I've gotten the HD500, I must say it is definitely superior in most respects (by my criteria). There is no comparison between the models in the HD to the GT. The HD models are much more detailed, articulate and lifelike compared to the Boss. Karl mentioned the AC30 model being particularly bad in the GT-10, and he's right. I own the real deal, so I'm particularly fond of that amp. The HD model of the AC30 is very impressive. It is the only AC30 model I've heard that really nails that tone.

I don't remember the GT-10 effects well enough to compare specifics, but I think in general, the two units are on par with each other for effects quality. I will say that the weakest effects in the HD are the distortions. That just seems to be the most difficult tone shaping tool to get right in the digital world. The HD is the best L6 has done (M-series), but it still isn't quite like the real deal. Well, for that matter, any of this digital stuff isn't *quite* like the real deal, but I have to say, the HD is much, much closer than anything I've heard in person.

As for ease of use, hands-down winner is the HD - both direct editing on the board and on the computer. If this is something you're after, as was I, then it is no contest.

All I can say is you have to try the HD for yourself. Let us know what you think once you've given it a whirl!

There´s really no comparsion there. GT-10 outdated technology. MFX goes year from year on the evolution process, reminds me when I got my GT-8 and kept it for 5 years. Now a new MFX will come across every 6-12 months or so overrating the older ones. Its a matter of keeping up with the future technologies.

I also recently moved from a BOSS GT-10 to the HD500.  To be honest, the HD500 hasn't blown me away.  Don't get me wrong, the HD500 is much more "authentic" sounding when it comes to basic amp tones, and I like many of the effects, but IMO the BOSS unit is 10x more flexible and gives you 10x the control over those effects by all of the parameters provided.  In many ways, it was overkill for someone that wanted to just "plug in and play" but I'm not blown away by the HD500, I still think Guitar Rig (software) sounds better, and the BOSS unit had much better effects with much more control.  Also, the build quality of the BOSS unit is twice that of the Line 6 unit- seriously.  That said, the core reason I bought the HD500 was the amp models.  They are much more authentic than the BOSS unit, and the other two reasons I went with the Line 6 is that it has a STEREO effects loop, which means I can add in any stereo analog effect pedal I have and preserve the stereo field, something that BOSS has never offered!  AND it has a very nice dedicated software editor, another thing that BOSS just has never gotten around too.  It's just too bad that I still need an analog overdrive pedal to really make the HD500 sound the way I want it to, but that's really a matter of preference I guess, I'm pretty happy with my switch over all, I just hope that they can iron out a few small details in the models that make them better.

my 2cents...

I've been around a long time. Nothing is perfect, you gotta decide what's important and trade off the rest.

Live is life, I'm not a studio rat although I do my fair share of recording. I have a GT-10, used to have a XTL, still have a pod 1.0 that is worth more to me than the money I would get for it. Likely going for a HD500 to replace the GT-10 because I have decided to simplify my live rig and need better basic amp sounds.

Every MFX unit has it's strong and weak points, you gotta test drive em in the situation you will be using them. Here's my conclusions that are tru for me:

GT-10: much better FX overall, weak amps, really good speaker cabs, SUPREME tweakability, fantastic live features (easy amp switching, solo boost, tons of EQing to minimize the nasally low mid tone that's into everything), some nice "Master" level control that makes global tweaks super easy, fast swapping of programs and tones (you can save your beast preamp tones and then dial them into a new patch), a more 'holistic' approach to programming that I like; the acoustic sim is nice in a pinch (won't win you a grammy tho) but only if you're running full-range (more on that later), better control over paramaters, lots of detailed info in the manual

Line 6: WAY BETTER amps (even on my Pod 1.0), an easier 'linear' approach to programming but you'll sacrifice GT-10 tweakability; the DSP-LIMIT issue has me worried, I gotta check it out to see if it's a PITB, plus Line 6 makes life easier by having manuals and free editors readily available; a more 'American' approach to the manual (fewer details but an easier read than anything BOSS or ROLAND have ever put out)

To capture a range of tones doing live covers, I would recommend getting a good power amp, like the ART SLA-1 or SLA-2, into high-power/high-quality full range cabs. 12s for sure, 10s won't have the oomph and 15s are too woofy. I use a pair of EV Stage 200s (with the legendary EVM 12S in them) with a Rane EQ before the amp to dial in some lower freqs. I have tried modellers into tube power amps into guitar cabs, but you completely lose the nuances of the cabinet simulators, which is half the gear's tone! My rig is small, very portable, loud, and stereo.

Cheers

How about running an HD300 into the effects loop of the GT-10 for the amp models alone ? Do-able with decent results ? Mulling over an HD300 for just this purpose, but want to find out before I shell out the cash.

Oh yeah, 1 more thing. Can you use midi to switch patches on the HD ? Would simplify things greatly since the GT has midi functionality.

For me the effects (less de harmony) are far better on the GT-10.

From the store the GT-10 and the HD500 are very similar for me, but if you know use both you can get better (more natural) tone from the HD. The amps have so much dynamic than the GT-10.

So for me, if you will only use the effects (less de harmony) maybe will be better the GT, but if you will use the simulations (amps, cabs, preamp+power, etc.) is better the HD.

Good luck